Payroll employment increased by 4.8 million in June, exceeding expectations, according to data released today by BLS. The U.S. economy saw widespread job gains. The unemployment rate fell by 2.2% during the month.

Secretary of Labor Eugene Scalia toured a Whirlpool manufacturing plant in Ohio and held a roundtable discussion with JobsOhio, where he highlighted how American workers and manufacturers will benefit from the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), which took effect on Wednesday.

The Department of Labor announced an interim final rule providing guidance to producers of motor vehicles covered by the USMCA, describing criteria they must meet to qualify for preferential tariff claims under the treaty. The Department also affirmed its commitment to upholding the agreement’s labor provisions, and named panelists for the Rapid Response Labor Mechanism, a USMCA enforcement tool.

This week, the Department announced actions that will benefit American workers and retirees by delivering more choices for their financial future, including proposing a new exemption for investment advice fiduciaries.

The Department has awarded over $53 million in Homeless Veterans’ Reintegration Program grants to 157 recipients that will provide employment services to more than 21,000 homeless veterans seeking to reintegrate into the workforce.

• Release: The latest dislocated worker grants bring the total awarded to states, territories, and tribal governments to $245,249,950.
• Release: A Massachusetts medical company has paid an employee $3,076 in back wages to resolve violations of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act.

The Department has awarded $42.5 million in new Youth Apprenticeship Readiness Grants to 14 organizations that will help thousands of young people earn a paycheck while learning in-demand job skills.

$80.6 million in apprenticeship expansion grants to 42 states and territories will help create opportunities in new and traditional fields for more Americans to get the skills they need for family-sustaining jobs.

A new rule will improve veterans’ access to healthcare by removing TRICARE providers from the authority of the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs.

This October marks the 75th observance of National Disability Employment Awareness Month. This year’s theme will be “Increasing Access and Opportunity.”

OSHA has placed a Missouri contractor in its Severe Violator Enforcement Program after a worker suffered severe injuries when a 20-foot trench collapsed during an excavation.

The Department has awarded more than $6.2 million in grants for the Senior Community Service Employment Program demonstration program, which aims to increase self-sufficiency for people 55 and older through career skills and training.

Under a settlement with the Department, Verizon Communications Inc. has agreed to pay $675,000 in back wages and interest to resolve allegations of hiring discrimination in New Mexico and Oklahoma.

Manufacturing payroll employment increased by 356,000 in June, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data released today.

Is your workplace ready for hurricane season? OSHA has resources to help employers prepare for severe weather and keep workers safe.