WASHINGTON – The Advisory Council on Employee Welfare and Pension Benefit Plans – known as the ERISA Advisory Council – will meet Nov. 3-4, at the U.S. Department of Labor, 200 Constitution Ave. NW, Room C-5515-1A, in Washington, D.C.

COSHOCTON, Ohio – A federal district court in Columbus, Ohio, has entered a consent order and judgment requiring Barbara Elise Miller, an executive of Three Rivers Option Care in Coshocton, to repay $78,562.81 in employee contributions and lost opportunity costs to the participants and beneficiaries of the company’s savings investment match plan for employees individual retirement account plan. The judgment follows an investigation conducted by the U.S. Department of Labor into alleged violations of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act.

Aim is to end black lung disease among miners

ARLINGTON, Va. – The U.S. Department of Labor's Mine Safety and Health Administration today announced the release of a proposed rule on lowering miners' exposure to respirable coal dust in all underground and surface coal mines. The proposed rule is the latest element of MSHA's "End Black Lung – Act Now" campaign.

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending Oct. 9, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 462,000, an increase of 13,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 449,000. The 4-week moving average was 459,000, an increase of 2,250 from the previous week's revised average of 456,750.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 3.5 percent for the week ending Oct. 2, a decrease of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week's revised rate of 3.6 percent.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced a $984,248 grant to assist approximately 130 workers affected by layoffs at five Severstal locations four in Ohio and one in West Virginia and one supplier, Kinder-Morgan, located in Pennsylvania. Those eligible for services under this grant are Ohio residents.

ARLINGTON, Va. – The U.S. Department of Labor's Mine Safety and Health Administration Assistant Secretary Joseph A. Main released the following statement in response to the successful rescue of 33 Chilean miners who had been trapped in an underground copper mine for 69 days, following a massive cave-in on Aug. 5:

GUAYNABO, Puerto Rico — The U.S. Department of Labors Wage and Hour Division and the Puerto Rico Department of Labor and Human Resources, Labor Standards Division, have entered into a partnership agreement aimed at ensuring compliance among employers in Puerto Rico with both federal and the commonwealths labor laws.

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Labor’s Employee Benefits Security Administration today announced a final rule to give the estimated 72 million participants covered by 401(k)-type retirement plans greater information regarding the fees and expenses associated with their plans in order to better manage their retirement savings.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A federal district court in Missouri has appointed the law firm of Spencer Fane Britt & Brown LLP of Overland Park, Kan., to manage the abandoned Lone Wolf Enterprises 401(k) Profit Sharing Plan, wind down the affairs of the plan and distribute its assets to eligible participants and service providers, according to a consent decree obtained by the U.S. Department of Labor.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced a $3,511,254 grant to assist approximately 546 workers affected by layoffs at Valero Energy Corp. located in Delaware City, Del.

"Losing a job hurts. Beyond providing wages, our jobs are so much a part of our identity. These funds will help workers get back into the job market, and back to lifelong career paths," said Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis. "Workers will have the opportunity to upgrade their skills to obtain jobs similar to those they lost or pursue new careers in other fields."

NEW YORK — The U.S. Department of Labor has recovered more than $485,000 in minimum wages, overtime pay, liquidated damages and post-judgment interest for approximately 120 employees of several New York City-area dollar stores. The dollar stores and their owners agreed to two partial consent judgments resolving the department's lawsuit over alleged violations of the federal Fair Labor Standards Act, including the failure to pay minimum wages and overtime compensation to employees who worked in excess of 40 hours a week.

BOSTON – The U.S. Department of Labor has filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts seeking the appointment of an independent fiduciary to oversee the abandoned 401(k) plan of defunct Accurate Paving Inc., formerly located in Medford, Mass.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced a $2,912,436 grant to assist approximately 800 workers affected by layoffs from multiple companies located in Pima County, Ariz.

"The economy of southern Arizona was hit especially hard by the recession and the collapse of the housing market," said Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis. "Today's grant will give workers access to indispensable re-employment and retraining services and lead them to careers in promising sectors of the state's economy."

WASHINGTON – Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis issued the following statement on the September 2010 Employment Situation report released today:

"This past September, nonfarm payroll employment edged down 95,000 jobs, but the economy gained 64,000 jobs in the private sector, and the unemployment rate remained at 9.6 percent.

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending Oct. 2, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 445,000, a decrease of 11,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 456,000. The 4-week moving average was 455,750, a decrease of 3,000 from the previous week's revised average of 458,750.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 3.5 percent for the week ending Sept. 25, a decrease of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week's revised rate of 3.6 percent.

ARLINGTON, Va. The U.S. Department of Labor's Mine Safety and Health Administration today announced the issuance of 11 closure orders to Elk Run Coal Co.'s Seng Creek Powellton Mine when federal inspectors last week discovered that the mine was taking illegal cuts into the coal seam, operating without proper ventilation and not completing required air readings, which are needed to assure there is sufficient air flow to prevent mine explosions. The mine is owned by Massey Energy Co. and located in Boone County, W.Va.

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of International Labor Affairs today announced a $4 million competitive grant solicitation listed at http://www.grants.gov seeking applications from qualified organizations for innovative strategies to combat the worst forms of child labor in Jordan.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Coca-Cola Bottling Company Consolidated has agreed to pay $495,000 in back wages and interest to 95 African-American and Hispanic job seekers who applied in 2002 for sales support positions at the company's Black Satchel Road distribution facility in Charlotte. The settlement follows an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs.

WASHINGTON — Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis today announced a $2 million grant award to implement a Better Work program in Nicaragua. The grant awarded by the U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of International Labor Affairs will be implemented by the International Labor Organization.

NEW HAVEN, Conn. – The U.S. Department of Labor has obtained a court order appointing an independent fiduciary to manage the 401(k) plan of defunct Miller Agency Inc. of Shelton, Conn.