January 15, 2008

U.S. Department of Labor launches $4 million project
to prevent hazardous child labor in the Dominican Republic

SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic — The U.S. Department of Labor today launched a new $4 million project to support public-private partnerships in the Dominican Republic aimed at preventing hazardous child labor.

"This project will make the dream of schooling a reality for thousands of children in need and help break the cycle of poverty," said U.S. Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao. "As a direct result of U.S. Department of Labor initiatives, more than one million children worldwide have been rescued from exploitive child labor."

January 15, 2008

U.S. Labor Department enforcement agency announces
eight criminal convictions for December 2007

OLMS also obtained eight indictments and more than $202,000 in court orders of restitution

January 10, 2008

U.S. Labor Department sues officers of Dublin, Ohio, business to restore funds to 401(k) plan

Archived News Release — Caution: Information may be out of date.

Dublin, Ohio – The U.S. Department of Labor has sued executives of American Systems Consulting Inc. in Dublin for improperly using 401(k) assets for the benefit of the company in violation of the federal Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA).

January 10, 2008

Salem, New Hampshire, employer agrees to restore $100,000 to company profit-sharing plan to resolve U.S. Labor Department lawsuit

Archived News Release — Caution: Information may be out of date.

Boston – Richard E. Landry Sr., owner and operator of Landry Architects of Salem, New Hampshire, has agreed to repay $100,000 to the company’s profit-sharing plan under a consent judgment resolving a lawsuit filed by the U.S. Department of Labor over alleged violations of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA).

January 10, 2008

U.S. Labor Department sues Fifth Third Bank and advisor to Operating Engineers Local 324 Pension Fund in Troy, Michigan

Archived News Release — Caution: Information may be out of date.

Troy, Michigan – The U.S. Department of Labor has sued Fifth Third Bank, an Ohio corporation and advisor to the Operating Engineers Local 324 Pension Fund in Troy, Michigan, to recover plan losses suffered when the defendants mismanaged the sale of property owned by the fund.

January 8, 2008

Alexander J. Passantino named as acting administrator of the Wage and Hour Division

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Labor has announced that Alexander J. Passantino will serve as the acting administrator of the department's Wage and Hour Division. Passantino was named deputy administrator for the division in October 2006. He first joined the U.S. Department of Labor in November 2005 as a senior policy advisor to the assistant secretary for the Employment Standards Administration.

January 2, 2008

U.S. Department of Labor assists uranium workers

Traveling Resource Center to make stops in Arizona and New Mexico

December 28, 2007

U.S. Labor Department reports $32 million
in court-ordered union fund restitutions for workers in FY 2007

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Labor-Management Standards (OLMS) today announced its criminal enforcement data for Fiscal Year (FY) 2007, highlighting increases over previous years. Court-ordered restitution of union funds has risen in each year since FY 2001, with only one exception. In FY 2001, the amount was just under $2 million and in FY 2007, the amount was over $32 million. Criminal case processing is up 10 percent over FY 2001 (406 from 370), while convictions are up 16 percent (118 from 102).

December 28, 2007

U.S. Department of Labors Wage and Hour Division
announces record wage recovery for FY 2007

Agency collects more than $1.25 billion for workers since 2000

December 28, 2007

U.S. Department of Labor announces record-breaking FY 2007
federal contract worker wage recoveries

Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs sets record for third consecutive year

December 28, 2007

U.S. Labor Department announces FY 2007 enforcement results for the Employee Benefits Security Administration

Archived News Release — Caution: Information may be out of date.

December 21, 2007

Union benefit officials in New York City sentenced over theft of health plan assets

Archived News Release — Caution: Information may be out of date.

December 20, 2007

U.S. Labor Department watchdog office announces
nine criminal convictions for November

Office of Labor-Management Standards has obtained more than 800 convictions this decade

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Labor-Management Standards (OLMS) today announced its criminal enforcement data for November 2007. During the month, OLMS obtained nine convictions and court orders of restitution totaling $488,670. The bulk of the cases involved the embezzlement of union funds.

December 20, 2007

U.S. Department of Labor offers free health law seminar January 16-17 in Oklahoma City

Archived News Release — Caution: Information may be out of date.

December 19, 2007

U.S. Labor Department seeks court approval to distribute 401(k) assets of A&S Tri-County Plumbing Inc. in New Carlisle, Ohio

Archived News Release — Caution: Information may be out of date.

December 18, 2007

U.S. Labor Department proposes civil penalty rules under the Pension Protection Act

Archived News Release — Caution: Information may be out of date.