BELHAVEN, NC – The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has cited Belhaven Shipyard and Marina Inc. - doing business as TowBoatUS River Forest - after an employee drowned when a towboat capsized while operating in a winter storm. The company faces $11,640 in proposed penalties.

ST. LOUIS, MO – The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and Alberici Healthcare LLC in St. Louis, Missouri, have signed a strategic partnership to promote worker safety and health during the construction of the 802,000-square-foot SSM Health Saint Louis University Hospital.

The partnership will address falls, struck-by, caught-in or between, and electrocution hazards, the top four causes of fatalities in construction.

WEST MONROE, LA – West Monroe LLC, operator of Café Rawz in West Monroe, Louisiana, has agreed to pay $69,178 in back wages to 34 employees to resolve overtime, minimum wage, and recordkeeping violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) found in a U.S. Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division (WHD) investigation.

LOUISVILLE, KY – Gra-pel Inc, a tire retailer based in Louisville, Kentucky, has paid $51,506 in back wages to 22 employees after a U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD) investigation found the employer violated overtime and recordkeeping provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

In the week ending July 7, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 214,000, a decrease of 18,000 from the previous week's revised level. The previous week's level was revised up by 1,000 from 231,000 to 232,000. The 4-week moving average was 223,000, a decrease of 1,750 from the previous week's revised average. The previous week's average was revised up by 250 from 224,500 to 224,750.

MEMPHIS, TN – An investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division (WHD) has found the Shelby County Board of Education violated the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) when the school district terminated an employee for exercising her right to take time off for a qualifying illness. The school board has paid the employee $112,826 in back wages and medical expenses.

FREMONT, NC – The U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division (WHD) has revoked the farm labor contractor certificate of registration for Jasiel Rodriguez-Nunez and has debarred the contractor and his business partner, unregistered farm labor contractor Aricel Lopez-Morales, from applying for H-2A certification for three years following an investigation. WHD found that Rodriguez-Nunez and Lopez-Morales each violated the Migrant and Seasonal Agricultural Worker Protection Act (MSPA) and labor provisions of the H-2A visa program.

KISSIMMEE, FL – PPM Outdoor LLC, a lawn care company based in Kissimmee, Florida, has paid $55,345 to 40 employees after a U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division (WHD) investigation found the employer violated overtime, minimum wage, and recordkeeping requirements of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

GUAYNABO, PR – U.S. Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division (WHD) representatives are in St. Croix and St. Thomas this summer to investigate wage issues and provide compliance assistance related to recovery efforts following Hurricanes Maria and Irma.

PHOENIX, AZ – After a U.S. Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division (WHD) investigation revealed overtime and recordkeeping violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), Teharu Sushi restaurant will pay $158,860 in back wages and liquidated damages to 94 employees working at three of its Arizona locations. WHD also assessed $20,940 in civil money penalties.

GUAYNABO, PR – Following an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division (WHD), Alabama-based construction contractor KW Construction Work Inc. has paid $14,857 to 13 Texas-based employees stranded in the U.S. Virgin Islands without pay or transportation after performing hurricane recovery work. The Corpus Christi office of the Department's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) learned of the situation and alerted WHD.

MIAMI BEACH, FL – Miami Beach Medical Transport LLC – a South Florida medical transportation service company – has paid $222,059 in back wages to 53 employees after the U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division (WHD)  found the employer violated overtime and recordkeeping provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

KANSAS CITY, MO ‒ The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is seeking to stem a recent increase in workplace fatalities in Kansas, Missouri, and Nebraska.

NASHVILLE, TN – After a U.S. Department of Labor Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) investigation, the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee in Nashville has sentenced Timothy Wayne Thomas of Brentwood, Tennessee, to serve 66 months in prison for his criminal conduct in marketing and misrepresenting health insurance plans. The sentence also requires him to forfeit $1,500,000 and pay more than $2,500,000 in restitution to the victims of the fraud scheme.

OMAHA, NE – The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and McCarthy Building Companies Inc. in Omaha, Nebraska, have signed a strategic partnership to promote worker safety and health during the construction of the Veterans Ambulatory Care Center - an addition to the Omaha Veterans Affairs Medical Center.

BOSTON, MA – An investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division (WHD) has led Clover Fast Food, Inc. – based in Cambridge, Massachusetts – and owner Ayr Muir to pay $79,338 in back wages and liquidated damages to 65 employees to resolve violations of overtime and recordkeeping requirements of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Secretary of Labor Alexander Acosta announced the award of 163 Homeless Veterans' Reintegration Program (HVRP) grants totaling $47,600,000. This funding will provide workforce reintegration services to more than 18,000 homeless veterans.

"While serving in the military, veterans learn many skills desired in today's workforce," said Secretary Acosta. "These grants will help thousands of homeless veterans reintegrate themselves into society and secure good jobs."

HOUSTON, TX – Pool Works LLC has paid $27,780 in back wages and an equal amount in liquidated damages to 60 employees to settle overtime, minimum wage, and recordkeeping violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) found in an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD).

JACKSONVILLE, FL – The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has cited North Florida Shipyards Inc., a shipbuilding and repair company, after an employee suffered fatal injuries at its Commodores Point facility in Jacksonville, Florida. The shipyard faces $271,061 in proposed penalties.

PHILADELPHIA, PA – The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has cited three companies – two in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (U.S. Construction Inc. and American Diamond Builders Inc.) and one in Delran, New Jersey (AAR Construction Inc.) – for workplace safety violations after an employee suffered fatal injuries resulting from a fall at a Philadelphia worksite in November 2017. American Diamond Builders Inc. faces $143,159 in proposed penalties, while U.S. Construction Inc. faces penalties of $73,984.