Labor Department: Marcellus Shale Contractors Owe $4.5 Million In Back Wages

Contractors involved in natural gas extraction in the Marcellus Shale region of Pennsylvania and West Virginia must pay nearly $4.5 million in back wages to more than 5,000 workers, following a two-year U.S. Department of Labor investigation.

“An ongoing multi-year enforcement initiative conducted by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division offices in Wilkes-Barre and Pittsburgh from 2012 to 2014 found significant violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) which resulted in employers agreeing to pay $4,498,547 in back wages to 5,310 employees,” read a Labor Department statement released on Tuesday.

“It’s part of an ongoing initiative, a multi-year initiative,” said Labor Department spokeswoman Leni Fortson of the Philadelphia office. “These are the findings from the first three years.”

A list of the violating companies can be found attached to this story at http://www.timesleader.com.

Read more: http://www.timesleader.com/news/local-news-news/50834414/Labor-Department:-Contractors-owe-millions-in-back-wages

Exelon Nuclear’s Limerick Generating Station Leaks 100 Gallons Of Bleach In To The Schuylkill River

Location of Limerick Township in Montgomery County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

LIMERICK, PA – A faulty valve at Exelon Nuclear’s Limerick Generating Station caused about 100 gallons of bleach to leak into the Schuylkill River Tuesday night.

The company issued a four-sentence statement announcing the spill Wednesday afternoon.

In an email, Neil Sheehan, a spokesman for the Nuclear Regulatory Agency, wrote that the spill occurred around 9 p.m. and “had no impact on nuclear safety at the plant.”

Read more: http://www.timesherald.com/general-news/20141009/exelon-nuclears-limerick-generating-station-leaks-100-gallons-of-bleach-in-to-the-schuylkill-river

Montgomery Elks Liquor License Renewal Denied By State

POTTSTOWN — The Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board denied the Montgomery Elks Lodge’s liquor license renewal on Wednesday.

While the renewal process was halted and hearings were held in June and July, the Montgomery Elks was able to operate under its license that expired officially in the spring.

As of midnight Friday, the Montgomery Elks, located on the 600 block of Walnut Street, may no longer serve alcohol, according to a letter from the Liquor Control Board obtained by The Mercury from a source.

Read more: http://www.pottsmerc.com/general-news/20140925/updated-montgomery-elks-liquor-license-renewal-denied-by-state