The below is attributable to Spokesperson Matthew Miller: Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken spoke with German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock to coordinate next steps in supporting Ukraine. The Secretary thanked Germany for its ongoing assistance to Ukraine and emphasized the importance of supporting Ukrainian efforts to defend their freedom and achieve victory. They discussed the threat posed by Russia’s decision to introduce DPRK troops into Russia’s war against Ukraine. The Secretary and Foreign Minister discussed the need for a diplomatic resolution to the conflict in Lebanon that allows civilians on both sides of the Blue Line to return home…
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WASHINGTON – The U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement’s Interagency Labor Committee for Monitoring and Enforcement today requested that the government of Mexico review an alleged denial of workers’ at Vidrio Decorativo Occidental, a manufacturer of decorative glass in Matamoros, Mexico.The U.S. Department of Labor and U.S. Trade Representative co-chair the Interagency Labor Committee.The request follows an Oct. 10, 2024, petition filed by Sindicato Nacional Independiente de Trabajadores de Industrias y de Servicios and several other unions and organizations in Mexico and the U.S.Filed under the USMCA’s Rapid Response Labor Mechanism, the petition alleges VDO took actions to dissuade workers from supporting SNITIS by retaliating against…
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor has issued guidance and provided relief for participants and beneficiaries and employee benefit plans affected by Hurricane Helene and by Hurricane Milton.The department recognizes that plan participants and their families affected by these disasters are facing many challenges, including the ability to meet certain deadlines required by their job-based retirement, health and other benefit plans to access benefits. The department also understands plan sponsors, fiduciaries, employers and other service providers may face challenges complying with their obligations under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act as they work to support participants and beneficiaries in these…
Evaluation found medical equipment provider excluded 6 female employees from considerationBOSTON – The U.S. Department of Labor announced today that its Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs and Abiomed Inc., a federal medical equipment supplier, have entered into a conciliation agreement to resolve allegations of gender-based promotion discrimination at the company’s Danvers headquarters. A routine OFCCP compliance evaluation for the period from June 1, 2017, to May 31, 2018, found Abiomed Inc. discriminated against female employees by excluding them from the selection and promotion process for clinical educator positions. The agency determined the employer’s actions violated Executive Order 11246, which prohibits federal contractors from discriminating…
Date of action: November 5, 2024Type of action: Complaint filingDefendants: Suffolk Administrative Services LLC, San Juan, Puerto RicoProvidence Insurance Co., San Juan, Puerto RicoAlexander Renfro, William Bryan and Arjan ZiegerBackground: The U.S. Department of Labor filed the complaint after investigators with its Employee Benefits Security Administration found that since at least 2016, the companies and their current and former executives – Alexander Renfro, William Bryan and Arjan Zieger – have marketed, sold and serviced employer-sponsored health benefit plans while collecting and diverting significant fees for themselves in violation of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act. The department alleges Suffolk…
The United States is imposing sanctions today on one entity and one individual that form part of Republika Srpska (RS) President Milorad Dodik’s patronage network. The Department of Treasury is designating Elpring d.o.o. Laktasi and Vladimir Perisic, respectively, related to their attempts to evade U.S. sanctions. The U.S. government previously designated President Dodik for using his official position to accumulate personal wealth through companies connected to himself and his son, Igor Dodik. This corruption has undermined public confidence in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) state institutions and the rule of law. The Dodik network has pursued an aggressive strategy to circumvent…
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor announced today that its Mine Safety and Health Administration is holding its annual Training Resources Applied to Mining conference in Beaver, West Virginia, from Nov. 12 to 15. The event will bring some of the industry’s leading mine safety and health trainers together to discuss best practices and new approaches for protecting miners at metal, nonmetal and coal mines across the nation.“MSHA is proud to again host the Training Resources Applied to Mining Conference, a tuition-free conference featuring presentations from some of the industry’s most respected safety and health trainers. The conference helps health and safety…
The text of the following statement was released by the Foreign Ministers of Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Republic of Korea, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, the United States and the High Representative of the European Union. We, the Foreign Ministers of Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Republic of Korea, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, the United States and the High Representative of the European Union express our grave concerns regarding the deployment of DPRK troops to Russia, potentially for the use on the battlefield against Ukraine. Several thousands of DPRK troops have been deployed to Russia. The DPRK’s…
WASHINGTON – Fewer workers are dying from hazards where the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration has focused its enforcement resources. Preliminary agency data show a decrease in fatalities the agency is mandated to investigate, including significant reductions in fatal injuries from trench collapses and falls, two of the leading causes of death among construction industry workers.“These numbers are promising evidence that stronger enforcement and collaboration with labor and management, driven by the Biden-Harris administration’s worker-centered approach, is saving lives,” said Assistant Secretary for Occupational Safety and Health Douglas Parker. “Most striking is the improvement in areas…
Special Representative for Commercial and Business Affairs Sarah Morgenthau traveled to Warsaw, Poland October 23-25 to expand upon our strong and resilient bilateral trade partnership. Bilateral trade between the United States and Poland has increased significantly in the last decade, reaching $24.2 billion in 2023, the highest in history. Special Representative Morgenthau represented the United States at the U.S.-Poland-Ukraine Veterans Reintegration Forum, which showcased the countries’ trilateral cooperation. The conference brought together leaders in government and the business community to share tools and best practices to assist veterans of Russia’s war of aggression in returning to the workforce. Breakout sessions…