In 1994, the Industrial Relations Department changed its name to the Human Resources Policy Department. This department developed and advocated responsible positions on a broad range of employment issues affecting American manufacturing and the national economy. The policies were member-driven with participation from a broad range of small and large firms. In 1995, the department had three committees: Education and Workforce Readiness Committee, Employee Benefits Committee, and Employee Relations Committee.

The material in this series documents the continued work of the Human Resources Policy Department, including many efforts that were started under the Industrial Relations Department. The series is comprised of three subseries: Committees, subcommittees, and task forces; Internal files, and Subject files. Each subseries is arranged alphabetically. This series should be considered in conjunction with the Industrial Relations Department (Series XVII) and the Open Shop Department (Series XXV), predecessors of this department.

A large portion of the Subject files subseries concerns the Dunlop Commission, formally known as the Commission on the Future of Worker-Management Relations. It was chaired by John T. Dunlop (1914-2003), former Secretary of Commerce. The Commission was tasked with investigating labor laws and the state of worker-management relations. The material details the work of the Commission, information presented to the Commission, and NAM’s work group.