Who:               U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration

                        McCarthy Building Companies Inc.

What:              Strategic partnership

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced the rescission of the rule “Implementing Legal Requirements Regarding the Equal Opportunity Clause’s Religious Exemption,” in effect since Jan. 8, 2021. The rescission ensures a return to the department’s prior policy and practice in place during the presidencies of George W.

WASHINGTON – Since 2018, the U.S. Department of Labor has seen a 69 percent increase in children being employed illegally by companies. In the last fiscal year, the department found 835 companies it investigated had employed more than 3,800 children in violation of labor laws. The maximum civil monetary penalty under current law for a child labor violation is $15,138 per child. That’s not high enough to be a deterrent for major profitable companies.

CONCORD, NH – Federal workplace safety inspectors have again cited a Derry contractor for not protecting their employees against potentially lethal falls, this time at worksites in Merrimack and Salem.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced it will publish a final rule to amend how the Adverse Effect Wage Rates for the H-2A program are set to improve the rates’ consistency and accuracy based on the work actually performed by these workers and to better prevent H-2A workers’ employment negatively affecting the wages of U.S. workers in similar positions.

WASHINGTON – A federal panel has affirmed that Walmart Inc. violated federal workplace safety standards at its warehouse in Johnstown, New York, when it failed to prevent stored merchandise from falling onto – and seriously injuring – an employee in 2017.

SAN FRANCISCO – Tras una investigación y litigio en los tribunales, el Departamento de Trabajo de EE.UU. ha logrado un fallo judicial que ordena a un contratista laboral de Salinas pagar más de $460,000 en compensación por daños y multas luego de descubrirse que el contratista retuvo los cheques finales de pago y de gastos de transporte de cientos de trabajadores agrícolas.

WASHINGTON – As part of its year-long commemoration of the 30th anniversary of the passage of the Family and Medical Leave Act, the U.S. Department of Labor today hosted an online roundtable discussion and launched a new web page to inform workers about federal regulations for job-protected leave to care for a family member.

WASHINGTON – Federal workplace safety inspectors, once again, found that the world’s largest e-commerce company exposed workers to hazardous conditions at one of its distribution centers.

ALBANY, NY – A U.S. Department of Labor investigation into two commonly owned Callicoon resorts’ pay and child labor practices was no vacation for the employers after investigators uncovered violations of federal regulations.

DALLAS – Soon after federal workplace safety inspectors arrived at a Dollar Tree store in Mount Pleasant, Texas, they found the national discount retailer again shortchanging employee safety – continuing a pattern of disregard dating back to 2017 – by allowing storeroom merchandise to block exits and walkways and stacking boxes high enough to fall on workers.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor, the IRS and the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation today released Federal Register notices that announce changes to the 2023 Form 5500 Annual Return/Report of Employee Benefit Plan and Form 5500-SF Short Form. These changes are estimated to reduce overall filing costs for employee benefit plans by $95 million annually.

In the week ending February 18, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 192,000, a decrease of 3,000 from the previous week's revised level. The previous week's level was revised up by 1,000 from 194,000 to 195,000. The 4-week moving average was 191,250, an increase of 1,500 from the previous week's revised average. The previous week's average was revised up by 250 from 189,500 to 189,750.

SAN FRANCISCO – The U.S. Department of Labor has obtained a consent judgment that orders a Salinas labor contractor – who withheld final paychecks and transportation expenses – to hundreds of farmworkers to pay more than $460,000 in damages and penalties, following the department’s investigation and litigation.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor announced today that its Wage and Hour Division will offer online seminars for contracting agencies, contractors, unions, workers and other stakeholders on the requirements for paying prevailing wages on federally funded construction and service contracts.

MANCHESTER, NH – The U.S. Department of Labor has recovered more than $3.1 million in back wages and fringe benefits for more than 3,100 workers at a California subcontractor that provided enrollment and dental and vision benefits support to federal employees, retirees and their dependents.

Employer: Window World of Southwest Virginia Inc.

Investigation site: 565 East Main St., Wythevillle, VA 24328                                                                                                           

Employer:                                   IPD Company Inc., operating as IPD

Investigation site:                  7808 Pineville Matthews Road, Suite 12

                                                          Charlotte, NC 28226

ERIE, PA – A federal investigation has found the franchise operator of seven McDonald’s locations in Erie and Warren illegally allowed 154 minors, ages 14- and 15-years-old, to work at times not permitted by child labor laws and for more hours per week than allowed. The employer also assigned nine workers under age 16 to operate deep fryers in violation of federal law.

NUEVA YORK - Una investigación federal ha recuperado $113,613 en salarios atrasados e indemnización por daños y perjuicios para 71 empleados de una empresa de administración hotelera de Nueva York que les negó el salario completos, incluyendo las horas extras, al clasificar erróneamente a muchos de los trabajadores afectados como contratistas independientes.