WASHINGTON — Carol Pier, acting deputy undersecretary for the U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of International Labor Affairs, today announced that George Achibra of Ghana has won the department's 2012 Iqbal Masih Award for the Elimination of Child Labor. U.S. Ambassador to Ghana Gene A. Cretz presented the award to Achibra at a ceremony in Accra.

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Labor's Employee Benefits Security Administration today announced final rules under the Affordable Care Act to protect workers and employers whose health benefits are provided through Multiple Employer Welfare Arrangements. The final rules increase the department's enforcement authority to protect participants in MEWAs and call for such plans to adhere to enhanced filing requirements.

CHICAGO – The U.S. Department of Labor has filed a lawsuit in federal court to restore $79,761.61 to the Hico Flex Brass Co. Inc. 401(k) plan. The suit alleges that the company, as well as former vice president Mark Isaacs and president Neil Isaacs, violated the Employee Retirement Income Security Act by failing to distribute plan assets to participants.

Company placed in OSHAs Severe Violator Enforcement Program

MINNEAPOLIS – The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited Highway Technologies Inc. in Minneapolis for 10 safety – including six willful – violations after a worker died from injuries sustained while working with equipment that came into contact with overhead power lines on I-94 near Menomonie, Wis.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics has released a report titled "Characteristics of Minimum Wage Workers: 2012." The report shows that 75.3 million workers in the United States age 16 and over were paid at hourly rates, representing 59 percent of all wage and salary workers. Among those paid by the hour, 1.6 million earned exactly the prevailing federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour. About 2 million had wages below the federal minimum.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor has reached a settlement that provides for payment of more than $34 million to compensate employee benefit plans for losses suffered through investments in funds managed by Austin Capital Management, which indirectly invested in Bernard L. Madoff’s Ponzi scheme. The agreement follows an earlier settlement with Austin Capital’s parent company, KeyCorp, for more than $9 million. Recoveries from both settlements total more than $43 million for plan investors in funds managed by Austin Capital.      

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Labor today announced that its Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs is rescinding two enforcement guidance documents on pay discrimination originally issued in 2006, commonly known as the "Compensation Standards" and "Voluntary Guidelines."This action, to be effective Feb. 28, is intended to protect workers and strengthen OFCCP's ability to identify and remedy different forms of pay discrimination.

Date of Action: Feb. 19, 2013

Type of Action: Default judgment

Names of Defendant: Keith Davis

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Employee Benefits Security Administration will host two free webcasts for small business owners on retirement savings plans as part of America Saves Week.

WASHINGTON The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has published an interim final rule in the Federal Register that governs whistleblower complaints filed under Section 1558 of the Affordable Care Act. The Affordable Care Act contains various provisions to make health insurance more affordable and accountable to consumers.

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending February 16, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 362,000, an increase of 20,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 342,000. The 4-week moving average was 360,750, an increase of 8,000 from the previous week's revised average of 352,750.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor has reached a settlement with the Cleveland-based Sherwin-Williams Co. that will provide $80 million to current and past participants of its Employee Stock Purchase and Savings Plan. The agreement is the result of an investigation by the department’s Employee Benefits Security Administration into whether Sherwin-Williams, seeking to take advantage of tax breaks, improperly managed the plan in violation of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act. The settlement also requires Illinois-based GreatBanc Trust Co.

Date of Action: Feb. 15, 2013

Type of Action: Default judgment

Names of Defendant: Joseph A. Seher, Accucast Technology LLC 401(k) Plan and Accucast Technology LLC Health Plan

Allegations: Seher in his capacity as a fiduciary to the Accucast Technology LLC 401(k) Plan and Accucast Technology LLC Health Plan failed to ensure employee contributions were forwarded to the plan.

GREENFIELD, Wis. — Meyer's Family Restaurant has agreed to pay $116,102 in back wages to 38 employees following an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division that disclosed violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act's overtime pay and record-keeping provisions.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced that approximately 18,000 workers laid off in 48 states from 864 Hostess company locations are eligible to apply for Trade Adjustment Assistance.

Ongoing initiative strengthens labor law compliance in Floridas agricultural industry

PLANT CITY, Fla. — San-Way Farms Inc. and owner Wayne Moss have paid $53,800 in back wages to 391 employees after an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division disclosed significant violations of the Migrant and Seasonal Agricultural Worker Protection Act. The department assessed the employer an additional $35,000 in civil money penalties, which have also been paid in full.

Date of Action: April 18, 2013

Type of Action: Consent Order and Judgment

Name of Defendant: Odell Jones, III, individually and as a fiduciary to the Jomar Building Company Inc. 401(k) Plan and the Jomar Building Company Inc. Benefit Plan

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending February 9, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 341,000, a decrease of 27,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 368,000. The 4-week moving average was 352,500, an increase of 1,500 from the previous week's revised average of 351,000.

Patrick Lyons to alert fellow restaurateurs of need to pay proper wages

Date of Action: Jan. 31, 2013

Type of Action: Motions for Summary Judgment and Entry of Default Judgment

Names of Defendants: Richard Alan Schoenfeld and Tomco Auto Products, Inc.

Allegations: Plan fiduciaries improperly withdrew $197,000 from the plan in late 2004, and used the money to pay the financial obligations of Tomco Auto Products, Inc. Plan fiduciaries failed to repay $47,000 in principal plus $22,511.36 in lost earnings to the plan.