October 5, 2022

US Department of Labor, UniFirst reach agreement to resolve alleged gender-based pay discrimination at New Kensington facility

NEW KENSINGTON, PA – The U.S. Department of Labor has entered into an early resolution conciliation agreement with one of the nation’s largest uniform providers to pay $104,568, in back pay and interest to 37 former and current female employees in the company’s New Kensington production facility to resolve alleged pay discrimination identified in a routine audit.

October 5, 2022

US Department of Labor cites Missouri Contractor in fatal Dudley trench collapse

DUDLEY, MO ‒ A federal workplace safety investigation alleges that a Dexter construction contractor might have prevented a pipelayer’s fatal injuries in a trench collapse on April 8, 2022, if the company had used trench safety protection measures as required by law.

The worker was installing storm water drainage in an 8-foot-deep trench along Old Highway 60 in Dudley when the tragedy occurred.

October 4, 2022

US Department of Labor, Loomis Armored US enter agreement resolving alleged race- and gender-based hiring discrimination at Houston facility

HOUSTON – The U.S. Department of Labor has entered into a conciliation agreement with a leading armored security provider to the financial industry to resolve alleged systemic race- and gender-based hiring discrimination at its Houston facility.

October 4, 2022

Court enters consent order requiring Connecticut, New York-based bakeries to pay $952K to 74 employees following US Labor Department investigation, litigation

HARTFORD, CT – An investigation and litigation by the U.S. Department of Labor have resulted in a federal court ordering three bakeries located in Danbury, Connecticut, and Mount Vernon, New York, and their owner/officer to pay nearly $1 million in back wages and liquidated damages to 74 employees to resolve violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act.

October 4, 2022

US Department of Labor awards $2M grant to help improve labor conditions, prevent forced, child labor in Uzbekistan’s cotton industry

WASHINGTON The U.S. Department of Labor today announced the award of a $2 million cooperative agreement to support the improvement of labor conditions and prevent forced labor and child labor in Uzbekistan’s cotton industry.

October 4, 2022

Sonic franchise operator fined nearly $42K after federal investigation finds teens allowed to work beyond legal limits at three Wichita-area locations

NEWTON, KS – For many teens, working at a fast-food restaurant is a first job. For 50 teens – ages 14 and 15 – working at three Sonic drive-in locations near Wichita – that meant being employed in excess of the number of hours allowed by child labor laws and during nighttime hours not permitted by law, a U.S. Department of Labor investigation has found. 

October 3, 2022

US Department of Labor announces $80M funding opportunity to help train, expand, diversify nursing workforce; address shortage of nurses

WASHINGTON – The unprecedented demands that the pandemic placed on the nation’s nurses – combined with retirements and an aging workforce – have greatly increased the need for nursing workers in the U.S.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that more than 275,000 additional nurses are needed from 2020 to 2030, and that employment opportunities for nurses will grow at 9 percent, faster than all other occupations from 2016 through 2026.

September 30, 2022

READOUT: At US Department of Labor, Workers’ Voice Summit stresses collaboration in addressing workers’ rights concerns

WASHINGTON – U.S. Department of Labor officials gathered with workers, union representatives and labor organizers from a range of industries to discuss the value of building relationships and collaborating on ideas to address workers’ concerns at its Workers’ Voice Summit, Sept. 27-29, 2022.

September 30, 2022

US Department of Labor invites Florida’s highway construction industry employers to join survey to set accurate prevailing wage rates

ATLANTA – The U.S. Department of Labor is asking Florida highway construction industry employers to participate in a survey to help the department’s Wage and Hour Division establish prevailing wage rates, as required by federal law.

September 30, 2022

Un tribunal dicta una orden acordada que requiere que USPack Logistics pague $575,000 a 62 mensajeros de Massachusetts para resolver denuncias de que los clasificó erróneamente como contratistas independientes

BOSTON – Un servicio de mensajería que supuestamente clasificaba erróneamente a los conductores como contratistas independientes en su sucursal de Shrewsbury y les negaba sus derechos según la Ley de Normas Justas de Trabajo pagará un total de $575,000 en salarios atrasados y daños y perjuicios a los 62 conductores y asegur

September 30, 2022

Court enters consent order requiring USPack Logistics to pay $575K to 62 Massachusetts couriers to resolve allegations of independent contractors' misclassification

BOSTON – A courier service that allegedly misclassified drivers as independent contractors at its Shrewsbury location and denied them their rights under the Fair Labor Standards Act will pay a total of $575,000 in back wages and liquidated damages to the 62 drivers, and ensure future FLSA compliance at all its U.S. locations under a consent judgment the U.S. Department of Labor has obtained.

September 30, 2022

Chicago restaurant pays $17K in penalties for not complying with Department of Labor subpoena for wage investigation

Date of action:                     Sept. 20, 2022

Type of action:                    Judgement

Names of defendants:     Reza's Tower Inc., also known as Reza Oak Brook Inc.

                                                     Reza and Ryan Toulabi

Court:                                       U.S. District Court Northern District of Illinois

September 29, 2022

US Department of Labor urges Midwest employers to emphasize lawn worker safety after lawn mower roll-over deaths in Nebraska, Missouri

KANSAS CITY, MOIn two incidents in September, Midwest workers operating riding mowers suffered fatal injuries when the machines rolled over on top of them, prompting the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration to alert employers to train workers of the hazards they face and how to avoid them.

September 29, 2022

US Department of Labor urges first responders, recovery crews, public to be vigilant, protect themselves from hazards in Hurricane Ian recovery

ATLANTA – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration reminds first responders, those involved in rescue and recovery efforts, and residents in areas affected by Hurricane Ian to be vigilant and protect themselves from the many hazards that flooding, power loss, structural damage, fallen trees and storm debris may create.

September 29, 2022

US Department of Labor launches awareness effort for miners with black lung, promote testing to reduce exposures to hazardous levels of coal dust

WASHINGTON The U.S. Department of Labor today announced an effort to raise awareness of regulations that give coal miners with development of pneumoconiosis, or black lung, the right to work at a section of a mine with lower levels of dust without having their pay reduced or fearing discrimination or termination.

September 29, 2022

US Department of Labor renews ‘Star Level’ designation of Huber Engineered Woods LLC for workplace safety, health achievements

Participant:   Huber Engineered Woods LLC,  Easton, Maine.

Description:  Huber Engineered Woods, which employs about 135 workers in Easton, manufactures oriented strand board for commercial and residential construction.

September 29, 2022

Unemployment Insurance Weekly Claims Report

In the week ending September 24, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 193,000, a decrease of 16,000 from the previous week's revised level. The previous week's level was revised down by 4,000 from 213,000 to 209,000. The 4-week moving average was 207,000, a decrease of 8,750 from the previous week's revised average. The previous week's average was revised down by 1,000 from 216,750 to 215,750.