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 (COVID-19) pandemic.

Reopening America’s Economy:

CLARKSVILLE, TN – An investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD) has led the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee to issue a consent order against a Clarksville, Tennessee-based employer for violating overtime and recordkeeping requirements of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). The employer will also pay a civil money penalty for a child labor violation.

KANSAS CITY, MO – After an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD), Plate Restaurant – based in Kansas City, Missouri – has paid 31 employees $42,534 in back wages after it was unable to make payroll, a violation of the Fair labor Standards Act (FLSA).

DETROIT, MI – After an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD), two Michigan-based contractors – Resurrection Carpentry LLC and The Drywall King LLC – working on a federally funded project in Detroit, Michigan, will pay 36 current and former employees a total of $101,711, for failing to pay the required prevailing wages and fringe benefits to construction employees.

ATLANTA, GA – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has ordered Norfolk Southern Railway Corp. to reinstate and pay more than $150,000 in back wages after terminating an employee for reporting an on-the-job injury at its Atlanta, Georgia, facility, and also filing an alleged violation report with the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA). OSHA also ordered the company to pay the employee $75,000 in punitive damages, $10,000 in compensatory damages and attorney’s fees.

HIGHLAND PARK, MI – After an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD), the City of Highland Park, Michigan, has paid $49,181 in back wages to four current employees for violations of the overtime requirements of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). WHD also assessed the city $1,368 in penalties because of the repeat nature of the violations.

PORTLAND, OR – After an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD), two subcontractors – ODP Systems and Timber Tech Framing – working on an apartment complex in Eugene, Oregon, will pay a collective $123,832 to 38 employees after investigators found numerous prevailing wage, overtime and illegal deductions violations,

RINEYVILLE, KY – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Administrative Law Judges has signed an agreement between the department and E.C. Construction Inc. in which the company will pay $24,755 in civil penalties for its violations of H-2B visa program labor provisions. As a result of a Wage and Hour Division (WHD) investigation, the Rineyville, Kentucky-based stonemason contractor will also pay four employees $76,803 in back wages.

WASHINGTON, DC – Solicitor of Labor Kate O’Scannlain and Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Loren Sweatt issued the following statement regarding today’s D.C. Circuit Court ruling in re: American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations, No. 20-1158:

SAVANNAH, GA – After an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD), Krishna Grocery – a grocery chain with stores in the southeastern U.S. – has paid $54,935 in back wages and liquidated damages to three employees for violating minimum wage, overtime, and recordkeeping requirements of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

MOBILE, AL – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has cited roofing contractor Elmer Julio Perez – operating as Julio Perez – for failing to protect employees from fall hazards after a worker fatally fell from a residential roof at a Mobile, Alabama, worksite. The company faces $138,118 in penalties.

In the week ending June 6, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 1,542,000, a decrease of 355,000 from the previous week's revised level. The previous week's level was revised up by 20,000 from 1,877,000 to 1,897,000. The 4-week moving average was 2,002,000, a decrease of 286,250 from the previous week's revised average. The previous week's average was revised up by 4,250 from 2,284,000 to 2,288,250.

NEW TAZEWELL, TN – After an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD), Homesteader LLC – a trailer manufacturer based in New Tazewell, Tennessee – will pay $134,799 in back wages to 408 employees to resolve overtime violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

PALISADES PARK, NJ – The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is proposing penalties against BB Frame LLC – operating as Frame Q and as Juan Quevedo (the owner and principal) – for exposing workers to multiple safety hazards at four Bergen County, New Jersey, worksites. OSHA conducted five investigations beginning in December 2019 of the Palisades Park, New Jersey, framing contractor and is proposing $1,997,125 in penalties.

SURFSIDE BEACH, SC – After an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD), Coastal Collision & Glass Inc. – an automotive body repair shop based in Surfside Beach, South Carolina – has paid $21,874 in back wages and liquidated damages to six employees to resolve overtime violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

COLUMBUS, OH – After a settlement agreement with the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD), Yard Solutions – based in Groveport, Ohio – will pay $18,469 in back wages to 12 employees to resolve violations of the labor provisions of the H-2B guest worker visa program, under the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA).

KADOKA, SD – After a U.S. Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division (WHD) investigation, Strehlow Bees Inc. has paid $404,827 in back wages to 36 employees – from the United States, South Africa and Nicaragua – for violating multiple conditions of the H-2A visa program for temporary agricultural workers. The Kadoka, South Dakota, company has also paid $61,940 in civil money penalties, assessed by the Department.

WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) and the American Staffing Association (ASA) have formed an alliance to advance employment of people with disabilities in the staffing, recruiting and workforce solutions industry. Each year, the industry hires an estimated 16 million temporary and contract workers in the U.S.

FORT WAYNE, IN – After an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD), General Motors Co. (GM) has paid $12,265 in back wages to an employee of its Fort Wayne, Indiana, assembly plant who received disciplinary suspensions for absences allowed by the federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA).

GRAND RAPIDS, MI – U.S. District Court Judge Thomas Ludington of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan again upheld the back wage computations resulting from a U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD) investigation and ordered Timberline South LLC, and its manager Jim Payne, to pay $878,874 in back wages and liquidated damages to 50 employees for violations of the overtime and recordkeeping provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).