HOUSTON, TX – TracWorks Inc. – a railroad track construction, maintenance and rehabilitation company based in a Houston, Texas – has paid $4,804 in back wages after wrongly denying an employee leave under the Emergency Paid Sick Leave (EPSLA) and Emergency Family and Medical Leave Expansion Act (EFMLEA) provisions of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA). 

WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced additional funding for an opioid-crisis National Health Emergency Dislocated Worker Grant for the New York Department of Labor. The award of $1,863,815 will provide continued services to eligible individuals in communities across 22 New York counties that are affected significantly by the health and economic effects of widespread opioid use, addiction and overdose.

WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Labor today approved additional funding for a Disaster Recovery National Dislocated Worker Grant awarded to the California Department of Employment Development in response to the wildfires of November 2018.

CHARLOTTE, NC – After an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD), Barrday Corp. – an industrial textile manufacturer operating in Charlotte, North Carolina – paid $2,606 in back wages for wrongly denying paid leave to an employee under the Emergency Family and Medical Leave Expansion Act (EFMLEA). The employee missed work to care for a child whose place of care was closed due to the coronavirus pandemic.

WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced the start of National Apprenticeship Week (NAW) 2020. NAW 2020 includes a series of events held nationwide as thousands of participants celebrate the dynamic and evolving work of apprentices. This year’s events will focus on both traditional Registered Apprenticeship Programs and newly created Industry-Recognized Apprenticeship Programs.

BOSTON, MA – A federal court in Massachusetts has issued a temporary restraining order against two construction contractors and a representative of one of the companies to prevent retaliation or discrimination after the defendants began a campaign of alleged threats and retaliation against an employee who complained about not receiving overtime pay and requested money he was due.

WASHINGTON, DC – Last week, the U.S. Department of Labor took a range of actions to aid American workers and employers as our nation combats the coronavirus pandemic.

Reopening America’s Economy:

WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has issued guidance and an accompanying one-pager to help employers understand which standards are most frequently cited during coronavirus-related inspections.

HOUSTON, TX – The Childhood Center – a childcare provider based in Houston, Texas – has paid $864 in back wages after wrongly denying leave to a worker with coronavirus symptoms who was ordered to self-quarantine for two weeks by a medical professional. The employer also wrongly terminated the employee.

WASHINGTON, DC – Since the start of the coronavirus pandemic through Oct. 29, 2020, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has issued citations arising from 179 inspections for violations relating to coronavirus, resulting in proposed penalties totaling $2,496,768. 

OSHA inspections have resulted in the agency citing employers for violations, including failures to:

EDGEWOOD, KY – After an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD), Sinkula Investments Ltd. Co. – operator of 10 northern Kentucky Wendy’s franchise locations – has paid a civil money penalty of $16,160 for violating child labor requirements of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Secretary of Labor Eugene Scalia issued the following statement on the October 2020 Employment Situation Report:

WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Labor has announced a new policy to promote the independence of members appointed to its federal advisory committees. This change comes as part of President Trump’s efforts to increase the transparency and financial accountability of government officials under his Administration.

WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced a Disaster Recovery National Dislocated Worker Grant for up to $5,000,000, awarded to the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity, in response to Hurricane Sally. 

WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) today published a Final Rule titled “Nondiscrimination Obligations of Federal Contractors and Subcontractors: Procedures to Resolve Potential Employment Discrimination.”

WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) today published in the Federal Register a Final Rule titled “Nondiscrimination Obligations of Federal Contractors and Subcontractors: Procedures to Resolve Potential Employment Discrimination.”

HERMITAGE, TN – After a routine compliance review by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP), Deloitte Services LP will pay $275,000 in back pay and interest to 34 female employees to resolve allegations of wage discrimination at its worksite in Tennessee.

In the week ending October 31, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 751,000, a decrease of 7,000 from the previous week's revised level. The previous week's level was revised up by 7,000 from 751,000 to 758,000. The 4-week moving average was 787,000, a decrease of 4,000 from the previous week's revised average. The previous week's average was revised up by 3,250 from 787,750 to 791,000.

ATLANTA, GA – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has resumed normal enforcement operations in the coastal counties of Alabama and the westernmost portion of the Florida panhandle following Hurricane Sally.

WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced two opinion letters that address compliance issues related to the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). An opinion letter is an official, written opinion by the Department’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD) on how a particular law applies in specific circumstances presented by the person or entity that requested the letter.

The opinion letters issued today are: