US Department of Labor investigation finds Birmingham construction company willfully exposed workers to trench collapse at Bessemer worksite

US Department of Labor investigation finds Birmingham construction company willfully exposed workers to trench collapse at Bessemer worksite BIRMINGHAM – A U.S. Department of Labor investigation has found numerous safety hazards at a civil construction employer’s worksite following a trench collapse in Jefferson County. The department’sOccupational Safety and Health Administration investigators found CB&A Construction LLC workers removed and installed drain pipes for Jefferson County under a suspended load, without hard hats, and at the edge of an excavation that lacked protective restraints.OSHA cited CB&A Construction with a willful violation and proposed $170,145 in penalties.CB&A Construction LLC has 15 business days from receipt of its citations and penalties to comply, request an informal conference with OSHA’s area director, or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission. Penalties and citations may...

Department of Labor recovers $80K in wages for 55 employees shortchanged by employer contracted for Typhoon Mawar debris removal

Department of Labor recovers $80K in wages for 55 employees shortchanged by employer contracted for Typhoon Mawar debris removal
Employer:      UMS Heavy Equipment Rental Inc.                             3415 Maimai Road                             Chalan Pago, Guam 96910 Investigation findings: A U.S. Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division investigation found construction subcontractor UMS Heavy Equipment Rental Inc. in violation of federal contract labor laws while under a multi-million federal service contract for management and disposal of debris resulting from Typhoon Mawar on Guam in May 2023. Investigators determined the employer violated federal labor laws by failing to pay $80,346 in minimum and prevailing wages, fringe benefits and overtime. Wages Recovered/Damages Assessed:        $48,843 in minimum wages for 43 workers.                                                                                          $24,764 in fringe benefits for 53 workers.                                                                                          $6,256 in overtime wages for 25 workers.                          $483 in prevailing wages for nine workers.Quote: “By their failure to fully meet the President’s Executive Order minimum wage for workers on federal contracts and underpaying earned health and holiday benefits, UMS Heavy Equipment Rental shortchanged people who worked hard to help Guam recover in the wake of Typhoon Mawar,” said Wage and Hour Division District Director Terence Trotter in Honolulu. “Thanks to our investigation, dozens of workers have received the wages and benefits they rightfully earned.” Background: UMS Heavy Equipment Rental is a subcontractor to major construction companies needing trucking and heavy equipment services. A 2021 investigation found the employer violated overtime requirements under the Fair Labor Standards Act and recovered $17,308 in back wages for 20 employees and the assessment of $7,250 in penalties. Workers can use the division’s Workers Owed Wages search tool to see if they are owed back wages collected by the division. Employers and workers can contact the Wage and Hour Division for assistance at its toll-free number, 1-866-4-US-WAGE. Workers and employers alike can help ensure hours worked and pay are accurate by downloading the department’s Android and iOS Timesheet App for free in English or Spanish. 

Published at August 29, 2024 at 05:00AM
Read more at https://dol.gov

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