March 27, 2013

MSHA announces results of February impact inspections

ARLINGTON, Va. – The U.S. Department of Labor's Mine Safety and Health Administration today announced that federal inspectors issued 196 citations, 24 orders and three safeguards during special impact inspections conducted at 11 coal mines and three metal/nonmetal mines last month.

March 25, 2013

US Labor Department announces new online resources to help businesses recruit, train and retain a skilled work force

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced the launch of the Business Center, a suite of online resources for employers looking to recruit, train and retain a skilled work force through the department's CareerOneStop Web site.

March 25, 2013

Harris v. Anderson-McGriff Co. involving abandoned plan in Atlanta

Date of Action: March 11, 2013

Type of Action: Complaint

Name(s) of Defendant(s): Anderson-McGriff Company, Anne Reagan Head as executrix of the estate of John F. Head, III, Jacqueline Crisci as executrix of the estate of John F. Head, III, Lauren Head as executrix of the estate of John F. Head, III, and Anderson-McGriff Company profit-sharing and 401(k) plan.

March 22, 2013

Mississippi receives $1 million grant increment from US Labor Department to continue cleanup, recovery from Hurricane Isaac storm damage

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today awarded a $1 million National Emergency Grant increment to the Mississippi Department of Employment Security to continue funding temporary jobs for cleanup and recovery efforts following Hurricane Isaac.

March 21, 2013

Federal court grants judgment against Kentucky coal mine operator

ARLINGTON, Va. – The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky has granted a default judgment against D & C Mining Corp. of Harlan County, Ky., affirming the U.S. Department of Labor's Mine Safety and Health Administration's complaint. The mine operator owes $1.67 million in unpaid civil penalties for violations of the Federal Mine Safety and Health Act of 1977, along with interest and administrative costs.

March 21, 2013

Harris v. Sunrise Enterprises 401(k) profit sharing plan

Date of Action: March 8, 2013

Type of Action: Complaint

Name of Defendant: Sunrise Enterprises 401(k) Profit Sharing Plan

March 20, 2013

Statement by acting Secretary of Labor Seth D. Harris regarding BLS report on employment among veterans

WASHINGTON – Acting Secretary of Labor Seth D. Harris issued the following statement on today's release of 2012 veterans' employment data by the Bureau of Labor Statistics:

"Today's veterans' employment report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics shows promising signs that post-9/11 veterans are finding and keeping jobs in larger numbers as our overall economy continues its steady recovery. But it also makes clear that we must continue to use every tool available to honor their sacrifice by helping veterans find opportunities to succeed in good middle-class jobs.

March 19, 2013

US Department of Labor announces $2.2 million grant to assist Missouri workers affected by Hostess layoffs

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced a $2,183,749 National Emergency Grant for training and re-employment services to assist nearly 400 workers throughout Missouri affected by the closure of Hostess Brands Inc.

Most of the workers were employed at 39 work sites throughout Missouri; however, the grant also will serve Missouri residents employed at three locations in Kansas and one in Oklahoma. It may also assist workers leased to Hostess by other companies.

March 19, 2013

US Department of Labor hosts 1st Labor Affairs Council meeting under US-Korea Free Trade Agreement

WASHINGTON — Senior officials from the U.S. Department of Labor and the U.S. Trade Representative today issued a joint statement with their counterparts from the Republic of Korea following the first meeting of the Labor Affairs Council under the 2012 U.S.-Korea Free Trade Agreement.

March 18, 2013

US Department of Labor announces $20 million in grant funds available to help adult inmates in work release programs prepare to re-enter the workforce

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor's Employment and Training Administration today announced the availability of approximately $20 million in grant funds to help adult inmates prepare to re-enter the workforce. The department expects to award 15 grants of up to $1.4 million each to organizations that will provide training and employment to inmates ages 18 and older participating in state or local work release programs.

March 15, 2013

Acting Secretary of Labor Harris: SKILLS Act the wrong way to approach workforce investment reform

WASHINGTON – Acting Secretary of Labor Seth D. Harris today issued the following statement regarding passage in the House of Representatives of the Supporting Knowledge and Investing in Lifelong Skills Act:

"Strengthening the American workforce development system is critical to sustaining our economic recovery and continuing the growth of middle-class jobs.

March 14, 2013

Federal court orders Forever 21 to surrender supply chain information subpoenaed by US Department of Labor

LOS ANGELES — U.S. District Court Judge Margaret Morrow has ordered Los Angeles-based apparel retailer Forever 21 to produce documents demanded by an administrative subpoena issued by the U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division. The order is the latest in a series of actions to arise from the department's continuing effort to address widespread violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act's minimum wage, overtime and record-keeping provisions in the Southern California apparel industry.

March 12, 2013

Solis v. Gregory J. Harmon and Breeden & Collier Inc.

Date of Action: March 1, 2013

Type of Action: Default judgment

Names of Defendants: Gregory J. Harmon and Breeden & Collier Inc.

March 11, 2013

US Department of Labor announces approximately $6 million in grants available to states to improve workforce data quality

WASHINGTON The U.S. Department of Labor today announced the availability of approximately $6 million in grants for the third round of the Workforce Data Quality Initiative. These funds will enable up to six additional states to build or expand longitudinal databases that link workforce and education data, enabling them to improve the performance of workforce programs.

March 11, 2013

US Department of Labor provides grant increment to continue clean-up, recovery efforts in Texas after 2011 wildfires

WASHINGTON The U.S. Department of Labor today announced a $406,101 National Emergency Grant increment to continue funding temporary jobs for cleanup and recovery efforts following damage caused by wildfires across the state of Texas in 2011.

March 11, 2013

US Department of Labor provides additional $1.1 million in grant funding to continue Hurricane Isaac recovery efforts in Louisiana

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced a $1,119,339 National Emergency Grant increment to continue cleanup and recovery efforts across Louisiana in the aftermath of Hurricane Isaac.

"Louisiana continues to need assistance to recover from the widespread destruction caused by Hurricane Isaac last year,"said acting Secretary Seth D. Harris. "These Labor Department grant funds will help rebuild homes and businesses, and make communities stronger."

March 8, 2013

Statement of acting Labor Secretary Seth D. Harris on February employment numbers

WASHINGTON – Acting Secretary of Labor Seth D. Harris issued the following statement about the February 2013 Employment Situation report released today.

"This morning's report shows a resilient economy continuing to recover. The economy added 236,000 new nonfarm payroll jobs last month. February marks three uninterrupted years of private sector employment growth, with a total of 6.4 million jobs created over that time.

March 8, 2013

Employee Benefits Security Administration Releases Field Assistance Bulletin on New Annual Funding Notice Requirements

WASHINGTON - The U.S. Department of Labor’s Employee Benefits Security Administration today released Field Assistance Bulletin 2013-01 concerning new disclosure requirements mandated by the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act.

March 7, 2013

US Labor Department obtains consent judgment to recover $3 million in back wages, damages for New Jersey gas station attendants

Company agrees to extensive monitoring program to ensure future FLSA compliance

MADISON, N.J. — Daniyal Enterprises LLC and owner Waseem Chaudhary, and other companies owned and operated by Chaudhary, have agreed to pay $2 million in overtime back wages and an additional $1 million in liquidated damages to 417 workers employed at 72 of Chaudhary's New Jersey gas stations after investigations by the U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division found violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act.

March 7, 2013

Judge orders fiduciaries to restore more than $52,000 to Sun Mortgage Corp. 401(k) Plan following Department of Labor investigation

Date of Action: March 4, 2013

Type of Action: Default Judgment

Names of Defendants: Sun Mortgage Corp., LLC and Derek Michael Danks, president of Sun Mortgage, and Karen Williams, individually and as fiduciaries to the Sun Mortgage Corp., LLC 401(k) Plan