December 14, 2010

US Department of Labor obtains default judgment in Southern California garment manufacturer case

ORANGE, Calif. — A U.S. district court judge has ruled in favor of the U.S. Department of Labor in a case against a Westminster, Calif., garment manufacturer and its owner, awarding a total of $887,554 to current and former workers. Judge A. Howard Matz approved the department's request for a default judgment against Laundry Room Clothing Inc., owner Milton Kaneda and principal Sharon Kaneda after they failed to pay $380,824 in unpaid minimum wage and overtime compensation due to 115 low-wage workers.

December 13, 2010

US Labor Department seeks more than $829,000 in back wages, proposes debarment of 2 contractors for work on New York publicly-funded housing projects

NEW YORK — The U.S. Department of Labor has taken legal action to recover more than $829,000 in back wages for 32 workers employed as demolition laborers by Enviro & Demo Masters Inc. and Gladiators Contracting Corp., construction demolition companies based in Brooklyn and Queens.

"The department will not hesitate to pursue legal action, including debarment, to ensure employees are properly paid under the law," said Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis.

December 7, 2010

US Labor Department recovers nearly $339,000 in back wages and debars electrical subcontractor for work on New York City publicly-funded housing projects

NEW YORK — The U.S. Department of Labor has recovered nearly $339,000 in back wages for 27 workers employed as electrical mechanics by Sant-Tec Electric Inc., a company incorporated in both New York and New Jersey.

An investigation by the Labor Department’s Wage and Hour Division revealed that the company and its officials had violated wage and benefit requirements of the Davis-Bacon and Related Acts and the Contract Work Hours and Safety Standards Act on three federally-funded housing construction projects in New York City.

December 7, 2010

US Labor Department obtains consent order to recover more than $638,000 in back wages from Newark, NJ, computer consulting company

Company debarred for 1 year from participating in H-1B program

NEWARK, N.J.Following a consent order obtained by the U.S. Department of Labor, Peri Software Solutions Inc. and its owner, Saravanan Periasamy, have agreed to pay $638,449 in back wages and interest to 67 workers for violating the H-1B provisions of the Immigration and Nationality Act.

The Newark company sponsored the H-1B non-immigrant workers to work as programmer analysts across the country.

November 18, 2010

DOL's Wage and Hour Division assesses Georgia agricultural employer $1.3 million in back wages and $136,500 in penalties -

ATLANTA —Following an investigation, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division is assessing J&R Baker Farms LLC $1,311,644 in back wages owed to 244 workers and $136,500 in fines for violating provisions of the H-2A temporary agricultural worker program.

The department’s Office of the Solicitor has filed a request with the department’s Office of Administrative Law Judges to hold a hearing to enforce the department’s findings against the Ellenton, Ga., agricultural employer.

November 15, 2010

US Department of Labor reaches out to Michigan schools to keep teens safe at after-school jobs -

DETROIT — High schools and junior high schools in Michigan will receive valuable information this week from the U.S. Department of Labor about state and federal work rules designed to keep teens safe at work and productive at school.

October 14, 2010

US Department of Labor and Puerto Rico Department of Labor sign partnership agreement

GUAYNABO, Puerto Rico — The U.S. Department of Labors Wage and Hour Division and the Puerto Rico Department of Labor and Human Resources, Labor Standards Division, have entered into a partnership agreement aimed at ensuring compliance among employers in Puerto Rico with both federal and the commonwealths labor laws.

October 13, 2010

US Department of Labor recovers more than $485,000 in back wages for employees of New York City dollar store chain

NEW YORK — The U.S. Department of Labor has recovered more than $485,000 in minimum wages, overtime pay, liquidated damages and post-judgment interest for approximately 120 employees of several New York City-area dollar stores. The dollar stores and their owners agreed to two partial consent judgments resolving the department's lawsuit over alleged violations of the federal Fair Labor Standards Act, including the failure to pay minimum wages and overtime compensation to employees who worked in excess of 40 hours a week.

August 26, 2010

US Department of Labor recovers more than $433,000 in back wages for Walt Disney World employees

ORLANDO, Fla. — The U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division has recovered $433,819 in back wages owed to 69 employees of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts U.S. in Orlando, Fla. The company agreed to make the payments following an investigation that uncovered violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act.

August 17, 2010

US Labor Department obtains nearly $1 million in back wages and interest for 135 H-1B workers of Smartsoft International

ATLANTA — Smartsoft International Inc., a computer consulting company based in Suwanee, Ga., has agreed to pay nearly $1 million in back wages and interest to 135 nonimmigrant workers temporarily employed by the company under the H-1B visa program. The U.S. Department of Labor's Office of the Solicitor reached this agreement following a determination by the department's Wage and Hour Division that the company violated the H-1B program's rules. Smartsoft International also has U.S. offices in Sunnyvale, Calif., and North Brunswick, N.J.

August 11, 2010

DOL recovers more than $868,000 in back wages for Florida-based timeshare company employees -

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The U.S. Department of Labor has recovered $868,443 in back wages for 1,065 employees of Central Florida Investments, based in Orlando, Fla., following an investigation by the department's Wage and Hour Division.

Central Florida Investments operates timeshare resorts in Arizona, Florida, Mississippi, Missouri, Nevada, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah and Virginia under the name Westgate Resorts. The investigation included all locations of the company.

August 10, 2010

Houston-based construction company and subcontractors pay nearly $137,000 in back wages to 140 workers after US Labor Department investigation -

DALLAS — Following an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division, prime contractor Williams Brothers Construction in Houston and subcontractors Cimolai USA and Cosme have agreed to collectively pay $136,679 in back wages to 140 current and former construction employees for violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act, the Davis-Bacon Act and the Contract Work Hours and Safety Standards Act. The workers were performing work on the Margaret Hunt Hill bridge project over the Trinity River in Dallas.

August 2, 2010

US Department of Labor debars Southland Filipino newspaper from foreign worker program

Asian Journal agrees to pay nearly $516,500 to 32 employees plus a $40,000 penalty

LOS ANGELES The U.S. Department of Labor announced today that it has debarred Asian Journal Publications from using the H-1B visa program to hire temporary workers.

July 28, 2010

US Labor Department investigation nets more than $1.3 million in back wages for 187 employees of GeoPharma in Largo, Fla.

TAMPA, Fla.Following an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division, GeoPharma Inc. has agreed to pay $1,360,098 in back wages to 187 employees for violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act.

"Employees have the right to expect that they will receive full pay on time for their work, and the Labor Department will not sit by while employers attempt to evade their responsibilities," said Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis.

June 22, 2010

US Department of Labor clarifies FMLA definition of son and daughter

Interpretation is a win for all families no matter what they look like

WASHINGTONThe U.S. Department of Labor today clarified the definition of "son and daughter" under the Family and Medical Leave Act to ensure that an employee who assumes the role of caring for a child receives parental rights to family leave regardless of the legal or biological relationship.

June 16, 2010

US Department of Labor announces stiffer penalties for illegal employment of children

WASHINGTONThe U.S. Department of Labor today announced the implementation of tougher penalties against employers that illegally employ child workers.

"Protecting our youngest workers is one of this department's top priorities. Beginning today, employers who hire children too young to work will face stiffer penalties," said Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis. "Work is not child's play. When children do work, that work must be age appropriate, safe and positive, and, it must not interfere with their schooling."

June 14, 2010

US Department of Labor recovers $4.2 million in back wages for 603 Oregon workers

SEATTLE — An investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division has resulted in the payment of more than $4.2 million in back wages owed to 603 employees of Hermiston, Ore.-based EG&G Technical Services for work at the Umatilla Chemical Depot in Umatilla, Ore.

June 3, 2010

Tyson Foods agrees to nationwide injunction requiring poultry workers be paid for time spent putting on and taking off protective items, sanitization and between task

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — The U.S. Department of Labor today announced that Tyson Foods Inc. has agreed to a nationwide injunction that will require the company to pay its poultry processing workers for all hours that they work. In addition, Tyson Foods has agreed to pay almost 3,000 workers at its Blountsville, Ala., facility $500,000 in overtime back wages under the Fair Labor Standards Act.

June 1, 2010

US Department of Labor secures more than $2 million in back wages for Maricopa County sheriffs staff

PHOENIX — The Maricopa County Board of Supervisors and the Maricopa County Sheriffs Office in Phoenix have agreed to pay overtime back wages totaling $2,059,807 to 1,690 detention officers and sergeants for uncompensated pre-shift meeting time. The meetings were part of the daily routine at six detention facilities throughout Maricopa County.

May 19, 2010

US Department of Labor announces publication of final child labor rules for non-agricultural work

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Labor today announced the publication of final regulations updating protections for young employees in non-agricultural work for the 21st century economy.

"Today's regulations protect young employees from dangerous machines and tools, excessive work hours and other hazards at work," said Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis. "These rules incorporate recommendations from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health and take a common sense approach to keeping young workers safe from harm."