WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today awarded a $477,065 National Emergency Grant increment to continue temporary employment of eligible dislocated workers to assist with ongoing cleanup and recovery efforts after the severe storms and floods that hit southeastern Minnesota between Sept. 22 and Oct. 14, 2010.

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending February 18, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 351,000, unchanged from the previous week's revised figure of 351,000. The 4-week moving average was 359,000, a decrease of 7,000 from the previous week's revised average of 366,000.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.7 percent for the week ending February 11, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate.

WASHINGTON — Nancy J. Leppink, deputy administrator of the U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division, and Louisiana Workforce Commission Executive Director Curt Eysink signed a memorandum of understanding Feb. 23 regarding the improper classification of employees as independent contractors. This partnership is the 13th of its kind for the U.S. Department of Labor.

Labor Department alleges federal labor law violations during 2011 green bean harvest in Miami-Dade County

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor's Employee Benefits Security Administration today announced its first Spanish-language health benefits webinar to take place Wednesday, Feb. 29 from 1 to 2:30 p.m. EST. The event is free and being co-sponsored by Families USA. Participants can register online.

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Labor’s Employee Benefits Security Administration has announced that the Tribune Co., GreatBanc Trust Co. and various insurance carriers have completed funding of a global settlement in the amount of $32 million to be allocated among the Tribune Employee Stock Ownership Plan’s participants, and to pay for legal and administrative expenses.

WEST CHESTER, Pa. ‒ The U.S. Department of Labor has obtained a summary judgment ordering Compass Capital Partners Ltd. and owner Harris M. DeWese to restore $661,206 to the defunct West Chester company’s retirement plan. The judgment resolves a lawsuit filed by the department in August 2011 that alleged violations of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act.

Date of Action: Feb. 17, 2012

Name(s) of Defendant(s): John Louis Roberts, Mara Scanlon Roberts and Sterling Printing and Graphics, Inc.

CINCINNATI – Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis today announced during a conference call with reporters more than $183 million in grants to 43 public-private partnerships serving 28 states through the second round of funding under the H-1B Technical Skills Training Grant Competition. The grants will provide education, training and job placement assistance related to high-growth fields in which employers are currently using the H-1B nonimmigrant visa program to hire foreign workers.

WASHINGTON – Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis today announced that $12 million is available for grants through the Workforce Data Quality Initiative, which will enable states to build or expand longitudinal databases that link workforce and education data to improve understanding about the performance of workforce development programs among those who benefit from and make decisions about them.

Interested parties may submit comments through March 12

WASHINGTON – Labor Secretary Hilda L. Solis has issued the following statement on congressional action today on the extension of Unemployment Insurance benefits and the payroll tax cut:

"I am pleased that congressional leaders have extended both unemployment insurance benefits for the long-term unemployed, and the payroll tax cut that is critical to so many working families.

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending February 11, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 348,000, a decrease of 13,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 361,000. The 4-week moving average was 365,250, a decrease of 1,750 from the previous week's revised average of 367,000.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.7 percent for the week ending February 4, a decrease of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week's unrevised rate.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today awarded a $3,145,776 National Emergency Grant increment to continue providing re-employment assistance to about 600 workers impacted by layoffs at 21 Houston-area companies. The layoffs primarily resulted from the termination of the Space Shuttle Program by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Many of the workers were contractors for the program at the Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center.

WASHINGTON – The Government Accountability Office recently released and testified today on its report titled Workforce Investment Act: Innovative Collaborations Between Workforce Boards and Employers Helped Meet Local Needs (GAO-12-97). Labor Secretary Hilda L. Solis has issued the following statement:

ARLINGTON, Va. – The U.S. Department of Labor's Mine Safety and Health Administration today announced that overall compliance with safety and health regulations is improving among the nation's more than 12,000 metal and nonmetal mining operations. Preliminary data indicate a 14 percent decrease in citations and orders issued at these mines – 74,373 in 2010 compared to 64,186 in 2011. Furthermore, the percentage that are significant and substantial citations and orders decreased from 33 percent in 2010 to 28 percent in 2011.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced the availability of approximately $30 million in grants through its Training and Service Learning program for projects to help young adult ex-offenders gain valuable jobs skills while giving back to their communities through service.

WASHINGTON – As part of America Saves Week, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employee Benefits Security Administration and the America Saves campaign of the Consumer Federation of America will host a free webcast on Thursday, Feb. 23, 2012, from 2 to 4 p.m. EST, for small businesses, their accountants and service providers. Topics include choosing a retirement savings plan and the advantages of direct deposits to small businesses and their employees.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor's Employment and Training Administration has issued a final rule implementing the YouthBuild Transfer Act of 2006, which establishes the program within the Labor Department.

Summer workers repackaged Hershey candies at Palmyra, Pa., facility