http://www.dol.gov/rss/news.xml All national news releases from the U.S. Department of Labor The U.S. Department of Labor's Mine Safety and Health Administration today announced that a miner fired from his job at a California rare earth minerals operation when he spoke out about unsafe working conditions has been temporarily reinstated. An administrative law judge with the Federal Mine Safety and Health Review Commission issued a decision April 17 requiring the immediate reinstatement of the miner at the Mt. Pass Mine and Mill in Mountain Pass, Calif. Initially, the mine operator, C.R. Meyer and Sons Co., did not comply with the judge's order. http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/msha/MSHA20130921.htm http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/msha/MSHA20130921.htm 16 May 2013 14:00:00 EDT In the week ending May 11, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 360,000, an increase of 32,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 328,000. The 4-week moving average was 339,250, an increase of 1,250 from the previous week's revised average of 338,000. http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/eta/ui/eta20130939.htm http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/eta/ui/eta20130939.htm 16 May 2013 08:30:00 EDT DOL's Occupational Safety and Health Administration is soliciting applications under the Susan Harwood Training Grant Program, through which a total of $1.5 million is available to nonprofit, community and faith-based organizations; employer associations; labor unions; joint labor/management associations; and colleges and universities. The grants will fund training and education for workers and employers in recognizing workplace safety and health hazards and prevention measures, and understanding their rights and responsibilities. http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/osha/OSHA20130925.htm http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/osha/OSHA20130925.htm 15 May 2013 14:00:00 EDT Job Corps students and instructors from Vermont and Utah used recycling and sustainability in creating unique, handcrafted awards honoring the service and dedication of U.S. Department of Labor employees who are recipients of the 2013 Secretary of Labor's Honor Awards. http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/eta/ETA20130900.htm http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/eta/ETA20130900.htm 15 May 2013 14:00:00 EDT The U.S. Department of Labor today announced the availability of up to $5 million to fund 16 or more Homeless Veterans Reintegration Program grants. Approximately 2,600 veterans will receive job training and related services to help them succeed in civilian careers. http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/vets/VETS20130603.htm http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/vets/VETS20130603.htm 15 May 2013 14:00:00 EDT The U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division and the consulate general of Honduras today in New Orleans signed an agreement of understanding to combine resources and coordinate efforts to inform employers about the laws enforced by the department and to educate Honduran nationals working in Arkansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi and Missouri about their rights under United States law. http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/whd/WHD20130872.htm http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/whd/WHD20130872.htm 14 May 2013 16:00:00 EDT A solicitation for a $7 million cooperative agreement to implement a global research project to expand the knowledge base on child labor was announced today by the U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of International Labor Affairs. http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/ilab/ILAB20130615.htm http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/ilab/ILAB20130615.htm 13 May 2013 14:45:00 EDT The U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of International Labor Affairs is seeking eligible applicants for a $10 million cooperative agreement on a project to address child labor, labor rights and working conditions in the Dominican Republic's agricultural sector, including in sugarcane and production supply chains. http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/ilab/ILAB20130666.htm http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/ilab/ILAB20130666.htm 13 May 2013 14:30:00 EDT The U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of International Labor Affairs will award up to $5 million under a competitive grant solicitation for one or more cooperative agreements to address child labor and exploitative working conditions in Rwanda's tea sector. The project will have an area-based approach that targets children, families and workers who are susceptible to child labor. http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/ilab/ILAB20130739.htm http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/ilab/ILAB20130739.htm 13 May 2013 14:15:00 EDT The U.S. Department of Labor has obtained a consent judgment in federal court ordering Bowlin Group LLC and Bowlin Services LLC to pay 196 employees a total of $1,075,000 in back wages and liquidated damages. http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/whd/WHD20130745.htm http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/whd/WHD20130745.htm 09 May 2013 14:00:00 EDT Job Corps students and instructors from Vermont and Utah used recycling and sustainability in creating unique, handcrafted awards honoring the service and dedication of U.S. Department of Labor employees who are recipients of the 2013 Secretary of Labor's Honor Awards. http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/eta/ETA20130900.htm http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/eta/ETA20130900.htm 09 May 2013 13:00:00 EDT In the week ending May 4, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 323,000, a decrease of 4,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 327,000. The 4-week moving average was 336,750, a decrease of 6,250 from the previous week's revised average of 343,000. http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/eta/ui/eta20130850.htm http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/eta/ui/eta20130850.htm 09 May 2013 08:30:00 EDT The U.S. Department of Labor's Mine Safety and Health Administration today announced that New Elk Coal Co. has agreed to pay approximately $115,000 to a miner whose employment was terminated shortly after he filed a hazard complaint. The company also has agreed to pay MSHA a civil penalty of $10,000. http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/msha/MSHA20130796.htm http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/msha/MSHA20130796.htm 08 May 2013 15:30:00 EDT The U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division and the franchisor of the world's largest restaurant chain are collaborating to increase compliance with federal labor laws at SUBWAY locations nationwide. Although these restaurants are independently owned and operated, the franchisor is providing a forum and resources to assist the division in educating franchisees. http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/whd/WHD20130687.htm http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/whd/WHD20130687.htm 08 May 2013 12:00:00 EDT The U.S. Department of Labor's Mine Safety and Health Administration today announced that it has reached a settlement of $211,002 with U.S. Lime Co. in the May 2010 death of a maintenance manager at St. Clair Mine in Marble City, Okla. The settlement involves 39 citations and orders issued in the wake of the accident and during subsequent mine inspections.  http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/msha/MSHA20130820.htm http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/msha/MSHA20130820.htm 07 May 2013 12:30:00 EDT Members of the public are invited to participate in an online dialogue to examine the impact of existing federal regulations and legislation on the successful transition from school to work of youths and young adults with disabilities. The U.S. departments of Labor, Education, and Health and Human Services and the Social Security Administration will host the event May 13-27, and they invite policymakers, service providers, the advocacy community and others to join this conversation to improve transition outcomes. http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/odep/ODEP20130819.htm http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/odep/ODEP20130819.htm 07 May 2013 12:00:00 EDT The U.S. Department of Labor's Employee Benefits Security Administration today announced an advance notice of proposed rulemaking focusing on lifetime income illustrations given to participants in defined contribution pension plans such as 401(k) and 403(b) plans. The notice provides an opportunity for stakeholders to provide early input into the development of regulations. http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/ebsa/EBSA20130716.htm http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/ebsa/EBSA20130716.htm 07 May 2013 11:00:00 EDT Acting Secretary of Labor Seth D. Harris and acting U.S. Trade Representative Demetrios Marantis today announced that the United States has requested consultations with the Government of the Kingdom of Bahrain under the Labor Chapter of the United States–Bahrain Free Trade Agreement. The request follows a December 2012 report by the U.S. Department of Labor that highlighted labor issues stemming from the Government of Bahrain's response to civil unrest in early 2011 in Bahrain and recommended actions to address those issues. The report is available at http://www.dol.gov/ilab/programs/otla/20121220Bahrain.pdf. http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/ilab/ILAB20130865.htm http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/ilab/ILAB20130865.htm 07 May 2013 10:30:00 EDT An open meeting of the Advisory Council on Employee Welfare and Pension Benefit Plans, also known as the ERISA Advisory Council, will take place June 4-6 at the U.S. Department of Labor, 200 Constitution Ave. NW, Washington, D.C. 20210. http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/ebsa/EBSA20130804.htm http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/ebsa/EBSA20130804.htm 06 May 2013 14:45:00 EDT Hutco Inc., a major industrial services employment agency, has agreed to pay $1,916,850 in back wages to 2,267 employees assigned to client work sites throughout Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas. An investigation conducted by the U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division found that the company utilized improper pay and record-keeping practices that resulted in employees being denied overtime compensation in violation of the Fair Labor Standards Act. http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/whd/WHD20130618.htm http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/whd/WHD20130618.htm 06 May 2013 13:00:00 EDT Acting Secretary of Labor Seth D. Harris issued a statement about the April 2013 Employment Situation report released today. http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/opa/OPA20130869.htm http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/opa/OPA20130869.htm 03 May 2013 10:30:00 EDT In the week ending April 27, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 324,000, a decrease of 18,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 342,000. The 4-week moving average was 342,250, a decrease of 16,000 from the previous week's revised average of 358,250. http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/eta/ui/eta20130789.htm http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/eta/ui/eta20130789.htm 02 May 2013 08:30:00 EDT Bertucci Contracting Co. has settled allegations of hiring discrimination against minority job applicants at its Jefferson facility. http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/ofccp/OFCCP20130565.htm http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/ofccp/OFCCP20130565.htm 01 May 2013 17:30:00 EDT The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration today announced an initiative to further protect temporary employees from workplace hazards. http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/osha/OSHA20130800.htm http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/osha/OSHA20130800.htm 29 Apr 2013 15:00:00 EDT Kathy Martinez, assistant secretary of the U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy and Paula Alfone, mid-Atlantic director of the Higher Education Recruitment Consortium, today signed an alliance agreement to promote the employment of people with disabilities throughout the higher education community. http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/odep/ODEP20130795.htm http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/odep/ODEP20130795.htm 29 Apr 2013 12:00:00 EDT Acting Secretary of Labor Seth D. Harris today issued the following statement regarding Wednesday's deadly building collapse in Bangladesh: http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/opa/OPA20130791.htm http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/opa/OPA20130791.htm 25 Apr 2013 17:00:00 EDT The U.S. Department of Labor's Mine Safety and Health Administration today announced that federal inspectors issued 155 citations and two orders during special impact inspections conducted at eight coal mines and four metal/nonmetal mines last month, representing the lowest number of orders issued during targeted monthly inspections over nearly three years. http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/msha/MSHA20130754.htm http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/msha/MSHA20130754.htm 25 Apr 2013 14:30:00 EDT The U.S. Department of Labor today announced that Goodwill Industries of Southern California has agreed to settle allegations of systemic discrimination stemming from the federal contractor's selection practices. Investigators with the department's Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs determined that Goodwill's hiring process favored female applicants for entry-level positions as attendants at local donation centers, in part because of perceptions that women have better customer service skills. The investigation concluded that 200 qualified men were denied the opportunity to advance to the offer stage. http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/ofccp/OFCCP20130706.htm http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/ofccp/OFCCP20130706.htm 25 Apr 2013 13:00:00 EDT In the week ending April 20, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 339,000, a decrease of 16,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 355,000. The 4-week moving average was 357,500, a decrease of 4,500 from the previous week's revised average of 362,000. http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/eta/ui/eta20130756.htm http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/eta/ui/eta20130756.htm 25 Apr 2013 08:30:00 EDT The U.S. Department of Labor's Mine Safety and Health Administration today released a summary of U.S. mining deaths that occurred during the first quarter of calendar year 2013. http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/msha/MSHA20130750.htm http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/msha/MSHA20130750.htm 24 Apr 2013 15:00:00 EDT An April 30 webinar will provide tips and tools to help college seniors and young workers learn to budget for today's needs and tomorrow's goals. "Start Early to Take Charge of Your Financial Future" will be held from 3-4 p.m. EDT on Tuesday, April 30. Participants will receive practical guidance and resources to assist with budgeting, managing debt from student loans and credit cards, saving and investing for short and long-term goals, making the most of employer-sponsored retirement and health benefits, and other aspects of personal finance management. http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/ebsa/EBSA20130749.htm http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/ebsa/EBSA20130749.htm 23 Apr 2013 09:00:00 EDT The U.S. Department of Labor will fund four to eight cooperative agreements totaling nearly $18 million to improve educational, training and employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities. http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/eta/ETA20130659.htm http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/eta/ETA20130659.htm 22 Apr 2013 11:30:00 EDT Acting Secretary of Labor Seth D. Harris today announced the availability of $474.5 million to create and expand innovative partnerships between community colleges and businesses to educate and train workers with the skills employers need. This third round of funding since 2009 under the Trade Adjustment Assistance Community College and Career Training grants program brings total investments to nearly $1.5 billion. http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/eta/ETA20130737.htm http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/eta/ETA20130737.htm 19 Apr 2013 12:30:00 EDT In the week ending April 13, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 352,000, an increase of 4,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 348,000. The 4-week moving average was 361,250, an increase of 2,750 from the previous week's revised average of 358,500. http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/eta/ui/eta20130686.htm http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/eta/ui/eta20130686.htm 18 Apr 2013 08:30:00 EDT A U.S. district court judge in Phoenix by a consent judgment has ordered that an Arizona delivery driver be offered reinstatement and receive back pay and reimbursement of medical expenses under the Family and Medical Leave Act. http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/whd/WHD20130572.htm http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/whd/WHD20130572.htm 17 Apr 2013 12:30:00 EDT The U.S. Department of Labor today announced a $770,000 National Emergency Grant increment to continue clean-up and recovery efforts in Vermont following Tropical Storm Irene.  http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/eta/ETA20130683.htm http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/eta/ETA20130683.htm 16 Apr 2013 11:00:00 EDT Following an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division that found violations of the federal Fair Labor Standards Act's overtime and record-keeping provisions, the commonwealth of Puerto Rico has agreed to pay $35,037,586 in back wages and interest to 4,490 current and former employees of the territory's Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. This is one of the largest settlements in the Wage and Hour Division's history. http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/whd/WHD20130586.htm http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/whd/WHD20130586.htm 12 Apr 2013 14:00:00 EDT Acting U.S. Trade Representative Demetrios Marantis and acting Secretary of Labor Seth D. Harris today announced that the United States and Guatemala have agreed on a robust enforcement plan to resolve concerns raised in a labor case brought by the United States under the Dominican Republic-Central America-United States Free Trade Agreement. The 18-point plan includes concrete actions with specific time frames that Guatemala will implement within six months to improve labor law enforcement. This is the first labor case that the United States has brought to dispute settlement under a trade agreement. http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/ilab/ILAB20130691.htm http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/ilab/ILAB20130691.htm 11 Apr 2013 14:00:00 EDT In the week ending April 6, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 346,000, a decrease of 42,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 388,000. The 4-week moving average was 358,000, an increase of 3,000 from the previous week's revised average of 355,000. http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/eta/ui/eta20130647.htm http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/eta/ui/eta20130647.htm 11 Apr 2013 08:30:00 EDT Acting Secretary of Labor Seth D. Harris today released the U.S. Department of Labor's fiscal year 2014 budget request, which supports President Obama's plan to strengthen the economy and grow the middle class through continued investments in training and resources for job seekers. http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/opa/OPA20130661.htm http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/opa/OPA20130661.htm 10 Apr 2013 13:30:00 EDT Acting Secretary of Labor Seth D. Harris will host a Web-based question-and-answer session on the U.S. Department of Labor's fiscal year 2014 budget request at 2:45 p.m. EDT on Wednesday, April 10. He will be joined by assistant secretaries and senior staff. http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/opa/OPA20130658.htm http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/opa/OPA20130658.htm 9 Apr 2013 14:00:00 EDT Rox Coal Inc., which operates the Geronimo Mine in Somerset County, Pa., has been found in violation of a mandatory electrical hazard safety standard by an administrative law judge with the Federal Mine Safety and Health Review Commission. The ALJ deemed the violation "quintessentially flagrant" and ordered the company to pay a $110,000 civil penalty. http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/msha/MSHA20130611.htm http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/msha/MSHA20130611.htm 9 Apr 2013 14:00:00 EDT The U.S. Department of Labor today announced a $285,804 National Emergency Grant increment to continue re-employment assistance for about 400 workers affected by layoffs while working at the U.S. Department of Energy's Hanford Site in southeastern Washington state.  http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/eta/ETA20130585.htm http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/eta/ETA20130585.htm 9 Apr 2013 14:00:00 EDT The U.S. Department of Labor today announced a $17,171,188 National Emergency Grant increment to continue to provide re-employment and training services to more than 4,700 workers affected by layoffs from private and public sector employers in Central and Southern California. http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/eta/ETA20130116.htm http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/eta/ETA20130116.htm 9 Apr 2013 14:00:00 EDT The U.S. Department of Labor's Mine Safety and Health Administration today announced the release of preliminary data for 2012 that indicate the lowest fatality and injury rates in the history of U.S. mining. http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/msha/MSHA20130643.htm http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/msha/MSHA20130643.htm 8 Apr 2013 15:30:00 EDT Acting Secretary of Labor Seth D. Harris issued the following statement about the March 2013 Employment Situation report released today: http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/opa/OPA20130644.htm http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/opa/OPA20130644.htm 5 Apr 2013 10:00:00 EDT In the week ending March 30, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 385,000, an increase of 28,000 from the previous week's unrevised figure of 357,000. The 4-week moving average was 354,250, an increase of 11,250 from the previous week's unrevised average of 343,000. http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/eta/ui/eta20130579.htm http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/eta/ui/eta20130579.htm 4 Apr 2013 08:30:00 EDT The U.S. Department of Labor today announced the availability of up to $5 million to fund 16 or more Homeless Veterans Reintegration Program grants. Approximately 2,600 veterans will receive job training and related services to help them succeed in civilian careers. http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/vets/VETS20130603.htm http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/vets/VETS20130603.htm 3 Apr 2013 13:00:00 EDT The U.S. Department of Labor today announced the availability of approximately $26 million in grants to improve the long-term labor market prospects of youth involved in the juvenile justice system. The "Face Forward"grants are designed to give youth a chance at success by offering support services, training and skills development that can help them obtain employment and overcome the stigma of a juvenile record. http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/opa/OPA20130591.htm http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/opa/OPA20130591.htm 1 Apr 2013 14:00:00 EDT Providing accommodations to aging workers with disabilities, chronic health problems or reduced work capacity can help employers retain experienced staff who might otherwise leave the workforce prematurely, according to two briefs issued today by the U.S. Department of Labor. http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/odep/ODEP20130556.htm http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/odep/ODEP20130556.htm 28 Mar 2013 15:30:00 EDT In the week ending March 23, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 357,000, an increase of 16,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 341,000. The 4-week moving average was 343,000, an increase of 2,250 from the previous week's revised average of 340,750. http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/eta/ui/eta20130547.htm http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/eta/ui/eta20130547.htm 28 Mar 2013 08:30:00 EDT The U.S. Department of Labor's Mine Safety and Health Administration today announced that federal inspectors issued 196 citations, 24 orders and three safeguards during special impact inspections conducted at 11 coal mines and three metal/nonmetal mines last month. http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/msha/MSHA20130568.htm http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/msha/MSHA20130568.htm 27 Mar 2013 13:00:00 EDT The U.S. Department of Labor's Employee Benefits Security Administration will host a free Spanish-language webcast, "The Affordable Care Act: Important New Protections for You and Your Family," on Wednesday, April 10, at 2 p.m. EDT. http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/ebsa/EBSA20130551.htm http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/ebsa/EBSA20130551.htm 26 Mar 2013 13:00:00 EDT The U.S. Department of Labor today announced the launch of the Business Center, a suite of online resources for employers looking to recruit, train and retain a skilled workforce through the department's CareerOneStop Web site. http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/eta/eta20130559.htm http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/eta/eta20130559.htm 25 Mar 2013 14:45:00 EDT The U.S. Department of Labor today awarded a $1 million National Emergency Grant increment to the Mississippi Department of Employment Security to continue funding temporary jobs for cleanup and recovery efforts following Hurricane Isaac. http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/eta/eta20130539.htm http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/eta/eta20130539.htm 22 Mar 2013 11:00:00 EDT The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky has granted a default judgment against D and C Mining Corp. of Harlan County, Ky., affirming the U.S. Department of Labor's Mine Safety and Health Administration's complaint. The mine operator owes $1.67 million in unpaid civil penalties for violations of the Federal Mine Safety and Health Act of 1977, along with interest and administrative costs. http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/msha/MSHA20130522.htm http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/msha/MSHA20130522.htm 21 Mar 2013 15:00:00 EDT In the week ending March 16, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 336,000, an increase of 2,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 334,000. The 4-week moving average was 339,750, a decrease of 7,500 from the previous week's revised average of 347,250. http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/eta/ui/eta20130495.htm http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/eta/ui/eta20130495.htm 21 Mar 2013 08:30:00 EDT Acting Secretary of Labor Seth D. Harris issued the following statement on today's release of 2012 veterans' employment data by the Bureau of Labor Statistics: http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/vets/VETS20130529.htm http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/vets/VETS20130529.htm 20 Mar 2013 10:00:00 EDT Senior officials from the U.S. Department of Labor and the U.S. Trade Representative today issued a joint statement with their counterparts from the Republic of Korea following the first meeting of the Labor Affairs Council under the 2012 U.S.-Korea Free Trade Agreement. http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/ilab/ILAB20130518.htm http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/ilab/ILAB20130518.htm 19 Mar 2013 15:00:00 EDT The U.S. Department of Labor today announced a $2,183,749 National Emergency Grant for training and re-employment services to assist nearly 400 workers throughout Missouri affected by the closure of Hostess Brands Inc. http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/eta/ETA20130429.htm http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/eta/ETA20130429.htm 19 Mar 2013 14:00:00 EDT The U.S. Department of Labor's Employment and Training Administration today announced the availability of approximately $20 million in grant funds to help adult inmates prepare to re-enter the workforce. The department expects to award 15 grants of up to $1.4 million each to organizations that will provide training and employment to inmates ages 18 and older participating in state or local work release programs. http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/eta/ETA20130499.htm http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/eta/ETA20130499.htm 18 Mar 2013 15:00:00 EDT Acting Secretary of Labor Seth D. Harris today issued the following statement regarding passage in the House of Representatives of the Supporting Knowledge and Investing in Lifelong Skills Act: http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/opa/OPA20130502.htm http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/opa/OPA20130502.htm 15 Mar 2013 16:30:00 EDT U.S. District Court Judge Margaret Morrow has ordered Los Angeles-based apparel retailer Forever 21 to produce documents demanded by an administrative subpoena issued by the U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division. The order is the latest in a series of actions to arise from the department's continuing effort to address widespread violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act's minimum wage, overtime and record-keeping provisions in the Southern California apparel industry. http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/whd/whd20130447.htm http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/whd/whd20130447.htm 14 Mar 2013 14:30:00 EDT In the week ending March 9, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 332,000, a decrease of 10,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 342,000. The 4-week moving average was 346,750, a decrease of 2,750 from the previous week's revised averageof 349,500. http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/eta/ui/eta20130431.htm http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/eta/ui/eta20130431.htm 14 Mar 2013 08:30:00 EDT The U.S. Department of Labor today announced the availability of approximately $6 million in grants for the third round of the Workforce Data Quality Initiative. These funds will enable up to six additional states to build or expand longitudinal databases that link workforce and education data, enabling them to improve the performance of workforce programs. http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/eta/eta20130437.htm http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/eta/eta20130437.htm 11 Mar 2013 14:30:00 EDT The U.S. Department of Labor today announced a $1,119,339 National Emergency Grant increment to continue cleanup and recovery efforts across Louisiana in the aftermath of Hurricane Isaac. http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/eta/eta20130262.htm http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/eta/eta20130262.htm 11 Mar 2013 12:30:00 EDT The U.S. Department of Labor today announced a $406,101 National Emergency Grant increment to continue funding temporary jobs for cleanup and recovery efforts following damage caused by wildfires across the state of Texas in 2011.   http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/eta/eta20130412.htm http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/eta/eta20130412.htm 11 Mar 2013 11:30:00 EDT Acting Secretary of Labor Seth D. Harris issued the following statement about the February 2013 Employment Situation report released today.  http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/opa/OPA20130435.htm http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/opa/OPA20130435.htm 8 Mar 2013 11:00:00 EST Daniyal Enterprises LLC and owner Waseem Chaudhary, and other companies owned and operated by Chaudhary, have agreed to pay $2 million in overtime back wages and an additional $1 million in liquidated damages to 417 workers employed at 72 of Chaudhary's New Jersey gas stations after investigations by the U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division found violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act. http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/whd/whd20130344.htm http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/whd/whd20130344.htm 7 Mar 2013 10:15:00 EST In the week ending March 2, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 340,000, a decrease of 7,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 347,000. The 4-week moving average was 348,750, a decrease of 7,000 from the previous week's revised average of 355,750. http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/eta/ui/eta20130386.htm http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/eta/ui/eta20130386.htm 7 Mar 2013 08:30:00 EST The U.S. Department of Labor today announced a $5,192,500 National Emergency Grant to assist workers and their families impacted by layoffs at coal mining companies in eastern Kentucky. This funding will provide re-employment services not only for miners who are laid off but for their spouses who have been homemakers and are, due to the loss of wages, seeking to enter the workforce to support their families. http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/eta/ETA20130361.htm http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/eta/ETA20130361.htm 04 Mar 2013 16:30:00 EST The U.S. Department of Labor today announced a $2 million National Emergency Grant to assist Mississippi with cleanup and recovery efforts in the wake of recent storms, tornadoes and flooding. http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/eta/ETA20130348.htm http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/eta/ETA20130348.htm 04 Mar 2013 13:30:00 EST The U.S. Department of Labor today announced a $391,539 National Emergency Grant to assist Arkansas with clean-up and recovery efforts after the severe winter storm that struck the state Dec. 25-26, 2012. http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/eta/ETA20130352.htm http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/eta/ETA201302352.htm 04 Mar 2013 13:30:00 EST The U.S. Department of Labor today awarded a $1,263,339 National Emergency Grant increment to continue employment-related services for more than 360 workers affected by layoffs in the commonwealth of Massachusetts from 12 companies, four of which provided staffing to the other eight. http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/eta/ETA20130351.htm http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/eta/ETA20130351.htm 04 Mar 2013 13:30:00 EST The U.S. Department of Labor's Employee Benefits Security Administration today announced final rules under the Affordable Care Act to protect workers and employers whose health benefits are provided through Multiple Employer Welfare Arrangements. The final rules increase the department's enforcement authority to protect participants in MEWAs and call for such plans to adhere to enhanced filing requirements. http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/ebsa/EBSA20130383.htm http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/ebsa/EBSA20130383.htm 28 Feb 2013 13:30:00 EST Carol Pier, acting deputy undersecretary for the U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of International Labor Affairs, today announced that George Achibra of Ghana has won the department's 2012 Iqbal Masih Award for the Elimination of Child Labor. U.S. Ambassador to Ghana Gene A. Cretz presented the award to Achibra at a ceremony in Accra. http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/ilab/ILAB20130166.htm http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/ilab/ILAB20130166.htm 28 Feb 2013 13:30:00 EST Norfolk Southern Railway Co. has been ordered to pay $1,121,099 to three workers following an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration, which found that the company violated the whistleblower provisions of the Federal Railroad Safety Act. Two investigations, conducted by OSHA staff in Chicago and Pittsburgh, found that three employees were wrongfully fired for reporting workplace injuries. In addition to monetary remedies, the company has been ordered to expunge the disciplinary records of the three whistleblowers, post a notice regarding employees' whistleblower protection rights under the FRSA and train workers on these rights. http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/osha/OSHA20130186.htm http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/osha/OSHA20130186.htm 28 Feb 2013 12:30:00 EST The U.S. Department of Labor today announced the availability of approximately $32 million through two grant competitions that will offer job training, education and support services to formerly incarcerated youths and women.  http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/eta/ETA20130380.htm http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/eta/ETA20130380.htm 28 Feb 2013 11:00:00 EST In the week ending February 23, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 344,000, a decrease of 22,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 366,000. The 4-week moving average was 355,000, a decrease of 6,750 from the previous week's revised average of 361,750. http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/eta/ui/eta20130342.htm http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/eta/ui/eta20130342.htm 28 Feb 2013 08:30:00 EST The U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics has released a report titled "Characteristics of Minimum Wage Workers: 2012." The report shows that 75.3 million workers in the United States age 16 and over were paid at hourly rates, representing 59 percent of all wage and salary workers. Among those paid by the hour, 1.6 million earned exactly the prevailing federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour. About 2 million had wages below the federal minimum. http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/opa/OPA20130377.htm http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/opa/OPA20130377.htm 27 Feb 2013 16:30:00 EST The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited Highway Technologies Inc. in Minneapolis for 10 safety – including six willful– violations after a worker died from injuries sustained while working with equipment that came into contact with overhead power lines on I-94 near Menomonie, Wis. http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/osha/OSHA20130307.htm http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/osha/OSHA20130307.htm 27 Feb 2013 15:00:00 EST The U.S. Department of Labor has reached a settlement that provides for payment of more than $34 million to compensate employee benefit plans for losses suffered through investments in funds managed by Austin Capital Management, which indirectly invested in Bernard L. Madoff's Ponzi scheme. The agreement follows an earlier settlement with Austin Capital's parent company, KeyCorp, for more than $9 million. Recoveries from both settlements total more than $43 million for plan investors in funds managed by Austin Capital.  http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/ebsa/EBSA20130355.htm http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/ebsa/EBSA20130355.htm 27 Feb 2013 11:00:00 EST The U.S. Department of Labor today announced that its Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs is rescinding two enforcement guidance documents on pay discrimination originally issued in 2006, commonly known as the "Compensation Standards" and "Voluntary Guidelines."This action, to be effective Feb. 28, is intended to protect workers and strengthen OFCCP's ability to identify and remedy different forms of pay discrimination. It will enable OFCCP to conduct investigations of contractor pay practices consistent with Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/ofccp/OFCCP20130305.htm http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/ofccp/OFCCP20130305.htm 26 Feb 2013 14:00:00 EST The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has published an interim final rule in the Federal Register that governs whistleblower complaints filed under Section 1558 of the Affordable Care Act. The Affordable Care Act contains various provisions to make health insurance more affordable and accountable to consumers. Among the policies to achieve its goals, the Affordable Care Act's Section 1558 provides protection to employees against retaliation by an employer for reporting alleged violations of Title I of the act or for receiving a tax credit or cost-sharing reduction as a result of participating in a Health Insurance Exchange or Marketplace. http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/osha/OSHA20130327.htm http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/osha/OSHA20130327.htm 22 Feb 2013 12:00:00 EST The U.S. Department of Labor has reached a settlement with the Cleveland-based Sherwin-Williams Co. that will provide $80 million to current and past participants of its Employee Stock Purchase and Savings Plan. The agreement is the result of an investigation by the department's Employee Benefits Security Administration into whether Sherwin-Williams, seeking to take advantage of tax breaks, improperly managed the plan in violation of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act. The settlement also requires Illinois-based GreatBanc Trust Co. to undergo an audit of its pension plan activities. http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/ebsa/EBSA20130334.htm http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/ebsa/EBSA20130334.htm 21 Feb 2013 10:00:00 EST In the week ending February 16, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 362,000, an increase of 20,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 342,000. The 4-week moving average was 360,750, an increase of 8,000 from the previous week's revised average of 352,750. http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/eta/ui/eta20130306.htm http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/eta/ui/eta20130306.htm 21 Feb 2013 08:30:00 EST Meyer's Family Restaurant has agreed to pay $116,102 in back wages to 38 employees following an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division that disclosed violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act's overtime pay and record-keeping provisions. http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/whd/WHD20130100.htm http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/whd/WHD20130100.htm 20 Feb 2013 13:30:00 EST San-Way Farms Inc. and owner Wayne Moss have paid $53,800 in back wages to 391 employees after an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division disclosed significant violations of the Migrant and Seasonal Agricultural Worker Protection Act. The department assessed the employer an additional $35,000 in civil money penalties, which have also been paid in full. http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/whd/WHD20130040.htm http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/whd/WHD20130040.htm 19 Feb 2013 16:00:00 EST The U.S. Department of Labor today announced that approximately 18,000 workers laid off in 48 states from 864 Hostess company locations are eligible to apply for Trade Adjustment Assistance.  http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/eta/ETA20130292.htm http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/eta/ETA20130292.htm 19 Feb 2013 14:00:00 EST A group of 15 Boston-area restaurants and their owners, Patrick Lyons and Edward Sparks, have agreed to pay $424,000-including $212,000 in back wages and an equal amount in liquidated damages-to 409 employees to resolve alleged violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act identified by the U.S. Department of Labor. Lyons will also issue a public statement warning his fellow restaurant owners of the hazards of using contract labor providers who do not comply with the FLSA. http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/whd/WHD20130054.htm http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/whd/WHD20130054.htm 14 Feb 2013 16:00:00 EST In the week ending February 9, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 341,000, a decrease of 27,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 368,000. The 4-week moving average was 352,500, an increase of 1,500 from the previous week's revised average of 351,000. http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/eta/ui/eta20130248.htm http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/eta/ui/eta20130248.htm 14 Feb 2013 08:30:00 EST The U.S. Department of Labor has filed a lawsuit against Diamond Tree Experts Inc. after an investigation by the Wage and Hour Division found that the company violated the Fair Labor Standards Act by discriminating against employees for exercising their rights under the law.  http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/whd/WHD20122402.htm http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/whd/WHD20122402.htm 13 Feb 2013 17:00:00 EST The U.S. Department of Labor today awarded a grant of $159,734 to the state of Rhode Island to enhance and promote its Self-Employment Assistance program. Rhode Island plans to use the funding to implement intensive training as well as one-on-one mentoring to assist potential entrepreneurs in starting their own businesses. http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/eta/ETA20130278.htm http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/eta/ETA20130278.htm 13 Feb 2013 15:00:00 EST A federal judge has ordered kgb USA Inc., the world's largest independent provider of directory assistance and enhanced information services, to pay $1.3 million in minimum wage compensation to 14,568 of its current and former employees nationwide for violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act. http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/whd/WHD20130066.htm http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/whd/WHD20130066.htm 12 Feb 2013 10:30:00 EST Acting Secretary of Labor Seth D. Harris today issued the following statement regarding North Carolina House of Representatives Bill 4: http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/eta/ETA20130260.htm http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/eta/ETA20130260.htm 11 Feb 2013 16:00:00 EST The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited Bacardi Bottling Corp. with 12 alleged safety violations following the death of a 21-year-old temporary worker his first day on the job. Lawrence Daquan "Day" Davis was crushed to death by a palletizer machine at the Jacksonville facility in August 2012. The company uses Remedy Intelligent Staffing as a temporary staffing service to provide laborers for certain types of jobs. http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/osha/OSHA20130149.htm http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/osha/OSHA20130149.htm 11 Feb 2013 11:30:00 EST The U.S. Department of Labor today announced a grant competition for the National Farmworker Jobs Program. Funds will be used to provide career training and employment and supportive services to improve economic opportunities for migrant and seasonal farmworkers and their families. http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/eta/ETA20130230.htm http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/eta/ETA20130230.htm 07 Feb 2013 12:00:00 EST In the week ending February 2, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 366,000, a decrease of 5,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 371,000. The 4-week moving average was 350,500, a decrease of 2,250 from the previous week's revised average of 352,750. http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/eta/ui/eta20130220.htm http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/eta/ui/eta20130220.htm 07 Feb 2013 08:30:00 EST The U.S. Department of Labor today marked the 20th anniversary of the signing of the Family and Medical Leave Act by issuing a final rule implementing two important expansions of FMLA protections. The first expansion provides families of eligible veterans with the same job-protected FMLA leave currently available to families of military service members and it also enables more military families to take leave for activities that arise when a service member is deployed. The second expansion modifies existing rules so that airline personnel and flight crews are better able to make use of the FMLA's protections. http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/whd/WHD20130212.htm http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/whd/WHD20130212.htm 05 Feb 2013 11:30:00 EST To mark the 20th anniversary of the signing of the landmark Family and Medical Leave Act, the U.S. Department of Labor today released the results of a survey on its use and impact. Titled "Family and Medical Leave Act in 2012: Final Report," the survey shows that the law has had a positive effect on the lives of millions of workers and their families without imposing an undue burden on employers.  http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/whd/WHD20130175.htm http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/whd/WHD20130175.htm 04 Feb 2013 13:15:00 EST Sunnyvale, Calif.-based Bloom Energy Corp. has been ordered to pay $31,922 in back wages and an equal amount in liquidated damages to 14 workers that the company brought in from Chihuahua, Mexico, to the company headquarters. A U.S. District Court judge ordered the payments after an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division disclosed that the employer willfully violated the minimum wage, overtime and record-keeping provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act. http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/whd/WHD20130137.htm http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/whd/WHD20130137.htm 04 Feb 2013 12:00:00 EST The U.S. Department of Labor today announced a settlement agreement with ING Life Insurance and Annuity Co. that provides for a $5.2 million payment to certain retirement plan clients adversely affected by its undisclosed practice of keeping investment gains achieved when the company failed to process requested transactions in a timely manner. http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/ebsa/EBSA20130071.htm http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/ebsa/EBSA20130071.htm 04 Feb 2013 10:00:00 EST Acting Secretary of Labor Seth D. Harris issued the following statement on the January 2013 Employment Situation report released today: http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/opa/OPA20130204.htm http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/opa/OPA20130204.htm 01 Feb 2013 10:00:00 EST The U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Workers' Compensation Programs today announced a $75,000 settlement with The Sandi Group/Corporate Bank Financial Services for failure to report in a timely manner on the injuries and deaths of 30 employees in Iraq between 2003 and 2005. http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/OWCP/OWCP20130189.htm http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/OWCP/OWCP20130189.htm 31 Jan 2013 16:30:00 EST The U.S. Department of Labor today announced a $529,837 National Emergency Grant to assist about 150 workers affected by the closure of Siltronic Corp. in Portland, Ore., which manufactures silicon wafers for computers, smartphones, navigation systems and similar devices. http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/eta/ETA20130124.htm http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/eta/ETA20130124.htm 31 Jan 2013 16:30:00 EST The U.S. Department of Labor today announced a $1 million National Emergency Grant increment to extend funding for temporary cleanup and recovery jobs in Mississippi following the devastation caused by Hurricane Isaac. http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/eta/ETA20130145.htm http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/eta/ETA20130145.htm 31 Jan 2013 16:30:00 EST Preliminary data from the U.S. Department of Labor's Mine Safety and Health Administration released today indicates that, in 2012, mining fatality rates reached an all-time low for the second straight year. Fatality rates are calculated based on the number of mining deaths per 200,000 hours worked. http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/msha/MSHA20130190.htm http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/msha/MSHA20130190.htm 31 Jan 2013 14:00:00 EST In the week ending January 26, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 368,000, an increase of 38,000 from the previous week's unrevised figure of 330,000. The 4-week moving average was 352,000, an increase of 250 from the previous week's unrevised average of 351,750. http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/eta/ui/eta20130147.htm http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/eta/ui/eta20130147.htm 31 Jan 2013 08:30:00 EST The U.S. Department of Labor's Advisory Council on Employee Welfare and Pension Benefit Plans, also known as the ERISA Advisory Council, will hold its 165th public meeting March 1. http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/ebsa/EBSA20130159.htm http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/ebsa/EBSA20130159.htm 30 Jan 2013 10:00:00 EST The U.S. Department of Labor's Mine Safety and Health Administration filed 46 requests for temporary reinstatement during the 2012 calendar year, more than double any previous year, with the Federal Mine Safety and Health Review Commission on behalf of miners who submitted complaints of discrimination in the form of a suspension, layoff, discharge or other adverse action. Additionally, the department filed 34 complaints alleging mine safety discrimination during 2012, also more than in any previous year. http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/msha/MSHA20130167.htm http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/msha/MSHA20130167.htm 29 Jan 2013 16:00:00 EST The U.S. Department of Labor's Mine Safety and Health Administration today announced that federal inspectors issued 150 citations and nine orders during special impact inspections conducted at eight coal mines and three metal/nonmetal mines last month. http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/msha/MSHA20130129.htm http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/msha/MSHA20130129.htm 24 Jan 2013 13:00:00 EST In the week ending January 19, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 330,000, a decrease of 5,000 from the previous week's unrevised figure of 335,000. The 4-week moving average was 351,750, a decrease of 8,250 from the previous week's revised average of 360,000 http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/eta/ui/eta20130108.htm http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/eta/ui/eta20130108.htm 24 Jan 2013 08:30:00 EST Deputy Secretary of Labor Seth D. Harris has issued the following statement regarding the Bureau of Labor Statistics report released today on union membership in 2012. http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/opa/OPA20130135.htm http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/opa/OPA20130135.htm 23 Jan 2013 14:45:00 EST Officials of the U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division and Iowa Workforce Development today signed a memorandum of understanding to protect the rights of employees by preventing their misclassification as independent contractors by employers. http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/whd/WHD20122496.htm http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/whd/WHD20122496.htm 17 Jan 2013 11:30:00 EST The U.S. Department of Labor has filed lawsuits to require Roswell, Ga.-based U.S. Security Associates Inc. – which provides uniformed and trained guards and other emergency responders under federal contract – to submit documents detailing the company's affirmative action plans for its own facilities in Milwaukee, Wis., and Portage, Ind. http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/ofccp/OFCCP20130030.htm http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/ofccp/OFCCP20130030.htm 17 Jan 2013 11:30:00 EST Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis today announced a final rule to strengthen safety in the nation's most dangerous mines. The rule, which revises the Mine Safety and Health Administration's pattern of violations regulation in 30 Code of Federal Regulations Part 104, has been submitted to the Federal Register for publication. It will ensure that mine operators monitor and address the most hazardous safety problems in their mines. It also strengthens MSHA's hand to respond to dangerous mining conditions, and improve safety and health for mining's most important resource – the miner. http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/msha/MSHA20130094.htm http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/msha/MSHA20130094.htm 17 Jan 2013 11:30:00 EST Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis today announced the availability of approximately $75 million in YouthBuild grant funds to develop programs that will help out-of-school youths complete high school or General Educational Development programs, as well as learn critical occupational skills in construction, health care, information technology and other fields.  http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/eta/ETA20130092.htm http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/eta/ETA20130092.htm 17 Jan 2013 11:00:00 EST In the week ending January 12, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 335,000, a decrease of 37,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 372,000. The 4-week moving average was 359,250, a decrease of 6,750 from the previous week's revised average of 366,000. http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/eta/ui/eta20130077.htm http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/eta/ui/eta20130077.htm 17 Jan 2013 08:30:00 EST Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis today issued the following statement regarding the retirement of Sen. Jay Rockefeller: http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/opa/OPA20130095.htm http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/opa/OPA20130095.htm 16 Jan 2013 09:30:00 EST The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has signed an accord with BNSF Railway Co., headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas, announcing BNSF's voluntary revision of several personnel policies that OSHA alleged violated the whistleblower provisions of the Federal Railroad Safety Act and dissuaded workers from reporting on-the-job injuries. FRSA's Section 20109 protects railroad workers from retaliation for, among other acts, reporting suspected violations of federal laws and regulations related to railroad safety and security, hazardous safety or security conditions, and on-the-job injuries.  http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/osha/OSHA20130027.htm http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/osha/OSHA20130027.htm 15 Jan 2013 16:00:00 EST The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited Marathon Norco Aerospace Inc. with eight serious health violations following a July inspection for exposing workers to hazardous materials, such as nickel and cadmium, at the company's facility on Imperial Drive in Waco. Proposed penalties total $41,220. http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/osha/OSHA20130022.htm http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/osha/OSHA20130022.htm 10 Jan 2013 16:00:00 EST The U.S. Department of Labor today announced the winners of its Worker Safety and Health App Challenge. Prizes totaling $30,000 are being awarded to four entrants who submitted tools that best demonstrate the importance of recognizing and preventing workplace safety and health hazards, and help young people understand their rights in the workplace. Submissions were designed for Internet browsers, smartphones, feature phones and social media platforms, or as native Windows or Macintosh applications. http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/osha/OSHA20130061.htm http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/osha/OSHA20130061.htm 10 Jan 2013 15:00:00 EST Paradise Detail Ltd. in Dallas has agreed to pay 82 current and former detail and car wash employees $229,475 in back wages following an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division that found violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act's overtime and minimum wage provisions.  http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/whd/WHD20122017.htm http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/whd/WHD20122017.htm 13 Jan 2013 14:00:00 EST In the week ending January 5, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 371,000, an increase of 4,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 367,000. The 4-week moving average was 365,750, an increase of 6,750 from the previous week's revised average of 359,000. http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/eta/ui/eta20130020.htm http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/eta/ui/eta20130020.htm 10 Jan 2013 08:30:00 EST Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis this afternoon sent the following letter to employees at the U.S. Department of Labor http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/opa/OPA20130053.htm http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/opa/OPA20130053.htm 09 Jan 2013 16:45:00 EST To help millions of people recognize what they can do to make a difference in the lives - and future careers - of young people with disabilities, the U.S. Department of Labor's Campaign for Disability Employment has released a new video public service announcement titled "Because." The PSA features real people with disabilities - not actors - who are pursuing and realizing their goals and passions as a result of the support they received from everyday people in their lives. Because nearly 1 out of 5 Americans has a disability, the PSA is intended to replace myths and misperceptions about disability employment with new views of what people with disabilities can do. http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/odep/ODEP20122469.htm http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/odep/ODEP20122469.htm 09 Jan 2013 10:30:00 EST Azteca Restaurante Mexicano Inc. and Salvador B. Alatorre, manager and part-owner of the Akron establishment, have agreed to pay $45,781 in back wages and liquidated damages to 18 employees following an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division. The investigation found violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act's minimum wage, overtime pay and record-keeping provisions. The department filed a consent order and judgment in U.S. District Court, Northern District of Ohio, Eastern Division, stipulating the terms of the settlement. http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/whd/WHD20121713.htm http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/whd/WHD20121713.htm 07 Jan 2013 16:00:00 EST The U.S. Department of Labor today announced a $408,403 National Emergency Grant increment for continued assistance to about 320 workers affected by the 2011 closure of Evergreen Solar Inc. in Devens and Marlborough, Mass., and layoffs of two of its staffing firms. http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/eta/ETA20130001.htm http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/eta/ETA20130001.htm 07 Jan 2013 10:30:00 EST L-3 Communications Vertex Aerospace LLC has agreed to pay $261,899 in back wages to 361 workers employed at Hunter Army Airfield in Savannah following an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division that found employees were not being compensated in compliance with the McNamara-O'Hara Service Contract Act. http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/whd/WHD20122465.htm http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/whd/WHD20122465.htm 04 Jan 2013 16:00:00 EST Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis issued the following statement on the December 2012 Employment Situation report released today: http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/opa/OPA20130026.htm http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/opa/OPA20130026.htm 04 Jan 2013 10:30:00 EST In the week ending December 29, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 372,000, an increase of 10,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 362,000. The 4-week moving average was 360,000, an increase of 250 from the previous week's revised average of 359,750. http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/eta/ui/eta20122533.htm http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/eta/ui/eta20122533.htm 03 Jan 2013 08:30:00 EST Peyton's Place LLC in Duncan has agreed to pay $84,864 in back wages to 31 current and former servers following an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division which found violations of the minimum wage and record-keeping provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act. http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/whd/WHD20122444.htm http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/whd/WHD20122444.htm 02 Jan 2013 16:00:00 EST A chain of three full-service restaurants in Nassau and Westchester counties and its president will pay $1,085,752 in back wages, interest and liquidated damages to 255 employees, according to the terms of consent judgments obtained in federal court by the U.S. Department of Labor. Defendants Asian Moon Restaurant of Massapequa Park Inc., Asian Moon Restaurant Corp. in Garden City, Golden Rod Restaurant Corp. in New Rochelle and Vickie Sue Li also will pay $98,231 in civil money penalties and interest for violations of the federal Fair Labor Standard Act's minimum wage, overtime and record-keeping provisions. The judgments resolve lawsuits filed by the department that were based on investigations by its Wage and Hour Division. http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/whd/WHD20122135.htm http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/whd/WHD20122135.htm 02 Jan 2013 16:00:00 EST I have always believed that public service is a 'family affair.' No one exemplified that more than Lucille Beserra Roybal, the wife of the late Congressman Edward Ross Roybal, and mother of Congresswoman Lucille Roybal-Allard. Although she worked tirelessly behind the scenes with her husband and daughter while in the U.S. Congress, Mrs. Roybal made important contributions to the community in her own right. She co-founded the Community Service Organization in California, registered voters throughout Los Angeles and reached out to underserved communities on behalf of local public health and charitable organizations. http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/opa/OPA20130009.htm http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/opa/OPA20130009.htm 02 Jan 2013 15:30:00 EST