Spanberger appoints labor secretary

(The Center Square) – Virginia’s next secretary of labor will be Jessica Looman, according to the Gov.-elect Abigail Spanberger’s office.

Looman most recently served as administrator of the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division, where she led the federal labor standards enforcement agency from 2021 to 2025.

The labor secretary oversees workforce training programs, labor standards enforcement and worker protection efforts across the commonwealth.

“Virginia’s workforce is the most talented in America and the foundation of what makes our economy great,” the governor-elect said in a statement. She said workers and their families deserve leaders who expand opportunity by investing in workforce training programs and supporting good-paying jobs across the commonwealth.

Spanberger said Looman brings experience supporting workers and fostering economic growth at the local, state and federal levels and is positioned to help prepare Virginians for both current and future workforce demands.

“As secretary of labor, Ms. Looman wi...