Labor Commissioner’s Office

LCO enforces labor laws and workers’ protections.

LCO investigators (Industrial Relations Representatives and Deputy Labor Commissioners):

  • Help workers recover their money

  • Investigate workplaces in different industries across California

  • Educate employers and workers

  • Resolve wage claims

  • Investigate retaliation complaints

We encourage diversity and inclusion and are committed to providing guidance, encouragement and support to our team members to enrich their work and our ability to combat wage theft, putting earned wages into the pockets of California workers.

Whether you're an experienced professional or just starting your career, there's a place for you here. Join us in our mission to create a more equitable and just workplace for all Californians. Apply now and be a part of the positive change.

LCO Investigator Key Qualifications

We have openings for college graduates and experienced team members. 

LCO investigators work as Deputy Labor Commissioners or Industrial Relations Representatives depending on their education and work experience.

  • Assist with labor law enforcement and gain experience to become a Deputy Labor Commissioner. Start this career with:

    • A four-year college degree in any field (social sciences preferred)

    • or experience as a Management Services Technician and completion of two years of college or 18 units of college in Industrial/Labor Relations, Economics, Labor Law, Urban Sociology, Business Administration, or related fields.

  • Investigate wage theft claims with workers and employers. Gain experience to progress through the four levels of the Deputy Labor Commissioner classification. Start this career with:

    • A four-year college degree and one year of California state service work experience as an Industrial Relations Representative or Special Investigator I.

    • No college degree and five years of experience as an Industrial Relations Representative.

    • or 5 years of experience negotiating or preparing labor agreements, or interpretation and settlement of grievances arising under labor agreements including conciliation, mediation, or arbitration of disputes.

    • or 5 years of professional level work in the investigation and/or settlement of complaints regarding violation of State or Federal laws or regulations.

    • or graduation from law school.

    As a Deputy Labor Commissioner II, you can specialize as a hearing officer who resolves wage theft claims by holding formal hearings and issuing decisions.

    Hearing Officer (Deputy Labor Commissioner II)

    • A four-year college degree and one year of work experience as a Deputy Labor Commissioner I.

    • or 8 years of related work experience.

Benefits of a Career with LCO

LCO team members describe their jobs as impactful and rewarding. They say it is fulfilling to help workers recover the pay they are owed while educating employers about labor laws.

Working for the State of California means you get long-term job security and excellent benefits such as:

  • Medical, dental, and vision insurance

  • Pension plan

  • 401(k)/457 retirement plans

  • Short-term and long-term disability coverage

  • Flexible spending account to save on medical and child care expenses

  • Paid vacation and holidays

  • Union representation

  • Professional development support

Additional information on benefits can be found on the CalHR website.

Application Process

To get a job with the State of California, you must follow the application process below.

Create a CalCareers account

Before you can apply for a job opening, you need to create a CalCareers account. Your account lets you manage all your job applications and view your exam results in one place. You only need one CalCareers account to apply for all jobs.

Pass an exam

To determine whether you qualify for a specific job type, you must complete an examination for that job type (classification) to establish eligibility. If you pass an exam for a specific job type, you can apply for any job vacancy advertised under that classification.

You can view the list of all current DIR exams. If you're not already a state employee, you can only apply for and take open exams. If you're a current or former state employee, or a veteran, you can apply for open or promotional exams. If you are a veteran, visit Veterans' Preference for more information.

Apply for job openings

View Open Careers at LCO. Review the career openings and submit your application online using your CalCareers account. You can also apply for DIR jobs by submitting the Standard State Application (STD 678) by mail. All paper applications must be postmarked as instructed in the job bulletin.

Check in after applying

We encourage you to contact us for an update. Reach out to LCO’s recruiter at DIRJobs@dir.ca.gov.