News and reports from the Department of Labor.

The U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement’s Interagency Labor Committee for Monitoring and Enforcement has requested that the government of Mexico review allegations that workers’ rights are being denied by Industrias Tecnos, a munitions manufacturing facility in Cuernavaca. The U.S. Department of Labor and the U.S. Trade Representative co-chair the Interagency Labor Committee.

The Department of Labor announced today that its Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) has issued a report to Congress on an interpretive bulletin related to fiduciary standards when selecting an annuity provider for a defined benefit pension plan. Interpretive Bulletin 95-1, which outlines these Employee Retirement Income Security Act fiduciary requirements, was first issued in 1995. EBSA issued this report in response to a SECURE 2.0 Act directive to review the bulletin, consult with the ERISA Advisory Council, and determine whether any amendments are necessary.

The U.S. Department of Labor announced today that its Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) is making $10.5 million in grant funding available to support mine safety training for the nation’s miners. The grants will be awarded as part of MSHA's fiscal year 2024 State Grants program, aimed at providing federally mandated training and re-training for miners working in surface and underground coal, metal, and nonmetal mines.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor led the United States' delegation to the 2024 International Labor Conference (ILC) in Geneva from June 3-14, 2024, joining over 4,900 delegates for the world’s largest annual conference on international labor rights. The ILC brings together governments, employers, and workers from 187 member states.

The U.S. Department of Labor has recovered $307,770 in back wages and damages for 23 employees of Asian Restaurant Group Inc., which operates two Max’s of Manila restaurants in Hawaii. The investigation by the Wage and Hour Division found that the restaurant owners failed to pay kitchen staff the required overtime rates for hours worked over 40 in a workweek, violating the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

The U.S. Department of Labor's Deputy Undersecretary for International Affairs, Thea Lee, issued a statement condemning the murder of Anastacio Tzib Caal, who was recently elected as the secretary general of the Texpia II workers' union. The incident occurred on June 15 at the garment production facility in Villa Nueva, Guatemala.

BOAZ, AL – A Boaz mobile home manufacturer could have prevented a 62-year-old roofing laborer’s fatal fall had the employer followed required fall protection standards, a U.S. Department of Labor investigation found.

A U.S. Department of Labor workplace safety investigation has determined that a Woodbury plastic and resin manufacturer could have prevented a 37-year-old employee from suffering fatal injuries by adhering to required safety protocols designed to prevent machines from starting during maintenance.

Acting Labor Secretary Julie Su is traveling across the United States this summer to engage with workers and employers, highlighting the Biden-Harris administration's commitment to improving job quality. This initiative aims to fulfill the administration's promise of economic growth from the middle out and bottom up by investing federal resources in creating pathways to good jobs for all communities.

PLANO, TX – The U.S. Department of Labor has ordered American Home Protect LLC in Plano and its parent company, Porch Group Inc. in Seattle, to reinstate and pay back wages and compensatory damages to an employee who was fired in June 2023 after informing upper management about deceptive business practices.

The Department of Labor hosted leaders from the International Labor Organization, along with international, federal, state, and local government officials and stakeholders at its Washington headquarters on June 18. The gathering marked the first Women’s Bureau summit aimed at discussing collective efforts to prevent and address gender-based violence and harassment in the workplace.

SANDUSKY, OH – A Sandusky pork processing facility exposed workers to a release of ammonia gas, leading the U.S. Department of Labor to open two inspections and issue 43 violations of federal regulations.

The U.S. Department of Labor has recovered over $84,000 in back wages and liquidated damages for 13 workers following an investigation into a Jersey Shore steakhouse owner. The department also assessed $4,459 in penalties after determining that the owner violated federal overtime regulations deliberately.

ANN ARBOR, MI – An Ann Arbor restaurant operator who received nearly $950,000 in federal assistance to retain employees during the pandemic has agreed to pay $196,531 in back wages and liquidated damages to 20 workers following a U.S. Department of Labor investigation into illegal pay practices.

The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) will conduct a webinar on June 26, 2024, from 1-3 p.m. EDT to educate stakeholders, employers, and workers in the Southeast region about federal whistleblower protections.