News from March 2023
Federal safety investigators find Mobile contractor ignored safety warnings that might have prevented 28-year-old employee’s death aboard Panama City vessel
By DOL Newswire Reports | Mar 17, 2023
Federal workplace safety inspectors examining how thousands of pounds of shifting cargo fatally crushed a 28-year-old worker in a ship’s cargo hold in Panama City found his employer failed to follow required safety standards, including allowing unsafe operation of cargo cranes and not providing training.
Secretary Walsh joins union, community leaders, apprentices to discuss Registered Apprenticeships, $20M agreement to expand equitable construction training
By DOL Newswire Reports | Mar 17, 2023
U.S. Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh joined leaders from North America’s Building Trades Unions, the National Urban League and graduates of pre-apprenticeship programs in construction and construction-related industries to discuss how Registered Apprenticeship programs can train the future workforce to help fill jobs in critical sectors.
US Department of Labor awards more than $1.5M to provide employment, training services for transitioning Fort Bliss military service members
By DOL Newswire Reports | Mar 17, 2023
The U.S. Department of Labor today announced an award of more than $1.5 million to support employment and training services for transitioning military service members in and around the U.S. Army’s Fort Bliss installation in Texas.
Secretary Walsh unveils strategy to expand access for all young people to pathways toward high-quality careers
By DOL Newswire Reports | Mar 17, 2023
Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh convened the “Youth Employment Works Summit” today at U.S. Department of Labor headquarters to unveil the department’s strategy for building a workforce in which all young people can prepare for opportunities for high-quality careers.
US Department of Labor selects nine communities, partners to expand, improve workforce opportunities for all young people
By DOL Newswire Reports | Mar 17, 2023
To expand opportunities for youth workers across the nation and improve their employment outcomes, the U.S. Department of Labor has selected the first nine communities and their associated partners in its Youth Systems Building Academy.
Equal Pay Day 2023: Department of Labor initiatives seek to close gender, racial wage gap, increase equity in federal programs
By DOL Newswire Reports | Mar 17, 2023
For women working in the U.S., the date of Equal Pay Day isn’t a day of celebration. Rather, the day is a reminder that it takes women 15 months to earn the same amount as men earned in 12 months.
US Department of Labor launches online dialogues to gather public ideas, other input on health policies’ support for workers’ mental health
By DOL Newswire Reports | Mar 17, 2023
The U.S. Department of Labor today announced the launch of a series of online dialogues to gather ideas and other public input on how health policies can support workers’ mental health most effectively.
US Department of Labor appoints new members to ERISA Advisory Council
By DOL Newswire Reports | Mar 17, 2023
The U.S. Department of Labor today announced the appointment of five members and leadership for the 2023 Advisory Council on Employee Welfare and Pension Benefit Plans, also known as the ERISA Advisory Council.
Federal court orders defunct Milwaukee info technology company, president to restore $18K withheld from employees for medical plan
By DOL Newswire Reports | Mar 17, 2023
On March 7, 2023, Judge Lynn Adelman in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin entered a default judgment against Stratagem Inc. and Gary Krieger, the company’s president, after he failed to meet a deadline of Sept. 21, 2022, to answer a complaint filed by the U.S. Department of Labor.
Federal court consent order: Somerville restaurant, owner must pay $15K in punitive damages, stop employee retaliation, not block Labor Department proceedings
By DOL Newswire Reports | Mar 17, 2023
The U.S. Department of Labor has obtained a consent judgment and order prohibiting a Somerville, Massachusetts, restaurant and its owner from retaliating against employees who cooperate in the department’s efforts to enforce the Fair Labor Standards Act. Fakhouri Inc. – operating as Sound Bites Café – and Yasser Mirza must also pay $15,000 in punitive damages to the affected current and former employees in connection with the department’s retaliation claim.
US Department of Labor recovers $166K in back wages for 53 roofing workers denied overtime by Mohawk Valley contractor
By DOL Newswire Reports | Mar 17, 2023
The U.S. Department of Labor has recovered $166,832 for 53 employees of a Little Falls roofing contractor to resolve overtime and recordkeeping violations found by investigators with the department’s Wage and Hour Division.
Court orders plastering company to pay more than $700K in back wages, damages to 470 employees, after Department of Labor investigation
By DOL Newswire Reports | Mar 17, 2023
The U.S. Department of Labor is currently distributing more than $700,000 in back wages and damages to 470 employees, recovered from a Glendale plastering company following an investigation and lawsuit related to the employer’s pay practices.
US Department of Labor recovers $190K in back wages, damages after finding St. Petersburg restaurants withheld wages to cover operating costs
By DOL Newswire Reports | Mar 17, 2023
Federal investigators have found that two St. Petersburg restaurants withheld tips earned by bartenders and servers to pay for customers who skipped out on their bills, illegally charged employees for uniforms and denied some workers required minimum wage and full overtime pay.
No es trabajo para menores: El Departamento de Trabajo considera que las prácticas laborales de un contratista de techados de Florida ponían en peligro a un menor, comprometían la seguridad de los trabajadores y el salario completo.
By DOL Newswire Reports | Mar 17, 2023
Es probable que las decisiones que Juan Felipe Gómez Toro tomó un día de febrero de 2022 resultaran más costosas para su empresa contratista de tejados de Lake Mary de lo que podría haber imaginado.
Not Child’s Work: Department of Labor finds Florida roofing contractor’s work practices endangered minor, jeopardized workers’ safety, full wages
By DOL Newswire Reports | Mar 17, 2023
It’s likely that the decisions Juan Felipe Gomez Toro made one day in February 2022 turned out to be more costly to his Lake Mary roofing contracting company than he might have imagined.
US Department of Labor recovers $46K in back wages, damages for 14 construction workers at El Paso commercial worksite
By DOL Newswire Reports | Mar 17, 2023
C&C Steel violated federal minimum wage, overtime regulations
El Departamento de Trabajo de EE.UU. recupera $46,000 en salarios atrasados y daños para 14 trabajadores de la construcción en un lugar de trabajo comercial de El Paso
By DOL Newswire Reports | Mar 17, 2023
C&C Steel violó las normas de salario mínimo federal y horas extras
Department of Labor recovers $151K in back wages, assesses $49K in penalties after review of Boca Grande resort’s use of guest visa program
By DOL Newswire Reports | Mar 17, 2023
A U.S. Department of Labor probe into how a Boca Grande resort used the federal H-2B program to employ guest visa workers for seasonal labor has recovered $151,598 in back wages for nine non-immigrant workers and led to $49,401 in civil money penalties for the resort.
El Departamento de Trabajo de EE.UU. recupera $190.000 en salarios atrasados y daños y perjuicios tras descubrir que los restaurantes de St. Petersburg retenían salarios para cubrir gastos de funcionamiento
By DOL Newswire Reports | Mar 17, 2023
Los investigadores federales han descubierto que dos restaurantes de St. Petersburg retuvieron las propinas ganadas por camareros y meseros para pagar a los clientes que se saltaron sus facturas, cobraron ilegalmente a los empleados por los uniformes y negaron a algunos trabajadores el salario mínimo requerido y el pago completo de las horas extras.
Un tribunal ordena a una empresa a pagar más de $700,000 en salarios atrasados, daños y perjuicios a 470 empleados tras una investigación del Departamento de Trabajo
By DOL Newswire Reports | Mar 17, 2023
El Departamento de Trabajo se encuentra distribuyendo más de $700,000 en salarios atrasados y daños y perjuicios a 470 empleados, recuperados de una empresa de enyesado de Glendale tras una investigación y demanda relacionada con las prácticas de pago del empleador.