In the week ending November 4, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 239,000, an increase of 10,000 from the previous week's unrevised level of 229,000. The 4-week moving average was 231,250, a decrease of 1,250 from the previous week's unrevised average of 232,500. This is the lowest level for this average since March 31, 1973 when it was 227,750.

BILLINGS, MT – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) cited a Billings general contractor and a Rock Springs, Wyoming, subcontractor for exposing workers to numerous safety hazards, causing an employee to suffer severe burns. The companies face $249,516 in proposed penalties.

ROLLA, MO – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) cited Anderson Foot and Ankle Clinic for potentially exposing employees to infectious materials, and for violations of the hazard communication standard. The agency proposed penalties totaling $93,074.

RAYMOND, NE – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has cited a Nebraska grain-handling cooperative for failing to protect workers from grain bin entrapment and engulfment hazards. The company faces $373,911 in proposed penalties.

BELLEVUE, NE – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has cited Bimbo Bakeries USA for exposing workers to multiple hazards at its Bellevue commercial bakery. The company faces $122,625 in proposed penalties.

CHICAGO, IL – The U.S. Department of Labor obtained a temporary restraining order in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois against AEU Holdings LLC and AEU Benefits LLC (collectively “AEU”), and Black Wolf Consulting Inc. The defendants failed to pay more than $26 million for participants’ health benefit claims in the AEU Holdings LLC Employee Benefit Plan.

ATLANTA, GA – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has resumed normal enforcement throughout most of Florida and Georgia. The agency had ceased most programmed enforcement actions following Hurricane Irma.

BUFORD, GA – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) cited Elringklinger USA Inc. for exposing workers to electrical, fall, and noise hazards. Proposed penalties total $308,906.

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Secretary of Labor Alexander Acosta issued the following statement on the October 2017 Employment Situation report:

“October’s jobs report shows a return to strong pre-hurricane employment growth, with 261,000 new jobs created in October and upward revisions of +51,000 jobs for September and +39,000 jobs for August.  Including revisions, this month’s report reflects 351,000 additional jobs.  Since January, the economy has added nearly 1.5 million jobs.

NEWARK, NJ – After a seven-day trial, a jury sitting in U.S. District Court in Newark found Paul Moe Sr., general foreman for a Port Elizabeth terminal operator, guilty of one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and 13 substantive counts of wire fraud.

In the week ending October 28, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 229,000, a decrease of 5,000 from the previous week's revised level. The previous week's level was revised up by 1,000 from 233,000 to 234,000. The 4-week moving average was 232,500, a decrease of 7,250 from the previous week's revised average. This is the lowest level for this average since April 7, 1973 when it was 232,250. The previous week's average was revised up by 250 from 239,500 to 239,750.

BOISE, ID – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has cited Alta Construction, Inc. for one willful and two serious violations after failing to follow safe trenching practices. OSHA proposed $106,000 in fines.

In May, OSHA inspected the company’s jobsite after receiving two complaints of unsafe trenching operations. Inspectors found employees inside a 7-feet deep trench without cave-in protection.

NEW ALBANY, MS – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) cited Custom Nonwoven Inc., a subsidiary of Korea Synthetic Fiber, for willfully exposing its workers to multiple hazards. The New Albany-based company faces penalties of $220,544.

WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced National Dislocated Worker Grant funding to help assess workforce needs in California after devastating wildfires.

PORT ST. LUCIE, FL – The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida has sentenced a Port St. Lucie resident to serve 161 months of imprisonment, followed by an additional three years of supervised release, and to make $1,665,348 in restitution for violating federal criminal statutes pertaining to plans covered by the Employee Retirement Income Security Act.

WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced plans to undertake new rulemaking with regard to overtime.

On July 26, 2017, the Department of Labor published a Request for Information (RFI) regarding the Overtime Final Rule, which was published on May 23, 2016, asking for public input on what changes the Department should propose. That comment period has ended and the Department is reviewing those submissions.

NEW YORK, NY – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and Acme Parts, Inc., of Brooklyn have reached a settlement agreement to improve Acme Parts’ workplace safety and health.

OSHA found high levels of lead throughout the facility presenting serious lead hazards to employees.  Workers who ingest or inhale lead are at risk of serious lead-induced health hazards, including hypertension; cardiovascular, kidney, and neurological diseases; adverse reproductive effects; and cancer.

In the week ending October 21, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 233,000, an increase of 10,000 from the previous week's revised level. The previous week's level was revised up by 1,000 from 222,000 to 223,000. The 4-week moving average was 239,500, a decrease of 9,000 from the previous week's revised average. The previous week's average was revised up by 250 from 248,250 to 248,500.

GRAND RAPIDS, MI – The U.S. District Court in Western Michigan has entered a consent judgment resolving violations of the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) found at two Michigan nursing homes by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division. The nursing homes are Pine River Healthcare LLC, which operates as Pine River Healthcare Center, and Fremont Healthcare LLC, which operates as Transitional Healthcare Service of Fremont.

BLUE SPRINGS, MO – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division and a Blue Springs buffet restaurant have reached an agreement to resolve violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). The Wage and Hour Division determined Blue Springs-based Legend of Asia and its manager, Yu Min Xiao, failed to comply with FLSA minimum wage, overtime, and record-keeping provisions.