September 2, 2022

Statement by US Secretary of Labor Walsh on August Jobs Report

WASHINGTON – U.S. Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh issued the following statement on the August 2022 Employment Situation Report:

September 2, 2022

US Department of Labor updates Interpretive Bulletin on independence requirement for accountants auditing employee benefit plans

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor's Employee Benefits Security Administration today announced the release of Interpretive Bulletin 2022-01 updating its guidance on the “independence” requirement for accountants who audit employee benefit plans under section 103(a)(3)(A) of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act. 

September 2, 2022

US Department of Labor recovers more than $90K in overtime back wages for 14 Austin-area pizzeria workers; finds child labor violations

Employer name:                   Yaghi Enterprises, Inc. operating as Yaghi’s New York Pizzeria

Investigation sites:                12400 Hwy. 71 West, Suite 510, Austin

                                                           4220 W. William Cannon Drive, Suite 120, Austin

                                                             920 N. Vista Ridge Blvd., Suite 550, Cedar Park

September 1, 2022

Federal mine safety commission finds Indiana coal company violated safety standards after mine operator causes risk of catastrophic explosion

WASHINGTON – The Federal Mine Safety and Health Review Commission has ruled unanimously that the operator of a Francisco, Indiana coal mine violated mandatory safety standards when it continued to operate an energized drill during a methane inundation, creating the risk of a catastrophic explosion.

September 1, 2022

First Lady, Secretary Walsh, Secretary Raimondo join first group of Apprenticeship Ambassadors at White House to kick-off workforce development effort

WASHINGTON – Dr. Jill Biden welcomed U.S. Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh and U.S.

September 1, 2022

South Carolina Burger King franchisee to make enterprise-wide changes after US Department of Labor finds child labor violations at 9 restaurants

LEXINGTON, SC A U.S. Department of Labor investigation that found child labor violations at nine Burger King franchise locations in the Columbia area has prompted the restaurants’ operator to enter into a compliance agreement and change the way it operates to improve working conditions for minor-aged workers at all current and future locations of this brand.

September 1, 2022

US Department of Labor inducts essential workers of the coronavirus pandemic into Labor Hall of Honor

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today inducted the essential workers of the coronavirus pandemic into the Department of Labor’s Hall of Honor in recognition of their sacrifices and continuous efforts to support America’s communities through the pandemic.

September 1, 2022

US Department of Labor agreement requires Eurofins to pay $77K to resolve alleged hiring discrimination at facility in Lancaster, Pennsylvania

LANCASTER, PA – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs has entered into a conciliation agreement with Eurofins Lancaster Laboratories Environment LLC to resolve alleged hiring discrimination against Asian job applicants at the federal contractor’s Lancaster facility.

September 1, 2022

US Department of Labor orders Wells Fargo to pay more than $22M for retaliating against executive that alleged financial misconduct

CHICAGO The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration found Wells Fargo violated the whistleblower protection provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act for improperly terminating a Chicago area-based senior manager in the company’s commercial banking segment.

September 1, 2022

Unemployment Insurance Weekly Claims Report

In the week ending August 27, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 232,000, a decrease of 5,000 from the previous week's revised level. The previous week's level was revised down by 6,000 from 243,000 to 237,000. The 4-week moving average was 241,500, a decrease of 4,000 from the previous week's revised average. The previous week's average was revised down by 1,500 from 247,000 to 245,500.

August 31, 2022

US Department of Labor launches app to provide miners access to health, safety, miners’ rights information

WASHINGTON The U.S. Department of Labor’s Mine Safety and Health Administration today launched an app for use on iPhone and Android devices that will help get timely information directly to miners and members of the mining community.

August 31, 2022

US Department of Labor recovers $67K in back pay for 29 workers after Akron employer fails to meet payroll for more than two months

AKRON, OH – Federal wage investigators have recovered $67,294 in unpaid wages for 29 workers after their Akron employer, a tire equipment maker, allowed them to work for months without pay.

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division found McNeil and NRM Inc. failed to pay workers for two-and-one-half months in 2022. The Fair Labor Standards Act mandates that wages are due on the regular payday for the pay period covered.

August 31, 2022

Tennessee State University to host US Department of Labor’s hiring summit to advance equity through HBCU faculty, students, career service professionals

Who:                                       Deputy Secretary of Labor Julie Su

                                                  Tennessee State University faculty, students, and career services professionals

What:                                     Department of Labor, Southeast Region Hiring Initiative Summer Summits

When:                                    Sept. 7, 2022

August 30, 2022

US Department of Labor announces availability of $12M in funding to promote workers’ rights in Brazil, Colombia, Peru

WASHINGTON The U.S. Department of Labor today announced an opportunity for up to $12 million in grant funding to strengthen democratic, independent workers’ organizations and help promote labor rights in supply chains in Brazil, Colombia and Peru. The project will focus on underserved communities and seek to advance gender and racial equity.

August 30, 2022

US Department of Labor recovers $44K in back wages for 25 workers after Panama City vacation rental provider denied them overtime pay

Employer:                                   Holiday Beach Rentals Inc.

Investigation site:                  17614 Ashley Drive

                                                          Panama City Beach, FL 32413

August 29, 2022

US Department of Labor alleges Killeen newspaper retaliated illegally against worker who complained of insect infestation, files suit against company

KILLEEN, TX While media organizations depend on their reporters’ abilities to expose issues of public concern, a journalist at the Killeen Daily Herald found themselves out of a job when they complained to the newspaper’s management that they believed fleas had infested their workplace, leaving them with bug bites.

August 29, 2022

US Department of Labor announces availability of $4M in funding to tackle child labor in West African agriculture

WASHINGTON The U.S. Department of Labor announced the availability of up to $4 million in funding to support the Economic Community of West African States and the Government of Nigeria in their efforts to address child labor in agricultural communities. 

August 29, 2022

US Department of Labor to make $5M in funding available to increase protection of workers in Brazil, Paraguay’s cattle-raising areas

WASHINGTON The U.S. Department of Labor today announced availability of up to $5 million in grant funding to support efforts to address abusive labor practices, particularly in cattle-raising areas of Brazil and Paraguay.