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.

Keeping America’s Workplaces Safe and Healthy:

PAGELAND, SC – After an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD), Pageland Tire Country Inc. – based in Pageland, South Carolina – has paid $33,397 in back wages to nine employees to resolve overtime violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced a final rule establishing a regulatory framework for private employee benefit plans’ fiduciaries to follow when they exercise shareholder rights, including proxy voting, and select and monitor proxy advisory firms.

WASHINGTON, DC – Since the start of the coronavirus pandemic through Dec. 3, 2020, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has issued citations arising from 263 inspections for violations relating to coronavirus, resulting in proposed penalties totaling $3,504,345.

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

WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Treasury today announced a final rule that amends the requirements for grandfathered group health plans and grandfathered group health insurance coverage to preserve their grandfather status.

In the week ending December 5, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 853,000, an increase of 137,000 from the previous week's revised level. The previous week's level was revised up by 4,000 from 712,000 to 716,000. The 4-week moving average was 776,000, an increase of 35,500 from the previous week's revised average. The previous week's average was revised up by 1,000 from 739,500 to 740,500.

CLEARWATER, FL – After an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD), Clearwater Cylinder Head Inc. – a cylinder head manufacturer based in Clearwater, Florida – has paid $13,133 in back wages to 20 employees to resolve overtime violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

TAMPA, FL – After an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD), Brewland Development LLC – a Tampa, Florida, restaurant – has paid $70,575 in back wages to 36 employees to resolve minimum wage and overtime violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

CHICAGO, IL – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the Consulate General of Mexico in Chicago have signed a two-year alliance to promote workplace safety and health training and educational opportunities for Consulate and Mexican nationals working in Illinois.

DETROIT, MI – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the Consulate General of Mexico in Detroit have signed a two-year alliance to promote workplace safety and health training and educational opportunities for Consulate and Mexican nationals working in Michigan and Northern Ohio.

KANSAS CITY, MO – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) Kansas City and St. Louis area offices have signed a two-year alliance with the Missouri Association of Manufacturers to address safety and health hazards at Missouri manufacturing facilities.

COLUMBUS, OH – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and organizations representing many of Ohio’s craft brewers have renewed a two-year alliance to improve workplace safety in the industry.

PASADENA, TX – After an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD), Men’s T Clinic – operator of a testosterone replacement center in Pasadena, Texas – has paid back wages of $3,432 to an employee to whom it wrongly denied emergency paid sick leave and terminated despite a doctor’s order for the employee to quarantine with coronavirus symptoms.

LAKELAND, FL – After an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD), Universal Painting Corp. – a painting company based in Lakeland, Florida – has paid $55,439 in back wages to 71 employees to resolve overtime violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

ZACHARY, LA – After an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD), A&B Concrete Coring Inc. – doing business as A&B Concrete Coring Co. – has paid $33,492 in back wages to six employees for violating the overtime requirements of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

TAYLOR, TX – After an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD), Burrows Millworks Inc. – a cabinet manufacturer based in Taylor, Texas – has paid an employee $3,736 in back wages for wrongly denying leave under the Emergency Family and Medical Leave Expansion Act (EFMLEA) provisions of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA).

WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) today released its “Implementing Legal Requirements Regarding the Equal Opportunity Clause’s Religious Exemption” Final Rule, which will be published in an upcoming edition of the Federal Register. This rule will encourage the full and equal participation of religious organizations as federal contractors.

MARKSVILLE, LA – After an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD), Shirley’s Crawfish Pad LLC and Crawfish Processing LLC – both owned by Shirley Bernard and co-located in Marksville, Louisiana – have paid $42,900 in back wages to 55 employees to resolve violations of the Emergency Paid Sick Leave Act (EPSLA) provisions of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA).

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:

WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Labor today applauded the efforts of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Customs and Border Protection for combatting forced labor in China with the issuance of a withhold release order on cotton harvested or processed by the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, including any products made from that cotton, such as apparel, garments and textiles. The order prevents the importation of these goods into the U.S.