Celebrating 10 Years of National Apprenticeship Week

In its 10th year, National Apprenticeship Week features thousands of events and proclamations reflecting the theme, “Celebrating 10 Years of Engagement, Expansion and Innovation.” The week collectively highlights Registered Apprenticeship’s ability to unite stakeholders across the country to meet critical workforce needs and connect job seekers to career pathways in high-growth, high-demand industry sectors such as infrastructure, cybersecurity, healthcare, construction and education. Since its inception in 2015, more than 1.4 million people have participated in over 10,000 National Apprenticeship Week events.

We launched the Apprentice Trailblazer initiative last year to create a national network of apprentices and apprenticeship graduates to spread the word about the benefits of Registered Apprenticeship. This week, Trailblazers from around the country gathered at the White House, where Acting Secretary Su and department representatives applauded their accomplishments over the past year.

• Apprentice Trailblazers took over the department’s Instagram account
• Watch a video from Acting Secretary Su at the Trailblazer event
• Learn more about the Apprentice Trailblazer initiative
• See what the Trailblazers have accomplished over the past year

Learn about our Office of Disability Employment Policy’s efforts to promote disability-inclusive apprenticeship programs.

On Nov. 20, we inducted the latest members of the Department of Labor's Hall of Honor in Washington. Labor leaders Larry Dulay Itliong, Philip Vera Cruz and Peter Gines Velasco organized Filipino farmworkers and in 1965 led the Delano Grape Strike. They were early leaders of the United Farm Workers union and fought for greater protections, fairer wages and humane treatment for these essential workers.

• Learn more about their courageous efforts
• Watch Acting Secretary’s remarks during the ceremony

The newly updated National Database of Childcare Prices shows the price of childcare for U.S. families is more than a month’s rent for many, forcing parents with younger children to spend a significant portion of family income on these expenses. Nationwide, the NDCP finds families spend between 8.9 percent and 16 percent of their median income for full-day care for one child with 2022 annual prices ranging from $6,552 to $15,600. “Families are struggling, and women are disproportionately impacted. The American Rescue Plan has helped but more federal investments are needed to ensure childcare is accessible and affordable for all,” said Women’s Bureau Director Wendy Chun-Hoon.

A Department of Labor investigation found a subsidiary of General Dynamics Corp., one of the world’s largest defense contractors, brought 36 engineers from a Mexicali subsidiary to San Diego to install power plants, engines and machinery; complete structures and finish and furnish interiors aboard U.S. naval vessels and paid them in pesos below the federal minimum wage rate. The employer paid the engineers $719,135 in back wages and an equal amount in damages and signed a comprehensive compliance agreement to avoid future violations.

We awarded more than $10 million this week, including:

• $5 million for dislocated worker grant funding for temporary jobs, workforce training to Kentucky after 2023 severe storms
• $5 million to the International Labour Organization to address child and forced labor and improve working conditions

Our Wage and Hour Division is now on Instagram. Follow them at @WHD_DOL for the latest news, tips and resources on wage and hour issues.
 

A federal court has forbidden a Mississippi fish farm from hiding and falsifying evidence, and threatening workers with physical harm, deportation or firing if they communicate with our investigators.

An Ohio logistics company failed to include bonuses in wages when calculating overtime, leading the Wage and Hour Division to recover over $56K in back wages and damages for workers in four states.

OSHA has again cited an iron foundry in New York for violating federal regulations by exposing workers to fire and explosion dangers.

The open enrollment period is an opportunity for many to review their job-based coverage and make changes to protect themselves and their family.

A federal court approved a plan to make a final distribution of $12 million in assets to health plan participants and medical providers in 36 states.

We're requesting information from retirement plan administrators via an online search tool to help America’s workers locate lost retirement savings they earned.

The Biden-Harris administration has invested more than $730 million to expand Registered Apprenticeships, leading to the hiring of more than one million apprentices across the country since President Biden took office.

Does your job involve helping the rest of us get into the holiday spirit? Before you climb that ladder or use a lift to hang lights and decorations… 🎄 Inspect it 🎄 Set it on a level surface 🎄 Use fall protection. Get tips here ⤵️ https://lnkd.in/d2jhH6q #HolidaySafety #OSHA

• SHRM: DOL Publishes Skills-Based Hiring Guide
• HR Dive: Feds fine logistics company for failing to include bonuses in workers overtime rates
• Boston.com: Target fined $176K by OSHA after worker dies from fall at Burlington location
• Long Island Press:OSHA considering changing fire brigade laws
• Virginia Business:Smithfield Foods to pay $2M to settle child labor claims
• KWTV-DT: Oklahoma CareerTech Expands Apprenticeship Opportunities With Federal Grant