JACKSON, TN – The U.S. Department of Labor and Tennessee faucet manufacturer Delta Faucet Co. have reached a settlement to resolve alleged violations of the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) after the company terminated an employee for exercising his right to take time off to care for a family member. Delta Faucet Co. has paid the former employee $50,000 in back wages and liquidated damages.

IRON RIVER, MI – The U.S. Department of Labor has found Michigan ski resort Ski Brule Inc. in violation of the labor provisions of the H-2B temporary visa program and the child labor provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) after an investigation by the Department's Wage and Hour Division (WHD) in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Under the terms of the consent findings and settlement agreement approved by an administrative law judge, Ski Brule Inc.

BRIDGEPORT, WV – After a U.S. Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division (WHD) investigation, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of West Virginia has ordered Fire & Safety Investigation Consulting Services LLC, based in Bridgeport, West Virginia, and its owner Christopher Harris to pay 70 employees $817,902 in back wages and an equal amount in liquidated damages.

BILLINGS, MT – The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the Montana Contractor Compensation Fund (MCCF) have signed an alliance to protect employees from construction industry hazards. MCCF is a group insurance company formed by the Montana Contractors Association to help control workers' compensation costs.

AMARILLO, TX – After an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division (WHD), Carniceria La Popular Inc. has paid $34,319 in back wages and an equal amount in liquidated damages to resolve overtime and recordkeeping violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). WHD also assessed $5,750 in civil money penalties for child labor violations.

WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Labor is helping millions of working Americans gain access to quality, affordable health insurance for themselves and their families.

Many small businesses and their employees have struggled with government restrictions that limit access to quality, affordable health coverage. This Association Health Plan (AHP) reform will address many of the inequities between small and large businesses in access to that coverage.

WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced the launch of Apprenticeship.gov.

NEW YORK, NY – Following a U.S. Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division (WHD) investigation and federal court trial, four restaurants operating under the name Gina La Fornarina and their owner Paola Pedrignani have paid $363,284 in back wages and liquidated damages to 109 employees, resolving violations of overtime and recordkeeping requirements of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

In the week ending June 9, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 218,000, a decrease of 4,000 from the previous week's unrevised level of 222,000. The 4-week moving average was 224,250, a decrease of 1,250 from the previous week's unrevised average of 225,500.

CHARLESTON, WV – The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia has ordered six restaurants in West Virginia and Ohio and their owners to pay $111,024 in back wages and damages to 27 employees after the U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division (WHD) found Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) violations. The court also imposed a $20,150 civil money penalty.

VIDALIA, GA – The U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division (WHD) has revoked the certificate of registration for farm labor contractor J.C. Longoria Castro and debarred him from applying for H-2A certification for three years for violating the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and the Migrant and Seasonal Agricultural Worker Protection Act (MSPA). WHD also found he violated labor provisions of the H-2A visa program at worksites in Georgia and Wisconsin.

SAN DIEGO, CA – After an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division (WHD), the owners of Adriana Elderly Care Homes Inc. will pay $86,486 to 19 employees to resolve overtime violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). The company – based in Mission Viejo, California – operates four facilities for elderly patients and others with mental disabilities.

WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Workers' Compensation Programs (OWCP) has published a final rule under the Black Lung Benefits Act conforming the Department's payment of medical benefits for disabled coal miners to industry standards and streamlining bill-processing procedures.

WASHINGTON, DC – Metropolitan Life Insurance Company and Brighthouse Life Insurance Company have agreed to work with the U.S. Department of Labor to determine whether more than 2,000 retirement plans in their custody are abandoned. If plans are found to be abandoned, the companies will submit them to the Department's Abandoned Plan Program (APP). This may result in distributions of up to approximately $116 million to 20,000 participants. Ascensus Trust Company will be submitting plans to the Abandoned Plan Program on behalf of MetLife and Brighthouse.

DARLINGTON, SC – An investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division (WHD) has resulted in the Darlington County, South Carolina, Sheriff's Office paying $48,229 in back wages to six deputies for violating overtime and recordkeeping requirements of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

APPLETON, WI ‒ The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has cited Appleton roofing contractor Hector Hernandez again after OSHA inspectors observed employees exposed to falls and other safety hazards at two Wisconsin job sites. OSHA proposed penalties of $120,320.

CHICAGO, IL – The U.S. Department of Labor has entered into an agreement with the fiduciaries of the National Allied Workers Union (NAWU) Local 831 Insurance Trust Fund to restore $1,113,636 to the Chicago-based health insurance trust fund after an investigation found violations of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA). The fiduciaries will make an immediate payment of $813,636 to the NAWU Local 831 Insurance Trust Fund – Claims Reserve Account and $300,000 to the NAWU Local 831 Insurance Trust Fund – Independent Fiduciary Payment Account.

ARLINGTON, VA – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) has announced the availability of $10,537,000 in state grant funding to provide federally mandated training and retraining of miners and mine operators working at surface and underground coal and metal and nonmetal mines.

DENVER, CO – The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has cited EnviroTech Services Inc. – based in Greeley, Colorado – after an employee died due to lack of oxygen while cleaning the inside of a railcar. A second employee who tried to rescue the co-worker was also overcome, but survived. EnviroTech Services Inc. faces $64,857 in proposed penalties.

WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Labor today released the following statement regarding the Bureau of Labor Statistics' (BLS) Contingent and Alternative Employment Arrangements survey (May 2017):

"The Bureau of Labor Statistics this morning released the results of its 2017 Contingent Worker Survey; BLS anticipates releasing the results of the Contingent Worker Supplement questions this September.