WASHINGTON, DC – Last week, the U.S. Department of Labor took a range of actions to aid American workers and employers as our nation combats the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

Reopening America’s Economy:

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Secretary of Labor Eugene Scalia traveled to Beaver Springs, Pennsylvania, where he joined Rep. Fred Keller (PA-12) for a tour of Conestoga Wood Specialties and a meeting with employees and leadership to discuss workplace safety and reopening the economy. Earlier in the day, Secretary Scalia joined Small Business Administrator Jovita Carranza and Rep. Scott Perry (PA-10) in Camp Hill for a roundtable discussion with women small business owners on safely reopening the economy.

ZEPHYRHILLS, FL – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has cited Florida Progress LLC – operating as Duke Energy Florida LLC – for exposing employees to excavation hazards at a Zephyrhills, Florida, worksite. The Charlotte, North Carolina-based electric power distributor faces $53,976 in penalties.

WASHINGON, DC – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) today released a proposed Self-Compliance Tool intended to help improve compliance with the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA) and additional related requirements under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA).

WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has issued guidance to assist employers reopening non-essential businesses and their employees returning to work during the evolving coronavirus pandemic.

SANFORD, FL – After an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD), Producto Lure Co, Inc. – based in Sanford, Florida – has paid an employee two weeks of emergency paid sick for violating the Emergency Paid Sick Leave Act (EPSLA) provisions of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA).

In the week ending June 13, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 1,508,000, a decrease of 58,000 from the previous week's revised level. The previous week's level was revised up by 24,000 from 1,542,000 to 1,566,000. The 4-week moving average was 1,773,500, a decrease of 234,500 from the previous week's revised average. The previous week's average was revised up by 6,000 from 2,002,000 to 2,008,000.

The U.S. Department of Labor will offer two webinars in Spanish for agricultural employers and employees in California about the paid sick and expanded family and medical leave benefits available under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA).

Presented by the Department’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD), the webinars will provide information on the rights and protections under the law, including eligibility, coverage, qualifying reasons and pay calculation.

WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Labor has announced a Request for Information (RFI) on Prohibited Transactions involving Pooled Employer Plans (PEPs) under the Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement (SECURE) Act and other multiple employer plans.

PENNSAUKEN, NJ –The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has cited Bravo Pak Inc. for failing to abate hazards at its Pennsauken, New Jersey, facility. The company owes $259,760 in penalties.

SAN FRANCISCO, CA – The U.S. District Court for the District of Nevada has approved a default judgment against the now-defunct company Kizzang LLC and its president Robert Alexander, that requires them to pay $99,807 to former employees and their beneficiaries for violations of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) related to their employee health and welfare plan. 

DETROIT, MI – The U.S. Department of Labor has filed suit in the U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Michigan against ProCorp LLC – owner Timothy Schultz and operations manager Nichole Shaffer – seeking an injunction and more than $1.5 million in overtime back wages and liquidated damages for approximately 700 drivers employed by the company.

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Secretary of Labor Eugene Scalia delivered remarks at an event on June 15, 2020, featuring the launch of the final report of the Heritage Foundation’s National Coronavirus Recovery Commission.

The speech included the following excerpts:

WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Labor today issued programmatic guidance to help ensure the accuracy of unemployment claims made due to the implementation of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act.

WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has published the “Seven Steps to Correctly Wear a Respirator at Work” poster in 14 additional languages. Initially available in English and Spanish, the poster demonstrates and describes seven steps every worker should follow when putting on and taking off a respirator.

WASHINGTON, DC – As more workplaces begin to reopen, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is reminding employers that worker safety remains a priority amid both coronavirus and common workplace hazards. 

HUNTSVILLE, AL – After an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD), Copeland Cleaners Inc. – a dry cleaning enterprise based in Huntsville, Alabama – has paid $15,385 in wages to 29 employees to resolve minimum wage violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

POULAN, GA – The U.S. Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division (WHD) has debarred Reyes Quality Berry Farm LLC – based in Poulan, Georgia – from applying for certification to request temporary foreign workers under the H-2A agricultural worker visa program for three years. WHD also assessed the employer a $61,265 civil penalty for violating the labor provisions of the H-2A program, and found that the employer owed $47,675 in back wages to 32 employees.

NORTH CHARLESTON, SC – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has cited Detyens Shipyards Inc. for failing to protect employees from struck-by and fall hazards. The company faces $37,591 in penalties.

MIAMI, FL – After an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD), the Miami-Dade County Coordinated Victims Assistance Center (CVAC) has paid $911 to an employee for violating the Emergency Paid Sick Leave Act (EPSLA) provisions of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA).