US: Indian-origin Seema Nanda named new Solicitor of Labour Department, confirms Senate

Indian-American civil rights lawyer, Seema Nanda has been confirmed as the solicitor for the Department of Labour in the US Senate, stated PTI. Nanda who is the former CEO of the Democratic National Committee (DNC) and also served in the Department of Labour during the Obama Administration,  has been confirmed by the senate with 53-46 votes on Wednesday, July 14. 

Judy Chu congratulates Seema Nanda on her appointment

After being confirmed as a solicitor for the Department of Labour, Congressional Asian Pacific Caucus chair Judy Chu applauded Nanda and said, "I am thrilled to congratulate Seema Nanda on her confirmation to serve as Solicitor for the Department of Labour. Whether it's risks from coronavirus, rising temperatures from climate change, or unscrupulous employers, workers continue to face difficult challenges every day. Her office will play a central role in fighting legal battles and challenges. With experience as the deputy solicitor and chief of staff at the Department of Labour under Secretary Tom Perez, I know that Seema will be a champion for workers' rights and vulnerable communities from the very start", she added. 'Her contribution made her an ideal choice for the position', stated Chu. 

Who is Seema Nanda?

A member of Joe Biden's Presidential transition team in 2020, Nanda has been an aid during the transition over the US Department of Labour. She joined the Department of Labour in 2013 and served as the Deputy Chief of Staff and a senior counselor to Secretary Tom Perez.

Along with that, she was also working on several issues including employee engagement, wage and hour, fair pay, workforce development, and immigration. In 2018, she became the first Indian-American to be appointed as the CEO of the Democratic National Committee (DNC). However, in 2020, she stepped down from the CEO position for the US presidential elections.

She has spent over 15 years in various roles as a labour and employment attorney, mostly in government service.  She is currently a fellow at Harvard Law School's Labour and Worklife Programme. She grew up in Connecticut and is a graduate of Brown University and Boston College Law School. 

(With agency inputs)