December 8, 2021

US Department of Labor finds IT company violated H-1B visa program when it failed to use, pay system analyst; recovers $64K for worker

DALLAS – An information technology services company in Irving hired a system analyst under the H-1B visa program, then failed to use and pay the worker the required prevailing wage for non-productive time – an illegal practice known as “benching” – a U.S. Department of Labor investigation has found.

December 8, 2021

AlliedBarton Security Services LLC agrees to pay more than $1.1M to resolve gender, race-based pay discrimination allegations at New York location

NEW YORK - The U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs has entered into a conciliation agreement with AlliedBarton Security Services LLC to resolve alleged pay discrimination affecting 2,263 female, Black and American Indian employees over a two-year period at the federal contractor’s New York City location.

December 8, 2021

US Department of Labor finds Chuck E. Cheese exposed minor-aged worker to hazardous machine, incurred recordkeeping violations at Bronx location

NEW YORK – A 17-year-old employee of a Bronx Chuck E. Cheese/Pasqually’s Pizza & Wings restaurant set up, operated and cleaned a power-driven dough mixer – all in violation of federal child labor regulations, a U.S. Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division investigation has found.

December 8, 2021

US Department of Labor awards $10M to continue support of more effective, transparent resolution of labor disputes in Mexico

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced the award of a $10 million cooperative agreement to American Institutes for Research to strengthen the labor mediation process in Mexico, by increasing transparency in labor disputes and improving the country’s labor justice system.

December 7, 2021

Federal court finds owner of three Hawaii restaurants shortchanged 71 workers, orders payment of $220K in back wages, damages

HONOLULU – A federal court has affirmed the findings of a U.S. Department of Labor investigation that determined the owner of three Hawaii restaurants denied workers overtime and minimum wages, and discarded time records in violation of the Fair Labor Standards Act.

December 7, 2021

Secretary Walsh announces major global initiative to empower workers, ensure rights, promote democracy

WASHINGTON – In advance of the Biden-Harris administration’s Summit for Democracy this week, U.S. Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh today announced the Multilateral Partnership for Organizing, Worker Empowerment and Rights initiative – the largest commitment by the U.S. government to advance worker empowerment and support trade union rights in the global economy.

December 6, 2021

Federal court sentences Louisville pharmacist to prison, orders $188K in restitution after US Department of Labor finds healthcare fraud

LOUISVILLE, KY – A Louisville pharmacist who fraudulently billed healthcare benefit plans for $188,157 in unfilled prescriptions will serve 9 months in prison and 2 years of supervised release after pleading guilty in federal court. 

December 6, 2021

US Department of Labor awards $2.6M to state of Texas to provide employment, training services for dislocated military members, spouses

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced funding of $2,677,470 to the Texas Workforce Commission to provide workforce training services at Fort Hood and in seven counties to military service members and their spouses dislocated by delays caused by the pandemic.

December 6, 2021

US Department of Labor extends deadline for nominations to serve on Federal Advisory Council on Occupational Safety and Health

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor has extended the deadline for submitting nominations to serve on the Federal Advisory Council on Occupational Safety and Health. Nominations must now be submitted by Jan. 31, 2022.

December 3, 2021

Statement by US Secretary of Labor Walsh on the November Jobs Report

WASHINGTON – U.S. Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh issued the following statement on the November 2021 Employment Situation Report:

December 3, 2021

Queens contractor failed to provide lifesaving fall protection, training to employees at Brooklyn worksite, US Department of Labor finds

NEW YORK – A federal workplace safety investigation has found a Queens construction contractor failed to provide and ensure the use of effective fall protection safeguards that would have prevented the death of a worker who fell about 60 feet from a roof on May 27, 2021, during demolition of a Brooklyn building.

December 2, 2021

US Department of Labor extends comment period for rulemaking to protect indoor and outdoor workers from heat hazards

WASHINGTON The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration is extending the period for submitting comments on the Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking for Heat Injury and Illness Prevention in Outdoor and Indoor Work Settings. Comments on the ANPRM must now be submitted by Jan. 26, 2022.

December 2, 2021

UPDATED: US Department of Labor cites one of the nation’s largest pork processors for exposing workers to repetitive motion injuries, placing essential workers at risk

GUYMON, OK – A Guymon processing and packing facility – operated by one of the nation’s largest pork processors – failed to prevent workers from being exposed to repetitive motion injuries and did not record injuries that needed more than basic first-aid.

December 2, 2021

US Department of Labor announces new web portal for federal contractors and subcontractors to certify whether they have developed and maintained an Affirmative Action Program

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced the upcoming launch of an online portal through which federal government contractors and subcontractors will certify compliance with annual Affirmative Action Program requirements.

December 2, 2021

Unemployment Insurance Weekly Claims Report

In the week ending November 27, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 222,000, an increase of 28,000 from the previous week's revised level. The previous week's level was revised down by 5,000 from 199,000 to 194,000. The 4-week moving average was 238,750, a decrease of 12,250 from the previous week's revised average. This is the lowest level for this average since March 14, 2020 when it was 225,500. The previous week's average was revised down by 1,250 from 252,250 to 251,000.

December 2, 2021

New Hampshire carpentry contractor pays $107K in back wages, liquidated damages to 52 workers shortchanged by illegal pay practices

MANCHESTER, NH – A New Hampshire residential carpentry contractor misclassified some employees as independent contractors and paid others straight-time wages when they worked over 40 hours in a workweek, a U.S. Department of Labor investigation has found.

December 1, 2021

US Department of Labor recovers $845K in back wages after investigation finds Northern California roofing, solar panel contractor denied overtime

VACAVILLE, CA – A U.S. Department of Labor investigation has found that – despite their hard work and long hours – a Northern California roofing and solar panel contractor denied 385 workers overtime wages by paying them on a piece-rate basis regardless of how many hours they worked.

December 1, 2021

US Department of Labor issues proposed rule modifying the methodology for setting Adverse Effect Wage Rates in the H-2A program

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking seeking public comment on its proposal to modify the methodology used to determine the hourly Adverse Effect Wage Rates for the H-2A program. The proposed changes will better enable the department to meet its statutory mandate to ensure the employment of H-2A workers will not adversely affect the wages of workers in the United States similarly employed.