ADRIAN, MO – Had MFA Enterprises Inc. – operating as West Central Agri Services – addressed potential dust ignition sources, an explosion that seriously injured an employee and caused the destruction of the main elevator at an Adrian grain loading facility might not have happened. OSHA cited the grain-handling facility for one willful and six serious safety violations, and proposed penalties of $215,525.

HOUSTON – The U.S. Department of Labor has entered into a conciliation agreement with Worley Group, to resolve alleged pay discrimination affecting 42 female, Black and Hispanic employees at its Houston location, formerly operated by Jacobs Engineering. The company’s parent, Jacobs Engineering Group Inc. is a federal defense contractor. In April 2019, Worley Group assumed control of Jacobs Engineering’s Houston operations.

WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced the funding availability of approximately $43 million in grants to help reemploy dislocated workers most affected by the economic and employment fallout of the coronavirus pandemic.

LANSING, MI – After an account manager continually expressed concerns and objections about a proposed accounting practice they believed to be illegal, Equistar Chemicals L.P. in Lansing placed the account manager on a performance improvement program and, ultimately, fired them.

PLAINS TOWNSHIP, PA – The U.S. Department of Labor has filed suit against a Luzerne County paper products manufacturing company and its owner after they fired a worker for raising safety concerns and asking several times for safety gloves to operate a shredder and baler. Prior to the employee suffering injury while operating the machine, their supervisor denied multiple requests for protective equipment.

ROSEMONT, IL – US Foods will pay $159,550 in back pay and interest to 114 female and Black job applicants as part of an agreement with the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs to resolve alleged hiring discrimination found at its Bensenville distribution facility. The company will also offer jobs to 16 applicants.

HOUSTON – The U.S. Department of Labor has entered into a conciliation agreement with Bechtel Oil, Gas and Chemicals Inc., to resolve alleged pay discrimination affecting 22 female employees at its Houston location.

WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced funding opportunities for more than $21 million in Occupational Safety and Health Administration training grants for non-profit organizations.

RALEIGH, NC – The U.S. Department of Labor encourages construction companies and contractors in the Southeast that hold federal contracts or have an interest in obtaining one to take advantage of an upcoming educational webinar on Tuesday, June 29 from 10 to 11:30 a.m. EDT.

WASHINGTON, DC – Every two years, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of International Labor Affairs publishes its “List of Goods Produced by Child Labor or Forced Labor” that the bureau has reason to believe are produced by child labor or forced labor in violation of international standards, as directed by the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2005 and subsequent reauthorizations.

In the week ending June 19, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 411,000, a decrease of 7,000 from the previous week's revised level. The previous week's level was revised up by 6,000 from 412,000 to 418,000. The 4-week moving average was 397,750, an increase of 1,500 from the previous week's revised average. The previous week's average was revised up by 1,250 from 395,000 to 396,250.

WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Labor announced today the award of five grants totaling $11.6 million to improve the delivery of training and employment services, and measure their effectiveness in Arkansas, Indiana, Maryland, Mississippi and New Mexico.

WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced the reopening of the comment period on proposed amendments to six class exemptions from prohibited transaction rules set forth in the Employee Retirement Income Security Act and the Internal Revenue Code.

MATHISTON, MS – Home healthcare providers expect their workers to meet their clients’ many daily needs. In turn, these workers count on their employers to pay them fairly and legally so they may care for themselves and their families. A recent federal investigation found a Mathiston provider failed to pay its employees overtime and minimum wages as the law requires.

WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced the award of more than $130 million in grants to develop, modernize and diversify Registered Apprenticeship Programs in 15 states and to establish Registered Apprenticeship Technical Assistance Centers of Excellence in three states and Washington, D.C., to provide technical expertise and services and accelerate the expansion of Registered Apprenticeship programs.

TOCCOA, GA – With the holiday fast approaching, a 56-year-old worker at a Toccoa plastic processing facility could never have known he would spend Christmas Day in a hospital and die from a head injury after falling more than 6 feet from an elevated platform.

WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Labor announced today’s launch of a national online dialogue to gather ideas to improve labor outcomes for women, especially economically disadvantaged women. The dialogue will be open until July 9.

MIRAMAR BEACH, FL – The U.S. Department of Labor has found an upscale Miramar Beach restaurant again violating federal minimum wage and overtime laws, and redirecting a portion of servers’ tips to non-tipped workers illegally. 

ATLANTA – During the pandemic, grocery store workers were among those on the front lines whose jobs put them in close contact with others – putting them at greater risk for contracting the coronavirus – while they ensured their neighbors had access to essential goods and services. In return, some of these workers, including many minors, faced wage violations or other workplace hazards.

KEARNEY, NE – A federal court has ordered a Kearney pizza and burger restaurant and its owner to pay $17,216 – $8,608 in back wages and an equal amount in liquidated damages – to 13 workers after the U.S. Department of Labor found overtime and recordkeeping violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act.