OLDSMAR, Fla. — The U.S. Department of Labor has secured $140,393 in back wages and an equal amount of liquidated damages totaling $280,786 for 101 individuals employed by Federal Verification Co. Inc., doing business as GSA Applications based in Oldsmar, Florida. Federal Verification prepares applications for businesses that seek to obtain federal contracts. Nearly $200,000 in wages and damages is due to inside salespeople who made less than the federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour.

BROOKLYN, Miss. — Dollar General Corp. was cited by the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration for four repeat safety violations following an August 2014 inspection at a retail store located on Highway 49 in Brooklyn. OSHA initiated the inspection in response to a complaint. Proposed penalties total $51,700.

WASHINGTON – As the holiday season approaches, the U.S.

HARTWELL, Ga. — Tenneco Automotive Operating Co. Inc., doing business as Tenneco, was cited by the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration for 27 safety and health violations following a May 2014 inspection at the Hartwell plant. Elite Logistic Service Inc., a staffing agency that provided temporary employees to Tenneco at the Hartwell plant, was also cited for one serious safety violation. OSHA initiated the inspection after receiving a complaint alleging improper material handling and machine guarding hazards.

PATERSON, N.J. — After entering a die cutting machine to do maintenance, a worker employed for 26 years at Accurate Box Co. Inc. in Paterson was crushed when the die cutter was activated by another employee unaware that the victim was inside. A subsequent investigation into the incident, which caused severe internal injuries to the worker, was initiated in May 2014 by the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Labor will hold a public hearing in January on whether, and under what conditions, affiliates of Credit Suisse should be permitted to serve as Qualified Professional Asset Managers after Credit Suisse's guilty plea to one count of conspiracy to engage in tax fraud in violation of section 7206(2) of the Internal Revenue Code.

OMAHA, Neb. — To educate employers and workers about highly hazardous chemicals, including formaldehyde and methylene chloride, the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration is launching a local emphasis program in Nebraska. The program will include programmed health inspections at funeral homes, chemical and product manufacturing plants, printing facilities and outpatient care centers.

WAXAHACHIE, Texas — Southern Grouts and Mortars Inc. has been cited for eight safety and health violations by the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration after a May 2014 follow-up inspection found repeat violations at its Waxahachie facility. Proposed penalties total $58,520.

CANTON, Ohio — Employees at all three of TimkenSteel Corp.'s Canton plants were found by the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration to be exposed to amputation and fall hazards. OSHA issued 12 serious safety violations, which carry proposed penalties of $77,000. The inspections were initiated following employee complaints alleging unsafe working conditions.

WASHINGTON — Officials from the U.S. Department of Labor and the New Hampshire Department of Labor has signed a memorandum of understanding with the goal of protecting the rights of employees by preventing their misclassification as something other than employees, such as independent contractors or other nonemployee statuses.

Investigations find minimum wage, overtime, housing and transportation violations

PORTAGE, Wis. — Workers cleaning a chemical spill at Penda Corp. in Portage had not been trained in proper cleanup procedures or provided proper personal protective equipment, according to an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration. OSHA found that workers experienced symptoms of overexposure to an isocyanates chemical used in plastics manufacturing that can cause occupational asthma and other lung problems, as well as irritation of the eyes, nose, throat and skin.

WASHINGTON – U.S. Secretary of Labor Thomas E. Perez today issued the following statement following the death of civil rights lawyer John Doar:

"America has lost one of its bravest and boldest civil rights giants.

"Throughout the 20th century, wherever men and women sought equal justice under the law, wherever constitutional rights were under siege, wherever bigotry and discrimination threatened to prevail, John Doar was there. His steel spine and calming influence saw the nation through some of its most tumultuous moments.

Event features panel on women veterans in STEM

SWEETWATER, Texas — For exposing workers to struck-by, electrical and unguarded machine hazards, Texas TST Inc. is being cited for 13 safety violations by the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Proposed penalties total $47,600.

CLEVELAND —— A 45-year-old machine operator was fatally crushed while he adjusted a set screw on a rolling mill at Cleveland Track Material on Aug. 21, 2014. The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration investigation found workers were exposed to dangerous rotating machinery parts at the facility that rolls steel for railroad industry use. Seven serious violations have been issued as a result of the investigation.

AMARILLO, Texas — Following a complaint about unsafe working conditions, Spradling LP has been cited by the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration for 13 serious safety and health violations for exposing workers to falls, struck-by, electric shock hazards and failing to guard rotating machinery parts at its Channing drilling site near Amarillo. Proposed penalties total $46,200.

WASHINGTON – U.S. Secretary of Labor Thomas E. Perez issued the following statement about the October 2014 Employment Situation report released today:

"October was another solid month of job growth, as our economy added 214,000 jobs and continued its strong, steady recovery. It was the ninth month in a row with greater than 200,000 new jobs (after revisions), and private employers have now created 10.6 million new jobs over the last 56 months. The unemployment rate fell to 5.8 percent, compared to 7.2 percent a year ago.

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Labor is extending the public comment period on labor capacity-building efforts under the Dominican Republic-Central America-United States Free Trade Agreement until 11:59 p.m. EST on Friday, Nov. 28. The original deadline established for receipt of public comments was 11:59 p.m. EST on Monday, Nov. 10.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor's Employee Benefits Security Administration today published in the Federal Register an interim final rule to implement Form 5500 annual reporting changes for multiple employer plans required by the Cooperative and Small Employer Charity Pension Flexibility Act, enacted on April 7.