RALEIGH — North Carolina Commissioner of Labor Josh Dobson resigned on election night, well ahead of the end of his term. In a letter to Gov. Roy Cooper, Dobson’s resignation was effective as of Nov. 6 at 5 p.m.
“I am grateful for the last 14 years I have been able to serve in elected office and the opportunity to be your Commissioner of Labor,” Dobson said in the press release. “After 21 years of public service, I look forward to pursuing new opportunities in the private sector.
“I want to thank the employees at the N.C. Department of Labor for all of their hard work and service to the State of North Carolina. It has been a tremendous honor to work with them over the last four years ensuring the safety and health of all North Carolinians.”
On Tuesday, the North Carolina Healthcare Association announced it hired Dobson after a nationwide search to lead the group, which represents more than 135 member hospital systems.
On Nov. 8, Cooper appointed Kevin O’Barr to fill the commissioner role until Dobson’s elected successor, Republican Luke Farley, is installed in January 2025. O’Barr, a Democrat, is currently the bureau chief of consultative services at the Department of Labor.
“Kevin O’Barr’s background, experience and deep knowledge of the Department of Labor will help ensure a smooth transition for Commissioner-Elect Farley while continuing the critical functions of the department through the end of the year,” said Cooper in a statement. “I am thankful for Commissioner Dobson’s years of public service to our state and I look forward to working with Commissioner O’Barr as he assumes this role on the Council of State.”
When Dobson ran in 2020, he was endorsed by Cherie Berry, who served as commissioner of labor for 20 consecutive years (2001 to 2021). Berry was affectionately known as the “elevator queen,” a reference to the practice of putting the labor commissioner’s face on certificates inside all North Carolina elevators.
Halfway through his term, Dobson made the surprise announcement that he would serve out his current term but would not be seeking reelection.
“After much soul searching I’m announcing that I will not seek re-election nor will I be a candidate for any office in 2024,” Dobson said during the December 2022 Council of State meeting.
As to the reason for not seeking reelection, Dobson said it was time to leave elected office. He had been in an elected role for 14 consecutive years spanning four terms in the N.C. House and a stint as a McDowell County commissioner.
Farley, who received endorsements from Berry and Dobson, defeated Democrat Braxton Winston II, a former Charlotte City Council member and Black Lives Matter activist. Farley received 52.83% of the vote, the second most among Council of State election winners. Josh Stein’s 54.84% in the gubernatorial race was the highest percentage.
Farley, 39, is an attorney with a 14-year background in workplace safety. He earned his law degree from Wake Forest University School of Law and an undergraduate degree from UNC Chapel Hill with honors.
