October 17, 2023

US Department of Labor recovers $105K in unpaid wages, damages after investigation finds Lacey restaurants violated overtime, child labor laws

Employer:      Macarios Inc., Los Primos Inc., Dos Oros Inc., operating as Mayan Mexican Restaurant

                        4520 Pacific Ave. SE

October 17, 2023

Federal court enters consent judgment ordering New Jersey framing contractor to pay $360K for wage, retaliation violations at Lynn, Massachusetts project

BOSTON – A federal court in Boston has entered a consent judgment ordering a New Jersey-based framing contractor to pay 61 construction employees $283,492 in back wages and liquidated damages and $46,507 in punitive damages to two former employees, allegedly fired for cooperating with U.S. Department of Labor investigators. 

October 16, 2023

Federal judge orders healthcare companion company to pay 34 workers $95K in wages, damages, following US Labor Department investigation

Employers:    Great Lakes Care Companions Inc., Juan G. Salazar, owner

Actions:          Fair Labor Standards Act consent order and judgment

Courts:           U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan 

October 16, 2023

US Department of Labor cites Bronx contractor for excavation hazards after deaths of two workers at JFK Airport

NEW YORK – Two employees of a Bronx water and sewer line construction contractor were fatally injured in a trench at a construction site at John F. Kennedy International Airport in Queens on April 3, 2023. These fatalities could have been prevented if their employer, Triumph Construction Corp., had ensured proper safeguards, a federal investigation found.

October 13, 2023

Federal court prohibits Hebron distribution center from ‘oppressively’ violating child labor laws by employing children illegally

HEBRON, KY The U.S. Department of Labor has obtained a federal consent judgment that requires the operator of a Hebron warehouse and distribution center to stop employing children illegally and to not violate federal child labor laws in the future.

October 13, 2023

Statement by Acting Secretary Su on tentative agreement reached between Kaiser Permanente, coalition representing frontline health care workers

OAKLAND, CA – Acting Secretary of Labor Julie A. Su today released the following statement after a tentative labor agreement was reached between leaders for the coalition representing health care workers and Kaiser Permanente:

October 13, 2023

US Foods agrees to pay $721K to resolve gender-based hiring discrimination allegations at five locations

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs has entered into a conciliation agreement with US Foods Inc. to resolve alleged hiring discrimination at the food distributor's five locations in New Jersey, New York, Ohio and North Carolina.

October 12, 2023

Pitney Bowes to pay nearly $1.6M to resolve race-based hiring discrimination allegations at five locations

CHICAGO – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs has entered into a conciliation agreement with Pitney Bowes, to resolve alleged hiring discrimination at five of its facilities. 

Pursuant to the agreement, Pitney Bowes will pay $1,590,000 in back wages and interest to 468 applicants. The company will extend 106 job offers to the affected applicants.

October 12, 2023

READOUT: Acting Secretary Su holds worker roundtable with Restaurant Opportunities Centers United in New York City

WASHINGTON – Acting Secretary of Labor Julie Su joined the Restaurant Opportunities Centers United in New York City on Oct. 11, 2023, for a roundtable highlighting issues faced by restaurant workers.

October 12, 2023

US Department of Labor enters agreement with Daikin Industries to resolve race-based hiring discrimination allegations at Virginia location

VERONA, VA – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs has entered into a conciliation agreement with Daikin Industries to resolve alleged race-based hiring discrimination affecting Black applicants at its Verona facility.

October 12, 2023

US Department of Labor enters agreement with B. Braun Medical after gender-based hiring discrimination continued at its Allentown location

ALLENTOWN, PA – The U.S. Department of Labor Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs has entered into a conciliation with B. Braun Medical Inc., to resolve allegations that the federal contractor breached a 2020 agreement to address discrimination against female employees and applicants at its Allentown manufacturing facility.

October 12, 2023

Federal investigation into workplace fatality finds Tulsa metal fabrication company exposed employees to dozens of safety, health hazards

TULSA, OK – Three federal workplace safety and health investigations that followed the April 2023 death of a worker at a Tulsa manufacturing facility found the company exposed employees to struck-by hazards and identified 36 violations, including 25 serious safety violations of U.S. Department of Labor regulations. 

October 12, 2023

US Department of Labor enters agreement with UniFirst Corp. to resolve alleged gender-based pay discrimination at New Jersey location

WHIPPANY, NJ – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs has entered into a conciliation agreement with UniFirst Corp. to resolve alleged gender-based pay discrimination at its Whippany location.

Pursuant to the agreement, UniFirst Corp. will pay $226,341 in back pay and interest to 48 female production department employees. The company has also agreed to review its policies and practices, including the base salaries of production department employees for compensation disparities.

October 12, 2023

Department of Labor finds Louisiana pool contractor denied overtime pay to 25 employees, recovers more than $56K in back wages

Employer name:       LOOPX LLC 

Investigation site:   146 Industry Road Independence, LA 70443

October 12, 2023

Warren battery cell manufacturing plant faces $270K in penalties after federal investigators identify 19 safety, health violations

WARREN, OH ‒ U.S. Department of Labor investigators examining the cause of a March 2023 explosion and fire at a Warren auto battery manufacturing plant and investigating other safety complaints identified 19 safety and health violations after opening four separate inspections in less than a two-week period.

October 12, 2023

Unemployment Insurance Weekly Claims Report

In the week ending October 7, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 209,000, unchanged from the previous week's revised level. The previous week's level was revised up by 2,000 from 207,000 to 209,000. The 4-week moving average was 206,250, a decrease of 3,000 from the previous week's revised average. The previous week's average was revised up by 500 from 208,750 to 209,250.

October 11, 2023

Department of Labor recovers $106K in back wages, damages for 29 workers, finds repeated, willful violations by Guam subcontractor at Base Camp Blaz

DEDEDO, GUAM – The U.S. Department of Labor has debarred a federal subcontractor on Guam from seeking federally funded contracts after the department’s Wage and Hour Division found the employer shortchanged 29 construction workers at Marine Corps Base Camp Blaz in Dededo and gave investigators falsified records.

October 11, 2023

Investigation recovers $75K for workers employed by operator of Subway franchise locations in Burien, Renton, SeaTac, Tukwila

Employer:      JRKT Enterprises LLC, operating as Subway

                        12835 Bel-Red Road, Suite 100

October 11, 2023

US Department of Labor cites Massachusetts alloys manufacturer for failing to protect employees against exposure to toxic beryllium

ANDOVER, MA – A Wilmington fabricator of advanced alloys failed to adequately protect its employees against exposure to the toxic substance beryllium adequately, a U.S. Department of Labor Occupational Safety and Health Administration inspection has revealed.