Ind. Code ch. 22-1-1

Ind. Code ch. 22-1-1
in effect

Ind. Code § 22-1-1-1 Creation

Sec. 1. There is created a department of labor, which shall be administered by a commissioner of labor. Formerly: Acts 1945, c.334, s.1. As amended by P.L.37-1985, SEC.16.

Ind. Code § 22-1-1-2 Commissioner of labor; bonds; oath

Sec. 2. (a) The commissioner of labor shall be appointed by the governor and shall serve at the will of the governor. The commissioner serves until the commissioner's successor is appointed and qualified. (b) The commissioner of labor: (1) shall be the administrative and executive officer of the department of labor; (2) shall supervise and direct the work of the department; (3) shall have immediate charge of the administration and enforcement of all the laws and rules that the department is required by law to enforce and administer; (4) shall have general charge of all inspections and investigations; and (5) shall perform such other duties as may be prescribed in this chapter. (c) The commissioner shall adopt and use an official seal for the authentication of the orders and records of the department. (d) Before entering upon the discharge of official duties, the commissioner shall: (1) execute a bond, payable to the state in such amount and with such sureties as shall be approved by the governor, conditioned for the faithful discharge of the commissioner's official duties; and (2) take and subscribe an oath, which shall be endorsed upon the commissioner's official bond; and the bond and oath when so executed shall be filed in the office of the secretary of state. Formerly: Acts 1945, c.334, s.2. As amended by P.L.37-1985, SEC.17; P.L.100-2012, SEC.55.

Ind. Code § 22-1-1-3 Department of labor; office space; traveling expenses

Sec. 3. (a) The department of labor shall be provided with adequate offices in the state capitol building or in some other suitable building in Indianapolis, in which its records shall be kept and its official business shall be transacted. (b) The commissioner of labor and the several employees of the department shall be entitled to receive from the state their necessary and actual expenses while traveling on the business of the department, as provided in the state travel policies and procedures established by the department of administration and approved by the state budget agency. (c) All salaries and expenses of the department shall be audited and paid out of appropriations made to the department of labor for that purpose in the manner prescribed by law for the payment of the expenses of other departments of the state government. Formerly: Acts 1945, c.334, s.3. As amended by P.L.37-1985, SEC.19.

Ind. Code § 22-1-1-4 Department of labor; bureaus

Sec. 4. The following bureaus are created within the department of labor: (1) The bureau of mines and mine safety. (2) The bureau of youth employment. Formerly: Acts 1945, c.334, s.4; Acts 1975, P.L.235, SEC.2. As amended by P.L.37-1985, SEC.20; P.L.147-2020, SEC.11.

Ind. Code § 22-1-1-5 Bureaus; powers and duties

Sec. 5. (a) The bureau of mines and mining safety shall do the following: (1) have immediate charge of the administration of the underground mine laws of this state; (2) provide safety consultation services to any underground mine operator at the request of the operator; (3) provide mine safety and health education information to all underground mine operators; and (4) investigate all fatalities occurring in underground mine operations for the purpose of data collection; however, an investigation shall not interfere with investigations by the federal Mine Safety and Health Administration. (b) The bureau of youth employment shall have immediate charge of the supervision of children who are gainfully employed, including employment certificate violations under IC 22-2-18-43 (before its expiration on June 30, 2021), IC 22-2-18-44 (before its expiration on June 30, 2021), and IC 22-2-18-45 (before its expiration on June 30, 2021) or violations under IC 22-2-18.1-30. A child employee under the jurisdiction of the bureau of youth employment may file a complaint with the bureau of youth employment if the employer of the child employee requires noncompliance by the child employee with the provisions of IC 22-2-18-43 (before its expiration). Formerly: Acts 1945, c.334, s.5; Acts 1975, P.L.235, SEC.3. As amended by P.L.37-1985, SEC.21; P.L.215-1989, SEC.1; P.L.182-2006, SEC.10; P.L.35-2007, SEC.1; P.L.147-2020, SEC.12.

Ind. Code § 22-1-1-6 Bureaus; directors; appointment

Sec. 6. Each bureau is under the immediate charge of a director who is under the immediate charge of the commissioner. A director for each bureau shall be appointed by the commissioner of labor with the approval of the governor. Formerly: Acts 1945, c.334, s.6. As amended by P.L.215-1989, SEC.2.

Ind. Code § 22-1-1-8 Commissioner of labor; general powers and duties

Sec. 8. The commissioner of labor may do the following: (1) Make or cause to be made all necessary inspections to see that all of the laws and rules enacted or adopted for that purpose and that the department is required to enforce are promptly and effectively administered and executed. (2) Collect, collate, and publish statistical and other information relating to working conditions in this state and to the enforcement of this chapter and such rules as may be necessary to the advancement of the purposes of this chapter, but no publicity of any information involving the name or identity of any employer, employee, or other person, firm, limited liability company, or corporation shall be given. It shall be unlawful for the commissioner or any person to divulge, or to make known in any way not provided by law, to any person the operation, style of work, or apparatus of any employer, or the amount or sources of income, profits, losses, expenditures, or any part thereof obtained by the commissioner in the discharge of the commissioner's official duties. (3) Except as otherwise provided by law, employ, promote, and remove clerks, inspectors, and other employees as needed or as the service of the department of labor may require, and with the approval of the governor, within the appropriation therefor, fix their compensation and assign to them their duties. (4) Promote the voluntary arbitration, mediation, and conciliation of disputes between employers and employees, for the purpose of avoiding strikes, lockouts, boycotts, blacklists, discrimination, and legal proceedings in matters of employment. The commissioner may appoint temporary boards of arbitration, provide for the payment of the necessary expenses of the boards, order reasonable compensation paid to each member engaged in arbitration, prescribe and adopt rules of procedure for arbitration boards, conduct investigations and hearings, publish reports and advertisements, and do all other things convenient and necessary to accomplish the purpose of this chapter. The commissioner may designate an employee of the department to act as chief mediator and may detail other employees, from time to time, to act as the commissioner's assistants for the purpose of executing this chapter. Any employee of the department who may act on a temporary board shall serve without extra compensation. (5) Render advisory opinions as provided in IC 36-8-22-12. Formerly: Acts 1945, c.334, s.8. As amended by P.L.37-1985, SEC.22; P.L.8-1993, SEC.269; P.L.6-2012, SEC.149; P.L.6-2022, SEC.1.

Ind. Code § 22-1-1-10 Safe place to work

Sec. 10. Every employer and place of employment under the jurisdiction of the department of labor created by this chapter shall: (1) furnish employment that is safe for the employees therein; (2) furnish and use safety devices, safeguards, methods, and processes reasonably adequate to render employment and place of employment safe; and (3) do every other thing reasonably necessary to protect the safety of the employee. Formerly: Acts 1945, c.334, s.10. As amended by P.L.37-1985, SEC.23.

Ind. Code § 22-1-1-11 Commissioner of labor; powers and duties

Sec. 11. The commissioner of labor is authorized and directed to do the following: (1) To investigate and adopt rules under IC 4-22-2 prescribing what safety devices, safeguards, or other means of protection shall be adopted for the prevention of accidents in every employment or place of employment, to determine what suitable devices, safeguards, or other means of protection for the prevention of industrial accidents or occupational diseases shall be adopted or followed in any or all employments or places of employment, and to adopt rules under IC 4-22-2 applicable to either employers or employees, or both for the prevention of accidents and the prevention of industrial or occupational diseases. (2) Annually forward the report received from the mining board under IC 22-10-1.5-5(a)(5) to the legislative council in an electronic format under IC 5-14-6 and request from the general assembly funding for necessary additional mine inspectors. (3) Administer the mine safety fund established under IC 22-10-12-16. Formerly: Acts 1945, c.334, s.11. As amended by P.L.37-1985, SEC.24; P.L.2-1992, SEC.738; P.L.187-2003, SEC.1; P.L.28-2004, SEC.158; P.L.35-2007, SEC.2; P.L.113-2014, SEC.112.

Ind. Code § 22-1-1-12 Rules; petition for variation

Sec. 12. (a) If there will be practical difficulties or unnecessary hardships in carrying out any rule, order, or determination of the commissioner of labor, the commissioner of labor may, after a public hearing, authorize a variation from any requirement, if the spirit of the rule and of the law will be otherwise observed. Any person who is affected by any rule, or his agent, may petition the commissioner of labor, in writing, for variation, stating the grounds therefor. The commissioner of labor shall fix a day for a hearing on the petition and shall give reasonable notice thereof to the petitioner. (b) A properly indexed record of all variations made shall be kept in the office of the department of labor and shall be open to public inspection. Formerly: Acts 1945, c.334, s.12. As amended by P.L.37-1985, SEC.25.

Ind. Code § 22-1-1-15 Labor information; wages and hours; records

Sec. 15. (a) Every employer, employee, owner or other person shall furnish to the commissioner of labor any information which the commissioner of labor is authorized to require, and shall make true and specific answers to all questions, whether submitted orally or in writing, which are authorized to be put to him. (b) Every employer shall keep a true and accurate record of the name, address or occupation of each person employed by him, and of the daily and weekly hours worked by each such person and of the wages paid each pay period to each such person. Provided however, That the record of the daily and weekly hours worked or of the wages paid shall not be required for any person who: (1) is employed in a bona fide executive, agricultural, domestic, administrative or professional capacity; (2) is employed in the capacity of an outside salesman; or (3) has entered into a contract to play baseball at the minor league level and is compensated under the terms of a collective bargaining agreement that expressly provides for wages and working conditions. No employer shall make or cause to be made any false entries in any such record. Formerly: Acts 1945, c.334, s.15. As amended by P.L.67-2025, SEC.1.

Ind. Code § 22-1-1-16 Investigations; right of entry

Sec. 16. The commissioner of labor and the commissioner's authorized representative shall have the power and the authority to enter any place of employment for the purpose of collecting facts and statistics relating to the employment of workers and of making inspections for the proper enforcement of all of the labor laws of Indiana. An employer or owner may not refuse to admit the commissioner of labor or the commissioner's authorized representatives to the employer's or owner's place of employment. Formerly: Acts 1945, c.334, s.16. As amended by P.L.35-1990, SEC.41; P.L.252-2015, SEC.26.

Ind. Code § 22-1-1-17 Depositions; subpoenas; productions of books and papers; contempt

Sec. 17. The commissioner of labor and any officer or employee of the department of labor designated by the commissioner, in the performance of any duty, or the execution of any power prescribed by law, may administer oaths, certify to official acts and records, and, where specifically ordered by the governor, take and cause to be taken depositions of witnesses, issue subpoenas, and compel the attendance of witnesses and the production of papers, books, accounts, payrolls relating to the employment of workers, documents, records, and testimony. In case of the failure of any person to comply with any subpoena lawfully issued, or on the refusal of any witness to produce evidence or to testify to any matter regarding which the person may be lawfully interrogated, it shall be the duty of any circuit or superior court upon application of the commissioner or any officer or employee of the department of labor and a showing of the probable materiality of books, records, and papers, or, in the case of a witness, that the witness is believed to be possessed of information material to the examination, to compel obedience by attachment proceedings for contempt, as in the case of disobedience of the requirements, of a subpoena issued from a court or a refusal to testify in the court. Formerly: Acts 1945, c.334, s.17. As amended by P.L.37-1985, SEC.26; P.L.136-2018, SEC.109.

Ind. Code § 22-1-1-18 Rule violations; prosecution

Sec. 18. It shall be the duty of the several prosecuting attorneys of the respective judicial circuits or the attorney-general of the state of Indiana on the relation of the state of Indiana, upon the request of the commissioner of labor, or any of his authorized representatives, to prosecute any violation of any law, rule or order which it is made the duty of the commissioner to enforce. Formerly: Acts 1945, c.334, s.18.

Ind. Code § 22-1-1-22 Information sharing concerning construction workers misclassified as independent contractors

Sec. 22. (a) This section applies after December 31, 2009. (b) As used in this section, "contractor" means: (1) a sole proprietor; (2) a partnership; (3) a firm; (4) a corporation; (5) a limited liability company; (6) an association; or (7) another legal entity; that engages in construction and is authorized by law to do business in Indiana. The term includes a general contractor, a subcontractor, and a lower tiered contractor. The term does not include the state, the federal government, or a political subdivision. (c) The department of labor shall cooperate with the: (1) department of workforce development established by IC 22-4.1-2-1; (2) department of state revenue established by IC 6-8.1-2-1; and (3) worker's compensation board of Indiana created by IC 22-3-1-1(a); by sharing information concerning any suspected improper classification by a contractor of an individual as an independent contractor (as defined in IC 22-3-6-1(b)(7) or IC 22-3-7-9(b)(5)). (d) For purposes of IC 5-14-3-4, information shared under this section is confidential, may not be published, and is not open to public inspection. (e) An officer or employee of the department of labor who knowingly or intentionally discloses information that is confidential under this section commits a Class A misdemeanor. As added by P.L.164-2009, SEC.2.

Ind. Code § 22-1-1-24 Workplace battery report

Sec. 24. (a) The following definitions apply throughout this section: (1) "Health care employee" has the meaning set forth in IC 35-42-2-1. (2) "School employee" has the meaning set forth in IC 35-42-2-1. (3) "Workplace battery" means a battery described in IC 35-42-2-1(d) or IC 35-42-2-1(g). (b) The employer of a health care employee or school employee shall make a workplace battery report as described in subsection (c) to the commissioner if a health care employee or school employee is the victim of workplace battery. (c) Beginning July 1, 2027, the employer shall make the workplace battery report required under subsection (b) each year before: (1) August 1, for the period from January 1 to June 30; and (2) February 1, for the period from July 1 to December 31. The report shall be made on a form provided by the commissioner. (d) The workplace battery report must include the following information: (1) The name of the employer. (2) The city and county in which a workplace battery was committed. (3) The time period covered by the report (January 1 to June 30 or July 1 to December 31). (4) The number of workplace batteries that were committed during the reporting period. (5) The job title of each health care employee or school employee who was the victim of the workplace battery. (6) The date of each workplace battery. (7) The address and specific location (such as "hospital emergency room" or "school parking lot") where the workplace battery occurred. However, if the battery occurred at the health care employee's or school employee's home, the report may not include the address. (8) The circumstances surrounding the workplace battery and any resulting injury, including the following, if known: (A) The gender of the victim. (B) The specific manner in which the workplace battery was committed (such as by striking, biting, pushing, kicking, use of an object, or use of a weapon). (C) Whether the victim required hospitalization. (D) If a weapon or other object was used to commit the workplace battery, the type of weapon or object. (E) Whether law enforcement was contacted or responded to the workplace battery. (F) Whether criminal charges were filed against the perpetrator. For a workplace battery that does not occur on the employer's premises, the employer shall provide as much information as is known to the employer. (e) The employer shall make the report required under this section regardless of whether a person is criminally charged with the workplace battery. As added by P.L.158-2026, SEC.21.
Source: Open US Law by Vaquill AI (CC BY 4.0)URL: https://iga.in.gov/laws/2026/ic/titles/22Fetched: 10/17/2026

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