Building Communities in Savannah and the Sahara

Larry Benjamin is an assistant district director for the Wage and Hour Division in Savannah, Georgia. We chatted with him recently to learn about his career, and his time in the Peace Corps .?

Q: Can you tell us about your role and how long you’ve worked for the Wage and Hour Division???

I was hired as an investigator in Los Angeles in 1990. I later worked as an investigator in San Diego and Portland, Oregon, and I have been the assistant district director in the Savannah office since 2008.?

Q: Why did you want to work for this agency???

I have always felt an affinity for public service. Most people spend more time working than any other activity, and a person’s job has a large effect on their well-being and sense of self. Working for the Wage and Hour Division has given me the opportunity to help large numbers of people, and make what I believe is a beneficial contribution to society.??

Q: What are the most rewarding aspects of your career???

The most rewarding part of my career has been when I have succeeded in bringing workers the assistance they needed. I’ve also been involved in several memorable and landmark investigations.??

Q: What tips or advice would you give someone starting a career with this agency???

It’s a job that requires and fosters independence. In many government positions, you will be part of a team, sometimes a very large team, working on a small part of a larger project. In contrast, most of the time as a Wage and Hour Division investigator, you will be on your own, by yourself at a business, and making decisions on the fly. You should make sure you’re comfortable working in this kind of environment.??

Q: What motivated you to seek a service position as a Peace Corps volunteer????

I always wanted to travel, not just as a tourist, but to spend significant time in a foreign country to get a real feel for the culture. I have also always had a desire to make a positive impact on society. Peace Corps offered an opportunity for that, while providing better logistical support than similar non-governmental organizations doing that type of work.??

Q: Where did you go and what did you do???

I was assigned to a reforestation project in the Republic of Mali.????

Q: Can you share a particularly memorable experience during your service???

I will never forget one vacation hanging off the back of a bachee (a covered pickup truck, the main form of public transportation in Mali at the time) driving over the Sahara Desert, arriving in Timbuktu on Christmas Day 1988.??

Q: Is there anything else you’d like to share???

Peace Corps was an amazing experience that allowed me to live and work in a community that I otherwise wouldn’t have been able to.?

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