WASHINGTON, DC – As part of its commitment to state and local partners facing a serious impact by Hurricane Florence, the U.S. Department of Labor today announced it is ready to make available National Dislocated Worker Grant (DWG) funding to help North Carolina assess its workforce needs.

"The U.S. Department of Labor is prepared to deploy resources to help North Carolinians who, as a result of Hurricane Florence, find themselves unable to work and without a paycheck," said U.S. Secretary of Labor Alexander Acosta. "The American workforce – along with our volunteers and first responders – is the greatest in the world.  As we did during last year's destructive hurricane season, Americans will come together to rebuild their communities.  The Department of Labor is here to help ensure the safety and stability of North Carolinians along the way."

DWG funding will be made available to impacted counties to supplement state and local response and recovery efforts. The Department of Labor is monitoring the situation to ensure it is doing everything it can to help North Carolinians and the mobility of the workforce.

Supported by the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act of 2014, DWGs temporarily expand the service capacity of dislocated worker training and employment programs at the state and local levels by providing funding assistance in response to large, unexpected economic events that cause significant job losses.

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Secretary of Labor Alexander Acosta issued the following statement regarding the August 2018 Employment Situation Report:

"The August jobs report shows continued, strong job growth with 201,000 jobs created and an unemployment rate holding at 3.9%.  More than 4 million jobs have been created since November 2016.  Since 1970, the unemployment rate has registered below 4% just nine times; four of those months have been recorded during 2018.

"It is remarkable to see steady positive news regarding job growth month after month."

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Secretary of Labor Alexander Acosta released the following statement regarding Labor Day:

“Today, on Labor Day, we celebrate the accomplishments of the American workforce, a record 156 million strong.

“Optimism is the hallmark of Labor Day 2018. This optimism is not just perception, it is grounded on results delivered. The prospects for Americans looking for work and those seeking to return to the labor force have never been better. For the first time since the Department of Labor began tracking these statistics, job openings exceed the number of job seekers.

 “3.9 million new jobs have been created since November 2016, a result of President Trump’s focus on creating jobs, more jobs, and even more jobs. Since President Trump’s election, manufacturers have added 412,000 manufacturing jobs; after years of job losses, the mining and logging industry has 89,000 more jobs; and the construction industry has created 431,000 new construction jobs.

“With all of this positive news, the President’s Administration remains steadfast in its work to open more opportunities for the American workforce. We look forward to delivering even more results in the years ahead.”

Today, the Department of Labor released a video highlighting America’s positive job growth under President Trump. The Department has also released a series of videos focused on Administration priorities for the American workforce, including: apprenticeship expansion, workforce development investment, expanding quality health coverage for small business employees, initiatives to help ex-offenders successfully transition to the workplace, and the fight against opioids.

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Secretary of Labor Alexander Acosta issued the following statement today regarding President Donald J. Trump's Executive Order strengthening retirement security for employees in small and mid-sized businesses:

"President Trump's Executive Order will help provide greater opportunities for workers to save for the future and retirement. Allowing small and mid-size businesses to come together to sponsor retirement plans for their employees can provide pathways for the financial security of families across our nation. The Department embraces the President's goal of making retirement security simpler and more convenient for millions of Americans."

WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, WV – U.S. Secretary of Labor Alexander Acosta discussed President Trump's efforts to unleash economic opportunity for America's workforce and small businesses in a keynote address at the West Virginia Chamber's 2018 Annual Meeting and Business Summit.

"President Trump is dedicated to fostering an economic and regulatory environment that will create jobs, more jobs, and even more jobs," said Secretary Acosta. "I was glad to be in the Mountain State with so many small business leaders to discuss President Trump's pro-growth agenda that continues to empower the American workforce."

Following his remarks, Secretary Acosta fielded questions from the West Virginia Chamber, where he discussed the wide-ranging positive impact of the President's tax cuts, the newly announced Office of Compliance Initiatives at the Department of Labor, and the Department's efforts to help veterans, service members and their families obtain good, family-sustaining jobs.

NASHVILLE, TN – U.S. Secretary of Labor Alexander Acosta announced the U.S. Department of Labor's new Office of Compliance Initiatives (OCI) during a speech today at the Voluntary Protection Programs Participants' Association's 2018 Safety+ National Symposium. Coordinated by the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Policy, this cross-agency effort complements the Department's enforcement activities by strengthening and innovating compliance assistance outreach. Part of this initiative is the launch of worker.gov and employer.gov, two websites with resources to assess compliance with the law.

OCI will promote greater understanding of federal labor laws and regulations, allowing job creators to prevent violations and protect Americans' wages, workplace safety and health, retirement security, and other rights and benefits. As part of its work, OCI will work with the enforcement agencies to refine their metrics to ensure the efficacy of the Department's compliance assistance activities.

"President Trump's Administration is committed to protecting the American worker. Vigorous enforcement and compliance assistance go hand in hand," said Secretary Acosta. "The Office of Compliance Initiatives expands our efforts to promote full compliance with federal labor law."

Established within the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Policy, OCI will provide leadership and support to the Department's enforcement agencies, advancing the expansion and development of innovative approaches to compliance assistance and enforcement. OCI's work will include:

• Facilitating and encouraging a culture that promotes compliance assistance within the Department
• Providing employers and workers with access to high-quality, up-to-date information about their obligations and rights under federal labor laws and regulations
• Assisting enforcement agencies in developing new strategies to use data for more impactful compliance and enforcement strategies
• Enhancing outreach to stakeholders for the Department's enforcement agencies

OCI will also focus on helping enforcement agencies more effectively use online resources to deliver information and compliance assistance to the American people. The two new websites announced today are designed to assist workers and job creators who have compliance questions.

Worker.gov provides a centralized base of information focused on federal worker protections. Employer.gov provides job creators easy-to-understand information about their responsibilities under federal laws and regulations. The Department expects more effective compliance assistance will help the Department target enforcement resources on repeat and willful violators to level the playing field for America's job creators who abide by the law.

CHICAGO, IL - U.S. Secretary of Labor Alexander Acosta and U.S. Small Business Administrator Linda McMahon discussed President Trump’s strong support for America’s small business job creators during a visit today to Superior Graphite, a small business manufacturer in Chicago.

After a tour of the facility, Secretary Acosta and Administrator McMahon participated in a roundtable discussion with leaders from several small businesses.

“President Trump’s pro-jobs policies have given American job creators the confidence to grow and hire. For the first time ever, job openings in America exceed the number of job seekers. Since the President’s election, 412,000 new manufacturing jobs have been created,” said Secretary Acosta. “Today’s roundtable provided an opportunity to discuss the Trump Administration’s leadership on behalf of America’s small business job creators, including tax cuts, regulatory relief, and the expansion of quality, affordable healthcare. I also welcomed the opportunity to discuss how job creators can work with educators and industry groups to strengthen workforce training in America.”

“The President’s tax cuts and economic policies are producing one of the strongest periods of economic growth in our nation’s history. Across the country, businesses are using the tax credits and increase in revenues to reinvest in their employees and grow their operations. Between the Administration’s leadership and partnerships with the private sector, labor unions and institutions of learning, the workforce will continue to strengthen,” said Administrator McMahon. “Small businesses are at the heart of our economy, and we are proud to partner with them to ensure they have the resources they need to drive their businesses and local communities forward.”

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Secretary of Labor Alexander Acosta issued the following statement regarding the July 2018 Employment Situation report:

"July's report shows 157,000 jobs added, and 59,000 additional jobs revised from the May and June reports showing continued strength. Since the President's election, 3.9 million jobs have been created.

"The unemployment rate edged down to 3.9%. This is only the eighth time that the monthly unemployment rate has fallen below 4.0% since 1970, and three of those months happened under President Trump in 2018. There is a record 156 million people in the labor force. Since President Trump's election, more than one million prime-age people joined or rejoined the labor force. For the second consecutive month, the unemployment rate for Hispanics reached a record low.

"Wages grew over the past 12 months at a rate of 2.7% in July. It is clear that wage growth must increase. Further wage increases will add a great benefit to the American workforce."

WASHINGTON, DC – As the Trump Administration works to equip Americans with necessary skills for family-sustaining jobs, the U.S. Department of Labor today announced the next step in the effort to expand the successful apprenticeship model to new industries and to industry sectors with few apprenticeships. Today's action creates the framework for the creation of high-quality industry-recognized apprenticeship programs.

With the number of open jobs in the United States exceeding the number of job seekers for the first time, the President's Administration is mobilizing to expand work-based learning for Americans. Expanding the apprenticeship model through industry-recognized programs, while retaining the existing Registered Apprenticeship program, will help Americans develop the skills they need for the jobs of today and tomorrow while meeting job creators' needs for skilled labor.

Last week, the President launched the Pledge to America's Workers as part of the National Council for the American Worker and the American Workforce Policy Advisory Board, initiatives providing opportunities for education and workforce development that will help more Americans thrive in modern and future workplaces. Companies, trade associations, and labor have pledged to deliver opportunities for skills development to nearly four million American workers – a number that continues to grow.

A Training and Employment Notice (TEN) issued today by the Department is a step in carrying out the President's Executive Order Expanding Apprenticeships in America. This TEN provides information that certifiers will be expected to have in place to establish standards, establish certification intervals determined by industries, evaluate and certify programs focused on outcomes and process, report results, and maintain records. Organizations will be able to seek a determination from the Department that their apprenticeship certification practices meet these criteria and ensure that certified programs provide apprentices with a pathway to a family-sustaining career. 

This TEN is an initial training and employment notice pending rulemaking. Having received the recommendations from the President's Task Force on Apprenticeship Expansion, the Department will proceed with rulemaking in accordance with the President's Executive Order 13801, which directed the Department to consider proposing regulations on industry-recognized apprenticeships.

Industry-recognized apprenticeship programs must include both a paid-work component and an educational or instructional component and be certified as high-quality by a certifier that has received a favorable determination from the Department. An industry-recognized apprenticeship program may include trade and industry groups, companies, non-profit organizations, educational institutions, unions, and joint labor-management organizations.