WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced a national online dialogue intended to enhance the Department’s efforts and determine how to engage workers, advocates and other stakeholder groups to combat labor trafficking and forced employment more effectively.

SAN FRANCISCO, CA – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) and AT&T Services Inc. entered into an agreement that requires AT&T to pay $173,000 and provide other non-monetary relief to address pay disparities between male and female employees in California and Nevada. While not admitting liability in the investigation, AT&T has agreed to an early resolution conciliation agreement and to enhance future compliance proactively.

HUTTO, TX – ProDirt Services LLC – based in Hutto, Texas – has paid $1,680 in back wages for denying emergency paid sick leave to an employee who was instructed to self-quarantine by a healthcare provider for coronavirus-related reasons.

ALBUQUERQUE, NM – Investigations by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD) at five peanut industry employers in Texas and New Mexico resulted in the recovery of $172,264 in back wages for 127 employees to remedy violations of the overtime requirements of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

In the week ending November 28, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 712,000, a decrease of 75,000 from the previous week's revised level. The previous week's level was revised up by 9,000 from 778,000 to 787,000. The 4-week moving average was 739,500, a decrease of 11,250 from the previous week's revised average. The previous week's average was revised up by 2,250 from 748,500 to 750,750.

WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced an opioid-crisis National Health Emergency Dislocated Worker Grant to the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development for up to $1,368,421 to train at least 200 displaced workers. An initial award of $800,000 will support disaster-relief jobs and provide employment services to eligible individuals in Minnesota communities affected by the health and economic effects of widespread opioid use, addiction and overdose.

WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced additional funding of $833,333 to the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity to continue to provide services to eligible individuals in communities across three counties significantly affected by the health and economic effects of widespread opioid use, addiction, and overdose.

BALTIMORE, MD – In a consent judgment filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, a full-service family restaurant with establishments in the District of Columbia and Virginia will pay $848,006 in back wages and liquidated damages to 209 employees for Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) violations.

WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA), the IRS and the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC) today released advance informational copies of the 2020 Form 5500 Annual Return/Report and related instructions – including the Form 5500-SF and the IRS released Form 5500-EZ, which now also appears on the EBSA website.

ORION TWP., MI – After an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD), Carrie Lee’s Orion Restaurant – based in Orion Township, Michigan – has paid $37,177 in overtime back wages to six kitchen staff employees.

OMAHA, NE – After an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD), United Holdings Group LLC – operating as Pitch Pizzeria and based in Omaha, Nebraska – has paid 55 employees a total of $93,304 in back wages to resolve violations of the overtime requirements of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). The employer also paid a penalty of $2,049 for violating the child labor provisions of the FLSA.

MINNEAPOLIS, MN – After an investigation by the Department of Labor’s Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA), the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota issued a consent order and judgment requiring the fiduciaries of Minneapolis, Minnesota-based The Sartell Group Inc. to restore $13,193 to The Sartell Group 401(k) employee retirement benefit plan.

SAVANNAH, GA – Atlantic Housing Foundation – a non-profit operator of affordable housing communities in Savannah, Georgia – has paid $3,920 in back wages. The company wrongly denied paid leave under the Emergency Family and Medical Leave Expansion Act (EFMLEA) to an employee who missed work to care for a child whose school closed due to the coronavirus pandemic.

LABELLE, FL – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD) has debarred Flo-Ag LLC – a farm labor contracting company based in Labelle, Florida – and its principals Jose Flores and Juan Flores from applying for certification to request temporary foreign workers under the H-2A agricultural worker visa program for two years.

DECATUR, GA – Lamar Ferrell Chevrolet Inc. – a car dealership based in Decatur, Georgia – paid $7,880 in back wages for wrongly denying paid leave under the Emergency Family and Medical Leave Expansion Act (EFMLEA) to an employee who missed work to care for a child whose place of care closed due to the coronavirus pandemic.

LAS VEGAS, NV – After an investigation by the  U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD), Vectrus Inc – based in Colorado Springs, Colorado – has paid $108,002 in back wages and fringe benefits to 69 employees. WHD investigators found the construction contractor violated the Davis-Bacon and Related Acts (DBRA), the Service Contract Act (SCA) and the Contract Work Hours and Safety Standards Act (CWHSSA) during work performed under a U.S.

WEST COVINA, CA – After an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD), Kal Freight – an Ontario, California-based trucking company – has paid $90,508 in back wages to 16 employees for violating the Fair Labor Standards Act’s (FLSA) overtime requirements.

WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced two opinion letters that address compliance issues related to the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). An opinion letter is an official, written opinion by the Department’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD) on how a particular law applies in specific circumstances presented by the person or entity that requested the letter.

The opinion letters issued today are:

BOISE, ID – Después de una investigación del Departamento de Trabajo de EE.UU., un productor agrícola y transportista de patatas de American Falls, Idaho pagará $ 68.848 en salarios atrasados a 66 trabajadores para resolver violaciones de la Ley de Normas Laborales Justas (FLSA), disposiciones laborales del programa H-2 de trabajadores agrícolas temporales, y la Ley para la Protección de Trabajadores Agrícolas Migratorios y de Temporada (MSPA).

TAMPA, FL – After an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD), Jenergy Air Services, LLC – a heating, ventilation and air conditioning company based in Seminole, Florida –   has paid $10,125 in back wages to 10 employees to settle overtime violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).