http://www.dol.gov/ en http://www.dol.gov/newsroom/releases/ilab/ilab20261023 WASHINGTON – The United States today announced the successful resolution of the USMCA Rapid Response Labor Mechanism (RRM) matter at the Amphenol Optimize México, S.A. de C.V. facility located in Nogales, Sonora, Mexico, which manufactures automotive and aerospace connectors, cables, and components. The resolution is another win for the Trump Administration, whose America First approach ensures our trade partners do not undermine worker protections to gain an unfair trade advantage or attract investment.The United States and Mexico agreed on a course of remediation to address labor rights violations occurring at the facility, including employer interference in union activity and retaliatory dismissals of workers. That plan has now been implemented, and the Denial of Rights concerns raised in the U.S. request for review have been remediated. As a result, the United States Trade Representative has directed the Secretary of the Treasury to resume liquidation of unliquidated entries of goods from the facility.The U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of International Labor Affairs, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, and the Mexican government facilitated a resolution with Amphenol to remediate workers’ claims.Actions taken by the facility to address the matter include: Reinstating nine workers with full backpay and benefits; Implementing a neutrality statement and guidelines related to the freedom of association and collective bargaining; andInstalling and publicizing a complaint mechanism through which workers can report violations of their rights and breaches of company policies.Actions taken by the Government of Mexico to address the matter include: Delivering in-person trainings for all company personnel on the freedom of association and collective bargaining; Monitoring the facility and engaging with workers and the company throughout its review period; andMaintaining a direct email address, reporting platform, and telephone line for workers to anonymously report any potential acts of unlawful interference or other violations of freedom of association and collective bargaining rights, and timely investigating any allegations.The RRM, developed under the first Trump administration, is an unprecedented trade tool that works to level the playing field for American workers by addressing weak labor law enforcement in Mexican workplaces that compete in trade with the U.S.   BackgroundThe United States Trade Representative and the Secretary of Labor co-chair the Interagency Labor Committee for Monitoring and Enforcement (ILC). On April 11, 2025, the ILC received an RRM petition from the Sindicato Industrial Operaciones y Manufacturas, a Mexican labor union. The petition alleged that Amphenol had violated workers’ right to freedom of association and collective bargaining by coercing workers to vote for the company-favored outcome during a union vote, discouraging workers from joining an independent union, and taking reprisals against workers due to their union preferences, including through dismissals. The ILC reviews RRM petitions that it receives, and the accompanying information, within 30 days. The ILC determined that there was sufficient, credible evidence of a denial of rights enabling the good faith invocation of enforcement mechanisms.As a result, on May 9, 2025, the United States Trade Representative submitted a request to Mexico to review the matter. Mexico accepted the request, conducted an investigation, and worked with Amphenol to provide remediation to dismissed workers and implement facility-wide measures aimed at safeguarding freedom of association and collective bargaining rights. The United States has reviewed the matter and concluded the situation to have been remediated. As a result of the above actions taken by the facility and Mexico to resolve the action, the United States agrees that there is no ongoing denial of rights. Ambassador Greer’s letter directing the Secretary of the Treasury to resume liquidation of unliquidated entries of goods from the facility is available here.Read the full course of remediation here.Read an unofficial courtesy Spanish translation of the full course of remediation here.Information about previous requests can be found here.Learn more about the department’s work to make global competition fair for American workers. Fri, 23 Oct 26 12:00:00 +0000 http://www.dol.gov/newsroom/releases/ilab/ilab20261023 http://www.dol.gov/newsroom/releases/whd/whd20261022 VOORHEES, NJ – The U.S. Department of Labor has obtained a consent judgment and final order in federal district court requiring a New Jersey drywall installer to pay $725,000 in back wages, damages, and civil money penalties after denying 48 workers overtime pay.The department’s Wage and Hour Division found that P & B Partitions Inc. failed to pay their employees for pre-shift work while they waited for transportation to their jobsites. The failure to pay constitutes a violation under the Fair Labor Standards Act’s overtime provisions.  “Tasks completed to prepare for the job, and in this case, while waiting to get to the worksite, is work that must be compensated,” said Wage and Hour Division District Director Charlene Rachor in Southern New Jersey. “Failing to pay workers overtime wages deprives them of their rights, and we will hold employers accountable for such actions.”The consent judgment requires P & B Partitions Inc. to pay $350,000 in back wages, an equal amount in liquidated damages to 48 workers, and requires payment of an additional $25,000 in civil penalties. The judgment was entered in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey on June 26, 2026.“The U.S. Department of Labor will pursue legal action to ensure that all employees receive the compensation they are legally owed,” said Regional Solicitor of Labor Jeffrey S. Rogoff in New York. “This case demonstrates that employers can face costly consequences if they do not comply with federal wage law.”Employees and employers can contact the Wage and Hour Division with questions and requests for compliance assistance at its toll-free helpline, 866-4US-WAGE (487-9243). Employers are encouraged to use the agency’s industry-specific compliance assistance toolkits to learn about their responsibilities under the laws enforced by the division. The agency’s PAID program offers employers an opportunity to self-report and resolve potential minimum wage and overtime violations under the FLSA, as well as certain potential violations under the Family and Medical Leave Act.Learn more about the Wage and Hour Division, including how workers can use a search tool if they believe they may be owed back wages collected by the division. Download the agency’s free WorkWise Timesheet app for iOS and Android devices to track hours and pay. Thu, 22 Oct 26 12:00:00 +0000 http://www.dol.gov/newsroom/releases/whd/whd20261022 http://www.dol.gov/newsroom/releases/eta/eta20261022 In the week ending October 17, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 194,000, a decrease of 6,000 from the previous week's revised level. The previous week's level was revised up by 1,000 from 199,000 to 200,000. The 4-week moving average was 197,750, a decrease of 1,000 from the previous week's revised average. The previous week's average was revised up by 250 from 198,500 to 198,750. Thu, 22 Oct 26 12:00:00 +0000 http://www.dol.gov/newsroom/releases/eta/eta20261022 http://www.dol.gov/newsroom/releases/ebsa/ebsa20261021 WASHINGTON – The departments of Labor and Health and Human Services announced that representatives from several large employers with self-insured health plans signed a statement of support for the expansion of electronic prior authorization reform to the self-insured markets. “The departments appreciate these U.S. companies for stepping forward to collaborate with Labor and Health and Human Services to help employees cut through red tape and receive their health benefits,” said Assistant Secretary for Employee Benefits Security Daniel Aronowitz. “By signing this statement of support for the expansion of electronic prior authorization reform, government and private industry are working together on behalf of the American workforce.”Signed by five delegates from Amazon, Axon Enterprise Inc., Google, Meta, and Oracle Corp., the statement supports the June 2025 Prior Authorization Pledge, which contains six key reforms, including standardizing all prior authorization submissions, reducing the volume of medical procedures that require preapproval, and making sure medical professionals review all clinical denials. It also asks third party administrators to enhance transparency and communication around authorization decisions and appeals.“Patients and doctors shouldn’t have to fall back on faxes and paperwork simply because of how a patient’s health plan is funded,” said CMS Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz. “We’ve brought insurers, providers, and technology companies to the table to modernize prior authorization, and now employers are helping us take another important step. When the entire healthcare system moves together, we can spend less time on paperwork and more time getting patients the care they need.”Over the past year, the Trump Administration and industry partners have implemented electronic prior authorization reforms. In 2025, leading insurance companies signed the Prior Authorization Pledge to improve the process for their Medicare Advantage, Medicaid Managed Care, Health Insurance Marketplace, and commercial plans. Read the employer statement of support. Wed, 21 Oct 26 12:00:00 +0000 http://www.dol.gov/newsroom/releases/ebsa/ebsa20261021 http://www.dol.gov/newsroom/releases/osha/osha20261021 CHICAGO – The U.S. Department of Labor has cited a Frankfort-based utility construction company for repeatedly exposing employees to excavation safety hazards after federal investigators observed employees working in an unprotected trench.The department’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration initiated an investigation of Always Underground LLC as part of its National Emphasis Program on Trenching after witnessing employees working in an unprotected trench deeper than eight feet.OSHA cited the employer for three repeat violations for failing to provide workers with a safe means of egress, to install a trench protective system that would protect against cave-ins, and to keep excavated or other materials and equipment at least 2 feet from the edge. Additionally, the agency cited the employer for a serious violation for failing to provide workers with protective hardhats against falling objects.In total, OSHA proposed $380,664 in penalties.The employer 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. Please check the OSHA establishment search page periodically for any changes in the inspection or penalty status.Visit OSHA’s website to learn about keeping workers safe around trenching and excavations. Employers can also contact the agency for information about OSHA’s compliance assistance resources and for free help on complying with OSHA standards.  Wed, 21 Oct 26 12:00:00 +0000 http://www.dol.gov/newsroom/releases/osha/osha20261021 http://www.dol.gov/newsroom/releases/eta/eta20261019 WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced the award of $95.5 million in funding to support the creation of innovative models of training and employment services that connect workers affected by layoffs to high-growth industries.Administered by the department’s Employment and Training Administration, Rapid Reskill Dislocated Worker Grants support 20 projects across 17 states to quickly connect workers affected by layoffs to employment and training services that lead to high-wage, in-demand occupations in industries expected to grow, including domestic manufacturing, aerospace, energy production, construction, and other occupations important to reindustrialization.Reskill DWG projects are designed to swiftly assess participants’ prior experience and existing skillsets and chart a course to an in-demand occupation or industry. Participants will gain industry-specific skills and credentials to speed their reemployment while projects will develop and share innovative approaches for connecting workers impacted by layoffs with careers in America’s growth industries.“The Rapid Reskill Grants support our commitment to ensuring displaced workers have the skills they need to pursue the American Dream,” said Secretary of Labor Keith Sonderling. “They also help ensure a workforce for the Golden Age of reindustrialization and empower workers to stay rooted in their hometown.”Reskill DWGs aim to rapidly place dislocated workers into paid work, whether full-time unsubsidized employment, a Registered Apprenticeship, or other paid, structured on-the-job training in their target occupation or industry within six months of enrollment. Toward that end, these innovative projects incorporate short-term, intensive training programs that lead to industry-recognized credentials and skills development aligned with industry-specific or occupational training. Supported by the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, National Dislocated Worker Grants provide funding assistance to temporarily expand the service capacity of dislocated worker programs at the state and local levels.Recipients of the Rapid Reskill Employment Recovery Grants are as follows:RecipientStateAmountAlaska Department of Labor and Workforce DevelopmentAK$2,472,413 California Employment Development DepartmentCA$4,326,860 Workforce Alliance Inc.CT$2,290,839 Florida Department of CommerceFL$6,593,407 Kentucky Department of Workforce DevelopmentKY$2,554,831 The BootLA$6,585,696 Maine Department of LaborME$5,576,341 Michigan Department of Labor and Economic OpportunityMI$6,593,407 Capital Area Workforce Development BoardNC$5,797,825 Nebraska Department of LaborNE$4,120,810 New Hampshire Department of Business & Economic AffairsNH$6,593,407 New York Department of LaborNY$3,708,710 Per Scholas Inc.NY$2,719,671 Pursuit Transformation Company Inc.NY$4,697,749 Ohio Department of Job and Family ServicesOH$6,593,407 Oklahoma Employment Security CommissionOK$3,296,611 Rhode Island Department of Labor and TrainingRI$4,945,009 Adaptive Construction Solutions Inc.TX$6,593,357 SER-Jobs for Progress of the Texas Gulf Coast Inc.TX$2,884,511 Washington Employment Security DepartmentWA$6,593,407  Mon, 19 Oct 26 12:00:00 +0000 http://www.dol.gov/newsroom/releases/eta/eta20261019 http://www.dol.gov/newsroom/releases/whd/whd20261019 LOS ANGELES – The U.S. Department of Labor has obtained a consent judgment requiring a home appliance company to pay $800,000 in back wages and damages to 339 employees after an investigation found the company violated federal wage laws.The judgment comes after the department’s Wage and Hour Division investigated Coway USA Inc. and found that the employer paid employees on a piece-rate basis and failed to pay employees for time spent attending mandatory meetings, picking up and loading supplies, and performing work before and after their shifts, in violation of the Fair Labor Standards Act. Investigators also found that Coway did not include nondiscretionary incentives, bonuses, and commissions in overtime pay calculations and frequently reduced the number of hours employees recorded working on their timecards.Entered in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California on Sept. 9, the consent judgment requires Coway to record all hours the implicated employees worked, including time they spend picking up supplies, attending mandatory training, and communicating with customers before and after appointments. Coway is also required to give employees pay statements that show their hours worked, services provided to customers, and the rate Coway paid for the hours and services. The consent judgment orders Coway USA Inc. to pay $400,000 in unpaid overtime wages and an equal amount in damages to 339 employees working in the greater metro areas of Los Angeles, New York City, and Washington, D.C. The company also agreed to pay $10,000 in penalties for willful violations. Coway USA Inc. is a subsidiary of Coway Co. Ltd., a multinational company specializing in home appliances. The company installs and maintains various appliances, including water and air filtration products throughout the U.S.Employers and employees can contact the Wage and Hour Division with questions and requests for compliance assistance at its toll-free helpline, 866-4US-WAGE (487-9243). Employers are encouraged to use the agency’s industry-specific compliance assistance toolkits to learn about their responsibilities under the laws enforced by the division.The agency’s PAID program offers employers an opportunity to self-report and resolve potential minimum wage and overtime violations under the Fair Labor Standards Act, as well as certain potential violations under the Family and Medical Leave Act.  Mon, 19 Oct 26 12:00:00 +0000 http://www.dol.gov/newsroom/releases/whd/whd20261019 http://www.dol.gov/newsroom/releases/msha/msha20261019 WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor announced today that its Mine Safety and Health Administration has awarded more than $10.5 million in grants to reduce mining accidents, injuries, and illnesses by supporting training and education programs.The agency is awarding these grants to support the delivery of federally mandated training for new and experienced miners at surface and underground coal and metal and nonmetal mines. MSHA is awarding grants in 45 states, the Navajo Nation, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.“Thanks to President Trump’s leadership we’re investing billions of dollars into critical mining projects and resources for mining education,” said Secretary of Labor Keith Sonderling. “Today’s grant announcement furthers the Department’s goal to expand mining across the United States to support this Administration’s goals to provide critical resources to the workers industries that continue to expand in America.”States and territories apply for grant funding, which is then awarded to state mine inspectors’ offices, state departments of labor, and state-supported colleges and universities. Training and education programs are tailored locally to address conditions and hazards miners may experience.“A strong and thriving America relies on a mining industry that safely produces the minerals essential to our economy,” said Assistant Secretary for Mine Safety and Health Wayne Palmer. “These grants will promote safe and healthful workplaces for over 300,000 miners across 47 states, territories, and tribal lands.”Learn more about MSHA.The recipients of MSHA State Grants are as follows: RecipientCityState/TerritoryAwardBevill State Community College JasperAL $243,711University of Alaska at FairbanksFairbanksAK $160,886Arizona State Mine Inspector’s OfficePhoenixAZ $453,633Navajo Nation Minerals DepartmentWindow RockAZ $46,430Arkansas Department of Labor and LicensingLittle Rock AR $138,903Central Connecticut State UniversityNew BritainCT $98,156Colorado Department of Natural ResourcesDenverCO $260,394South Florida State CollegeAvon ParkFL $208,063Technical College System of GeorgiaSandersvilleGA $222,128Eastern Iowa Community College DistrictDavenportIA$194,261 North Idaho CollegePost FallsID$179,032Illinois Department of Natural ResourcesSpringfieldIL $246,170Vincennes UniversityVincennesIN $246,043Hutchinson Community College & Area Vocational SchoolHutchinsonKS $142,296Kentucky Energy & Environment CabinetFrankfortKY $329,252Northshore Technical Community CollegeLacombeLA $114,804Massachusetts Department of Labor StandardsBostonMA $101,775Maryland Center for Environmental Training La PlataMD $73,552Maine Department of LaborAugustaME $150,000Michigan Technological UniversityHoughtonMI $291,259Minnesota State Colleges & UniversitiesSt PaulMN $407,985Missouri Department of Labor & Industrial RelationsJefferson CityMO $295,873Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana IslandsSaipanMP $18,571Mississippi Department of Environmental QualityJacksonMS $23,339Montana Department of Labor & IndustryHelenaMT $214,047University of Nebraska at KearneyKearneyNE $91,848New Hampshire Department of Business & Economic AffairsConcordNH $83,000New Jersey Department of Labor & Workforce DevelopmentTrentonNJ $73,916New Mexico Institute of Mining & TechnologySocorroNM $172,394Nevada Division of Industrial RelationsCarson CityNV $428,400New York Department of LaborAlbany NY $342,108North Carolina Department of LaborRaleighNC $190,026North Dakota Department of Career & Technical EducationBismarckND $116,536Ohio Department of Natural Resources ColumbusOH $234,834Oklahoma Department of MinesWilburtonOK $185,332Eastern Oregon UniversityLa Grande OR $179,236Pennsylvania Department of Environmental ProtectionHarrisburgPA $563,901Tri-County Technical CollegePendletonSC $110,699South Dakota School of Mines & TechnologyRapid CitySD $107,296Tennessee Department of Labor & Workforce DevelopmentNashvilleTN $229,744University of Texas at AustinAustinTX $742,414Utah State UniversityLoganUT $285,531Virginia Department of Mines, Minerals & EnergyBig Stone GapVA$238,875Vermont Department of LaborMontpelierVT $114,509Northcentral Technical College DistrictWausauWI $356,941West Virginia Office of Miners Health Safety & TrainingCharlestonWV $529,576Gillette Community College DistrictGilletteWY $299,322Total  $10,537,000 Mon, 19 Oct 26 12:00:00 +0000 http://www.dol.gov/newsroom/releases/msha/msha20261019 http://www.dol.gov/newsroom/releases/whd/whd20261019-0 WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division today announced the issuance of a new field assistance bulletin addressing the treatment of related duties performed by tipped employees under the Fair Labor Standards Act. Field Assistance Bulletin No. 2026-1 brings the division’s guidance on tipped employees with dual jobs into alignment with current regulations.The bulletin withdraws the division’s 1979, 1980, and 1985 opinion letters concerning the application of dual jobs regulations to tipped employees. The withdrawal of the three opinion letters is necessary because they no longer reflect the division’s policy or interpretation of the FLSA. The bulletin also clarifies that the current dual jobs regulation focuses on whether an employee performs duties related to the employee’s tipped occupation, rather than imposing a specific percentage-based limit on the time an employee may spend performing related, non-tipped duties within that occupation.The publication of the new bulletin follows a 2024 federal court decision that vacated the department’s 2021 dual jobs final rule. After that decision, the department removed the regulatory text adopted under the 2021 rule and reinstated the original dual jobs regulations.The new field assistance bulletin clarifies that no current Wage and Hour Division guidance relies on the former percentage-based limit on the time a tipped employee may spend performing related, non-tipped duties, commonly known as the 80/20 rule. The division removed its 80/20 rule guidance from its Field Operations Handbook in January 2025, and the handbook is now consistent with the reinstated 1967 dual jobs regulations.As noted in the most recent regulatory agenda, the department is developing a notice of proposed rulemaking to amend various regulations for tipped employees under the FLSA. The department welcomes public comments on the proposed rule once it is published.Learn more about the Wage and Hour Division, including the agency’s enforcement of tip regulations under the FLSA.Read Field Assistance Bulletin No. 2026-1. Mon, 19 Oct 26 12:00:00 +0000 http://www.dol.gov/newsroom/releases/whd/whd20261019-0 http://www.dol.gov/newsroom/releases/eta/eta20261016 WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced the award of $81.5 million in funding to address the critical workforce needs of employers in high-growth and emerging industries across the Appalachian, Delta, and Northern Border regions. Administered by the department’s Employment and Training Administration, the seventh round of Workforce Opportunity for Rural Communities program funding supports 13 projects across 11 states to stimulate employment and wage growth, as well as economic mobility, self-sufficiency, and increased labor force participation. The demonstration grants support the workforce needs of regional employers in predominantly rural areas to enable them to better compete economically and enable residents of the regions to obtain or retain family-sustaining employment opportunities so they can remain and thrive in their communities.“These grants ensure those in our rural communities have a pathway to the training they need for in-demand jobs that feed a family and strengthen our supply chains,” said Acting Secretary of Labor Keith Sonderling. “They help us advance President Trump’s goal of building the workforce for the Golden Age and enable more people to pursue the American Dream.”The WORC Initiative is made available in partnership with the Appalachian Regional Commission, the Delta Regional Authority, and the Northern Border Regional Commission.The grants will help provide industry-driven training, including Registered Apprenticeships, for new and dislocated workers, and those already in the workforce who need to learn new skills. These programs will focus on high-growth and emerging industry sectors such as skilled trades and construction, healthcare, information technology, manufacturing, domestic energy production, and business and professional services. Grants are being awarded to recipients as follows:RecipientStateAmountTuskegee UniversityAL$7,500,000Arkansas Rural Health Partnership Inc.AR$6,133,431Eastern Kentucky Concentrated Employment Program Inc.KY$6,000,000Delta Health Alliance Inc.MS$7,994,044Part of the Solution FoundationMS$4,500,000Community Partnership of Southeast MissouriMO$3,542,739Finger Lakes Community ActionNY$4,126,013Tri County Jobs for Ohio's GraduatesOH$7,994,597United Steelworkers local 689OH$8,000,000CodeCrewTN$4,000,000JobForward Inc.VT$7,999,999New River Mount Rogers Workforce Investment Area ConsortiumVA$7,994,951The 1982 FoundationWV$5,757,080Total Awarded$81,542,854 Fri, 16 Oct 26 12:00:00 +0000 http://www.dol.gov/newsroom/releases/eta/eta20261016