Biography of OUI Administrator - Jim Garner
Jim Garner started serving as the Administrator of the Office of Unemployment Insurance in the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration on July 4, 2021. Previously, he served nine years as the Deputy Administrator of the Office of Unemployment Insurance. Prior to his federal service, Jim served as the Secretary of Labor for the State of Kansas, a position he held for eight years. In that position, he was the senior executive and policy maker of the agency that administered the state’s unemployment insurance program, workers compensation program, employment standards laws, workplace safety program, labor market information services and public employers-employees relations laws. He served six terms as a member of the Kansas House of Representatives.
Jim grew up in the southeast Kansas town of Coffeyville and is a graduate of Coffeyville Community College. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in history from the University of Kansas and a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Kansas, School of Law, graduating as a member of the Order of the Coif. In August 2016, Jim graduated from the Federal Executive Institute’s Leadership for a Democratic Society program. Jim enjoys live music and attending Washington Nationals baseball game.