U.S. Department of Labor Blog
A lot has happened this year, and we’ve had a lot of fun sharing the work the Department of Labor has done on our social media channels. Let’s take a moment to look back at the year’s most memorable, most “liked” and most engaging meme posts that had followers double-tapping, sharing and maybe even learning a thing or two:
Since January 2021, our Wage and Hour Division has recovered more than $1 billion in back wages and damages for workers - and we're always looking for opportunities to spread the word.
Gender equity has a lot of benefits for a lot of people – and there’s really just one way to describe it.
Wage theft has real consequences for America’s families. Our Wage and Hour Division is here to help if you have questions about your work hours or pay.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) finds new ways to ensure employers are aware of the dangers of heat exposure and have heat illness prevention plans in place. This year, OSHA proposed a rule to help protect anyone working outdoors or indoors in general industry, construction, maritime and agricultural sectors where OSHA has jurisdiction.
Registered Apprenticeship is no longer the nation’s best kept secret for workforce development, and we highlight the benefits of creating new career paths. This year for National Apprenticeship Week, our ApprenticeshipUSA partners successfully hosted over 1,580 events and issued almost 900 proclamations celebrating Registered Apprenticeship.
Did you know that employees are entitled to a shielded place to pump at work, free from intrusion, that is not a bathroom? Anything else gets an immediate no.
In July, a Pennsylvania federal court awarded $35.8 million in back wages and damages to 6,000 current and former workers employed by the operators of 15 residential skilled nursing, rehabilitation and assisted living facilities in western Pennsylvania that willfully denied them overtime pay – part of the $1 billion in wages and damages recovered by the Wage and Hour Division during the Biden-Harris administration.
Most outdoor fatalities, 50% to 70%, occur in the first few days of working in warm or hot environments because the body needs to build a tolerance to the heat gradually over time. Hazardous heat exposure can occur indoors or outdoors and can occur during any season if the conditions are right, not only during heat waves – and that’s why we stress the importance of proper hydration. OSHA conducted 3,200 inspections this year as part of a targeted program to protect workers from heat hazards.
This is your reminder to hydrate when working in the heat. You're welcome. pic.twitter.com/8XBeZeW36R
— U.S. Department of Labor (@USDOL) September 20, 2024
Knowing your rights is the first step towards protecting them. Make sure you know how to recognize potential wage theft – and know that you can contact us for help.
Lorynn Holloway is a social media specialist in the Office of Public Affairs at the U.S. Department of Labor.