El Monte Thai garment workers inducted into the Labor Hall of Honor

This week we inducted 81 Thai garment workers into the Labor Hall of Honor. A little over 25 years ago, these workers helped expose their employer’s abusive labor practices and spurred changes in legal protections for the nation’s workers. Acting Secretary of Labor Julie Su, who led the workers' lawsuit in 1996, applauded their courage, saying, "Some people must worship their heroes from afar. I am so fortunate to get to share my life and my work with mine."

• Watch the ceremony
• Read about the El Monte case

National Apprenticeship Week

National Apprenticeship Week will take place from Nov. 13 to 19 this year. Want to participate? Find resources, tips on getting involved and more at apprenticeship.gov.

Labor contractor must pay $1M+ to resolve repeated violations of farmworkers' rights

A California farm labor contractor must pay over $1 million in back wages and penalties for repeated violations of the H-2A agricultural worker program.

More than $110M in grants awarded

We awarded more than $110 million in grants this week, including:

• $57.2 million to help 12 states prepare unemployed and underemployed people for high-quality jobs
• $44 million to support job training services for workers in Appalachian, Lower Mississippi Delta and Northern Border Regions
• $6.6 million to support Florida's recovery from Hurricane Idalia
• $2 million to help Cornell University develop policies promoting workforce inclusion for people with disabilities
• $1.5 million to support efforts to prevent and respond to gender-based violence and harassment
• $1 million to provide jobs and workforce training related to the opioid crisis in Massachusetts
• $992,363 to support employment and training services related to the opioid crisis in Washington state

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT

OSHA training grants

OSHA awarded approximately $12.7 million in Susan Harwood Training Grants to help 100 nonprofits educate employers and hard-to-reach workers in high-hazard industries.

Crisis management jobs

Are you interested in helping people plan for, stay safe during or recover from a crisis? Here are several occupations worth considering.

🌮 Wage recovery suit

We're seeking $823,324 in back wages and damages for 177 Barrio Tacos employees to resolve alleged Fair Labor Standards Act violations.

Farm safety and health

During National Farm Safety and Health Week, we renew our commitment to protecting workers in agriculture by maintaining safe and healthy work environments.

Wage and hour enforcement

A Florida resort and spa denied employees a private space to express milk for newborns and employed children to work longer than the law permits.

Poultry processing safety

OSHA investigators found a Texas poultry processor exposed employees to ergonomic hazards and unguarded machinery.

Protection in practice

Join us in person or online Sept. 26 for the release of our international child labor report and a discussion on child labor enforcement in the U.S. and abroad.

POST OF THE WEEK

Happy #CitizenshipDay! On days like today, I think a lot about my parents’ immigration story and what it means to me 🧵
-@ActSecJulieSu

IN THE NEWS

• NPR: El Monte Sweatshop Workers Inducted In Labor Hall of Honor
• Spectrum News: El Monte sweatshop workers honored by Department of Labor
• Bloomberg Businessweek: Why Dollar General Might Just Be the Worst Retail Job in America
• Baltimore Sun: Baltimore migrant workers’ rights organization gets federal grant to fight gender-based workplace harassment
• Miami Herald: In Miami visit, U.S. labor chief warns ‘anti-immigrant’ policies make it harder to find workers
• Reuters: US Labor Dept. speeds up firefighter health claims approvals