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More than 2,800 single parents on income and disability assistance are already getting the supports they need to find employment and build a more secure future through the Single Parent Employment Initiative (SPEI), a program that provides skills training or work experience and wrap-around supports.
Minister of Social Development and Social Innovation Michelle Stilwell met with three of the participants, two single fathers and a single mother, who were among the first to access the program, to discuss their experiences and hopes for the future. Donald Cameron and Heidi Ackermann are just about to graduate from training programs and Donald McCutcheon is halfway through a work experience program.
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Ms. Maka Botchorishvili, Charge d’affaires of the Permanent Mission of Georgia deposited an instrument of accession to the Convention on Assistance in the Case of a Nuclear Accident or Radiological Emergency to Peri Lynne Johnson, IAEA Director, Office of Legal Affairs at the Agency headquarters in Vienna, Austria. 10 April 2018
Photo Credit: Dean Calma / IAEA
U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Jarrod Blanford, an aerial porter from the Kentucky Air National Guard’s 123rd Contingency Response Group (left), reviews a cargo manifest with U.S. Air Force Airman 1st Class Evan Kuehl, a loadmaster from the 86th Airlift Wing, prior to the departure of a C-130 Hercules from Léopold Sédar Senghor International Airport in Dakar, Senegal, Oct. 22. The flight is bound for Liberia, carrying whole blood and U.S. Army Soldiers supporting Operation United Assistance, the U.S. Agency for International Development-led, whole-of-government effort to respond to the Ebola outbreak in West Africa. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Maj. Dale Greer)
To learn more about U.S. Army Africa visit our official website at www.usaraf.army.mil
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Residents of Sandwip Island, Bangladesh, carry a sack of rice dropped for them by a U.S. helicopter. Following a devastating cyclone that may have killed over 125,000 people, the United States diverted some of its forces from the Persian Gulf to help in relief efforts. 15 May 1991 [Helicopter][Foreign Nationals][Humanitarian assistance]
Jul-Aug 1991 Navy Medicine Magazine
9 August 2012. Kutum: A man and a woman from Kassab camp for Internally Displaced Persons (IDP), in Kutum (North Darfur), wait to be examined by doctors.
The civilian population in Kutum received today the first humanitarian assistance since the area was attacked on 1 August. A school in the surroundings of the village has been used as a provisional medical center.
A medical team formed by UNAMID, World Health Organization (WHO) and the Ministry of Health of North Darfur assisted about 200 people, mostly women and children with injuries from the attacks and other kind of diseases due to the lack of food and potable water.
The series of incidents began on 1 August when the Commissioner of the district of Alwaha, in Kutum town, and his driver were shot dead and his vehicle was carjacked by three unknown armed men. Later in the day, the official’s vehicle was recovered by Government of Sudan security agents 2 kilometres from the Kassab internally displaced persons (IDP) camp.
Subsequently, on the same day armed men surrounded Kassab, looted the market, burnt down the Sudanese Police post in the camp and reportedly killed four persons (three civilians and one police officer) and injured six others.
Similar events leading to the deterioration in the security and humanitarian situation occurred the following days in and around Kutum town, Kassab and Fataborno IDP camps, including fighting between the armed elements and Government Forces, as well as looting and displacement of civilians.
Photo by Albert González Farran - UNAMID
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A flourishing practice at an orphanage. Thousands of children have been left homeless, without knowledge of their parents. Dental treatment by Navy dental officers, easing, at least, their pain from teeth. Disposable needles are used. [Children[[Foreign Nationals][Religion][Dentist][Dental Assistant][Dental Technician][Equipment and Supplies][Vietnam War]
Dental Support in Viet Nam slide set.
Navy Medicine Historical Files Collection - Subject - Vietnam War
Pallets of USDA Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) commodities wait on the Houston Food Bank commodity warehouse shelves for movement to packing lines or delivery to food pantries; pallets in the aisles are loaded with disaster assistance packages (those with orange wrapping have USDA Foods in them), and are ready for delivery or distribution to those in need, in Houston, TX, on September 22, 2017.
Houston Food Bank Operations Associate Director Marly Maskill provided the following information; in general, the food bank usually receives approximately 10 trucks per day and distributes approximately 230,000 meals per day; in response to Hurricane Harvey, the food bank has been receiving approximately 30 trucks per day and distributing approximately 500,000 meals per day.
Maskill continues, “FY17 we received over 23.7M lbs of USDA Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) commodities. Their products are mostly shelf stable commodity items, but also frozen meat, produce, eggs & cheese. We distribute this product to our agencies directly & in our backpacks & share your holiday boxes. In response to Harvey, the USDA allowed us to use the TEFAP product we already had in inventory to support disaster relief. Any client who is not on disaster SNAP is eligible to receive this product. The USDA has been actively communicating & working with us to make sure our needs have been met. They've also committed to replenishing the product that is distributed for disaster response so our clients who generally receive this product don't have to go without.”
USDA Foods include The FNS Food Distribution Programs' mission is to strengthen the Nation's nutrition safety net by providing food and nutrition assistance to school children and families and emergency food assistance programs; and support American agriculture by distributing high quality, 100% American-grown USDA Foods.
The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) is a Federal program that helps supplement the diets of low-income Americans, including elderly people, by providing them with emergency food and nutrition assistance at no cost. It provides food and administrative funds to States to supplement the diets of these groups. For more information please go to www.fns.usda.gov/tefap/emergency-food-assistance-program-... USDA Photo by Lance Cheung.
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Chart of Medical and Para-medical Personnel RSVN-1965. Note: Less than 1/3 physicians and slightly over 1/2 of the dentists are non-government. Two medical schools, one dental school to open in 1967. Our dental officers have assisted in both of these schools as teachers in basic emergency dental treatment. [Table][Vietnam War]
Navy Medicine Historical Files Collection - Subject - Vietnam War
Lakota Ranch owner Jeremy Engh (tan vest), talks about the various ways to plan and setup electrified fencing for small and large livestock operations, and the benefits it has for owned and rented land, during From Service to Stewardship a two-day workshop in Remington, Va., on Saturday, May 21, 2016. This barn is setup with traditional metal fencing for the pens inside and uses electrified fencing to extend, modify and rotate the access to nearby pastures. Beginning with his father, the family has been producing Red Devon cattle since1950’s. He is a cattle-breeding consultant and operates the Lakota Bull Test in association with Virginia Tech Extension.
The Livestock Conservancy, Virginia Cooperative Extension, and Lakota Ranch, are holding this intensive two-day workshop to help educate military service veterans about rare breed animal and poultry options for farming enterprises.
Some of the topics include, getting started, networking, marketing, poultry processing, breeding, husbandry, scything, rotational grazing and pasture management, tractor selections, milking and oxen, and electric fence building.
In 2014, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced the availability of more than $9 million in outreach and technical assistance for minority farmers and ranchers and military veterans that are new to farming and ranching. The funding, provided through the Outreach and Assistance for Socially Disadvantaged Farmers and Ranchers and Veteran Farmers and Ranchers Program, also known as the 2501 Program, will enable community-based organizations and other partners to work directly with these groups to successfully acquire, own and operate farms and ranches and equitably participate in all USDA programs. The 2014 Farm Bill reauthorized the program and expanded targeted communities. For more information please see: www.usda.gov/wps/portal/usda/usdamediafb?contentid=2014/0... USDA Media by Lance Cheung.
10.Airmen move equipment into the belly of a U.S. Air Force C-17 Globemaster in support of Operation United Assistance near Pisa, Italy. The equipment is headed for Monrovia, Liberia where the U.S. military is in support of USAID operations in response to the Ebola outbreak in West Africa. The U.S. Agency for International Development is the lead U.S. Government organization for Operation United Assistance. U.S. Africa Command is supporting the effort by providing command and control, logistics, training and engineering assets to contain the Ebola virus outbreak in West African nations. (U.S. Army Africa photos by Pfc. Craig Philbrick/Released)
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Angele and her sister fled Cote D'Ivoire to Liberia in 2011 after political instability and violence broke out following the 2010 elections. Angele finally returned home in 2016, with the help of USAID and partner the UN World Food Program.
Credit: Micah Clemens, USAID
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Child with the mange has probably never seen a bar of soap. Through the application of surgical soap, psiohex or psiodex, this condition clears up in a matter of days. [Children][Foreign Nationals][Vietnam War]
Dental Support in Viet Nam slide set.
Navy Medicine Historical Files Collection - Subject - Vietnam War
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Location of Dental Civilian Practitioners in Hue/Phu Bai Area. Dr. Maw, a lady dentist, with four male assistants for approximately 465,000 people. A graduate of schools in London and Paris. Miss Kim Luoc, with three female assistants in Danang. Her education was in Saigon and Hanoi medical facilities. Her husband, Colonel Huong, C. O. of 41st Wing Command Fighter command, Vietnamese Air Force. Jet trained in Paris and Bangkok. Greatest number of dentists are located in the Saigon area. [Map][Vietnam War]
Navy Medicine Historical Files Collection - Subject - Vietnam War
Airship Italia was a semi-rigid airship used by Italian engineer Umberto Nobile in his second series of flights around the North Pole. It crashed in 1928, with one confirmed fatality from the crash, one fatality from exposure while awaiting rescue, and the disappearance (and presumed death) of six crew members who were trapped in the still-airborne envelope.
Italia was an N-class semi-rigid airship, designation N-4. In design it was almost identical to the N-1 Norge but slightly larger in gas capacity. Little is known of airship N-2. Airship N-3 was sold to Japan and became "Naval Airship No. 6". Nobile and some of his staff traveled to Japan in 1926 or 1927 to deliver this airship.[1] According to Italian sources, airship N-5 (which was larger and had three times the lifting capacity of N-1) was Nobile's preferred design for the Arctic expedition, but when funding was refused by the Italian government he built N-4 with the assistance of private backers and the City of Milan. In May 1928 the Italia set off for the Arctic Circle, stopping at a German airship hangar at Stolp, Pomerania, and the airship mast at Vadsø in Norway.
First flight: 1924
Length: 105.4 metres/347.8 feet
Diameter: 19.4 metres/63.9 feet
Gas capacity: 18,500 cubic metres/654,000 cubic feet
Performance: 112.3 km/h /70.2 mph
Payload: 9405 kg/20,900 LB
Power plant: 3 Maybach 560 kW/750 hp total
The Italia landed at Stolp in April 1928 before starting the polar flights. In this photograph Nobile is seen with his dog Titina.
At 01:15 on 15 April 1928, the Italia took off from its base at Milan for the Arctic. With 20 personnel on board, and a payload of 17,000 pounds of fuel and supplies, the journey to Stolp in Germany took 30 hours through a variety of bad weather conditions. Near Trieste a wind gust damaged one of the tail fins. Later in the Sudetes the ship faced severe hailstorms and narrowly escaped lightning strikes. On arrival at Stolp at 07:15 on 16 April 1928, inspection revealed hail damage to the propellers and envelope, and severe tail fin damage. All the ballast and most of the fuel had been used fighting the wind. Repairs took 10 days, and required parts and technicians to be sent from Italy.
Takeoff from Stolp was further delayed by bad weather, but at 03:28 on 3 May 1928, Italia set off for Norway. Eight hours later, escorted by Swedish naval planes, Italia passed over Stockholm. Crewmember Finn Malmgren spotted his house from the air and the ship descended to drop a letter to his mother. Bad weather forced the ship east over Finland, and they passed over Rovaniemi at 01:49 on 4 May. Italia reached the mooring mast at Vadsø later that day.
While the ship was moored without difficulty, blizzard conditions followed by heavy rain kept the crew in a state of constant anxiety and caused minor structural damage. As soon as weather permitted, Italia took off for Kings Bay at 20:34 on 5 May, and by 05:30 had passed the meteorological station on Bear Island, but ran into high winds shortly after, also suffering an engine failure. By 12:00 on 6 May the airship reached Ny-Ålesund (Kings Bay) and spotted their support ship. However, in a foretaste of events to come, Captain Romagna of the Città di Milano refused to release 50 men requested by Nobile to form a landing crew. The Norwegian authorities summoned 150 miners at short notice to help haul the ship down and walk her to the shed.
Nobile planned 5 flights for the expedition, each starting from and returning to Ny-Ålesund (Kings Bay) and exploring different areas of the Arctic.
After the necessary engine and structural repairs were completed, the first flight departed from Kings Bay on 11 May 1928. Italia was forced to turn back after only eight hours flight because of thick ice forming on the envelope, as well as fraying of the control cables due to the extreme conditions.
The second flight left at 13:20 on 15 May and lasted 60 hours. In contrast, this time the weather conditions were excellent and visibility perfect. Valuable meteorological, magnetic and geographic data were gathered in a 2,500 mile (4,000 km) flight to the hitherto uncharted Nicholas II Land and back. Malmgren gathered weather and ice observations, while Pontremoli and Běhounek made measurements of magnetic phenomena and radioactivity. The ship returned safely to base on the morning of 18 May.
The third flight started on 23 May 1928, and following a route along the Greenland coast, with the assistance of strong tailwinds, reached the North Pole 19 hours later at 00:24 on 24 May 1928. Nobile had prepared a winch, an inflatable raft, and survival packs (providentially as it turned out) with the intention of lowering some of the scientists onto the ice, but the wind made this impossible. Instead they circled the pole making observations and at 01:20 dropped the Italian and Milanese colours, as well as a wooden cross presented by the Pope and a religious medal from the citizens of Forlì onto the ice during a short ceremony. At 02:20 on 24 May, the Italia started back to base.
The same tail wind that had helped Italia to the Pole now impeded their progress. Nobile calculated the return journey would take 40 hours, and had discussed their options with Dr Malmgren in the hours before their arrival at the Pole. Nobile considered a trans-polar route to Mackenzie Bay in Canada. According to Nobile, Malmgren advised a return to Kings Bay, predicting lessening winds on their return trip. On the other hand, Malmgren predicted a head wind all the way if the Canadian route was attempted. No doubt the prospect of a forced landing in the Canadian wilderness was unpalatable to both men, as it would mean the end of the expedition.
Heading directly south on a heading for Kings Bay, after 24 hours of increasing head winds and thick mist the Italia was only halfway back to base. The airship struggled to gain ground and break through to the zone of calmer winds which expedition meteorologist Finn Malmgren predicted was just ahead. Ice formed on the propellers and shot off into the envelope, necessitating running repairs. Engine speed was increased but with little effect, except for a doubling of fuel consumption. Dr Běhounek, in charge of the compass, started reporting variations in course of up to 30 degrees, and the elevator man Cecioni had similar problems maintaining control. By 07:30 on 25 May, Nobile, who had been awake for over 48 hours, knew that the situation was critical and Giuseppe Biagi, the wireless operator, sent out the message: "If I don't answer, I have good reason". By dead reckoning, Nobile estimated his position as 250 miles (400 km) northeast from Moffen Island. This estimate was 350 miles (560 km) off.
At 9:25am on 25 May the first critical incident occurred, when the elevator control jammed in the downward position while the ship was travelling at less than 1000 feet (300 metres) altitude. All engines were stopped and the airship began to rise again after it had dropped to within 300 feet (90 metres) of the jagged ice pack. The airship was allowed to continue rising to 3000 feet (900 metres) and above the cloud layer into bright sunlight for 30 minutes. After two engines were restarted the ship descended to 1000 feet (300 metres) with no apparent ill effect, with the headwind appearing to decrease slightly allowing an airspeed of 30 mph. Malmgren took the helm with Zappi supervising him. Cecioni continued to operate the elevators.
At 10:25 the ship was noticed to be tail-heavy and falling at a rate of 2 feet per second (0.6 m/s). Nobile ordered full elevators and emergency power, but although the nose rose to an upward angle of 21 degrees, the descent continued. Nobile ordered foreman rigger Renato Alessandrini to the tail of the envelope to check the automatic gas valves. A short time later, seeing a crash was unavoidable, Nobile ordered full stop and the cutting of electrical power to prevent a fire on impact. The port engine engineer failed to notice the order and the ship began to bank. At the same time Nobile ordered Cecioni to dump the ballast chain, but was unable to carry out the order in time owing to the steep angle of the floor and the secure way the chain was lashed.
Seconds afterwards the airship's control cabin hit the jagged ice and smashed open. Suddenly relieved of the weight of the gondola, the envelope of the ship, with a gaping tear in the keel and part of one cabin wall still attached, began to rise again.
Nine survivors and one fatality were left on the ice, and six more crew were trapped in the still drifting airship envelope. The envelope and the crew members aboard it have never been found. The position of the crash was close to 81°14′N 28°14′E, about 120 km (75 mi) northeast of Nordaustlandet, Svalbard. The drifting sea ice later took the survivors towards Foyn and Broch islands
Causes of the crash
The causes of the crash remain controversial even today. The severe Arctic climate and decision to head back to base in the teeth of a worsening gale, rather than continue across the Pole to attempt a landing in Canada, was the main cause. This fact drove meteorologist Finn Malmgren to attempt suicide twice soon after the crash.
Another factor is the decision to let the airship rise above the cloud layer, causing heating and then expansion of the hydrogen, which triggered automatic valving of the gas. Once the engines were restarted, the ship dived through the cloud into freezing air again and, either because the automatic valves were jammed open, or because the ship had already lost too much gas above the clouds, it could no longer stay aloft.[1] Although Umberto Nobile was the victim of a smear campaign after the crash, one criticism of him, from the master airship pilot Hugo Eckener is perhaps justified — that Nobile should never have climbed above the cloud layer in the first place.
Another possibility is a rupture of one of the gas cells, although it is difficult to understand why this would not have been immediately noticed by any of the crew on duty. The most recent theory suggests that the outer shell of the airship was damaged during the pre-flight ice removal, when a group of men wearing ice cleats hacked at the airship with pickaxes.
In his book Dr. Eng. Felice Trojani, one of the airship engineers reported that in the years after crash, he examined 11 different possible causes in detail without coming to any real solution.
Cecioni was hurled out the ruptured cabin and into a mound of ice injuring both his legs. As he looked up he saw the envelope drifting above him, and Ciocca halfway out of the starboard engine car staring down in horror. Lago, Dr Pontremoli, and Alessandrini were also visible, in the torn opening where the companion way had been. Chief Engineer Ettore Arduino, with remarkable presence of mind, started throwing anything he could lay his hands on down to the men on the ice as he drifted slowly away with the envelope. These supplies, and the packs intended for the descent to the ice helped keep the survivors alive for their long ordeal on the ice. Arduino perished with the drifting airship envelope.
Troiani, at the engine control signals fared better, being hurled into soft snow and rolling before immediately jumping to his feet and cleaning the snow off his glasses, which had survived the crash unscathed. Viglieri and Mariano, standing next to the chart table, briefly saw the rear engine car about to strike the ice hard and then found themselves prostrate but unharmed in a mass of debris. Biagi, with no time to send out an SOS grabbed the portable emergency radio and wrapped his arms around it trying to save it from damage. The impact on the ice winded him but left him inside the wreck of the cabin. Nobile lay unconscious with a head wound, with Malmgren and Zappi nearby. Mariano, Běhounek, Trojani, and Viglieri were on their feet first and began to examine the others for injuries. Nobile gradually regained consciousness - he had a broken leg, right arm, and cracked rib in addition to the wound on his head. Cecioni had two badly broken legs. Malmgren had an injured shoulder (possibly broken or dislocated), and much later was suspected to have internal injuries to his kidney. Zappi had severe chest pains from suspected broken ribs. Almost immediately the survivors were buoyed by the discovery of a waterproof bag containing chocolate, pemmican, a Colt revolver, ammunition and a flaregun. Biagi's radio was intact and he began searching for material to construct a radio mast. Biagi soon discovered the rear engine car smashed on the ice, and the body of Pomella, who had apparently survived the impact and sat down on a block of ice, but died minutes afterwards from a head injury. Despite this shock Biagi erected an antenna and within a few hours began to send the first SOS from the stricken survivors. Nobile and Cecioni were placed together in a sleeping bag for warmth and spent the next few hours in semi-consciousness while the others gathered what they could from the wreck. According to Nobile, Malmgren, in pain, and suffering from guilt about his role in the crash announced he would drown himself and began walking away from the crash site, only stopping when sharply ordered to return by the General. Later the same day, Mariano had to disarm Malmgren after he started to walk away from the crash site with the loaded Colt revolver. Meanwhile, the uninjured men surveyed the ice pack, collecting supplies and chose a stable patch of ice to erect a 2.4 x 2.4 metre (8 ft x 8 ft) silk tent they recovered which was to be their only shelter during the coming ordeal.
The day after the crash was spent looking for more supplies amongst the wreckage. Navigational instruments and charts were recovered allowing the position of the crash site to be calculated. The quantity of rations per man was also calculated. This was a scant 300 grams (11 oz) of food per day, mainly pemmican and chocolate, calculated for a 25-day stay on the ice. Eventually 129 kg (284 pounds) of food were recovered extending this supply to 45 days. Finally the crowded tent was dyed red for improved visibility from the air, with dye marker bombs that had been aboard the airship. Biagi continued to signal for help with his radio; the survivors quickly became exasperated at the stream of mundane personal messages pouring out of the Citta di Milano interspersed with occasional messages for the Italia. After several days cold began to take its toll. The fliers had been equipped with many layers of woollen clothes and lambskin flight suits, but not all of them were fully dressed at the time of the crash and none had proper Arctic survival clothing. On 28 May land was sighted in the distance, breaking the despondency of the survivors. Discussions began as to whether the survivors should attempt a trek towards land and eventually it was decided that Malmgren, Zappi and Mariano should be sent to try to summon help. On 29 May Malmgren shot a polar bear which approached the crash site, augmenting the food supply with about 189 kg (400 pounds) of fresh meat.
Rescue effort
An international rescue effort followed, but was bedevilled by official apathy and political interference on the part of the Italians. Romagna, the commander of the base ship, seemed to be paralysed with indecision when the Italia went missing. Lengthy telegrams asking for instructions were sent to Rome, but there was no effort to move the ship closer to the presumed crash site or otherwise begin a search. The Citta di Milano was admittedly old and unsuited to the Arctic, but considering the season could easily have taken up station further north and west of Kings Bay without any danger to itself. No attempt was made to keep a radio watch, and Guglielmo Marconi, who monitored the messages from the base ship later said: "No wonder that on the Citta di Milano the SOS of the survivors could not be picked up by radio operators. They simply were not paying attention to her signals.”
Pedretti, the alternate radio operator left behind by the Italia; and Amedeo Nobile, Umberto's brother were the most concerned about the radio silence from the airship. Amedeo Nobile was the first to visit the Norwegian ship Hobby to try to get Norwegian help for a search. Word also reached Amundsen in Oslo, who immediately volunteered to start on a search mission. When the Norwegian government officially approached the Italian government proposing Amundsen as expedition leader, they were rebuffed and Lieutenant Hjalmar Riiser-Larsen was appointed instead. Almost every Arctic explorer of note offered assistance or money for the search, including the American Lincoln Ellsworth.
In Italy, Arturo Mercanti, former air force chief and friend of Nobile requested that air force planes be sent to the Arctic to begin a search. Repeatedly frustrated by official inaction he attempted to hire private aircraft himself and threatened to publicise the government's inaction in the international press. As a result, two sea planes were sent from Italy, a Dornier Wal piloted by Luigi Penzo and a state-of-the-art Savoia-Marchetti S.55 piloted by Ten. Col. Umberto Maddalena who was the first rescuer to spot the "Red Tent" survivors on 20 June. Mercanti himself went to Kings Bay where his frustration continued.
Cpt. Gennaro Sora (of the Italian Army Alpini ski detachment) did run a heroic over-ice sled attempt from the Città di Milano support ship, while Matteoda and Albertini of the SUCAI (the University Section of the Italian Alpine Club) did the same from the Italian-hired ship Braganza. Both attempts were made in the face of opposition (some sources state direct orders) from the base-ship commander, Romagna.
The lack of co-ordination meant that it took more than 49 days before all the crash survivors (and stranded would-be rescuers) were retrieved. Roald Amundsen was lost, presumed dead, flying to Spitsbergen in a French Latham sea plane piloted by René Guilbaud to take part in the operation. Two hundred thousand cheering Italians met Nobile and his crew on arrival in Rome on 31 July. This show of popularity was unexpected by Nobile's detractors, who had allegedly been seeding the foreign and domestic press with sensational accusations against him.
Chronology of the rescue operations:
25 May 1928 - The Italia crashes on the ice. Radio operator Biagi salvages radio, constructs a radio mast and begins transmitting SOS.
31 May - Survivors unable to establish radio contact because of weather conditions and negligence by base ship Città di Milano who fail to maintain radio watch and instead continue to send routine traffic. Malmgren, with Commanders Mariano and Zappi, begin a trek toward land.
3 June - A Soviet amateur radio operator Nikolai Schmidt in Vokhma village hears the Italia SOS signals.
5 June - A Norwegian pilot makes the first flight in search of the Italia. In the ensuing weeks, pilots from Norway, Sweden, Finland, Russia and Italy make search and rescue flights.
8 June - Radio contact established between the ice floe and the Città di Milano. Search operations continue.
June 15/16 - Malmgren collapses from exposure on the ice and asks to be left behind. His body is never found.
18 June - Roald Amundsen and five others disappear on a flight to Spitsbergen to aid in rescue operations. Captain Sora of the Italian Alpine troops defies orders and sets off by sled with Arctic explorers Ludvig Varming and Sjef van Dongen to try to reach the crash zone.
20 June - Italian pilot Maddalena spots the survivors and drops supplies, many of which are smashed or useless.
22 June - Italian and Swedish pilots drop more supplies, this time successfully.
23 June - Swedish pilot Lundborg forcibly removes Nobile from the ice floe but crashes his plane on the return for more survivors and is trapped with the others. Rescue operations suspended pending arrival of suitable light aircraft capable of landing on the ice.
6 July Lundborg is picked up from the ice floe by his Swedish co-pilot Birger Schyberg in a light Cirrus Moth ski-biplane. Schyberg intends to rescue the other five persons as well, but changing ice conditions lead him to change his mind after having brought Lundborg to safety.
12 July - The Soviet icebreaker Krasin rescues Mariano and Zappi, who were located from Krasin's large aircraft the previous day. The five remaining Italia survivors are rescued by the ice-breaker later the same day.. Soviet pilot Boris Chukhnovsky and his four crew also rescued by the Krasin on its way back to Kings Bay. It had made an unsuccessful safety landing after seeing Zappi and Mariano.
14 July - Rescuers Sora and Van Dongen rescued from Foyn Island by Finnish and Swedish aircraft.
Community Mosaic Columns
These columns were created in 2002/02 by local artists Dianne Barton and Jennie Stewart, with the assistance of more than 2000 students from schools across the shire and members of the Jerang Aboriginal Cooperative.
Each column represents young people’s aspirations for the future, as expressed through the Shire’s ‘2025 Vision for the Macedon Ranges’ project.
The columns are located in nine townships – Bullengarook, Gisborne, Kyneton, Lancefield, Macedon, Malmsbury, Riddells Creek, Romsey and Woodend.
These images and words reflect our vision of being a vibrant and sustainable region – that deeply values our community, heritage and environment – providing a fulfilling quality of life for all.
*Prior to European settlement the area around Woodend was inhabited by the Woiwurung people.
The district was first surveyed by Major Thomas Mitchell in 1836.
In the 1850s and 1860s, prospectors, headed north to the goldfields around Bendigo, passed through the area.
By the mid-1850s a township with inns and shops had grown up to serve the surrounding trade.
In 1854 a post office was serving the local community.
In 1862 the railway arrived connecting the town to Bendigo.
In the 1870s and 1880s it developed as a resort town with guesthouses, hotels, elegant weekend homes with large private gardens, a golf club and a racecourse.
In 1870 the local Court House began hearing cases.
In 1893 the elegant Italianate-style Mechanics Institute was completed.
The Woodend Clock Tower was completed in 1928 as a memorial to the local people who served in World War I.
In 1975 Peter Weir made the hugely important film Picnic at Hanging Rock, partly filmed near the town, which attracted tourists to the district.
Today the town is a prosperous rural centre and a popular day tripper destination from Melbourne.
Assistance to Serbia for diagnostics of COVID-19
Staff from the Veterinary Specialized Institute Kraljevo, Serbia performing RT PCR testing using donated device . 29 September 2020
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is dispatching equipment to countries around the world to enable them to use a nuclear-derived technique to rapidly detect the coronavirus that causes COVID-19. This emergency assistance is part of the IAEA's response to requests for support from Member States in controlling an increasing number of infections worldwide.
Photo Credit: Dejan Vidanovic/Veterinary Specialized Institute Kraljevo
U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Jarrod Blanford, an aerial porter from the Kentucky Air National Guard’s 123rd Contingency Response Group, removes whole blood from a refrigerated storage unit outside the Joint Operations Center for Joint Task Force-Port Opening Senegal at Léopold Sédar Senghor International Airport in Dakar, Senegal, Oct. 22. The blood is being sent to Liberia to support U.S. troops deployed for Operation United Assistance, the U.S. Agency for International Development-led, whole-of-government effort to respond to the Ebola outbreak in West Africa. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Maj. Dale Greer)
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Donation Information:
If you would like to help those affected by Wednesday's storms, the American Red Cross is accepting donations in a couple of ways.
Make out your check to "American Red Cross - Neighbors in Need", and mail it to:
American Red Cross - Neighbors in Need
300 Chase Park South
Hoover Alabama 35244
If you prefer to make a donation on-line, please click here to visit alredcross.org
-To apply for federal disaster assistance online, go to www.disasterassistance.gov
-To apply over the phone, call 1-800-621-3362 between the hours of 7am and 10 pm.
-The United Way has set up a hotline to help victims find low cost temporary housing. Call 211 for more details.
Volunteer Information:
-United Way's Hands on Birmingham - www.handsonbirmingham.org
-Volunteers in Tuscaloosa are asked to register at St. Matthias Episcopal Church on Skyland Boulevard
-Volunteers in Calhoun County must register at the Ohatchee Police Department
-Volunteers in Concord must register at the YMCA on 4th Avenue South
-Webster's Chapel leaders are looking for volunteers with vehicles who can distribute supplies to tornado victims. Volunteers should go to the Webster's Chapel Fire Station
Drop off Locations:
-Harvest Church in Northport is accepting donations for tornado survivors
-Christian Service Mission at 3600 3rd Ave South is accepting personal care items, baby supplies, and other items of basic need
-First Baptist Church Trussville is a drop off point for donations Monday through Friday 8am to 6pm
-Church of the Highlands on Grants Mill Road is accepting items of basic need
-Mt. Zion Baptist Church in Alexandria is collecting donations of bathing supplies
-Clear Branch United Methodist Church in Argo is a drop off location from 8am to 4pm Monday through Friday
-Mark Ferrier Ministries has a drop off point at 97.7 Fox FM radio in Jasper
-Alabaster First United Methodist Church accepting donations for storm survivors at Restore Building behind the church
-Holy Faith Temple is accepting donations for tornado survivors in Childersburg
-Central Baptist Church of Jasper is collecting supplies for victims in Cordova.
-McAlpine Recreation Center at 1115 Avenue F in Ensley is now a drop off point
-108 Haynes Street in Talladega is collecting donations for survivors in East Alabama
-East Birmingham Church of God on First Avenue North is collecting supplies
-All Books-A-Million stores are collecing monetary donations for the Salvation Army
-East Birmingham Church of God in Christ on 1st Avenue is collecting supplies
-Aldrich Assembly of God is collecting relief supplies at Lucky's Market in Montevallo and Sammy's Fresh Market in Wilsonville.
-Vance town community center is collecting donations for survivors in Vance
-Helena Cumberland Presbyterian Church is accepting donations all week from 9am until 6pm.
-Donations in Calhoun County may be dropped off at Eagle Point Baptist Church in Jacksonville and Word Alive Church in Coldwater.
-Jasper Jaycees are accepting donated items at the fairgrounds on Airport Road. Cash donations can be made at Bank of Walker County. Call 205-221-3928 for more info.
-Hardin's Chapel Church in Ragland is an official EMA site
-Cullman county donation locations: Eagle Point Church, Isaiah 58-Word Alive Church, Piedmont Benevolence and Salvation Army
-UAB is holding blood drives at the North Pavillion from 10am to 5pm Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday. 7am to 2pm Tuesday and Friday
Places to pick up items or get help:
-People with disabilities who have lost medication or equipment can call 205-251-2223 ext 102
-United Way has set up a hotline to help victims find low cost temporary housing - call 211
-There will be a physician on site and medicine available at Scott School through Saturday from 7am to 7pm
-Tornado survivors in Hale and Greene counties can get help at Springfield United Methodist Church in Eutaw and at Johnson Hill United Methodist Church in Union
-Toiletries and clothing are available for pick up at Plum Grove Baptist Church in Tuscaloosa. If you need transportation, call 205-292-5836
-Food and water stations for victims are set up at the Leland Shopping Center, Forest Lake Baptist relief center and Skyland Elementary.
-Aldridge Community Missionary Baptist Church in Parrish has food, formula, clothes and water for any storm survivors who need help.
-Victims in St. Clair County can get food, water and other supplies at the Shoal Creek Community Center.
-Tarps available in St. Clair County at Odenville Fire Department, Pell City Fire Station One, Reiverside Fire Department
-The Salvation Army has set up mobile canteen operations in Forest Lake, Holt High School and on 15th Street in Alberta City.
-Tornado victims in Hale and Greene Counties can get help at Springfield United Methodist Church in Eutaw and at Johnson Hill United Methodist Church in Union.
-The Masonic Lodge in Pleasant Grove is serving meals and distributing supplies to tornado victims.
-Bethel Baptist Church in Pratt City is providing food and shelter to tornado survivors in that community
-Food, water and other supplies are available at Pleasant Ridge Baptist Church in Hueytown.
-The Red Cross has opened feeding stations at Oak Grove Baptist Church, Knighten's Volunteer Fire Department, Webster's Chapel Volunteer Fire Department, First Baptist Church of Williams, Mt. Olive Volunteer Fire Department in Ohatchee and the Ellis Community Fire Department.
-Hardin's Chapel Church in Ragland is an official EMA site
-Free first aid station is open in Pleasant Grove from 9am to 6pm at 615 Pleasant Grove Road Monday through Friday
-Free medical clinic at Scott School in Pratt City 7am to 7pm
Shelters:
-Bethel Baptist Church in Pratt City is providing food and shelter to tornado victims in that community.
-The American Red Cross has set up shelters at the Belk Center in Tuscaloosa, First Baptist Church in Hanceville, the Boutwell Auditorium in Birmingham, the Civic Center in Cullman and First United Methodist Church in Springville.
-American Red Cross shelter in St. Clair County is at Greensport Baptist Church in Ashville
Insurance office locations:
-Allstate Insurance has mobile claims centers set up at the Lowe's in Bessemer, the Winn-Dixie at River Square Plaza in Hueytown and the K-Mart on Skyland Boulevard in Tuscaloosa.
-State Farm has centers set up at Lowe's in Cullman, Tuscaloosa, Bessemer and Fultondale.
-ALFA has centers at the Save-a-Lot in Cullman and the ALFA Service Center in Gadsden.
-Farmers Insurance has centers at Home Depot in Tuscaloosa, the Forest Square Shopping Center in Forestdale, and the Farmers district offices in Vestavia Hills and Pell City.
Misc:
-A battery charging station is set up at the Walmart in Tuscaloosa. Flash lights are also being given away while supplies last.
-If you have loved ones who are still missing in the Birmingham area, call 205-787-1487 or 205-787-1488.
-Greater Birmingham Humane Society lost and found pet hotline open 8am to 5pm daily: 205-397-8534. Hotline is for Jefferson and Tuscaloosa counties
-Official FEMA mobile disaster recovery center in Sumter county: Geiger Town Hall 201 Broadway
-Victims in Pratt City are in need of trash bags and baskets to help collect their personal belongings
-Calhoun County needs rope, tools, gloves, masks, tarps, first aid supplies and baby supplies
-Some local contractors in Tuscaloosa are offering free debris removal. Call 205-248-5800.
-Samaritan's Purse in Tuscaloosa is providing free debris removal and free tarps. Call 205-345-7554.
-The McWane Center in Birmingham is offering free admission to anyone who brings supplies for tornado victims.
-A dusk to dawn curfew is in effect for all of Cullman County.
-An 8pm to 6am curfew is in effect in the city of Tuscaloosa.
(From left) Brig. Gen. Daniel Ziankahn Jr., chief of staff of the Armed Forces of Liberia, Maj. Gen Darryl A. Williams, former commander of Joint Forces Command - Operation United Assistance Assistance and Maj. Gen. Gary J.Volesky, commanding general of the 101st Airborne Division and current commander of Joint Forces Command - Operation United Assistance take part in a photo opportunity. The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) is the lead U.S. Government organization for Operation United Assistance. U.S. Africa Command supported the effort by providing command and control, logistics, training and engineering assets to contain the Ebola virus outbreak in West African nations.(U.S. Army Africa photo by Sgt. 1st Class Will Patterson)
To learn more about U.S. Army Africa visit our official website at www.usaraf.army.mil
Official Twitter Feed: www.twitter.com/usarmyafrica
Official Vimeo video channel: www.vimeo.com/usarmyafrica
Join the U.S. Army Africa conversation on Facebook: www.facebook.com/ArmyAfrica
9 August 2012. Kutum: Fatma Abdarraman, a woman from Kassab camp for Internally Displaced Persons (IDP), in Kutum (North Darfur), is assisted by doctors due to several injuries in her legs.
The civilian population in Kutum received today the first humanitarian assistance since the area was attacked on 1 August. A school in the surroundings of the village has been used as a provisional medical center.
A medical team formed by UNAMID, World Health Organization (WHO) and the Ministry of Health of North Darfur assisted about 200 people, mostly women and children with injuries from the attacks and other kind of diseases due to the lack of food and potable water.
The series of incidents began on 1 August when the Commissioner of the district of Alwaha, in Kutum town, and his driver were shot dead and his vehicle was carjacked by three unknown armed men. Later in the day, the official’s vehicle was recovered by Government of Sudan security agents 2 kilometres from the Kassab internally displaced persons (IDP) camp.
Subsequently, on the same day armed men surrounded Kassab, looted the market, burnt down the Sudanese Police post in the camp and reportedly killed four persons (three civilians and one police officer) and injured six others.
Similar events leading to the deterioration in the security and humanitarian situation occurred the following days in and around Kutum town, Kassab and Fataborno IDP camps, including fighting between the armed elements and Government Forces, as well as looting and displacement of civilians.
Photo by Albert González Farran - UNAMID
A Volcano Disaster Assistance Program seismologist consults with the Saudi geological survey director of the Earthquake and Volcanoes Center at a ground fissure resulting from the May 19 earthquake in Harra Lunayyir.
In June 2009, the Saudi Geological Survey (SGS) asked VDAP to help monitor the Harra Lunayyir volcanic area in northwestern Saudi Arabia. Since early 2007, the region has experienced increasing seismic activity, including swarms of micro-earthquakes, prompting fears of a possible major eruption and the evacuation of approximately 40,000 people.
Photo Credit: John Pallister (VDAP)
16-1001-072
35mm slide color
Oral surgery clinic aboard the Repose. (Dr. Terry operating). [Surgeon][Oral Surgery][Dentist][Surgeon][Surgical Assistant][Dental Assistant][Technician][Equipment and Supplies][Vietnam War]
Dental Support in Viet Nam slide set.
Navy Medicine Historical Files Collection - Subject - Vietnam War
Do you have roadside assistance? Do you need it? Numerous people don't think too much about it but it's something that can eradicate some of the tension in your life. Most people spend at least an hour or two on the streets every day, even if they don't go far. But many never stop to think what they would do if they abruptly discovered themselves stuck on the side of the road.
Motor Club of America gives out a broad variety of goods and services to drivers, and people who don't have a car. Those advantages cover all over the United States, Canada & Puerto Rico. Which encompass roadside assistance, emergency room benefits, hotel discounts, travel assistance and many more.
Speaking specifically about MCA most popular $19.95 Total Security Motor plan it was designed to offer the highest grade of roadside services and advantages available on the market. This Total Security program presents all of the benefits you would obtain with the Security and Security Plus plans in addition very good roadside services and a number of other exceptional advantages.
Emergency Road Service*
Travel Assistance Reimbursement*
Travel Assistance Program*
Trip Planning and Travel Reservations*
Arrest Bond*
Bail Bonds*
Attorneys Fees*
Attorney Services*
Attorney Discounted Hourly Rates*
Discounts on Auto Related Services*
Stolen Vehicle Reward*
Credit Card Protection*
Legal Services Deeply Discounted Fixed Fee Schedule*
Discounts on Prescriptions, Vision Care, and Dental*
Emergency Reimbursement Benefits*
Daily Hospital Benefit*
Accidental Death Benefit*
Battery Boost
Fuel Delivery
Tire Change
Lock-Out Service
Wrecker Towing Service
And Much More
Emergency Road Service
Motor Club of America will pay up to $100 to provide Emergency Road Service on RVs, Motorcycles, Trailers, and vehicle's with a load capacity of 1 ton or greater.
Travel Assistance Reimbursement
If your vehicle is disabled in an auto misfortune, we will reimburse you up to $500 for rental vehicle or lodging, meal, and transportation expenses counting on where the accident happens.
Trip Planning & Travel Reservations
Motor Club of America offer a variety of travel benefits with all the roadside service membership plans including route planning and special airline, rental car, and hotel discounts.
Arrest Bond
Your Motor Club of America membership card can act in lieu of a cash bail for up to $500 when you are engaged in a traffic violation as allowed by state laws.
Bail Bonds
For all of the roadside service and motor club constituents, we can arrange up to a $25,000 bond to release you if you are ascribed with a going traffic law violation when driving a vehicle. This includes for vehicular manslaughter and auto associated negligent murder charges.
Attorney Fees
$2,000 in benefits for attorney fees in order to defend you from charges resulting from a covered auto. This includes:
Up to $200 for covered Moving Violations
Up to $500 for covered auto related Personal Injury matters
Up to $500 for covered Vehicle Damage issues
Up to $2,000 for covered auto related Negligent Homicide or Vehicular Manslaughter
Stolen Vehicle Reward
Motor Club of America will pay a $5,000 reward to law enforcement agency or individual who provides information that leads to the arrest and conviction of who's responsible for the theft of your covered vehicle in an attempt to encourage stolen vehicle recovery.
Discounts on Prescriptions, Vision Care, & Dental
Motor Club of America membership offers a variety of medical discounts up to a 65% discount on prescriptions, up to a 50% discount on vision, and up to a 50% discount on dental procedures.
Emergency Reimbursement Benefits
If you are injured in a covered accident, Motor Club of America will provide up to $500 in cash to pay for emergency room or trauma center treatment that is required for injuries caused in the accident. This includes reimbursement for the cost of:
Cast or Splints
Lab Work
Nursing Service
Transfusions
Anesthetics
Doctor Care
IV’s
Facility Care
Daily Hospital Benefits
Up to $54,500 in cash benefits to be paid at $150 per day for hospitalization that results from injuries received in a covered accident.
Accidental Death Benefits
Members of the Total Security program have the opportunity to enroll, free of charge, in one or all of the accidental death and dismemberment coverage packages. These include:
1. You, as named member, up to $50,000; or
2. You & your spouse, up to $25,000 each, plus job retraining is available for surviving spouse in many cases; or
3. You for up to $30,000, your spouse up to $15,000, children up to $3,500 each.
Other optional benefits include job retraining for surviving spouse, continuing child care plus continuing education support.
.
Travel Assistance Program
Motor Club of America offers a travel assistant program, which assists in worldwide travel for issues related to injuries or death that results from a covered accident.
Medical evacuation & repatriation
Non-Medical Repatriation
Return of Remains
Hospital Visits
Return of Child
Return of Companion
Emergency Roadside Assistance
Las Vegas, NV 89117
(702) 810-5812
emergency-roadside-assistance.info
Twitter: twitter.com/VEGASMotorClub
Facebook: www.facebook.com/MotorClubAmericaLV
Youtube: www.youtube.com/user/MCAVegas
9 August 2012. Kutum: Boys from Kassab camp for Internally Displaced Persons (IDP), in Kutum (North Darfur) collect water donated by UNAMID.
The civilian population in Kutum received today the first humanitarian assistance since the area was attacked on 1 August. A school in the surroundings of the village has been used as a provisional medical center.
A medical team formed by UNAMID, World Health Organization (WHO) and the Ministry of Health of North Darfur assisted about 200 people, mostly women and children with injuries from the attacks and other kind of diseases due to the lack of food and potable water.
The series of incidents began on 1 August when the Commissioner of the district of Alwaha, in Kutum town, and his driver were shot dead and his vehicle was carjacked by three unknown armed men. Later in the day, the official’s vehicle was recovered by Government of Sudan security agents 2 kilometres from the Kassab internally displaced persons (IDP) camp.
Subsequently, on the same day armed men surrounded Kassab, looted the market, burnt down the Sudanese Police post in the camp and reportedly killed four persons (three civilians and one police officer) and injured six others.
Similar events leading to the deterioration in the security and humanitarian situation occurred the following days in and around Kutum town, Kassab and Fataborno IDP camps, including fighting between the armed elements and Government Forces, as well as looting and displacement of civilians.
Photo by Albert González Farran - UNAMID
9 August 2012. Kutum: People from Kassab camp for Internally Displaced Persons (IDP), in Kutum (North Darfur), wait to be examined by doctors.
The civilian population in Kutum received today the first humanitarian assistance since the area was attacked on 1 August. A school in the surroundings of the village has been used as a provisional medical center.
A medical team formed by UNAMID, World Health Organization (WHO) and the Ministry of Health of North Darfur assisted about 200 people, mostly women and children with injuries from the attacks and other kind of diseases due to the lack of food and potable water.
The series of incidents began on 1 August when the Commissioner of the district of Alwaha, in Kutum town, and his driver were shot dead and his vehicle was carjacked by three unknown armed men. Later in the day, the official’s vehicle was recovered by Government of Sudan security agents 2 kilometres from the Kassab internally displaced persons (IDP) camp.
Subsequently, on the same day armed men surrounded Kassab, looted the market, burnt down the Sudanese Police post in the camp and reportedly killed four persons (three civilians and one police officer) and injured six others.
Similar events leading to the deterioration in the security and humanitarian situation occurred the following days in and around Kutum town, Kassab and Fataborno IDP camps, including fighting between the armed elements and Government Forces, as well as looting and displacement of civilians.
Photo by Albert González Farran - UNAMID
Rosa DeLauro, U.S. Representative for Connecticut’s 3rd Congressional District, discusses the Wage Theft Prevention and Wage Recovery Act. H.R. 4763. 114th Congress (2015-2016), 2nd Session. United States Congress. House of Representatives. Committee on Education and the Workforce, New Haven Legal Assistance Association, Inc., 426 State Street, New Haven, Connecticut, Tuesday, April 5, 2016.
www.congress.gov/bill/114th-congress/house-bill/4763/text
A BILL
To amend the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 and the Portal-to-Portal Act of 1947 to prevent wage theft and assist in the recovery of stolen wages, to authorize the Secretary of Labor to administer grants to prevent wage and hour violations, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the “Wage Theft Prevention and Wage Recovery Act”.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds the following:
(1) Wage theft occurs when an employer does not pay an employee for work that the employee has performed, depriving the worker of wages and earnings to which the worker is legally entitled. This theft occurs in many forms, including by employers violating minimum wage requirements, failing to pay overtime compensation, requiring off-the-clock work, failing to provide final payments, misclassifying employees as being exempt from overtime compensation or as independent contractors rather than as employees, and improperly withholding tips.
(2) Wage theft poses a serious and growing problem across industries for working individuals of the United States. Wage theft is widespread and is estimated to cost workers more than $8,600,000,000 per year. In certain industries, compliance with Federal wage and hour laws is less than 50 percent.
(3) Wage theft is closely associated with employment discrimination, with women, immigrants, and minorities being disproportionately affected. Women are significantly more likely to experience minimum wage violations than men, foreign-born workers are nearly 2 times as likely to experience minimum wage violations as their counterparts born in the United States, and African-Americans are 3 times more likely to experience minimum wage violations than their White counterparts.
(4) Wage theft is closely associated with unsafe working conditions.
(5) Wage theft—
(A) depresses the wages of working families who are already struggling to make ends meet;
(B) strains social services funds;
(C) diminishes consumer spending power and hurts local economies;
(D) reduces vital State and Federal tax revenues;
(E) places law-abiding employers at a competitive disadvantage with noncompliant employers;
(F) burdens commerce and the free flow of goods; and
(G) lowers labor standards throughout labor markets.
(6) Low-wage workers are at the greatest risk of suffering from wage theft. A survey of 4,387 low-wage workers in New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago found that 68 percent of the workers surveyed had experienced some form of wage theft in the workweek immediately before the survey was conducted. These workers experienced a range of wage and hour violations: 26 percent of such workers were not paid minimum wage; 76 percent of such workers who worked more than 40 hours in the workweek immediately before the survey was conducted were not paid at the overtime rate; and, in the year before the survey was conducted, 43 percent of the workers who attempted to address such issues by filing a complaint with their employer or who attempted to form a labor organization experienced retaliation by their employers, including by being fired, suspended, or receiving threats of reductions in their hours or pay.
(7) In 2012, State and Federal authorities as well as private attorneys recovered at least $933,000,000 in wage theft enforcement actions, which was nearly 3 times the value of all bank robberies, residential robberies, convenience store and gas station robberies, and street robberies in the United States during that year.
(8) A Department of Labor study of wage theft in California and New York found that wage theft deprived workers of 37 percent to 49 percent of their income, pushing at least 15,000 families below the poverty line and driving another 50,000 to 100,000 families deeper into poverty.
(9) A study analyzing wage theft claims in the State of Washington from 2009 to 2013 estimated that the total economic cost of wage theft to the State totaled more than $64,000,000 resulting from the lower economic activity and spending of low-wage workers due to their lost wages.
(10) A Department of Labor study of wage violations in California and New York found that wage theft deprived families of $5,600,000 in possible earned income tax credits and resulted in a $22,000,000 loss in State tax revenue, a $238,000,000 loss in payroll tax revenue, and a $113,000,000 loss in Federal income tax revenue.
(11) Barriers to addressing wage theft continue to exist decades after the enactment of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 (29 U.S.C. 201 et seq.). These barriers have resulted, in significant part, because enforcement of such Act has not worked as Congress originally intended and because many of the provisions of such Act do not include sufficient penalties to discourage violations. Improvements to enforcement and amendments to such Act are necessary to ensure that such Act provides effective protection to individuals subject to wage theft.
(12) The lack of a Federal right for employees to receive full compensation at the agreed upon wage rate for all work performed by the employee has resulted in workers being able to recover only the applicable minimum wage, or the overtime rate if applicable, when employers engage in wage theft.
(13) The lack of a Federal requirement to provide employees with paystubs indicating how their pay is calculated or to allow employees to inspect their employers’ payroll records significantly impedes efforts to identify and challenge wage theft.
(14) The lack of a Federal requirement to pay employees their final payments in a timely manner upon termination of the employment relationship between the employer and employee has led to unreasonable, and sometimes indefinite, delays in compensation after an employment relationship ends.
(15) While the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938, and regulations promulgated by the Secretary of Labor, as in effect on the day before the date of enactment of this Act, require employers to compensate employees at the minimum wage rate and to provide overtime compensation when appropriate, the lack of civil penalties for violations of these requirements has dampened their effectiveness.
(16) While the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 and regulations promulgated by the Secretary of Labor, as in effect on the day before the date of enactment of this Act, provide employees who are subject to wage theft with the right to unpaid minimum wages or unpaid overtime compensation plus an additional equal amount as liquidated damages, this low level of damages has proved insufficient to deter employers from stealing the wages of their employees.
(17) While the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 and regulations promulgated by the Secretary of Labor, as in effect on the day before the date of enactment of this Act, require employers to keep records of employees’ pay, the lack of remedies for this requirement diminishes the effectiveness of the requirement.
(18) While the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 and regulations promulgated by the Secretary of Labor, as in effect on the day before the date of enactment of this Act, provide for limited criminal penalties when employers violate the provisions of such Act, the Secretary of Labor rarely resorts to these penalties, causing them to serve as a hollow threat.
(19) The statute of limitations under section 6 of the Portal-to-Portal Act of 1947 (29 U.S.C. 255), in effect on the day before the date of enactment of this Act, precludes employees from bringing claims for wage theft 2 years after the cause of action accrued, or 3 years after the cause of action accrued if the claim is with respect to a willful or repeat violation by the employer. Additionally, the statute of limitations is not suspended while the Secretary of Labor investigates a complaint. These strict confines of the statute of limitations sometimes result in employees being deprived of their ability to institute a private lawsuit against their employer in order to recover their stolen wages.
(20) Section 16(b) of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 (29 U.S.C. 216(b)), as in effect on the day before the date of enactment of this Act, requires employees to affirmatively “opt-in” in order to be a party plaintiff in a collective action brought by another aggrieved employee seeking to recover stolen wages in court. This provision limits the ability of employees to unite and pursue private lawsuits against employers.
(21) Under the penalty structure of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938, as in effect on the day before the date of enactment of this Act, many employers who are caught violating such Act continue to violate the Act. A Department of Labor investigation found that one-third of employers who had previously engaged in wage theft continued to do so.
(22) The Government Accountability Office and the Department of Labor have recognized that when employers are assessed civil penalties, they are more likely to comply with the law in the future and other employers in the same region—regardless of industry—are also more likely to comply with the law.
(23) States that have enacted legislation to address wage theft by increasing the damages to which employees are entitled following violations of wage and hour laws have positively impacted the workers in such States. However, many States have not enacted such legislation and, worse still, some States do not have any laws protecting workers from wage theft or even agencies to enforce workers’ rights to compensation for work. This discrepancy in State laws has resulted in a fragmentation of workers’ rights across the United States, with some workers having a measure of protection from wage theft and other workers being left extremely vulnerable to wage theft.
(24) Effective enforcement of wage and hour laws is critical to increasing compliance. Given the limited resources available for enforcement, enhanced strategic enforcement of Federal wage and hour laws is crucial.
(25) For enhanced strategic enforcement to be effective, government regulators must work with community stakeholders who have direct knowledge of ongoing violations of Federal wage and hour requirements and who are in a position to prevent such violations.
(26) Partnerships between regulators, workers, nonprofit organizations, and businesses can increase compliance by educating workers about their rights, collecting evidence, reporting violations, identifying noncompliant employers, and modeling good practices.
(27) Partnerships between regulators, workers, nonprofit organizations, and businesses have been successful in combating wage theft. In 2006, the Division of Labor Standards Enforcement of California created a janitorial enforcement team to work closely with a local janitorial watchdog organization. As of 2015, the partnership had resulted in countless administrative, civil, and criminal actions against employers and in the collection of more than $68,000,000 in back pay for janitorial workers.
(28) The Government Accountability Office has recommended that the Department of Labor identify ways to leverage its resources to better combat wage theft by improving services provided through partnerships.
SEC. 3. PURPOSES.
The purposes of this Act are to prevent wage theft and facilitate the recovery of stolen wages by—
(1) strengthening the penalties for engaging in wage theft;
(2) giving workers the right to receive, in a timely manner, full compensation for the work they perform, certain disclosures, regular paystubs, and final payments;
(3) providing workers with improved tools to recover their stolen wages in court; and
(4) making assistance available to enhance enforcement of and compliance with Federal wage and hour laws through—
(A) supporting initiatives that address and prevent violations of such laws and assist workers in wage recovery;
(B) supporting individual entities and developing community partnerships that expand and improve cooperative efforts between enforcement agencies and community-based organizations in the prevention of wage and hour violations and enforcement of wage and hour laws;
(C) expanding outreach to workers in industries or geographic areas identified by the Secretary of Labor as highly noncompliant with Federal wage and hour laws;
(D) improving detection of employers who are not complying with such laws and aiding in the identification of violations of such laws; and
(E) facilitating the collection of evidence to assist enforcement efforts.
TITLE I—AMENDMENTS TO THE FAIR LABOR STANDARDS ACT OF 1938
SEC. 101. REQUIREMENTS TO PROVIDE CERTAIN DISCLOSURES, REGULAR PAYSTUBS, AND FINAL PAYMENTS.
The Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 is amended by inserting after section 4 (29 U.S.C. 204) the following:
“SEC. 5. REQUIREMENTS TO PROVIDE CERTAIN DISCLOSURES, REGULAR PAYSTUBS, AND FINAL PAYMENTS.
“(a) Disclosures.—
“(1) INITIAL DISCLOSURES.—Not later than 15 days after the date on which an employer hires an employee who in any workweek is engaged in commerce or in the production of goods for commerce, or is employed in an enterprise engaged in commerce or in the production of goods for commerce, the employer of such employee shall provide such employee with an initial disclosure containing the information described in paragraph (3).
“(2) MODIFICATION DISCLOSURES.—Not later than 15 days after the date on which any of the information described in paragraph (3) changes with respect to an employee described in paragraph (1), the employer of such employee shall provide the employee with a modification disclosure containing the information described in paragraph (3).
“(3) INFORMATION.—The information described in this paragraph shall include—
“(A) the rate of pay and whether the employee is paid by the hour, shift, day, week, or job, or by salary, piece rate, commission, or other form of compensation;
“(B) an indication of whether the employee is being classified by the employer as an employee subject to the maximum hours and overtime compensation requirements of section 7 or as an employee exempt from such requirements as provided under section 13;
“(C) the name of the employer and any other name used by the employer to conduct business; and
“(D) the physical address of and telephone number for the employer’s main office or principle place of business, and a mailing address for such office or place of business if the mailing address is different than the physical address.
“(b) Paystubs.—
“(1) IN GENERAL.—Every employer shall provide each employee of such employer who in any workweek is engaged in commerce or in the production of goods for commerce, or is employed in an enterprise engaged in commerce or in the production of goods for commerce, a paystub that corresponds to work performed by the employee during the applicable pay period and contains the information required under paragraph (3) in any form provided under paragraph (2).
“(2) FORMS.—A paystub required under this subsection shall be a written statement and may be provided in any of the following forms:
“(A) As a separate document accompanying any payment to an employee for work performed during the applicable pay period.
“(B) In the case of an employee who receives paychecks from the employer, as a detachable statement accompanying each paycheck.
“(C) As a digital document provided through electronic communication, subject to the employee affirmatively consenting to receive the paystubs in this form.
“(3) CONTENTS.—Each paystub shall contain all of the following information:
“(A) The name of the employee.
“(B) In the case of an employee who is paid an hourly wage, an employee who is employed at piece rates, or an employee who is paid a salary and is not exempt from the overtime requirements of section 7, the total number of hours worked by the employee, including the number of hours worked per workweek, during the applicable pay period.
“(C) The total gross and net wages paid, and, in the case of an employee who is paid an hourly wage, an employee who is employed at piece rates, or an employee who is paid a salary and is not exempt from the overtime requirements of section 7, the rate of pay for each hour worked during the applicable pay period.
“(D) In the case of an employee who is paid a salary in lieu of an hourly wage, the amount of salary paid during the applicable pay period.
“(E) In the case of an employee employed at piece rates, the number of piece rate units earned, the applicable piece rates, and the total amount paid to the employee for the applicable pay period in accordance with such piece rates.
“(F) The rate of pay of the employee during the applicable pay period and an explanation of the basis for such rate.
“(G) The number of overtime hours worked by the employee during the applicable pay period and the compensation required under section 7 that is provided to the employee for such hours.
“(H) Any additional compensation provided to the employee during the applicable pay period, with an explanation of each type of compensation, including any allowances or reimbursements such as amounts related to meals, clothing, lodging, or any other item, and any cost to the employee associated with such allowance or reimbursements.
“(I) Itemized deductions from the gross income of the employee during the applicable pay period, and an explanation for each deduction.
“(J) The date that is the beginning of the applicable pay period and the date that is the end of such applicable pay period.
“(K) The name of the employer and any other name used by the employer to conduct business.
“(L) The name and phone number of a representative of the employer for contact purposes.
“(M) Any additional information that the Secretary reasonably requires to be included through notice and comment rulemaking.
“(c) Final Payments.—
“(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 14 days after an individual described in paragraph (4) terminates employment with an employer (by action of the employer or the individual), or on the date on which such employer pays other employees for the pay period during which the individual so terminates such employment, whichever date is earlier, the employer shall provide the individual with a final payment, by compensating such individual for any uncompensated hours worked or benefits incurred by the individual as an employee for the employer.
“(2) CONTINUING WAGES.—An employer who violates the requirement under paragraph (1) shall, for each day, not to exceed 30 days, of such violation provide the individual described in paragraph (4) with compensation at a rate that is equal to the regular rate of compensation to which such individual was entitled when such individual was an employee of such employer.
“(3) LIMITATION.—Notwithstanding paragraphs (1) and (2), any individual described in paragraph (4) who intentionally avoids receiving a final payment described in paragraph (1), or who refuses to receive the final payment when fully tendered, resulting in the employer violating the requirement under such paragraph, shall not be entitled to the compensation provided under paragraph (2) for the time during which the individual so avoids final payment.
“(4) INDIVIDUAL.—An individual described in this paragraph is an individual who was employed by the employer, and through such employment, in any workweek, was engaged in commerce or in the production of goods for commerce, or was employed in an enterprise engaged in commerce or in the production of goods for commerce.”.
SEC. 102. RIGHT TO FULL COMPENSATION.
Section 6 of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 (29 U.S.C. 206) is amended by adding at the end the following:
“(h) Right To Full Compensation.—
“(1) IN GENERAL.—In the case of an employment contract or other employment agreement, including a collective bargaining agreement, that specifies that an employer shall compensate an employee (who is described in paragraph (2)) at a rate that is higher than the rate provided under subsection (a), the employer shall compensate such employee at the rate specified in such contract or other employment agreement.
“(2) EMPLOYEE ENGAGED IN COMMERCE.—The requirement under paragraph (1) shall apply with respect to any employee who in any workweek is engaged in commerce or in the production of goods for commerce, or is employed in an enterprise engaged in commerce or in the production of goods for commerce.”.
SEC. 103. CIVIL AND CRIMINAL ENFORCEMENT.
(a) Damages.—The Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 (29 U.S.C. 201 et seq.), as amended by section 102, is further amended—
(1) in section 4(f) (29 U.S.C. 204(f)), in the third sentence—
(A) by striking “minimum”; and
(B) by striking “and liquidated damages” and inserting “damages, and interest”;
(2) in section 6(d)(3) (29 U.S.C. 206(d)(3)) by striking “minimum”;
(3) in section 16 (29 U.S.C. 216)—
(A) in subsection (b)—
(i) by striking “minimum” each place it appears;
(ii) in the first sentence, by striking “and in an additional equal amount as liquidated damages” and inserting “, an additional amount as damages that is equal to (subject to the second sentence of this subsection) 2 times such amount of unpaid wages or unpaid overtime compensation, and the amount of any interest on such unpaid wages or unpaid overtime compensation accrued at the prevailing rate”;
(iii) in the second sentence, by striking “wages lost and an additional equal amount as liquidated damages” and inserting “wages lost, including any unpaid wages or any unpaid overtime compensation, an additional amount as damages that is equal to 3 times the amount of such wages lost, and the amount of any interest on such wages lost accrued at the prevailing rate”;
(iv) by striking the fourth sentence; and
(v) by adding at the end the following: “Notwithstanding chapter 1 of title 9, United States Code (commonly known as the‘Federal Arbitration Act’) or any other law, the right to bring an action, including a collective action, in court under this section cannot be waived by an employee as a condition of employment or in a pre-dispute arbitration agreement.”; and
(B) in subsection (c)—
(i) by striking “minimum” each place the term appears;
(ii) in the first sentence, by striking “and an additional equal amount as liquidated damages” and inserting “, an additional amount as damages that is equal to (subject to the third sentence of this subsection) 2 times such amount of unpaid wages or unpaid overtime compensation, and any interest on such unpaid wages or unpaid overtime compensation accrued at the prevailing rate”;
(iii) in the second sentence, by striking “and an equal amount as liquidated damages.” and inserting “, an additional amount as damages that is equal to (subject to the third sentence of this subsection) 2 times such amount of unpaid wages or unpaid overtime compensation, and any interest on such unpaid wages or unpaid overtime compensation accrued at the prevailing rate. In the event that the employer violates section 15(a)(3), the Secretary may bring an action in any court of competent jurisdiction to recover the amount of any wages lost, including any unpaid wages or any unpaid overtime compensation, an additional amount as damages that is equal to 3 times the amount of such wages lost, and any interest on such wages lost accrued at the prevailing rate.”; and
(iv) in the fourth sentence, by striking “or liquidated”; and
(4) in section 17 (29 U.S.C. 217), by striking “minimum”.
(b) Civil Fines.—Section 16(e) of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 (29 U.S.C. 216(e)) is amended—
(1) by striking paragraph (2) and inserting the following:
“(2) (A) Subject to subparagraph (B), any person who violates section 6 or 7, relating to wages, shall be subject to a civil fine that is not to exceed $2,000 per each employee affected for each initial violation of such section.
“(B) Any person who repeatedly or willfully violates section 6 or 7, relating to wages, shall be subject to a civil fine that is not to exceed $10,000 per each employee affected for each such violation.”; and
(2) by adding at the end the following:
“(6) Any person who violates subsection (a) or (b) of section 5 shall—
“(A) for the first violation of such subsection, be subject to a civil fine that is not to exceed $50 per each employee affected; and
“(B) for each subsequent violation of such subsection, be subject to a civil fine that is not to exceed $100 per each employee affected.
“(7) Any person who violates section 11(c) shall—
“(A) for the first violation, be subject to a civil fine that is not to exceed $1,000 per each employee affected; and
“(B) for each subsequent violation, be subject to a civil fine that is not to exceed $5,000 per each employee affected.”.
(c) Criminal Penalties.—Section 16(a) of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 (29 U.S.C. 216(a)) is amended—
(1) by striking “Any person” and inserting “(1) Any person”;
(2) in the first sentence, by striking “$10,000” and inserting “$10,000 per each employee affected”;
(3) in the second sentence, by striking “No person” and inserting “Subject to paragraph (2), no person”; and
(4) by adding at the end the following:
“(2) (A) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Act, the Secretary shall refer any case involving a covered offender described in subparagraph (B) to the Department of Justice for prosecution.
“(B) A covered offender described in this subparagraph is an offender who willfully violates each of the following:
“(i) Section 11(c) by falsifying any records described in such section.
“(ii) Section 6 or 7, relating to wages.
“(iii) Section 15(a)(3).”.
SEC. 104. RECORDKEEPING.
Section 11(c) of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 (29 U.S.C. 211(c)) is amended by adding at the end the following: “In the event that an employee requests an inspection of the records described in this subsection that pertain to such employee, the employer shall provide the employee with a copy of the records for a period of up to 5 years prior to such request being made. Not later than 21 days after an employee requests such an inspection, the employer shall comply with the request. In the event that an employer violates this subsection, resulting in a lack of a complete record of an employee’s hours worked or wages owed, notwithstanding whether the employer or employee is responsible for maintaining the employer’s official records, any evidence of the hours worked or wages owed set forth by the employee, including evidence of a documentary, testimonial, representative, or statistical nature, that is sufficient to establish to a finder of fact a just and reasonable inference that the employee was not fully compensated at the rate required by this Act, including under section 6(h) as applicable, for all of the work that the employee performed for the employer shall establish a rebuttable presumption that the employer violated section 6 or 7 by failing to fully compensate the employee at the required rate for all work performed by the employee for the employer and a rebuttable presumption that the evidence set forth by the employee regarding the specific number of hours worked by the employee for the employer for which the employee was not compensated and the wage rate for each of those hours is accurate. The employer may only overcome the rebuttable presumptions described in this subsection by providing clear and convincing evidence that the employee's evidence is inaccurate.”.
TITLE II—AMENDMENTS TO THE PORTAL-TO-PORTAL ACT OF 1947
SEC. 201. INCREASING AND TOLLING STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS.
Section 6 of the Portal-to-Portal Act of 1947 (29 U.S.C. 255) is amended—
(1) in the matter preceding subsection (a)—
(A) by striking “minimum”; and
(B) by striking “liquidated damages” and inserting “other damages”;
(2) in subsection (a)—
(A) by striking “may be commenced within two years” and inserting “may be commenced within 4 years”;
(B) by striking “unless commenced within two years” and inserting “unless commenced within 4 years”; and
(C) by striking “may be commenced within three years” and inserting “may be commenced within 5 years”;
(3) in subsection (d), by striking the period and inserting “; and”; and
(4) by adding at the end the following:
“(e) with respect to the running of the statutory periods of limitation for such action, the running of such statutory periods shall be deemed suspended during the period beginning on the date on which the Secretary of Labor notifies an employer of an initiation of an investigation or enforcement action and ending on the date on which the Secretary notifies the employer that the matter has been officially resolved by the Secretary.”.
TITLE III—WAGE THEFT PREVENTION AND WAGE RECOVERY GRANT PROGRAM
SEC. 301. DEFINITIONS.
In this title:
(1) ADMINISTRATOR.—The term the “Administrator” means the Administrator of the Wage and Hour Division of the Department of Labor.
(2) COMMUNITY PARTNER.—The term “community partner” means any stakeholder with a commitment to enforcing wage and hour laws and preventing abuses of such laws, including any—
(A) State department of labor;
(B) attorney general of a State, or other similar authorized official of a political subdivision thereof;
(C) law enforcement agency;
(D) consulate;
(E) employee or advocate of employees, including a labor organization, community and faith-based organization, business association, or nonprofit legal aid organization;
(F) academic institution that plans, coordinates, and implements programs and activities to prevent wage and hour violations and recover unpaid wages, damages, and penalties; and
(G) any municipal agency responsible for the enforcement of local wage and hour laws.
(3) COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP.—The term “community partnership” means a partnership between—
(A) a working group consisting of community partners; and
(B) the Department of Labor.
(4) ELIGIBLE ENTITY.—The term “eligible entity” means an entity that is any of the following:
(A) A nonprofit organization, including a community-based organization, faith-based organization, or labor organization, that provides services and support to employees, including assisting such employees in recovering unpaid wages.
(B) An employer.
(C) A business association.
(D) An institution of higher education, as defined by section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001).
(E) A partnership between any of the entities described in subparagraphs (A) through (D).
(5) EMPLOY; EMPLOYEE; EMPLOYER.—The terms “employ”, “employee”, and “employer” have the meanings given such terms in section 3 of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 (29 U.S.C. 203).
(6) SECRETARY.—The term “Secretary” means the Secretary of Labor.
(7) STRATEGIC ENFORCEMENT.—The term “strategic enforcement” means the process by which the Secretary—
(A) targets highly noncompliant industries, as identified by the Secretary, using industry-specific structures to influence, and ultimately reform, networks of interconnected employers;
(B) analyzes regulatory regimes under which specific industries operate; and
(C) modifies the enforcement approach of such regulatory regimes in order to ensure the greatest impact.
(8) WAGE AND HOUR LAW.—The term “wage and hour law” means any Federal law enforced by the Wage and Hour Division of the Department of Labor, including any provision of this Act enforced by such division.
(9) WAGE AND HOUR VIOLATION.—The term “wage and hour violation” refers to any violation of a Federal law enforced by the Wage and Hour Division of the Department of Labor, including any provision of this Act enforced by such division.
SEC. 302. WAGE THEFT PREVENTION AND WAGE RECOVERY GRANT PROGRAM.
(a) In General.—The Secretary, acting through the Administrator of the Wage and Hour Division of the Department of Labor, shall provide grants to eligible entities to assist such entities in enhancing the enforcement of wage and hour laws, in accordance with this section and consistent with the purposes of this Act.
(b) Grants.—The grants provided under this section shall be designed to—
(1) support individual eligible entities in establishing and supporting the activities described in subsection (c)(1); and
(2) develop community partnerships to expand and improve cooperative efforts between enforcement agencies and members of the community to—
(A) prevent and reduce wage and hour violations; and
(B) assist employees in recovering back pay for any such violations.
(c) Use Of Funds.—
(1) PERMISSIBLE ACTIVITIES.—The grants described in this section shall assist eligible entities in establishing and supporting activities that include—
(A) disseminating information and conducting outreach and training to educate employees about their rights under wage and hour laws;
(B) conducting educational training for employers about their obligations under wage and hour laws;
(C) conducting orientations and trainings jointly with officials of the Wage and Hour Division of the Department of Labor;
(D) providing assistance to employees in filing claims of wage and hour violations;
(E) assisting enforcement agencies in conducting investigations, including in the collection of evidence and recovering back pay;
(F) monitoring compliance with wage and hour laws;
(G) performing joint visitations to worksites that violate wage and hour laws with officials from the Wage and Hour Division of the Department of Labor;
(H) establishing networks for education, communication, and participation in the workplace and community;
(I) evaluating the effectiveness of programs designed to prevent wage and hour violations and enforce wage and hour laws;
(J) recruiting and hiring of staff and volunteers;
(K) production and dissemination of outreach and training materials; and
(L) any other activities as the Secretary may reasonably prescribe through notice and comment rulemaking.
(2) PROHIBITED ACTIVITIES.—Notwithstanding paragraph (1), an eligible entity receiving a grant under this section may not use the grant funds for any purpose reasonably prohibited by the Secretary through notice and comment rulemaking.
(d) Term Of Grants.—Each grant made under this section shall be available for expenditure for a period that is not to exceed 3 years.
(e) Applications.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—An eligible entity seeking a grant under this section shall submit an application for such grant to the Secretary in accordance with this subsection.
(2) PARTNERSHIPS.—In the case of an eligible entity that is a partnership described in section 301(4)(E), the eligible entity may submit a joint application that designates a single entity as the lead entity for purposes of receiving and disbursing funds.
(3) CONTENTS.—An application under this subsection shall include—
(A) a description of a plan for the program that the eligible entity proposes to carry out with a grant under this section, including a long-term strategy and detailed implementation plan that reflects expected participation of, and partnership with, community groups and appropriate private and public agencies;
(B) information on the prevalence of wage and hour violations in each community or State of the eligible entity;
(C) information on any industry or geographic area targeted by the plan for such program;
(D) information on the type of outreach and relationship building that will be conducted under such program;
(E) information on the training and education that will be provided to employees and employers under such program; and
(F) the method by which the eligible entity will measure results of such program.
(f) Selection.—
(1) COMPETITIVE BASIS.—In accordance with this subsection, the Secretary shall, on a competitive basis, select grant recipients from among qualified eligible entities that have submitted an application under subsection (e).
(2) PRIORITY.—In selecting grant recipients under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall give priority to eligible entities that—
(A) serve employees in any industry or geographic area that is most highly at risk for noncompliance with wage and hour violations, as identified by the Secretary; and
(B) demonstrate past and ongoing work to prevent wage and hour violations or to recover unpaid wages.
(3) OTHER CONSIDERATIONS.—In selecting grant recipients under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall also consider—
(A) the prevalence of ongoing community support for each eligible entity, including financial and other contributions; and
(B) the eligible entity's past and ongoing partnerships with other organizations.
(g) Memoranda Of Understanding.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 60 days after receiving a grant under this section, the grant recipient shall negotiate and finalize with the Administrator a memorandum of understanding that sets forth specific goals, objectives, strategies, and activities that will be carried out under the grant by such recipient through a community partnership.
(2) SIGNATURES.—A representative of the grant recipient (or, in the case of a grant recipient that is an eligible entity described in section 301(4)(E), a representative of each entity that composes the grant recipient) and the Administrator shall sign the memorandum of understanding under this subsection.
(3) REVISIONS.—The memorandum of understanding under this subsection shall be reviewed and revised by the grant recipient and the Administrator each year of the duration of the grant.
(h) Performance Evaluations.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—Each grant recipient under this section shall develop procedures for reporting, monitoring, measuring, and evaluating the activities of each program or project funded under this section.
(2) GUIDELINES.—The procedures required under paragraph (1) shall be in accordance with guidelines established by the Secretary.
(i) Revocation Or Suspension Of Funding.—If the Secretary determines that a recipient of a grant under this section is not in compliance with the terms and requirements of the memorandum of understanding under subsection (g), the Secretary may revoke or suspend (in whole or in part) the funding of the grant.
(j) Use Of Components.—The Secretary may use any division or agency of the Department of Labor in carrying out this Act.
SEC. 303. GAO STUDY.
(a) In General.—The Comptroller General of the United States shall conduct a study to identify successful programs carried out by grants under section 302, and the elements, policies, or procedures of such programs that can be replicated by other programs carried out by grants under such section.
(b) Report.—Not later than 3 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United States shall submit a report to the Secretary and Congress containing the results of the study conducted under subsection (a).
(c) Use Of Information.—The Secretary shall use information contained in the report submitted under subsection (b)—
(1) to improve the quality of community partnership programs assisted or carried out under this Act that are in existence as of the publication of the report; and
(2) to develop models for new community partnership programs to be assisted or carried out under this Act.
SEC. 304. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
There is authorized to be appropriated $50,000,000 for fiscal year 2017 and for each subsequent fiscal year through fiscal year 2020, to remain available until expended, to carry out the grant program under section 302.
TITLE IV—REGULATIONS AND EFFECTIVE DATE
SEC. 401. REGULATIONS.
Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Labor shall promulgate such regulations as are necessary to carry out this Act, and the amendments made by this Act.
SEC. 402. EFFECTIVE DATE.
The amendments made by titles I and II shall take effect on the date that is the earlier of—
(1) the date that is 6 months after the date on which the final regulations are promulgated by the Secretary of Labor under section 401; and
(2) the date that is 18 months after the date of enactment of this Act.
NIAMEY, NIGER - Law enforcement investigators - trained through the U.S. Department of State's Antiterrorism Assistance (ATA) program - from Niger and Senegal examine and record evidence at a terrorist safe house during the multinational Flintlock 2018 counterterrorism exercise in Niamey, April 18, 2018. The U.S. Department of State’s ATA program delivers training and equipment to law enforcement partners worldwide aimed at enhancing their capacity to detect, deter, disrupt, and investigate terrorist activity. (U.S. Department of State Photo)
Learn more at: www.state.gov/m/ds
Sham referenda conducted at gunpoint are “null and void”
Russian threats to use nuclear weapons will not deter the EU from further assistance to Ukraine
Call for an ad hoc international tribunal for crime of aggression against Ukraine
Nord Stream incident shows European critical infrastructure needs more protection
Read more: www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/press-room/20220930IPR4193...
This photo is free to use under Creative Commons license CC-BY-4.0 and must be credited: "CC-BY-4.0: © European Union 2022– Source: EP". (creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) No model release form if applicable. For bigger HR files please contact: webcom-flickr(AT)europarl.europa.eu
PODGORICA, Montenegro -- U.S. Ambassador to Montenegro Sue K. Brown greets Spc. Monique Bumstead, one of the newly arrived aviators from U.S. Army Europe’s 1st Battalion 214th Aviation Regiment, 12th Combat Aviation Brigade, following their arrival at the airfield here to begin distributing humanitarian relief Feb. 22. The aircraft are part of the U.S. task force sent to provide humanitarian assistance at request of the government of Montenegro coordinating with the National Emergency Operations Center and the Montenegrin Ministry of Defense to provide relief and to save lives, homes and infrastructure in response to heavy snowfall. (U.S. Army Europe photo by Staff Sgt. Joel Salgado)
With the assistance of local individuals and businesses, the Hillsboro Police have assembled a mass of hygiene products (shampoo, toothpaste, deodorant, etc.) which will be distributed to the 6 homeless shelters in the area as well as unofficial homeless camps.
The Hillsboro police held a community shred event and collected moneys for the purchase of some of these products. Other items were donated by individuals and businesses.
Thanks to Lt. Michael Rouches, Hillsboro police spokesman (that's his hand on the right), for giving me the opportunity to photo this event.
CUSTOMS MUTUAL ASSISTANCE AGREEMENT AND MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND THE GOVERNMENT OF KUWAIT. The purpose is to sign the United States – Kuwait Customs Mutual Assistance Agreement (CMAA) and the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on Technical Cooperation. The signing participants are CBP Acting Commissioner McAleenan and DG Al Jalawi signing their counterpart’s copy of the agreement.
Photographer: Donna Burton
London – International Security Assistance Force commander Gen. John R. Allen meets with British Prime Minister David Cameron in London, Jan. 17. The two discussed the continuing commitment of the British armed forces to the current Afghanistan campaign. (U.S. Army Photo/ Master Sgt. Kap Kim) (released)
ALL credit for the assistance given to link me to the shelter helping Boy goes to Sharon ( Alaidh...PLEASE CHANGE IT BACK!!! ) A HUGE thank you, Sharon, from both Boy and me!!! (Sharon was also the person who linked me with VOKRA who took in Mango, treated him and found him a loving forever-home.) Sharon's been an angel. ♥
After not eating or drinking for over 5 days (except for a small mouse he caught Wed morning), I was convinced Boy might not last much longer. His walk was becoming more slow and unsteady, and when he came, he spent the whole time crouched in the meat-loaf position. I continued to offer canned food laced with catnip. While he seemed like he wanted to eat, he wouldn't. On his chin, he'd have a glob of saliva hanging and when he'd move, there'd be a small puddle of it where he'd been.
I was able to rent a humane cat trap from the Humane Society but I was doubtful he'd go in. Celia, from the Society gave me a small tin of kitty tuna, much stinkier than the food I'd been offering him. And after a great deal of hesitation, he actually went in! He came out licking his mouth so I knew he'd eaten some. But he didn't set off the trap.
After adjusting the door to make it more hair-trigger, I put more food in the bowl inside. This time, he set it off and we got him!! Honestly, I was so surprised he ate it!
As Sharon ( Alaidh...PLEASE CHANGE IT BACK!!! ) mentioned in the earlier post, Boy is now at Katie's Place shelter in Maple Ridge the next town towards Vancouver west of Mission (my town). He'll be thoroughly checked and looked after. Where he'll go after that isn't decided. I'll post more when we know.
I'm over-the-top happy now. I sat crying last night, feeling so powerless to help him. What I'm baffled about is why he never ate or drank for 5 days, yet he hadn't been at the shelter 5 minutes before he polished off a bowl of food. One of the volunteers was going to refill his bowl and when I looked at what they'd given him, I said "But that's one of the foods I'd offered!" I guess I'll have to wait to find out what was going on with him. One of the ladies there said it might have been mouth issues. Whatever the reason, I'm only so glad he's going to get care.
Assistance to Ghana for diagnostics of COVID-19
On 14 May 2020, the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission handed over a set of COVID-19 testing kits donated by the IAEA to the Ministry of Health in Accra, Ghana
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is dispatching equipment to countries around the world to enable them to use a nuclear-derived technique to rapidly detect the coronavirus that causes COVID-19. This emergency assistance is part of the IAEA's response to requests for support from Member States in controlling an increasing number of infections worldwide.
Photo Credit: Prof B.J.B Nyarko/GAEC