the secretary of labor is in charge of the department of labor. this department sets standards for workplace safety, wages and number of hours worked, unemployment INSURANCe benefits, re-employment services, and some of the nation's economic statistics. kirsten gillibrand believes that Creating jobs and getting our economy turned around is a number one priority. she believes the best way to create jobs is by increasing lending and cutting taxes for small businesses, making aggressive investments in infrastructure, and transitioning from foreign fossil fuels to an economy powered by clean, American energy.