WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Labor today approved a Disaster Recovery National Dislocated Worker Grant (DWG) awarded to Iowa Workforce Development to assess workforce needs in response to recent storms and floods affecting more than half of the state. On March 12, 2019, a major storm system, described as a “bomb cyclone,” brought heavy rains and unusually warm temperatures after a winter of substantial snow and cold temperatures, resulting in historic flooding.

WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced Erica Clayton Wright has been named Acting Director of the Women's Bureau.

In the week ending May 4, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 228,000, a decrease of 2,000 from the previous week's unrevised level of 230,000. The 4-week moving average was 220,250, an increase of 7,750 from the previous week's unrevised average of 212,500.

WICHITA, KS ‒ The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has cited Spirit Aerosystems Inc. – based in Wichita, Kansas – for exposing employees to carcinogen hazards. The company faces penalties of $193,218 for two repeated and four serious violations.

GUAYNABO, PR – The U. S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD) is conducting a survey of all building, highway, residential, and heavy construction projects active in the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico that occurred between July 1, 2017, and December 31, 2018. The purpose to establish prevailing wage rates as required under the Davis Bacon and Related Acts (DBRA). This survey is not limited to federally funded construction projects. 

PHILADELPHIA, PA – After an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division (WHD), WSP USA Services Inc. - based in Winchester, Virginia, and doing business as WSP USA Inspection Services, Inc. - has paid $2,772,977 in back wages to 6,450 employees for violating the McNamara-O'Hara Service Contract Act (SCA) and the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

NEWARK, DE - The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and Skanska USA Building Inc. have established a strategic partnership to promote workplace safety during the expansion of the Christiana Care Health System Women's and Infant Tower Renovation Project in Newark, Delaware.

NAPLES, FL – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has cited Stettinius Construction Inc. for exposing employees to safety hazards after a worker suffered a fatal fall at a worksite in Naples, Florida.

SAN ANGELO, TX – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has cited 7 S Packing LLC – operating as Texas Packing Company in San Angelo, Texas – for exposing workers to releases of hazardous chemicals. The company faces $615,640 in penalties.

CARROLLTON, GA – After an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD), Tushar and Varsha Patel – the owners of an enterprise operating nine gas stations and convenience stores in Carrollton and Bowden, Georgia – will pay $63,398 in wages to six employees for violating overtime and recordkeeping provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

SPRINGFIELD, MO – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has cited DDG Construction Services Inc. – based in Charlotte, North Carolina – for failing to provide workers with fall protection at a commercial building site in Springfield, Missouri. The company faces proposed penalties of $98,693.

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Secretary of Labor Alexander Acosta today issued the following statement regarding the April 2019 Employment Situation report:

“Today’s jobs report announced a 3.6% unemployment rate, the lowest unemployment rate since 1969. 

“America’s economy added 263,000 jobs in April and a net 16,000 additional upward adjustment in February and March. This brings the total to 5.4 million jobs added since January 2017.  

PORTLAND, OR – After an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD), West Coast Reforestation Inc. – based in Salem, Oregon – will pay $73,383 to 26 employees for violating overtime and recordkeeping provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). The employer will also pay $7,239 in civil penalties for violations of the FLSA’s child labor requirements.

FREMONT, OH – After an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Cincinnati office of the Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA), the Department of Labor has obtained a consent order and judgment requiring the fiduciaries of Fremont, Ohio-based Techniform Industries Inc. 401(k) Plan to restore $23,716 to the plan and pay a penalty of $4,743 for violations of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA).

CINCINNATI, OH – The U.S. Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals has ordered Casey Bortles – a roofing contractor based in Holland, Ohio – to immediately comply with the final orders resulting from uncontested citations. The court also ordered Bortles to provide proof within 10 days that he has abated cited safety hazards on his job sites, and pay $341,972 in unpaid penalties proposed by the U.S.

BRAINTREE, MA – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), Massachusetts Division of Occupational Safety (DOS), YouthBuild Boston, Madison Park Technical Vocational High School, and New England Carpenters Training Fund are partnering to promote the 2019 National Safety Stand-Down to Prevent Falls in Construction. The Stand-Down event will be held at the site of an affordable housing construction project in Hyde Park, Massachusetts.

BRAINTREE, MA – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and Consigli Construction are partnering to promote the 2019 National Safety Stand-Down to Prevent Falls in Construction. The Stand-Down event will be held at 9:00 a.m. on Monday, May 6, 2019, at Blue Hills Regional High School construction renovation and upgrade project, 800 Randolph Street, in Canton, Massachusetts.

BATON ROUGE, LA – After investigations by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD), the owners and operators of a family of 11 restaurants with common ownership in Louisiana have paid $230,877 in back wages and an equal amount in liquidated damages to 141 employees for violating the Fair Labor Standards Act’s (FLSA) minimum wage, overtime, and recordkeeping requirements.

In the week ending April 27, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 230,000, unchanged from the previous week's unrevised level of 230,000. The 4-week moving average was 212,500, an increase of 6,500 from the previous week's unrevised average of 206,000.

WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced a new Job Corps demonstration project to provide at-risk youth with job skills instruction, educational opportunities, and individualized employment counseling through the establishment of the Job Corps Scholars Program.