November 19, 2010

Student from Flint/Genesee Job Corps in Michigan takes top honors in oratory competition

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today hosted the 2010 Job Corps Oratory Competition in Washington, D.C. Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis delivered opening remarks before four finalists from California, Illinois, Michigan and Kentucky took the stage to present their speeches about how Job Corps has impacted their lives.

November 19, 2010

MSHA announces results of October impact inspections -

ARLINGTON, Va. – The U.S. Department of Labor's Mine Safety and Health Administration today announced that federal inspectors issued 380 citations and orders during special impact inspections conducted at 13 coal and six metal/nonmetal mine operations last month.

November 18, 2010

MSHA launches 2nd phase of Rules to Live By enforcement initiative

ARLINGTON, Va. – The U.S. Department of Labor's Mine Safety and Health Administration today launched the second phase of an outreach and enforcement program designed to strengthen efforts to prevent mining fatalities. "Rules to Live By II: Preventing Catastrophic Accidents" was developed from data gathered by reviewing accidents that resulted in five or more fatalities, as well as from incidents caused by fires or explosions that had the potential to result in more fatalities.

November 18, 2010

Statement by Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis on expanded Trade Adjustment Assistance program

WASHINGTON – Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis today issued the following statement on the extension of the expanded Trade Adjustment Assistance program:

November 18, 2010

ETA Press Release: Unemployment Insurance Weekly Claims Report

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending Nov. 13, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 439,000, an increase of 2,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 437,000. The 4-week moving average was 443,000, a decrease of 4,000 from the previous week's revised average of 447,000.

November 18, 2010

Statement by Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis on expanded Trade Adjustment Assistance program

WASHINGTON – Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis today issued the following statement regarding the increased enforcement and outreach efforts of the U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division:

"Protecting worker rights is my top priority at the Department of Labor. It's not a slogan. It's a commitment that I have made to ensure workers receive all the protections that the law promises, and that no employer gains an unfair advantage by cheating workers out of their rightfully earned wages.

November 18, 2010

DOL's Wage and Hour Division assesses Georgia agricultural employer $1.3 million in back wages and $136,500 in penalties -

ATLANTA —Following an investigation, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division is assessing J&R Baker Farms LLC $1,311,644 in back wages owed to 244 workers and $136,500 in fines for violating provisions of the H-2A temporary agricultural worker program.

The department’s Office of the Solicitor has filed a request with the department’s Office of Administrative Law Judges to hold a hearing to enforce the department’s findings against the Ellenton, Ga., agricultural employer.

November 18, 2010

US Labor Department proposes rule to implement annual funding notice requirement for pension plans

WASHINGTON – Pursuant to a requirement imposed by the Pension Protection Act of 2006, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employee Benefits Security Administration today announced a proposed rule to implement the annual funding notice requirement under section 101(f) of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act.

November 17, 2010

Statement by Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis on US Senate's failure to pass Paycheck Fairness Act

WASHINGTON – Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis today issued the following statement after the Senate's failure to invoke cloture (by a margin of 58 to 41) on S. 3772 – the Paycheck Fairness Act:

November 17, 2010

DOL announces 2011 Trade Adjustment Assistance initial funding allocations

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced initial funding allocations for Trade Adjustment Assistance for states to assist workers who lose their jobs due to outsourcing and foreign trade.

November 17, 2010

US Labor Department obtains judgments against trustees of New York City- based pension plan for violating employee benefits law

NEW YORK – The U.S. Department of Labor has obtained a judgment against trustee Samuel Kohl and default judgments against trustee Caren Kohl and Welko Inc. of New York City as fiduciaries of the Welko Inc. Pension Plan, permanently barring them from serving in a fiduciary capacity to any employee benefit plan covered by the Employee Retirement Income Security Act.

November 16, 2010

US Labor Department study underscores positive impact of unemployment insurance

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced the findings of a multi-year study of the impact of the Unemployment Insurance program in stabilizing the economy during a deep recession. The study was commissioned by the department and undertaken by IMPAQ International LLC and the Urban Institute.

November 16, 2010

US Labor Department sues owner of defunct Mass. & RI company to restore more than $6.6 million in misused funds owed to company pension plan

BOSTON – The U.S. Department of Labor has sued Fathalla M. Mashali, owner and president of the now defunct Northern Rhode Island Anesthesia Associates P.C. and its subsidiaries, for failing to forward more than $6 million in contributions plus interest owed to the company’s pension plan, in violation of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act. The company operated subsidiaries throughout Massachusetts and Rhode Island.

November 16, 2010

U.S. Labor Department announces nationwide enforcement actions to protect millions of dollars in worker retirement and health benefits

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor's Employee Benefits Security Administration today announced a series of enforcement actions to protect more than $7 million for workers in retirement plans or health plans governed by the Employee Retirement Income Security Act.

November 16, 2010

U.S. Labor Department sues defunct Ocala, Fla., construction company to restore 401(k) plan assets for the benefit of plan participants

OCALA, Fla. - The U.S. Department of Labor has sued the defunct Triple T Construction Inc. and its owner, George Thompson III, to restore assets to the former company's 401(k) plan for the benefit of plan participants and beneficiaries.

November 16, 2010

U.S. Labor Department sues executive of Austin, Texas, veterinary clinic over misuse of 401(k) profit sharing plan assets

AUSTIN, Texas - The U.S. Department of Labor sued the chief financial officer and husband of the owner of bankrupt TLS Vets P.A., located in Austin, for misusing 401(k) profit sharing assets to benefit himself and the veterinary clinic.

November 16, 2010

US Labor Department sues defunct Lexington, SC, steel fabricator to restore more than $7,000 in losses suffered by retirement plan participants

LEXINGTON, S.C. – The U.S. Department of Labor is suing the former Rogers Steel Co. and its owner to restore losses suffered by participants and beneficiaries of the company’s savings incentive match plan for employees individual retirement account, or SIMPLE IRA plan. Rogers Steel Co. was a steel fabricator located in Lexington.

November 16, 2010

US Department of Labor sues Mt. Horeb Plumbing Inc. and owner to restore more than $30,000 to employee 401(k) plan

MT. HOREB, Wis. – The U.S. Department of Labor has sued Mt. Horeb Plumbing Inc. and its owner and president, Michael D. O’Connell, for failing to make $30,120.65 in contributions and for untimely remitting $49,235.15 to the company’s employee 401(k) plan in violation of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act.

November 16, 2010

U.S. Labor Department sues Dallas paralegal company and executive to recover plan assets for company's SIMPLE IRA plan

DALLAS - The U.S. Department of Labor has sued Paralegals Plus Inc. in Dallas and its chief executive officer for failure to remit employee contributions and plan assets to the company's savings incentive match plan for employees individual retirement account, or SIMPLE IRA plan and for using the plan's assets to benefit the company, in violation of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act.

November 16, 2010

U.S. Labor Department sues Charleston, SC, heating and air conditioning company to restore more than $44,000 in retirement plan losses

CHARLESTON, S.C. - The U.S. Department of Labor has sued Charleston, S.C.-based Wappoo Service Heating and Air Conditioning and its president, Perry Miles, to restore $44,250.34 in losses suffered by participants and beneficiaries of the company's savings incentive match plan for employees individual retirement account, or SIMPLE IRA plan. The lawsuit followed an investigation by the department's Employee Benefits Security Administration into alleged violations of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act.