Section 34-2-6. Specific powers and duties of Commissioner

   (a) In addition to such other duties and powers as may be conferred upon him by law, the Commissioner of Labor shall have the power, jurisdiction, and authority:

   (1) To superintend the enforcement of all labor laws in the State of Georgia, the enforcement of which is not otherwise specifically provided for, and all rules and regulations made pursuant to this title;

   (2) To make or cause to be made all necessary inspections in order to see that all laws and the rules made pursuant thereto which the department has the duty, power, and authority to enforce are promptly and effectively carried out;

   (3) To make investigations, collect and compile statistical information, and report upon the conditions of labor generally and upon all matters relating to the enforcement and effect of this chapter and of the rules issued thereunder;

   (4) To make and promulgate such rules or changes in rules as he may deem advisable for the prevention of accidents or the prevention of industrial or occupational diseases in every employment or place of employment, and such rules or changes in rules for the construction, repair, and maintenance of places of employment, places of public assembly, and public buildings as he may deem advisable, to render them safe. The Commissioner may appoint committees composed of employers, employees, and experts to suggest rules or changes therein;

   (5) To do all in his power to promote the voluntary arbitration, mediation, and conciliation of disputes between employers and employees and to avoid strikes, picketing, lockouts, boycotts, blacklisting, discriminations, and legal proceedings in matters of employment. In pursuance of this duty, the Commissioner may appoint temporary boards of arbitration, provide necessary expenses of such boards, order reasonable compensation not exceeding $15.00 per day for each member engaged in such arbitration, prescribe rules for such arbitration boards, conduct investigations and hearings, publish in print or electronically reports and advertisements, and do all things convenient and necessary to accomplish the purpose of this chapter. The Commissioner may designate a mediator and may, from time to time, detail employees or persons not in the department to act as his assistants for the purpose of executing such provisions. Employees of the Department of Labor shall act on temporary boards without extra compensation. Nothing in this Code section or in this chapter shall be construed to prohibit or limit in any way employees' rights to bargain collectively;

   (6) To supervise the business of private employment agencies and employment intelligence bureaus and as frequently as may be necessary to examine into the condition of each such agency or bureau;

   (7) To exercise jurisdiction over such person, firm, or corporation acting as an emigrant agent or agency, hereinafter referred to as emigrant agent. As used in this paragraph, the term "emigrant agent" means any person who shall solicit or attempt to procure labor in this state to be employed beyond the limits of this state. The Commissioner shall require each emigrant agent to make application for license to do business, such application to be endorsed by two taxpayers and accompanied by a bond of $1,000.00 for the faithful performance of duty and the payment of such tax as may be required by law; each emigrant agent must secure annually a license to do business. Each emigrant agent shall make a daily report to the Commissioner showing the names, addresses, and number of persons carried out of the state, the points to which they have been carried, the nature and character of work secured for them, the pay to be received by them, and the fee charged them or to be collected and from whom. The emigrant agent shall show clearly by whom employed, if paid a salary, or from whom he receives a commission, and how much. The Commissioner shall inspect the office and work of each emigrant agent as often as may be necessary; and if any emigrant agent shall be found to be violating the law it shall be the duty of the Commissioner immediately to proceed to have such person presented to the proper authorities for prosecution and to cancel the license to do business;

   (8) To post or have posted at his discretion in a conspicuous place in all state employment agencies throughout the state, the "Help Wanted" advertisements from the Sunday editions of the two newspapers with the largest circulation in each of the cities of Detroit, Michigan; Chicago, Illinois; St. Louis, Missouri; New York, New York; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Baltimore, Maryland; Washington, D.C.; Los Angeles, California; and San Francisco, California, so that persons making application for employment through such agencies, but unable to find employment in this state, may see what employment is available elsewhere. It shall be the further duty of the Commissioner of Labor to assist, in any way possible, any person making application for employment in the securing of a position in some other state if employment is not available in Georgia for such a person; and

   (9) To initiate and continue to operate an ongoing educational assistance program to include high school through graduate levels for qualified Department of Labor personnel.

(b) Upon a formal determination that a debt or obligation of a former employer who is no longer in business in the State of Georgia to the Department of Labor of $300.00 or less is uncollectable, or that the costs of collection would equal or exceed the amount due such department, the Commissioner of Labor shall execute and transmit to the state accounting officer a certification which includes the following: a recapitulation of the efforts made to collect the debt or obligation; an estimate of the costs to pursue collection of the debt or obligation administratively or judicially; such other information as may be required by the procedure developed by the Commissioner of Labor and that complies with policies prescribed by the state accounting officer; and a statement that further collection effort would be detrimental to the financial interests of the state. The certification shall be made under oath or affirmation and shall be sent to the state accounting officer at such times as shall be prescribed in the procedure developed by the Commissioner of Labor and the state accounting officer. Upon receipt of the certification, the state accounting officer shall be authorized to approve the removal of such uncollectable amounts from the financial records of the Department of Labor.

Ga. L. 1911, p. 133, §§ 2, 5; Ga. L. 1917, p. 88, § 1; Ga. L. 1920, p. 118, §§ 1, 2; Ga. L. 1931, p. 7, § 108; Code 1933, § 54-110; Ga. L. 1937, p. 230, § 9; Ga. L. 1945, p. 487, § 1; Ga. L. 1950, p. 9, § 3; Ga. L. 1958, p. 380, § 1; Ga. L. 1959, p. 283, § 7; Ga. L. 1974, p. 567, § 20; Ga. L. 1992, p. 1029, § 1; Ga. L. 2005, p. 694, § 32/HB 293; Ga. L. 2010, p. 838, § 10/SB 388.