October 11, 2022

Federal court orders Hyundai, Kia auto parts manufacturer to stop employing minors illegally, end ‘oppressive’ child labor law violations

BIRMINGHAM, AL The U.S. Department of Labor has obtained a federal court order to stop an Alexander City manufacturer of Hyundai and Kia auto parts from employing 13-, 14- and 15-year-old workers illegally, and to prevent the company from shipping or delivering any goods produced in violation of federal child labor laws.

October 4, 2022

Court enters consent order requiring Connecticut, New York-based bakeries to pay $952K to 74 employees following US Labor Department investigation, litigation

HARTFORD, CT – An investigation and litigation by the U.S. Department of Labor have resulted in a federal court ordering three bakeries located in Danbury, Connecticut, and Mount Vernon, New York, and their owner/officer to pay nearly $1 million in back wages and liquidated damages to 74 employees to resolve violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act.

September 30, 2022

Court enters consent order requiring USPack Logistics to pay $575K to 62 Massachusetts couriers to resolve allegations of independent contractors' misclassification

BOSTON – A courier service that allegedly misclassified drivers as independent contractors at its Shrewsbury location and denied them their rights under the Fair Labor Standards Act will pay a total of $575,000 in back wages and liquidated damages to the 62 drivers, and ensure future FLSA compliance at all its U.S. locations under a consent judgment the U.S. Department of Labor has obtained.

September 30, 2022

Un tribunal dicta una orden acordada que requiere que USPack Logistics pague $575,000 a 62 mensajeros de Massachusetts para resolver denuncias de que los clasificó erróneamente como contratistas independientes

BOSTON – Un servicio de mensajería que supuestamente clasificaba erróneamente a los conductores como contratistas independientes en su sucursal de Shrewsbury y les negaba sus derechos según la Ley de Normas Justas de Trabajo pagará un total de $575,000 en salarios atrasados y daños y perjuicios a los 62 conductores y asegur

September 30, 2022

Chicago restaurant pays $17K in penalties for not complying with Department of Labor subpoena for wage investigation

Date of action:                     Sept. 20, 2022

Type of action:                    Judgement

Names of defendants:     Reza's Tower Inc., also known as Reza Oak Brook Inc.

                                                     Reza and Ryan Toulabi

Court:                                       U.S. District Court Northern District of Illinois

September 16, 2022

US Department of Labor extends deadline for applications from graduating, recent law school graduates for fall 2023 Honors Program in Washington

WASHINGTON The U.S. Department of Labor announced today that its Office of the Solicitor has extended the deadline for recent law school graduates to apply for its two-year Honors Program in Washington and earn unique experience in one of the federal government’s preeminent legal offices.

September 13, 2022

El Departamento de Trabajo recupera $1.8 millones para 478 trabajadores de la construcción de Massachusetts por medio de una litigación por desacato en un tribunal federal

BOSTON - Como resultado de una litigación por desacato civil prolongada por parte del Departamento de Trabajo de EE. UU. contra dos empresas de construcción de Massachusetts, el Tribunal Distrital de EE. UU. por el distrito de Massachusetts aprobó la distribución de $1.8 millones provenientes de las ventas de inmuebles ordenadas por el tribunal y fondos adicionales a 478 trabajadores empleados por Force Corp., AB Construction Group Inc., Juliano Fernandes y Anderson dos Santos.

September 12, 2022

Federal court forces Chicago restaurant owner to comply with subpoena requesting documents for US Department of Labor wage investigation

CHICAGO – After more than two years, a Chicago restaurant owner has finally complied with an administrative subpoena to provide documentation for a U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division investigation. The compliance comes after a federal judge held Wilson Torres, owner of La Bomba Food Restaurant Inc., in contempt and confined him to one night in jail and ordered him to pay $40,500 in fines.

September 9, 2022

US Department of Labor asks federal judge to compel contractor to provide employment data to complete required federal compliance review

CHICAGO – The U.S. Department of Labor has asked the Office of Administrative Law Judges to compel federal contractor Rosemount Inc.

September 6, 2022

US Department of Labor sues former Albany restaurant owner, operator to end retaliation against workers who filed wage lawsuit

ALBANY, NY – The U.S. Department of Labor has filed suit against the former owner of an Albany restaurant after he allegedly tried to intimidate three workers and prevent them from participating in a private class action lawsuit, thus depriving them of their full rights under the Fair Labor Standards Act.

August 25, 2022

Appeals court rules Minnesota mine operator ‘flagrantly’ violated Mine Act after elevated walkway collapsed in 2016

WASHINGTON – A federal appeals court ruled unanimously on Aug. 22, 2022, that the operator of a Lake County, Minnesota, iron ore mine flagrantly violated the federal Mine Safety and Health Act when it directed miners to work on an elevated walkway known to be unsafe for more than a year.

August 23, 2022

Illinois contractor racks up additional $303K in federal fines for repeatedly exposing construction workers to deadly fall hazards

NORTH BARRINGTON, IL – A Roselle contractor with a long history of federal workplace safety violations who currently owes more than $390,000 in penalties, added an additional $303,105 in proposed fines for once again exposing workers to potential deadly fall hazards at a North Barrington job site.

August 15, 2022

Ohio nursery owner debarred from foreign labor visa program after US Department of Labor investigation finds repeated violations

PERRY, OH – An Ohio nursery owner’s history of violations, coupled with allegations that they intimidated and threatened workers, and denied them their full wages, has led the U.S. Department of Labor to assess $76,278, in penalties and to debar the Perry employer from participating in the federal agricultural visa program for three years.

August 11, 2022

US Department of Labor, owners of Taqueria Garibaldi agree to stipulated preliminary injunction addressing employee intimidation

Date of action:                       Aug. 4, 2022

 

Type of action:                      Joint stipulation, order for preliminary injunction

 

Employer name:            Che Garibaldi doing business as Taqueria Garibaldi

                                                1841 Howe Ave.

                                                Sacramento, CA 95825

 

August 10, 2022

US Department of Labor files lawsuit to recover back wages, damages from Minneapolis-area home healthcare provider who denied workers overtime

MINNEAPOLIS – After a federal investigation found a Golden Valley franchisee of a national chain of home healthcare providers failed to pay overtime to certified nursing and patient care assistants as required by law – and then attempted to mask the violations – the U.S. Department of Labor has filed a complaint in federal court in Minneapolis to recover back wages and damages.

August 4, 2022

US Department of Labor cites Grand Island recycling company after inspection prompted by 20-year-old worker’s fatal injuries

GRAND ISLAND, NE – A 20-year-old worker’s attempt at clearing a jam in an industrial cardboard baler at a Grand Island waste disposal company turned tragic when the worker fell into the baler, became caught and suffered severe amputation injuries. OSHA alleges the employer disregarded federal regulations designed to prevent such tragedies.

August 3, 2022

Trustees agree to reform New York Teamsters welfare fund to come into compliance with federal laws

NEW YORK Trustees to the Teamsters Local 272 Welfare Fund in New York City have agreed to amend the fund to resolve a lawsuit filed by the U.S. Department of Labor, regarding a fund requirement that participants bear 90 percent of the cost of medical and pharmacy claims above certain annual thresholds.

July 27, 2022

Judge orders concessions operator that shortchanged temporary workers with H-2B visas to pay $203K in back wages, penalties

MINNEAPOLIS – An administrative law judge has dismissed a Minnesota company’s notice of contest and affirmed the U.S. Department of Labor finding that the employer violated a federal program that allows foreign, non-agricultural workers with H-2B visas to temporarily work in the U.S.

July 13, 2022

US Department of Labor obtains court order preventing Queens retailers from intimidating workers, obstructing federal wage investigation

NEW YORK – The U.S. Department of Labor has obtained a federal court order to prevent two Astoria, New York, discount stores and their owners and manager from threatening workers and obstructing an investigation by the department’s Wage and Hour Division.