labor lawAdivision of labor law center

With 2 major hurricanes affecting the Gulf Coast in just 11 days, the US Department of Labor personnel is stretched thin, but responding to demands for assistance, thanks to volunteers from Alabama, Montana, New Mexico, Ohio, South Dakota and Utah.

Initially volunteers from Texas traveled to Louisiana to assist survivors of Hurricane Gustav.  

However, as Hurricane Ike pummeled the Texas coast just days later, most of them returned to their home state to aid in recovery efforts there.

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration (ETA) and state and local workforce organizations have (more…)

OSHA, the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration, is warning employers to follow proper safety precautions in the aftermath of Hurricane Gustav, Hurricane Ike, and the related Midwest floods.

The federal agency has released several public service announcements to remind employers that they are still responsible for worker safety, even under such trying conditions as these natural disasters.

Employers should particularly be aware of the dangers of electrocution and falls from heights during the cleanup and recovery operations.

“In the wake of Hurricane Gustav, (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…)

 The US Department of Labor has a number of resources in place for Louisiana victims of Hurricane Gustav. Similar programs for survivors of Hurricane Ike in Texas are sure to follow.

So far, the US Department of Labor has announced a $22.2 million national emergency grant  to Louisiana to aid workers displaced by the hurricane. Emergency grant funds are available to employers, small business owners and self-employed workers as well as employees displaced by the natural disaster.

The funds will be used to create more than 4,000 (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…)