November 14, 2013

US Labor Department obtains consent judgment securing the restoration of over $90,000 to Ayer, Mass., SIMPLE IRA plan

Date of Action: November 1, 2013

Type of Action: Consent Judgment and Order

Name(s) of Defendant: Goldsmith, Prest & Ringwall, Inc., Calvin R. Goldsmith and Bruce D. Ringwall

November 14, 2013

OSHA News Release: Philadelphia demolition contractors cited by US Labor Department's OSHA for willful and serious safety violations following fatal June building collapse [11/14/2013]

PHILADELPHIA — The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration today cited Griffin Campbell, doing business as Campbell Construction, and Sean Benschop, doing business as S&R Contracting, for safety violations, including three willful per-instance violations, following the June 5, 2013, building collapse that killed six people and injured 14.

November 14, 2013

OSHA News Release: Philadelphia demolition contractors cited by US Labor Department's OSHA for willful and serious safety violations following fatal June building collapse [11/14/2013]

PHILADELPHIA — The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration today cited Griffin Campbell, doing business as Campbell Construction, and Sean Benschop, doing business as S&R Contracting, for safety violations, including three willful per-instance violations, following the June 5, 2013, building collapse that killed six people and injured 14.

November 14, 2013

ETA News Release: New online resources to promote the expansion of short-time compensation, or work-sharing, programs nationwide announced by US Labor Department [11/14/2013]

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Labor today announced a new online resource that provides guidance and information to states interested in developing or improving short-time compensation programs, also known as work-sharing. The STC program is designed to avert employee layoffs for businesses faced with a temporary slowdown in business activity. The online resources, which will be available to state workforce agencies, state policymakers and the general public, are located at: https://stc.workforce3one.org.

November 13, 2013

ILAB News Release: US and Colombia agree to additional meetings on Colombian Labor Action Plan commitments [11/13/2013]

WASHINGTON — In a meeting on Monday, Nov. 11, during the Inter-American Conference of Ministries of Labor held in Medellín, Colombia, U.S. Deputy Secretary of Labor Seth Harris and Colombian Minister of Labor Rafael Pardo Rueda agreed to continue bilateral meetings on the commitments in the Colombian Action Plan Related to Labor Rights through at least 2014. Both sides recognized advances made by Colombia under the Action Plan to date, while underscoring several areas of mutual concern.

November 8, 2013

OPA News Release: Statement of Labor Secretary Perez on October employment numbers [11/08/2013]

WASHINGTON — U.S. Secretary of Labor Thomas E. Perez issued the following statement about the October 2013 Employment Situation report released today:

"The American economy is resilient. Today's jobs report demonstrates continued steady growth, with the addition of 212,000 total private sector jobs in October. The unemployment rate, which fell in September to a nearly-five year low of 7.2 percent, remains essentially unchanged at 7.3 percent, while American manufacturers added 19,000 jobs in the month of October.

November 8, 2013

EBSA News Release: Administration issues final mental health and substance use disorder parity rule [11/08/2013]

WASHINGTON — The Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services and the Treasury today jointly issued a final rule increasing parity between mental health/substance use disorder benefits and medical/surgical benefits in group and individual health plans.

November 7, 2013

US Department of Labor files suit to restore more than $123,000 to retirement plan of Attevo Inc. in Cleveland

CLEVELAND –The U.S. Department of Labor has filed a complaint on behalf of the Cleveland-based Attevo 401(k) retirement plan. The suit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio, Eastern Division in Cleveland, alleges improper use of pension funds and seeks to restore $123,338.85 to the plan.

November 7, 2013

OSHA News Release: OSHA announces proposed new rule to improve tracking of workplace injuries and illnesses [11/07/2013]

WASHINGTON — The Occupational Safety and Health Administration today issued a proposed rule to improve workplace safety and health through improved tracking of workplace injuries and illnesses. The announcement follows the Bureau of Labor Statistics' release of its annual Occupational Injuries and Illnesses report, which estimates that three million workers were injured on the job in 2012.

November 7, 2013

OPA News Release: Statement by US Secretary of Labor Thomas E. Perez on the US Senate's passage of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act [11/07/2013]

WASHINGTON — U.S. Secretary of Labor Thomas E. Perez today issued the following statement regarding the passage of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act by the U.S. Senate:

"The arc of the moral universe bent a little more toward justice today. Protecting the workplace rights of LGBT workers is a moral imperative that is long overdue. We still have a long road ahead of us, but today's historic vote moves us one step closer to a nation that truly embodies its founding principles of equality, opportunity and fairness for all."

November 7, 2013

MSHA News Release: MSHA issues third-quarter 2013 fatality data [11/07/2013]

ARLINGTON, Va. — The U.S. Department of Labor's Mine Safety and Health Administration today released a summary of U.S. mining deaths that occurred during the third quarter of 2013. From July 1 to Sept. 30, there were nine mining fatalities in the United States. Five miners died in coal mining accidents and four in metal/nonmetal mining accidents. The number was two fewer than during the third quarter in 2012.

November 6, 2013

VETS News Release: U.S. Labor Secretary Perez urges companies to hire military veterans during department's annual Salute to Veterans [11/06/2013]

WASHINGTON — U.S. Secretary of Labor Thomas E. Perez today urged employers to recruit and hire transitioning service members and veterans because they possess "essential skills that companies are looking for: leadership, problem-solving and teamwork." Perez made his remarks at the department's annual Salute to Veterans, which was held to honor the sacrifices of our nation's veterans and in observance of Veterans Day.

November 6, 2013

ETA News Release: Additional funding to assist Minnesota workers affected by grocery industry layoffs [11/06/2013]

WASHINGTON — The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development will receive an $88,000 National Emergency Grant supplemental award from the U.S. Department of Labor to continue providing reemployment services to workers affected by layoffs at three SUPERVALU facilities,located in Eden Prairie and Stillwater, Minnesota.

November 6, 2013

ETA News Release: $2.8M grant awarded to Michigan to launch a new program designed to prevent worker layoffs [11/06/2013]

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Labor today announced the award of $2,840,535 to the state of Michigan to develop and promote a short-time compensation program, a layoff prevention program also known as "work-sharing."

November 6, 2013

ETA News Release: Grant to assist Idaho workers affected by the sale of potato processing operation announced by US Labor Department [11/06/2013]

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Labor today announced a $366,087 National Emergency Grant to provide re-employment services to approximately 50 workers affected by the sale of Nonpareil Farms' dehydrated potato processing operation in Blackfoot, Idaho.

"This grant will help these workers get the necessary skills they need to re-enter the workforce," said acting Assistant Secretary of Labor for Employment and Training Eric M. Seleznow.

November 6, 2013

ETA News Release: Grant to assist Idaho workers affected by the sale of potato processing operation announced by US Labor Department [11/06/2013]

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Labor today announced a $366,087 National Emergency Grant to provide re-employment services to approximately 50 workers affected by the sale of Nonpareil Farms' dehydrated potato processing operation in Blackfoot, Idaho.

"This grant will help these workers get the necessary skills they need to re-enter the workforce," said acting Assistant Secretary of Labor for Employment and Training Eric M. Seleznow.

November 5, 2013

Judge appoints independent fiduciary to distribute more than $16,000 in assets of Polaris America LLC 401(k) Profit Sharing Plan in Columbus, Ohio

Date of Action: Nov. 4, 2013

Type of Action: Consent Order and Judgment

Names of Defendant: Polaris America LLC; Christopher Filos; and the Polaris America LLC 401(k) Profit Sharing Plan

November 4, 2013

ETA News Release: Funding for workers affected by layoffs at Maine Military Authority is continued by US Labor Department [11/04/2013]

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Labor today announced a $305,714 National Emergency Grant supplement to continue the provision of re-employment and training services for approximately 47 additional workers affected by recent layoffs at the Maine Military Authority in Limestone, Maine.

"The Labor Department's funding will assist these additional workers affected by layoffs from the Maine Military Authority to secure new employment," said acting Assistant Secretary of Labor for Employment and Training Eric M. Seleznow.

November 4, 2013

OFCCP News Release: G&K Services Co. settles claims of pay and hiring discrimination with the US Labor Department [11/04/2013]

LOS ANGELES — G&K Services Co. has agreed to settle allegations that it discriminated against female laundry workers by steering them into lower-paying positions regardless of their qualifications. The conciliation agreement between the federal contractor's facility located in Santa Fe Springs, Calif., and the department's Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs resolves this pay discrimination violation, as well as the related finding that the company discriminated against male applicants in hiring.

November 4, 2013

ETA News Release: Funding for workers affected by layoffs at Maine Military Authority is continued by US Labor Department [11/04/2013]

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Labor today announced a $305,714 National Emergency Grant supplement to continue the provision of re-employment and training services for approximately 47 additional workers affected by recent layoffs at the Maine Military Authority in Limestone, Maine.

"The Labor Department's funding will assist these additional workers affected by layoffs from the Maine Military Authority to secure new employment," said acting Assistant Secretary of Labor for Employment and Training Eric M. Seleznow.