December 12, 2016

US Labor Department sues defunct Meyersdale company to restore unremitted participant contributions to employee 401(k) retirement plan

Date of Action: Dec. 2, 2016

Type of Action: Complaint

Defendant(s): Matthew Kenneth Smith
Wind Turbine Solutions LLC
Wind Turbine Solutions LLC Retirement Trust

December 12, 2016

Six gas stations, convenience stores to pay $132K in unpaid overtime, damages to Sacramento-area workers after US Labor Department investigation

Employer: Six gas stations/convenience stores, all under common ownership, doing business as Arco AM/PM in the Sacramento, California area.

Sites: Lodi Oil Inc., 4931 N. Flag City Blvd, Lodi
Kamboj Oil Inc., 45 15th St., West Sacramento
Wraich Petroleum Corp., 3921 Watt Avenue, Sacramento
Broadway Petroleum Inc., 2100 Broadway, Sacramento
Mehroke LLC, 902 Newville Road, Orlanda
Sacramento Petroleum Inc., 4745 Watt Avenue North Highlands

December 12, 2016

Maryland to receive nearly $415K in supplemental funding for continued reemployment services to dislocated workers

State: Maryland

Type of Award: National Dislocated Worker Grant supplemental

Supplemental Amount Approved: $414,912

Total Funds Awarded: $5,552,067

Funding Awarded to: Maryland Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation

Number of Workers Served: Approximately 545

December 12, 2016

OSHA inspects Selbyville poultry processor after worker suffers finger amputation

Employer name: Mountaire Farms Inc.

Inspection site: 55 Hosier Street, Selbyville, Delaware

Corporate address: P.O. Box 1320, Millsboro, Delaware

December 12, 2016

OSHA cites, fines Crystal Finishing Systems following fatality investigation

MOSINEE, Wis. – A federal investigation, prompted by the death of a 51-year-old chemical technician at a coatings company’s facility in Mosinee, has resulted in multiple safety violations.

December 8, 2016

QUEENS-BASED NURSING HOME CHAIN TO PAY OVER $2M IN BACK WAGES AND DAMAGES TO 844 UNDERPAID EMPLOYEES IN EASTERN NEW YORK

NEW YORK – A Queens-based operator of residential nursing homes and adult care facilities will pay a total of $2,006,796 in back wages and liquidated damages to 844 underpaid employees at five locations in eastern New York following a federal investigation of alleged violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act.

December 8, 2016

Lawsuit seeks more than $23K in unpaid overtime wages, damages for 13 employees of travel plazas, gas stations in Northern Indiana

Type of Action: Fair Labor Standards Act lawsuit filing

Defendant(s): Rinky Sharma
Bobby Singh
SkyExpress Travel Plaza Inc., doing business as Plaza 30
Sky Petroleum Inc., doing business as Govertown Travel Plaza and Michigan City Grocery
Aman Group LLC, dba Marathon Stop and Shop

December 8, 2016

US Labor Department resolves lawsuit to restore $138K owed to employee benefit plan of Chicago ophthalmologist Nicholas C. Caro

Date of Action: Dec. 8, 2016

Type of Action: Employee Retirement Income Security Act lawsuit

Names of Defendants: Nicholas C. Caro
N.C. Caro M.D., S.C.
N.C. Caro M.D., S.C. Defined Benefit Plan

December 8, 2016

Federal court rebukes FLDS-affiliated business in child labor case

SALT LAKE CITY – A federal judge has ordered Brian Jessop and Paragon Contractors Corp., to make an initial payment of $200,000 to compensate hundreds of children who were employed illegally and not paid for their labor on a pecan ranch between 2008-2013. Jessop and Paragon coordinated with the Fundamentalist Church of Latter Day Saints to use children and others in the church for field work.

December 8, 2016

OSHA cites global food company after 2 workers suffer severe injuries at Melrose Park, Illinois, processing facility

MELROSE PARK, Ill. – Just six weeks after a machine amputated a maintenance worker’s left hand as he cleared jammed material stuck in a machine at its Melrose Park bread products facility, the company reported a second worker’s right forearm suffered multiple fractures as he cleaned another machine. Federal safety inspectors investigating the injuries found, in both instances, the company allowed employees to service machinery without isolating operating parts, a process known as lockout/tagout.

December 8, 2016

Ameriprise Financial, Inc. to settle discrimination charges, pay $128K in back pay, interest to 20 black employees

MINNEAPOLIS – One of the nation’s leading financial planning companies discriminated in pay against black employees, an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs has found.

December 8, 2016

OSHA cites global commercial laundry equipment manufacturer after second worker suffers amputation injury in less than two months

RIPON, Wis. – For the second time in less than two months, federal safety and health inspectors found an employee at one of world’s leading commercial laundry equipment manufacturers suffered an amputation injury because a machine lacked adequate safety guarding.

December 8, 2016

OSHA emphasis program finds 22 violations at Texas feed manufacturer

Employer’s name: CPE Feeds Inc.
2102 Lubbock Road
Brownfield, Texas

Citations issued: Nov. 28, 2016

December 8, 2016

US Labor Secretary Perez announces new appointments, leadership for 2017 ERISA Advisory Council

WASHINGTONU.S. Secretary of Labor Thomas E. Perez today announced the appointments of five new members to the 2017 Advisory Council on Employee Welfare and Pension Benefit Plans, known as the ERISA Advisory Council. He also announced the incoming chair and vice chair of the council.

December 8, 2016

Federal court rebukes FLDS-affiliated business in child labor case

SALT LAKE CITY – A federal judge has ordered Brian Jessop and Paragon Contractors Corp., to make an initial payment of $200,000 to compensate hundreds of children who were employed illegally and not paid for their labor on a pecan ranch between 2008-2013. Jessop and Paragon coordinated with the Fundamentalist Church of Latter Day Saints to use children and others in the church for field work.

December 8, 2016

Unemployment Insurance Weekly Claims Report

In the week ending December 3, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 258,000, a decrease of 10,000 from the previous week's unrevised level of 268,000. The 4-week moving average was 252,500, an increase of 1,000 from the previous week's unrevised average of 251,500.

December 7, 2016

Long Island restaurant, catering hall to pay $285K to two dozen employees denied minimum wage, overtime pay

NEW YORK – A Garden City restaurant and catering hall will pay a total of $285,800 in back wages and liquidated damages to 24 underpaid employees to resolve violations of the minimum wage, overtime and recordkeeping requirements of the Fair Labor Standards Act. The company will also pay $24,200 in civil money penalties to the U.S. Department of Labor and take corrective action to prevent future violations as part of a consent judgment filed with the U.S.

December 7, 2016

Central Transport agrees to enhanced safety measures at over 100 freight terminals in US Labor Department settlement

BOSTON – For several years, inspections by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration identified a disturbing pattern of defective forklifts being used to move, handle, load and unload freight in at least 11 Central Transport LLC shipping terminals in nine states.

December 6, 2016

Stucco contractor fails to properly protect employees from fall, silica hazards

EVANSTON, Ill. ‒ A Burbank contractor failed to provide employees remodeling a home in Evanston with adequate protection from falls and the personal protective equipment and training needed to work safely with silica and portland cement.

December 6, 2016

OSHA finds workers exposed to machine, electrical hazards

Employer name: NN Metal Stampings Inc.
510 Maple St.
Pioneer, Ohio

Citations issued: Dec. 2, 2016