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

-
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
Post a Comment

Department of Labor investigation recovers $547K in back wages, damages after finding Guam construction contractor again shortchanged workers

-
Department of Labor investigation recovers $547K in back wages, damages after finding Guam construction contractor again shortchanged workers
BARRIGADA, GUAM – The U.S. Department of Labor has recovered $547,378 in back wages and liquidated damages for 139 employees of a federal construction contractor in Guam who shortchanged them in violation of federal labor laws.Investigators with the department’s Wage and Hour Division determined Ian Corporation – operating as Ian Construction – violated multiple federal regulations governing the employment of workers on projects supported by federal funds. The division found the company and owner Jihyung P. Chong violated prevailing wage requirements under the Davis-Bacon and Related Acts and the overtime requirements of the Contract Work Hours and Safety Standards Act and Fair Labor Standards Act by failing to pay for all hours worked.The division recovered a total of $295,420 in back wages and $251,957 in liquidated damages for 139 employees. In addition to back wages and damages recovered for workers, the employer’s repeated and willful violations led the department to assess $50,000 in penalties. This is not the first time the department has investigated Ian Construction. The division previously investigated this federal contractor in 2012, 2016 and 2021 for multiple violations, including overtime, health and welfare benefits, driving time, hours not paid and illegal deductions, resulting in a combined recovery of $10,849 for 44 workers. “Just like there are baseline building standards for the construction of homes and community infrastructure, there are also baseline wage standards for the workers who build them. These must be adhered to at all times,” explained Wage and Hour Division District Director Terence Trotter in Honolulu. “Counting and paying for all hours worked, including mandated breaks of short duration, isn’t just a good idea – it's the law.”Learn more about the DBRA, the CWHSSA and other laws enforced by the division, as well as a search tool to use if you think you may be owed back wages collected by the division. 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, now available for Android and iOS devices in English and Spanish, to ensure hours and pay are accurate.Learn more about the Wage and Hour Division.

Published at February 05, 2024 at 04:00AM
Read more at https://dol.gov

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

US Department of Labor, MEJA Construction Inc. to promote safety during construction of Clayton County’s Forest Park Middle School

-
US Department of Labor, MEJA Construction Inc. to promote safety during construction of Clayton County’s Forest Park Middle School Participants:  U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health AdministrationMEJA Construction Inc.Georgia Institute of Technology On-Site Safety and Health Consultation ProgramWhat:  Strategic safety partnershipBackground: The department’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration and MEJA Construction Inc. signed a strategic partnership to promote safety and health practices to help in preventing worker injuries and reducing exposure to hazards during construction of Forest Park Middle School in Clayton County, Georgia. The initiative will also encourage contractors to develop and implement safety and health programs, and provide safety and health training to employees, employers and supervisors to reduce the number of injuries and illnesses, increase safety and health training, reduce the overexposure of workers to health and safety hazard
Read more

US Department of Labor kicks off 9th annual National Apprenticeship Week

-
US Department of Labor kicks off 9th annual National Apprenticeship Week WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced the start of National Apprenticeship Week, an annual event that includes plans in 2023 for more than 1,300 events and proclamations nationwide, united by the theme, “Registered Apprenticeship: Superhighway to Good Jobs.”Through Nov. 19, this year’s 9th annual event will bring employers, industry associations, labor organizations, community-based organizations, workforce partners, education providers and government leaders together to showcase the importance of Registered Apprenticeship in improving job quality and expanding U.S. workers’ access to good-paying jobs in many industries. “National Apprenticeship Week recognizes the Biden-Harris administration’s historic investments in Registered Apprenticeships and their vital importance to our nation’s workforce infrastructure,” said Acting Secretary of Labor Julie Su. “This week, we commend our partners — in
Read more

Minnesota construction contractor faces $1.8M in federal penalties for exposing workers to trenching hazards for the 4th time since 2019

-
Minnesota construction contractor faces $1.8M in federal penalties for exposing workers to trenching hazards for the 4th time since 2019 MINOT, ND – Despite signing a 2021 settlement agreement with the U.S. Department of Labor that included a promise to protect its employees from potentially deadly trenching and excavation hazards, a Minnesota construction contractor was again found endangering employees in June 2023 as they replaced a residential water main and 20 separate curb stop valves for house connections in Minot. In April 2021, Wagner Construction Inc. pledged to improve its safety procedures and training in a comprehensive agreement with the department’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration to resolve violations of federal workplace safety regulations after agency inspectors cited the company at three North Dakota job sites in 2019 and 2020 for exposing employees to excavation hazards.The agreement included the company’s commitment to make significant changes, inclu
Read more