US Dept of Labor

client · work visas · tech modernization

Overview

flag.dol.gov (FLAG) is the sole federal platform for foreign labor certification programs — the official digital channel between US employers and the Department of Labor.

A custom-built case management system. Interconnected with the Department of State and USCIS. Built on USWDS. Secured by Login.gov. Launched 2019. Still here.

I led UX design — infancy through launch.

Client

U.S. Department of Labor (DOL)

Contractor

Booz Allen Hamilton

Contract Length

12-month base period (+ option years awarded)

Scope

A cloud-based replacement for the legacy iCERT System — covering all temporary foreign labor certification programs. Funded in part by a $3.5M Technology Modernization Fund (TMF) award.

Informed Decisions

A few key truths shaped the work — some recognized early, some earned through the process.

So we focused on ease of use — mapping questions to the right inputs, showing only what's relevant, and front-loading branching decisions. The experience was still ours to shape.

Lawyers hired by US employers to handle filings. Deep familiarity with the forms. That familiarity justified a learning curve if it meant faster workflows.

Instead of building six forms, we built one form generator. Every enhancement after — file uploads, digital signatures, autofills — shipped once and available platform-wide.

The form generator forced component-based thinking. Form controls, navigation patterns, tables, modals — all designed as reusable elements. The system scaled because the components did.

Clean logic, clear labels, input constraints, inline validation — if the form UX was right, most errors would solve themselves.