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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

WASHINGTON — The 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.

WASHINGTON — The 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."

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.

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.

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.

SALT LAKE CITY — Teleperformance USA, a Salt Lake City-based call center, has paid $1,978,147 in back wages to 15,862 workers for overtime violations under the Fair Labor Standards Act. The settlement followed a nationwide investigation conducted by the U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division in Salt Lake City.

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."

WASHINGTON — U.S. Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis today issued the following statement on the introduction of legislation regarding the issue of misclassification:

PISCATAWAY, N.J. — The U.S. Department of Labor has obtained a judgment against Raceway Petroleum and Nicholas Kambitsis to pay $3.9 million in unpaid overtime wages and liquidated damages to more than 700 of their former and current employees, predominantly gas attendants. Raceway Petroleum Inc., a Piscataway company with gas stations located throughout Central and Southern N.J., along with its owner Nicholas Kambitsis, will also pay $100,000 in civil money penalties.

CHICAGO — Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis today used the historic setting of Chicagos famed Jane Addams Hull-House Museum, on the Chicago campus of the University of Illinois, to unveil the U.S. Department of Labors "We Can Help" campaign. Solis committed to helping the nations low-wage and vulnerable workers, and reminded them that her agencys personnel will not waver in protecting the rights guaranteed by law to every worker in America.

OREM, Utah — Western Wats Center Inc., a market research company based in Orem with locations throughout Utah and six other states, has paid $500,000 in civil money penalties following a U.S. Department of Labor investigation that disclosed violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act's child labor regulations.