December 14, 2021

US Department of Labor awards $3M grant to support progress on labor standards in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

WASHINGTON The U.S. Department of Labor today announced the award of a $3 million cooperative agreement to the International Labour Organization to improve compliance with international labor standards in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The project will seek to strengthen the ability of governments, employers and workers to improve work conditions related to wages and hours and workplace safety.

December 14, 2021

Federal court holds Wisconsin business owner in contempt for failing to comply with the court’s prior order to restore $53,122 to employee benefit plan

MADISON, WI – A U.S. District Court judge in Wisconsin has held a Madison business owner in civil contempt of court after he failed to comply with a March 2021 consent order and judgment requiring him to restore $53,122 to the Thunderbird Engineering Inc. company’s 401(k) Plan.

December 14, 2021

US Department of Labor finds Santa Fe art delivery company paid drivers per day or per mile, failed to pay overtime wages

SANTA FE, NM – In the nation’s third largest market for fine art, industry employers must meet exacting standards to safeguard and transact their clients’ work. Ironically, a recent federal investigation found the operator of a Santa Fe art delivery service was far less careful when it came to paying all of the wages earned by seven of its drivers.

December 13, 2021

US Department of Labor recovers $90K in back wages for 33 workers at Laurel, Petal auto repair shops after investigation finds violations

PETAL, MS – The operator of two Mississippi auto service and repair shops has come into compliance after a U.S. Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division investigation recovered $90,068 in back wages for 33 workers and determined the employer failed to pay them overtime as the law requires.

December 13, 2021

US Department of Labor recovers $135K in back wages, damages after investigation finds Washington restaurant willfully violated overtime rules

BELLEVUE, WA – A federal investigation has uncovered overtime pay violations at a Bellevue restaurant that state labor investigators in Washington cited in 2020 for underpaying workers.

December 13, 2021

History of violations: Dollar General continues to put workers at risk; company faces $321K in penalties after recent Alabama inspection

MOBILE, AL – As the nation’s largest discount retailer, Dollar General stores are widely known by shoppers in 46 states for their low-price merchandise. At the U.S. Department of Labor, the company is recognized for its long history of violations and repeated failures to protect its workers from on-the-job hazards.

December 10, 2021

US Department of Labor announces upcoming actions in Biden-Harris administration fall 2021 regulatory agenda

WASHINGTON – The Biden-Harris administration today released its semi-annual agenda of regulations required by Executive Order 12866. The agenda provides a listing of all regulations and ensures public engagement in the process of establishing regulations under active consideration by the Department of Labor during the coming one-year period.

December 9, 2021

Una empresa de paisajismo de Georgia fue obligado a pagar $175,000 en concepto de multas por salarios atrasados después de que el Departamento de Trabajo de EE. UU. descubriera violaciones del programa de trabajadores H-2A

SUGAR HILL, GA – Una empresa de paisajismo de Sugar Hill violó los requisitos de los programas federales de trabajadores agrícolas temporarios H-2A con respecto a las horas, los salarios, los costos de transporte y las tareas, según determinó una investigación del Departamento de Trabajo de EE. UU.

December 9, 2021

US Department of Labor finds three Florida beekeeping farms violated H-2A requirements

ORLANDO, FL – Three Florida beekeeping farms felt the sting of civil money penalties for failing to comply with federal laws regarding pay practices and the employment of migrant and seasonal workers.

December 9, 2021

Georgia landscaper ordered to pay $175K in back wages, penalties after US Department of Labor finds violations of H-2A worker program

SUGAR HILL, GA – A Sugar Hill landscape company violated requirements of the federal H-2A temporary agricultural worker programs related to hours, wages, transportation costs and work assignments, an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor determined.

December 9, 2021

Un tribunal federal ordena a los contratistas de Long Island que paguen casi un millón de dólares en salarios atrasados y daños y perjuicios tras una investigación del Departamento de Trabajo de EE.UU.

NUEVA YORK - Tres empresas de suministro y construcción de hormigón de Bellport y su propietario, que durante tres años no pagaron las horas extras a 99 obreros, han sido condenados a pagar a los trabajadores un total de $987,591 dólares en concepto de salarios atrasados y daños y perjuicios, más intereses, en una sentencia acordada dictada por el Tribunal de Distrito de los Estados Unidos para el Distrito Este de Nueva York.

December 9, 2021

Federal court orders Long Island contractors to pay nearly $1M in back wages, damages following US Department of Labor investigation

NEW YORK – Three Bellport concrete supply and construction companies and their owner, who schemed for three years to deny overtime pay to 99 laborers, have been ordered to pay the workers a total of $987,591 in back wages and liquidated damages, plus interest, in a consent judgment entered in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York.

December 9, 2021

Unemployment Insurance Weekly Claims Report

In the week ending December 4, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 184,000, a decrease of 43,000 from the previous week's revised level. This is the lowest level for initial claims since September 6, 1969 when it was 182,000. The previous week's level was revised up by 5,000 from 222,000 to 227,000. The 4-week moving average was 218,750, a decrease of 21,250 from the previous week's revised average. This is the lowest level for this average since March 7, 2020 when it was 215,250. The previous week's average was revised up by 1,250 from 238,750 to 240,000.

December 8, 2021

US Departments of Labor, Justice reaffirm commitment to protect employment rights of service members, veterans

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor and U.S Department of Justice today signed a Memorandum of Understanding to reaffirm their commitment to administer and enforce the protections afforded to military service members and veterans by the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act of 1994.

December 8, 2021

El Departamento de Trabajo de EE.UU. descubre que Chuck E. Cheese expuso a un trabajador menor de edad a una máquina peligrosa y cometió violaciones en lo que respecta al mantenimiento de registros en un establecimiento del Bronx.

NUEVA YORK - Un empleado de 17 años de edad de un restaurante Chuck E. Cheese/Pasqually's Pizza & Wings del Bronx instaló, operó y limpió una mezcladora de masa motorizada, lo que representa una violación de las regulaciones federales de trabajo infantil, según ha descubierto una investigación de la División de Horas y Salarios del Departamento de Trabajo de los Estados Unidos.

December 8, 2021

US Department of Labor finds IT company violated H-1B visa program when it failed to use, pay system analyst; recovers $64K for worker

DALLAS – An information technology services company in Irving hired a system analyst under the H-1B visa program, then failed to use and pay the worker the required prevailing wage for non-productive time – an illegal practice known as “benching” – a U.S. Department of Labor investigation has found.

December 8, 2021

AlliedBarton Security Services LLC agrees to pay more than $1.1M to resolve gender, race-based pay discrimination allegations at New York location

NEW YORK - The U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs has entered into a conciliation agreement with AlliedBarton Security Services LLC to resolve alleged pay discrimination affecting 2,263 female, Black and American Indian employees over a two-year period at the federal contractor’s New York City location.

December 8, 2021

US Department of Labor finds Chuck E. Cheese exposed minor-aged worker to hazardous machine, incurred recordkeeping violations at Bronx location

NEW YORK – A 17-year-old employee of a Bronx Chuck E. Cheese/Pasqually’s Pizza & Wings restaurant set up, operated and cleaned a power-driven dough mixer – all in violation of federal child labor regulations, a U.S. Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division investigation has found.

December 8, 2021

US Department of Labor awards $10M to continue support of more effective, transparent resolution of labor disputes in Mexico

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced the award of a $10 million cooperative agreement to American Institutes for Research to strengthen the labor mediation process in Mexico, by increasing transparency in labor disputes and improving the country’s labor justice system.

December 7, 2021

Federal court finds owner of three Hawaii restaurants shortchanged 71 workers, orders payment of $220K in back wages, damages

HONOLULU – A federal court has affirmed the findings of a U.S. Department of Labor investigation that determined the owner of three Hawaii restaurants denied workers overtime and minimum wages, and discarded time records in violation of the Fair Labor Standards Act.