Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.

Philadelphia – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) will sponsor “Getting It Right – Know Your Fiduciary Responsibilities,” a free retirement plan seminar on September 15 at the Radisson Plaza Warwick Hotel, 1701 Locust Street.

JINOTEGA, Nicaragua — U.S. Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis saw first-hand the work of the U.S. Department of Labor-funded ENTERATE project during her July 26 visit to the coffee plantation Los Potrerillos in Jinotega. This project works to combat child labor in Jinotega, Madriz and Managua.

Crestview, Florida – The U.S. Department of Labor has sued Robert S. Caputo, his medical group, trustees of the group’s pension plan, the plan’s accounting firm, and an accountant for improperly using $800,000 in plan assets to pay company expenses, in violation of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act.

RENO, Nev. – In the event of a mine fire, roof collapse or explosion, mine rescue teams may be tapped to search for colleagues disoriented by toxic gas, trapped beneath layers of rock or severely injured. The teams undergo rigorous training to develop skills that often save lives. Those skills will be put to the test July 27 through 29 at the 2010 Metal/Nonmetal National Mine Rescue Contest, held at the Reno-Sparks Convention Center in Reno, Nevada. The contest is sponsored by the U.S.

WASHINGTON U.S. Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis today issued the following statement on the 20th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act:

"Twenty years ago today, the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act transformed our nation's disability policy and made a strong statement about the value of diversity and inclusion.

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending July 17, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 464,000, an increase of 37,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 427,000. The 4-week moving average was 456,000, an increase of 1,250 from the previous week's revised average of 454,750.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 3.5 percent for the week ending July 10, a decrease of 0.2 percentage point from the prior week's unrevised rate of 3.7 percent.

WASHINGTON – U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration Assistant Secretary of Labor Dr. David Michaels, today issued the following statement:

"If someone is at a beach that has been impacted by the oil spill, they may see workers wearing protective clothing to prevent their skin from coming into contact with weathered oil. Skin contact with weathered oil can cause dermatitis.

Washington – Today, the Obama Administration is announcing both new regulations to empower consumers to appeal decisions made by their health plans or insurance companies and the availability of resources that will be used to help give consumers more control of their health care decisions. These provisions of the Affordable Care Act will help support and protect consumers and help end some of the worst insurance company abuses.

WASHINGTON U.S. Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis today issued the following statement on the passage of the Miner Safety and Health Act of 2010 by the Committee on Education and Labor of the U.S. House of Representatives:

New York – The U.S. Department of Labor has obtained a preliminary injunction barring trustees Samuel Kohl, Caren Kohl and Welko Inc. of New York City from conducting business with, or on behalf of, the Welko Inc. Pension Plan, unless approved by the court. The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York also ordered the defendants to turn over to the court all of the plan's cash assets.

Initiatives enhance work/life balance data and wage discrimination enforcement

WASHINGTON – Today, at a White House Middle Class Task Force forum hosted by Vice President Joe Biden, U.S. Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis announced several department initiatives designed to end wage discrimination while improving pay equity and work/life balance.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today released an evaluation study of the Disability Program Navigator Initiative titled "Use of One-Stops by Social Security Disability Beneficiaries in Four States Implementing Disability Program Navigator Initiative." The study measures whether the public workforce system, particularly the One-Stop Career Center system, is helping people who are receiving Supplemental Security Income and Social Security Disability Insurance find jobs in the workplace.

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of International Labor Affairs today announced the publication of a final list of products that federal contractors must certify under Executive Order 13126 are not produced with forced or indentured child labor. The list will appear in the July 20 edition of the Federal Register.

WASHINGTON - The U.S. Department of Labor today announced an interim final rule that will enhance disclosure to fiduciaries of 401(k) and other retirement plans. The rule will assist fiduciaries in determining both the reasonableness of compensation paid to plan service providers and any conflicts of interest that may impact a service provider's performance under a service contract or arrangement.

ARLINGTON, Va. – The U.S. Department of Labor's Mine Safety and Health Administration today announced a competition for $500,000 in safety and health training grants to help identify, avoid and prevent unsafe working conditions in and around mines. This grant opportunity covers all underground mines, including both metal/nonmetal and coal mines.

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending July 10, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 429,000, a decrease of 29,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 458,000. The 4-week moving average was 455,250, a decrease of 11,750 from the previous week's revised average of 467,000.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 3.7 percent for the week ending July 3, an increase of 0.2 percentage point from the prior week's revised rate of 3.5 percent.

WASHINGTON Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis today issued the following statement regarding the unauthorized public dissemination of confidential information collected by state agencies in Utah:

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Labor today announced an interim final rule that will enhance disclosure to fiduciaries of 401(k) and other retirement plans. The rule will assist fiduciaries in determining both the reasonableness of compensation paid to plan service providers and any conflicts of interest that may impact a service provider's performance under a service contract or arrangement.

Savannah, Georgia – The U.S. Department of Labor has sued Savannah attorney Benjamin Eichholz and the Eichholz Law Firm to recover assets belonging to the Eichholz & Associates P.C. Retirement Plan and the Eichholz & Associates P.C. Employees Pension Plan.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced $119.6 million in funding allocations for Trade Adjustment Assistance to states to assist workers who lose their jobs due to outsourcing and foreign trade. These allocations are from the second distribution for fiscal year 2010 and represent, along with previously distributed initial allocation and reserve requests, approximately 90 percent of the total amount available for TAA training for this year.