Acting Secretary Sonderling statement on April jobs report

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...

Department of Labor recovers nearly $100K in wages, damages for 31 misclassified Oklahoma construction workers

Department of Labor recovers nearly $100K in wages, damages for 31 misclassified Oklahoma construction workers
Employer name:                      Future Inc.Investigation sites:               10216 Oak Dr                                                        Newalla, OK 74857Investigation findings: The U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division found Future Inc. – a dirt work contractor serving commercial, industrial and residential clients – misclassified 31 construction workers employed to complete major projects in a multi-state area as independent contractors. Future Inc. violated federal law by failing to pay the required time and one-half its employees’ hourly wages for hours worked over 40 per workweek. In 2023, the division found more than $35.5 million in owed wages for construction industry workers. On Jan. 10, 2024, the department published a final rule, effective March 11, revising the department’s guidance on how to analyze who is an employee or independent contractor under the Fair Labor Standards Act. Learn more about the final rule.Back wages recovered:  $49,940 in owed wages and $49,940 in liquidated damages to 31 workers.                Quote: “Misclassifying employees as independent contractors denies workers minimum wage, overtime pay and other protections, and can lead to unfair competition among industry employers,” said Wage and Hour District Director Michael Speer in Oklahoma City. “Misclassification can also deny workers employment benefits and protections such as Social Security, unemployment insurance, workers’ compensation and family and medical leave. Employers must ensure their hiring practices align with the law to avoid costly violations.”Lea en Español

Published at March 27, 2024 at 05:00AM
Read more at https://dol.gov

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