labor lawAdivision of labor law center

On September 24, the U.S. Department of Labor announced a grant of more than $15 million to Texas in the wake of Hurricane Ike. Of the total grant, $7.9 million will be released initially. The balance will be released as the state demonstrates a continued need for disaster assistance.

“This $15.9 million National Emergency Grant  will put several hundred Texans to work helping communities recover from Hurricane Ike damage,” said Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao. “This grant will also fund humanitarian assistance such as food, clothing, shelter and other critical aid that Texans affected by the hurricane devastation are in need of.”

The grant, totaling $15,883,200 will be used to (more…)

 The federal government has a number of resources for employers affected by natural disasters.

In just the last two weeks, a number of regions have been struck by hurricanes, floods and other disasters. On September 2, Hurricane Gustav struck Louisiana, resulting in FEMA granting emergency assistance to 24 parishes.

On September 13, Hurricane Ike struck Texas and parts of Louisiana with devastating consequences for Galveston, Houston and other areas.

The storm systems continued north, and by September 14 had caused catastrophic flooding in Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine and parts of the Midwest.

The US Department of Labor has set aside $22.2 million in funds (more…)

 Employers are invited to comment on new regulations by the U. S. Department of Labor regarding the employment of veterans by federal contractors.

The federal Veterans Employment and Training Service (VETS) recently announced the publication of a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on Priority of Service for veterans and eligible spouses. The proposed regulations apply to “any workforce preparation, development or delivery program or service that is directly funded, in whole or in part, by the Department of Labor,” as provided by the Jobs for Veterans Act which was enacted in 2002. (more…)

The U.S. Department of Labor announced a $7,350,171 grant to Texas employers to create approximately 475 temporary jobs to assist in cleanup and recovery efforts as a result of Hurricane Dolly.

Dolly, a category 2 hurricane, struck the Texas Gulf Coast on July 24, 2008. The storm left inches of rain in its wake. More than 175, 000 residents were still without power a day later, and damages were estimated at $750 million.   Dolly also affected portions of Mexico and other Gulf Coast regions.

“This $7.4 million grant will provide Texans with temporary jobs assisting in disaster relief and clean-up efforts to help communities recover from Hurricane Dolly damage,” said Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao.

On July 24, (more…)