A Spotlight on Our New Orleans Office for National Preparedness Month

Troy Mouton is a Wage and Hour Division district director in the New Orleans District Office. We talked to him recently about his career and how the agency helps people in response to natural disasters .

Q: How long have you worked for the Wage and Hour Division?

I’ve been privileged to serve 24 years with the agency.

Q: What has your experience been with the Wage and Hour Division’s culture?

I’ve been impressed most by the staff’s spirit of public service as well as the diversity of our team. Many employees here truly represent their communities and have a genuine passion for serving them.?

Achieving our mission depends on earning workers’ trust. When workers find our staff relatable, they’re more likely to participate in our investigative process , which is often required to determine the facts of a case and ensure workers’ rights are protected.

Q: What inspires you to do your work?

I grew up in southwest Louisiana, where my family farmed. Every day, I saw my parents work long hours for little pay. So,?I learned the value of a dollar early in life. Today, it’s a privilege for me to play a role in ensuring workers receive the wages they’ve earned.?

I also enjoy educating employers on compliance.?In most cases, if we give employers the information needed to follow the law , they’re more likely to avoid costly errors.?Employer education allows us to have a greater long-term impact on more people than we can accomplish through investigations alone.

Q: How does the agency help people in response to natural disasters?

Natural disasters create serious challenges for workers and employers, as well as agencies like the Wage and Hour Division that are charged with ensuring workplace protections continue despite a disaster.

Low-wage workers are often impacted most severely.?They have fewer resources to weather the storm and their employment is often affected negatively while their employers struggle to recover from the disaster.?

Natural disasters also create employment opportunities involving debris removal, repair and reconstruction.?Those jobs often involve vulnerable workers and sometimes require long hours in difficult conditions.?

The Wage and Hour Division plays a critical role in educating employers on their obligations before and after natural disasters .?By being proactive, we increase employers’ preparedness and help them avoid violations of workers’ rights.

Stakeholder engagement is also essential to ensuring employees and employers are aware of their rights and responsibilities. Maintaining positive relationships with stakeholders allows the Wage and Hour Division to amplify its messages through organizations that have direct contact and credibility with the people we want to reach.

Q: What advice would you give to new employees in the agency?

Always stay objective and maintain your integrity. Since so much of our work is visible to the public, someone is always watching and listening to what we do. As a representative of the U.S. government, you must always conduct yourself professionally.?

Also, be curious and ask questions. Each day offers a chance to learn something new, whether from your coworkers or someone else whose experiences can improve your own awareness.

By joining the Wage and Hour Division family, you have an incredible opportunity to change people’s lives. Don’t take that opportunity for granted. In many cases, the employers you meet will change their pay practices to benefit an untold number of workers because of your guidance. And the back wages we recover for workers help them pay for rent, food, education and many other necessities.

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