CHICAGO, IL – The U.S. Department of Labor has entered into a settlement agreement with U.S. Fiduciary Services and three of its subsidiaries that provides for payment of more than $7 million to 42 retirement plans that suffered losses as a result of investments in fictitious loans made by Florida-based First Farmers Financial LLC (FFF).

HARTFORD, CT – After an investigation by the Department of Labor’s Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) and Office of Inspector General (OIG), Yolanda Silverio, a former eligibility coordinator for a Connecticut company that administers trust funds for public and private sector health benefit plans, has been sentenced by the U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut to 10 months of imprisonment followed by three years of supervised release.

BIRMINGHAM, AL – After an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division, Taziki’s Restaurants LLC – which operates 14 restaurants in Alabama, Georgia, and Virginia – has paid $135,844 to 26 employees to resolve violations of overtime and recordkeeping provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

JENKINTOWN, PA – Following an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania has entered a consent judgment ordering Jenkintown-based Metro Kitchen Bar Inc. and its owner to pay $25,902 in back wages and an equal amount in liquidated damages to 50 employees. Investigators found that Metro Kitchen Bar Inc.

ST. PETERSBURG, FL – After an investigation by the Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division, Palm Shores Retirement Community Inc. will pay $181,663 in back wages to 454 employees for violating the overtime provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

MANVEL, TX – After an investigation by the Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division, Redman Communications Inc. will pay $63,132 in back wages and an equal amount in liquidated damages to 53 employees to resolve violations of the overtime and recordkeeping provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

HOUSTON, TX – After an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division, DC Broadway Inc. – operator of Don Carlos Mexican Restaurants – will pay $97,080 in back wages and an equal amount in liquidated damages to 24 employees to resolve violations of the overtime and recordkeeping provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

NEW YORK, NY – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and Carthage Specialty Paperboard Inc., have a reached a settlement agreement to improve efforts to prevent safety and health hazards in their Carthage, New York, facility. The company will pay $175,000 in penalties.

BAY MINETTE, AL – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has cited MPV Morganton Pressure Vessels North Carolina LLC, for exposing employees to fire, explosion, laceration, and struck-by hazards. The Bay Minette metal tank manufacturer faces proposed penalties of $101,800.

In the week ending February 3, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 221,000, a decrease of 9,000 from the previous week's unrevised level of 230,000. The 4-week moving average was 224,500, a decrease of 10,000 from the previous week's unrevised average of 234,500. This is the lowest level for this average since March 10, 1973 when it was 222,000.

DALTON, GA – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has cited First Source Worldwide LLC for several workplace safety hazards that put employees at risk of injury. The company faces proposed penalties of $256,088.

FAIRVIEW HEIGHTS, IL – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the Southern Illinois Carpenters Joint Apprenticeship Program (CJAP) have signed an alliance to provide members of the St. Louis – Kansas City Carpenters Regional Council (CRC) with training and resources to prevent common construction injuries.

ROCKY FORD, CO – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has cited Pioneer Health Care Center of Rocky Ford for failing to protect employees from violence in the workplace. The nursing home faces proposed penalties of $9,054.

SAN FRANCISCO, CA – Following a U.S. Department of Labor investigation, Laura and Carole Nobis – owners of Nobis Care Homes – have paid $194,275 in back wages to 13 caregivers and cooks to resolve Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) violations.  

PROVIDENCE, RI – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) participated in a multi-agency investigation related to pension fund theft that has resulted in a criminal conviction. John M. Hairabet, Jr., a former business associate and office manager of New England Anesthesiologists Inc.

OMAHA, NE – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has cited two Omaha-based roofing contractors for exposing employees to fall hazards at a residential site.  Aspen Contractors faces $129,336 in proposed penalties, and Torres Roofing faces proposed penalties totaling $15,447.

LANSDOWNE, PA – Following a U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division investigation, a U.S. District Court judge has issued a temporary restraining order prohibiting Lansdowne-based Central Laundry Inc. from transporting, shipping, or delivering goods across state lines that were produced by employees not paid legally required federal minimum wage and overtime rates. A preliminary injunction hearing is scheduled for today. 

Central Laundry Inc. does business as Olympic Linen and Liberty Laundry.

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Secretary of Labor Alexander Acosta issued the following statement regarding the January 2018 Employment Situation report:

“Our strong economy continues to grow, as 200,000 new jobs were added in January 2018.  Since Election Day 2016, American job creators have added 2,553,000 new jobs.  The unemployment rate remains at a 17-year low of 4.1%.  Job growth in construction was strong in January, with 36,000 new jobs created. 

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Secretary of Labor Alexander Acosta released the following statement today regarding the start of National African American History Month:

In the week ending January 27, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 230,000, a decrease of 1,000 from the previous week's revised level. The previous week's level was revised down by 2,000 from 233,000 to 231,000. The 4-week moving average was 234,500, a decrease of 5,000 from the previous week's revised average. The previous week's average was revised down by 500 from 240,000 to 239,500.