U.S. Department of Labor Archives - Northwest Public Broadcasting

Washington estudiaría protección contra el calor para trabajadores de espacios interiores

By Johanna Bejarano August 20, 2024

Normas federales para proteger de los riesgos del calor a los trabajadores en espacios interiores y exteriores se están estudiando al nivel nacional. Washington y Oregón ya cuentan con normas de este tipo para quienes laboran en entornos al aire libre.Read More

Washington could consider heat safety rules for indoor workers

By Johanna Bejarano August 20, 2024

Packages move down a conveyor belt. Two people in high-visibility vests stand next to the conveyor belt.

Federal rules for protecting outdoor and indoor workers from heat hazards are under consideration. Washington and Oregon already have such rules in place for outdoor workers.Read More

U.S. Department of Labor says it has no control over farmworker’s prevailing wages

By Johanna Bejarano August 8, 2024

Apple trees (Credit: Liana Mikah in Unsplash)

The U.S. Department of Labor is asking the Washington Western District of Washington Court to dismiss a lawsuit. According to the suit, the department is failing to protect Washington farmworkers’ wages and labor conditions.Read More

Departamento de Trabajo de EE.UU. actualiza tasas de pago para trabajadores agrícolas

By Johanna Bejarano July 16, 2024

El Departamento de Trabajo de EE.UU. actualizó las tasas de pago para los trabajadores agrícolas temporales, conocidos como H2A, en el estado de Washington. Read More

U.S. Department of Labor updates prevailing wage rates for agricultural workers

By Johanna Bejarano July 16, 2024

Farmworkers pick organic strawberries at Stehly Farms Organics in Valley Center, Calif., on March 25. CREDIT: Ariana Drehsler/AFP via Getty Images

The U.S. Department of Labor updated the prevailing wage rates for temporary agricultural workers in Washington state. The move came after Familias Unidas por la Justicia, a farmworker’s union in Skagit County, sued the department last May for failing to protect local workers’ wages and labor conditions.Read More

Federal Reserve Will Continue Supporting The Economy Despite Surging Prices

By NPR News June 16, 2021

Federal Reserve Board Chairman Jerome Powell has been under pressure from President Trump to cut interest rates. CREDIT: Patrick Semansky/AP

The central bank said Wednesday it would leave interest rates near zero and maintain its aggressive program of bond purchases in hopes of encouraging a faster rebound from the pandemic recession.Read More

1.3 Million More Workers May Be Eligible For Overtime Pay. But There’s A Catch

By NPR News September 24, 2019

A long-awaited update to federal overtime rules means about 1.3 million workers will be entitled to extra pay when they work more than 40 hours a week. But critics say it doesn't go far enough.Read More

President Trump To Nominate Eugene Scalia, Late Supreme Court Justice’s Son, As Labor Secretary

By NPR News July 19, 2019

The president offered the Washington attorney the job, and he accepted. He's 55 and a partner at a firm where he handles labor and employment cases.Read More

New Report Says College-Educated Women Will Soon Make Up Majority Of U.S. Labor Force

By NPR News June 20, 2019

In this photo, women fill out job applications at a JobNewsUSA job fair in Miami Lakes, Fla. Lynne Sladky/AP

This year U.S. women who graduated from college will likely make up a majority of adults with degrees in the labor force. The increase could signal greater earning potential for women in the future.Read More

Unemployment Rate Drops To 3.7 Percent, Lowest In Nearly 50 Years

By NPR News October 7, 2018

A worker installs a door on a 2018 Ford F-150 truck at an assembly plant in Dearborn, Mich., on Sept. 27. The U.S. unemployment rate fell to 3.7 percent in September, a nearly 50-year low. CREDIT: Carlos Osorio/AP

The jobless rate last month was the lowest since 1969, though the economy added a less-than-expected 134,000 jobs, the Bureau of Labor Statistics said. Wage growth slowed to a 2.8 percent rate. Read More

White House Proposes Merging Education And Labor Departments

By NPR News June 21, 2018

The pitch goes all-in on workforce development and imagines a mobile-first platform for student borrowers. It's part of a proposal to restructure federal government. Congress would have to approve.Read More