OCEAN SPRINGS, MS – The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has cited Graham Construction Co. Inc. for exposing employees to trenching hazards after inspectors observed employees installing water lines in an unprotected excavation at a work site in Ocean Springs, Mississippi. The contractor faces $161,771 in penalties.

In the week ending October 5, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 210,000, a decrease of 10,000 from the previous week's revised level. The previous week's level was revised up by 1,000 from 219,000 to 220,000. The 4-week moving average was 213,750, an increase of 1,000 from the previous week's revised average. The previous week's average was revised up by 250 from 212,500 to 212,750.

SYRACUSE, NY – The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has cited Dollar Tree Stores Inc. for unsafe storage of material, obstructed exit routes and blocked electrical panels at the discount retailer's Elmira, New York, store. The Chesapeake, Virginia-based retailer faces $208,368 in proposed penalties.

WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced an opioid-crisis National Health Emergency Dislocated Worker Grant for up to $4,710,000, with $2,134,933 released initially, to the Mississippi Department of Employment Security. The grant will support disaster-relief jobs and provide employment services to eligible individuals in Mississippi affected by the health and economic effects of widespread opioid use, addiction, and overdose.

MINNEAPOLIS, MN – After an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD) and after a failed appeal to the Department’s Administrative Review Board (ARB), ME Global Inc. – a steel foundry based in Columbia Heights, Minnesota – has paid a former employee $190,357 in back wages and interest for violating the labor provisions of the H-1B visa program.

MOUNT VERNON, OH ‒ The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has cited Prestress Services Industries of Ohio LLC for 20 safety and health violations at the concrete production plant in Mount Vernon, Ohio. The company faces penalties of $158,555.

BRAINTREE, MA – The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the Massachusetts Department of Labor Standards/OSHA Consultation (DLS), and the Mass Brewers Guild (MBG), have formed an alliance to protect the safety and health of employees in the Massachusetts brewing industry. MBG comprises 190 brewpubs, farm breweries and manufacturers.

FAIRMONT, WV – After an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division (WHD), Superior Industrial Laundries Inc. – a commercial laundry facility based in Fairmont, West Virginia – has paid $66,641 in back wages and liquidated damages to 36 employees to resolve overtime violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

DELAWARE, OH – The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has cited Liberty Casting Company for exposing employees to crystalline silica above the permissible exposure levels at the Delaware, Ohio, foundry. The company faces $270,048 in proposed penalties for three repeated and 18 serious health violations.

EDINBURG, TX – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD) will hold a compliance seminar for agricultural employers in Edinburg, Texas, on October 16 and 17, 2019.

WEST COVINA, CA – After a U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD) investigation, GI Security Inc. – based in West Covina, California – will pay $309,189 to 126 employees for violating the overtime provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

DELAWARE, OH – The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has cited Liberty Casting Company for exposing employees to crystalline silica above the permissible exposure levels at the Delaware, Ohio, foundry. The company faces $270,048 in proposed penalties for three repeated and 18 serious health violations.

WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Labor announced a proposed rule for tip provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) implementing provisions of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2018 (CAA). The proposal would also codify existing Wage and Hour Division (WHD) guidance into a rule.

GREENVILLE, MO – The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has cited Kerry Inc. for failing to provide fall protection to employees working in the company's facility in Greenville, Missouri. The food flavoring company faces $223,525 in penalties for one willful and eight serious safety violations.

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Secretary of Labor Eugene Scalia issued the following statement on the September 2019 Employment Situation report:

"In September, the unemployment rate dropped to a 50-year low at 3.5%. This was the nineteenth straight month that the unemployment rate has been at or below 4%.

GREENVILLE, MO – The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has cited Kerry Inc. for failing to provide fall protection to employees working in the company's facility in Greenville, Missouri. The food flavoring company faces $223,525 in penalties for one willful and eight serious safety violations.

WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Labor today published a final rule that provides greater clarity and flexibility to states as they identify the occupations for which they will conduct drug testing in the unemployment insurance (UI) program.  

In the week ending September 28, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 219,000, an increase of 4,000 from the previous week's revised level. The previous week's level was revised up by 2,000 from 213,000 to 215,000. The 4-week moving average was 212,500, unchanged from the previous week's revised average. The previous week's average was revised up by 500 from 212,000 to 212,500.

BOSTON, MA – After a U.S. Department of Labor investigation, the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts has entered a consent judgment and order requiring three Massachusetts restaurants and two of their owners to pay $355,944 in back wages and liquidated damages to 52 employees to resolve violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). They will also pay a civil money penalty of $36,448 because their violations were willful and repeated.

TUSCALOOSA, AL – The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has cited Turner Specialty Services LLC and Hunt Refining Co. for safety violations after an employee suffered a fatal injury at a refining facility in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. The two companies collectively face $106,080 in penalties.