September 18, 2020

U.S. Department of Labor Urges Workers, Employers and Public To Be Aware of Hazards After Hurricane Sally

ATLANTA, GA – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) urges response crews and residents in areas affected by Hurricane Sally to be aware of hazards created by flooding, power loss, structural damage, fallen trees and storm debris.

September 18, 2020

U.S. Secretary of Labor Scalia Highlights Workforce Development In Elizabethtown, Kentucky

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Secretary of Labor Eugene Scalia traveled to Elizabethtown, Kentucky, where he joined Congressman Brett Guthrie (KY-02) to highlight workforce development and apprenticeships. The Secretary and Congressman toured Elizabethtown Community and Technical College and held a roundtable discussion with educators and manufacturers. Secretary Scalia and Congressman Guthrie also visited Summit Polymers to meet with employees and tour the facility.

September 18, 2020

U.S. Department of Labor and Microsoft Corp. Enter Agreement to Resolve Alleged Hiring Discrimination Affecting 1,229 Applicants in Four States

DALLAS, TXThe U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) and Microsoft Corp. U.S. have entered into an early resolution conciliation agreement (ERCA) to resolve alleged hiring discrimination practices at its facilities in Irving, Texas; Redmond, Washington; New York, New York; and Cambridge, Massachusetts.

September 18, 2020

U.S. Department of Labor Announces Campaign to Share the Benefits Of Apprenticeships with Job Seekers and Employers

WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced the launch of a campaign to raise awareness of the benefits of registered apprenticeships, and increase participation by business leaders and job seekers nationwide.

September 18, 2020

U.S. Department of Labor Awards $11.2 Million In Worker Safety and Health Training Grants

WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has awarded approximately $11.2 million in Susan Harwood federal safety and health training grants to 90 nonprofit organizations nationwide.

September 17, 2020

U.S. Secretary of Labor Scalia Highlights Economic Reopening in Cincinnati, Ohio

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Secretary of Labor Eugene Scalia traveled to Cincinnati, Ohio to discuss economic recovery, workplace safety, and the steps needed to develop a skilled, dynamic workforce. Secretary Scalia visited Consolidated Metals, where he met company leadership and employees and discussed the economic re-opening. Additionally, Secretary Scalia visited Great Oaks which specializes in career and technical education for both high school students and adults.

September 17, 2020

United States and Guatemala Sign Joint Agreement To Improve H-2 Visa Program Operations

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, the U.S. Government, through efforts of the U.S. Department of Labor and the U.S. Embassy in Guatemala City, signed an updated bilateral cooperative agreement with Guatemala to facilitate increased transparency, accountability and worker safety in the H-2 nonimmigrant visa programs for temporary workers from Guatemala.

September 17, 2020

U.S. Department of Labor Announces Actions To Assist Americans Affected By Hurricane Sally

WASHINGTON, DC The U.S. Department of Labor today announced actions it is taking to assist Americans in states affected by Hurricane Sally.

In response to the anticipated needs of those living in states in the path of Hurricane Sally, the Department and its agencies are taking the following actions:

September 17, 2020

Unemployment Insurance Weekly Claims Report

In the week ending September 12, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 860,000, a decrease of 33,000 from the previous week's revised level. The previous week's level was revised up by 9,000 from 884,000 to 893,000. The 4-week moving average was 912,000, a decrease of 61,000 from the previous week's revised average. The previous week's average was revised up by 2,250 from 970,750 to 973,000.

Read the full release.

September 16, 2020

U.S. Department of Labor Cites Massachusetts Dental Practice For Failing to Fully Implement Workplace Respiratory Protections

GEORGETOWN, MA – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) cited Georgetown Dental LLC for violating respiratory protection and other standards at the Georgetown, Massachusetts, location. OSHA cited the dental practice for six serious and one other-than-serious violations, with proposed penalties of $9,500. The company has paid the penalty in full and abated the citations.

September 16, 2020

U.S. Department of Labor Investigation Results in Court Ordering New York Horse Trainer to Pay $425,000 in Back Wages, Damages and Penalties

NEW YORK, NY – After an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD), Weaver Racing Inc. and owner George R. Weaver paid a total of $425,000 in court-ordered back wages, liquidated damages and civil penalties for violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and the labor provisions of the H-2B visa program.

September 15, 2020

U.S. Department of Labor Awards $32 Million in Grants To Workforce Information Grants to States

WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Labor today awarded a total of $32,000,000 in Workforce Information Grants to States (WIGS) for use by states and territories to support the development, management and delivery of workforce and labor market information.

September 15, 2020

U.S. Department of Labor Awards Work Opportunity Tax Credit Grants

WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced the award of approximately $2,500,000 million in grants through the Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC) that incentivizes workplace diversity and facilitates access to good jobs for American workers.

These awards will help state workforce agencies streamline their business processes and systems to reduce the processing backlog, including the number of accumulated certification requests that employers have submitted and await processing.

September 15, 2020

U.S. Department of Labor Awards Nearly $11.2 Million in Dislocated Worker Grants in Response to Coronavirus Public Health Emergency

WASHINGTON, DC The U.S. Department of Labor today announced the award of three Dislocated Worker Grants (DWGs) totaling $11,150,278 to Oklahoma, Washington and Wisconsin, to help address the workforce-related impacts of the coronavirus public health emergency.

September 15, 2020

U.S. Department of Labor Announces Availability of $40 Million To Address Rural Healthcare Workforce Shortages

WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Labor announced today the availability of up to $40 million in funding in the Rural Healthcare Grant Program to address rural healthcare workforce shortages in communities across the country.

September 15, 2020

Atlanta, Georgia, Consulting Company Pays $1,599 in Back Wages To Employee Instructed to Self-Quarantine Due to Coronavirus Concerns

ATLANTA, GA – Risk & Insurance Consultants Inc. – based in Atlanta, Georgia – has paid $1,599 in back wages after denying paid sick leave to an employee who received a healthcare professional’s instructions to self-quarantine due to coronavirus concerns.

September 14, 2020

U.S. Department of Labor Awards $1 Million to Maryland to Provide Technical Assistance to Implement Workforce Innovation Programs

WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Labor today awarded a grant of $1,052,528 to the State of Maryland in a cooperative agreement to support Maryland’s Workforce Information Technology Support Center (WITSC).

September 14, 2020

U.S. Department of Labor Continues Effort to Raise Awareness of Paid Sick Leave and Lawful Pay Requirements Amid Coronavirus Pandemic

WASHINGTON, DC – As part of its comprehensive response to the coronavirus pandemic, the Wage and Hour Division (WHD) of the U.S. Department of Labor is educating workers with a public awareness campaign about workplace rights amid the coronavirus pandemic.

September 14, 2020

San Antonio, Texas-Area Restaurants Pay $71,899 in Back Wages To Employees After U.S. Department of Labor Investigation

SAN ANTONIO, TX – After an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD), an enterprise operating three San Antonio, Texas, area restaurants has paid $71,899 in back wages to 327 employees to resolve violations of the tip-pooling requirements of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

September 14, 2020

Guam Construction Company to Pay $109,112 in Back Wages and Penalties For Overtime Violations Found by U.S. Department of Labor

DEDEDO, GUAM – After an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD), Modern Konstrak – a construction company based in Dededo, Guam – will pay $85,993 to 75 employees for violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act’s (FLSA) overtime requirements. The employer will also pay $23,118 in penalties for the willful nature of the violations.