News and reports from the Department of Labor.

The U.S. Department of Labor has awarded $6.5 million in National Farmworker Jobs Program Housing Services Grants to assist seven organizations across eight states in providing housing solutions for migrant and seasonal farmworkers and their dependents.

The Biden-Harris administration has announced the allocation of approximately $71 million in grants aimed at improving job quality, expanding access to good jobs in critical sectors, and preparing workers for new employment opportunities. This funding is part of the administration's Investing in America agenda.

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Veterans’ Employment and Training Service (VETS) has entered into a partnership with Albany State University to improve career readiness and employment opportunities for veterans and military-affiliated students at historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs). This collaboration was formalized through a memorandum of understanding signed by Assistant Secretary for Veterans’ Employment and Training James D. Rodriguez and Albany State University Interim President Dr. Lawrence M. Drake II.

Western Global Airlines has agreed to pay $84,727 in back wages and interest to resolve allegations of gender-based pay discrimination at its Estero facility. This settlement follows a routine compliance review by the U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP), which raised concerns about disparities in base pay and bonuses for female managers, support professionals, technicians, and administrators.

The U.S. Department of Labor has initiated legal action against Coway USA Inc., a Los Angeles-based company, for allegedly failing to pay overtime wages to more than 180 employees. The suit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California and claims violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act.

The U.S. Department of Labor has introduced the AI & Inclusive Hiring Framework, aimed at supporting inclusive use of artificial intelligence in hiring technologies and enhancing opportunities for disabled job seekers. This framework, developed by the Partnership on Employment & Accessible Technology (PEAT) and funded by the Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP), seeks to mitigate unintentional discrimination and accessibility barriers in AI-powered recruitment.

The U.S. Department of Labor has announced the allocation of over $7.4 million to aid disaster-relief employment and workforce training for California residents impacted by severe winter storms in late 2022 and early 2023.

The U.S. Department of Labor announced the allocation of $203 million in grants through the Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP) to support training and career services for low-income older adults seeking employment.

A federal judge has ordered Mariusz Lekarczyk, the owner and operator of four Chicago-area We Wash Hand Wash and Car Detail Centers, and We Wash Car Care Center Inc. to pay $799,566 in back wages and damages to 110 employees and $110,990 in penalties to the U.S. Department of Labor. This order is part of a consent judgment obtained by the department.

The U.S. Department of Labor has awarded $12.7 million to 102 nonprofits across the nation to support education and training initiatives aimed at enhancing workplace safety. The funds, administered by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), are part of the Susan Harwood Training Grants Program.

The U.S. Department of Labor has recovered $43,874 in back wages and damages from Angry Fish Sushi Inc., a San Leandro-based restaurant, following an investigation that found the employer had violated labor laws affecting 24 workers.

The U.S. Department of Labor has recovered $31,102 in back wages for 23 farmworkers following an investigation into Humberto Castaneda Produce, a grower based in Sonoma County, California. The investigation by the Department's Wage and Hour Division revealed multiple violations of the H-2A temporary agricultural worker program requirements.

On September 17, 2024, Acting Secretary Julie Su and the U.S. Department of Labor honored nine labor unions by inducting them into the department’s Century of Service Honor Roll of American Labor Organizations. These unions collectively represent nearly three million members, retirees, and their families who have championed workers' rights for over a century.

The U.S. Department of Labor has filed a lawsuit in federal court against Dragon Kitchen of Jefferson City and its owner, Danny Cheng. The suit follows an investigation by the department’s Wage and Hour Division, which found that servers were working for tips only and cooks were paid a fixed cash salary regardless of hours worked. These practices led to violations of minimum wage and overtime regulations.

DALLAS – The U.S. Department of Labor has recovered $227,834 in back wages from the owner and operator of a Happy Lamb Hot Pot franchise in Grand Prairie that denied 47 restaurant workers required minimum and overtime wages and illegally allowed a manager to keep a portion of servers’ tips.