October 1, 2024

US Department of Labor, New Jersey Department of Labor strategic enforcement initiative combats illegal child labor

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division and the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development have launched a joint strategic enforcement initiative to combat violations of federal and state child labor laws.

September 30, 2024

Minimum wages in American Samoa increase by 40 cents per hour

PAGO PAGO, American Samoa – Workers on American Samoa employed in industries covered by the Fair Minimum Wage Act of 2007 will receive a 40-cent increase in their hourly wage beginning Sept. 30.

September 30, 2024

US Department of Labor recovers $24K in fringe benefits, paid sick leave for 13 employees of Virginia rehabilitation, nursing care center

Employer:                                          

Hopewell Operator LLC, operating as Wonder City Rehabilitation and Nursing Center

September 30, 2024

US Department of Labor recovers $154K in back wages, damages from Georgia plastics manufacturer that shortchanged 743 workers of full overtime

ATLANTA – The U.S. Department of Labor has recovered $154,009 in back wages and liquidated damages from an international plastics manufacturer that willfully failed to include bonus payments when calculating overtime for 743 workers.

September 30, 2024

Department of Labor obtains order forbidding California transportation provider from retaliating against drivers, interfering with their rights

LOS ANGELES – The U.S. Department of Labor has obtained a permanent injunction and court order forbidding a California transportation company from retaliating against drivers and illegally shifting liability for labor law violations onto workers who exercised their federally protected rights.

September 30, 2024

Department of Labor launches tool to provide workers with disabilities, employers ideas for workplace accommodations

WASHINGTON – As the nation marks National Disability Employment Awareness Month, the U.S. Department of Labor today announced the availability of a new tool that provides access to more than 700 accommodation ideas for workers with disabilities and their employers.

September 30, 2024

Louisiana farm ordered to pay $12K in civil penalties, debarred from H-2A program participation for threatening farmworkers, denying them water

ROSEDALE, LA – The U.S. Department of Labor has obtained a court order assessing the operator of a Rosedale farm $12,000 in civil money penalties and preventing the Louisiana employers from applying for H-2A certification to bring foreign workers to the U.S. to fill temporary or seasonal agricultural jobs for one year, after investigators found the farm’s operator intimidated and threatened workers in violation of the law. 

September 30, 2024

US Department of Labor completed August 2024 impact inspections at 14 mines with repeated health, safety violations, issued 253 violations

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor announced today that its Mine Safety and Health Administration completed impact inspections at 14 mines in 10 states in August 2024, issuing 253 violations.

The agency began conducting impact inspections after an April 2010 explosion in West Virginia at the Upper Big Branch Mine killed 29 miners.

September 30, 2024

US Department of Labor sues Puerto Rico security guard company for misclassifying employees as independent contractors, denying overtime

Date of action:                       Sept. 24, 2024 

Type of action:                      Complaint

September 27, 2024

US Department of Labor urges workers, public in Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Carolinas to be aware of hazards in recovery efforts after Hurricane Helene

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

            Emergency and recovery response crews, residents in areas affected by Hurricane Helene

September 27, 2024

Department of Labor orders Maryland trucking company to pay $46K in back wages, damages; reinstate driver who refused unsafe load

MAUGANSVILLE, MD - The U.S. Department of Labor has ordered a Maugansville transportation company to reinstate an employee and pay them $46,094 in back wages and damages after finding the employer wrongly terminated the worker for refusing to drive an oversized load in an unsafe manner.

September 27, 2024

US Department of Labor awards additional $18.4M in grants, will measure effectiveness of sector-based training for low-income older adult workers

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced the award of $18.4 million in demonstration grants to nine current national grantees operating a Senior Community Service Employment Program grant so the department can measure the effectiveness of industry or sector-based training as a bridge to unsubsidized employment for low-income, older workers. 

September 26, 2024

ICYMI: Acting Secretary Su champions workforce development partnerships, addresses future climate leaders in North Carolina visit

WASHINGTON – Acting Secretary of Labor Julie Su traveled to North Carolina for two events on Sept. 24, 2024, to promote the U.S. Department of Labor’s Good Jobs Principles, cement public and private sector partnerships that will build equitable workforce pipelines statewide and reaffirm the Biden-Harris administration’s efforts to create a generation of good-paying jobs while addressing the climate crisis. 

September 26, 2024

Department of Labor sues principal of defunct Pennsylvania modular building manufacturer to remove company’s health plan fiduciary, restore losses

Date of action:           Sept. 22, 2024

Type of action:          Complaint

Court:                         

September 26, 2024

Department of Labor finds manufacturer ignored machine safety requirements during investigation of worker’s amputation

SEALY, TEXAS – A federal workplace safety investigation revealed that an employee suffered serious injuries to their arm while trying to clear debris during manufacturing of copper alloy products. The investigation determined that the plant’s operator failed to install required machine guards or locking devices, exposing workers to hazardous contact with moving machine parts.

September 26, 2024

US Department of Labor recovers $138K in back wages, damages for 27 construction workers denied overtime in Colorado Springs

Employer:                             Bulletproof Plumbing & Heating Inc. 

Investigation site:             6920 Ropers Point 

September 26, 2024

Court issues warrant for defunct Baltimore company’s owner’s arrest after repeated failure to restore $153K to employee 401(k) plan

Date of action:                       Sept. 25, 2024

Type of action:                      

Civil confinement of Bryan Hill, owner of defunct Bicallis LLC, arising from civil contempt

September 26, 2024

US Department of Labor awards more than $3.4M to continue disaster-related jobs, assistance to Guam in response to Typhoon Mawar

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced the award of more than $3.4 million to support continued disaster-relief employment and workforce training for Guam’s residents affected by Typhoon Mawar.

September 26, 2024

Unemployment Insurance Weekly Claims Report

In the week ending September 21, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 218,000, a decrease of 4,000 from the previous week's revised level. The previous week's level was revised up by 3,000 from 219,000 to 222,000. The 4-week moving average was 224,750, a decrease of 3,500 from the previous week's revised average. The previous week's average was revised up by 750 from 227,500 to 228,250.

September 25, 2024

US Department of Labor awards $6.5M in grants to support delivery of temporary, permanent housing services to farmworkers, dependents

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced the award of $6.5 million in National Farmworker Jobs Program Housing Services Grants to help seven organizations in eight states ensure migrant and seasonal farmworkers and their dependents have proper housing solutions.