News and reports from the Department of Labor.

A federal court in Vermont has ruled that the First Amendment does not protect a Milton, Vermont excavation contractor and its officials from using social media to retaliate against employees. The decision by the U.S. District Court for the District of Vermont is part of ongoing litigation between the Department of Labor and Bevins & Son Inc. and represents one of the first federal court decisions to address the relationship between the First Amendment and the anti-retaliation provision of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

El Departamento del Trabajo de los EE. UU. anunció hoy un acuerdo voluntario con el Departamento de Empleo de Oregon para mejorar el acceso al programa de seguro de desempleo para personas con dominio limitado del inglés.

The U.S. Department of Labor has secured a consent judgment requiring MKK Holding Inc., operating as Blue Fish Asian Cuisine in Dearborn, Michigan, to pay $38,602 in back wages and liquidated damages to 17 employees. The judgment also finds owner Sung Hee Kim in contempt of a 2018 court order to comply with the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

On May 20, 2024, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York issued a consent judgment and order against P & B Heating & Air Conditioning Corp., based in West Babylon, New York. The court mandated the company to pay $15,000 in punitive damages to employees and permanently enjoined it from violating the Fair Labor Standards Act’s (FLSA) anti-retaliation provisions.

DECATUR, IL – The U.S. Department of Labor has entered into a conciliation agreement with Caterpillar Inc. to resolve alleged systemic hiring discrimination against 60 Black applicants at one of the heavy equipment manufacturer’s production facilities in Decatur, Illinois.

A federal consent judgment has been secured by the Department of Labor, mandating a Greenville cleaning and janitorial service, along with its owner, to pay over $127,000 in back wages, liquidated damages and compensatory damages. This follows a court's ruling that the company and its owner illegally terminated workers for asserting their rights to federally-mandated sick leave.

A U.S. Department of Labor investigation has secured over $450,000 in back wages and damages for 62 employees at two Half Moon Bay mushroom farms. These sites were the scene of a fatal shooting incident involving seven migrant workers in January 2023. The investigation also resulted in penalties after it was found that the employers had underpaid their workers and provided substandard housing conditions.

The Department of Labor announced today a final rule from its Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) that will update the current Hazard Communication Standard. The new rule aims to enhance worker protection by improving the quantity and quality of information on labels and safety data sheets, thereby enabling workers and first responders to respond more swiftly in emergencies. The updates will come into effect on July 19, 2024.

The U.S. Department of Labor has recovered $37,000 for 19 workers who were denied overtime at two restaurants in the Rio Grande Valley. The employer named in the case is Blanca Rosa Amezcua, trading as Taqueria Tepeque #1, and Taqueria Tepeque LLC, trading as Taqueria Tepeque #2.

The U.S. Department of Labor has once again found that La Mojarra Loca restaurants in Las Vegas have shortchanged their workers' wages. The department has recovered $151,000 for 33 workers who were denied overtime pay.

The Department of Labor announced a significant expansion of MigrantWorker.gov and its Spanish version, TrabajadorMigrante.gov. These websites provide valuable information to help protect the rights of all American workers, regardless of their immigration status.

The U.S. Department of Labor has announced the availability of $12 million in additional funds aimed at improving job quality and expanding access to good jobs in critical industries. This initiative places an emphasis on training for jobs in the care economy, such as home, elder, and childcare.

The Department of Labor (DOL) announced today that its Employee Benefits Security Administration will publish interim final rules and an amendment to a prohibited transaction class exemption. These changes aim to better protect workers' retirement savings by facilitating the distribution of assets from bankrupt companies' retirement plans by Chapter 7 bankruptcy trustees.

The U.S. Department of Labor has recovered $37,000 in owed wages and damages for 19 workers who were denied overtime by two Rio Grande Valley restaurants. The employers, Blanca Rosa Amezcua, operating as Taqueria Tepeque #1, and Taqueria Tepeque LLC, operating as Taqueria Tepeque #2, were found to have violated federal law.

WASHINGTON – The Department of Labor today announced a significant expansion of MigrantWorker.gov and its Spanish version, TrabajadorMigrante.gov. These websites provide useful information to help protect the rights of all American workers, regardless of their immigration status.