VIENNA, VA – After an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD), the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Maryland has ordered Creative Hairdressers Inc. – an operator of unisex hair salons in 15 states and the District of Columbia – to pay $1,149,965 in back wages to more than 7,500 employees.

WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has issued an alert listing safety tips employers can follow to help protect dental industry workers from exposure to the coronavirus.

Measures that can help protect dental practitioners include:

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, the U.S. Department of Labor launched its Industry-Recognized Apprenticeship Program (IRAP) Standards Recognition Entities (SREs) online application and updated resources, the same day that the IRAP rule goes into effect. 

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Department of Labor (Department) has issued guidance announcing the availability of grant funds provided under Section 2110 of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act of 2020.

WASHINGTON, DC – Last week, the U.S. Department of Labor took a range of actions to aid American workers and employers as our nation combats the coronavirus pandemic.

Reopening the American Economy:

WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Labor today published a series of responses to specific inquiries and questions raised by states regarding the Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC) program. Section 2104 of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act authorizes the FPUC program, and provides an additional $600 weekly payment boost to certain eligible individuals who are receiving other qualifying benefits.

WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced additional funding of $14,666,667 for a National Dislocated Worker Grant awarded in response to wildfires that occurred in November 2018. These funds will allow grant participants to continue disaster-relief cleanup in California communities affected by the wildfires, as well as provide for the continuation of employment and training services to eligible individuals in those communities.

WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Labor today approved funding of $467,540 in response to a Disaster Recovery National Dislocated Worker Grant application submitted by the Arkansas Division of Workforce Services on March 23, 2020. The funding will assist the state with disaster-relief efforts in northwest counties affected by severe storms in June 2019. 

WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced the award of $1,921,422 in National Dislocated Worker Grant funding to the Workforce Alliance of South Central Kansas Inc. The project will provide reemployment services to individuals affected by aviation industry layoffs, including approximately 2,800 workers affected by dislocations at Spirit AeroSystems in Wichita, Kansas.

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Secretary of Labor Eugene Scalia issued the following statement on the April 2020 Employment Situation report:

In the week ending May 2, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 3,169,000, a decrease of 677,000 from the previous week's revised level. The previous week's level was revised up by 7,000 from 3,839,000 to 3,846,000. The 4-week moving average was 4,173,500, a decrease of 861,500 from the previous week's revised average. The previous week's average was revised up by 1,750 from 5,033,250 to 5,035,000.

WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced the award of six Dislocated Worker Grants (DWGs) totaling $10,012,821 to help address the workforce-related impacts of the public health emergency related to the coronavirus. These awards are funded under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act, which provided $345 million for DWGs to prevent, prepare for and respond to coronavirus.

TAMARAC, FL – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has cited Crown Roofing LLC for exposing employees to fall hazards at a residential worksite in Tamarac, Florida. The Sarasota, Florida-based contractor faces penalties of $134,937.

WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Labor today awarded $637,596 in additional National Dislocated Worker (DWG) Grant funding to the Anne Arundel Workforce Development Corp. (AAWDC). The funding will provide for the continuation of employment and training services to transitioning military service members stationed on Maryland military installations who are seeking to enter civilian employment.    

ATLANTA, GA – The U.S. Department of Labor has filed suit against Advance Benefits Management Systems USA Inc. (ABMS), its founder and CEO C. Kenneth Johnson, and company President Randy Wright. In the suit, filed in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia, the department asks the court to appoint an independent fiduciary to employee healthcare plans previously administered by ABMS, direct the independent fiduciary to marshal the plans’ assets, obtain insurance reimbursement and pay over $7,000,000 in unpaid claims.

WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Labor announced that the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has released a new video and poster for employers and workers on how to properly wear and remove a respirator.

For workers who may need to use respirators to protect themselves from coronavirus exposure, a properly worn respirator can help reduce the wearer’s risk of viral exposure and help prevent its spread to others.

WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced that Dislocated Worker Grant (DWG) funding made available to states and territories to employ workers temporarily to respond to the coronavirus public health emergency can be used for contact tracing. Contact tracing is part of the process of supporting patients and warning contacts of exposure to stop chains of transmission.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Department of Labor today responded to specific state requests seeking assistance to administer changes to unemployment insurance (UI) programs made by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act and the Emergency Unemployment Insurance Stabilization and Access Act in the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA).

NEWARK, NJ – After an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the owner of a Somerset County, New Jersey, construction company has pleaded guilty to one count of felony perjury brought by the U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey.

WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has translated and published its “Ten Steps All Workplaces Can Take to Reduce Risk of Exposure to Coronavirus” poster in 11 additional languages.