LITTLE ROCK, AR – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) urges response crews and residents in areas affected by Hurricane Laura to be aware of hazards created by flooding, power loss, structural damage, fallen trees and storm debris.

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Secretary of Labor Eugene Scalia traveled to Zeeland, Michigan and Chicago, Illinois to discuss economic recovery and the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement’s (USMCA) recent entry into force. 

WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced the award of two Dislocated Worker Grants (DWGs) totaling $13,500,000 to help address the workforce-related impacts of the public health emergency related to the coronavirus. These awards are funded under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act, which provided $345 million for DWGs to prevent, prepare for and respond to coronavirus.

WASHINGTON, DC –The U.S. Department of Labor today announced $100 million in funding to support state efforts to combat fraud and recover improper payments in the Unemployment Insurance (UI) program, including those programs created under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act.

MIAMI, FL – After an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD), Miami, Florida-based dialysis service companies – Olympus Healthcare Inc., Apollo Renal Center LLC, and Americare Renal Center LLC – will pay $110,819 in back wages to 34 employees for violating overtime and recordkeeping provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

COLUMBUS, OH – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD) and its Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) will present a webinar for Ohio area employers and human resources professionals on the paid leave requirements of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) and safety guidance for returning to work and maintaining a safe and healthy working environment.

BATON ROUGE, LA – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) urges response crews and residents in areas affected by Hurricane Laura to be aware of hazards created by flooding, power loss, structural damage, fallen trees and storm debris.

WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Labor today made available a proposed rule that would address the application of the prudence and exclusive purpose duties under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) with respect to proxy voting and exercises of other shareholder rights. The proposed rule amends the Department’s longstanding “Investment duties” regulation at 29 CFR 2550.404a-1.

WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced four new 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.

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:

MINNEAPOLIS, MN – After an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD), Mundo De Colores Inc. – operator of five Minneapolis-area Spanish language childcare facilities – has paid 28 employees back wages and restored leave valued at $19,447. The employer failed to provide the workers leave required under the Emergency Paid Sick Leave Act (EPSLA) provisions of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA).

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK – After an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD), KNM Holdings LLC – operator of Church’s Chicken franchise locations in Oklahoma City and Tulsa, Oklahoma – has paid $1,653 in back wages to an employee after the employer wrongly denied the employee’s request for paid sick leave to fulfill a healthcare provider’s order to self-quarantine for two weeks due to the coronavirus.

ORLANDO, FL – After an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD), US Aluminum Services Corp. – a residential aluminum construction contractor based in Orlando, Florida – will pay 19 employees $32,702 in owed wages for violating overtime and recordkeeping provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD) and Employment and Training Administration (ETA) both published guidance related to the reopening of schools.

WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced actions it is taking to assist Americans in states affected by Hurricane Laura.

In response to the anticipated needs of those living in states in the path of Hurricane Laura, the Department and its agencies are taking the following actions:

In the week ending August 22, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 1,006,000, a decrease of 98,000 from the previous week's revised level. The previous week's level was revised down by 2,000 from 1,106,000 to 1,104,000. The 4-week moving average was 1,068,000, a decrease of 107,250 from the previous week's revised average. The previous week's average was revised down by 500 from 1,175,750 to 1,175,250.

Read the full release.

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Secretary of Labor Eugene Scalia today announced the award of nearly $20 million in funding to four states as part of a new pilot program to address the health and economic impacts of widespread substance and opioid misuse, addiction and overdose by providing retraining and other services to workers in communities significantly impacted by the opioid crisis.

WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced the award of $80,684,142 in grants through the National Farmworker Jobs Program (NFJP) to provide career services, training services, youth services, related assistances, and housing services to eligible migrant and seasonal farmworkers and their dependents.

COLUMBUS, OH – The U.S. Department of Labor has obtained a default judgment requiring Robert Walton, Jr. – CEO of Hadsell Chemical Processing – to restore $65,842 to the Hadsell Chemical Processing Simple IRA Plan after the Department’s Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) found that Walton, as plan fiduciary, violated the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA).

LOS ANGELES, CA – The U.S. District Court for the Central District of California has sentenced Mahyar David Yadidi – a San Pedro, California, chiropractor – to prison and ordered him to make restitution for defrauding the International Longshore and Warehouse Union-Pacific Maritime Association (ILWU-PMA) Welfare Plan. The court’s action follows an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) and Office of Inspector General (OIG).