OMAHA, Neb. — As residents recover from the damage caused by the recent tornadoes and severe storms in Pilger, Neb., Sioux City, Iowa, and other areas of Nebraska and western Iowa, the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration urges recovery workers, employers and the public to exercise caution during cleanup and recovery efforts.

DALLAS — Four restaurants in the Dallas area have agreed to pay $188,970 in back wages to 61 employees following an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division that uncovered violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act's minimum wage, overtime pay and record-keeping provisions. The restaurants are Yes Buffet, Grand Prairie; Crown Buffet and Win Chinese Buffet, Dallas; and Royal Buffet, Rowlett.

VIENNA, W. Va. — Las Trancas Inc., doing business as Las Trancas Mexican Cuisine, a full-service restaurant headquartered in Vienna, will pay a total of $365,834 in back wages to 36 workers employed at two establishments in Clarksburg and Marietta, Ohio. Investigations conducted by the U.S.

SPRINGBROOK, Wis. — A complaint investigation found workers at Buchman Lumber Co. LLC were exposed to excessive noise and amputation hazards at the Springbrook lumber plant. The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited the company for 17 — including four willful — violations and proposed penalties of $145,200. OSHA has placed the company in its Severe Violator Enforcement Program.

Date of Action: June 11, 2014

Type of Action: Complaint

Name of Defendant: First Land Title Agency of New York Inc. Profit Sharing Plan

LUBBOCK, Texas — To serve the workplaces of a diverse and growing area better, the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has expanded its office at 1205 Texas Ave. in Lubbock from a district office to an area office to provide more resources to the community.

SAN ANTONIO — Higuchi International Corp., doing business as Higuchi Manufacturing America LLC, has been cited by the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration for nine violations, including eight serious citations and one willful violation, for exposing workers to unsafe noise levels and machinery at its Elmendorf facility.

AVENEL, N.J. — On Dec. 4, 2013, temporary worker Ronald Smith died from injuries sustained after he was caught in between a conveyor system and crushed while performing sorting operations at an Amazon fulfillment center in Avenel. Following an investigation initiated in response to the fatality, the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited five companies for serious violations, including the contractor responsible for operating the facility, and four temporary staffing agencies.

WASHINGTON — Fulfilling President Obama's commitment to make 2014 a year of action to strengthen the economy and grow the middle class, U.S. Secretary of Labor Thomas E. Perez today announced a proposed rule raising the minimum wage for workers on federal service and construction contracts to $10.10 per hour. The proposed rule implements Executive Order 13658, which was announced by the president on Feb. 12.

WASHINGTON — Lincoln Electric Co. has agreed to settle allegations of hiring discrimination on the basis of race following an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs. An investigation by OFCCP compliance officers found that the federal contractor violated Executive Order 11246 by using a hiring process that resulted in systemic discrimination against African American applicants.

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Labor today announced $5,945,825 in grants for the fourth round of the Workforce Data Quality Initiative. These funds will enable six states to build or expand longitudinal databases that link workforce and education data and help these states to better understand how education and workforce development programs complement each other.

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Labor today announced a $1,321,161 grant to assist approximately 200 workers affected by the closure of TRW Integrated Chassis Systems LLC in Saginaw, Michigan.

"As our nation's economic landscape changes, it is critical that hard-working Americans receive retraining that gives them new skills and opportunities to succeed," U.S. Secretary of Labor Thomas E. Perez said. "This grant will do that — sustaining these workers and revitalizing their community."

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Labor today announced the award of $3,444,620 to the commonwealth of Virginia to identify promising practices and to explore, develop and test strategies to improve the employment outcomes of veterans. The initiative is part of the Obama administration's ongoing focus on job-driven training principles that encourage innovation and creativity in developing effective re-employment strategies to help the unemployed return to the workforce.

BOSTON — The U.S. Department of Labor is hosting a free compliance seminar, "How to Do It Right the First Time," at MassBay Community College on Friday, June 20, from 8:50 a.m. to 12:50 p.m. EDT.

LAS VEGAS — The Southern Nevada Regional Housing Authority has agreed to pay $425,000 in overtime back wages found due to 77 current and former employees following an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division. Investigators found the Las Vegas-based state agency in violation of the Fair Labor Standards Act's overtime and record-keeping provisions. The Southern Nevada Regional Housing Authority is regulated by the U.S.

GENEVA, Neb. — Bioiberica Nebraska has been cited by the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration for 10 — including three willful — safety and health violations for failing to protect workers from moving machine parts during service and maintenance. OSHA proposed penalties of $101,200 and placed the company in the Severe Violator Enforcement Program.

CLEVELAND — The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has renewed a two-year alliance with the Cleveland Safety Forum to help protect construction workers from job hazards, such as falls and silica exposure.

ST. FRANCIS, Wis. — Fontarome Chemical Inc. has been cited for 23 safety and health violations — including seven willful, one repeat and 15 serious — by the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration. The company has been placed in OSHA's Severe Violator Enforcement Program, and the citations carry proposed penalties of $449,680.

WOODRIDGE, N.J. — Academia Furniture Industries LLC, which makes furniture for schools, faces $58,100 in proposed penalties for 30 serious safety and health violations cited after an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

BOSTON — The U.S. Department of Labor is hosting a free compliance seminar, "How to Do It Right the First Time," at MassBay Community College on Friday, June 20, from 8:50 a.m. to 12:50 p.m. EDT.