While in Congress, Ms. Chavez-DeRemer was a co-sponsor of the Protecting the Right to Organize Act, known as the PRO Act, a sweeping labor bill that sought to strengthen collective bargaining rights.

How DOL will proceed now is not clear, though there are hints the agency may be assuming an unusually pro-worker stance for a Republican administration.

The Senate has voted to confirm Lori Chavez-DeRemer as U.S. labor secretary. The Cabinet position puts her in charge of enforcing federally mandated worker rights and protections at a time when the White House is trying to eliminate thousands of government employees.