WASHINGTON The U.S. Department of Labor today awarded a $2,736,650 National Emergency Grant increment to continue providing re-employment and job training services to approximately 900 military spouses and civilian defense workers in Washington state who were impacted by decisions of the 2005 Defense Base Closure and Realignment Commission. The commission consolidated Fort Lewis and McChord Air Force Base to create Joint Base Lewis-McChord, which serves the U.S. Army, Air Force, Navy and Marines.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor's Employee Benefits Security Administration will hold a free retirement savings forum on Saturday, April 28, from 12:30–3:30 p.m. EDT at Spelman College Albro-Falconer-Manley Science Center, Room 134, 350 Spelman Lane SW, Atlanta, Ga. 30314. Hosted in coordination with the Economics Department at Spelman College, the "African-Americans and Retirement: What You Should Know Before It's Too Late" forum is open to the public and the media.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today published in the Federal Register a proposed tribal consultation policy, creating a formal process through which the department will engage in consultation with federally recognized tribes on actions or policies that will have a significant impact on tribal nations. This policy would apply to any department action that affects federally recognized Indian tribes and requires that the department's government-to-government consultation involve both appropriate tribal and department officials.

WASHINGTON – Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis today issued the following statement regarding Equal Pay Day:

"It has been nearly half a century since the Equal Pay Act was signed to abolish wage discrimination on the basis of sex. In that time, women from all walks of life have demonstrated extraordinary leadership, patriotism, scientific and artistic vision, and great personal sacrifice – both at home and in the workplace. Still, women continue to earn less than men. As a nation, we continue to work toward the fundamental promise of equal pay for equal work.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced the availability of approximately $20 million in grants to fund cooperative agreements that will improve educational, training and employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities.

These grants represent the third round of funding through the Disability Employment Initiative, a joint program of the Labor Department's Employment and Training Administration and its Office of Disability Employment Policy.

Online tool developed in partnership with American Association of Community Colleges

WASHINGTON – Delta Air Lines Inc. has signed a corporatewide settlement agreement with the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration in order to protect workers who operate baggage handling vehicles.

Commemorates websites service, technology innovation and e-government success

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Labor today is celebrating the 10th anniversary of the Benefits.gov Program and its track record of success in serving the American public. Benefits.gov, formerly GovBenefits.gov, has increased public access to critical information regarding government benefits and consequently has reduced the cost to taxpayers of the processes required to obtain the same information.

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Morgan Keegan and Co. Inc. has agreed to pay $633,715.46 to 10 pension plans covered by the Employee Retirement Income Security Act. This agreement follows an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employee Benefits Security Administration that found the full-service brokerage company violated federal law when it recommended certain hedge funds of funds as investments to its ERISA-covered employee benefit plan clients. These recommendations resulted in the hedge funds of funds paying Morgan Keegan revenue-sharing and other fees.

INDIANAPOLIS – The U.S. Department of Labor has filed a complaint in federal court seeking to restore $256,457.08, plus lost opportunity costs, to the Heartland Foods Inc. 401(k) Profit Sharing Plan. Based on the findings of an investigation by the department’s Employee Benefits Security Administration, the complaint alleges that co-owners Karen S.

ATCHISON, Kan. – Bartlett Grain Co. L.P. faces five willful and eight serious safety violations cited by the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration following an October 2011 grain elevator explosion in Atchison that killed six workers and left two others hospitalized.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced a $1,793,475 National Emergency Grant to assist approximately 570 workers who were affected by layoffs between Dec. 15, 2011, and March 31, 2012, that resulted from the closure of the Kimberly-Clark Corp. paper mill in Everett, Wash.

"Any time a major employer shuts its doors, a community suffers," said Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis. "This federal grant will help Everett by providing these workers the services they need to transition to jobs in growing local industries."

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending April 7, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 380,000, an increase of 13,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 367,000. The 4-week moving average was 368,500, an increase of 4,250 from the previous week's revised average of 364,250.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.6 percent for the week ending March 31, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate of 2.6 percent.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today awarded a $514,800 National Emergency Grant to create temporary jobs for eligible dislocated workers to assist with cleanup and recovery efforts after severe storms, tornadoes, flooding, mudslides and landslides struck West Virginia in February and March.

"The storm-battered citizens of West Virginia need our help," said Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis. "The department's funding is part of the federal government's commitment to support the people of West Virginia as they rebuild their communities."

Interested parties may submit comments through April 30

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division has extended the comment period for its proposed rule to implement new statutory amendments to the Family and Medical Leave Act that would expand military family leave provisions and incorporate a special eligibility provision for airline flight crew employees.

WASHINGTON – As part of National Financial Capability Month, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employee Benefits Security Administration will host a webinar designed to help college seniors and young workers get on track to pay down debt and start saving for retirement. “Key Financial Steps for College Seniors and Young Workers” will be held from 4-5:15 p.m. EDT on Wednesday, April 18.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today awarded a National Emergency Grant increment of $375,200 that will fund 200 temporary jobs for eligible workers to continue cleanup and recovery efforts in North Carolina following Hurricane Irene, which struck in August 2011.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor invites news organizations interested in participating in its press lock-ups to request credentials, which will be valid beginning on Friday, July 6, with the release of The Employment Situation report. The lock-ups facilitate the media's ability to provide the public with informed summaries and analysis of critical economic data concurrent with their release by providing pre-release access to the data reports.

WASHINGTON – Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis today issued the following statement on the death of Mark Ayers, president of the Building and Construction Trades Department of the AFL-CIO:

"The American trade union movement lost a great leader yesterday. And I lost a friend.

WASHINGTON – Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis issued the following statement on the March 2012 Employment Situation report released today:

"Our nation's labor market added 121,000 private sector jobs in the month of March, while the unemployment rate fell to 8.2 percent.

"For 25 consecutive months, we've registered private sector job growth. Some months we are seeing tremendous job gains, while other months we are seeing more modest gains. But the trend line is clear: Our economy is growing, and our recovery is durable.