WASHINGTON – U.S. Assistant Secretary of Labor for Public Affairs Julie McClain Downey issued the following statement on the April 2023 Employment Situation Report:

“Today, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that the American economy added 253,000 jobs in the month of April, and the unemployment rate ticked down to a historic low mark of 3.4 percent – the lowest since May 1969. The last time the unemployment rate was lower was October 1953. 

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor announced today that a new report finds that nearly half of workplace accommodations made for people with disabilities can be implemented at no cost to employers, and of those that do incur a one-time cost, the median expenditure has decreased when compared to previous reports to only $300.

Employer:                       The Heart and Medical Center                                     

Investigation sites:    2701 W. University Blvd.

                                              Durant, OK 74701                                  

In the week ending April 29, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 242,000, an increase of 13,000 from the previous week's revised level. The previous week's level was revised down by 1,000 from 230,000 to 229,000. The 4-week moving average was 239,250, an increase of 3,500 from the previous week's revised average. The previous week's average was revised down by 250 from 236,000 to 235,750.

GARY, IN – Like all first responders, firefighters employed by the City of Gary must be ready to respond when and wherever needed. In general, they work a 106-hour schedule at fire stations every two weeks in shifts sometimes lasting 24 hours or longer. When duty forces them to exceed their typical schedules, federal law requires their employer to pay overtime wages at time-and-one-half their hourly rates.

Participants:            

U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration

Holder Construction Group LLC

Georgia Tech On-Site Consultation Program

What:  Safety partnership agreement

LOUISVILLE, KY – Working in a kitchen late at night near dangerous cooking equipment is a reality for many adults in the food service industry. But finding 10-year-old kids in such a work environment is a cause for concern and action by the U.S. Department of Labor.

HARRISBURG, PA – A federal court has issued a preliminary injunction in response to the U.S. Department of Labor’s request to enjoin and restrain the owner of a Popeyes franchise restaurant in Harrisburg and its district manager from threatening workers, harassing federal investigators, and otherwise obstructing an investigation by the department’s Wage and Hour Division.

HONOLULU – The U.S. Department of Labor has recovered $101,694 in back wages and liquidated damages from the owners of a Honolulu restaurant who denied full wages to 10 chefs — many of whom worked as many as 20 hours of overtime each week — by illegally excluding them from overtime compensation.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced that its Occupational Safety and Health Administration has begun a National Emphasis Program to prevent falls, the leading cause of fatal workplace injuries and the violation the agency cites most frequently in construction industry inspections.

CHICAGO – Health plan participants, employers and medical providers harmed by a multiple employer welfare arrangement, or “MEWA” operating in 36 states will begin to finally receive payments related to more than $54 million in unpaid health claims after a federal court’s action, prompted by litigation and investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor.

WESTBURY, NY - El Departamento de Trabajo de EE. UU. ha recuperado más de $333,000 en salarios atrasados y daños y perjuicios para 51 personas empleadas en una empresa de mantenimiento de Long Island que emitía cheques por separado para sus empleados para ocultar que la empresa no pagaba los salarios por horas extras cuando lo requería la ley.

WESTBURY, NY – The U.S. Department of Labor has recovered more than $333,000 in back wages and liquidated damages for 51 employees of a Long Island maintenance company that issued separate checks to workers to mask the company’s failure to pay overtime wages when required by law.

WASHINGTON – To continue to expand Registered Apprenticeships, prepare young workers for good quality jobs and strengthen the nation’s workforce to meet industry demands, the U.S. Department of Labor today announced the award of $90 million in grants to 68 organizations in 32 states to provide training and employment services.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced an incremental award of $985,474 to the Washington State Department of Employment Security to support its continued efforts to provide temporary jobs and employment and training services for eligible individuals in Grays Harbor, Lewis, Mason, Pacific and Thurston counties.

WASHINGTON – An ongoing investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration has found Amazon failed to provide adequate medical treatment for traumatic and chronic injuries at a fulfillment center in Castleton, New York.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced that monthly impact inspections by its Mine Safety and Health Administration at 16 mines in 12 states in March 2023 have identified 205 violations, including 52 significant and substantial findings.

SANTA MARIA, CA – A federal investigation has found the owner and operator of five central California residential care homes denied overtime wages to 42 caregivers by requiring them to sign away their rights to overtime in exchange for an extra $1 per hour worked and creating a second payroll to hide the fraud.

WASHINGTON – To help states build systems to prevent and detect future fraud more effectively, the U.S. Department of Labor today announced the availability of up to $200 million in grants funded by the American Rescue Plan Act.

In the week ending April 22, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 230,000, a decrease of 16,000 from the previous week's revised level. The previous week's level was revised up by 1,000 from 245,000 to 246,000. The 4-week moving average was 236,000, a decrease of 4,000 from the previous week's revised average. The previous week's average was revised up by 250 from 239,750 to 240,000.