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The Department of Labor consists of the Commissioner, the Human Rights Director, and a dedicated team of investigators, supported by administrative staff. Our office is located at the State Capital in Bismarck, North Dakota.

We conduct our work in the following manner:

Efficient: We will strike a balance between being thorough and being efficient. We will leverage technology wherever possible. We will constantly challenge ourselves to identify opportunities to improve work processes, and will be consistent in the manner in which we approach our work.

Team-oriented: Our individual expertise is collectively enhanced by one another’s experience and wisdom, therefore we will eagerly make ourselves available to coach and support each other in conducting our work. We will foster trust and maintain positive attitudes. We will talk to each other…not about each other. We will be solution-oriented, not problem-focused. We will disagree openly and constructively, and when a decision is made we will uniformly support it, regardless of our individual viewpoint.

Respectful: Our work is naturally contentious, given that at its core, it involves resolving disputes between parties where only one can prevail. Nevertheless we will treat all parties with courtesy, respect, patience, and empathy, and will expect the same of those we work with.

Fair: We will strive to be regarded as neutral fact-finders with a reputation for fairness. We will value evidence over emotion. We will be diligent and focused in our pursuit of information in order to draw sound and objective conclusions.

Educator: We recognize our role in educating the public in order to increase understanding and compliance with North Dakota’s antidiscrimination and wage statutes. We understand the nexus between our ability to be proactive with our educational efforts and the impact those efforts have on the lives of North Dakota citizens. We will identify metrics and trends pertaining to our work, and create proactive communication strategies to impact those trends, which will be measured and evaluated for their effectiveness.