February 5, 2021

Modesto residential care facilities to pay employees $135K in back wages after US Department of Labor finds minimum wage, overtime violations

MODESTO, CA – The owner of eight residential care facilities in Modesto will pay $135,092 in back wages to 56 employees and $27,872 in civil penalties after the U.S.

February 5, 2021

Federal contractor pays $293K in back wages to 69 employees in Nevada after US Department of Labor investigation finds prevailing wage violations

LAS VEGAS – A federal contractor working at Nevada’s Tonopah Test Range – including Creech Air Force Base in Indian Springs – has paid $293,051 in back wages and fringe benefits to 69 employees after the U.S. Department of Labor found the employer failed to pay workers required prevailing wages.

February 4, 2021

Unemployment Insurance Weekly Claims Report

In the week ending January 30, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 779,000, a decrease of 33,000 from the previous week's revised level. The previous week's level was revised down by 35,000 from 847,000 to 812,000. The 4-week moving average was 848,250, a decrease of 1,250 from the previous week's revised average. The previous week's average was revised down by 18,500 from 868,000 to 849,500.

February 1, 2021

Google LLC, US Department of Labor settlement resolves alleged pay, hiring discrimination at California, Washington State locations

SAN FRANCISCOThe U.S. Department of Labor has reached a settlement with Google LLC to resolve allegations of systemic compensation and hiring discrimination at the company’s California and Washington State facilities and will pay over $3.8 million to more than 5,500 current employees and job applicants.

January 29, 2021

US Department of Labor ends program that allowed employers to self-report federal minimum wage and overtime violations

WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced that the immediate end of its Payroll Audit Independent Determination program launched by the department’s Wage and Hour Division in 2018.

January 29, 2021

US Department of Labor accepting 2021 HIRE Vets Medallion Award applications

WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Labor announced today that its Veterans' Employment and Training Service is accepting applications for the 2021 HIRE Vets Medallion Award, presented annually to employers that meet standards for excellence in the recruitment, hiring and retention of America’s military veterans.

January 29, 2021

US Department of Labor issues stronger workplace guidance on coronavirus

WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Labor announced today that its Occupational Safety and Health Administration has issued stronger worker safety guidance to help employers and workers implement a coronavirus prevention program and better identify risks which could lead to exposure and contraction. Last week, President Biden directed OSHA to release clear guidance for employers to help keep workers safe from COVID-19 exposure.

January 28, 2021

Unemployment Insurance Weekly Claims Report

In the week ending January 23, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 847,000, a decrease of 67,000 from the previous week's revised level. The previous week's level was revised up by 14,000 from 900,000 to 914,000. The 4-week moving average was 868,000, an increase of 16,250 from the previous week's revised average. The previous week's average was revised up by 3,750 from 848,000 to 851,750.

January 21, 2021

Unemployment Insurance Weekly Claims Report

In the week ending January 16, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 900,000, a decrease of 26,000 from the previous week's revised level. The previous week's level was revised down by 39,000 from 965,000 to 926,000. The 4-week moving average was 848,000, an increase of 23,500 from the previous week's revised average. The previous week's average was revised down by 9,750 from 834,250 to 824,500.

January 19, 2021

U.S. Department of Labor Announces $145 Million to Invest In Workforce Training for Key U.S. Economic Sectors

WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Labor announced today the award of $145 million in the H-1B One Workforce Grant Program to invest in training for key sectors of the U.S. economy. Grant recipients, listed below, will focus on upskilling the current workforce and training the workforce of the future for critical industries such as IT, advanced manufacturing and transportation.

January 19, 2021

U.S. Department of Labor Issues Four Wage and Hour Opinion Letters

WASHINGTON, DC The U.S. Department of Labor today announced four opinion letters that address compliance issues related to the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). An opinion letter is an official, written opinion by the Department’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD) on how a particular law applies in specific circumstances presented by the person or entity that requested the letter.

The opinion letters issued today are:

January 19, 2021

U.S. Department of Labor Appoints New Members To the 2021 ERISA Advisory Council

WASHINGTON, DC Today the U.S. Department of Labor announced the appointment of five members and leadership for the 2021 Advisory Council on Employee Welfare and Pension Benefit Plans, also known as the ERISA Advisory Council.

January 18, 2021

Statement by U.S. Secretary of Labor Eugene Scalia On Martin Luther King Jr. Day

WASHINGTON, DC U.S. Secretary of Labor Eugene Scalia issued the following statement regarding Martin Luther King Jr. Day:

January 15, 2021

U.S. Department of Labor Revises Interpretation, Issues New Guidance Clarifying Filing, Compliance Requirements in H-1B Visa Program

WASHINTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration (ETA) and Wage and Hour Division (WHD) today announced a new interpretation of their regulations and accompanying guidance in ongoing efforts to protect American jobs and ensure employers pay temporary foreign workers admitted under the H-1B visa program as the law requires.

January 15, 2021

U.S. Department of Labor Awards $40 Million In Strengthening Community College Training Grants

WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced the award of $40 million through the Strengthening Community College Training Grants program to build the capacity of community colleges to meet labor market demand for a skilled workforce.

January 15, 2021

CORRECTED: U.S. Department of Labor to Award $10 Million Grant to Address Labor Violations in Illegal, Unregulated and Unregistered Fishing

WASHINGTON, DC The U.S. Department of Labor today announced its intent to award up to $10,058,000 million in grant funding to address labor violations in illegal, unregulated and unregistered fishing in the Latin American and Caribbean regions.

January 15, 2021

CORRECTED: U.S. Department of Labor to Award $11.7 Million Grant to Enhance Labor Compliance in Key Export Sectors in Sub-Saharan Africa

WASHINGTON, DC The U.S. Department of Labor today announced its intent to award up to $11,711,500  million in grant funding for a regional project to enhance labor compliance in key export sectors in the Republic of Kenya, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and one other African trade partner country.

January 15, 2021

U.S. Department of Labor to Award $8 Million Grant to Address Labor Violations in Illegal, Unregulated and Unregistered Fishing

WASHINGTON, DC The U.S. Department of Labor today announced its intent to award up to $8 million in grant funding to address labor violations in illegal, unregulated and unregistered fishing in the Latin American and Caribbean regions.

January 15, 2021

U.S. Department of Labor to Award $10 Million Grant to Enhance Labor Compliance in Key Export Sectors in Sub-Saharan Africa

WASHINGTON, DC The U.S. Department of Labor today announced its intent to award up to $10 million in grant funding for a regional project to enhance labor compliance in key export sectors in the Republic of Kenya, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and one other African trade partner country.

January 15, 2021

U.S. Department of Labor Awards First Non-Profit Set Aside Contract to Eckerd Youth Alternatives to Operate Washington, D.C. Job Corps Center

WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced the award of a contract to Eckerd Youth Alternatives Inc. for operations of the Potomac Job Corps Center in southwest Washington, D.C. The award is a first-of-its-kind total set-aside as part of a pilot program to enhance Job Corps participation by non-profit entities.