Maintaining and investing in the strength and vitality of the U.S. workforce is imperative as we work to revive and grow our economy. Last week, I met with Labor Secretary Hilda Solis and Hispanic leaders on labor issues, including the Labor Council for Latin American Advancement and LiUNA!, to discuss the work the Department of Labor does to protect Hispanic workers and how they would be adversely affected if DOL suffered a significant loss in funding as a result of cuts to the President’s FY 2012 budget.

NHCOA represents the thousands of Hispanic older workers who can’t afford to stop working and seek to supplement their Social Security and pension checks. We also represent the families and caregivers of Hispanic older adults who may have their rights infringed upon if investments in worker protection programs are cut. That is why NHCOA strongly supports the President’s budget request to bolster DOL’s ability to uphold all workers’ rights to have fair wages and have safe and healthy workplaces.

In particular, we need to make strong investments in programs that protect Latino workers, such as the Wage and Hour Division (WHD), tasked with enforcing laws that guarantee workers fair compensation, overtime, and flexibility for family and personal caregiving; and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Federal Enforcement, which inspects high-risk workplaces, responds quickly to emerging problem industries, and reaches vulnerable workers through customized outreach campaigns.

As we face an increasingly competitive global market, unscrupulous employers are confronted with the growing temptation to cut corners at the expense of their workforce, especially those most vulnerable and least likely to complain about labor law violations-in other words, Latinos. Without the proper funding, DOL won’t be able to nimbly and effectively crack down on such violations. This would subsequently lead to a decrease in workers’ wages and working conditions across the board.

We also need to craft and enforce policies that focus on the quantity and quality of jobs, especially for older Hispanic workers who increasingly need to continue to be in the workforce to take care of their basic needs and those of their families.

Under the leadership of Secretary Solis, DOL has been successful in reshaping its priorities to effectively protect all American workers. If vital funding is cut, DOL won’t be able to carry out its mission, which is why it is important to send Congress a clear message: they can’t turn their backs on American workers, especially not now.