Department of Labor alleges subcontractor knowingly exposed employees to asbestos hazards during former Waukegan hospital demolition

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Department of Labor alleges subcontractor knowingly exposed employees to asbestos hazards during former Waukegan hospital demolition WAUKEGAN, IL – Alleging that K.L.F. Enterprises — a Chicago demolition subcontractor — knew it was exposing its employees and others to the serious dangers of asbestos at a Waukegan work site, the U.S. Department of Labor has cited the company for 36 safety and health violations after a federal investigation. In November 2023, investigators with the department’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration opened a complaint inspection after they observed K.L.F. employees not wearing protective equipment amid piles of debris and steel I-beams during structural demolition of the eight-story former Lakes Behavioral Health hospital. OSHA determined that K.L.F. continued demolition activities — disturbing and removing asbestos used to fireproof the building’s interior — despite recognizing the debris piles outside were likely asbestos-laden. The company did
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US Department of Labor recovers $33K in back wages for five workers after investigation revealed Apex company violated federal wage laws

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US Department of Labor recovers $33K in back wages for five workers after investigation revealed Apex company violated federal wage laws
APEX, NC – The U.S. Department of Labor has recovered $33,230 in back wages for five employees working on a federally funded construction project in Fayetteville. Investigators found the employer failed to pay workers all wages earned as required by the Davis Bacon Act. Investigators with the department’s Wage and Hour Division found Apex Plumbing and Heating Inc. – operating as APH – violated federal law when the employer paid employees the prevailing wage for sheet metal workers even though they performed plumbers’ work. The employer paid less than the prevailing wage and benefits than the workers would have earned if paid correctly. In addition, APH failed to comply with Executive Order 13706, Paid Sick Leave for Federal Contractors, by failing to allow employees to accrue and use paid sick leave. Record keeping violations under the Fair Labor Standards Act were also found. “Prevailing wage laws on government contracts put competing contractors on equal footing and protect the wages and earned leave of hard-working tradespeople,” said Wage and Hour Division District Director Richard Blaylock in Raleigh, North Carolina. “This case should serve as a reminder for other employers that different trades require different wage rates if Davis Bacon regulations apply. When a worker performs different types of work, the employers must record the number of hours worked in each job classification and pay worker the correct prevailing rate for each type of work performed.” The Wage and Hour Division’s investigation reviewed APH’s pay practices for work conducted work at Fayetteville VA Medical Center in Fayetteville. APH is headquartered in Apex and performs plumbing, heating and ductwork in large-scale residential and commercial developments, military installations and Veterans Affairs facilities across the eastern region of the U.S. For information about the FLSA and other laws enforced by the division, including compliance assistance toolkits, contact the agency’s toll-free helpline at 866-4US-WAGE (487-9243) or learn more about the Wage and Hour Division on its website, including a search tool to use if you think you may be owed back wages collected by the division. Callers can receive information confidentially in more than 200 languages.

Published at December 26, 2021 at 04:00PM
Read more at https://dol.gov

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