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 pandemic.

Reopening America’s Economy:

WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced publication of its “Promoting Regulatory Openness through Good Guidance Rule” (PRO Good Guidance Rule). The rule, which implements Executive Order 13891, “Promoting the Rule of Law through Improved Agency Guidance Documents,” seeks to create fairer procedures for the issuance and use of regulatory guidance at the Department of Labor. 

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Secretary of Labor Eugene Scalia traveled to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where he highlighted the nation’s continuing economic recovery from the coronavirus pandemic. Secretary Scalia first toured the Trade Institute of Pittsburgh, where he participated in a roundtable discussion and met with young people transitioning back into the workforce. Secretary Scalia also visited the Pittsburgh Job Corps Center to meet with students and staff.

ROSEDALE, VA – After an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD), Gas Field Services LLC – a pipeline industry contractor based in Rosedale, Virginia – paid $46,786 in back wages to nine employees for violating the overtime and recordkeeping requirements of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced a notice of proposed rulemaking on pooled plan provider registration requirements. The proposal seeks to implement the registration requirements for “pooled plan providers” pursuant to the Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement (SECURE) Act of 2019.

In the week ending August 15, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 1,106,000, an increase of 135,000 from the previous week's revised level. The previous week's level was revised up by 8,000 from 963,000 to 971,000. The 4-week moving average was 1,175,750, a decrease of 79,000 from the previous week's revised average. The previous week's average was revised up by 2,000 from 1,252,750 to 1,254,750.

HIALEAH, FL – After an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD), Milum Trucking – a freight shipping and trucking company based in Hialeah, Florida – has paid $3,110 in back wages to two employees for wrongly denying them emergency paid sick leave while they sought medical diagnosis for suspected coronavirus infection. Once their tests returned positive, the employer again denied the two employees’ requests for emergency paid sick leave.

WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have developed a checklist for human and animal food manufacturers to consider when continuing, resuming or reevaluating operations due to the coronavirus pandemic.

WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Labor received an A+ on the Small Business Administration’s recently announced Fiscal Year 2019 Small Business Federal Procurement Scorecard, marking the third straight year the Department has received the scorecard’s highest grade.

ST. JOSEPH, MO – After a compliance review by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP), Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health USA Inc. – a global pharmaceutical company and federal contractor – will pay $379,089 in back pay and interest to 75 female employees to resolve alleged wage discrimination at its St. Joseph, Missouri, facility.

WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) today announced an interim final rule that will help workers determine their ability to retire by allowing them to estimate how their current savings in a 401(k)-type plan might translate into lifetime monthly payments.

The rule implements section 203 of the Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement (SECURE) Act of 2019.

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Secretary of Labor Eugene Scalia issued the following statement regarding the first round of awards to Iowa, Arizona, New Mexico, Louisiana, Utah, Colorado, and Missouri as part of the Lost Wages Assistance (LWA) program.

WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S.

MELBOURNE, FL – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has ordered U.S. Corrections LLC – headquartered in Melbourne, Florida – to reinstate an employee for reporting personal and commercial motor vehicle safety concerns. OSHA also ordered the company to pay more than $70,000 in back wages, $30,000 in punitive damages, $7,341 in compensatory damages, $30,000 in emotional distress damages and reasonable attorney’s fees.

SAN FRANCISCO, CA – The U.S. District Court of Nevada has ordered Sin City Investment Group Inc. – operating as American Leak Detection of Southern Nevada – and its president Leland Keith Ozawa to pay $51,434 for missing employee contributions and associated lost interest owed to non-fiduciary participants of the American Leak Detection SIMPLE IRA Plan.

LOXAHATCHEE, FL – After an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD), A Cut Above Landscape & Maintenance Inc. – a landscaping company based in Loxahatchee, Florida – will pay 85 employees $110,602 in back wages for violating overtime and recordkeeping requirements of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

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 pandemic.

Reopening America’s Economy:

LOUISVILLE, KY – The operator of a McDonald’s franchise restaurant in Louisville, Kentucky, has paid $1,135 in back wages to an employee after the employer failed to pay an employee for expanded family and medical leave to care for her child when coronavirus led to the closure of their childcare.

WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has signed an alliance with the North American Meat Institute (NAMI) to provide information, guidance and access to training resources for protecting workers in the meatpacking and processing industry from exposures to the coronavirus.

NEW YORK, NY – The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York has sentenced John Ulrich – former vice president of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, Local 812 and former trustee of the Local 812 Health Fund – to 18 months in jail for soliciting bribe payments in violation of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA).