March 29, 2023

Heightened US Department of Labor enforcement effort finds 4 Utah soda, dessert shops employed 19 minors in violation of federal child labor laws

SALT LAKE CITY – The operators of a growing chain of specialty beverage and dessert shops founded in Utah employed 19 young teens for more hours and times than federal law permits, a U.S. Department of Labor investigation has found.

March 28, 2023

Deadly defiance: Ocala framing contractor’s refusal to comply with safety standards continues despite fatal 2020 incident, 35 violations since 2019

TAMPA, FL – Federal workplace safety inspectors have found that an Ocala framing contractor’s history of defying required safety standards continues with their employees’ safety and lives at risk.

March 28, 2023

Appleton roofing general contractor, Kaukauna subcontractor cited for repeatedly failing to protect employees from exposure to deadly fall hazards

APPLETON, WI Federal workplace safety inspectors have found that Security-Luebke Roofing Inc. – one of Fox Valley’s largest roofing general contractors – allowed a roofing subcontractor to expose workers to potentially deadly falls at an Appleton worksite, just two months after the general contractor discussed the importance of safe work practices with the U.S. Department of Labor.

March 28, 2023

Deadly gamble: North Dakota contractor supervised workers in unprotected trenches, failed 3 inspections in 32 days, ignored warnings, faces $505K in fines

MANDAN, ND ‒ Twice in 2022, the owner of a Mandan excavation company sat behind the controls of an excavator, supervising employees below as they installed municipal water lines in trenches as deep as 10 feet without protection against deadly collapses, federal workplace safety inspectors found. In 2022, trench collapses killed 39 workers, as thousands of pounds of soil and rocks crush or smother people in seconds.

March 28, 2023

US Department of Labor finds Salt Lake City restaurant supply company illegally employed 22 minor-aged workers beyond hours allowed

SALT LAKE CITY – A federal investigation has found a Salt Lake City restaurant supply company allowed 22 employees – ages 14 and 15 – to work as many as 46 hours per workweek, and to begin work after midnight – both illegal practices under child labor laws. 

March 28, 2023

Readout: US Department of Labor hosts Summit for Democracy highlighting the importance of unions in upholding democratic rights

WASHINGTON – U.S. Department of Labor Deputy Undersecretary for International Labor Affairs Thea Lee hosted representatives from the U.S.

March 28, 2023

Un tribunal aprueba un fallo por consentimiento que obliga a unos restaurantes a pagar $911,000 en salarios atrasados y daños y perjuicios a 99 trabajadores mal pagos en Massachusetts y Nuevo Hampshire

CONCORD, NH - Un tribunal federal ha aprobado un fallo por consentimiento que obliga al propietario y operador de tres restaurantes en Nuevo Hampshire y Massachusetts, con sede principal en Concord, Nuevo Hampshire a pagar $911,568 en salarios atrasados y daños y perjuicios a 99 empleados tras una investigación del Departamento de Trabajo de EE. UU. sobre sus prácticas de pago.

March 28, 2023

CORRECTED: US Department of Labor announces findings of impact inspections at US mines with histories of repeated health or safety violations

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Mine Safety and Health Administration today released the findings of monthly impact inspections at 25 U.S. mines in January and February 2023. MSHA conducts impact inspections at mines that merit increased agency attention and enforcement due to factors that include poor compliance history; previous accidents, injuries, and illnesses; and other compliance concerns.

March 28, 2023

US Department of Labor announces $5M cooperative agreement to promote worker voice, labor rights in Brazil, Paraguay

WASHINGTON The U.S. Department of Labor today announced the award of a $5 million cooperative agreement to the International Labor Organization to strengthen the capacity of worker and civil society organizations in Brazil and Paraguay to increase worker voice and representation and address abusive labor practices, including forced labor and child labor.

March 28, 2023

Court enters consent order requiring restaurants to pay $911K in back wages, damages to 99 underpaid workers in Massachusetts, New Hampshire

CONCORD, NH – A federal court has entered a consent order requiring the Concord-based owner and operator of three restaurants in New Hampshire and Massachusetts to pay $911,568 in back wages and liquidated damages to 99 employees after a U.S. Department of Labor investigation into their pay practices.

March 27, 2023

US Department of Labor, industry leaders focus on small steps for big safety impact during 2023 Stand Up 4 Grain Safety Week, March 27-31

WASHINGTON ‒ Once inside a grain storage bin, a worker can find themselves engulfed or trapped by flowing grain in just seconds. In 2021, 38 percent of reported grain engulfments turned deadly because required safeguards were not followed.

Concerted efforts by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration, state workplace safety officials and industry stakeholders helped to reduce the rate of fatal engulfments by 17 percent from 2020 to 2021.

March 27, 2023

DEPARTMENT OF LABOR OBTAINS CONSENT ORDER, US VIRGIN ISLANDS SUPERMARKET CHAIN MUST PAY $240K IN BACK WAGES, DAMAGES TO 33 UNDERPAID WORKERS

ST. THOMAS, VI - El Departamento de Trabajo ha obtenido una sentencia por consentimiento que requiere que cuatro supermercados de las Islas Vírgenes de EE. UU. y su propietario y ex administrador paguen a 33 trabajadores (incluidos los conserjes, guardias de seguridad y personal de reposición) $240,000 en salarios atrasados más daños y perjuicios después de que una investigación de la División de Horas y Salarios del departamento descubriera que el empleador les negaba los salarios por horas extras.

March 27, 2023

US Department of Labor recovers $259K from South Carolina manufacturer who denied 939 workers legally earned overtime

Employers:    

Jadex Inc., 1303 S. Batesville Road, Greer, SC 29650

Alltrista Plastics LLC, 1303 S. Batesville Road, Greer, SC 29650     

 ArtaZn LLC, 2500 Old Stage Road, Tusculum, TN 37745

LifeMade Products LLC, 1303 S. Batesville Road, Greer, SC 29650

March 27, 2023

Court requires Austin auto dealership to pay $15K in damages to employee fired in 2020 after raising COVID-19 safety concerns

AUSTIN, TX – When an employee of a luxury auto dealership in Austin learned a co-worker had tested positive for COVID-19 in December 2020, they alerted the company’s management and requested they notify other employees immediately of their exposure risk.

After the dealership failed to act, the employee emailed all company employees about the potential hazards. Less than an hour later, the car dealer terminated the employee.

March 27, 2023

Department of Labor obtains consent order, US Virgin Islands supermarket chain must pay $240K in back wages, damages to 33 underpaid workers

ST. THOMAS, VI – The U.S. Department of Labor has obtained a consent judgment that requires four U.S. Virgin Islands supermarkets, and their owner and former operations manager to pay 33 workers – including janitors, security guards and stock people – $240,000 in back wages and liquidated damages after an investigation by the department’s Wage and Hour Division found the employer denied them overtime wages.

March 27, 2023

US Department of Labor recovers $67K for employee illegally terminated for exercising rights to bond with newborn child, care for spouse

COVINGTON, GA – A Covington distribution center turned an employee and their family’s joyous celebration of life and a chance to bond with their newborn into a nightmare by illegally terminating the worker for exercising their rights under the federal Family and Medical Leave Act, an investigation has found.

March 24, 2023

US Department of Labor finds lawn service contractor ignored safety standards, allowed workers to operate riding mowers dangerously at Fort Campbell

FORT CAMPBELL, KY – A federal workplace safety inspection of a lawn service contractors’ operations at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, has found the company ignored safety requirements to save time, including removing safety guards on industrial lawnmowers.