North Carolina Labor Commissioner Stops Tradition of Displaying Official Photos in State Elevators

Labor Commissioner Josh Dobson aims to refocus attention on Department of Labor employees, trades pre-existing official photos for a new safety sentence in elevator inspection certificates.

North Carolina Labor Commissioner Josh Dobson has stopped the tradition of displaying the Labor Commissioner's photo in state elevators, a practice that began in the mid-2000s by his predecessor Cherie Berry.
Instead of the photograph, Dobson has authorized the addition of a new sentence to the elevator safety forms that mark each inspection.
Dobson's decision is based on his desire to focus attention on the Department of Labor employees and their hard work rather than on the person in his position.
Critics of the decision, including potential successors and Berry, argue that the photos allowed the public to put a face to the government and that their removal will mean citizens know less about who runs state government.
The changes to the forms will gradually roll out statewide as new inspections are completed, making it clear that certifications don't expire and stay 'in effect until the next periodic inspection.'