Indian-American Seema Nanda Becomes New Solicitor For US Labour Department

Seema Nanda US Labour Department: Indian-American advocate Seema Nanda has been appointed as the solicitor for the Department of Labour with a dominating 53-46 votes, the United States Senate has confirmed.

Nanda has previously served as the chief executive officer of the Democratic National Committee  and was also a member of the department of labour during the Barack Obama Administration.

CONFIRMED: Seema Nanda to be Solicitor for @USDOL.

By a vote of 53-46.

— U.S. Senate Majority Floor Updates (@DSenFloor) July 14, 2021

Judy Chu, the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus Chair, congratulated Nanda after her appointment. She said she is "thrilled" to know that US President Joe Biden chose somebody with her experience since workers, these days, continue to face difficult challenges every day amid the risks from coronavirus and rising temperatures from climate change.

Chu, the first Chinese-American woman to serve in the US Congress, noted that Nanda's office will play a central role in fighting legal battles and challenges. "I know that Seema will be a champion for workers’ rights and vulnerable communities from the very start,” she praised Nanda.  Nanda joined the Department of Labor in 2013 and served as chief of staff, the deputy chief of staff and a senior counsellor to Secretary Tom Perez.

At the Department of Labor, she spent over 15 years in various roles working on various issues, including employee engagement, wage and hour, fair pay, workforce development, immigration. The Boston College Law School graduate has previously headed the National Labor Relations Board’s Division of Advice as an attorney and supervisory attorney. She also worked as an associate in private practice in Seattle. In 2018, Nanda became the first Indian-American to be appointed as the CEO of the Democratic National Committee (DNC).  She said that the team was fighting for "the soul of our country – for our democracy and for our opportunity". More here.

After serving the Obama-Biden administration, Nanda also headed the Democratic National Committee as the chief executive officer and served as the chief operating officer and executive vice president at the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights. Currently, she is a fellow at Harvard Law School’s Labour and Worklife Programme.

Feature Image Credit: Glamour