§26-20  Department of labor and industrialrelations.  The department of labor and industrial relations shall beheaded by a single executive to be known as the director of labor andindustrial relations.

The department shall administer programsdesigned to increase the economic security, physical and economic well-being,and productivity of workers, and to achieve good labor-management relations,including the administration of workers' compensation, employment security,apprenticeship training, wage and hour, and industrial relations laws.  Thedepartment shall also have the function of developing, preparing, anddisseminating information on employment, unemployment, and general labor marketconditions.

The labor and industrial relations appealsboard provided for in chapters 371 and 386 is placed within the department oflabor and industrial relations for administrative purposes.  The respectivefunctions, duties, and powers, subject to the administrative control of thedirector of labor and industrial relations, and the composition of the boardshall be as heretofore provided by law.

There shall be within the department of laborand industrial relations a board to be known as the Hawaii labor relationsboard as provided for in section 89-5, which shall exercise powers and dutiesin accordance with chapters 89, 377, and 396.  The director shall have generaladministrative supervision over the board, but shall not have the power tosupervise or control the board in the exercise of its powers or duties.

The functions of mediation heretofore exercisedby the commission of labor and industrial relations existing immediately priorto November 25, 1959, as provided in section 371-10, shall be exercised by thegovernor or the governor's designated agent.

The director may establish within thedepartment of labor and industrial relations a committee to be known as theapprenticeship council which shall sit in an advisory capacity to the directorof labor and industrial relations on matters within the jurisdiction of thedepartment of labor and industrial relations relating to apprenticeshipprograms.  The membership and organization of the council shall be determinedby the director. [L Sp 1959 2d, c 1, §27; am L 1963, c 27, §1; Supp, §14A-26;HRS §26-20; am L 1975, c 41, §1; am L 1985, c 251, §1; gen ch 1985, 1993; am L1998, c 205, §1; am L 2002, c 104, §1]