In the week ending July 20, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 235,000, a decrease of 10,000 from the previous week's revised level. The previous week's level was revised up by 2,000 from 243,000 to 245,000. The 4-week moving average was 235,500, an increase of 250 from the previous week's revised average. The previous week's average was revised up by 500 from 234,750 to 235,250.

BAYVILLE, NJ – The U.S. Department of Labor has cited a New Jersey water tower painting company for three willful and 19 serious violations after finding the contractor failed to provide or install required safety equipment that would have prevented an employee from falling 80 feet to the bottom of a Bayville water tower and suffering severe injuries in January 2024.

FORT VALLEY, GA – On July 19, 2024, Acting Secretary Su traveled to Fort Valley to commemorate Blue Bird Corp.’s historic first contract with United Steelworkers, or USW, joined by members and leaders from the AFL-CIO in Georgia. The Acting Secretary presided as officials of the bus manufacturing company and USW representatives signed their first contract and acknowledged the Biden-Harris administration’s support for union jobs in the South and for the growth in clean energy jobs helped made the action possible.

DANVILLE, IL ‒ The U.S.

Date of Action:          July 19, 2024                                                                                                                                          

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced an award of more than $1 million to Texas to provide employment and training services for people affected by the permanent layoffs at the Tesla Gigafactory in Austin. 

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced an initial award of more than $2 million in emergency dislocated worker grant funding to Texas to support cleanup and recovery activities in 26 counties after a series of severe storms, straight-line winds, tornadoes and flooding that began April 26, 2024, caused catastrophic flooding and destruction.

HOUSTON – The U.S. Department of Labor has filed suit asking a federal court to require the owner and operator of three popular north Houston-area restaurants in Tomball and Spring - that allegedly used a portion of employees’ tips for business expenses, including condiments and takeout packaging - to pay back wages and damages to the affected workers.

HENDERSON, NV – The U.S. Department of Labor has assessed the operators of 10 Blaze Fast Fire’d Pizza locations in Las Vegas and Henderson $277,414 in civil penalties after federal investigators found the employer employed dozens of children to perform dangerous tasks and work more hours than allowed on school days, in violation of federal regulations.

Employer:                              Tito’s Taqueria LLC,  898 Putney Road, Brattleboro, VT 05301

Type of action:                      Administrative settlement

BOSTON – The U.S. Department of Labor announced that its Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs and State Street Corp., a federal financial services provider, have entered into a conciliation agreement in which the employer has agreed to allocate $4.2 million for future pay adjustments to resolve alleged compensation discrimination.

WASHINGTON – The Department of Labor today announced its Employee Benefits Security Administration has launched an online system to help qualified termination administrators more efficiently submit information required by the department’s Abandoned Plan Program.

FORT LAUDERDALE, FL – For the second time in five years, the U.S. Department of Labor has found a Winter Haven contractor allowed employees to do roof work without adequate protection exposing workers to falls, one of the construction industry’s deadliest hazards.            

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor announced today that its Mine Safety and Health Administration has released results of a Pattern of Violations screening that identifies chronic violators and mine operators that show a disregard for miners’ health and safety. 

Employer name:             LaLobe Inc.

Investigation site:           11661 Preston Road, Suite 140

                                                   Dallas, TX 75230

LISBON, WI ‒ The operators of a global ink and coatings manufacturing company could have prevented an employee at its Lisbon facility from suffering burn injuries from a flash fire that erupted in an industrial mixing vessel containing flammable liquids and vapors by following federal regulations for handling of highly hazardous chemicals, a U.S. Department of Labor investigation has found.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced the availability of $65 million in funding to support programs that help community colleges scale affordable, high-quality workforce training that meets employers’ and workers’ skill development needs in critical industry sectors, such as advanced manufacturing, clean energy, semiconductors and biotechnology.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced the availability of $99 million in funding to support the delivery of pre-apprenticeships in high-demand industries including construction, clean energy, healthcare, infrastructure, information technology and hospitality.

FRANKSVILLE, WI ‒ Had John’s Disposal Service Inc. and John’s Recycling Inc. in Franksville followed federal safety standards, a temporary maintenance worker might not have suffered severe injuries when their jacket sleeve was pulled into an engine as they serviced a vehicle in January 2024. 

ATLANTIC BEACH, FL – The U.S. Department of Labor has recovered $288,979 in back wages and liquidated damages for 92 employees after its investigation found an Atlantic Beach property management group’s improper pay practices denied them overtime wages they earned.