Department of Labor press releases

US Department of Labor fines Houston utility contractor $343K after worker hospitalized following excavation collapse at Brazoria County work site

HOUSTON – A U.S. Department of Labor investigation concluded that a Houston utility construction company exposed employees to safety hazards after an excavation collapse hospitalized a worker.The department’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration initiated an investigation into Blazey Construction Services LLC following the incident, which occurred while crews were installing sewer and water pipes for a residential development in Alvin, Texas. OSHA determined that the employer failed to adequately protect the excavation, provide a safe means of egress, and report the hospitalization within 24 hours as required by federal law. OSHA cited Blazey Construction Services for two repeat violations and one other-than-serious violation and proposed $343,797 in proposed penalties.The company has 15 business days from receipt of the 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.Learn more about OSHA, including information on excavation safety standards. In addition, employers can contact the agency for free compliance assistance and resources.

US Department of Labor cites big rig parts distributer for confined space, safety hazards after worker fatality at company’s Corpus Christi facility

CORPUS CHRISTI, TX ‒ The U.S. Department of Labor has cited big rig parts distributer FleetPride Inc. for 16 serious safety violations after an investigation into a worker fatality found the company exposed workers to confined space and other safety hazards.The department’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration initiated an inspection into FleetPride on Jan. 7, 2026, after an employee asphyxiated while inspecting a tanker trailer. OSHA cited the company for 16 serious and three other-than-serious safety violations, which include failure to implement a confined space program, lacking elements for its respiratory protection program, and exposing workers to electrical hazards. OSHA has proposed $264,380 in penalties for the cited violations.The company has 15 business days from receipt of the 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.Learn more about OSHA, including confined space safety standards. In addition, employers can contact the agency for free compliance assistance and resources.

New York-based automotive service provider agrees to pay $174K to settle safety violations, protect workers after federal investigation

NORWICH, NY – The U.S. Department of Labor has entered into a settlement agreement with auto service provider Monro Inc. requiring it to pay $174,000 in penalties to resolve seven safety violations found at its Norwich facility in July 2025.The department’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration cited Monro Inc. after inspectors identified multiple safety hazards. Workers were exposed to slip, trip, and fall hazards from engine oil and transmission fluid spilled on a storage room floor, and from the accumulation of commercial trash, including tires, in an exterior storage area.Investigators also found oily rags were allowed to pile up instead of being stored in a covered metal container, employees performing battery maintenance lacked a suitable nearby eyewash station, and damaged outlets and electrical conduits created electrical hazards.OSHA also cited Monro with one repeat violation for exposing employees to a crushing hazard after finding a four-post rotary lift with a broken safety latch cable that had been held in place with a pair of vice grips.Monro Inc. contested the citations and penalties before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission and agreed to abate all safety violations. The company also agreed to set up a free, anonymous hotline for employees across its 1,100 locations to report safety and health concerns directly to corporate safety personnel.Learn more about OSHA, including automotive lift safety and how to prevent slips, trips and falls. In addition, employers can contact the agency for free compliance assistance and resources.OSHRC Docket No. 26-0334

US Department of Labor cites Texas contractor, staffing company after worker suffers fatal injury in elementary school crawl space

SAN ANTONIO, TX – The U.S. Department of Labor has cited a building contractor and a staffing company for safety violations after a worker suffered fatal injuries while operating a mini-excavator beneath an elementary school in Converse.The department’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration opened an inspection after a Jan. 7, 2026, incident at Converse Elementary School involving a D L Bandy Constructors Inc. employee who was removing accumulated dirt from the school’s crawl space with a mini excavator and became trapped between the equipment and a concrete beam, resulting in fatal injuries. Pacesetter Personnel Services also supplied workers for the project to assist with dirt removal.The agency cited D L Bandy Constructors Inc. with one willful violation for removing the rollover protective structures from mini-excavators and adding fabricated parts so the equipment could fit inside the crawl space. The agency also issued 15 serious violations related to confined space hazards, including failing to identify and evaluate permit-required confined spaces, conduct required atmospheric testing, provide adequate ventilation and communication, train employees, designate confined space personnel, and implement required entry and rescue procedures.Pacesetter Personnel Services received two serious violations for failing to ensure permit-required confined space entry procedures were followed and for failing to provide confined space training to temporary workers assigned to the project.OSHA proposed $276,399 in penalties for D L Bandy Constructors Inc. and $23,170 for Pacesetter Personnel Services. The companies have 15 business days from receipt of the 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.Learn more about OSHA, including information on confined spaces. In addition, employers can contact the agency for free compliance assistance and resources.

US Department of Labor files amicus brief clarifying pleading standard for claims alleging imprudence in retirement plan investing

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor has filed an amicus brief urging the U.S. Supreme Court to affirm a lower court’s decision dismissing a lawsuit contending that Intel Corp. acted imprudently by investing its 401(k) plan funds in “non-traditional assets.”In the amicus brief, the department supported the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit’s decision in Anderson v. Intel Corporation Investment Policy Committee that upheld a lower court’s dismissal of claims that Intel acted imprudently by investing its retirement plan’s assets in allegedly risky hedge funds and private equity.This amicus brief is part of the department’s ongoing effort to provide regulatory clarity to help innovative and conscientious retirement plan sponsors.The department argued in the brief that contrary to the plaintiffs’ claims, Intel diversified its retirement plan investment funds into these assets to make their employees’ retirement income safer during market downturns, and the investment strategy the plaintiffs seek would force Intel to make significantly riskier investments for superficially higher returns.The brief clarified that to state a claim that a retirement plan’s investments were selected imprudently based on their underperformance under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act, plaintiffs need to show that the investments performed poorly in comparison to a “meaningful benchmark” investment with similar goals and strategies. According to the brief, the plaintiffs in this case failed to plead this required context.The department has primary authority to interpret and enforce provisions of Title I of ERISA to ensure fair and impartial administration and compliance with its requirements. In the department’s view, ERISA is a law of process, not results. Thus, simply alleging an investment is underperforming alone does not necessarily suggest that the retirement plan that selected it acted imprudently. Instead, the brief asserts, an investment’s performance must be measured against a “meaningful benchmark” to survive a motion to dismiss.This brief is one in a series filed by the Department of Labor focused on ending the overuse of litigation against ERISA retirement plans and those who manage them. The brief reinforces that American companies have discretion to prioritize their employees’ long-term security in retirement over short-term gain in selecting investments for plan participants. Read the department’s amicus brief in Anderson v. Intel Corporation Investment Policy Committee.

Unemployment Insurance Weekly Claims Report

In the week ending July 4, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 215,000, a decrease of 2,000 from the previous week's revised level. The previous week's level was revised up by 2,000 from 215,000 to 217,000. The 4-week moving average was 218,750, a decrease of 3,750 from the previous week's revised average. The previous week's average was revised up by 500 from 222,000 to 222,500.

US Department of Labor awards $162M to expand Registered Apprenticeship through performance-based incentives in key industry sectors

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced the award of nearly $162 million through five cooperative agreements to expand Registered Apprenticeship in the occupations critical for the administration’s reindustrialization agenda. The department’s Employment and Training Administration will administer the five Pay-for-Performance Incentive Payments Program cooperative agreements with organizations that will lead nationwide efforts to train thousands of Americans for jobs in the shipbuilding, defense industrial base, and emerging technology sectors. This performance-based model directly links federal funding to measurable outcomes, providing incentive payments to Registered Apprenticeship sponsors as their apprentices reach verified retention and progression milestones. “President Trump challenged us to expand Registered Apprenticeship programs that deliver real results for American workers and businesses, and that is exactly what this program does,” said Acting U.S. Secretary of Labor Keith Sonderling. “We are putting taxpayer dollars to work where they matter most, creating real jobs, real skills, and real opportunities in the industries that will define America’s future economic competitiveness.”Registered Apprenticeship is an earn-while-you-learn model of training, culminating in increased pay, a postsecondary credential, and skills that will drive both personal and American economic prosperity. At least 85% of each award flows directly to eligible Registered Apprenticeship sponsors across all states and territories.ETA will work closely with the awardees over the summer to implement their projects and expects eligible Registered Apprenticeship sponsors to begin applying for incentive funds in the fall. These awards align with the Trump administration's America's Talent Strategy and its goal of reaching and surpassing 1 million new active apprentices nationwide. The awards also advance the department’s efforts to implement presidential executive orders related to expanding Registered Apprenticeship, including Preparing Americans for High-Paying Skilled Trade Jobs of the Future, Advancing Artificial Intelligence Education for American Youth, Restoring America's Maritime Dominance, and Reinvigorating the Nuclear Industrial Base.The Pay-for-Performance Incentive Payments Program will prioritize incentivizing the expansion and growth of high-quality Registered Apprenticeship programs on a national scale, specifically in industries with a firmly established Registered Apprenticeship program infrastructure. The program also prioritizes the expansion of Registered Apprenticeships in shipbuilding and the defense industrial base advancing America's Maritime Action Plan. The five recipients are:Florida Department of Commerce – Awarded $40 million to support a nationwide incentive program through a consortium led by the State Workforce Board and CareerSource Florida for the defense industrial base, shipbuilding, and maritime manufacturing sectors. Jobs for the Future Inc. – Awarded $40 million to support Registered Apprenticeship growth in roles building and maintaining the critical infrastructure that sustains artificial intelligence, semiconductor, and nuclear energy industries. Wireless Infrastructure Association – Awarded $29.9 million to rapidly expand Registered Apprenticeships in the telecommunications sector and leverage its national sponsor network and existing presence in all 50 states and two territories.The Trustees of Clark University – Awarded $27 million to create a national Pay-for-Performance initiative led by a broad consortium key stakeholder to expand high-quality Registered Apprenticeship opportunities in information technology.ASE Foundation – Awarded $25 million to build sponsor capacity to support employers in establishing, scaling up, and sustaining automotive and truck service technician apprenticeships by offering per-technician incentive funding. Grantees will build durable partnerships with national and regional industry associations and employers, ensuring broad industry buy-in and the scalability of their models. They will also coordinate with and leverage other department-funded entities, including states and industry intermediaries supporting Registered Apprenticeship expansion, as appropriate, to align efforts, reduce duplication, and accelerate apprenticeship growth in occupations critical to national priorities.Building on the momentum of the American Manufacturing Apprenticeship Incentive Fund, the Pay-for-Performance Incentive Payment’s Program signals the department’s continued focus on strengthening the National Apprenticeship System and building a pipeline of skilled workers that powers businesses and workers across the nation. Learn more about the Pay-for-Performance awardees.

US Department of Labor seeks input from West Virginia highway construction industry to establish prevailing wage rates

WEST VIRGINIA – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division is asking the highway construction industry of West Virginia to participate in a survey to help the agency establish prevailing wage rates, as required under the Davis-Bacon Act and Related Acts, for the payment of construction workers on federally funded and federally assisted construction projects.The survey requests information about wages paid to workers on highway construction projects in West Virginia where construction occurred between Aug. 3, 2025, and Nov. 2, 2026. This is a statewide survey and is not limited to only federally funded construction projects. The data collection period will begin Aug. 3, 2026, and will conclude on Nov. 2, 2026. Participation in the survey process is critical to the publication of prevailing wage and fringe benefit rates that accurately reflect the rates paid in the area being surveyed and the department encourages all stakeholders to participate. The DBRA directs the department to set the prevailing wage rates that reflect the actual wages and fringe benefits paid to construction workers in the county where the work takes place. Complete determinations also reduce the need for contractors to request additional labor classifications. The division will send notification e-mails to interested parties and contractors known to the agency directing participants to the website where they can complete the survey online. All contractors and other interested parties are encouraged to participate in the survey online, regardless of whether they receive an e-mail. Survey participants are asked to please complete and submit the survey by Nov. 2, 2026.If you have questions about the survey process or related forms, please contact the Davis-Bacon Survey Center at 202-343-2005 or DavisBaconInfo@dol.gov. More information about this survey is available via two free online briefings that will describe the survey process and provide instructions for completing the survey. These briefings will be held on Aug. 4, 2026, and Aug. 6, 2026. Register to attend an upcoming briefing. Learn more about the surveys.

Unemployment Insurance Weekly Claims Report

In the week ending June 27, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 215,000, a decrease of 1,000 from the previous week's revised level. The previous week's level was revised up by 1,000 from 215,000 to 216,000. The 4-week moving average was 222,000, a decrease of 2,500 from the previous week's revised average. The previous week's average was revised up by 250 from 224,250 to 224,500.