DOL Newsletter 7/3

Recognizing the risks that extreme heat has long posed to certain workers, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration will propose the first-ever federal safety standard addressing excessive heat in the workplace. On Tuesday, Acting Secretary of Labor Julie Su joined President Joe Biden at the District of Columbia Emergency Response Center where he announced the upcoming proposed rule and other administration actions addressing extreme temperatures.

• News release
• White House fact sheet 
• Heat safety resources 

We’ve awarded millions of dollars in grant funding to support veterans, workers and more:

• More than $57 million to help homeless and at-risk veterans re-enter the workforce. 
• More than $56 million to help reduce recidivism and assist people in re-entering their communities after being incarcerated.
• Nearly $47 million to 14 organizations to help overcome structural barriers and improve access to employment opportunities. 
• $600,000 in incremental funding to continue employment and training services displaced by workplace fire in North Carolina. 

We've seen a troubling increase in wage theft by customs brokers and freight-forwarding and logistics companies operating near the Mexican border. For example, recent investigations in San Diego found some workers paid less than $3 per hour. “Companies along the U.S. southern border that mistakenly believe they can exploit Mexican nationals by paying illegally low wages should take note of the outcome of these investigations,” said Wage and Hour Division District Director Min Park-Chung.

The gender pay gap is wider for older women, which means that while overall, women who work full-time, year-round are paid 84 cents for every dollar men are paid, women 50+ are paid 75 cents or less. The Women’s Bureau’s latest research highlights how, over the course of their careers, women lose an average of nearly $400,000 relative to white non-Hispanic men due to gender and racial wage gaps.

Recent updates to grant guidance will ensure federal funds are used efficiently while also giving state and local governments more tools to advance good jobs, increase equity in hiring and reach other community-specific goals.

On July 1, our final rule extending overtime protections for millions of salaried workers went into effect.

We recovered more than $555,000 for 2,607 employees of Intuit — the multinational business software company — after recordkeeping errors deprived them of required overtime wages.

We’re making $12.7 million available in grants to provide safety and health training to workers around the country, including underserved workers and those in hazardous jobs. Apply by July 26.

After a farmworker died who had been harvesting oranges with a heat index over 90, we cited a Florida labor contractor for not taking required steps to protect employees from high temperatures.

OCIO worked collaboratively with the Mine Safety and Health Administration to develop a new tool that provides quick access to health services tailored to miners' needs.

We recovered nearly $196,000 in back wages and damages for 22 home care workers in Washington who were not paid required overtime rates, and in some cases, the federal minimum wage.

For the last 60 years, Job Corps has been a catalyst for the careers of young people across the country. The program inspires confidence, independence and success by offering free training in some of the nation’s fastest-growing industries.

⚠️ Know your rights: When it comes to extreme heat at work, you have the right to speak up about hazards without fear of retaliation. You also may request an OSHA inspection and speak to our inspectors. Learn more at osha.gov/heat.

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⚠️ Conozca sus derechos: Cuando se trata de calor extremo en el trabajo, tiene derecho a hablar de los peligros sin temor a represalias. También puede solicitar una inspección de la Administración de Seguridad y Salud Ocupacional (OSHA) y hablar con nuestros inspectores. Más información en osha.gov/heat.

#heat #workers #labor #calor @nioshusa 

-U.S. Department of Labor Instagram

Washington Post: OSHA proposes rule to protect workers from extreme heat

Fox 5 San Diego: $840K recovered in wage theft investigation into San Diego-area companies

News Center Maine: Unum reaches settlement with US Department of Labor over practices on evidence of insurability

Entrepreneur.com: Department of Labor announces $12.7M in training grants

Federal News Network: Podcast interview with Assistant Secretary James Rodriguez

CalMatters: State regulators struggle to ensure farms are providing safe housing for workers