September 2, 2021

US Department of Labor announces $10M funding opportunity to improve labor law compliance in Nuevo Leon, Sonora, Baja California

WASHINGTON, DC The U.S. Department of Labor today announced the availability of up to $10 million in grant funding to advance labor compliance in the Mexican states of Nuevo Leon, Sonora and Baja California, consistent with the obligations of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement.

September 2, 2021

US Department of Labor, Mexican government renew agreements to protect the rights of Mexican, Hispanic workers

WASHINGTON, DC U.S. Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh and Ambassador of Mexico to the United States Esteban Moctezuma led a ceremony today to renew collaboration agreements between the Government of Mexico and the Government of the United States, for the protection of the rights of Mexican workers in this country.

September 2, 2021

US Department of Labor obtains judgment after investigation finds Appleton company failed to forward contributions

GREEN BAY, WI – A federal judge has signed a default judgment against an Appleton company and ordered fiduciaries of the defunct company’s retirement plan to restore $41,869 in employee payroll-deducted retirement contributions and lost opportunity costs to the plan.

September 2, 2021

US Department of Labor obtains final order against John J. Koresko for involvement in nationwide employee benefit plan scheme

PHILADELPHIA – In an investigative and legal pursuit that spanned more than 18 years, the U.S. Department of Labor has obtained a final order in a Pennsylvania federal court and concluded its long-standing case against a disbarred attorney and former benefits plan fiduciary who gained personally by diverting millions from employee benefit plans.

September 2, 2021

Unemployment Insurance Weekly Claims Report

In the week ending August 28, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 340,000, a decrease of 14,000 from the previous week's revised level. This is the lowest level for initial claims since March 14, 2020 when it was 256,000. The previous week's level was revised up by 1,000 from 353,000 to 354,000. The 4-week moving average was 355,000, a decrease of 11,750 from the previous week's revised average. This is the lowest level for this average since March 14, 2020 when it was 225,500. The previous week's average was revised up by 250 from 366,500 to 366,750.

September 1, 2021

Federal court orders Fishtown bar, bottle shop to pay nearly $520K in back wages, damages, penalties after US Labor Department investigation

PHILADELPHIA – The operator of a popular Fishtown bar and bottle shop that prides itself on offering Philadelphia’s largest selection of beer and wine appeared to be less focused on paying its bartenders and servers as the law requires, a federal investigation found and a consent judgement entered in a U.S. District Court confirmed.

September 1, 2021

US Department of Labor encourages Kansas’ heavy construction industries to submit data to help establish accurate prevailing wages

KANSAS CITY, KS – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division routinely collects data to help the division establish accurate prevailing wage rates and fringe benefits, required by the Davis-Bacon and Related Acts. The division is currently surveying active heavy construction projects from Jan. 1, 2020 to Dec. 31, 2020 in any of Kansas’ metropolitan counties.

September 1, 2021

US Department of Labor finds Ohio automotive steel manufacturer continues to expose workers to amputations, other hazards at Canton mill

CANTON, OH – Responding to a complaint of unsafe working conditions, federal safety inspectors found a Canton automotive steel mill did not install adequate machine guarding, implement lockout/tagout measures or train workers on safety procedures, all of which exposed workers to amputation hazards.

August 31, 2021

US Department of Labor launches career workshops to provide employment assistance to spouses of transitioning military service members

WASHINGTON, DC The U.S. Department of Labor has launched a new monthly series of career workshops to provide employment assistance to spouses of transitioning military service members. Of the approximately 200,000 U.S. military service members who transition to civilian life annually, about half have spouses. 

August 31, 2021

US Department of Labor orders railway to pay more than $667K, reinstate two employees after investigation finds whistleblower retaliatory actions

ATLANTA – In November 2017, two railroad workers at a railyard in Waycross, Georgia, encountered and reported a blue flag that signaled their train could not move safely. For their actions, CSX Transportation Inc. pulled them from the job and later fired them, both actions found to be illegal in a U.S. Department of Labor Occupational Safety and Health Administration investigation.

August 31, 2021

US Department of Labor announces establishment of office to modernize, reform states’ unemployment insurance systems

WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced the establishment of the Office of Unemployment Insurance Modernization to provide strategic leadership as the department works with state agencies and federal partners to modernize and reform the unemployment insurance system.

August 30, 2021

US Department of Labor, Mexican Consulate in Las Vegas enter alliance to promote workplace safety, health in the construction industry

LAS VEGAS – In their ongoing efforts to protect the safety and health of construction workers, the U.S. Department of Labor and the Consulate General of Mexico in Las Vegas today signed an alliance to provide hazard prevention training to Mexican nationals working in Nevada, and help them understand U.S. laws governing workers’ rights and employers’ responsibilities.

August 30, 2021

US Department of Labor urges workers, employers, public to be aware of hazards after Hurricane Ida

ATLANTA – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration urges response crews and residents to recognize the hazards created by flooding, power loss, structural damage, fallen trees and storm debris in areas affected by Hurricane Ida.

August 30, 2021

US Department of Labor urges workers, employers, public to recognize hazards, ensure safety after Hurricane Ida

DALLAS – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration urges response crews and residents in areas affected by Hurricane Ida to recognize the hazards created by flooding, power loss, structural damage, fallen trees and storm debris.

August 30, 2021

Sanford contractor pays more than $334K in back wages to 212 workers to resolve violations found in US Department of Labor investigation

ORLANDO, FL – Since 1995, the U.S. Department of Labor has investigated the pay practices of a Sanford heating, ventilation and air conditioning contractor eight times and found violations in six of its inquiries – leading to the recovery of $155,865 in back wages for more than 440 workers.

August 30, 2021

New Jersey healthcare staffing company pays $263K to 46 workers at veterans’ medical centers following US Department of Labor investigation

NEW YORK – When Mitchell Martin Health Care LLC contracted with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs in 2020 to provide registered nurses and respiratory therapists to help care for an influx of coronavirus-related patients at four DVA medical centers in the New York City area, it committed to complying with federal wage and contracting laws.

August 30, 2021

Surfside Beach restaurant pays more than $75K in back wages to 10 workers after US Department of Labor finds employer shortchanged tipped employees

SURFSIDE BEACH, SC – Restaurant servers work hard and put their safety at risk throughout the pandemic. They depend on diners’ tips to earn a living wage, but 10 workers at a Surfside Beach restaurant found their wages reduced illegally by the establishment’s manager and owner who required servers to share tips with them.

August 26, 2021

Judge upholds US Department of Labor citations, $145K in penalties for Denver contractor that ignored safety requirements repeatedly

DENVER – A federal administrative law judge has upheld citations and penalties against a Denver roofing contractor for ignoring federal requirements to protect workers and subcontractors repeatedly from the risk of workplace falls – the leading cause of injury and death in the construction industry.

August 26, 2021

El Departamento de Trabajo de EE.UU. descubre violaciones salariales en un distribuidor de mariscos en Luisiana y recupera $138,000 para 100 trabajadores

CROWLEY, LA - Una investigación federal por una denuncia relacionada con el coronavirus dio lugar a una remisión al Departamento de Trabajo de EE.UU. y a una investigación que recuperó $138,629 en salarios atrasados para 100 empleados de un procesador de mariscos del suroeste de Luisiana.

August 26, 2021

US Department of Labor finds wage violations at southwest Louisiana seafood distributor, recovers $138K for 100 workers

CROWLEY, LA – A coronavirus-related federal whistleblower investigation prompted a referral to the U.S. Department of Labor and an investigation that recovered $138,629 in back wages for 100 employees of a southwest Louisiana seafood processor.