December 9, 2015

OSHA News Brief: OSHA cites AWS Roofing for exposing workers to fall hazard [12/09/2015]

Employer name: AWS Roofing Services Inc.

Inspection site: 2607 Hill Street, New Smyrna Beach, Florida 32168

Citations issued: Citations were issued to the employer on Dec. 8.

December 9, 2015

OSHA News Brief: OSHA cites Vallencourt for exposing workers to cave-in hazards while installing water and sewer lines in Jacksonville [12/09/2015]

Employer name: Vallencourt Inc.

Inspection site: Pennsylvania Avenue, Jacksonville, Florida 32207

December 9, 2015

OSHA News Release: Worker wrongfully terminated after workplace injury, company ordered to pay more than $332K in back wages and damages, as well as attorney's fees[12/09/2015]

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — RCL Wiring LP, which operates as Idaho & Sedalia Transportation Company, harassed and terminated a signal shop technician in retaliation for reporting a work-related injury in violation of the Federal Railroad Safety Act, U.S. Department of Labor Occupational Safety and Health Administration investigators determined. OSHA has ordered the company to give the employee his job back and pay more than $332,469 in back wages and damages, as well as reasonable attorney's fees.

December 9, 2015

OFCCP News Release: US Labor Department alleges hiring discrimination by Indiana federal contractor that manufactures portable military meals [12/09/2015]

EVANSVILLE, Ind. — A federal contractor that manufactures portable meals for the U.S. Department of Defense and other government agencies discriminated systematically against qualified men seeking entry-level production jobs, the U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs alleges in a lawsuit filed today.

December 9, 2015

ILAB News Release: US and Honduras sign landmark labor rights agreement [12/09/2015]

WASHINGTON — U.S. Secretary of Labor Thomas E. Perez and Honduran Minister of Labor Carlos Madero have signed an historic agreement on labor rights that underscores their governments' shared commitment to making trade work for workers.

December 8, 2015

US Labor Department files lawsuit to appoint an independent fiduciary to distribute approximately $630,000 from retirement plan in Dewitt, IA

Date of Action: Dec. 4, 2015

Type of Action: Complaint

Name of Defendant: Community Care Inc. 403(b) Retirement Plan in Dewitt, Iowa

December 8, 2015

WHD News Brief: Lawsuit seeks unpaid wages and damages for employees of Yakima, Washington Sunshine Motel Inn [12/08/2015]

Date of Action: Nov. 18, 2015

Type of Action: Fair Labor Standards Act Lawsuit

Names of Defendants: Sunshine Motel Inn LLC; and Rajiv Sauson, an individual

December 8, 2015

WHD News Brief: 3 Amigos Fresh Mexican Grill paying nearly $104K in back wages and damages to 33 workers following U.S. Labor Department investigation [12/08/2015]

Employer: Leonardo M. Rodriguez, doing business as 3 Amigos Fresh Mexican Grill

Sites: Three Los Angeles-area locations: 365 E. Avenida de los Arboles, Thousand Oaks; 20040 Ventura Boulevard, Woodland Hills; and 139 N. Reino Rd., Newbury Park.

December 8, 2015

WHD News Brief: Cal-Clean fined after 17-year-old has lower leg amputated while illegally cleaning machinery at Canton, Ohio, chicken processing facility [12/08/2015]

CANTON, Ohio — A teenage worker had his left leg amputated below the knee when his employer illegally allowed him to clean a giblet chiller machine at a Canton chicken processing facility.

December 8, 2015

OSHA News Release: Workers exposed to high levels of methylene chloride, multiple hazards at Colona, Illinois, truck repair facility [12/08/2015]

COLONA, Ill. — Workers were overexposed to the solvent methylene chloride and other hazards while they reconditioned bucket trucks at a Colona dealership and repair facility, inspectors from the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration found. When workers inhale and absorb the solvent through the skin, it can harm the heart and nervous system.

December 8, 2015

OSHA News Release: OSHA cites San Antonio framing contractor after worker falls 35 feet to his death at Kyle, Texas, work site; employer continues to ignore hazards [12/08/2015]

SAN ANTONIO — Gabriel Palacios died after falling 35 feet from a roof while working for San Antonio-based Longhorn Contractors. The company failed to provide appropriate fall protection equipment and training, which led to his death, a federal inspection found.

December 8, 2015

OSHA News Brief: Wyman Gordon employees exposed to mechanical and electrical hazards [12/08/2015]

Employer name: Wyman Gordon Co., 244 Worcester St., North Grafton, MA 01536

Citations issued: On Dec. 4, 2015, the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration cited Wyman Gordon for three repeat and 10 serious violations of workplace safety standards at the aerospace parts manufacturer's North Grafton manufacturing plant.

December 8, 2015

OSHA News Release: OSHA finds safety issues with ammonia refrigeration systems at Case Farms' Ohio plants, proposes additional $462K in penalties [12/08/2015]

CANTON, Ohio — Federal inspections of Case Farms' processing facilities in Ohio have resulted in an additional $462,000 in penalties for deficiencies in ammonia refrigeration systems at two of the company's Ohio facilities. The leading supplier of fast food and supermarket chicken has racked up more than $1.87 million in fines from the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration this year for exposing workers to multiple safety and health violations.

December 8, 2015

OSHA News Release: Worker suffers severe injuries when he falls inside water tower [12/08/2015]

BARABOO, Wis. — A worker repainting a Baraboo water tower suffered severe injuries when he fell inside the tower to a platform below. Before falling, he had been cleaning and vacuuming debris while two painters sprayed the tower's interior with xylene-based paint.

December 8, 2015

OSHA News Release: OSHA reaches settlement with Blue Rhino in 2013 propane explosion that severely injured 6 workers at Taveras, Florida, tank facility [12/08/2015]

TAVERAS, Fla. — For employees working with hazardous substances, an oversight can be disastrous — an unfortunate lesson learned by six Florida workers at a Blue Rhino propane tank refurbishing facility in Taveras who were injured during a fire.

December 8, 2015

ETA News Brief: Guam to receive $2.1M in incremental funding to continue clean-up and recovery efforts after Typhoon Dolphin [12/08/2015]

Territory: Guam

Type of Award: National Dislocated Worker Grant incremental

Incremental Amount Released: $2,174,453

Total Award Amount Approved: $2,722,641

Funding Awarded to: Guam Agency for Human Resources Development

Number of Workers Served: Approximately 215

December 8, 2015

ILAB News Brief: $3M to measure progress in reducing child labor in cocoa-growing communities in Côte d'Ivoire and Ghana [12/08/2015]

Funding Recipient: National Opinion Research Center at the University of Chicago

Total Funding: $3 million

Purpose: Implement a project to assess and measure progress in reducing child labor in cocoa-growing communities of Côte d'Ivoire and Ghana

Location: Côte d'Ivoire and Ghana

December 7, 2015

WHD News Brief: US Labor Department recovers more than $342K in unpaid overtime wages, damages for 22 So Cal construction and maintenance employees [12/07/2015]

Employer: Salinas Inc.

Site: 1537 E. McFadden Avenue, Suite G, Santa Ana, California 92705

December 7, 2015

EBSA News Brief: US Labor Department obtains judgment to recover more than $124,000 in missing retirement contributions from Denver area firm [12/07/2015]

Date of Action: Dec. 3, 2015

Type of Action: Consent Judgment & Order

Name(s) of Defendant: Stewart Environmental Consultants LLC in Fort Collins, Colorado, and owner David Stewart

December 4, 2015

US Labor Department obtains consent judgment to recover more than $500K for 401(k) plan of Largo, Maryland, defense contractor

Date of Action: Dec. 3, 2015           

Type of Action: Consent judgment

Name(s) of Defendant(s): NW Systems Inc., NW Systems Inc. 401(k) profit-sharing plan and trust, and Nathan Williams

Allegations: Based on an investigation conducted by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employee Benefits Security Administration, the Secretary of Labor filed a complaint on Jan. 7, 2015, alleging the following: