WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Secretary of Labor Eugene Scalia traveled to Knoxville, Tennessee, where he highlighted the Department’s recent announcement of $90 million in grant funding to help individuals who are exiting the justice system re-enter the workforce. In a roundtable discussion with leadership from grant recipient Knoxville Leadership Foundation and other community representatives, Secretary Scalia discussed effective strategies for supporting re-entry to the workforce of those leaving the criminal justice system. He also visited, with Congressman Tim Burchett (TN-2), the Knoxville Leadership Foundation’s KnoxWorx program, which helps individuals gain valuable training and credentials that lead to jobs. 

Secretary Scalia rounded out his trip with a visit to Tennessee College of Applied Technology in Morristown, Tennessee, where he was joined by Congressman Phil Roe (TN-1) for a roundtable discussion with local manufacturers and community leaders. Following the roundtable, Secretary Scalia and Congressman Roe toured the McNeilus Steel manufacturing facility and met with employees.

“As we work to safely re-open our economy, our focus must be on providing opportunities for all Americans to participate in the workforce,” said Secretary Scalia. “Organizations like Knoxville Leadership Foundation and their partners do so by helping those who have served their time in the criminal justice system transition back into their communities and the workforce. Businesses like McNeilus Steel advance opportunity by creating jobs and training workers to fill them. Together, public resources and private sector ingenuity will be catalysts for an American economy even stronger than before.”

“It was an honor to welcome Secretary Scalia to East Tennessee this afternoon and join him in recognizing the Knoxville Leadership Foundation for the work it does in our community,” said Congressman Burchett. “The KnoxWorx program provides individuals exiting the criminal justice system with the skills and knowledge needed to secure and maintain a good-paying job, which is so important to preventing recidivism. I thank the Department of Labor and Secretary Scalia for awarding the Pathway Home grant to the Knoxville Leadership Foundation so it can continue this important work.”

“Manufacturing is one of the backbones of our economy in Northeast Tennessee,” said Congressman Roe. “I am proud to welcome Secretary Scalia to our district to see the good work our manufacturers are doing and to discuss with them the opportunities and challenges they face. Our country has a tough road ahead, but I am encouraged to know that Secretary Scalia and DOL are working to ensure that businesses and workers have the resources they need during this coronavirus pandemic.”

WASHINGTON, DC – Last week, the U.S. Department of Labor took a range of actions to aid American workers and employers as our nation combats the coronavirus pandemic.

Reopening America’s Economy:

• U.S. Secretary of Labor Scalia Addresses Economic Re-Opening And Workplace Safety during Visit to Florida – Secretary Scalia traveled to Jacksonville, Florida to discuss the continued re-opening of the economy and to highlight the importance of workplace safety during the re-opening. He participated in a roundtable discussion with local business and civic leaders, and visited Crowley Maritime, where he met with company executives and employees. Secretary Scalia remarked, “The business leaders I spoke with in Florida today recognize the importance of workplace safety and health as we re-open businesses and the economy. I would like to thank Governor Ron DeSantis for joining me today and for his leadership as Florida focuses on a safe reopening.”

• U.S. Department of Labor Awards More Than $90 Million in Grants to Help Justice-Involved Individuals Enter the Workforce – Secretary Scalia traveled to Boston, Massachusetts to announce $90 million in reentry grants with Pathway Home grant awardee Volunteers of America of Massachusetts. Secretary Scalia stated, “President Trump and his Administration believe in providing a second chance to Americans who have served their time in the criminal justice system. These grants reflect this commitment to helping all Americans find jobs and participate meaningfully in the economy. The assistance the grants provide to men and women transitioning back into society will be especially valuable as we overcome the economic challenges posed by coronavirus."

Keeping America’s Workplaces Safe and Healthy:

• U.S. Department of Labor Using Public Service Announcements and Billboards to Promote Worker Safety and Health Amid Coronavirus – OSHA has undertaken a public service messaging effort to remind workers that the agency is committed to ensuring their safety and health during the coronavirus pandemic. The billboards and announcements are OSHA’s latest efforts to educate and protect American workers and help employers provide healthy workplaces as the coronavirus pandemic evolves. OSHA has published numerous alerts and advisories for various industries, including Guidance on Returning to Work, which assists employers as they reopen businesses and as employees return to work.

• U.S. Department of Labor Issues Guidance to Employers to Help Protect Oil and Gas Workers During the Coronavirus Pandemic – OSHA has released coronavirus-related guidance to reduce the risk of exposure to the coronavirus for oil and gas workers. Employers with workers engaged in the oil and gas industry should remain alert to changing conditions and implement infection prevention measures accordingly.

• U.S. Department of Labor Issues Poster to Keep Meat Packing, Poultry And Pork Workers Safe During the Coronavirus Pandemic – OSHA has issued a new poster listing safety tips employers can follow to help protect meat packing, poultry, and pork workers from exposure to coronavirus. The poster highlights nine infection prevention measures employers can implement during the coronavirus pandemic. Safety measures include encouraging sick workers to stay home, maintaining at least 6 feet of distance between workers, installing partitions along the production line, discouraging workers from sharing equipment and tools, and avoiding the gathering of workers during break periods.

Defending Workers’ Rights to Paid Leave and Wages Earned:

• Pennsylvania Machine Shop to Pay Back Wages After Denying Employee Paid Sick Leave Request During Coronavirus Pandemic – A compliance action by the Wage and Hour Division has led an employer to grant paid sick leave and pay back wages to an employee who requested leave to provide child care due to a coronavirus-related school closing. The agency determined that the employee was entitled to receive paid leave at two-thirds his or her regular rate of pay for up to 12 weeks under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act.

During the coronavirus pandemic, the Department of Labor is focused on protecting the safety and health of American workers, assisting our state partners as they deliver traditional unemployment and expanded unemployment benefits under the CARES Act, ensuring Americans know their rights to new paid sick leave and expanded family and medical leave, providing guidance and assistance to employers, and carrying out the mission of the Department.

The mission of the Department of Labor is to foster, promote and develop the welfare of the wage earners, job seekers and retirees of the United States; improve working conditions; advance opportunities for profitable employment; and assure work-related benefits and rights.

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Secretary of Labor Eugene Scalia traveled to Jacksonville, Florida to discuss the continued re-opening of the economy and to highlight the importance of workplace safety during the re-opening. Secretary Scalia participated in a roundtable discussion with local business and civic leaders, and visited Crowley Maritime, where he met with company executives and employees.

“The business leaders I spoke with in Florida today recognize the importance of workplace safety and health as we re-open businesses and the economy,” said Secretary Scalia. “I would like to thank Governor Ron DeSantis for joining me today and for his leadership as Florida focuses on a safe reopening.”

“In Florida, we are taking a safe, smart, step-by-step approach to re-opening, and this extensive data driven plan will ensure Florida businesses, and residents have the confidence and support to allow our workforce and the state to hit its economic stride,’ said Governor Ron DeSantis. “This would not be possible without the indispensable support of the U.S. Department of Labor through the attention of Secretary Eugene Scalia and the Trump administration that has seen to it that Florida’s needs are heard and met.”

The mission of the Department of Labor is to foster, promote, and develop the welfare of the wage earners, job seekers, and retirees of the United States; improve working conditions; advance opportunities for profitable employment; and assure work-related benefits and rights.

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Secretary of Labor Eugene Scalia issued the following statement regarding President Trump’s Executive Order establishing the White House Hispanic Prosperity Initiative:

“President Trump promised to support American workers of all backgrounds, and to open new pathways to good paying careers. This Executive Order, establishing the White House Hispanic Prosperity Initiative, will expand access to education and the skills needed to work jobs in growing sectors of the economy.

“While the U.S. economy added 4.8 million jobs in June, we can return millions more Americans to work in the weeks and months ahead. Hispanic-Americans are a vital part of the U.S. economy, and providing them access to tools through and outside traditional educational opportunities is a top priority for the Administration.”

WASHINGTON, DC – Last week, the U.S. Department of Labor took a range of actions to aid American workers and employers as our nation combats the coronavirus pandemic.

 Reopening America’s Economy:

• U.S. Secretary of Labor Eugene Scalia Kicks Off Fox News Sunday – Secretary Scalia today discussed June’s historic jobs numbers during an appearance on Fox News Sunday.
   
• Statement by Secretary Scalia on the June Jobs Report – Secretary Scalia applauded the 4.8 million new jobs added to the American economy in June. He said, “[June’s] jobs report shows that our resilient economy continues to return more people to work, more quickly, than forecast. It is heartening to see employment gains across nearly all demographics. The report reflects that we can return millions more Americans to work in the weeks ahead, provided we bear in mind that economic recovery must go hand-in-hand with safe practices and self-discipline.”
   
• U.S. Department of Labor Awards More Than $6 Million in Dislocated Workers Grants in Response to Coronavirus Public Health Emergency – The U.S. Department of Labor announced the award of three Dislocated Worker Grants (DWGs) totaling $6,268,512 to help address the workforce-related impacts of the coronavirus. The Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act provided $345 million for DWGs to prevent, prepare for, and respond to the coronavirus. This latest award follows six previous waves of funding, bringing the total amount awarded to states and territories to $245,249,950.
   

Keeping America’s Workplaces Safe and Healthy:

• U.S. Department of Labor Publishes Frequently Asked Questions and Answers to Help Keep Workers Safe During the Coronavirus Pandemic – The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has published frequently asked questions and answers to help protect workers from exposure to the coronavirus. The FAQs provide guidance to employers and employees about topics such as the best practices to prevent the spread of infection during the coronavirus pandemic, workers’ rights to express concerns about workplace conditions, testing for the coronavirus, worker training, and returning to work.

 Defending Workers’ Rights to Paid Leave and Wages Earned:

• U.S. Department Of Labor Offers Webinars for Business Owners, Employers, and Other Stakeholders on Coronavirus-Related Paid Sick Leave  – The Wage and Hour Division (WHD) in Indianapolis, Indiana, the IRS, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), and the Indiana Department of Workforce Development (DWD) are presenting a webinar on paid sick leave and expanded family and medical leave requirements of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) for employers and business owners.

• U.S. Department of Labor Offers Webinar on Families First Coronavirus Response Act’s Paid Leave Provisions for Employers and Employees – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division in Salt Lake City, Utah, will hold a webinar on July 8, 2020 to help Salt Lake City-area employers and employees understand the benefits and protections provided by the FFCRA. This release is also available in Spanish.
   
• Warehouse Employer Pays Back Wages to Employee Denied Paid Sick Leave Required by New Coronavirus-Related Federal Law – After an investigation by the Wage and Hour Division, an operator of a warehouse in Wilmer, Texas has agreed to pay $857 in back wages after failing to provide an employee paid sick leave after the employee’s doctor ordered the employee with potential coronavirus symptoms to self-quarantine. The leave is permitted under the Emergency Paid Sick Leave Act, part of the FFCRA.
   
• Employer Pays Back Wages to Employee Denied Coronavirus-Related Paid Sick and Family Leave – Wage and Hour Division investigators found that the employer denied emergency paid sick leave to an employee who was experiencing coronavirus symptoms and seeking a medical diagnosis. The employer also denied leave to the employee to care for her child, whose school closed for coronavirus-related reasons. The Wage and Hour Division contacted the employer and informed them of the leave requirements under the new law, which went into effect on April 1, 2020. The employer then paid the employee $2,307 in back wages under the Emergency Paid Sick Leave Act (EPSLA) and $769 under the Emergency Family and Medical Leave Act (EFMLEA) provided by FFCRA.
   

During the coronavirus pandemic, the Department of Labor is focused on protecting the safety and health of American workers, assisting our state partners as they deliver traditional unemployment and expanded unemployment benefits under the CARES Act, ensuring Americans know their rights to new paid sick leave and expanded family and medical leave, providing guidance and assistance to employers, and carrying out the mission of the Department.

The mission of the Department of Labor is to foster, promote and develop the welfare of the wage earners, job seekers and retirees of the United States; improve working conditions; advance opportunities for profitable employment; and assure work-related benefits and rights.

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Secretary of Labor Eugene Scalia issued the following statement on the June 2020 Employment Situation Report:

“Today’s jobs report shows that our resilient economy continues to return more people to work, more quickly, than forecast. It is heartening to see employment gains across nearly all demographics. The report reflects that we can return millions more Americans to work in the weeks ahead, provided we bear in mind that economic recovery must go hand-in-hand with safe practices and self-discipline.”

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Secretary of Labor Eugene Scalia traveled to Columbus, Ohio, to mark the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement’s (USMCA) entry into force. Secretary Scalia participated in a roundtable discussion with JobsOhio, where he highlighted the USMCA’s benefits to American workers and manufacturers and discussed the safe reopening of the economy. The USMCA will create as many as 500,000 or more jobs for workers at a time when many Americans have been forced out of work due to the coronavirus. Secretary Scalia also visited Whirlpool’s manufacturing facility in Marion and met with Whirlpool employees.

“The business leaders and workers I met with today appreciate the importance of USMCA’s entry into force,” said Secretary of Labor Eugene Scalia. “President Trump delivered an historic agreement that represents a new era of fair and reciprocal trade. As our country bounces back from the coronavirus pandemic, USMCA will play a key role in job creation by leveling the playing field between American workers and our continental neighbors. I would like to thank Lt. Governor Husted and Senator Obhof for joining me today and being valuable partners in safely reopening America.”

“Governor DeWine and I were proud to be early supporters of the USMCA trade agreement,” said Lt. Governor Jon Husted. “The USMCA will support job creation and American innovators, farmers, and workers. I’m grateful to Secretary Scalia for coming to Ohio to reinforce what this deal means for Ohioans.”

“USMCA is a better deal for America's workers and job creators,” said Ohio Senate President Larry Obhof. “It will encourage our agricultural, manufacturing and automotive industries to flourish, and it will incentivize investment and growth in Ohio and across the Midwest. Today is a historic day for U.S. trade.”

The mission of the Department of Labor is to foster, promote and develop the welfare of the wage earners, job seekers and retirees of the United States; improve working conditions; advance opportunities for profitable employment; and assure work-related benefits and rights.

WASHINGTON, DC – Last week, the U.S. Department of Labor took a range of actions to aid American workers and employers as our nation combats the coronavirus pandemic.

Reopening America’s Economy:

• Statement by U.S. Secretary of Labor Eugene Scalia On President Trump’s Proclamation – “From his first days in office, one of President Trump’s top priorities has been protecting and supporting American workers and their families. [The] Presidential Proclamation will help ensure that the millions of Americans who are unemployed due to the coronavirus are first in line to fill job openings.”

• U.S. Secretary of Labor Scalia Highlights American Economic Recovery In Dallas, Texas – Secretary Eugene Scalia traveled to Dallas, Texas where he joined the Dallas Regional Chamber of Commerce for a roundtable discussion with local business leaders on safely reopening the economy. He also visited American Leather to meet with both employees and company leadership about the nationwide economic recovery.

• Secretary Scalia Participates in the Joint National Council for the American Worker and American Workforce Policy Advisory Board Meeting – Secretary Scalia joined President Trump, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross, Advisor to the President Ivanka Trump, and private sector leaders for the American Workforce Policy Advisory Board at the White House. The President signed an Executive Order prioritizing skills rather than degrees in federal hiring.

Keeping America’s Workplaces Safe and Healthy:

• U.S. Department of Labor’s OSHA and CDC Issue Interim Guidance To Protect Seafood Processing Industry Workers – OSHA and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in consultation with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), have released joint coronavirus-related interim guidance for employers and workers performing seafood processing operations in onshore facilities and aboard vessels offshore. The guidance includes recommended actions employers can take to reduce the risk of exposure to the coronavirus.

Defending Workers’ Rights to Paid Leave and Wages Earned:

• U.S. Department Of Labor Announces Online Tool to Help Workers Determine Eligibility for Paid Sick Leave Due to Coronavirus – The U.S. Department of Labor launched an interactive online tool to help workers determine if they qualify for paid sick leave or extended family and medical leave to cover time away from work for reasons related to the coronavirus.

• U.S. Department of Labor Offers Webinar on Coronavirus-Related Paid Sick Leave Requirements for Business Owners, Employers, and Other Stakeholders – The Wage and Hour Division office in Kansas City, Kansas, is joining with the IRS and the U.S. Small Business Administration to present a webinar to review paid sick leave requirements, tax relief, and other coronavirus-related information critical for employers and business owners on June 30, 2020.

• U.S. Department of Labor Issues Guidance on Child Labor; Paid Sick And Expanded Family and Medical Leave Amid School and Camp Closures – With school and summer activity schedules greatly altered as America continues to re-open in the wake of the coronavirus, the Wage and Hour Division issued two Field Assistance Bulletins to clarify issues relevant to the pandemic’s effects on the workplace. The bulletins issued specifically address the following:
  • The assessment of when schools that are physically closed for coronavirus-related reasons are considered “in session” for purposes of federal child labor requirements
  • Paid sick or expanded family and medical leave eligibility under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) based on the closure of summer camps, summer enrichment programs, or other summer programs

• Delivery Contractor Pays Back Wages After Denying Paid Sick Leave To Employee Ordered to Self-Quarantine – After an investigation by the Wage and Hour Division, a delivery service contractor has paid $800 in back wages to an employee for wrongly denying paid sick leave for a qualifying reason under the Emergency Paid Sick Leave Act (EPSLA) provisions of the FFCRA. FFCRA allows employees to take paid leave when advised by a healthcare provider to self-quarantine or while seeking a medical diagnosis.

• Non-Dairy Product Manufacturer Pays Back Wages After Denying Paid Sick Leave to Worker Caring for Children With Closed School – An employee of a farm received $5,402 in back wages after an investigation by the Wage and Hour Division found the employer wrongfully denied paid sick leave benefits. The employee requested leave to stay at home caring for children whose school closed due to the coronavirus. The employee’s spouse is a first responder unable to care for their child with the school closed.

• Franchisee Pays Back Wages After Denying Paid Sick Leave To Worker with Children at Home When School Closed During Coronavirus – A resolution by the Wage and Hour Division has led a franchisee to pay $595 in back wages to an employee who missed work to remain home to care for her children due to the lack of childcare during the coronavirus.  When informed, the managers agreed to fully comply and pay the two weeks of leave and 10 weeks of future leave to the employee, a single mother of two working the graveyard shift. 

• Grocery Store to Pay Back Wages After Denying Paid Sick Leave to Worker Whose Children’s School Closed Due to Coronavirus – After an investigation, the Wage and Hour Division found a grocery store location failed to provide paid sick leave benefits to an employee forced to stay at home to care for children whose school closed due to the coronavirus. The employer agreed to pay the required benefits.

• Consulting Service Pays Back Wages After Denying Paid Sick Leave Connected to Coronavirus – After an investigation by the Wage and Hour Division, a consulting service has paid an employee $1,600 in back wages after having failed to provide the employee paid sick leave for work time missed due to testing positive for the coronavirus. Failure to provide sick leave resulted in a violation of the EPSLA provisions of the FFCRA.

• Franchise Pays Employee Back Wages After Wrongly Denying Paid Leave Due to Coronavirus-Related School Closure – After an investigation by the Wage and Hour Division, a franchise has paid an employee $573 in back wages for wrongly denying the worker’s request for paid leave to care for children due to school closures related to the coronavirus pandemic.

• Delivery Contractor Pays Back Wages After Wrongly Denying Paid Sick Leave to Employee Ordered to Quarantine – Wage and Hour Division investigators found that an employer failed to pay an employee paid sick leave despite a healthcare provider’s order for the employee to self-quarantine for two weeks. The FFCRA allows employees to take leave when advised by a healthcare provider to self-quarantine or while experiencing coronavirus symptoms and seeking a medical diagnosis. The employer cooperated fully with investigators and, once it understood its responsibility under the new law, agreed to pay the employee’s full wages for the days quarantined.

During the coronavirus pandemic, the Department of Labor is focused on protecting the safety and health of American workers, assisting our state partners as they deliver traditional unemployment and expanded unemployment benefits under the CARES Act, ensuring Americans know their rights to new paid sick leave and expanded family and medical leave, providing guidance and assistance to employers, and carrying out the mission of the Department.

The mission of the Department of Labor is to foster, promote and develop the welfare of the wage earners, job seekers and retirees of the United States; improve working conditions; advance opportunities for profitable employment; and assure work-related benefits and rights.

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Secretary of Labor Eugene Scalia traveled to Dallas, Texas, where he joined the Dallas Regional Chamber of Commerce for a roundtable discussion with local business leaders on safely reopening the economy. Later in the day, Secretary Scalia visited American Leather, where he met with both employees and company leadership about the nationwide economic recovery.

“Our economy is on the rebound, and it’s evident in places like Dallas where America’s manufacturers are coming back online and bringing employees back to work,” said U.S. Secretary of Labor Eugene Scalia. “At the same time, I’m pleased at how seriously employers, including local business leaders I met with today, are taking the safety and health of their employees. Workplace safety must be a top priority for a successful reopening.”

Secretary Scalia highlighted President Trump’s swift and comprehensive response to the coronavirus pandemic, as well as the Department’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s continued work providing relevant guidance to employers as they meet their duty to protect employees from coronavirus.

The mission of the Department of Labor is to foster, promote and develop the welfare of the wage earners, job seekers and retirees of the United States; improve working conditions; advance opportunities for profitable employment; and assure work-related benefits and rights.

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Secretary of Labor Eugene Scalia issued the following statement regarding President Trump’s Proclamation: Suspension Of Entry Of Immigrants And Nonimmigrants Who Present A Risk To The United States Labor Market During The Economic Recovery Following The 2019 Novel Coronavirus Outbreak.

“From his first days in office, one of President Trump’s top priorities has been protecting and supporting American workers and their families. Today’s Presidential Proclamation will help ensure that the millions of Americans who are unemployed due to the coronavirus are first in line to fill job openings. While we added 2.5 million jobs in May, there are still many more Americans unemployed and eager to return to the workforce.  Getting these Americans back into good-paying jobs is a top priority for the Administration, and the central aim of the President’s Proclamation. The Proclamation also ensures that certain nonimmigrants can be excepted from the suspension where necessary to facilitate the immediate and continued economic recovery of the United States.

“The President’s actions today are supported by important actions being taken at the Department of Labor to reform the H-1B visa program. The Department is strengthening wage protections and addressing abuses in the H-1B program, such as when non-U.S. workers are hired by one company to displace U.S. workers at another company.  The Labor Department is also increasing its cooperation with the Department of Homeland Security to identify businesses that misuse the H-1B program to the detriment of American workers.”