Chapter 2. Powers And Duties of California Government Code >> Division 3. >> Title 2. >> Part 8.5. >> Chapter 2.

The secretary has the power of general supervision over, and is directly responsible to the Governor for, the operations of each department, office, and unit within the agency. The secretary may issue those orders as the secretary deems appropriate to exercise any power or jurisdiction, or to assume or discharge any responsibility, or to carry out or effect any of the purposes vested by law in any department in the agency. However, except with respect to the Workforce Investment Board, nothing in this part authorizes the secretary to exercise any power or jurisdiction, or assume or discharge any responsibility related to the administration of the state Compensation Insurance Fund, or to investigation, adjudication, rulemaking, or legal representation that is vested by other provisions of law exclusively in any board, commission, council, or other appointive multimember body that is organizationally located within the Labor and Workforce Development Agency or within any of its departments.

The secretary shall advise the Governor on, and assist the Governor in, establishing major policy and program matters affecting each department, office, or other unit within the agency, and shall serve as the principal communication link for the effective transmission of policy problems and decisions between the Governor and each department, office, or other unit.

The secretary shall exercise the authority vested in the Governor in respect to the functions of each department, office, or other unit within the agency, including the adjudication of conflicts between or among the departments, offices, or other units, and shall represent the Governor in coordinating the activities of each department, office, or other unit within the agency with those of other agencies, whether federal, state, or local.

The secretary shall be generally responsible for the sound fiscal management of each department, office, or other unit within the agency. The secretary shall review and approve the proposed budget of each department, office, or other unit. The secretary shall hold the head of each department, office, or other unit responsible for management control over the administrative, fiscal, and program performance of his or her department, office, or other unit. The secretary shall review the operations and evaluate the performance at appropriate intervals of each department, office, or other unit, and shall seek continually to improve the organizational structure, the operating policies, and the management information systems of each department, office, or other unit.

Other duties of the secretary include, but are not limited to, reviewing personnel management, acting as public advisor and providing public information in connection with all functions of the agency, overseeing the implementation of the workforce investment system to ensure that it better responds to the employment, training, and education needs of its customers, and consolidating service points and One-Stop Taxpayer Service Centers for employers and workers by adding services that are within the agency's authority.

The secretary shall develop and report to the Governor on legislative, budgetary, and administrative programs to accomplish comprehensive, long-range, coordinated planning and policy formulation in the matters of public interest related to the agency. To accomplish this end, the secretary may hold public hearings, consult with and use the services and cooperation of other state agencies, employ staff and consultants, and appoint advisory and technical committees to assist in the work.

For the purpose of administration, the secretary shall organize the agency, subject to the approval of the Governor, in the manner he or she deems necessary to segregate and conduct the work of the agency. The secretary may require any department, office, or unit to assist in enforcing any law within the jurisdiction of the agency, except as provided in Section 15554.

The secretary and any other officer or employee within the agency designated in writing by the secretary shall have the power of a head of a department pursuant to Article 2 (commencing with Section 11180) of Chapter 2 of Part 1.

Whenever a power is granted to the secretary, the power may be exercised by an officer or employee within the agency as designated in writing by the secretary.