August 24, 2023

Department of Labor orders Vermont agricultural equipment company to reinstate employee fired for raising environmental concerns

BOSTON – In early June 2022, an employee of a Vermont company that sells and services agricultural equipment observed their employer pumping wastewater from the facility’s service bays onto the ground bordering the Winooski River in Berlin. The employee reported their concerns about the potential harm to the river, first to supervisors and then to the state’s Department of Environmental Conservation.

August 24, 2023

US Department of Labor sues Waukegan contractor who refuses to pay more than $360K in penalties for repeatedly endangering roofing employees

CHICAGO – The U.S. Department of Labor has filed suit in federal court to force a Waukegan roofing contractor to pay $360,531 in penalties for repeatedly exposing employees to falls from elevations, the leading cause of fatal injuries in the construction industry.

August 23, 2023

US Department of Labor orders North Dakota Department of Environmental Quality to remove reprimand from employee’s personnel file

BISMARCK, ND A federal whistleblower investigation has found the North Dakota Department of Environmental Quality illegally retaliated against an environmental scientist after they reported safety concerns about the public water system to management and later contacted the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

August 23, 2023

Department of Labor files lawsuit to require DISH Network to provide employment data to complete compliance review at New Jersey location

NEW YORK– The U.S. Department of Labor has filed a lawsuit against DISH Network Corp. seeking an order to compel the company to provide documents and information needed to complete a review of the federal contractor’s equal employment opportunity practices at its Roseland, New Jersey, location.

August 23, 2023

US Department of Labor recovers $174K in back wages for 50 caregivers employed by Fayetteville independent living service that failed to pay overtime

Employer:                              CAH Inc., operating as Community Alternative Housing

Investigation site:                  2905 Breezewood Ave.

                                                Suite 104 

                                                Fayetteville, NC 28303

August 23, 2023

US Department of Labor awards $1.3M grant to State of Illinois to accelerate gender equity, inclusion in infrastructure workforce

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced the award of a $1.3 million grant to the State of Illinois and Chicago Women in Trades to support the creation of equity plans and their adoption and increase women’s inclusion and equity in construction industry jobs. Funds will also allow Illinois to evaluate state and local workforce development programs for diversifying the clean energy and construction workforce.

August 23, 2023

Department of Labor announces corporate-wide settlement agreement with Dollar Tree, Family Dollar to address hazards at thousands of US stores

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor announced today that its Occupational Safety and Health Administration has entered into a corporate-wide settlement agreement with the operators of one of the nation’s largest discount retail chains to improve workplace safety significantly in stores nationwide. A key pillar of President Biden’s plan — Bidenomics — is empowering to grow the middle class.

August 22, 2023

Department of Labor obtains order requiring Illinois care provider to pay $324K in back wages, damages to 159 workers denied overtime

CHICAGO – The U.S. Department of Labor has obtained a consent order from a federal judge that orders the owner and administrator of an Illinois home care and home healthcare provider to pay $324,049 in back wages and liquidated damages as part of the department’s effort to recover overtime denied to 159 healthcare workers.

August 22, 2023

Alabama manufacturing facility exposed employees to safety hazards by using unguarded saws, Department of Labor investigation finds

ECLECTIC, AL ‒ The Texas-based operator of an Eclectic manufacturing facility could have prevented a 20-year-old worker from suffering an amputation if the employer had followed required federal safety standards, a U.S. Department of Labor investigation determined.

August 22, 2023

US Department of Labor recovers $103K in back wages, damages for 104 Dallas workers after foundation contractor failed to pay overtime

EmployerS & W Renovation & Landscape Contractor Inc. operating as S&W Foundation Contractors

Investigation site:
2806 Singleton St.
Rowlett, TX 75088                                

August 22, 2023

Department of Labor finds operators of 13 South Carolina Sonic Drive-Ins illegally employed 91 minors to work longer, later than allowed

COLUMBIA, SC – As part of its continuing effort to reverse a significant national increase in child labor violations by employers, the U.S.

August 22, 2023

Contractor’s safety failures continue as federal inspectors find employees exposed to deadly fall hazards twice within 2 months

WASHINGTON, MO – Twice within two months in 2023, U.S. Department of Labor inspectors observed Cheltenham Construction Services — a contractor with a history of workplace safety violations dating back to 2015 — once again exposing employees to deadly fall hazards as they performed siding and roofing work in Lake St. Louis and O’Fallon.

August 21, 2023

US Department of Labor recovers $77K in wages, benefits for 10 workers working on a federal contract at Cherry Point, Camp Lejeune

Raleigh, nc – A federal investigation has found that a Virginia-based information technology support company under contract with the U.S. Marine Corps incorrectly classified 10 workers as exempt from overtime, leading to the recovery of $77,627 in back wages and benefits owed to them.

August 21, 2023

Federal investigation into employee’s fatal fall finds San Antonio wire drawing company willfully exposed workers to unsafe forklift hazards

SAN ANTONIO – A federal investigation has found that a San Antonio wire drawing company could have prevented an employee from suffering fatal injuries by following required workplace safety standards.

August 21, 2023

Department of Labor seeks reinstatement, back wages from Tyler pipe manufacturer that allegedly fired employee who raised safety concerns

TYLER, TX – The U.S. Department of Labor filed a lawsuit against Tyler Pipe Company alleging violations of federal whistleblower protections after the company fired an employee because they requested to use a respirator to protect them from smoke and fumes in the work area.

August 21, 2023

US Department of Labor finds 5 Florida skating rinks illegally employing minors later than allowed, assesses $26K in civil penalties

Employers:    Astro Skating Center of Brandon LLC, operating Astro Skate Family Fun Center of Brandon

                        750 W. Robertson St., Brandon, FL 33511

                        Astro Skating Center of Ormond Beach LLC, operating Astro Skate Ormond Beach

                        250 US-1, Ormond Beach, FL 32174

                        CMC Realty Inc., operating Astro Skating Center Tarpon Springs