On Wednesday, the Senate confirmed Jessica Looman as the Administrator of the Wage and Hour Division of the U.S. Department of Labor. 

Senators voted mostly along party lines in the 51-46 vote. Sen. Tina Smith, D-Minn., celebrated the confirmation on the social media platform X, noting she "will be an incredible advocate for workers like the waitress whose boss steals her tips or the restaurant manager who isn't getting paid for overtime. This is a victory for working families."

But it's not just the service sector that stands to benefit from her appointment. The Sheet Metal Workers' International Association (SMART) and Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractors' National Association (SMACNA) support Looman, with SMACNA announcing their endorsement in May 2021. Looman has served as the unofficial head of the division and principal deputy, helping both unions take strides in their regulatory agendas in recent years.

Looman has been instrumental in reforming the Davis-Bacon Act, the ongoing refinement of independent contractor rules, promoting the use of project labor agreements and enhancing registered apprenticeship standards, SMACNA wrote in a statement. The New Davis-Bacon regulations took effect on October 23rd. SMACNA notes these updates were a "huge win for SMACNA members and the unionized construction industry." 

They added, "Looman has made significant progress on important goals most labor and management organizations support, from expanding construction career pathways to including greater diversity and inclusion in the construction industry to protecting the physical and financial health of the construction workforce."

“The confirmation of Jessica Looman as the Department of Labor’s Administrator of the Wage and Hour Division is a win for SMART members, our families and working people across this country," SMART representatives added in another statement. "Looman has advocated for workers in our industries throughout her career, whether as executive director of the Minnesota State Building and Construction Trades Council, or in various positions for Minnesota’s Departments of Labor and Commerce."