Title 4 of the Revised Statutes, referred to in text, was entitled “Provisions Applicable to All Executive Departments”, and consisted of R.S. §§ 158 to 198. For provisions of the Code derived from such title 4, see sections 101, 301, 303, 304, 503, 2952, 3101, 3106, 3341, 3345 to 3349, 5535, 5536 of Title 5, Government Organization and Employees; section 207 of Title 18, Crimes and Criminal Procedure; sections 514, 520 of Title 28, Judiciary and Judicial Procedure; section 3321 of Title 31, Money and Finance.

Section was formerly classified to section 611 of Title 5 prior to the general revision and enactment of Title 5, Government Organization and Employees, by Pub. L. 89–554, § 1, Sept. 1, 1966, 80 Stat. 378.

Pub. L. 99–619, § 1, Nov. 6, 1986, 100 Stat. 3491, provided that: “This Act [amending sections 552 and 553 of this title and sections 5313 to 5316 of Title 5, Government Organization and Employees, repealing section 3 of Reorganization Plan No. 6 of 1950, set out in the Appendix to Title 5, and enacting provisions set out as notes under sections 552 and 553 of this title and section 5316 of Title 5] may be cited as the ‘Department of Labor Executive Level Conforming Amendments of 1986’.”

For transfer of functions of other officers, employees, and agencies of Department of Labor, with certain exceptions, to Secretary of Labor, with power to delegate, see Reorg. Plan No. 6, of 1950, §§ 1, 2, 15 F.R. 3174, 64 Stat. 1263, set out in the Appendix to Title 5, Government Organization and Employees.

For assignment of certain emergency preparedness functions to Secretary of Labor, see Parts 1, 2, and 12 of Ex. Ord. No. 12656, Nov. 18, 1988, 53 F.R. 47491, set out as a note under section 5195 of Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare.

A Department of Labor under the charge of a Commissioner of Labor was first established by act June 13, 1888, ch. 389, 25 Stat. 182. That Department was placed under the jurisdiction and made a part of a new department, called the Department of Commerce and Labor, by act Feb. 14, 1903, ch. 552, § 4, 32 Stat. 827. The name Department of Labor was changed to Bureau of Labor by act Mar. 18, 1904, ch. 716, 33 Stat. 136. The present Department of Labor was created by act Mar. 4, 1913. The Bureau of Labor in the Department of Commerce and Labor was transferred to the present Department of Labor by said act.

For order of succession during any period when both Secretary and Deputy Secretary of Labor are unable to perform functions and duties of office of Secretary, see Ex. Ord. No. 13245, Dec. 18, 2001, 66 F.R. 66268, set out as a note under section 3345 of Title 5, Government Organization and Employees.

Compensation of Secretary, see section 5312 of Title 5, Government Organization and Employees.