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James (Jim) S. Frederick was appointed Commissioner of the Virginia Department of Labor and Industry by Governor Abigail Spanberger in January 2026.

As Commissioner, he leads the agency’s operations and oversight, including administration of Virginia’s occupational safety and health state plan, enforcement of labor and employment laws, and regulation of commercial boilers and pressure vessels.

Frederick brings more than 35 years of experience advancing worker rights, with a career-long focus on worker safety and health. From 2021 to 2025, he served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health at the U.S. Department of Labor, where he directed national OSHA operations and regulatory initiatives. In 2025, he joined NEXUS HSE, LLC as a Principal, partnering with organizations to design and strengthen industry-leading safety and health programs. His expertise includes developing and improving safety and health management systems and serious injury and fatality prevention programs grounded in human and organizational performance principles.

Frederick also served as a Senior Fellow with the McElhattan Foundation’s Ending Death on the Job Program, which focuses on eliminating workplace hazards that lead to fatalities and serious injuries.

Earlier in his career, he spent many years with the United Steelworkers Union as Assistant Director of Health, Safety, and Environment. In that role, he worked directly with workers and employers to implement effective safety and health management systems that reduce injuries and illnesses while strengthening compliance with worker protection laws.

Throughout his career, Frederick has collaborated closely with workers, labor organizations, employers, regulators, attorneys, and subject matter experts. His leadership reflects a deep commitment to protecting workers while promoting safe, fair, and lawful workplaces across the Commonwealth.

Frederick holds a Master of Science in Environmental Health and Safety Management from Rochester Institute of Technology and a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Health from Purdue University. He received the Purdue School of Health Sciences Distinguished Alumnus Award in 2022 and the College of Health and Human Sciences Distinguished Alumni Award in 2024.