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Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources Richard R. Verma will travel to Paris, France, October 23-25 to participate in the International Conference in Support of Lebanon’s People and Sovereignty hosted by the Government of France.  Deputy Secretary Verma will meet with partner states, as well as representatives of international organizations, non-governmental organizations, and the private sector, to discuss the need to reach a diplomatic resolution that will enable civilians on both sides of the Blue Line to return home. Deputy Secretary Verma will also discuss the importance of providing humanitarian assistance to the Lebanese people and supporting Lebanese…

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WASHINGTON – At a White House ceremony today, the U.S. Department of Labor welcomed the latest cohort of Apprenticeship Ambassadors and recognized current ambassadors for meeting or exceeding their commitments to expand and diversify Registered Apprenticeships. With today’s addition of 138 new organizations, the department has selected 441 Apprenticeship Ambassadors since the initiative’s launch. The latest cohort includes organizations from emerging and high-growth industries, including advanced manufacturing, clean energy, education, financial services, healthcare and hospitality.Apprenticeship Ambassadors are helping to modernize Registered Apprenticeships by making specific commitments to sponsor promotional and training activities, conduct outreach to people from underrepresented populations, launch Registered Apprenticeship…

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The United States congratulates the Moldovan people for making their voices heard in record numbers in simultaneous presidential election and referendum on EU accession on October 20. The Government of Moldova and the Central Election Commission ensured the election was well-managed and competitive despite serious attempts by Russia to undermine the integrity of the process, as noted by the OSCE/ODIHR Observation Mission. Facing unprecedented Russian efforts to deny the Moldovan people their right to choose their own future, a majority of Moldovans voted to amend their constitution to advance Moldova’s accession to the EU. Russia did everything in its power…

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Today, during a ceremony at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, Iliana Ivanova, Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth, handed out the EU Mission Label to a new group of 20 cities for their efforts towards climate neutrality. The 20 cities that received the Label are: Aachen, Münster (Germany), Trikala (Greece), Miskolc (Hungary), Eilat (Israel), Bologna, Bergamo, Milan, Prato, Turin (Italy), Liepāja (Latvia), The Hague (the Netherlands), Porto (Portugal), Bucharest 2nd District, Suceava (Romania), Ljubljana, Kranj (Slovenia), Gothenburg, Gävle, Umeå (Sweden).Iliana Ivanova, Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth, said:“Congratulations to the 20 cities that have committed to becoming climate-neutral. You lead by example in making our…

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WASHINGTON –The Biden-Harris administration today announced that the Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division recovered more than $1 billion in back wages and damages for our nation’s workers since the start of the Biden-Harris administration. The recoveries derive from investigations concluded by the division from Jan. 20, 2021, through Sept. 30, 2024.“As part of the Biden-Harris administration’s efforts to protect and defend America’s working people, the Wage and Hour Division has recovered more than $1 billion in back wages and damages—achieving both justice and economic relief for more than 615,000 workers,” said Acting Secretary of Labor Julie Su. “Thanks to…

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Employer:      The Saucy Crab Grand Rapids LLC operating as The Saucy Crab                              Jixi Qiu, owner                              5039 28th St. SE                              Grand Rapids, MIAction:           Fair Labor Standards Act consent judgment and orderCourts:           U.S. District Court for the Western District of MichiganFindings:        A federal court ordered The Saucy Crab and its owner Jixi Qiu to pay $105,000 in back wages and liquidated damages to 28 former employees of the Grand…

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DALLAS – The U.S. Department of Labor and the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center have entered into a conciliation agreement in which the federal contractor will pay $900,000 in back wages and interest to resolve alleged systemic racial hiring affecting 6,123 Black applicants at the center’s Dallas facility.A routine compliance evaluation by the department’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs found the research hospital’s hiring practices allegedly discriminated against Black applicants from Aug. 24, 2016, through Aug. 24, 2018, in violation of Executive Order 11246, which prohibits federal contractors from discriminating in employment based on race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or national…

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Australia’s fertility rate has fallen to a new record low of 1.5 babies per woman. That’s well below the “replacement rate” of 2.1 needed to sustain a country’s population. On face value, it might not seem like a big deal. But we can’t afford to ignore this issue. The health of an economy is deeply intertwined with the size and structure of its population. Australians simply aren’t having as many babies as they used to, raising some serious questions about how we can maintain our country’s workforce, sustain economic growth and fund important services. So what’s going on with fertility…

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In a speech delivered during the inauguration of the renovated Africa Hall in Addis Ababa, Secretary-General António Guterres celebrated the building’s historic and symbolic importance for Africa’s unity and progress. “This hall is where Africa came together to give life to the Organization of African Unity, now the African Union,” he stated, acknowledging the transformation of the continent from its early days of independence to the present. “I also see it as an invitation for everyone to cooperate in pursuit of a better future, for Africa and for the world,” he continued. Permanent seats Mr. Guterres highlighted Africa’s hope and promise but…

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WASHINGTON – Acting Secretary of Labor Julie Su hosted an unveiling of the U.S. Department of Labor’s AI Best Practices, a comprehensive roadmap designed to ensure artificial intelligence enhances job quality and safeguards workers’ rights and well-being. The online event, which took place on Oct. 16, 2024, brought together labor, business, non-profit and government leaders to focus on the critical importance of ethical use of AI as its impact continues to grow in workplaces throughout the nation. President Biden’s Executive Order on the Safe, Secure and Trustworthy Development and Use of Artificial Intelligence emphasizes that the responsible development and use of…

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