WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Labor announced major milestones in the continuing effort to expand apprenticeships in the United States.

This morning, a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) was made public that would establish a process for the U.S. Department of Labor to advance the development of high-quality, industry-recognized apprenticeship programs (IRAPs). 

RALEIGH, NC – After an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division (WHD), Dr. Michael C. Kretchmer – a Raleigh, North Carolina-based surgical dentist – has paid $8,656 in back wages and liquidated damages to 13 employees for violating the overtime requirements of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Labor-Management Standards (OLMS) will continue to invest in its Voluntary Compliance Partnership (VCP) program with 43 prominent international and national labor unions throughout the country to help strengthen the compliance performance of approximately 16,000 intermediate and local labor union affiliates.

MIAMI, FL – The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has cited GA&L Construction Corp. Inc. and The Rinaldi Group of Florida LLC for failing to protect employees from fall hazards at a construction worksite in Miami, Florida. The two companies face $87,327 in penalties. 

FORT LAUDERDALE, FL – The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has signed a two-year alliance with the National Utility Contractors Association of South Florida (NUCA of South Florida) to reduce employee exposure to trenching and excavation hazards. OSHA signed the alliance to coincide with Trench Safety Stand-Down Week, June 17-21, 2019. Learn more about the stand-down.

OAK CREEK, WI – The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has signed a strategic partnership with Ryan Companies US Inc., the Milwaukee Building & Construction Trades Council, and Wisconsin Safety and Health Consultation Program to promote worker safety and health during the construction of a two million-square-foot Amazon Distribution Center in Oak Creek, Wisconsin.

PHILADELPHIA, PA - Rockford Corp. – a natural gas pipeline construction company in Montrose, Pennsylvania – has entered into a consent judgment with the U.S. Department of Labor requiring payment of $177,466 in back wages, with an equal amount in liquidated damages, to 306 employees across the nation. The United States District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania approved the consent judgment on June 6, 2019.

CANTON, OH – The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has cited Ohio Gratings Inc. – a manufacturer of aluminum, stainless steel, and carbon products based in Canton, Ohio – for exposing employees to respiratory, chemical, and other hazards. OSHA cited the company for 17 serious and five other-than-serious safety and health violations, and faces penalties of $183,748.

WASHINGTON, DC - The U.S. Department of Labor today announced the availability of approximately $4 million for a four-year cooperative agreement for a youth-focused disability policy development center. The solicitation is a re-competition of an existing cooperative agreement. The deadline to apply is July 23, 2019.

HUNTERSVILLE, NC – After an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD), Brawi Inc. – operating as La Unica Mexican Restaurant in Huntersville, North Carolina – has paid $82,398 in back wages and liquidated damages to 10 employees for violating the overtime requirements of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

GREENSBORO, NC – After an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division (WHD), Colmex Inc. - an Asheboro, North Carolina-based retailer of money orders and low-cost cell phones - has paid $26,357 in back wages to 18 employees for violating the overtime requirements of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

In the week ending June 15, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 216,000, a decrease of 6,000 from the previous week's unrevised level of 222,000. The 4-week moving average was 218,750, an increase of 1,000 from the previous week's unrevised average of 217,750.

JACKSON, MI – The U.S. Department of Labor has obtained a consent order and judgment requiring the fiduciaries of the DJI & Associates Inc. Simple Plan to restore $68,539 to the Jackson, Michigan-based employee benefit plan.

NAPOLEON, OH – The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has cited Silgan Containers Manufacturing Corp. after an employee suffered a broken arm while servicing a machine at its Napoleon, Ohio, facility. The company faces proposed penalties of $106,080 for one repeat and three serious safety violations.

YOUNGSTOWN, OH – After an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor's Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) and Office of Inspector General, U.S. District Court Judge Benita Y. Pearson of the Northern District of Ohio, Eastern Division in Youngstown, Ohio, has sentenced former union official Terry Doan to one year in prison, followed by three years of probation. The court also ordered him to pay $195,446 in restitution to the Joint Apprenticeship Training Committee of the Heat and Frost Insulators and Allied Workers, Local 84 in Kent, Ohio.

NEW ORLEANS, LA – The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana accepted the guilty pleas of The Total Financial Group (TTFG) and its owners – Denis J. Joachim and Donna K. Joachim – after investigations by multiple government agencies – including the U.S. Department of Labor's Employee Benefit Security Administration (EBSA) and Office of Inspector General (OIG) – found Covington, Louisiana-based TTFG and the Joachims created, marketed, and operated a fraudulent multiple employer welfare arrangement (MEWA).

MANCHESTER, N.H. – After an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD), H.B. Provisions Inc. – a grocery store based in Kennebunk, Maine – has paid $92,055 in back wages and liquidated damages to 69 employees for violations of the overtime requirements of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). The employer has also paid $20,752 in civil money penalties.

WEST PALM BEACH, FL – The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has cited national discount retailer Dollar Tree Store Inc. for exposing employees to safety hazards at its store on Southern Boulevard in West Palm Beach, Florida. The company faces $104,192 in penalties.

BLOOMFIELD HILLS, MI – Six Beaumont Affiliated Health and Rehabilitation Centers in the metro-Detroit area has paid $915,223 in back wages to 1,389 employees after an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division (WHD) found the Centers in violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

AUBURN, AL – The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has cited automobile parts manufacturer Donghee Alabama LLC and two staffing agencies – J & C Enterprise LLC and Jian Enterprise LLC – for exposing employees to safety hazards at its facility in Auburn, Alabama. The companies collectively face $145,438 in penalties.