October 28, 2021

Federal court orders Louisiana farm, owners to stop retaliation after operator denied workers’ request for water, screamed obscenities, fired shots

ROSEDALE, LA – The U.S. Department of Labor has obtained two agreed preliminary injunctions in the U.S. District Court in the Middle District of Louisiana in Baton Rouge to prevent a Rosedale farm, its owner and anyone acting on their behalf, from intimidating, threatening, restraining, coercing, black listing, discharging or in any manner discriminating against any person who has engaged in any protected activity.

October 25, 2021

US Department of Labor recovers $783,616 in wages, fringe benefits for 14 contract workers, their union at Jamaica federal building

NEW YORK – For several years, workers for a building services contractor maintained HVAC services, electrical and lighting systems, elevators, fire safety equipment and internal mail distribution at a federal office building in Jamaica, Queens, under a federal contract with the Social Security Administration. The contract was worth $3.4 million in its final year.

October 19, 2021

Syracuse iron foundry agrees to correct serious hazards, implement enhanced safeguards following US Department of Labor inspection, litigation

NEW YORK – A Syracuse iron foundry cited by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration for dozens of health and safety violations has agreed to correct 60 cited hazards, implement enhanced corrective measures and pay $276,189 in penalties in a settlement agreement with the department.

October 5, 2021

US Department of Labor recovers $25K for Akron retirement plan after investigation finds company owner failed to forward contributions

AKRON, OH – After failing to timely forward $23,287 in employer contributions and employee payroll-deducted retirement contributions to his company’s individual retirement plan, an Akron business owner has been banned by a federal court from serving as a fiduciary in the future.

September 27, 2021

US Department of Labor proposes $1.67M in fines for Ohio vehicle parts manufacturer after worker dies when crushed by machine

RAVENNA, OH – A Ravenna, Ohio, aluminum parts manufacturer with a history of safety violations now faces $1,671,738 in penalties for 38 safety and health violations following an investigation into the death of a 43-year-old worker struck by a machine’s barrier door on March 30, 2021.

September 23, 2021

Court affirms US Department of Labor’s independent authority to recover unpaid wages, damages in court for employees who signed private arbitration agreements

NEW YORK A federal judge in New York has ruled private arbitration agreements do not bind the Secretary when the U.S. Secretary of Labor is not a party. The decision now allows the U.S. Department of Labor to move forward with its lawsuit alleging that three defendants misclassified their employees as independent contractors to evade the overtime and recordkeeping requirements of the Fair Labor Standards Act.

September 20, 2021

Court orders horse trainer to pay $563K back wages, damages to 170 employees after US Department of Labor investigation, litigation

NEW YORK – Employees known as groomers and hot walkers are crucial to employers who race thoroughbred horses. They warm horses up ahead of races and workouts, cool the horses down afterwards and clean the horses, stables and equipment.

September 20, 2021

Un tribunal condena a un entrenador de caballos a pagar $563,000 en concepto de salarios atrasados y daños y perjuicios a 170 empleados tras una investigación y un litigio del Departamento de Trabajo de EE.UU.

NUEVA YORK - Los empleados conocidos como peluqueros de caballos y paseadores son esenciales para los empresarios que corren carreras con caballos de pura sangre. Ayudan a precalentar a los caballos antes de las carreras y los entrenamientos, los enfrían después, y limpian los caballos, los establos y el equipo.

September 16, 2021

Long Island hotel management companies to pay $210,000 in wages, penalties after US Department of Labor finds H-2B guest worker program violations

NEW YORK Employees of two commonly owned and operated East Hampton, New York, hotel management companies found their work was no vacation when their employers – Dune Resorts LLC and Ocean Bay Management Inc. – violated several requirements of the H-2B Visa program, resulting in direct job losses to 39 U.S. workers and underpayments to 59 H-2B employees.

September 16, 2021

Unas empresas de gestión hotelera de Long Island deberán pagar $210,000 en salarios y multas después de que el Departamento de Trabajo de EE.UU. descubriera violaciones del programa de trabajadores extranjeros H-2B

NUEVA YORK - Los empleados de dos empresas de gestión hotelera de East Hampton (Nueva York), de propiedad común, descubrieron que su trabajo no era vacacional cuando sus empleadores -Dune Resorts LLC y Ocean Bay Management Inc.- violaron varios requisitos del programa de visados H-2B, lo que supuso la pérdida dir

September 9, 2021

Federal court orders Massachusetts pizza restaurants, owner to pay $307K in back wages, damages to 14 employees after investigation, litigation

BOSTON – The operator of two Framingham area pizza restaurants must pay $307,704.86 – $153,852 in back wages and an equal amount in liquidated damages – to 14 employees after the U.S. Department of Labor obtained summary judgment in federal court.

September 8, 2021

US Department of Labor recovers $14K for Illinois retirement plan after investigation finds company owner failed to forward contributions

HILLSIDE, IL – After a Hillside business owner failed to forward $10,184 in employee retirement contributions to his company’s retirement plan as required, a federal court barred him from serving as a fiduciary in the future for violating the Employee Retirement Income Security Act.

September 2, 2021

US Department of Labor obtains judgment after investigation finds Appleton company failed to forward contributions

GREEN BAY, WI – A federal judge has signed a default judgment against an Appleton company and ordered fiduciaries of the defunct company’s retirement plan to restore $41,869 in employee payroll-deducted retirement contributions and lost opportunity costs to the plan.

September 1, 2021

Federal court orders Fishtown bar, bottle shop to pay nearly $520K in back wages, damages, penalties after US Labor Department investigation

PHILADELPHIA – The operator of a popular Fishtown bar and bottle shop that prides itself on offering Philadelphia’s largest selection of beer and wine appeared to be less focused on paying its bartenders and servers as the law requires, a federal investigation found and a consent judgement entered in a U.S. District Court confirmed.

August 25, 2021

US Department of Labor’s Office of the Solicitor welcomes applications from graduating law students, recent graduates to join Honors Program

WASHINGTON, DC The U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of the Solicitor invites outstanding recent law school graduates with a passion for public service to apply for its two-year Honors Program and earn unique experience in one of the federal government’s preeminent legal offices.

August 20, 2021

US Department of Labor obtains consent order restraining Danbury bakery, owner from retaliating against employees who cooperate with wage investigation

HARTFORD, CT – A Danbury bakery and its owner may not threaten, terminate or cause harm to current or former workers who cooperate with a U.S. Department of Labor investigation of the bakery’s employment practices, a federal court in Hartford has ordered in a consent preliminary injunction obtained by the department.

August 9, 2021

Tribunal dictamina que contratistas de Massachusetts paguen $100,000 por daños a empleado tras investigación del Departamento de Trabajo de EE. UU. que detectó represalias ilegales

BOSTON – Un empleado que trabajaba para dos contratistas de construcción de Massachusetts estaba ejerciendo sus derechos cuando se quejó ante su supervisor por no recibir el pago de horas extra y solicitó el salario que le correspondía. Las dos compañías respondieron con una campaña de represalias, presionando al trabajador a retirar su reclamación por el pago de las horas extra.

August 9, 2021

O tribunal ordena que empreiteiros de Massachusetts paguem US$ 100.000 em danos a funcionário após investigação do Departamento do Trabalho dos EUA descobrir retaliação ilegal

BOSTON – Um funcionário que trabalhava para duas empreiteiras de construção em Massachusetts estava dentro de seus direitos quando reclamou com seu supervisor sobre o não recebimento de horas extras e solicitou ser pago como devido. As duas empresas responderam com uma campanha de retaliação, pressionando o trabalhador a retirar a reclamação de horas extras.