Feds recover funds for Hawaiian food truck workers
- The U.S. Department of Labor recovered more than $290,000 for 95 food truck restaurant workers in Hawaii.
- The regulators also fined their employer a $20,000 penalty for wage law violations.
- An investigation found that the operator of five Maui food trucks — Da Nani Pirates LLC, Da Nani Pirates Lahaina LLC, Maui Poke LLC, Maui Burgers LLC and Aloha Thai Fusion LLC — “willfully denied” workers their full wages.
- The employees also required workers to give a portion of their tips to management, paying them straight-time hours for hours over 40 in a work week.
OSHA focuses on three states for weekend investigations
- OSHA will launch a “Weekend Work” initiative in Colorado, Montana, and South Dakota through the fall.
- The workplace safety and health inspections will take place on Saturdays and Sundays and identify and address construction-related fall hazards on weekends.
- Employers typically do not monitor their job sites well over the weekend, according to OSHA.
- OSHA will identify hazardous worksites, ensure that workers are protected from injuries, and help ensure employers provide a safe and healthful workplace.
N.J. Congressman calls for Amazon investigation
- U.S. Rep. Donald Norcross of N.J. asked OSHA to investigate the safety of Amazon’s warehouses following the death at one of the company’s warehouses in New Jersey.
- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York is investigating Amazon warehouses.
- Investigators are asking current and former Amazon workers to aid with the investigation.
- Some of the alleged incidents have resulted from workplace hazards, worker rate requirements, and the pace of work.
Bill would mandate breaks at construction sites
- U.S Rep. Sylvia Garcia of Texas introduced the Construction Injury Prevention Act to protect construction workers from injuries.
- The proposal would require employers to offer at least one 15-minute paid rest break every four hours of work.
- The bill also mandates that employers notify workers of their right to their paid rest breaks at the start of employment.
- Surveys show in Texas nearly 39 percent of construction workers do not receive rest breaks.