President-elect Donald Trump announced late Tuesday his intention to nominate Keith Sonderling as deputy labor secretary, the second-highest position at the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL). Sonderling, a former commissioner and vice chair of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), previously served as acting administrator and deputy administrator of the DOL’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD) during Trump’s first term.

Sonderling’s tenure as EEOC commissioner, which ended in August, followed his Senate confirmation in September 2020 by a 52-41 vote. During his time at the WHD, Sonderling played a pivotal role in addressing wage issues, including authoring opinion letters and launching the Payroll Audit Independent Determination (PAID) program, which allowed employers to self-audit and resolve back wages without litigation or penalties.

Trump shared the news on Truth Social just before midnight Tuesday. “I am pleased to announce that Keith Sonderling will serve as the next United States deputy secretary of labor,” Trump wrote. “Keith will work with our great nominee for secretary of labor, Lori Chavez-DeRemer, to put our country and workers FIRST.”

Sonderling expressed his gratitude on Twitter early Wednesday: “Thank you @realDonaldTrump for nominating me as deputy secretary of labor, @USDOL. I am thrilled for the opportunity to work with @LChavezDeRemer, on your vision to create opportunities for workers and help restore the American dream for working families.”

The deputy labor secretary position, which requires Senate confirmation, is crucial to DOL operations and has frequently involved acting as the department’s leader during transitions. For example, Deputy Labor Secretary Patrick Pizzella served as acting secretary during the previous Trump administration, and Julie Su, confirmed as deputy under President Joe Biden, has acted as labor secretary for nearly two years.

Trump had previously announced in November his intent to nominate former Republican Representative Lori Chavez-DeRemer of Oregon for labor secretary. Chavez-DeRemer’s nomination surprised some political and legal observers due to her past support for pro-union legislation backed by Democrats.

If confirmed, Sonderling will collaborate with Chavez-DeRemer on shaping labor policies aimed at advancing the administration’s priorities for workers and businesses.