Tag: U.S. Department of Labor

New Carpentry Apprenticeship For People In Recovery Kicks Off In Charleston

Nov. 13-20 is National Apprenticeship Week. An apprenticeship is a program that combines classroom training with on-the-job training while getting paid. West Virginia has slightly more than 5,000 apprentices in the state and ranks fifth in the nation for apprentices per capita. 

Updated on Tuesday Nov. 14, 2023 at 9:30 a.m.

The Goodwill Prosperity Center in Charleston hosted a celebration of a new residential construction apprenticeship Monday for people in recovery. 

Nov. 13-20 is National Apprenticeship Week. An apprenticeship is a program that combines classroom training with on-the-job training while getting paid. West Virginia has slightly more than 5,000 apprentices in the state, and ranks fifth in the nation for apprentices per capita. 

The new program through Charleston Property Restoration blends on the job construction training at the company with additional classroom education at Goodwill. The two-year program works with justice-impacted people in recovery to earn a nationally-recognized carpentry certificate through the United States Department of Labor. 

Andy Morton is in the program and said it has helped him stay sober. 

“We are also receiving some college credits for bridging the classes we are taking, something that I never thought was attainable for me,” Morton said. “And they will be helping us with books and fees for taking our contractor’s license which has always been a dream of mine.”

Others in the apprenticeship program talked about how it is helping them support their families and pave a path forward for themselves. Timothy Fisher is also in the program and said it’s meaningful to show your family a house that you helped build.

“It has allowed me to better my life, but also be able to better other skills and knowledge that will help me progress in life, and it’s something I can teach my son,” Fisher said. 

This program is a partnership with West Virginia Economic Development, Goodwill, the Department of Labor, and Workforce West Virginia.

MSHA Proposes Lower Limit On Silica Dust Exposure For Coal Miners

The limit would be lowered to 50 micrograms per cubic meter per eight-hour shift, down from 100.

Federal mine safety regulators have announced a long-delayed rule that could help reduce cases of black lung disease.

The Mine Safety and Health Administration proposes a new limit on coal miners’ exposure to silica dust. 

The limit would be lowered to 50 micrograms per cubic meter per eight-hour shift, down from 100. That matches what’s already required in other industries by the Occupational Health and Safety Administration.

“The purpose of this proposed rule is simple: prevent more miners from suffering from debilitating and deadly occupational illnesses by reducing their exposure to silica dust,” said Chris Williamson, assistant secretary for Mine Safety and Health at the U.S. Department of Labor. “Silica overexposures have a real-life impact on a miner’s health.”

Studies in recent years have found that silica dust exposure is driving an increase in cases of severe black lung disease in younger miners.

In a statement Friday, Cecil Roberts, president of the United Mine Workers of America, said the change was long overdue.

“Workers in other industries have long been protected from excessive exposure to silica dust, but miners were not, even though they work in an environment where silica dust is encountered daily,” he said. “It was a travesty that the government had never taken steps to protect them. But now it finally has.”

The proposed rule also calls for exposure sampling and medical surveillance at no cost to miners.

The agency will take public comment on the proposed rule as well as hold hearings in Arlington, Virginia, and Denver on dates yet to be announced.

Ohio Valley Weekly Unemployment Claims Down Slightly To 82K

As the Ohio Valley continues its phased-in reopening, unemployment insurance claims are down slightly compared to the week before. The region is still reporting high levels of unemployment assistance applications.

At least 82,011 people in Kentucky, Ohio, and West Virginia joined those seeking help during the economic downturn caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

The data released Thursday morning by the U.S. Department of Labor shows about 1.8 million unemployment claims around the country for the week ending May 30, bringing the country’s total jobless applicants to almost 42 million since mid-March.

Labor Department figures show Kentucky with 42,793 claims; Ohio with 34,638; and West Virginia with 4,535.

These unemployment claims come as the three states are reopening their economies. The data reported to the U.S. Department of Labor only accounts for unemployment assistance that has been processed.

Ohio Valley Unemployment Claims Exceed 100,000

As some businesses in the Ohio Valley reopen and welcome back both customers and employees the region continues reporting high levels of unemployment claims.

At least 100,863 people in Kentucky, Ohio, and West Virginia joined those seeking help during the economic downturn caused by the coronavirus pandemic..

Kentucky, Ohio and West Virginia are making progress on unemployment claims filed in March as states begin a phased-in reopening.

The data released Thursday morning by the U.S. Department of Labor showing about 2.1 million unemployment claims around the country for the week ending May 23, bringing the country’s total jobless applicants to about 40 million since mid-March.

Labor Department figures show Kentucky with 53,738 claims; Ohio with 42,363; and West Virginia with 4,762.

These unemployment claims come as the three states are reopening their economies. The data reported to the U.S. Department of Labor only accounts for unemployment assistance that has been processed.

Ohio Valley Making Progress On Unemployment Backlog

Kentucky, Ohio and West Virginia are making progress on unemployment claims filed in March as states begin a phased-in reopening.

New unemployment insurance claims are still reaching unprecedented levels across the Ohio Valley region.

At least 125,459 people in Kentucky, Ohio, and West Virginia joined those seeking help during the economic downturn caused by the coronavirus pandemic. That surge in claims is in addition to the more than two million unemployment assistance applications people in the Ohio Valley made since mid-March.

The data released Thursday morning by the U.S. Department of Labor showing almost 3 million unemployment claims around the country for the week ending May 9, bringing the country’s total jobless applicants to about  36 million since mid-March.

Labor Department figures show Kentucky with 69,069 claims; Ohio with 50,548; and West Virginia with 5,842.

These unemployment claims come as the three states are slowly working to reopen their economies. The data reported to the U.S. Department of Labor only accounts for unemployment assistance that has been processed.

 

Six Restaurants Ordered to Pay Over $100,000 in Back Pay and Overtime

Six restaurants in West Virginia and Ohio have been ordered to pay $111,000 in back pay and damages to 27 workers for minimum wage and overtime violations. 

The U.S. Department of Labor says in a news release a federal court for West Virginia’s southern district also imposed a $20,150 civil penalty on four Las Trancas restaurants and a Plaza Maya restaurant in West Virginia and a Las Trancas restaurant in Ohio. 

The order also covers Las Trancas corporate officers Lorena Arellano and Martin Arellano.

The statement says an investigation found the restaurants willfully violated minimum wage, overtime and recordkeeping requirements from May 2014 to October 2017. It says the restaurants paid some workers only for their scheduled hours without regard to hours actually worked.

 

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