Tag:

U.S. Department of Labor

PA Brewing Co. Owes $184K After Tip Investigation: Feds PA Brewing Co. Owes $184K After Tip Investigation: Feds
PA Brewing Co. Owes $184K After Tip Investigation: Feds Sly Fox Brewing Company owes over $184,000 in back wages, damages, and penalties after federal investigators found the company unlawfully withheld tips from employees, the U.S. Department of Labor announced on Wednesday, Nov. 27. The Wage and Hour Division's investigation revealed that managers at Sly Fox’s Pittsburgh Taphouse at the Point and Pittsburgh Brewery at the Highline were allowed to participate in the restaurant’s tip pool—an action prohibited under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). Federal law bans employers or managers from keeping tips for any reason, and such violations nul…
NJ Amazon Worker Deaths Spark Federal Lawsuit: What Really Happened? NJ Amazon Worker Deaths Spark Federal Lawsuit: What Really Happened?
NJ Amazon Worker Deaths Spark Federal Lawsuit: What Really Happened? A support group for warehouse workers has filed a federal lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), demanding transparency into three worker deaths at Amazon warehouses across the state in 2022.  The lawsuit, filed in the District of New Jersey this week, accuses the DOL of violating the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) by failing to release Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) investigation records. The complaint, submitted by Leonia resident Daniel Schlademan, highlights alarming allegations about the working conditions at Amazon facilities in Carteret and …
Election 2024: Winner Projected In Hudson Valley's 19th Congressional District Race Election 2024: Winner Projected In Hudson Valley's 19th Congressional District Race
Election 2024: Winner Projected In Hudson Valley's 19th Congressional District Race The votes are in for New York’s Capital Region District 19 congressional seat, where Democrat Josh Riley is on track to defeat Republican incumbent Marc Molinaro, according to The New York Times. New: Molinaro Says District 19 Race To Close To Call, Waiting For Final Absentee Ballots District 19 includes Broome, Chenango, Columbia, Cortland, Delaware, Greene, Sullivan, Tioga, Tompkins counties and parts of Otsego, Rensselaer, and Ulster counties. According to early projected numbers by the Associated Press, Riley led Molinaro by 127,053 to 96,216, with 59 percent of the vote as of 10:20 …
Brand-New Poll Sheds Light On Riley-Molinaro Congressional Race Brand-New Poll Sheds Light On Riley-Molinaro Congressional Race
Brand-New Poll Sheds Light On Riley-Molinaro Congressional Race A new poll shows Democrat Josh Riley with a four-point lead in the hotly contested 19th Congressional District 19 race against Republican incumbent Marc Molinaro. The poll, produced by SurveyUSA for News Channel 13 in Albany, found the two in a tight race but with the potential for a different result from the showdown between the same candidates two years ago. In 2022, Molinaro beat Riley by 1.6 points, or 4,500 votes. District 19 includes all of Broome, Chenango, Columbia, Cortland, Delaware, Greene, Sullivan, Tioga, and Tompkins counties and parts of Otsego, Rensselaer, and Ulster counti…
Competitive Long Island, Hudson Valley Races Seen As Key To What Party Controls House Competitive Long Island, Hudson Valley Races Seen As Key To What Party Controls House
Competitive Long Island, Hudson Valley Races Seen As Key To What Party Controls House As Election Day draws closer, political pundits are closely watching three New York congressional races that could determine which party controls the House next year. Freshmen Republican Reps. Mike Lawler, Marc Molinaro, and Anthony D’Esposito – supporters of former President Donald Trump in districts won by President Joe Biden in 2020 – are all hoping for repeat wins in November. Here’s a closer look at their races. Mondaire Jones (left) and Rep. Mike Lawler. Campaign Facebook Pages 17th District: Lawler vs. Jones Lawler, whose 17th District represents all of Rockland and Pu…
OSHA Investigating Fatal Fall From Cherry-Picker At Philly Construction Site, Official Says OSHA Investigating Fatal Fall From Cherry-Picker At Philly Construction Site, Official Says
Osha Investigating Fatal Fall From Cherry-Picker At Philly Construction Site, Official Says The U.S. Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) is investigating the Friday, Sept. 6 fatal fall of a  47-year-old man from a cherry-picker crane that toppled over and crushed a utility work van in West Philadelphia, authorities said. "I can confirm that OSHA is investigating this incident," Leni Fortson, regional director of public affairs at the U.S. Department of Labor, said on Monday, Sept. 9. Two other workers were left in critical condition from the two-story fall shortly before 1 p.m. at a construction site on the 4400 block of Moravian Street near 44th and 45t…
Hartford Named Most Expensive City To Live In US, Another CT Locale Makes Top 5 Hartford Named Most Expensive City To Live In US, Another CT Locale Makes Top 5
Hartford Named Most Expensive City To Live In US, Another CT Locale Makes Top 5 For anyone looking for an affordable place to live, there are two places in Connecticut they may want to avoid, according to a new study.  Hartford ranks as the most expensive city in the United States with New Haven finishing in fourth, according to U.S. News & World Report. Joining them on the list are Los Angeles at No. 2, Miami at 3, and New York City at 5.  Nearby Boston is 9 with two other Massachusetts cities — Springfield and Worcester — also in the top 25.  Researchers looked at the average price of goods like groceries and transportation, along with r…
Newark Restaurant Fined $168K For Failing To Pay Workers In Overtime Newark Restaurant Fined $168K For Failing To Pay Workers In Overtime
Newark Restaurant Fined $168K For Failing To Pay Workers In Overtime A New Jersey restaurant owes more than $168,000 after failing to pay employees for overtime labor, federal officials said. According to the U.S. Department of Labor,  Swahili Village Bar and Grill in Newark willfully failed to pay 84 servers, cooks, and bussers overtime pay when they worked more than 40 hours in a workweek, in violation of the Fair Labor Standards Act. “Restaurant industry workers too often fall victim to employers who shortchange their wages and deprive them of their hard-earned wages,” said Wage and Hour District Director Paula Ruffin in Mountainside, New J…
Member Of 'Hit List' Burglary Crew That Targeted Asian Homeowners In NJ, NY, PA Sentenced Member Of 'Hit List' Burglary Crew That Targeted Asian Homeowners In NJ, NY, PA Sentenced
Member Of 'Hit List' Burglary Crew That Targeted Asian Homeowners In NJ, NY, PA Sentenced 𝗨𝗣𝗗𝗔𝗧𝗘: A member of a burglary ring that specifically targeted Asian-American small business owners in New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania and Delaware was sentenced to a plea-bargained 33 months in federal prison. James Hurt, 48, of New York, and other members of the second-story crew worked from what the FBI called a hit list of dozens of homes in the four states based on “stereotype and opportunity" from Dec. 2, 2016, to March 20, 2019. The burglars often got into homes through unsecured upper-floor windows before seeking out cash, jewelry and guns, the FBI said In one instance, th…
Member Of Burglary Crew That Targeted Asian Homeowners On 'Hit List' In NJ, NY, PA, Sentenced Member Of Burglary Crew That Targeted Asian Homeowners On 'Hit List' In NJ, NY, PA, Sentenced
Member Of Burglary Crew That Targeted Asian Homeowners On 'Hit List' In NJ, NY, PA, Sentenced 𝗨𝗣𝗗𝗔𝗧𝗘: A confessed member of a burglary ring that targeted Asian-American small business owners in New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania and Delaware was sentenced to 33 months in federal prison. Kevin Jackson, 57, of Rahway, NJ, must serve a little over two years before he'll be eligible for release because there's no parole in the federal prison system. Jackson was part of a second-story crew that the FBI said worked from a hit list of dozens of homes in the four states based on “stereotype and opportunity" from Dec. 2, 2016, to March 20, 2019. One of Jackson's associates told detectives t…
Estate Of Welder Blown Through Roof At New Jersey Job Files Wrongful Death Lawsuit Estate Of Welder Blown Through Roof At New Jersey Job Files Wrongful Death Lawsuit
Estate Of Welder Blown Through Roof At New Jersey Job Files Wrongful Death Lawsuit The family of a 48-year-old welder killed in an explosion that blew him through the roof of a business in Gloucester County has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against his former employer. Bruce A. Cheeseman, of Cedarville, was working at Timberlane Welding & Services Inc. in Mullica Hill when the fatal accident occurred on June 15, 2022. The company performs truck and trailer repairs. The lawsuit filed by Lisa Labrusciano, as Executor of the Estate, does not mention a dollar amount sought but also names Taylor Oil Co. — which owned the truck being worked on — a yet uniden…
Yogurt Shop In Western Mass Took Workers' Tips, Fired Employee After They Spoke Out: Feds Yogurt Shop In Western Mass Took Workers' Tips, Fired Employee After They Spoke Out: Feds
Yogurt Shop In Western Mass Took Workers' Tips, Fired Employee After They Spoke Out: Feds The owners of multiple frozen yogurt shops in Hampshire and Hampden counties must pay nearly $25,000 in back pay and damages after firing an employee who complained about missing tips, authorities said.  A former employee of the Tutti Frutti yogurt shop in the Holyoke Mall said the owners, TF Holyoke LLC, fired them after they complained about withheld tips to the US Department of Labor.  TF Holyoke admitted to taking some of their employees' tips to pay business expenses, the labor department said. It's illegal for owners and managers to take part in tip pools.&nbs…
CT Sports Bar Ordered To Pay Over $359K To Employees After Retaliating Against Them: Feds CT Sports Bar Ordered To Pay Over $359K To Employees After Retaliating Against Them: Feds
CT Sports Bar Ordered To Pay Over $359K To Employees After Retaliating Against Them: Feds A Connecticut sports bar and its owner have been ordered to pay over $359,000 in back pay and damages to employees after taking retaliatory action against them, federal officials announced. A New Haven County sports bar formerly located in Milford, Champions Grill and Bar, was ordered to pay employees a total of $359,485 in back pay, emotional distress damages, withheld compensation, and punitive damages for violating provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act and Occupational Safety and Health Act, the US Department of Labor announced on Wednesday, Feb. 7.  The order follows a lawsuit…
Workers Who Built Housing for Afghan Refugees at NJ Air Base Will Get $16M In Back Pay: Feds Workers Who Built Housing for Afghan Refugees at NJ Air Base Will Get $16M In Back Pay: Feds
Workers Who Built Housing for Afghan Refugees at NJ Air Base Will Get $16M In Back Pay: Feds Contractors who built temporary housing for Afghan refugees at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst have been ordered to pay nearly $16 million in back pay to more than 2,800 workers, authorities said. The U.S. Department of Labor said the general contractor — Disaster Management Group of Jupiter, Florida — and 61 subcontractors violated federal law. They failed to pay proper salaries and give proper benefits, overtime and sick pay to workers who built housing and coordinated food and medicine for the refugees, the department said. The project involved contractors from 17 states and Puerto…
Family Of Roofer Who Fell From Passaic County Home Gets $75G From Company That Caused His Death Family Of Roofer Who Fell From Passaic County Home Gets $75G From Company That Caused His Death
Family Of Roofer Who Fell From Passaic County Home Gets $75G From Company That Caused His Death UPDATE: The survivors of a worker who fell to his death from a residential roof in Haledon will receive $75,000 after his employer admitted in federal court this week that his Middlesex County construction company failed to provide any fall protection equipment or training. The unidentified worker was installing insulation for a second-floor subroof in August 2019 when he took a step back and fell more than 20 feet, first onto a scaffold and then to a concrete floor below, U.S. Attorney for New Jersey Philip R. Sellinger said. He was later pronounced dead of a head injury. Despite the…
NJ Dairy Queen Operator Violated Child Labor, Wage Regulations: Feds NJ Dairy Queen Operator Violated Child Labor, Wage Regulations: Feds
NJ Dairy Queen Operator Violated Child Labor, Wage Regulations: Feds A New Jersey Dairy Queen franchise owner is facing a blizzard of fines. The U.S. Department of Labor has determined Kostantine Menegatos, who operated four DQs in the Garden State, violated federal child labor and wage regulations, forcing him to pay $14,000 in penalties and more than $9,000 in back wages. Menegatos failed to pay one employee minimum wage and did not pay 14 workers time and a half overtime premium for working more than 40 hours in a work week, the DOL said.  The franchise owner also employed 15-year-olds more than three hours on school days, more than 18 hours a week …
3rd Member Of 'Hit List' Burglary Crew That Targeted Asian Homeowners In NJ, NY, PA, Cops Plea 3rd Member Of 'Hit List' Burglary Crew That Targeted Asian Homeowners In NJ, NY, PA, Cops Plea
3rd Member Of 'Hit List' Burglary Crew That Targeted Asian Homeowners In NJ, NY, PA, Cops Plea UPDATE: A third member of a burglary ring that targeted Asian-American small business owners in New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania and Delaware has pleaded guilty, authorities confirmed. Kevin Jackson, 57, of Rahway, was part of a second-story crew that the FBI said worked from a hit list of dozens of homes in four states based on “stereotype and opportunity." One of Jackson's associates told detectives that Asians were targeted “because it was believed that the victims kept large sums of currency and jewelry in their residences,” an FBI complaint says. Notes found in the defendants’ cars …
Member Of 'Hit List' Burglary Crew That Targeted Asian Homeowners In NJ, NY, PA, DE Cops Plea Member Of 'Hit List' Burglary Crew That Targeted Asian Homeowners In NJ, NY, PA, DE Cops Plea
Member Of 'Hit List' Burglary Crew That Targeted Asian Homeowners In NJ, NY, PA, DE Cops Plea UPDATE: A burglar from a crew that targeted Asian and Asian-American small business owners in New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania and Delaware took a deal from the government rather than risk the outcome of a trial, federal authorities said. James Hurt, 47, of New York, was part of a second-story outfit that the FBI said worked from a hit list of dozens of homes in four states based on “stereotype and opportunity." One of Hurt's associates told detectives that Asians were targeted “because it was believed that the victims kept large sums of currency and jewelry in their residences,” an FBI c…
Burglar With Hit List Of Asian Homeowners In NJ, NY, PA, DE Gets 50 Months In Federal Prison Burglar With Hit List Of Asian Homeowners In NJ, NY, PA, DE Gets 50 Months In Federal Prison
Burglar With Hit List Of Asian Homeowners In NJ, NY, PA, DE Gets 50 Months In Federal Prison UPDATE: A member of a second-story crew who targeted Asian and Asian-American homeowners in New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania and Delaware for burglaries was sentenced to a plea-bargained four years and two months in federal prison, authorities said. Randi Barr, 42, of Union County, NJ, was part of a group that worked from a hit list of dozens of homes based on “stereotype and opportunity,” federal authorities said. Local, state and federal law enforcement authorities who teamed up to smash the ring found notes in the defendants’ cars that had the home addresses of individuals of Asian des…
5 Fairfield County Restaurants Ordered To Pay Over $858K To Employees: Feds 5 Fairfield County Restaurants Ordered To Pay Over $858K To Employees: Feds
5 Fairfield County Restaurants Ordered To Pay Over $858K To Employees: Feds Following a federal investigation, a total of six Connecticut restaurants and their owners have been ordered to pay over $858,000 in back wages and liquidated damages to employees, officials said. The restaurants, including five Fairfield County establishments and one in New Haven County, were ordered to pay back wages, withheld tips, and liquidated damages to 105 employees following an investigation and litigation conducted by the US Department of Labor, which announced the order on Tuesday, July 25.  The six restaurants included in the case are:  Scena Wine Bar and Restaurant,…
OSHA Fines Mars Wrigley After Pair Pulled From Chocolate Tank At M&Ms Factory OSHA Fines Mars Wrigley After Pair Pulled From Chocolate Tank At M&Ms Factory
Osha Fines Mars Wrigley After Pair Pulled From Chocolate Tank At M&Ms Factory The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has fined Mars Wrigley after two contractors fell into a vat of chocolate at the M&M/Mars factory, authorities say. The settlement of a $15,000 fine was due for payment on Friday, Feb. 10, 2023, according to OSHA. Through an investigation, OSHA found that Mars Wrigley failed train the workers, including explaining the temperature of the tank and the flow of the chocolate it contained, as explained in the final report.  “The employer did not ensure that the employee had the knowledge of the type and magnitude of the energy for the t…
Trench Collapse Death: CT Contractor Must Pay Over $375K In OSHA Fines Trench Collapse Death: CT Contractor Must Pay Over $375K In OSHA Fines
Trench Collapse Death: CT Contractor Must Pay Over $375K In Osha Fines A Manchester-based contractor faces over $375,000 in penalties for failing to protect a worker who died in a trench collapse on a construction site.  The penalty was assigned to Botticello Inc. in connection to the July 22, 2022 death of East Windsor resident Dennis Slater, age 56, who was buried when an eight-foot-deep trench caved in at a Vernon residential development construction site, the US Department of Labor announced on Monday, Jan. 30.  Slater had been connecting drainage piping when the trench caved in, officials said.  Federal Occupational Safety and He…
'Gyro King' Of North Jersey Seized By Federal Marshals In Labor Department Dispute 'Gyro King' Of North Jersey Seized By Federal Marshals In Labor Department Dispute
'Gyro King' Of North Jersey Seized By Federal Marshals In Labor Department Dispute The operator of four North Jersey restaurants was seized by federal Marshals on Thursday for defying several court orders that he provide information that the U.S. Department of Labor has repeatedly failed to get from him, authorities said. Samad Uddin -- also known as Saman Khan -- owns Wyckoff-based Manhattan Halal Gyro King, which was incorporated four years ago and offers dine-in, delivery and catering services at "Gyro King" restaurants in Elmwood Park, Teaneck and two in Paterson. The Labor Department’s Wage and Hour Division had requested information from Uddin as part of a complianc…
Former NY Restaurant Owner Retaliated Against Workers For Filing Wage Lawsuit, Feds Say Former NY Restaurant Owner Retaliated Against Workers For Filing Wage Lawsuit, Feds Say
Former NY Restaurant Owner Retaliated Against Workers For Filing Wage Lawsuit, Feds Say The US Department of Labor is suing a former New York restaurant owner for allegedly retaliating against employees who filed a class action lawsuit over wage theft. David Ip, the former owner and operator of Ichiban restaurant in Albany, tried to intimidate three workers and prevent them from participating in the lawsuit, the department alleges in a suit filed Thursday, Aug. 25 in federal court in Albany. The lawsuit claims that Ip shared personal and other sensitive information about the three workers with a Rensselaer County sheriff’s deputy who worked for his security business when off d…
Dunkin' Franchise Owner Violated Child Labor Laws At Multiple Central Pennsylvania Locations Dunkin' Franchise Owner Violated Child Labor Laws At Multiple Central Pennsylvania Locations
Dunkin' Franchise Owner Violated Child Labor Laws At Multiple Central Pennsylvania Locations 39 children between 14 and 15 years old worked excess hours at three central Pennsylvania Dunkin' locations owned by one franchiser, according to a release by the US Department of Labor. The franchiser Akshar Ashish LLC admitted to the error and has entered into an agreement with the USDOL.  The violations include the following, according to the DOL: Allowing shifts longer then three hours on a school day. Having workers past 7 p.m. on a school night. Allowing more then 18 hours during a regular school week. A shift longer then eight hours on a non-school day. Allowing shifts pa…
$2 Million Fine For NJ's 'Most Flagrant' OSHA Violator Upheld By Judge $2 Million Fine For NJ's 'Most Flagrant' OSHA Violator Upheld By Judge
$2 Million Fine For NJ's 'Most Flagrant' Osha Violator Upheld By Judge A Bergen County framing contractor dubbed New Jersey’s "most flagrant violator" of federal workplace safety laws the past decade must pay $2 million in back fines to the government, an administrative law judge has ruled. Juan Quevedo-Garcia, 42, of Palisades Park "deliberately failed to pay the fines and displayed a total disregard for the safety of his workers and for the law," Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health Doug Parker said. In doing so, he "continually put workers at risk of serious injuries or worse" at four different job sites in Bergen County, a federa…
Gambino Family Captain From Westchester Sentenced For Racketeering, Ordered To Pay $1M Gambino Family Captain From Westchester Sentenced For Racketeering, Ordered To Pay $1M
Gambino Family Captain From Westchester Sentenced For Racketeering, Ordered To Pay $1M A high-ranking member of the Gambino organized crime family of La Cosa Nostra living lavishly in Westchester will spend time behind bars and pay a million dollars for his role in a racketeering conspiracy. Scarsdale resident Andrew Campos, age 51, was sentenced in federal court to 37 months in prison for the conspiracy. The court also ordered him to pay $1 million in restitution and a $15,000 fine. In January 2021, Campos pleaded guilty and admitted to participating in various acts of wire fraud and money laundering. US Attorney Breon Peace said that Campos and his co-conspirators carried …
Feds Cite Litchfield County Company For 48 Safety, Health Violations After Employee’s Death Feds Cite Litchfield County Company For 48 Safety, Health Violations After Employee’s Death
Feds Cite Litchfield County Company For 48 Safety, Health Violations After Employee’s Death A Connecticut company has been cited by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration for 48 safety violations after an employee was electrocuted and died. The incident took place in Litchfield County at PM Engineered Solutions Inc. when an employee of the metal fabrication company was electrocuted in July while repairing a portable water heater in Watertown.  An inspection by OSHA found that the company lacked safeguards to protect employees against electrocution, as well as mechanical, chemical, fall, and other electrical hazards, said the US Department of Labor. OSHA cited…
Here's How Much, When Minimum Wage Will Increase In CT Here's How Much, When Minimum Wage Will Increase In CT
Here's How Much, When Minimum Wage Will Increase In CT While some neighboring states will see a rise in their minimum wage to begin the new year, Connecticut employees will have to wait a few months as it works toward Gov. Ned Lamont’s goal of $15 hourly by 2023. New York and Massachusetts both will see their minimum wage rise as of Jan. 1, 2022, but Connecticut employees will have to wait until July to see their pay hike reflected on their paychecks. On July 1, 2022, minimum wage in Connecticut will be going up a dollar, from $13 to $14 hourly, the fourth straight year that the state saw an increase as it looks to get to $15 hourly by June 202…
Roofing Contractor In Hudson Valley Cited By Feds For Exposing Workers To Falls Roofing Contractor In Hudson Valley Cited By Feds For Exposing Workers To Falls
Roofing Contractor In Hudson Valley Cited By Feds For Exposing Workers To Falls Three federal safety inspections at an area condominium complex confirmed a Hudson Valley roofing contractor repeatedly exposed residential roof workers to potentially deadly falls from heights of 18 to 20 feet, according to federal officials. The US Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) identified nine willful violations in its inspections of ALJ Home Improvement Inc. at Rockland County work sites in Suffern during the month of May, officials said. The violations included employees working without required fall protection as they removed sheathing and p…
Feds: Sussex Man Admits Spending $5.6M COVID Relief Money On Stock Market, Luxury Vehicle, More Feds: Sussex Man Admits Spending $5.6M COVID Relief Money On Stock Market, Luxury Vehicle, More
Feds: Sussex Man Admits Spending $5.6M COVID Relief Money On Stock Market, Luxury Vehicle, More A Sussex County man who was seized by federal agents as he tried to board a flight to Pakistan admitted fraudulently collecting $5.6 million in federal COVID-19 pandemic business loans that he put to personal use, authorities said. Azhar Sarwar Rana, 30, of Newton, used the money -- designed to keep struggling small businesses afloat during the pandemic – to millions in the stock market, make a payment to a luxury car dealership and send hundreds of thousands of dollars to accounts in Pakistan, Acting U.S. Attorney Rachael A. Honig said. Rana submitted an application for a stimulus loan und…