WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced actions it is taking to assist Americans in states affected by Hurricane Dorian.

"The U.S. Department of Labor is actively engaged in Administration-wide efforts to help those impacted by Hurricane Dorian," said Acting U.S. Secretary of Labor Patrick Pizzella. "As Americans from across the country rally to help each other, the Department of Labor is committed to supporting recovery efforts."

U.S. Department of Labor actions taken regarding Hurricane Dorian include the following:

ARLINGTON, VA – The U.S. Department of Labor's Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) has announced the award of $400,000 in funding through its Brookwood-Sago grant program to support education and training to help identify, avoid and prevent unsafe working conditions in and around the nation's mines. 

WASHINGTON, DC – Acting U.S. Secretary of Labor Patrick Pizzella issued the following statement on the August 2019 Employment Situation report:

"America's economy continued to show strength in August. The 3.7% unemployment rate marks the eighteenth straight month the unemployment rate has been at or below 4%. Unemployment rates for African-Americans set a new record low at 5.5% and Hispanic-Americans matched a record low at 4.2%.

"Since January of 2017 more than 5.8 million jobs have been created including the 130,000 jobs created in August.

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) announced guidance clarifying affirmative action program (AAP) development for academic institutions and other contractors with campus-like settings, and advancing the White House Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).

WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Labor today awarded additional National Dislocated Worker Grant (NDWG) funding to the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity to continue disaster-relief efforts in response to Hurricane Michael and to provide career and training services to individuals forced to relocate in the storm's aftermath.

PROVIDENCE, RI – After a U.S. Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division (WHD) investigation, three Rhode Island nursing care facilities have paid $192,622 in back wages and liquidated damages to 89 employees to resolve violations of the overtime and minimum wage provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). The facilities also paid $68,796 in civil penalties, while their parent company has agreed to FLSA compliance at all its locations.

In the week ending August 31, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 217,000, an increase of 1,000 from the previous week's revised level. The previous week's level was revised up by 1,000 from 215,000 to 216,000. The 4-week moving average was 216,250, an increase of 1,500 from the previous week's revised average. The previous week's average was revised up by 250 from 214,500 to 214,750.

WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Labor released the following update regarding Senior Policy Advisor Leif Olson of the Wage and Hour Division.

WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Labor today approved National Disaster Recovery National Dislocated Worker Grant (NDWG) funding of up to $2,420,000, with $806,667 released initially, to the Missouri Division of Workforce Development to assess workforce needs in response to severe storms and flooding in March and April 2019.

WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Labor has extended the application submission deadline for its Excellence in Disability Inclusion (EDI) Awards to November 1. Employers who have already submitted an application may update it if desired.

The EDI Awards will recognize federal contractors who excel in this regard through two levels of recognition:

WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Compliance Initiatives (OCI) announced plans for a nationwide, multi-agency compliance assistance outreach effort focused on providing job creators and workers with access to high-quality information about their obligations and rights under the law.

Through the autumn season, Department agencies will host in-person trainings, webinars and other events to promote greater understanding of federal labor laws and regulations by workers and job creators.

WASHINGTON, DC – Acting U.S. Secretary of Labor Patrick Pizzella released the following statement regarding Labor Day:

“Today, we mark the 125th Anniversary of Labor Day, a Federal holiday that was created out of appreciation and respect for the work done by the men and women of this country.

SOCIAL CIRCLE, GA – The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has signed a strategic partnership with Holder Construction Group LLC and the Associated General Contractors of Georgia Inc. (AGC) to promote worker safety and health during the construction of the Newton County Georgia Project in Social Circle, Georgia.

WASHINGTON, D.C.  – Today Acting U.S. Secretary of Labor Patrick Pizzella hosted an event commemorating the 125th anniversary of Labor Day on the front steps of the Frances Perkins Building. The Acting Secretary, joined by long-serving members of the Department, unveiled a banner honoring the historic anniversary that will be prominently displayed on the Frances Perkins Building. Acting Secretary Pizzella shared the Department of Labor’s history and celebrated the Department of Labor’s service to the American workforce.

LABELLE, FL – The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) cited Twins Twins LLC for exposing employees to amputations at the company's facility in Labelle, Florida. The tortilla company faces $81,682 in penalties.

In the week ending August 24, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 215,000, an increase of 4,000 from the previous week's revised level. The previous week's level was revised up by 2,000 from 209,000 to 211,000. The 4-week moving average was 214,500, a decrease of 500 from the previous week's revised average. The previous week's average was revised up by 500 from 214,500 to 215,000.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Department of Labor has awarded nearly $1.5 million in grant funding to organizations in Illinois, Virginia, and Wisconsin to help recruit, train, and retain more women in quality pre-apprenticeship and apprenticeship programs. The grants will help women pursue careers in manufacturing, infrastructure, cybersecurity, health care, and other industries.

The 2019 Women in Apprenticeship and Nontraditional Occupations (WANTO) grant recipients are:

WASHINGTON, DC - The U.S. Department of Labor has announced the award of $4 million for a four-year cooperative agreement to operate a policy development center focused on youth with disabilities. The center will build on the work of the Department's Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) National Collaborative on Workforce and Disability for Youth.

ARLINGTON, VA The U.S. Department of Labor's Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) today announced that it will publish a Request for Information (RFI) in the Federal Register seeking data on economically and technologically feasible methods to protect miners' health from exposure to quartz. The RFI includes an examination of an appropriately reduced permissible exposure limit, potential new or developing protective technologies, and/or technical and educational assistance.

PICAYUNE, MS – Maxem Health Urgent Care will pay $147,622 in wages to 16 employees after the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD) found the operator of two Mississippi health care facilities violated the overtime and recordkeeping provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).