In the week ending August 10, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 220,000, an increase of 9,000 from the previous week's revised level. The previous week's level was revised up by 2,000 from 209,000 to 211,000. The 4-week moving average was 213,750, an increase of 1,000 from the previous week's revised average. The previous week's average was revised up by 500 from 212,250 to 212,750.

MIAMI LAKES, FL – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has cited Point Blank Enterprises Inc. – operating as The Protective Group in Miami Lakes, Florida – for exposing employees to amputation and other safety hazards. The company faces $92,820 in penalties.

ST. PETERSBURG, FL – After an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD), Michael Andoniades – the owner of five St. Petersburg, Florida, hotels – has paid $23,368 in back wages and liquidated damages to 30 employees for violating overtime and recordkeeping provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

The five St. Petersburg hotels involved in the investigation are:

WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) announced a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking intended to clarify the civil rights protections afforded to religious organizations that contract with the federal government. The proposed rule ensures that conscience and religious freedom are given the broadest protection permitted by law.

PITTSBURGH, PA – After an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD), Huwa Enterprises – an environmental restoration company based in Keenesburg, Colorado – paid $9,174 in back wages, and an equal amount in liquidated damages for violating the overtime provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) while performing reclamation services on pipelines in western Pennsylvania.

PORTLAND, OR – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) and Conduent Commercial Solutions LLC – formerly CSG Xerox World – have entered into a conciliation agreement by which the federal contractor has agreed to pay $175,000 in back wages to resolve claims of systemic hiring discrimination at its Portland, Oregon facility.

PHILADELPHIA, PA - In a settlement reached with the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD), Havpak Inc. will pay $158,230 in back wages and an equal amount in liquidated damages to 126 employees after a WHD investigation found overtime violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) at its facilities in King of Prussia and Malvern, Pennsylvania. The Erie, Pennsylvania-based packaging, assembly, and manufacturing employer will also pay a civil money penalty of $41,580 for the willfulness of the violations.

NORCROSS, GA – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has cited Garden Films Productions LLC – based in Culver City, California – for failing to protect employees from hazards while filming a movie. Proposed penalties total $9,472.

LOS ANGELES, CA – Barbara Batiste – a desserts and catering business owner in Los Angeles, California – will pay $58,695 to 27 employees after a U.S. Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division (WHD) investigation found the employer violated the overtime requirements of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

SYRACUSE, NY – After an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD), GV Foods Inc. has paid $92,007 in back wages and an equal amount in liquidated damages to 103 current and former employees at its Syracuse, New York, restaurants – Peppino’s Neapolitan Express, Honey Cafe, and Peppino’s Pizzeria. The investigation found violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) launched the Contractor Assistance Portal, an online help desk to provide enhanced compliance assistance to federal contractors and stakeholders. The virtual online helpdesk is part of a broad push by the U.S. Department of Labor to provide innovative compliance assistance to job creators.

DUNEDIN, FL – Falzon Management Corp. – a restaurant operating as Kelly’s Chic-a-Boom Room in Dunedin, Florida – has paid $17,266 in back wages and liquidated damages to 48 employees after a U.S. Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division (WHD) investigation found the employer violated minimum wage and overtime requirements of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

CRESSKILL, NJ - The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has cited AJR Landscaping Inc. – based in Cresskill, New Jersey – for exposing employees to carbon monoxide (CO) after two workers succumbed to the toxic gas.

FORT LAUDERDALE, FL – Lallos441 LLC – the operator of Lallos Restaurant in Fort Lauderdale, Florida – has paid $17,443 in back wages and liquidated damages to 25 employees after a U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD) investigation found the employer violated minimum wage and overtime requirements of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). The employer also paid $11,555 in civil money penalties for the willful nature of the violations.

DECATUR, GA – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has cited Atlanta Kitchen LLC for exposing employees to amputation, silica, and other safety and health hazards at its Decatur, Georgia, manufacturing facility. The countertop manufacturer faces $132,604 in penalties.

PALMETTO, FL – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has cited Brad McDonald Roofing & Construction Inc. for exposing employees to fall and other safety hazards at two Florida construction sites in Lutz and Palmetto. The residential and commercial roofing work company faces $274,215 in penalties.

WASHINGTON, DC - The U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) has announced the awarding of $2 million to Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, for the first year of a 4-year cooperative agreement to operate an employer-focused disability policy development and technical assistance center. This center will build upon the prior work of ODEP’s Employer Assistance and Resource Network on Disability Inclusion (EARN).

WASHINGTON, DC - The U.S. Department of Labor has announced the appointment of the Department’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) Ombudsman, Marcus Stergio. OFCCP first announced its plan to implement an Ombudsman in September 2018 in Directive (DIR 2018-09).

COOPER CITY, FL – After an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD), South China Restaurant – based in Cooper City, Florida – will pay $88,074 in wages to eight employees for violating minimum wage, overtime, and recordkeeping requirements of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Labor today approved Disaster Recovery National Dislocated Worker Grant (DWG) funding of up to $5,411,294, with $1,803,765 released initially, for the Arkansas Department of Workforce Services. This funding assists with the assessment of workforce needs in response to the storms and flooding of May 2019.