June 1, 2015

WHD News Brief: Federal contractor pays nearly half of a million dollars in back wages to 204 detention officers [06/01/2015]

Employer name: PTS of America LLC doing business as Prisoner Transportation Services of America, Nashville, Tennessee

Investigation sites: PTS corporate headquarters, Nashville, Tennessee; Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport, Mesa, Arizona; Alexandria International Airport, Alexandria, Louisiana; and San Antonio International Airport, San Antonio, Texas.

June 1, 2015

WHD News Release: Investigations find Utah construction workers underpaid by nearly $2M [06/01/2015]

SALT LAKE CITY — For construction workers, every dollar is hard-earned. Harder still is accepting that their employers cheated them out of earned wages by violating their rights. With the help of the U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division, more than 2,700 Utah construction workers are getting the wages they deserve.

June 1, 2015

WHD News Brief: U.S. Labor Department's Wage and Hour Division to offer free compliance seminar in Manhattan on June 3 [06/01/2015]

Date and Time: June 3, 2015 from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. EST

Location: Jacob K. Javits Federal Building, 26 Federal Plaza, Conference Room J, New York, N.Y. 10278

June 1, 2015

OSHA News Release: Boise contractor again puts workers at serious risk of injury, death in unprotected underground trench [06/01/2015]

BOISE, Idaho — Every month, somewhere in the U.S., two people die in trench cave-ins — buried or crushed by the tremendous weight of falling earth. In fact, one cubic yard of soil can be equal to the weight of a small automobile, about 3,000 pounds. These needless deaths can be prevented with proper cave-in protections.

Despite these realities, some contractors continue to ignore the serious dangers of unprotected trenches and allow employees to work below ground level at great risk.

May 28, 2015

WHD News Brief: Portland grocery store to pay more than $99,000 in overtime back wages, damages to 11 workers [05/28/2015]

Employer: Tienda y Carniceria La Tapatia Inc., doing business as Supermercado Tapatia

Sites: 18330 SE Stark St., Portland, Oregon

Investigation findings: The employer incorrectly categorized a number of employees as exempt from overtime and failed to pay these employees additional half time for hours worked beyond 40 in a work week. Instead, La Tapatia paid a flat salary for all their hours regardless of how many hours they worked, in violation of the Fair Labor Standards Act.

May 28, 2015

OSHA News Release: Fatal Staten Island mezzanine collapse 'should never have happened' [05/28/2015]

AVENEL, N.J. — The life of a 46-year-old demolition worker, killed in a building collapse in November 2014 at a Staten Island auto dealership, could have been spared if his employer had not disregarded federal safety rules.

Delfino Jesus Velazquez Mendizabal died when the mezzanine of the former Dana Ford Lincoln dealership collapsed on him. A husband and father, Mendizabal was employed by Formica Construction Co. Inc., a Port Richmond, New York, contractor.

May 28, 2015

OSHA News Brief: OSHA finds workers again exposed to safety and health hazards at Camden, New Jersey, warehouse [05/28/2015]

Magnetic Metals Corp. fined $53,900 for 15 federal violations

Employer Name and Location: Magnetic Metals Corp., located at 1900 Hayes Avenue in Camden, New Jersey, manufactures soft magnetic materials for products including motors and transformers.

May 28, 2015

MSHA News Brief: MSHA announces results of April impact inspections [05/28/2015]

Participant: Mine Safety and Health Administration

Description: The Mine Safety and Health Administration today announced that federal inspectors issued 107 citations and one order during special impact inspections conducted at 17 coal mines and one metal and nonmetal mine in April.

May 28, 2015

EBSA News Release: Employee Benefits Security Administration publishes plan audit quality report [05/28/2015]

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Labor Department's Employee Benefits Security Administration has published its study on the quality of benefit plan audits performed by certified public accountants. The report, "Assessing the Quality of Employee Benefit Plan Audits," reveals serious issues with the current system.

May 27, 2015

WHD News Brief: Marrocco Group to pay $303K in back wages and damages to 146 low-wage workers at 7 Providence, Rhode Island, locations [05/27/2015]

Employer name: Marrocco Group, four restaurants, two bar/lounges and a boutique hotel owned by Gianfranco Marrocco.

May 27, 2015

OWCP News Release: US Department of Labor hosting traveling resource centers in Grand Junction, Colo., and Moab, Utah, on June 10 and 11 to assist nuclear weapons workers [05/27/2015]

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Labor will host a traveling resource center in Grand Junction, Colo., on Wednesday, June 10, and in Moab, Utah, on Thursday, June 11, to provide the public with information about the Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program Act and the medical benefits available under the program.

May 27, 2015

OSHA News Release: Machine guards may have prevented arm amputation suffered by worker at Cordele, Georgia, sawmill [05/27/2015]

CORDELE, Ga. — A job should be a source of personal accomplishment and pride, not the cause of disability and unemployment. A 29-year-old temporary worker suffered the latter at a local sawmill operated by Griffin Lumber & Hardware. The man's left arm was amputated when his jacket was caught in the drive shaft of a conveyor belt in January.

May 27, 2015

OFCCP News Release: Oral Arts Laboratory Inc. settles hiring discrimination case with US Department of Labor [05/27/2015]

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — Oral Arts Laboratory Inc., a dental lab and manufacturer, will pay $115,000 to resolve allegations of systemic hiring discrimination at its Huntsville corporate headquarters. A compliance review by the U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs found that the federal contractor discriminated against 83 women and 19 African Americans who were denied dental lab technician positions, as well as 57 men who were rejected for shipping positions.

May 27, 2015

OPA News Release: Frank Kameny, fought to end discrimination in the federal workforce, to be honored with induction in Labor Hall of Honor [05/27/2015]

WASHINGTON — Frank Kameny, who for decades fought to end discrimination in the federal workplace, will be honored by the U.S. Department of Labor in June with an induction to its Hall of Honor. Kameny's legacy as a civil rights leader has made a monumental difference in improving the lives of all workers all across America.

May 27, 2015

OWCP News Release: US Department of Labor hosting traveling resource centers in Grand Junction, Colo., and Moab, Utah, on June 10 and 11 to assist nuclear weapons workers [05/27/2015]

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Labor will host a traveling resource center in Grand Junction, Colo., on Wednesday, June 10, and in Moab, Utah, on Thursday, June 11, to provide the public with information about the Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program Act and the medical benefits available under the program.

May 27, 2015

OFCCP News Release: Oral Arts Laboratory Inc. settles hiring discrimination case with US Department of Labor [05/27/2015]

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — Oral Arts Laboratory Inc., a dental lab and manufacturer, will pay $115,000 to resolve allegations of systemic hiring discrimination at its Huntsville corporate headquarters. A compliance review by the U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs found that the federal contractor discriminated against 83 women and 19 African Americans who were denied dental lab technician positions, as well as 57 men who were rejected for shipping positions.

May 27, 2015

OASP News Release: Department of Labor and Federal Acquisition Regulatory Council Propose Guidance, Rule to Implement Fair Pay and Safe Workplaces Executive Order [05/27/2015]

WASHINGTON — While the vast majority of federal contractors play by the rules, every year tens of thousands of American workers are denied overtime wages, are unlawfully discriminated against in hiring or pay, have their health and safety put at risk by those contractors that cut corners or are otherwise unlawfully denied basic workplace protections.

May 26, 2015

U.S. Labor Department secures consent judgment against fiduciaries in Lakewood, Washington, who took money from pension plan for personal use

Date of Action: May 21, 2015

Type of Action: Consent Judgment and Order

Names of Defendants: Alfred H. Chan M.D., P.C.; Alfred H. Chan; Judy H. Chan; and the Alfred H. Chan M.D., P.C. Defined Benefit Plan & Trust

May 26, 2015

OSHA News Brief: Newark gas manufacturer repeatedly exposed employees to workplace hazards [05/26/2015]

OSHA fines Welco Acetylene Corp. $57,400

Employer Name and Location: The acetylene repackaging facility of industrial gas manufacturer Welco Acetylene Corp. is located at 321 Roanoke Place in Newark, New Jersey.

May 26, 2015

OSHA News Brief: OSHA cites Atlanta-area commercial lamination company for 18 serious safety and health violations; nearly $80K in penalties proposed [05/26/2015]

Employer name: Panolam Industries International Inc.

Inspection site: 6300 Atlantic Blvd., Norcross, Georgia 30071

Date inspection initiated: The Occupational Safety and Health Administration initiated the Nov. 20, 2014 inspection after receiving a complaint alleging workplace safety hazards.