SEATTLE, WA – The U.S. Department of Labor announced that its Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) has entered into an Early Resolution Conciliation Agreement (ERCA) with CH2M HILL Plateau Remediation Co. (CHPRC), resolving allegations that the federal contractor engaged in systemic compensation discrimination against female employees in Richland, Washington. While not admitting wrongdoing, the environmental cleanup contractor agreed to an ERCA, and to enhance future compliance proactively.

WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced a final rule protecting the tips of employees. This rule addresses amendments made to Section 3(m) of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) by the Consolidated Appropriations Act (CAA) of 2018.

EVANSVILLE, IN – After an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD), Los Tequila Inc. – operator of Los Tres Caminos restaurant in Evansville, Indiana – will to pay $317,108 in minimum wage and overtime back wages to 21 employees for violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

WEST COVINA, CA – After an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD), Technica LLC will pay $130,619 in back wages and fringe benefits to 43 employees. Investigators found the contractor failed to pay required prevailing wages to warehouse employees on their contract for work at the Barstow Marines Corps Logistics Base in Barstow, California.

LAS VEGAS, NV – After a U.S. Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division (WHD) investigation, F&P Construction has paid $49,553 in back wages and fringe benefits to 35 employees working on the Reno Renewable Diesel Plant to resolve violations of the Davis-Bacon and Related Acts (DBRA).

LOS ANGELES, CA – Following an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD), NGY Group – a stone products and cabinet manufacturer in Chino, California – has paid $11,134 in back wages and reinstated two employees the company terminated wrongfully after they applied for coronavirus-related leave, a violation of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA).

WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) today announced a new initiative designed to better collect citation penalties.

WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Labor has announced the availability of $3.3 million to fund Fidelity Bonding Demonstration Grants to states and outlying areas to expand their Federal Bonding Programs for individuals with criminal records, including those recovering from opioid and other drug addictions.

BATON ROUGE, LA – After an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD), Linx Electric has paid $22,501 in back wages to nine employees for violating the Davis-Bacon and Related Acts (DBRA).

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 America’s Economy:

SYRACUSE, IN – Following an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD), Travel Lite Inc. will pay $103,318 in overtime back wages to 168 employees after the WHD found violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act’s (FLSA) overtime requirements at the company’s two recreational vehicle production facilities in Syracuse and New Paris, Indiana.

KANSAS CITY, MO – The U.S. Department of Labor filed a complaint in U.S. District Court for the District of Kansas against Wichita, Kansas-based Medova Healthcare Financial Group LLC, its president and CEO Daniel L. Whitney, chief operating officer Michelle Willson and Midlands Casualty Insurance Co. Inc.

WASHINGTON, DC – Since the start of the coronavirus pandemic through Dec. 10, 2020, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has issued citations arising from 273 inspections for violations relating to coronavirus, resulting in proposed penalties totaling $3,646,228.

OSHA inspections have resulted in the agency citing employers for violations, including failures to:

WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Labor announced today that nine more organizations have been recognized as Standards Recognition Entities (SRE) overseeing the development of high-quality Industry-Recognized Apprenticeship Programs (IRAP).

KALAMAZOO, MI – Three Kalamazoo, Michigan-area restaurants under joint ownership have paid $225,000 in back wages to 82 employees after the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD) found minimum wage and overtime violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

ROCHESTER, MI – After an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD), Mr. C’s Car Wash – based in Rochester, Michigan – has paid $85,753 in back wages to 414 employees for violating the Fair Labor Standards Act’s (FLSA) overtime and minimum wage requirements at all nine of the employer’s Detroit-metro locations.

INDIANAPOLIS, IN – BSN Sports LLC Indianapolis will pay $600,000 in back pay and interest to more than 3,000 job applicants at its Indianapolis, Indiana, production facility as part an agreement with the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) to resolve alleged hiring discrimination.

In the week ending December 12, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 885,000, an increase of 23,000 from the previous week's revised level. The previous week's level was revised up by 9,000 from 853,000 to 862,000. The 4-week moving average was 812,500, an increase of 34,250 from the previous week's revised average. The previous week's average was revised up by 2,250 from 776,000 to 778,250.

SEATTLE, WA – The U.S. District Court of Oregon recently granted the U.S. Department of Labor’s motion for default judgment against Portland, Oregon-based National Security Retirement Plan LLC and Invest n’ Retire LLC for abandoning employer sponsored benefit plans while 31 participants’ assets, worth over $1,500,000, remained in them. The participants were employees of Retirement Solutions Advisors LLC, the National Association for Plan Liability and Keene Photography Studio.

WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced a new initiative designed to assist states in aligning policy, programs and funding across multiple state agencies to increase competitive integrated employment for people with mental health conditions.