The Kansas Department of Labor

Mission Statement
Agency Philosophy and Values
Vision
Secretary Jim Garner
Organizational Chart
Open Records Act

The Department of Labor was created by 2004 Executive Order Number 31. Prior to that time, the department was named the Kansas Department of Human Resources. KDOL is administered under the direction and supervisions of the secretary of labor who is appointed by the governor, subject to confirmation by the senate.

KDOL has many important responsibilities. The agency administers the unemployment insurance program and processes claims for unemployment benefits. KDOL operates the state’s workers compensation system and enforces Kansas employment standards including wage and hour laws and child labor laws. The agency also houses a research unit that compiles critical data on employment in Kansas.

Mission Statement

We advance the economic well being of all Kansans through responsive workforce services.

Agency Philosophy and Values

We are committed to providing quality, accessible, responsive, services to all Kansans. Our work is characterized by:
Politeness and common courtesy
Dignity, respect, and cultural sensitivity for each other and for those we serve
Stewardship of public resources
Integrity and ethics in every aspect of our work
An emphasis on quality and accountability
Sound public policy
Clear communication
Collaborative partnerships
Cost effectiveness

Vision

We envision a Kansas where diverse people of wide ranging talents and vital enterprises prosper in a resource rich state.

Secretary Jim Garner

Jim Garner was born in 1963 in Coffeyville, Kansas. He attended Coffeyville public schools, graduating from Field Kindley High School and Coffeyville Community College. He earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in history from the University of Kansas and a Juris Doctor from the University of Kansas School of Law.

Following law school, Jim served a two-year appointment as a research attorney for U.S. District Judge Dale E. Saffels. He then returned to Coffeyville, where he has had a private practice since 1990.

Jim served six terms in the Kansas House of Representatives, having been first elected to the 11th District in November 1990. He has served as the Ranking Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee, as Vice Chairman of the House Rules Committee and as a member of the House Taxation Committee, the House Insurance Committee, and the House Business, Commerce and Labor Committee.

In 1994, Jim was selected to participate in the Program for Emerging Political Leaders at the Darden School of Business at the University of Virginia. Jim also participated in the inaugural class at the Council of State Governments' Bowhay Institute of Legislative Leadership Development at the University of Wisconsin in Madison.

In December of 1998, Jim was unanimously elected to serve as the House Minority Leader of the Kansas House of Representatives and was re-elected to that position in 2000.

On January 7, 2003, Governor Kathleen Sebelius announced her selection of Jim Garner to serve as Acting Secretary of the Kansas Department of Labor, and on March 28 the Governor selected Jim to serve as Secretary of Labor.

Organizational Chart

This chart is in PDF format and requires Adobe Acrobat Reader which is available for free from Adobe.

KDOL Organizational Chart