Department of Labor adds 16 new large federally funded projects to program promoting equal access to good jobs created by Investing in America agenda WASHINGTON – The Department of Labor today announced the addition of 16 large infrastructure projects, funded through the Biden-Harris administration’s $2 trillion Investing in America agenda, to the Mega Construction Project Program.The department’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs launched the “Megaproject” Program in March 2023. It aims to foster equal opportunity in the construction trades’ workforce and expand access to the millions of good jobs being created by large federal or federally assisted construction projects valued at $35 million or more and that last more than one year.“The Biden-Harris administration is committed to building a workforce that looks like America—and the Megaproject Program is all about us putting our money where our mouths are,” said Acting Secretary Julie Su. “Under President Biden’s leadership, we are removing barriers that prevent people from all backgrounds from having their opportunity to secure the good jobs supported by the Investing in America agenda. At the Department of Labor, we will continue to work with hundreds of construction contractors on large federally funded projects to ensure that these economic investments are accessible to all communities.”The program brings together the public and private sectors to provide a diverse pool of qualified workers with access to good jobs and promotes equitable hiring and fair workplace practices by federal contractors, with a focus on removing barriers for underrepresented communities including women, people of color, veterans and people with disabilities. OFCCP leverages relationships in local communities and assists contractors in strengthening their recruitment, hiring and other employment practices.“Megaprojects provide workers with opportunities to access life-changing, good-paying construction jobs,” said Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs Acting Director Michele Hodge. “OFCCP will unleash its full power by engaging stakeholders in the community proactively to remove hiring barriers in the construction trades and ensure these historic federal investments reach underrepresented communities.” To designate these Megaprojects, OFCCP partnered with the departments of Commerce, Energy, Interior and Transportation, as well as with the Army Corps of Engineers, to apply neutral criteria in making the selections. With the latest additions, the agency has now designated a total of 40 megaprojects. “President Biden’s Investing in America agenda is helping communities tackle the climate crisis while creating good-paying, family-sustaining jobs and revitalizing local economies,” said Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland. “As with all of our work, we are implementing these historic investments with an eye towards equity and opportunity. The Department of the Interior is proud to partner with the Department of Labor to ensure that the benefits of these new programs reach historically marginalized communities, including Tribal Nations, and that the jobs created provide opportunity in every corner of America.”“The Department of Transportation is proud to partner with the Department of Labor on the Megaproject Program,” said Deputy Secretary of Transportation Polly Trottenberg. “Our two agencies will help ensure that people who have historically been shut out of construction and the trades are part of the national effort to help build critical infrastructure ranging from roads, bridges, transit, rail, ports, and trails like the Atlanta Beltline.”“Building a brighter future starts with an inclusive foundation. By fostering diversity and empowering skilled workers, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers not only strengthens our projects but also enriches the communities we serve,” said Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works Michael Connor.View a list of projects in the Mega Construction Project Program.Learn more about OFCCP.
http://www.dol.gov/newsroom/re....leases/ofccp/ofccp20

Unemployment Insurance Weekly Claims Report In the week ending April 20, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 207,000, a decrease of 5,000 from the previous week's unrevised level of 212,000. The 4-week moving average was 213,250, a decrease of 1,250 from the previous week's unrevised average of 214,500.
http://www.dol.gov/newsroom/re....leases/eta/eta202404

Department of Labor will offer online wage seminars in May, August on prevailing wage requirements for federally funded projects WASHINGTON – The Department of Labor today announced its Wage and Hour Division will offer contracting agencies, contractors, unions, workers and other stakeholders opportunities in May or August to attend an online seminar on meeting federal requirements for paying prevailing wages on federally funded construction and service contracts.Part of the continuing effort by the division to increase awareness and improve compliance, the day-long seminars will offer sessions on the labor standards protections in the Davis-Bacon Act and the Service Contract Act, including how the department sets and administers prevailing wages and other topics. Participants can choose from several sessions to get the information they need. “Prevailing wage laws empower workers by ensuring that federally funded construction and service jobs are good jobs with fair wages and benefits,” said Wage and Hour Administrator Jessica Looman. “The Biden-Harris administration’s historic investments in our nation’s infrastructure means a significant increase in the number of federal and federally funded projects, and the Wage and Hour Division is committed to ensuring stakeholders understand the labor standards protections critical to these investments.”Seminars will be held online on May 15 and Aug. 29 from 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. EDT. The seminars are free to attend but registration is required. Additional information and links to the online seminars will be sent to registered participants. Sign up to receive event updates. Learn more about the requirements for federal contractors.
http://www.dol.gov/newsroom/re....leases/whd/whd202404

Department of Labor highlights more than 1,000 planned clean energy projects with potential for good-paying jobs on new interactive map WASHINGTON – The Department of Labor today announced the launch of an interactive map to help workers, unions and the public learn more about the tens of thousands of jobs being created nationwide by more than 1,000 planned clean energy projects, in line with the Biden-Harris administration’s commitment to creating good jobs while tackling the climate crisis.The Inflation Reduction Act offers strong incentives for clean energy projects to create high-quality and union jobs that pay prevailing wages and use Registered Apprenticeship programs. The new map showcases clean energy projects that may be eligible for enhanced federal tax credits if they meet these requirements.“This map is a collaboration between the U.S. Department of Labor and other federal agencies to help ensure that the Biden-Harris administration’s historic climate investments create good-paying jobs,” said Acting Secretary Julie Su. “By producing new tools like this one, we are helping to facilitate partnerships between employers and unions that can yield worker-centric practices and valuable training opportunities for this wave of new clean energy jobs.”The map allows users to sort planned clean energy projects by sector and state and learn more about each project’s location, name, status and size, companies involved and the estimated number of construction jobs supporting the project. Drawn from publicly available data, the map’s information does not indicate eligibility for federal tax incentives and does not constitute federal taxpayer information.Learn more about the clean energy projects map.
http://www.dol.gov/newsroom/re....leases/osec/osec2024

Vermont restaurant retaliated against server, underpaid workers, violated child labor provisions, US Department of Labor investigation finds MANCHESTER, NH – A Vermont restaurant server will receive $50,000 in punitive damages and $829 in back pay, after a U.S. Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division investigation found the employer retaliated against them by terminating their employment for refusing to share tips with a manager.The division found Trareeba Ltd., doing business as Colatina Exit in Bradford, Vermont, violated the Fair Labor Standards Act by unlawfully including managers in its tip pool, which invalidated the employer’s tip credit, and also failed to pay workers time and one-half their regular rates of pay for hours over 40 in a workweek. The division also determined the restaurant employed two 17-year-old delivery drivers to make time-sensitive deliveries, a violation of federal child labor regulations. In an administrative settlement with the division, Colatina Exit paid $119,605 in back wages and an equal amount in liquidated damages to 43 employees affected by the tip and overtime violations. The employer has paid the department $28,132 in civil money penalties for its child labor violations and $3,393 in penalties for the tip violations. “Colatina Exit’s illegal employment practices hurt workers and undercut law-abiding employers who treat their employees fairly. The law requires that tips go to employees, not their manager,” said Wage and Hour Division District Director Steven McKinney in Manchester, New Hampshire.“The Wage and Hour Division does not tolerate retaliation against employees who exercise their rights under the Fair Labor Standards Act and we will take all necessary action to protect workers and ensure they receive the wages they are owed,” McKinney emphasized.The FLSA prohibits employers from keeping any portion of employees’ tips for any purpose, whether directly or through a tip pool. Employers may not require workers to give their tips to the employer, a supervisor or a manager.Learn more about protections against unlawful retaliation to workers.The Department of Labor’s YouthRules! initiative promotes positive and safe work experiences for teens by providing information about protections for young workers to youth, parents, employers and educators. Through this initiative, the department and its partners promote developmental work experiences that help prepare young workers to enter the workforce. The Wage and Hour Division has also published Seven Child Labor Best Practices for Employers to help employers comply with the law. Learn more about the Fair Labor Standards Act’s child labor provisions. Workers and employers can contact the division confidentially at its toll-free number, 1-866-4-US-WAGE (487-9243). Learn more about the Wage and Hour Division, including the agency’s restaurant compliance assistance toolkit, an overview of FLSA protections for restaurant workers and Workers Owed Wages, a search tool to use if you think you may be owed back wages collected by the division. Workers and employers alike can help track their hours worked and pay by downloading the department’s Android and iOS Timesheet App for free in English or Spanish.  
http://www.dol.gov/newsroom/re....leases/whd/whd202404