February 5, 2014

US Labor Department secures appointment of independent fiduciary for abandoned Albany, N.Y. 401(k) Plan

Date of Action: Jan. 28, 2014

Type of Action: Decision and Order

Name(s) of Defendant: Intelligent System Solutions 401(k) Plan

Allegations: Intelligent System Solutions, doing business as, Cipher Associates 401(k) plan, based in Albany, N.Y., is an employee defined contribution plan established in 1998. The Plan was sponsored by Intelligent System Solutions, Inc. doing business as Cipher Associates.

February 5, 2014

EBSA News Release: US Labor Department recovers more than $490,000 for Ky.-based pension plan and obtains judgments against plan fiduciaries [02/05/2014]

LEXINGTON, Ky. — The U.S. Department of Labor has obtained consent judgments against Robert La Courciere and Pamela Babbish, former trustees of the Fourslides Inc. pension plan; these judgments follow the recovery of $490,594 owed to the plan. A lawsuit filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky alleged that over three years, La Courciere, Babbish, George Hofmeister and Fourslides Inc. improperly used pension funds. Judgments against the remaining defendants are being sought by the department in ongoing litigation.

February 5, 2014

EBSA News Release: US Labor Department recovers more than $490,000 for Ky.-based pension plan and obtains judgments against plan fiduciaries [02/05/2014]

LEXINGTON, Ky. — The U.S. Department of Labor has obtained consent judgments against Robert La Courciere and Pamela Babbish, former trustees of the Fourslides Inc. pension plan; these judgments follow the recovery of $490,594 owed to the plan. A lawsuit filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky alleged that over three years, La Courciere, Babbish, George Hofmeister and Fourslides Inc. improperly used pension funds. Judgments against the remaining defendants are being sought by the department in ongoing litigation.

February 5, 2014

ETA News Release: Ark. receives more than $1.5M in funding from US Labor Department to assist with cleanup and recovery efforts after severe winter storm [02/05/2014]

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Labor today announced a $1,520,243 National Emergency Grant to assist with cleanup and recovery efforts following the severe winter storm that battered Arkansas on Dec. 5 - 6, 2013. This grant will provide aid to affected communities in North Central, Northwest and Western Arkansas.

February 4, 2014

Perez v. Burgess Baird Jr. involving prohibited loans and investments made by DSI Contracting Inc.’s profit sharing retirement plan in Austell, Ga.

Date of Action: Feb. 3, 2014

Type of Action: Complaint

Name(s) of Defendant(s): Burgess Baird Jr. and DSI Contracting Inc.

February 4, 2014

US Labor Department files suit against fiduciary of Weymouth, Mass. profit-sharing plan to recover unremitted employee contributions

Date of Action: January 30, 2014

Type of Action: Complaint

Name of Defendant: Thomas R. Brewer, in his capacity as fiduciary of the Matthewson Corp. Inc. 401(k) Profit Sharing Plan

February 4, 2014

Department of Labor obtains consent judgment to restore unremitted employee contributions to retirement and health plans of Sunset Golf

Date of Action:  Feb. 4, 2014

Type of Action:  Consent Order and Judgment

Names of Defendants: Daniel Deighan, Timothy Deighan, Sunset Golf LLC, Revolution Golf LLC, Sunset Golf, LLC 401(k) Employee Retirement Plan, and Sunset Golf LLC Group Health Plan in Loudonville, Ohio.

February 4, 2014

OSHA News Release: Philadelphia Macaroni cited by US Labor Department's OSHA; fines total more than $75,000 [02/04/2014]

WARMINSTER, Pa. — The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited Philadelphia Macaroni for 13 alleged workplace safety and health violations — five of them repeat — at its Warminster facility. OSHA proposed $75,483 in penalties following a July 2013 inspection initiated under its Site-Specific Targeting Program that directs enforcement resources to workplaces with the highest injury and illness rates.

February 3, 2014

OSHA News Release: Bristol, Conn., wire manufacturer faces more than $109,000 in US Labor Department OSHA fines for new and recurring hazards [02/03/2014]

HARTFORD, Conn. — The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited Radcliff Wire Inc. for serious and repeat violations of workplace safety standards following an inspection by OSHA's Hartford Area Office. An inspection of the Bristol wire products manufacturer began on July 23, 2013, under OSHA's Site Specific Targeting Program, resulting in $109,340 in proposed fines.

February 3, 2014

VETS News Release: $900,000 in Homeless Veterans Reintegration Program grants announced by US Labor Department [02/03/2014]

WASHINGTON — U.S. Secretary of Labor Thomas E. Perez today announced the awarding of two grants totaling $900,000 to fund services provided by Veterans' Employment and Training Service. Grants of $450,000 each were awarded to Advocates for Human Potential Inc. in Sudbury, Mass., and the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans in Washington, D.C. The grants are being awarded through the department's Homeless Veterans Reintegration Program.

January 30, 2014

ETA Press Release: Unemployment Insurance Weekly Claims Report

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending January 25, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 348,000, an increase of 19,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 329,000. The 4-week moving average was 333,000, an increase of 750 from the previous week's revised average of 332,250.

January 30, 2014

WHD News Release: US Department of Labor secures more than $250,000 in back wages for student workers with disabilities in Providence, R.I. [01/30/2014]

PROVIDENCE, R.I. — The City of Providence, the Providence School Board and the Harold A. Birch Vocational Center and School have signed a settlement agreement to pay $250,859 in back wages to 60 student workers with disabilities following an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division that found violations of the minimum wage provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act.

January 30, 2014

OSHA News Release: Brooklyn, NY, recycler cited by US Labor Department's OSHA for heat-related death [01/30/2014]

NEW YORK — The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited Cooper Tank & Welding Corp., doing business as Cooper Tank Recycling, for eight serious health and safety violations following the heat-related death of a 64-year-old worker at the Brooklyn recycling facility on 222 Maspeth Ave.

January 30, 2014

MSHA News Release: MSHA's Joseph Main addresses WV Coal Association Mining Symposium [01/30/2014]

ARLINGTON, Va. — In a speech before attendees of the West Virginia Coal Association's 41st Annual Mining Symposium in Charleston, W.Va., today, Assistant Secretary of Labor for Mine Safety and Health Joseph A. Main discussed actions taken by the Mine Safety and Health Administration and the mining community over the past year to improve mine safety and health.

January 30, 2014

ETA News Release: Oregon workers affected by Xerox layoffs receive assistance from US Labor Department grant funding [01/30/2014]

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Labor today announced a $367,956 National Emergency Grant to assist approximately 142 of the 285 workers affected by the closure of two Xerox Commercial Services LLC facilities, located in Coos Bay and North Bend, Ore., respectively.

January 30, 2014

MSHA News Release: MSHA's Joseph Main addresses WV Coal Association Mining Symposium [01/30/2014]

ARLINGTON, Va. — In a speech before attendees of the West Virginia Coal Association's 41st Annual Mining Symposium in Charleston, W.Va., today, Assistant Secretary of Labor for Mine Safety and Health Joseph A. Main discussed actions taken by the Mine Safety and Health Administration and the mining community over the past year to improve mine safety and health.

January 30, 2014

ETA News Release: Oregon workers affected by Xerox layoffs receive assistance from US Labor Department grant funding [01/30/2014]

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Labor today announced a $367,956 National Emergency Grant to assist approximately 142 of the 285 workers affected by the closure of two Xerox Commercial Services LLC facilities, located in Coos Bay and North Bend, Ore., respectively.

January 29, 2014

Department of Labor files complaint to recover loss to Cleveland-based Applied Technology Systems Inc. Retirement Plan

Date of Action: Jan. 29, 2014

Type of Action: Complaint

Names of Defendant: Applied Technology Systems Inc.; Clark V. Hayes; and the Applied Technology Systems Inc. Retirement Plan located in Cleveland, Ohio

January 29, 2014

ETA News Release: More than $700,000 in additional funding for storm cleanup and recovery efforts in Arkansas provided by US Labor Department [01/29/2014]

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Labor today announced a $702,741 National Emergency Grant incremental award to continue creating temporary jobs for eligible individuals to assist with the cleanup and recovery efforts resulting from the severe storms, tornadoes and flooding in Arkansas that occurred between May 30 and June 3, 2013. Funds are being awarded to the Arkansas Department of Workforce Services.

January 29, 2014

MSHA News Release: MSHA announces results of December impact inspections [01/29/2014]

ARLINGTON, Va. — The U.S. Department of Labor's Mine Safety and Health Administration today announced that federal inspectors issued 135 citations, 24 orders and one safeguard during special impact inspections conducted at 11 coal mines and two metal and nonmetal mines in December.