October 31, 2016

OSHA inspection finds Dollar General in Jonestown blocked emergency exit again, proposes $215K penalty

Employer name: Dollar General, doing business as Dollar General Store #13229

Inspection site: 507 Jonestown Road
Jonestown, Pennsylvania

Citations issued: On Oct. 18, 2016, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration issued citations for one willful and two repeat safety violations.

October 31, 2016

OSHA investigation of two serious employee injuries finds global filtration manufacturer failed to protect workers from safety and health hazards

MINERAL WELLS, Texas – While investigating one serious employee injury in May 2016, at PECOFacet – a global manufacturer of filtration and containment products – inspectors with the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration found themselves investigating a second incident in which another employee was hurt seriously three days after they arrived.

October 31, 2016

US Labor Department sues Houston-area residential group home operator seeking $2.2M in unpaid wages, liquidated damages for 68 employees

Date of Action: Oct. 27, 2016

Type of Action: Lawsuit

Name of Defendants: Five Oaks Achievement Center LLC
Whispering Hills Achievement Center LLC
North Fork Educational Center LLC

October 27, 2016

OSHA cites Coilplus Illinois following fatality investigation at Plainfield facility

PLAINFIELD, Ill. – A federal investigation prompted by the death of a 50-year-old worker at the Plainfield steel processing facility has resulted in a half-dozen safety and health violations.

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration has issued six serious safety and health violations to Coilplus Illinois Inc., for violations its inspector found after the June 23, 2016, death.

October 27, 2016

US Labor Department issues compliance guidance for employee benefit plans in wake of Hurricane Matthew, related disruptions

WASHINGTON – In light of the devastation following Hurricane Matthew, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Assistant Secretary of Labor for Employee Benefits Security Phyllis C. Borzi announced today an update on compliance with employee benefit plan rules for those adversely impacted.

October 27, 2016

OSHA’s investigation of machine operator’s injuries finds safety guards bypassed at Wisconsin retail bag manufacturer

Employer name: KG Marketing and Bag Co.
1201 S. Grandview Blvd
Waukesha, Wisconsin

Citations issued: Oct. 21, 2016

October 27, 2016

OSHA cites animal feed company for exposing workers to grain handling, electrical hazards at Nebraska facility

YORK, Neb. – Responding to a report of unsafe working conditions, federal investigators found employees at a Nebraska animal feed company exposed to the risk of grain dust explosion, electrical shock and confined space hazards, and multiple other violations of grain handling safety standards.

October 27, 2016

US Labor Department resolves lawsuit to restore funds owed to Dell Inc. retirement plan in Monticello, Minnesota

Date of Action: Oct. 25, 2016

Type of Action: Employee Retirement Income Security Act Lawsuit

Names of Defendants: Todd Olson, Dell Inc., Dell Inc. Simple IRA Plan

October 27, 2016

OSHA cites Illinois manufacturer after electrician’s first day ends tragically when mobile trailer falls, fatally crushes him

MONEE, Ill. – The absence of safety pins in two hydraulic leg stands and the failure to use stationary jacks allowed a mobile medical trailer to fall and fatally crush a 58-year-old electrician on his first day working on the job for an Illinois manufacturer of custom trailers and specialty vehicles.

October 27, 2016

Unemployment Insurance Weekly Claims Report

In the week ending October 22, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 258,000, a decrease of 3,000 from the previous week's revised level. The previous week's level was revised up by 1,000 from 260,000 to 261,000. The 4-week moving average was 253,000, an increase of 1,000 from the previous week's revised average. The previous week's average was revised up by 250 from 251,750 to 252,000.

October 26, 2016

US Labor Department awards more than $30M in grants to improve states’ unemployment insurance program operations

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced awards totaling approximately $30.4 million to 39 workforce agencies nationwide for initiatives to improve the delivery and management of state unemployment programs.

The funds will support efforts to improve UI program operations, better assist those eligible for the program, prevent and detect improper UI benefit payments, and modernize outdated information technology systems to ensure program efficiency.

October 26, 2016

US Labor Secretary Perez’s blog post stresses need for affordable child care

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor’s blog today features a post by U.S. Secretary of Labor Thomas E. Perez on the importance of affordable child care for America’s working families.

Please find the post’s text below, or read it here:

October 25, 2016

OSHA investigation results in more than a dozen serious violations for Houston commercial furniture manufacturer after machine crushes worker

Employer Name: CACO Manufacturing Corp.
5816 Heister St.
Houston, Texas

Citations Issued: Oct. 25, 2016

October 25, 2016

OSHA cites national logistics company’s Wisconsin facility for exposing workers to powered industrial vehicle, electrical hazards

Employer name: Dedicated Logistics Inc.
2720 Enloe Ave.
Hudson, Wisconsin         

Citations issued: Oct. 20, 2016

October 25, 2016

OSHA finds J.M. Smucker’s facility lacks energy control procedures in federal investigation of employee’s amputation injury

Employer name: The J.M. Smucker Company
1 Strawberry Lane
Orrville, Ohio

Citations issued: Oct. 21, 2016

Investigation findings: The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration issued one repeated and one serious safety violation to The J.M. Smucker Company, after the agency’s investigated an incident in which a 39-year-old maintenance employee suffered the amputation of the tip of his right index finger on July 29, 2016 at its Orrville facility.

October 24, 2016

OSHA cites Ohio vehicle parts manufacturer for failing to protect its workers from machine hazards

MANSFIELD, Ohio – The absence of adequate machine safe guards led to an amputation and other machine-related injuries at a Mansfield manufacturer of parts used by automobile, motorcycle and appliance brands. One of these injuries involved a 22-year-old temporary employee who suffered the partial amputation of two fingers on his left hand on his first day of work.

October 24, 2016

US Labor Department investigation finds Tampa fire prevention company failed to pay employees overtime compensation, keep records

Employer name: Universal Fire Systems Inc.  

Investigation site: 374 Hobbs Road
Tampa, Florida 33619

Investigation findings: Investigators from the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division found the employer violated overtime and recordkeeping provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act.

October 20, 2016

US Labor Department investigation finds ThunderCloud Subs owes nearly $128K in back wages, damages to Austin restaurant workers

Employers: Cumulus Inc.
ThunderCloud Inc.

Site: Several locations in Austin, Texas

October 20, 2016

OSHA finds Mississippi sawmill’s safety failures led to worker’s death

GRENADA, Miss. – An employer that fails to follow safety standards leaves workers like Charlie Cummins, Jr. to suffer the consequences.

October 20, 2016

US Labor Department announces more than $140 million in grants to provide job training services to unemployed, low-income older adults

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced the award of more than $140 million in grants to 19 non-profit organizations nationwide to provide critical job training and employment services through the Senior Community Service Employment Program.