Governor Mikie Sherrill has nominated Kevin Jarvis to serve as the next commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development (NJDOL). If confirmed, Jarvis will be responsible for expanding workforce training programs, improving partnerships between higher education and businesses, enhancing government service efficiency, increasing career opportunities for people with disabilities, and continuing protections for workers in the state.
Jarvis’s background includes practicing labor law as a partner at O’Brien, Belland & Bushinsky. His experience covers contract negotiations, grievances and arbitration hearings, Unfair Labor Practice matters, and Employee Retirement Income Security Act litigation. He also spent nearly four years as Chief of Staff at NJDOL. Earlier in his career, he represented workers—particularly those from building trades—who suffered injuries due to workplace exposure to hazardous substances such as asbestos and diesel exhaust fumes.
Governor Sherrill said: “I am thrilled to announce Kevin Jarvis as my pick to lead NJDOL. Kevin’s depth of experience advocating for the rights of New Jersey’s workers makes him an ideal candidate to serve as New Jersey’s Labor Commissioner. As we look to create more opportunities for New Jerseyans to find great jobs and get ahead, Kevin’s experience will be invaluable in helping us strengthen resources available to our communities.”
Jarvis responded: “I am honored to be nominated to serve as New Jersey’s next Commissioner of the Department of Labor and Workforce Development, and I thank Governor Sherrill for putting her trust in me. New Jersey is the epicenter of innovation, and I look forward to working with Governor Sherrill to cultivate a workforce ready to respond to our evolving employment landscape.”
Jarvis holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in History and English from Rutgers University (1993) and a Juris Doctor from Seton Hall University School of Law (2001).
