Tag: Department of Labor

Wage War: DOL Launches Aggressive “We Can Help” Enforcement Outreach

The U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) Wage and Hour Division (WHD) has fired a loud warning shot to employers in its ongoing effort to increase federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) enforcement. In a news release late last year, U.S. Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis first unveiled plans for a proposed program to work with […]

DOL’s Agenda Focuses on Safety and Wages

Labor Secretary Hilda L. Solis has announced the U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) regulatory agenda for 2010, saying, “Protecting wages and working conditions for workers is key to the mission of our department, and ensuring that workers have a voice on the job is also vital.” The agenda is expected to satisfy many union demands. […]

OSHA Fines MillerCoors for Employee Electrocution

by Jim Goh Behind efforts to assist organized labor and improve the balance between work and family, increasing workplace safety is a top priority for President Barack Obama and the 111th Congress. Both the President and congressional leaders have vowed more funding for the U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) […]

DOL to Abolish Employment Standards Administration

Like most federal agencies, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) is a large bureaucracy, housing many levels of subagencies and layers of employees with a host of titles that are unintelligible to outsiders. The DOL has recently decided to do a little streamlining by abolishing the umbrella agency that oversees four of its major units. […]

Addressing the Needs of an Aging Workforce

by Isabella Lee After falling for more than a century, the retirement age of American workers is on an upward trend. According to a recent survey, 43 percent of Americans believe they will have to work during their retirement. Many baby boomers plan on staying in the workforce past retirement for a variety of reasons: […]

DOL’s Renewed Focus: Wage and Hour Enforcement

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) recently released a report and congressional testimony concerning its investigation of the U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) Wage and Hour Division (WHD). The GAO concluded that the “WHD frequently responded inadequately to complaints, leaving low wage workers vulnerable to wage theft.” This article summarizes the GAO’s report, DOL Secretary Hilda […]

Strict Safety Requirements for Teen Workers

Memorial Day, the unofficial start of summer, is just a few weeks away and many employers have started thinking about adding students to their workforce. Here are some issues to consider as those eager, money-hungry youngsters join your workplace. Safety first The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) […]