Dept. of Labor to become Workforce Commission

The Louisiana Department of Labor officially became the Louisiana Workforce Commission this month when Gov. Bobby Jindal signed legislation to reform Louisiana’s workforce development system.

The commission will continue to administer the state’s unemployment insurance and workers’ compensation systems, but its role will expand to forecast workforce demand and develop job training seminars to plug workforce holes, host job summits and more.

“As the Louisiana Workforce Commission, we will lead the integration of workforce development and support services offered by multiple state agencies to provide a comprehensive, demand-driven system that meets the needs of employers and job seekers,” said Tim Barfield, whose title changes from labor secretary to executive director of the new agency. “This expansion of our scope recognizes our critical role in supporting economic development activities.”

In addition to Barfield, the new Louisiana Workforce Commission’s leadership team includes Deputy Executive Director Tia Edwards, Chief of Staff Trey LeBlanc, Chief Financial Officer Benny Soulier, Director of Workforce Development Stacy Bonnaffons, Director of Unemployment Insurance Administration Marianne Sullivan, Director of Workers’ Compensation Chris Broadwater and Press Secretary and Special Projects Director Curt Eysink.