The U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division announced it will no longer seek or collect liquidated damages during administrative investigations under the Fair Labor Standards Act. This change, clarified in Field Assistance Bulletin (FAB) 2025-3, reaffirms that liquidated damages are reserved for judicial proceedings and can only be determined by a court of law — not the department. This marks a return to the department’s long-standing practice before 2010, when it began seeking such damages during investigations. Officials state that ending the practice will improve dispute resolution and lead to fairer, more timely outcomes for both workers and

The Labor Commissioner’s Office (LCO) has recovered $431,601 in unpaid wages and damages for 86 carpenters employed by a defunct San Diego Contractor on construction projects in San Diego and San Bernardino Counties. Following complaints from the Carpenters/Contractors Cooperation Committee, Inc., the LCO issued citations to the offending contractor, and two other employers for unpaid minimum wages, overtime, and other violations. The LCO used mechanic’s liens to recover the owed wages, demonstrating their commitment to ensuring workers are compensated. Read More: Labor Commissioner’s Office recovers more than $430,000 in unpaid wages | California Department of Industrial Relations . . These

The Illinois General Assembly passed the Electric Transmission Systems Construction Standards Act, which mandates prevailing wage requirements and tax incentives for high voltage transmission line and utility-scale battery storage projects. The law requires electric utilities and contractors to pay prevailing wages and meet training, safety, and diversity goals. It also introduces a workshop process for procuring up to 1,500 MW of energy storage resources, and creates tax incentives for new battery storage and high voltage converter station projects. Read More: HB3758 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY . . These materials are being issued with the understanding that LCPtracker is not engaged in

The State of New York has recovered nearly $1.13 million in stolen wages for employees of a maintenance company that provided cleaning services during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. An investigation uncovered widespread labor violations, including wage theft, failure to provide paid sick leave, illegal kickbacks, and retaliation against workers who complained. As a result, the company will pay over $1 million in restitution to approximately 250 impacted workers. Read More: $1.1 Million for Rikers Island Cleaners . . These materials are being issued with the understanding that LCPtracker is not engaged in rendering legal or other professional services

Listen in as LCPtracker CEO Mark Douglas sits down with PublicCEO to discuss the essential elements of building a sustainable construction workforce. Watch on PublicCEO These materials are being issued with the understanding that LCPtracker is not engaged in rendering legal or other professional services and is providing these for informational purposes only. If legal, accounting, or tax expert assistance is required, the services of a competent legal, accounting or tax professional should be sought.

A Department of Labor investigation has revealed significant Davis-Bacon violations by three Long Island contractors on HUD-funded projects in New York City. Discover how improper classifications and unpaid benefits led to a major recovery for 36 workers—and what this means for these federal contractors moving forward. Read More: US Department of Labor recovers $877K in wages, benefits for 36 employees underpaid by contractors on federally funded projects in New York City | U.S. Department of Labor . . These materials are being issued with the understanding that LCPtracker is not engaged in rendering legal or other professional services and is