Labor Laws & Money Blog

ORLANDO, FL – The U.S. Department of Labor has cited The Salvation Army after a 54-year-old maintenance worker suffered fatal injuries following a fall while working at an Orlando donation center and store in November 2024. An investigation by the department’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration found the worker was repairing a roof leak when the fall occurred on Nov. 7. OSHA cited The Salvation Army for a repeat violation of exposing workers to fall hazards. A similar citation was previously issued at the employer’s Princeton, West Virginia, location in January 2020.OSHA also cited the company for five serious violations, including failure to assess workplace hazards, provide fall protection training, and ensure proper machine guarding. Two other-than-serious violations were issued for failing to report the fatality to OSHA within eight hours of the incident and lacking a hazard communication program. The Salvation Army will pay $120,817 in penalties to address the violations.OSHA’s fall prevention campaign offers training materials and resources to help employers protect workers. Employers can also contact OSHA for free compliance assistance resources and guidance on complying with OSHA standards. Learn more about OSHA. 

In the week ending May 24, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 240,000, an increase of 14,000 from the previous week's revised level. The previous week's level was revised down by 1,000 from 227,000 to 226,000. The 4-week moving average was 230,750, a decrease of 250 from the previous week's revised average. The previous week's average was revised down by 500 from 231,500 to 231,000.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced it will begin a phased pause in operations at contractor-operated Job Corps centers nationwide, initiating an orderly transition for students, staff, and local communities. The decision follows an internal review of the program’s outcome and structure and will be carried out in accordance with available funding, the statutory framework established under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, and congressional notification requirements.  The pause of operations at all contractor-operated Job Corps centers will occur by June 30, 2025. As the transition begins, the department is collaborating with state and local workforce partners to assist current students in advancing their training and connecting them with education and employment opportunities. The department’s decision aligns with the President’s FY 2026 budget proposal and reflects the Administration’s commitment to ensure federal workforce investments deliver meaningful results for both students and taxpayers. “Job Corps was created to help young adults build a pathway to a better life through education, training, and community,” said Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer. “However, a startling number of serious incident reports and our in-depth fiscal analysis reveal the program is no longer achieving the intended outcomes that students deserve. We remain committed to ensuring all participants are supported through this transition and connected with the resources they need to succeed as we evaluate the program’s possibilities.” The Job Corps program has faced significant financial challenges under its current operating structure. In PY 2024, the program operated at a $140 million deficit, requiring the Biden administration to implement a pause in center operations to complete the program year. The deficit is projected to reach $213 million in PY 2025.   On April 25, 2025, the department’s Employment and Training Administration released the first-ever Job Corps Transparency Report, which analyzed the financial performance and operational costs of the most recently available metrics of program year 2023. A summary of the overall findings: Average Graduation Rate (WIOA Definition): 38.6%Average Cost Per Student Per Year: $80,284.65         Average Total Cost Per Graduate (WIOA Definition): $155,600.74Post separation, participants earn $16,695 annually on average. The total number of Serious Incident Reports for program year 2023: 14,913 infractions. Inappropriate Sexual Behavior and Sexual Assaults Reported: 372 Acts of Violence Reported: 1,764Breaches of Safety or Security: 1,167Reported Drug Use: 2,702Total Hospital Visits: 1,808Additional information can be found in the FAQs.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Employee Benefits Security Administration has rescinded a 2022 compliance release that previously discouraged fiduciaries from including cryptocurrency options in 401(k) retirement plans.The 2022 guidance directed plan fiduciaries to exercise “extreme care” before adding cryptocurrency to investment menus. This language deviated from the requirements of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act and marked a departure from the department’s historically neutral, principled-based approach to fiduciary investment decisions. “The Biden administration’s department of labor made a choice to put their thumb on the scale,” said U.S. Secretary of Labor Lori Chavez-DeRemer. “We’re rolling back this overreach and making it clear that investment decisions should be made by fiduciaries, not D.C. bureaucrats.”By rescinding the 2022 guidance, the department reaffirms its neutral stance, neither endorsing, nor disapproving of, plan fiduciaries who conclude that the inclusion of cryptocurrency in a plan’s investment menu is appropriate. 

WASHINGTON – For more than half a century, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s On-Site Consultation Program has been helping small and medium-sized businesses protect workers and improve safety at no cost and with complete confidentiality. Launched in 1975, OSHA’s On-Site Consultation Program has grown to serve all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and several U.S. territories. It helps employers identify workplace hazards, improve safety practices, and build strong safety and health programs, all without triggering OSHA enforcement. In the last decade alone, the program averaged nearly 24,000 worksite visits annually – 98 percent to worksites with 250 or fewer employees – and prevented nearly three million workers from exposure to hazards each year. A 2023 OSHA economic analysis estimated that these efforts generate $1.5 billion in national benefits annually through fewer injuries and illnesses, lower workers’ compensation costs, and increased productivity.Over its 50 years, the program surpassed one million visits in 2010; supported recovery efforts following national disasters such as 9/11 and Hurricanes Katrina and Maria; launched digital resources like the Small Business Handbook app to make safety information more accessible; and created the Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program, which honors small businesses with outstanding safety programs. SHARP status includes a deferral from programmed OSHA inspections and marks a company as an industry leader in workplace safety. Currently, SHARP recognizes approximately 1,000 employers for their exceptional safety leadership.As it marks this milestone, OSHA is reaffirming its dedication to practical, science-based solutions that protect workers and support business success for the next 50 years and beyond.Learn more about OSHA’s On-Site Consultation Program and how it helps small businesses create safer workplaces.