WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Secretary of Labor Alexander Acosta today issued the following statement regarding the October 2018 Employment Situation report:

"The October jobs report showed another booming month of job creation. With 250,000 new jobs added, we have a total of 4.5 million new jobs since November 2016. Jobs were added across all industries.  Employment hit a record high of 156,562,000.

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Secretary of Labor Alexander Acosta issued the following statement today regarding National Native American Heritage Month:

In the week ending October 27, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 214,000, a decrease of 2,000 from the previous week's revised level. The previous week's level was revised up by 1,000 from 215,000 to 216,000. The 4-week moving average was 213,750, an increase of 1,750 from the previous week's revised average. The previous week's average was revised up by 250 from 211,750 to 212,000.

AUSTIN, TX – The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has cited UST Systems Inc. for trench safety violations after the company allowed its employees to enter an excavation site in Austin without proper protections or training on the dangers of unsupported soils. UST Systems Inc. faces $35,844 in proposed penalties.

NEW YORK, NY – After an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division (WHD), federal contractor Fedcap Rehabilitation Services Inc. has paid $2,830,146 to 443 employees at 17 New York and New Jersey locations to resolve violations of the McNamara-O'Hara Service Contract Act (SCA).

CLEVELAND, OH – A federal grand jury in the Northern District of Ohio has indicted two managers at Extrudex Aluminum Inc. in Ohio for conspiracy to obstruct justice during a 2012 workplace fatality investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).

CHUNCHULA, AL – The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has cited American Remediation and Environmental Inc. for confined space, fire, and explosion hazards. The Chunchula, Alabama, tank cleaning company faces $171,281 in penalties.

PANAMA CITY, FL – The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has cited Panama City Framing LLC for exposing employees to fall hazards at a worksite in Panama City, Florida. The company faces $113,816 in proposed penalties.

KANSAS CITY, MO – Arrow Plumbing LLC has admitted to willfully violating the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) safety standards by failing to require and enforce the use of trench boxes or other trench protection techniques at a home construction site in Belton, Missouri. An employee suffered fatal injuries when an unprotected trench collapsed on him as he worked.

WASHINGTON, DC – As the U.S. Department of Labor continues efforts to confront visa program fraud and abuse, the Department announced that it will publish updates to the H-1B Labor Condition Application (Form ETA-9035) and worker complaint form (Form WH-4). These changes are intended to improve H-1B program compliance and promote greater transparency regarding the employment of foreign temporary workers.

The Labor Condition Application form updates will require employers to provide more detailed information about H-1B worker employment conditions, including:

DALLAS, TX – The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has cited Venture Metals LLC – based in Dallas, Texas – for exposing employees to crushing hazards after a stack of pipes fell and crushed a worker, leading to his hospitalization. The company faces penalties of $311,580 for repeated and serious safety and health violations.

WASHINGTON, DC - As part of its annual commemoration of National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM), the U.S. Department of Labor today launched a new public service announcement (PSA) that highlights the importance of helping workers who become ill or injured remain active in America's workforce.

PANAMA CITY, FL – U.S. Secretary of Labor Alexander Acosta met today with job creators and workers in a roundtable discussion with the Panama City Beach Chamber of Commerce and the Bay County Chamber of Commerce as the region recovers from Hurricane Michael. Secretary Acosta then visited a FEMA Center in Mexico Beach that works to sign-up local residents for recovery assistance.

BAINBRIDGE, GA – U.S. Secretary of Labor Alexander Acosta met today with job creators and workers in Georgia who are recovering from Hurricane Michael. During a visit to Bainbridge, he participated in a roundtable discussion with members of the Bainbridge-Decatur Chamber of Commerce.

WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Labor has published employee benefit plan compliance guidance and relief for victims of Hurricanes Florence and Michael.

The Department recognizes that plan fiduciaries, employers, labor organizations, service providers, and participants and beneficiaries may encounter issues complying with the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) over the next few months as the consequences of Hurricane Florence and Hurricane Michael unfold.

PHILADELPHIA, PA – The U.S. Department of Labor has reached an agreement with federal contractor Coastal International Security Inc. – a security services company based in Stafford, Virginia – that requires the company to pay $409,947 in back wages and interest to settle allegations of systemic hiring discrimination.

EL PASO, TEXAS – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the El Paso Association of Contractors (EPAC) have signed an alliance to help protect the safety and health of construction workers in El Paso, Texas.

SELMA, AL – The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has cited Globe Metallurgical Inc. – based in Beverly, Ohio – for personal protective equipment violations after an employee suffered fatal injuries at a facility in Selma, Alabama.

In the week ending October 20, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 215,000, an increase of 5,000 from the previous week's unrevised level of 210,000. The 4-week moving average was 211,750, unchanged from the previous week's unrevised average of 211,750.

ROSEVILLE, MN - The U.S. Department of Labor has reached a settlement with A'viands Food & Service Management requiring the federal contractor to pay $399,000 in back pay and interest to 98 female employees to resolve pay discrimination violations found at its Roseville, Minnesota, facility.