🏅If defending worker rights were an Olympic sport, we’d be on the podium

More than simply roads and bridges, infrastructure encompasses America's workforce system. As historical investments are improving America's physical infrastructure, Acting Secretary Su is underscoring how they're creating more opportunities for America's workers, including many communities that have historically been shut out. 

Acting Secretary of Labor Julie Su met with leaders of the Navajo Nation and worker advocates while in Arizona. Heat safety, the good jobs being created by the Investing in America agenda, and how the department can help bring more high-quality, good-paying jobs to the Navajo Nation were key topics of conversation.

The National League of Cities and mayors from around the country joined department leaders in D.C. this week for a “Good Jobs, Great Cities” convening. The event highlighted city-led initiatives to train workers from historically underserved and underrepresented communities for jobs in infrastructure, clean energy and advanced manufacturing. Acting Secretary Su emphasized how the Biden-Harris administration’s Investing in America agenda is supporting these and other opportunities around the country, saying, “We are proud that this work has led to the creation of almost 16 million jobs.”

Acting Secretary Su and a delegation from our Bureau of International Labor Affairs discussed shared labor and employment priorities at the G20 Labor and Employment Ministers’ Meeting in Brazil last week. The conversation covered creating good jobs with union protections, transitioning to clean energy and addressing the gender pay gap. Before the meeting began, the U.S. and Brazil launched a campaign calling for joint global action to address the impacts of workplace heat stress.

• Read highlights from the G20 meeting
• Watch: A G20 message from Acting Secretary Su and department leaders

The department hosted a roundtable on workers and AI this week, where Acting Secretary Su and other department representatives heard from industry, workforce and worker representatives. The conversation focused on building skills and strategies to empower workers who may be affected by increased AI adoption. The roundtable builds on our efforts related to the Executive Order on the Safe, Secure, and Trustworthy Development and Use of Artificial Intelligence.

We’ve awarded more than $2 million in grants this week, including:

• Over $1.5 million to continue employment and training services for transitioning Fort Bliss service members and spouses
• $800,000 to support wildfire recovery efforts in New Mexico

After more than 20 years as the principal resource for government benefits, Benefits.gov will shut down in September. USA.gov will be your new location to find federal government benefits information including cash assistance, housing help, healthcare and more.

Two New Jersey construction companies must pay $600,000 to 131 former employees after our investigation uncovered an illegal bonus pay scheme.

An OSHA investigation found CMD Endeavors repeatedly ignored federal safety measures, resulting in penalties for failing to prevent a trench fatality.

Join us in person or virtually Sept. 5 for a special event unveiling our latest findings on child labor and forced labor, with a panel discussion on corporate accountability.

Safe + Sound Week is Aug. 12-18. Don’t miss this opportunity to make your workplace safer along with thousands of others around the country.

A Pennsylvania home care services provider must pay 66 home health aides back wages and damages after we found the employer willfully denied them overtime pay.

The July jobs report showed ongoing low unemployment, with the economy adding 114,000 jobs, led by growth in health care and construction.

POV: When you hear how much unpaid overtime the Labor Department recovered for healthcare workers in Pennsylvania and realize that's just one case they announced this week.
📷: @snoopdogg at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris. @arturoholmesphotos
#ParisOlympics2024 #WorkersRights #Healthcare #WageTheft
-@USDOL

Maybe we’re biased, but we think we’ve had some pretty solid posts this week. Did you miss them? Follow us on social media for the latest labor news and memes.

• HR Dive: DOL recovers $35.8M in back wages and damages from Pittsburgh nursing facilities
• Wisconsin Public Radio: Department of Labor awards $4 million for health care apprenticeships in south central Wisconsin
• KTVB7: H-2A workers employed in Payette receive back wages, damages