Labor

Labor Constructing a Virtual Data Enclave For Sensitive Microdata

The Bureau of Labor Statistics is aiming to use a new system to securely share workplace fatality and geographical data with researchers. 

Senators Call for Removal of Facial Recognition Tech in Unemployment Services

The lawmakers asked the Department of Labor to help state unemployment agencies remove facial recognition technology from application forms. 

Audit: Labor Department Information Security Program ‘Not Effective’

Auditors made 18 recommendations to remediate some of the agency’s longstanding issues.

EEOC Launches Initiative to Ensure AI Doesn’t Exacerbate Civil Rights Issues

The new program looks to educate employers and employees about how algorithms are used in hiring and other employment decisions.

Scammers Are Using Fake Job Ads to Steal People’s Identities

The U.S. Secret Service confirmed that it has seen a “marked increase” in sham job ads seeking to steal people’s personal data, often with the aim of filing bogus unemployment insurance claims.

Audit: Labor Department IT Governance ‘Ambiguous,’ Unorganized 

A report from the Office of the Inspector General showcases several weaknesses in the agency’s IT governance, particularly highlighting the lack of CIO oversight.

Labor Department Awards Verizon $887M to Radically Revamp IT Backbone

No other Enterprise Infrastructure Solutions selections are planned by the department.

The Unemployment Insurance System Is Set to Get a Tech Makeover — but It Needs Much More, the Biden Administration Says

The U.S. Digital Service has embarked on a reconstruction that will cover the entire UI system, according to a memo and presentation obtained by ProPublica.

How to Make Unemployment Insurance Work for Gig Workers

The share of workers who have traditional full-time jobs is shrinking but the ways to verify identity and income have not kept up.

Why Are So Many Americans Leaving Their Jobs Right Now?

A Microsoft survey of more than 30,000 global workers showed that 41% of workers were considering quitting or changing professions this year.

States Snag $240M to Combat Unemployment Fraud

The federal grant funding can be used to pay for identity verification services, cybersecurity, or other expenses related to fraud detection.

How Unemployment Insurance Fraud Exploded During the Pandemic

Bots filing bogus applications in bulk, teams of fraudsters in foreign countries making phony claims, online forums peddling how-to advice on identity theft: Inside the infrastructure of perhaps the largest fraud wave in history.

63% of Workers Who File an EEOC Discrimination Complaint Lose Their Jobs

And about 40% of workers report experiencing employer retaliation.

OSHA Pandemic Safety Rules Only Cover Health Care Workers

OSHA also issued new guidance on COVID-19 measures for all employers, including paid time off for vaccinations, barriers and shields, and employer-provided face coverings.

TMF Board Announces New Award One Day After $1B Cash Infusion

The Labor Department snagged $9.6 million to improve its data management infrastructure.

IG: ‘Tens of Billions’ in Fraudulent Unemployment Claims in 2020

A Labor Department Inspector General memo suggests a massive uptick in fraudulent unemployment claims brought on by COVID-19.