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Former MD Official Thomas Perez to Head Labor Dept.

Justice Department

Maryland’s former Labor Secretary Thomas Perez is set to be named Secretary of Labor by President Obama.

Perez is currently in the civil rights division of the Justice Department and would replace Hilda Solis.

He would also satisfy pressure from the Hispanic community to put more Latinos into administration positions.

The 51-year old Perez has been popular within the labor movement.

Some Democrats are hoping that he will signal a renewed push for an increase in the minimum.

During his State of the Union address President Obama called for hiking the minimum wage from $7.25 an hour to $9.00 an hour.

In addition, there would be automatic inflation adjustments in the following years.

Don Rush is the News Director at Delmarva Public Media. An award-winning journalist, Don reports major local issues of the day, from sea level rise, to urban development, to the changing demographics of Delmarva.