SAN FRANCISCO, CA – After a U.S. Department of Labor Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) investigation, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, Oakland Division, has ordered a former pension benefit plan trustee to pay $234,271 in restitution and to serve one year of probation for violating federal criminal statutes pertaining to plans covered by the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA).

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Wage and Hour Division of the U.S. Department of Labor is announcing a new pilot program, the Payroll Audit Independent Determination (PAID) program, which expedites resolution of inadvertent overtime and minimum wage violations under the Fair Labor Standards Act.

BRAINTREE, MA – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), Massachusetts Division of Occupational Safety (MDOS), and the Associated Subcontractors of Massachusetts (ASM), recently renewed an alliance to promote workplace safety and health, and educate workers on construction hazards.

HONOLULU, HI – The U.S. Department of Labor has finalized a series of settlements with contractors on Saipan in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands that will pay a collective $13.9 million in back wages and damages to thousands of employees who came from China to build the Saipan Casino and Hotel on the island.

WASHINGTON, DC – At a special ceremony today at the U.S. Department of Labor, Secretary of Labor Alexander Acosta inducted President Ronald Reagan into the Department of Labor’s Hall of Honor, which was established in 1988 to honor Americans whose distinctive contributions have elevated working conditions, wages, and overall quality of life for American families.

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Secretary of Labor Alexander Acosta released the following statement today regarding the start of Women’s History Month:

In the week ending February 24, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 210,000, a decrease of 10,000 from the previous week's revised level. This is the lowest level for initial claims since December 6, 1969 when it was 202,000. The previous week's level was revised down by 2,000 from 222,000 to 220,000. The 4-week moving average was 220,500, a decrease of 5,000 from the previous week's revised average. This is the lowest level for this average since December 27, 1969 when it was 219,750.

SEATTLE, WA – The U.S. Department of Labor has filed suit against a northern Washington berry farm for violating the labor provisions of the H-2A visa program. Sakuma Brothers Farms Inc. and the Washington State Farm Labor Association have been assessed $124,575 in civil money penalties and an additional $9,599 for failing to pay back wages to an eligible U.S. worker who was not hired and to workers who drove the buses that transported workers to the farm.

ERIE, PA – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the Clarion University Small Business Development Center (Clarion University SBDC) recently formed an alliance to educate small businesses in Pennsylvania on workplace safety and health hazards.

NEWARK, NJ – After a U.S. Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division investigation, AWAB Transport Inc., a Newark medical transportation company, will pay $77,202 in back wages and an equal amount in liquidated damages to 38 employees to resolve violations of the overtime provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

NAPLES, FL – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has cited L.I. Aluminum Design Inc., a Naples-based patio and pool enclosure manufacturer and installer, for failing to protect employees from fall hazards. Proposed penalties total $40,096.

MEMPHIS, TN – After a U.S. Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division investigation, Empire Packing LP, a Memphis meat cutting and packing company, will pay $127,830 in back wages and liquidated damages to 272 employees for violating overtime provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

ESTILL SPRINGS, TN – After a U.S. Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division investigation, Tinsley Asphalt LLC, a Tennessee paving company, will pay $77,467 in back wages to 43 employees for violating overtime and recordkeeping provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

KIHEI, HI – After a U.S. Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division investigation, Piilani Gardens LLC, based in Kihei will pay $84,136 in overtime back wages to 22 employees performing maintenance and landscaping activities on Maui to resolve federal overtime pay and recordkeeping violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

ARLINGTON, VA – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) has initiated the deployment of a Mobile Inspection Application System (Mobile IAS) to further enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of mine inspectors and to better carry out MSHA’s core mission of promoting the health and safety of America’s miners. Nearly 1,500 federal mine inspectors across the nation and enforcement staff will benefit from this new technology.

SOLEDAD, CA – Following an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD), Future Ag Management Inc. – a Soledad, California-based farm labor contractor – will pay $168,082 in penalties to resolve Migrant and Seasonal Agricultural Worker Protection Act (MSPA) violations that posed a direct and imminent threat to its employees. 

In the week ending February 17, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 222,000, a decrease of 7,000 from the previous week's revised level. The previous week's level was revised down by 1,000 from 230,000 to 229,000. The 4-week moving average was 226,000, a decrease of 2,250 from the previous week's revised average. The previous week's average was revised down by 250 from 228,500 to 228,250.

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PALATINE, IL – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) cited Manuel Gallardo, owner of Gallardo’s Construction Services, after inspectors observed employees exposed to fall hazards on six Chicago-area residential roofing projects between August and November 2017. The company faces $281,286 in proposed penalties.

HELENA, AL – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has cited ABC Polymer Industries LLC, after an employee suffered fatal injuries when she was pulled into a plastics recycling machine. The company faces $195,144 in proposed penalties.

BOSTON, MA – In connection with a lawsuit brought by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD), the owners of several Boston, Massachusetts, pizza restaurants have agreed to a preliminary order enjoining them from retaliating against employees or former employees, and from instructing employees not to speak with or to lie to U.S. Department of Labor investigators.