US Department of Labor highlights safe construction practices during 2026 National Safety Stand-Down to Prevent Falls

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 ...

Vermont contractor pays nearly $44K in punitive damages, lost wages to former employee fired for exercising rights under federal wage law

Vermont contractor pays nearly $44K in punitive damages, lost wages to former employee fired for exercising rights under federal wage law
Employer name:                               Kingsbury Companies LLCInvestigation site:                 58 Center Road, Middlesex, VT 05602 Investigative findings:          The U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division found that the employer, a construction contractor, terminated an employee in March 2023, in retaliation for speaking with the employer and other employees about whether they were receiving the correct pay. In an administrative settlement with the division, Kingsbury Companies LLC has paid the worker $40,000 in punitive damages and $3,901 in back pay for the period during which the employee was looking for a new job after the retaliatory discharge.Quote:                                     “The Wage and Hour Division will not tolerate employers retaliating against workers who exercise their federally protected rights. The Fair Labor Standards Act forbids employers from taking adverse action against employees for engaging in protected activities such as inquiring about their pay rates, asserting their worker rights, filing a complaint or cooperating with a U.S. Department of Labor investigation. This case sends a message to employers that any form of threat or retaliation against workers for asserting their rights can have steep consequences,” said Wage and Hour Division District Director Steven J. McKinney in Manchester, New Hampshire. Background:                          Learn more about the Wage and Hour Division and how it protects workers against retaliation. The department can speak with callers confidentially in more than 200 languages through the agency’s toll-free helpline at 866-4US-WAGE (487-9243). Download the agency’s new Timesheet App for i-OS and Android devices – also available in Spanish – to ensure hours and pay are accurate.

Published at October 23, 2023 at 05:00PM
Read more at https://dol.gov

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