ORLANDO, FL – A U.S. Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division investigation found Orlando-based resort Vistana Management Inc. routinely changed payroll records to avoid paying employees overtime, a violation of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), resulting in $372,183 in back wages owed to 275 employees. In addition to collecting back wages, the Division assessed $41,368 in penalties against Vistana for repeat violations to the FLSA.

PIKE ROAD, AL – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has cited an Auburn-based framing contractor for exposing employees to fall and eye safety hazards. The company, Omar Garcia, faces proposed penalties of $113,073.

WICHITA, KS ‒ The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has cited aircraft manufacturer Spirit Aerosystems Inc. for exposing employees to hexavalent chromium, a known carcinogen. The company faces proposed penalties totaling $194,006 for one willful and five serious violations.

ALBANY, NY – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has cited Onekey LLC, a construction management and development company, for exposing employees to crushing hazards after a concrete block retaining wall collapsed at a Poughkeepsie worksite. The company faces $281,583 in proposed penalties.

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Secretary of Labor Alexander Acosta issued the following statement this evening regarding President Trump’s State of the Union address:

“President Trump’s pro-growth, pro-jobs policies are putting Americans back to work and more money in their pockets. Tonight, the President reminded the nation of the great strides America’s economy has made under his leadership, and he laid out an optimistic vision for continued strong economic growth.

THOMSON, GA – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) cited auto parts manufacturer HP Pelzer Systems Automotive Inc. for safety violations after an employee suffered a finger amputation. The company faces proposed penalties totaling $129,336, the maximum amount allowed.

MANCHESTER, NH – The U.S. Department of Labor has reached settlements with Bread and Roses Bakery Inc. of Ogunquit, Maine, after the Department found the company violated terms of the H-2B nonimmigrant visa program under the Immigration and Nationality Act and the minimum wage, overtime, recordkeeping, and child labor requirements of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). Under the agreements, Bread and Roses will pay $73,115 in back wages and damages to employees, and $21,052 in penalties.

SAN DIEGO, CA – The U.S. Department of Labor has reached an agreement with the owner of 10 Orange County residential care facilities to pay 72 employees a total of $173,539 for unpaid overtime.

DENVER, CO – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has cited four employers – Anadarko Petroleum Corporation, Energes Services LLC, Dominguez Welding LLC, and Unlimited Services LLC – for exposing employees to health and safety hazards at an oil and gas tank battery construction project where one employee was killed in an explosion and fire and three others suffered third-degree burns. The companies face $70,711 in proposed penalties.

SYRACUSE, NY – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has cited Marshall Ingredients LLC for failing to protect employees against amputations and other hazards at its Wolcott facility. The food ingredients manufacturer and distributor faces $300,062 in proposed penalties.

In the week ending January 20, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 233,000, an increase of 17,000 from the previous week's revised level. The previous week's level was revised down by 4,000 from 220,000 to 216,000. The 4-week moving average was 240,000, a decrease of 3,500 from the previous week's revised average. The previous week's average was revised down by 1,000 from 244,500 to 243,500.

GAINESVILLE, GA – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has cited Koch Foods of Gainesville LLC for multiple safety and health violations at its poultry processing plant. The company faces proposed penalties of $208,977.

SOCIAL CIRCLE, GA – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) issued seven serious citations against Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. for exposing its employees to burn, hazardous energy, amputation, and caught-in safety hazards. The company faces proposed penalties of $69,058.

NEW LENOX, IL – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) cited Supplyside USA, a New Lenox-based pallet manufacturer, for machine safety violations after an employee was injured while conducting maintenance on equipment. The company faces $91,832 in proposed penalties for two repeated, six serious, and three other-than-serious violations.

PANAMA CITY BEACH, FL – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has cited Action Concrete Construction Inc. for exposing its employees to fall hazards and eye injuries. The company faces proposed penalties of $59,864.

SAN FRANCISCO, CA – Three Santa Rosa area restaurants have reached an agreement with the U.S. Department of Labor to pay 28 employees $147,954 in back wages, and an equal amount in liquidated damages, to resolve federal wage violations. The employer will also pay $15,115 in penalties.

DETROIT, MI – The U.S. Department of Labor and a Detroit security company have reached an agreement to resolve overtime violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), including payment of $33,534 in back wages and an equal amount in liquidated damages – totaling $67,068– owed to 25 security guards.

The Department’s Wage and Hour Division found Eagle Security Services failed to comply with the FLSA’s overtime and recording-keeping provisions.

MARIETTA, GA – A residential concrete design and installation company will pay $179,314 in back wages to 37 employees after a U.S. Department of Labor investigation found Marietta-based TCB Grading Inc. violated the overtime and recordkeeping provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

Wage and Hour Division investigators found that TCB Grading Inc. paid employees straight-time, instead of the required time-and-one-half, for hours they worked beyond 40 in a workweek. The employer also failed to maintain accurate time and payroll records.

WEST COVINA, CA – The U.S. Department of Labor and a Fontana pallet manufacturing company have reached an agreement to resolve overtime and recordkeeping violations of the federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). The agreement requires Forest Green Products Inc. to pay $289,215 in back wages and liquidated damages to 60 employees.

Investigators with the Department’s Wage and Hour Division found that Forest Green Products Inc. failed to pay required overtime rates when its employees worked more than 40 hours per week.

SEATTLE, WA – The U.S. Department of Labor has reached a settlement with a Washington tree fruit grower to resolve violations of the H-2A non-immigrant visa program under the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA). The settlement requires Tonasket-based Northwestern LLC to pay $60,000 in back wages to 112 employees, and an additional $18,000 in penalties to the Department.