ATLANTA, GA – The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) urges emergency crews in the areas affected by Hurricane Florence to be aware of hazards from flooding, power loss, structural damage, fallen trees, and storm debris.

"Workers involved in storm recovery can face a range of safety and health hazards," said OSHA Regional Administrator Kurt Petermeyer. "Risks can be minimized with knowledge, safe work practices, and personal protective equipment."

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

"The Department of Labor is actively engaged in Administration-wide efforts to help those impacted by Hurricane Florence's devastation," said U.S. Secretary of Labor Alexander Acosta. "As Americans come together to help each other recover from this hurricane, the Department of Labor is committed to supporting the American worker."

MIAMI, FL – The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) on Friday, September 14, cited multiple contractors for safety violations after one employee suffered fatal injuries and five other employees sustained serious injuries when a pedestrian bridge at the Florida International University campus in Miami collapsed. The five companies collectively received seven violations, totaling $86,658 in proposed penalties.

LEESBURG, GA – The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has cited Great Southern Peanut LLC for safety and health violations after conducting a follow-up inspection as part of a formal settlement with the agency. The Leesburg, Georgia, peanut processing facility faces $309,505 in proposed penalties.

RUTHERFORDTON, NC – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD) has assessed D&M Logging Inc. a civil penalty of $9,112 for violating Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) child labor requirements after a minor suffered a hand injury while employed at the company’s sawmill in Rutherfordton, North Carolina. D&M Logging Inc. paid the civil money penalty. Additionally, D&M Logging Inc. paid $12,692 to 11 employees to correct the overtime violations.

GREENBELT, MD – The U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland, Southern Division, has sentenced a Maryland business owner to one year and one day of imprisonment, and $354,175 in restitution for violations of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA). Nathan G. Williams pleaded guilty to one count of theft or embezzlement from his company's employee benefit plan in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 664.

ARCHBOLD, OH – The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has cited Napoleon Spring Works Inc. for willful and serious safety violations after a temporary employee's arm was amputated. The Archbold, Ohio, garage door hardware manufacturer faces proposed penalties totaling $284,540.

OSHA investigators found the company failed to implement lockout/tag out procedures to prevent equipment from moving unintentionally during production, train employees on lockout/tagout practices, and install adequate machine guarding.

UTICA, MS – The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) cited Midway Tower Service Inc. and Bracken Equipment Holdings LLC for exposing employees to fall and struck-by hazards after an employee suffered fatal injuries at a Utica, Mississippi, worksite.

PROVIDENCE, RI – On September 24, 2018, from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. EST, the Wage and Hour Division of the U.S. Department of Labor will hold a public listening session in Providence, Rhode Island, to gather views on the Part 541 white-collar exemption regulations, often referred to as the "Overtime Rule."

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Secretary of Labor Alexander Acosta released the following statement today regarding the start of National Hispanic Heritage Month:

"National Hispanic Heritage Month provides an opportunity for all Americans to celebrate Hispanic-Americans' vibrant and rich traditions that are passed on from one generation to the next. This year's theme, Hispanics: One Endless Voice to Enhance our Tradition, invites us to reflect on Hispanic-Americans' shared multicultural heritage and impact.

JOLIET, IL– The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and Gilbane Building Company signed a strategic partnership to promote worker safety and health during the construction of the Will County Courthouse. The Three Rivers Construction Alliance, Will and Grundy Counties Building Trades Council, and Illinois On-Site Consultation are also partners on the 10-story project to be completed in September 2020.

WASHINGTON, DC – As part of its commitment to state and local partners facing a serious impact by Hurricane Florence, the U.S. Department of Labor today announced it is ready to make available National Dislocated Worker Grant (DWG) funding to help Georgia assess its workforce needs.

SEATTLE, WA – People Tech Group Inc. – a Redmond, Washington, information technology staffing company – will pay 12 employees $309,914 after a U.S. Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division (WHD) investigation found the company violated the labor provisions of the H-1B visa program by paying its guest workers far below the required wages, and sometimes not paying them at all. The Department also assessed the company $45,564 in civil penalties for the violations.

LONG BEACH, CA – California Cartage Company LLC – based in Long Beach, California – will pay $3,573,074 to 1,416 employees after the U.S. Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division (WHD) found the company violated federal contract provisions of the McNamara-O’Hara Service Contract Act (SCA).

WASHINGTON, DC – As part of its commitment to state and local partners facing a serious impact by Hurricane Florence, the U.S. Department of Labor today announced it is ready to make available National Dislocated Worker Grant (DWG) funding to help South Carolina assess its workforce needs.

ST. JOSEPH, MO – The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has proposed penalties of $199,183 to American Walnut Company LLC for two repeated and 14 serious safety violations. OSHA initiated an inspection of the St. Joseph sawmill after an employee suffered fatal injuries when he fell into a machine.

WASHINGTON, DC – As part of its commitment to state and local partners facing a serious impact by Hurricane Florence, the U.S. Department of Labor today announced it is ready to make available National Dislocated Worker Grant (DWG) funding to help North Carolina assess its workforce needs.

COLUMBUS, OH – The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has cited pallet manufacturer Buckeye Diamond Logistics Inc. – which operates as BDL Supply – for lockout/tagout hazards after an employee suffered an amputation at the Columbus-based company. OSHA proposed penalties of $191,794 for two repeated and four serious violations.

In the week ending September 8, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 204,000, a decrease of 1,000 from the previous week's revised level. This is the lowest level for initial claims since December 6, 1969 when it was 202,000. The previous week's level was revised up by 2,000 from 203,000 to 205,000. The 4-week moving average was 208,000, a decrease of 2,000 from the previous week's revised average. This is the lowest level for this average since December 6, 1969 when it was 204,500. The previous week's average was revised up by 500 from 209,500 to 210,000.

WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced funding of a $975,000 Disaster Recovery National Dislocated Worker Grant (DWG) awarded to Workforce West Virginia to assess workforce needs in response to storms that brought heavy rainfall and flooding throughout seven counties. The funding will assist the following seven counties declared eligible for the Federal Emergency Management Agency's Public Assistance Program: Grant, Hampshire, Hardy, Jefferson, Mineral, Morgan, and Pendleton.