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.

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.

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Labor today announced a one-time demonstration grant award of $3,224,509 to 14 community service organizations to improve services to low-income older workers through the Senior Community Service Employment Program.

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Appalachian Oilfield Services LLC has agreed to pay 25 heavy equipment operators $129,802 in overtime back wages after an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division found the company was in violation of the Fair Labor Standards Act. At eastern Ohio drilling locations, the workers provided cleanup services and hauled away muck ejected from wells in the oil fracking process.

FENTON, Mo. — Gershenson Construction Co. Inc. has been cited by the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration after a worker suffered a broken vertebra when he was struck by a partially suspended load of sewer pipe and knocked to the bottom of an unprotected 13-foot-deep trench. OSHA has cited the company for 11 safety violations, including one willful and 10 serious, for failing to protect workers from struck-by and trench cave-in hazards.

VALLEY CITY, Ohio — Following the crushing of a worker's hand in a 150-ton mechanical power press on Nov. 14, 2013, Superior Roll Forming Co. has been cited for four serious safety violations by the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

NEW YORK — SpongeTech Delivery Systems Inc. of New York has been ordered by the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration to pay $30,288.54, in back wages, plus interest, to a former employee who was fired after she reported apparent investment fraud to her superiors.

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. — Liberty Tire Recycling LLC has been cited by the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration for repeat and serious safety violations for exposing workers to falls, fire/explosion and dangerous, unguarded equipment. OSHA cited the Port St. Lucie recycler following a Site-Specific Targeting inspection in January 2014. Proposed penalties total $45,000.

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Labor today announced a $1,064,609 National Emergency Grant to assist approximately 120 workers affected by the closure of the Swank Inc. distribution center located in Taunton, Massachusetts.

Date of Action: June 9, 2014

Type of Action: Consent Order and Judgment

Names of Defendants: Orland Fasel, Bernice Fasel, Edward Fasel, E. L. Fasel & Sons Inc. Profit Sharing Plan

Allegations: Orland Fasel, who was co-owner of E.L. Fasel & Sons Inc. and fiduciary to the E.L. Fasel & Sons Inc. Profit Sharing Plan, improperly transferred funds from the Plan to himself and his wife, Margaret Fasel. Edward Fasel was co-owner of the company and a named trustee of the Plan. Bernice Fasel was also a named trustee of the Plan.

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Labor will host two town hall meetings on Wednesday, June 18, in Attleboro, Mass., and Thursday, June 19, in Cromwell, Conn., to notify current and former nuclear weapons employees who worked at 33 covered facilities in southern New England about the benefits available to them under the Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program Act.

NEW YORK — MDG Design & Construction LLC has reached a settlement with the U.S. Department of Labor that resolves wage violations at the federally-assisted Grand Street Guild construction project in New York City's Lower East Side. MDG and other respondents will pay $3.8 million in back wages and fringe benefits to about 200 of MDG's subcontractors' construction workers.

CHICAGO — Under terms of a court order, Indianapolis-based Access Therapies Inc. must pay $81,454 in civil money penalties and $39,946 in back wages to six physical therapists for violations of the H-1B provisions of the Immigration and Nationality Act. The H-1B program allows employers to employ foreign workers temporarily in the U.S. on a nonimmigrant basis in specialty occupations. Access Therapies will be debarred from participation in the H-1B program for a one-year period.

SAVOY, Ill. — The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited Duce Construction Co. with four safety violations, including three serious and one willful, for failing to protect workers from trenching hazards at a job site on East Airport Road in Savoy. OSHA opened the February 2014 inspection under the National Emphasis Program for trenching and excavation. Proposed penalties total $59,500.

BRAINTREE, Mass. — A 35-year-old sanitation supervisor at a New Bedford fish processing plant died on Jan. 16, 2014, after he was caught in the rotating parts of the shucking machine he was cleaning. Following an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration, his employer, Sea Watch International Ltd., was cited for seven serious safety violations, including failure to implement basic safety procedures to protect workers who service or maintain machines.

NEW YORK — MDG Design & Construction LLC has reached a settlement with the U.S. Department of Labor that resolves wage violations at the federally-assisted Grand Street Guild construction project in New York City's Lower East Side. MDG and other respondents will pay $3.8 million in back wages and fringe benefits to about 200 of MDG's subcontractors' construction workers.

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Labor announced today that it has entered into a conciliation agreement to resolve allegations of disability discrimination by an American Job Center in Burnsville, Minnesota. The U.S.

WASHINGTON — U.S. Secretary of Labor Thomas E. Perez issued the following statement about the May 2014 Employment Situation report released today:

"The economy in May continued its steady recovery from the Great Recession, and we have now added 9.4 million new private-sector jobs over 51 consecutive months. The economy generated 217,000 new jobs in May — the fourth consecutive month exceeding 200,000 new jobs — and the unemployment rate held steady at 6.3 percent.

Date of Action: May 30, 2014

Type of Action: Consent order and judgment

Names of Defendants: Brandy Williams, Wanda Knight, Dmazana Lumukanda, Lakes Area Advertiser Inc. 401(k) Plan and A.D.S. Delivery Service Inc. 401(k) Plan