WILKES-BARRE, PA – The U.S. Department of Labor has cited Wilkes-Barre roofing contractor Luis Alberto-Reyna Avila for exposing workers to dangerous falls and workplace hazards at a Lackawanna County worksite.

ATLANTA – A U.S. Department of Labor investigation found that improperly stored hazardous chemicals were the cause of a fire at a Bio-Lab Inc. facility in Conyers. 

The department’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration investigation learned that the incident originated at a company warehouse that stored various chemicals. OSHA cited Bio-Lab for four serious and two other-than-serious violations and proposed $61,473 in penalties.

APPLETON, WI – The U.S. Department of Labor has cited roofing contractor Bacilio Rios Almanza for failing to protect employees atop a residential roof from fatal fall hazards in Appleton in September 2024.

JAMESPORT, MO – The U.S. Department of Labor reached an agreement with Jamesport roofing contractor John Troyer after a federal investigation determined he violated federal laws, resulting in a teen worker’s fatal fall in March 2023.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced that its Mine Safety and Health Administration has released Morton Salt Inc.’s Weeks Island Mine and Mill from the agency’s pattern of violations designation after demonstrating significant and sustained improvements in safety and compliance.

NANTICOKE, PA – U.S. Secretary of Labor Lori Chavez-DeRemer joined Rep. Rob Bresnahan Jr., union leaders, and local elected officials in Northeastern Pennsylvania on April 5 to kick off her nationwide America at Work listening tour. 

WASHINGTON – U.S. Secretary of Labor Lori Chavez-DeRemer is embarking on a nationwide listening tour to hear more about the challenges and opportunities facing everyday Americans at work. This effort will keep President Trump’s promise to listen to the voices of forgotten workers left behind by Washington. 

WASHINGTON – U.S. Secretary of Labor Lori Chavez-DeRemer issued the following statement regarding the March 2025 Employment Situation Report:

“March’s incredibly strong jobs report reflects President Trump’s efforts to reshape and rebuild our economy to put the American Worker First, with over 13,000 construction jobs added. Additionally, growth far exceeded expectations at 228,000 jobs created, demonstrating strong expansion that will only continue when jobs that were previously shipped overseas are brought back to the United States.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today awarded $2 million to Washington to help workers dislocated by Boeing’s companywide reductions. The funding will ensure impacted workers have access to needed resources, including employment and training services.

In the week ending March 29, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 219,000, a decrease of 6,000 from the previous week's revised level. The previous week's level was revised up by 1,000 from 224,000 to 225,000. The 4-week moving average was 223,000, a decrease of 1,250 from the previous week's revised average. The previous week's average was revised up by 250 from 224,000 to 224,250.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today awarded an additional $2 million to help North Carolina workers dislocated by the closure of Pactiv Evergreen’s Canton paper mill and by reductions at its Waynesville facility. The funding will ensure impacted workers have uninterrupted access to needed resources, including employment and training services. 

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced new enrollment will not be accepted at the Penobscot Job Corps Center and the Loring Job Corps Center in Maine. The Job Corps facilities continue to face ongoing sustainability issues due to rising costs. 

In the coming weeks, the department will continue to carefully evaluate these and other Job Corps facilities. 
 

WASHINGTON – U.S. Department of Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer today announced $1.4 billion in unused COVID-era funding has been returned to taxpayers through the U.S. Department of Treasury’s General Fund, with action being taken to recover the remaining $2.9 billion. 

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced the appointment of Julia Pollak as Chief Economist. In this role, she will lead the department’s economic research and provide analysis on labor-related policies and programs.

In the week ending March 22, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 224,000, a decrease of 1,000 from the previous week's revised level. The previous week's level was revised up by 2,000 from 223,000 to 225,000. The 4-week moving average was 224,000, a decrease of 4,750 from the previous week's revised average. The previous week's average was revised up by 1,750 from 227,000 to 228,750.

WASHINGTON -- The first university-owned feed mill in Iowa was the site for the kickoff of the 2025 Stand Up 4 Grain Safety Week, an annual training and educational event that reminds agriculture industry employers and workers about the potentially deadly hazards present in confined spaces, including grain engulfment.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced an incremental award of $2.5 million to Hawaii to continue employment and training services, and support disaster-relief jobs for people in communities harmed by severe wildfires that swept across the island of Maui on Aug. 8, 2023. 

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced the award of $1,776,938 to support employment and training services for people affected by March 2024 layoffs at Daicel Safety Systems America in Beaver Dam, Kentucky.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced Catherine Eschbach will lead the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs. 

ATLANTA – In September 2024, an employee at SeaWorld’s Orlando theme park was injured during a training exercise with a killer whale. A U.S. Department of Labor investigation found that the trainer was not properly protected from hazards while working with the whale.