What is the Employment Standards Administration?

The Employment Standards Administration (ESA), the largest agency within the U.S. Department of Labor, enforces and administers laws governing legally-mandated wages and working conditions, including child labor, minimum wages, overtime and family and medical leave; equal employment opportunity in businesses with federal contracts and subcontracts; workers' compensation for certain employees injured on their jobs; internal union democracy and financial integrity, and union elections, which protect the rights of union members; and other laws and regulations governing employment standards and practices.