SAN FRANCISCO, CA – After an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division (WHD), American West Medical Transport – a northern California non-emergency medical transport company – will pay $147,416 in back wages to 36 employees for violations of the overtime provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

LOS ANGELES, CA – After an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA), the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California has sentenced Nick Nikbakht – an operator of sleep study facilities in Sherman Oaks and San Pedro, California – to 27 months in prison for defrauding healthcare plans. The court also ordered that Nikbakht pay $2,970,817 in restitution.

NITRO, WV – After an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD), Apex Pipeline Service Inc. has entered into a consent judgment with the Department requiring payment of $121,019 in back wages, with an equal amount in liquidated damages, to 243 employees at its Nitro, West Virginia, facility.  The consent judgment was approved by the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia-Charleston Division.

LAS VEGAS, NV – After an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD), Jesus Felipe Vazquez and Martha Vazquez – owners of a restaurant company with three locations in Las Vegas, Nevada – have paid $190,195 in back wages and damages to 66 employees for violating the overtime requirements of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Secretary of Labor Eugene Scalia issued the following statement regarding the United States-Mexico-Canada (USMCA) Agreement:

“The U.S. House of Representatives took an important step today towards final passage of President Trump’s landmark United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement. USMCA’s passage will boost our nation’s already booming economy, paving the way for as many as 500,000 or more new American jobs.”

LAVONIA, GA – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has cited Wright Metal Products Crates LLC – based in South Bend, Indiana, and operating as WMP Crates – for exposing employees to amputation, chemical and other safety hazards at a worksite in Lavonia, Georgia. The company faces $195,034 in penalties.

NORTH CHARLESTON, SC – After an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD), Quality Vision LLC – an automotive parts supplier based in North Charleston, South Carolina – has paid $82,468 in wages to 24 employees for violating minimum wage and overtime provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

In the week ending December 14, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 234,000, a decrease of 18,000 from the previous week's unrevised level of 252,000. The 4-week moving average was 225,500, an increase of 1,500 from the previous week's unrevised average of 224,000.

HARTFORD, CT – After an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD), four Fairfield County, Connecticut, restaurants and their owners have paid a total of $116,087 in back wages and liquidated damages to 35 employees for violating the overtime and recordkeeping provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

NEW YORK, NY – A whistleblower investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has found that Bouchard Transportation Company Inc., B. No. 272 Corp – a petroleum barge company based in Melville, New York – and its officers violated the whistleblower protection provisions of the Seaman’s Protection Act (SPA) when it retaliated against a seaman who cooperated with U.S. Coast Guard (USCG).

PALM BEACH GARDENS, FL – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has cited Action Roofing Services Inc. – based in Pompano Beach, Florida – for exposing employees to safety hazards at Palm Beach Gardens and Port Saint Lucie, Florida, worksites. The roofing contractor faces $146,280 in penalties.

MANCHESTER, NH – After an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD), The NASWA Motor Inn Inc. – doing business as The NASWA Resort in Laconia, New Hampshire – has paid a total of $64,449 in back wages to 64 employees and $60,550 in civil money penalties to resolve violations of the H-2B non-immigrant visa program.

HONOLULU, HI – After an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division (WHD), the American Samoa Power Authority – an American Samoa public utility – will pay $110,865 to 180 employees for violating overtime requirements of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

RAINBOW CITY, AL – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has cited national discount retailer Dollar Tree Stores Inc. for exposing employees to safety hazards at its Rainbow Drive store in Rainbow City, Alabama. The company faces $104,192 in penalties.

WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced incremental funding of $866,675 for a Disaster Recovery National Dislocated Worker Grant to Workforce West Virginia in response to storms that brought heavy rainfall, flooding and wind damage to the state in February 2018.

ORANGE, CA – After an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division (WHD), C&W Trucking Inc. – a contractor for the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) based in Orange, California – will pay $199,010 to 56 employees for violations of federal contract requirements of the McNamara-O'Hara Service Contract Act (SCA) and the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

WASHINGTON, DC –The U.S. Department of Labor today announced the award of 67 grants totaling up to $85 million to support and expand YouthBuild programs across the country. YouthBuild provides at-risk youth, ages 16-24, with education and occupational skill development to obtain employment in construction and other in-demand industries.

KANSAS CITY, MO – The U.S. Department of Labor will host an energy outreach event in Kansas City, Missouri, on Thursday, January 9, 2020. Department staff will provide information about the Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program Act and help current and former nuclear weapons workers file claims. This event is open to the public and does not require pre-registration.

WASHINGTON DC – The U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Labor-Management Standards (OLMS) will publish a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) that would increase financial transparency and democratic procedures for intermediate bodies under the Labor-Management Reporting and Disclosure Act of 1959 (LMRDA), also known as the Landrum-Griffin Act.

OKEECHOBEE, FL – After an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD), Coco Sod Farms Inc. – an agricultural employer based in Okeechobee, Florida – has paid a $10,930 civil penalty for violating requirements of the H-2A visa program.