DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

The trial involved Owen Diaz, a former elevator operator at the Fremont plant who said he was subjected to harassment including racial slurs and racist caricatures. Diaz won a $137 million verdict at a previous trial in 2021, but a federal judge lowered the jury's award to $15 million while agreeing that Tesla was liable. What stands out is the consistency of the claims alleging rampant harassment of Black workers at Tesla's plant in Fremont. Tesla is also fighting a spate of sexual harassment lawsuits by female workers at the Fremont plant and another factory near Los Angeles. In another pending case, a former production manager claims he was fired for raising concerns about safety issues at the Fremont plant and a factory in Nevada.

☆ U.S., Mexico agree on worker rights plan at Mexican auto parts factory
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-31 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

WASHINGTON, March 31 (Reuters) - The U.S. and Mexico on Friday announced an agreement to address a U.S. labor trade complaint at the VU Manufacturing auto parts plant in northern Mexico that requires the firm to allow free association rights for the factory's workers. The U.S. Department of Labor said in a statement the agreement "includes a commitment by VU to create a climate that promotes respect for workers' choice of union representation and is free of interference in union activities to the detriment of the most representative union." Reporting by David Lawder Editing by Chris ReeseOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Below, you'll find our top picks for the best banks for avoiding ATM fees. The best banks for avoiding bank ATM fees have free regional or national ATM networks, so you won't be charged for using an ATM. The Best Banks for Avoiding ATM FeesLendingClub Bank: Best online bank for avoiding domestic ATM feesConnexus Credit Union: Best credit union for avoiding domestic ATM feesChase: Best national bank for avoiding domestic ATM feesCharles Schwab: Best institution for avoiding international ATM feesTD Bank: Best regional bank for avoiding domestic ATM feesBetterment: Best online banking platform for avoiding domestic ATM feesWe've included brick-and-mortar banks, online banks, credit unions, and online banking platforms, so you can choose from a variety of options. Unlimited refunds on out-of-network ATM fees Check mark icon A check mark. You could also refer to the schedules of fees document to review ATM fees and ATM withdrawal limits."

☆ A 15-year-old suffered hot oil burns while using a deep fryer at a McDonald's restaurant in Tennessee, the Labor Department says
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-31 | by ( Grace Dean | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

A 15-year-old McDonald's worker suffered hot oil burns while using a deep fryer, the DOL said. The DOL assessed a $3,258 civil penalty to the franchisee that operates the restaurant. The restaurant in Morristown, north-east Tennessee, had illegally allowed the minor to remove french fries from a hot oil deep fryer manually, the DOL said. The DOL assessed a $3,258 civil penalty for Faris Enterprises, the franchisee that operates the restaurant. The DOL assessed nearly $4.4 million in civil money penalties in 2022 related to violations of child labor laws.

☆ The Labor Department is suing a healthcare staffing agency, saying it made some workers sign contracts forcing them to repay part of their wages if they quit within 3 years
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-31 | by ( Grace Dean | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

A company told workers they'd have to pay high fees if they quit within three years, the Labor Department said. In a lawsuit against the agency, the DOL said one nurse was asked to pay $24,000 in future profits. Lawyers for the agency, ACS, said the DOL's suit is "unsupported by either the facts or the law." The DOL likened employees' wages to a loan that they may have to repay to the company alongside interest and fees. "To be clear, ACS has never demanded – and no nurse has ever repaid – their earned wages to ACS. "

March 28 (Reuters) - A federal judge in Texas on Tuesday refused to transfer to another court a lawsuit by Republican states challenging a Biden administration rule allowing socially conscious investing by retirement plans, rejecting claims of "judge shopping." U.S. District Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk in Amarillo, Texas, said the Biden administration had provided no evidence that the litigation did not belong in his court or that plaintiffs were attempting to manipulate the process. His courthouse has become a favored destination for Republicans seeking to challenge aspects of Democratic President Joe Biden's agenda. The Labor Department argues the rule is valid because it still requires retirement plans to consider traditional financial factors when choosing investments. Congress in early March voted to repeal the ESG rule, but Biden vetoed that bill.

The bill, introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives, follows a similar Democrat-led effort proposed this month in the Senate. The Department of Labor has also taken steps to increase enforcement of child labor violations and called on Congress to boost penalties. The Labor Department has seen a nearly 70% increase in child labor violations since 2018, including in hazardous occupations, with 835 companies found to have violated child labor laws in the last fiscal year. Under current federal law, the maximum civil monetary penalty for a child labor violation is $15,138 per child. In February, 33 Democratic lawmakers led by Michigan Congressman Dan Kildee signed a letter to the Labor Secretary urging immediate action to rid Hyundai's supply chain of child labor.

☆ Burger King is closing 26 locations in Michigan. See the full list.
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-28 | by ( Danni Santana | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

26 Burger King locations are closing in Michigan by April 15, predominantly in the Detroit area. Burger King franchisee EYM King of Michigan said it failed to reach a deal with the fast-food giant. EYM began shuttering Burger King locations on March 17 and expects to shutter all locations by the middle of April. Leslie AllenThe news of over two dozen Burger King locations closing in Michigan comes as the chain, owned by Restaurant Brands International, undergoes a brand reset in the US. The parent company also named a new CEO of Burger King in Joshua Kobza, formerly the chain's COO.

☆ Dollar General in settlement talks over workplace safety violations, federal agency says
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-28 | by ( Natasha Piñon | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

The exterior of a Dollar General convenience store is seen on March 16, 2023 in Austin, Texas. Dollar General is in settlement talks with federal regulators after the discount retailer was labeled a "severe violator" of workplace safety rules, according to a spokesperson for the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Dollar General did not comment directly on the settlement talks. A Dollar General spokesperson told CNBC "we regularly review and refine our safety programs, and reinforce them through training, ongoing communication, recognition and accountability." Since 2017, OSHA inspected over 270 Dollar General stores, finding more than 100 workplace safety violations.

☆ Bed Bath & Beyond set to complete a round of layoffs in New Jersey the day before a new state law takes effect that would mean millions more in severance for workers
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-24 | by ( Dominick Reuter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Bed Bath & Beyond is closing 43 stores, two warehouses, and one fulfillment center in New Jersey. New layoff rules go into effect on April 10 in the state, which could have cost the company millions. On the morning of Tuesday, January 10, Bed Bath & Beyond CEO Sue Gove offered a rosy update about the company's turnaround strategy during its third-quarter earnings call. Representatives for Bed Bath & Beyond did not respond to Insider's question about whether the law influenced the timing of its New Jersey closures. Unlike prior cuts in which as many as 12 weeks of severance pay were given, Bed Bath & Beyond workers in several states affected by this round of layoffs tell Insider they will receive nothing.

☆ Follow this rule of thumb to avoid taking on too much student debt, college experts say
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-24 | by ( Annie Nova | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

As students weigh where to attend, making sure they won't borrow too much is key, experts say. The consequences of taking on too much student debt can be severe. "You may also have to take a job that pays better as opposed to the job that matches your career goals." Kantrowitz found in his research that under a third of student loan borrowers who took out $20,000 or less were stressed by their debt, compared with over 60% of those who'd taken out $100,000 or more. "If your total student loan debt at graduation is less than your annual starting salary, you should be able to repay your loans in 10 years or less," he said.

☆ Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus Supplier Paid California Workers $1.58
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-23 | by ( Charles R. Davis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

The Department of Labor randomly investigated 50 clothing companies in Southern California. It found that more than 80% were breaking one or more provisions of federal labor law. One garment maker was paying workers just $1.58 an hour. In what the department described as a "particularly egregious case," one garment manufacturer — making clothes for brands including Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus, Stitch Fix, and Von Maur, per investigators — was found to be paying some workers an hourly rate of just $1.58. It shows, she argued, "that strong federal action is needed to change the abusive pay rates in the American garment manufacturing industry."

☆ A church fired a worker who raised concerns after finding rats and spiders in the kitchen of its childcare center, the Labor Department said
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-23 | by ( Grace Dean | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

A Texas church fired a worker who spoke to health authorities about pests in its daycare center, per OSHA. The worker said he'd spotted rats, roaches, and spiders in the facility's kitchen and cafeteria. OSHA ordered New Mount Zion Baptist Church to rehire him and pay him $31,000 in back wages and damages. The next day, the worker was told he was being terminated based on a vote by the church's board, per OSHA. In a preliminary order, OSHA told the church to reinstate the worker and pay him more than $11,000 in back wages and $20,000 in damages.

☆ ChatGPT will most likely impact your job if you work in tech, went to college, and make up to $80,000 a year, research says
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-22 | by ( Aaron Mok | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Most American jobs are at risk of being impacted by AI like ChatGPT, researchers found. Educated, white-collar workers making up to $80,000 a year will be most affected by AI, per the study. Some jobs likely to be impacted include financial analysts, accountants, and writers. More specifically, the researchers wanted to find out which jobs are most likely to be "exposed" to the model's capabilities. The impact of AI on jobs increases as salaries gets closer to $80,000.

☆ Republicans' plans to cut the budget could mean millions lost in back pay, more dangerous workplaces, and jobs sent overseas, the White House says
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-22 | by ( Juliana Kaplan | Ayelet Sheffey | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

The White House is once again attacking the Freedom Caucus for its plan to cut spending. Per a fact sheet, the White House said the Caucus' plan would result in lost wages and harmful working conditions. Through cutting back on investigations and inspections, the White House estimates that the House Freedom Caucus' plans would cost 135,000 workers an average of $1,000 in back pay. Reversing spending in the Inflation Reduction Act – the cutting of which is one of the House Freedom Caucus' core tenets — would move millions of jobs for those projects overseas, the White House said. —House Freedom Caucus (@freedomcaucus) March 10, 2023Last week, the Freedom Caucus unveiled their broad plan to address the debt ceiling through major spending cuts.

☆ Uber, Lyft trade group asks Biden's labor nominee to explain position on gig workers
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

WASHINGTON, March 20 (Reuters) - A trade group representing rideshare and delivery companies such as Uber (UBER.N) and Lyft (LYFT.O) is asking President Joe Biden's nominee to lead the U.S. Department of Labor, Julie Su, to explain her position on worker-classification rules. The group earlier this month said Su's record is "troubling" and called for a "meticulous review" of her record in the Senate confirmation process. The Department of Labor in October proposed a rule that would make it more difficult for companies to treat workers as independent contractors, which would shake up ride-hailing, delivery and other industries that rely on gig workers. The Department of Labor and the White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Reporting by Nandita Bose in Washington; Editing by Mark PorterOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Uber, Lyft trade group questions Biden's labor nominee's gig workers stance
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-20 | by ( Nandita Bose | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

WASHINGTON, March 20 (Reuters) - Rideshare and delivery companies want the Biden administration's nominee for the Department of Labor to clarify her position on an incoming worker-classification rule that could expand workers' rights, a trade group representing the companies said on Monday. The Department of Labor in October proposed a rule that would make it more difficult for companies to treat workers as independent contractors, which would shake up ride-hailing, delivery and other industries that rely on gig workers. Before joining the U.S. Department of Labor, Su was the secretary for the California Labor and Workforce Development Agency, and before then was California labor commissioner from 2011-2018. A report on her tenure released in May 2013 found that her work resulted in a spike in enforcement activity. Reporting by Nandita Bose in Washington; Editing by Mark Porter and Josie KaoOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ The 7 fastest-growing STEM jobs that pay over $100,000
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-18 | by ( Isabel Engel | In Isabel--Engel | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Growth in the American STEM industry is attributed mainly to the country's growing computer industry. SmartAsset analyzed historic employment growth between 2017 and 2021 and projected employment growth from 2021 to 2031 to identify and rank the country's fastest-growing STEM occupations. Information security jobs top the list of fastest-growing STEM jobs for the second year in a row. STEM jobs overall account for 5.9% of the fastest-growing occupations in the United States. Of the fastest-growing STEM occupations, here are seven that pay over $100,000, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics:

March 16 (Reuters) - BP (BP.L) violated U.S. process safety rules and did not train workers properly at its Toledo, Ohio refinery in September, contributing to the death of two workers at the plant last year, U.S. federal investigators said Thursday. The two refinery workers died from their burns following an explosion in September 2022. Investigators said BP Products North America failed to properly train operators to identify the presence of naphtha, a flammable liquid hydrocarbon mixture, during an upset. BP Products North America is a Houston based subsidiary of BP and operated the 150,800 barrel-per-day Toledo, Ohio, refinery at the time of the explosion. BP Products North America has 15 business days to comply, request an informal conference with OSHA’s area director, or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.

☆ US, Mexico aim to find 13,000 Mexican migrant workers owed $6.5 mln in wages
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

MEXICO CITY, March 14 (Reuters) - U.S. and Mexican officials on Tuesday said 13,000 Mexican migrant workers are owed a total of $6.5 million in unpaid wages from U.S. workplaces, and will work to help beneficiaries now living in Mexico claim their pay from U.S. labor authorities. Ambassador to Mexico Ken Salazar said the effort marked an unprecedented collaboration between the U.S. and Mexico to support workers who for years have been short-changed. "In past governments, this would not have happened," he said at an event in Mexico City alongside Mexican labor officials. Mexico will also launch a public campaign to encourage workers to come forward if they believe they qualify for checks. "The work ahead is to find these 13,000," Mexican Labor Minister Luisa Alcalde said.

☆ A worker died in a ship's cargo hold in Florida after 2 tons of paper crushed him against a wall, Department of Labor says
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-13 | by ( Grace Dean | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

A worker was crushed to death by two tons of paper being hoisted onto a ship, OSHA said. OSHA said the crane operator hadn't been able to see the signalman guiding the load movement. The crane operator didn't have a clear view of employees in the hold below, OSHA said. When the ship pitched with a wave, one of the loads crushed a worker against the vessel's wall, OSHA said. Premier Bulk Stevedoring was cited for one repeat and two serious violations and OSHA has proposed $43,750 in penalties.

☆ 2 Florida restaurants kept staff tips to cover dine-and-dash customers and illegally charged workers for their uniforms, the DOL says
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-13 | by ( Grace Dean | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Two restaurants in Florida kept servers' tips to cover dine-and-dash customers, the DOL said. A total of $190,730 in back wages and liquidated damages was recovered for the workers, per the DOL. Employers are not allowed to keep staff tips under any circumstances under the Fair Labor Standards Act. The two restaurants – Red Mesa Restaurant and Red Mesa Cantina – had also deducted the cost of employees' uniforms from their wages, meaning that some were paid less than the minimum wage. Red Mesa Restaurant and Red Mesa Cantina also failed to pay the correct overtime rate of 1 ½ times workers' normal hourly pay for hours worked over 40 in a week.

☆ Mass layoffs including workers who are pregnant or on parental leave may seem unfair, but it's not illegal in the US — here's why
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-11 | by ( Grace Dean | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Critics have slammed some companies for laying off US workers on parental leave in recent months. But staff on protected leave aren't immune from mass layoffs, labor lawyers told Insider. Some of the stories that have caught the most attention and outrage on sites such as LinkedIn, however, are those of workers whose companies laid them off while they were pregnant or on parental leave. When they return to work after FMLA leave, the Department of Labor says that employees must return to the same job or one that is nearly identical,. What protections do pregnant workers have?

☆ States Look to Ease Some Child-Labor Laws Amid Tight Market
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-10 | by ( Adolfo Flores | Jennifer Calfas | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders signed off on a law loosening child-labor restrictions in the state. A new Arkansas law that makes it easier for minors as young as 14 to work without a permit is part of a nationwide effort by states to loosen child-labor restrictions. For a child to receive the permit, a parent or guardian also had to sign off. Employers had to tell the state how many days and hours the minor was going to be working.

☆ What to expect from the February jobs report
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-10 | by ( Alicia Wallace | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

Minneapolis CNN —January’s jobs report delivered a heck of a surprise when it showed the US economy had added more than half a million jobs and unemployment had dipped to a level not seen in more than five decades. But economists say they are not bracing for another blindside when the February jobs report comes out on Friday morning. “If we get a second strong jobs report [on Friday], it’s no longer an anomaly,” Terrazas added. Seasonality, benchmarking and the interplay of pandemic-era data don’t completely explain away January’s blockbuster jobs report, economists say, noting there are likely influences from the currently tight labor market. The Bureau of Labor Statistics’ February jobs report is set to be released at 8:30 a.m.

Search resuls for: "Department of Labor"

25 mentions found