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Acting Secretary Sonderling statement on April jobs report

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Acting Secretary Sonderling statement on April jobs report WASHINGTON – U.S. Acting Secretary of Labor Keith Sonderling issued the following statement regarding the April 2026 Employment Situation Report:“Despite doom-and-gloom rhetoric from pundits and economists, America’s economic comeback is clearly accelerating under President Trump, with job growth now shattering expectations two months in a row. 115,000 jobs were added in April, doubling expectations and proving 94% of Bloomberg economists wrong. The unemployment rate remained steady and total private sector job growth under this Administration now stands at more than 700,000 new jobs.“Thanks to President Trump’s Working Families Tax Cuts, job creators were clearly feeling empowered this tax season and are investing in American workers. Our skilled workforce is seeing the benefits, with continued job growth in construction and a strong 5.2% year-over-year increase in manufacturing weekly earnings.“The President is bringing work...
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US Department of Labor highlights safe construction practices during 2026 National Safety Stand-Down to Prevent Falls

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US Department of Labor highlights safe construction practices during 2026 National Safety Stand-Down to Prevent Falls WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration is encouraging construction employers and workers nationwide to participate in the 13th annual National Safety Stand-Down to Prevent Falls in Construction, taking place May 4-8, 2026.The nationwide event focuses on preventing falls, the leading cause of fatalities in the construction industry, and reinforces the importance of planning, training, and hazard awareness to protect workers.Because falls continue to pose a significant risk in construction, OSHA is making prevention a top priority. Through efforts like the Safety Stand-Down, the agency is working to drive real change and emphasizing that lasting progress is achieved through employers, workers, and industry partners working together.OSHA encourages employers to pause work throughout the week and engage employees ...
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Department of Labor finds New Mexico company wrongfully fired inspector who raised concerns during gas pipeline installation at Oklahoma site

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Department of Labor finds New Mexico company wrongfully fired inspector who raised concerns during gas pipeline installation at Oklahoma site OKLAHOMA CITY – The U.S. Department of Labor has ordered a New Mexico-based inspection company to reinstate and compensate a terminated worker who reported safety concerns during installation of a natural gas pipeline in Watonga, Oklahoma.The department’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration investigated a whistleblower complaint filed against Legacy Energy and Distribution LLC that alleged a construction crew was installing a pipeline without following federal regulations. The complainant used “stop work authority” to halt the installation and contacted an independent, third-party testing company to verify observed concerns, which Legacy later confirmed as valid. Legacy subsequently fired the inspector, alleging failure to follow the established chain of command and complete the probationary period.OSHA determined that Legacy wrongfull...
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US Department of Labor investigation finds Alabama construction company exposed workers to trenching hazards following fatal incident

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US Department of Labor investigation finds Alabama construction company exposed workers to trenching hazards following fatal incident HUNTSVILLE, AL – The U.S. Department of Labor has cited a Huntsville-based home builder with eight serious safety violations after an investigation into a worker’s fatality in December 2025 found the employer exposed construction workers to multiple safety hazards during groundwork prep.Investigators with the department’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration learned that workers for Breland Homes Inc. were installing a sewage drainpipe in a Madison County subdivision when a trench collapsed on a construction laborer. OSHA concluded that Breland Homes had allowed the decedent to work in an unprotected and unsupported section of the trench. In addition, OSHA found multiple safety violations, including failure to train workers to recognize unsafe conditions in trenching, allowing workers to conduct duties without protective helmets, and p...
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California construction contractor ordered to pay back wages, damages to 137 workers denied overtime, minimum wages

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California construction contractor ordered to pay back wages, damages to 137 workers denied overtime, minimum wages NEWPORT BEACH, CA – The U.S. Department of Labor has obtained a consent judgment to recover $468,505 in back wages and damages for 137 construction workers denied minimum wage and overtime pay by a Newport Beach construction company, in violation of federal law. On Dec. 17, 2025, the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California approved the judgment against SCA General Contracting and operators Sundeep Pandhoh and Gary Tetone. The court action follows an investigation by the department’s Wage and Hour Division that found the employers’ pay practices violated the Fair Labor Standards Act.From Nov. 1, 2024, through Nov. 30, 2025, the division determined that the employers repeatedly missed payroll, failed to pay workers minimum wage, did not pay overtime for hours worked over 40 in a workweek, and retaliated against employees who compl...
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US Department of Labor, Mascaro Construction Co. partner to promote safety, health during Heinz History Center expansion

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US Department of Labor, Mascaro Construction Co. partner to promote safety, health during Heinz History Center expansion PITTSBURGH – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration has signed a strategic partnership with Mascaro Construction Co. to promote worker safety and health during a major expansion of the Heinz History Center in Pittsburgh.The partnership between the OSHA Pittsburgh Area Office and the construction company seeks to prevent work-related injuries, control and eliminate serious workplace hazards, and establish a foundation for an effective safety and health program.This initiative will also assist contractors in developing and implementing safety and health management systems and train subcontractors on recognizing hazards when working in and around construction sites.Partners will emphasize leadership engagement, accountability measures, worker participation strategies, and robust hazard identification protocols. The He...
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US Department of Labor files suit alleging South Dakota construction company wrongfully fired whistleblower for reporting work-related injury

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US Department of Labor files suit alleging South Dakota construction company wrongfully fired whistleblower for reporting work-related injury SIOUX FALLS, SD – The U.S. Department of Labor has filed suit against a Valley Springs construction contractor for the wrongful termination of an employee who reported a severe work-related injury.An investigation by the department’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration found the employee received second- and third-degree burns from scalding water in a pressurized pipe. OSHA determined Stone Hill Excavation LLC, and its successor Split Rock Sand & Gravel, violated the whistleblower provisions of the Occupational Safety and Health Act by firing the worker two days after the injury was reported.The department’s suit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of South Dakota, asks the court to hold the company and its successor liable for illegal retaliation. It also calls for the reinstatement of the employee and...
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