September 24, 2009

ETA Press Release: Unemployment Insurance Weekly Claims Report

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending Sept. 19, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 530,000, a decrease of 21,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 551,000. The 4-week moving average was 553,500, a decrease of 11,000 from the previous week's revised average of 564,500.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 4.6 percent for the week ending Sept. 12, a decrease of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week's unrevised rate of 4.7 percent.

September 24, 2009

MSHA increases funding for state health and safety training grants

Training funds total more than $8.3 million in fiscal year 2009

ARLINGTON, Va. The U.S. Department of Labor's Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) today announced it has allocated more than $8.3 million in health and safety training grants for fiscal year 2009, up from last year's distribution of $8.2 million.

September 23, 2009

Statement of U.S. Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis on success of summer jobs program for nations youth

WASHINGTON – Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis today issued the following statement regarding the success of the Summer Youth Employment Program for the nation's youth:

September 18, 2009

U.S. Labor Department awards more than $6.8 million in safety and health training grants

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) today awarded more than $6.8 million in Susan Harwood Training Grants to 30 recipients, encompassing labor unions, employer associations, colleges and universities, and other nonprofit organizations. The training grants cover a two-year period.

September 17, 2009

U.S. Department of Labor announces more than $300,000 to assist workers affected by layoffs in Maines paper manufacturing industry

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced a $323,565 grant to assist workers affected by layoffs at NewPage Corp.'s Rumford Paper Mill in Rumford, Maine.

"Today's grant will provide employment-related services that are crucial to finding new jobs in burgeoning areas of the economy," said Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis. "These workers deserve our support as they seek to upgrade existing skills, or prepare for new careers in promising regional industries."

September 17, 2009

U.S. Department of Labor certifies approximately 4,700 workers in 13 states as eligible to apply for Trade Adjustment Assistance

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced that approximately 4,700 workers from companies in 13 states – Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Maine, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, South Dakota, Tennessee and Wisconsin – are eligible to apply for Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA).

September 17, 2009

ETA Press Release: Unemployment Insurance Weekly Claims Report

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending Sept. 12, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 545,000, a decrease of 12,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 557,000. The 4-week moving average was 563,000, a decrease of 8,750 from the previous week's revised average of 571,750.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 4.7 percent for the week ending Sept. 5, an increase of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week's unrevised rate of 4.6 percent.

September 17, 2009

U.S. Labor Department awards cooperative agreements to improve registered apprenticeship training for youth and young adults with disabilities

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) has awarded cooperative agreements to The Workplace Inc. in Bridgeport, Conn., and the SkillSource Group Inc. in Vienna, Va., to lead consortia to develop innovative models of providing inclusive registered apprenticeship training to youth and young adults with disabilities.

September 16, 2009

U.S. Labor Department sues former CEO of defunct Centerbrook, Connecticut, company to recover misused assets of employee 401(k) plan

Boston – The U.S. Department of Labor has sued the former chief executive officer of defunct F & F Industries Inc., formerly of Centerbrook, Connecticut, for alleged misuse of approximately $63,800 of assets of the company’s 401(k) plan and for failure to collect more than $81,000 in employer contributions for employees who worked on jobs covered by the Connecticut state prevailing wage laws.

September 15, 2009

MSHA awards $500,000 in Brookwood-Sago mine safety grants

Appalachian region is recipient of 3 of 6 grants

September 15, 2009

U.S. Department of Labor sues owner of defunct Florida home health care company to obtain restitution of funds to company's pension plan

Atlanta – The U.S. Department of Labor has sued Floyd Seibert for violations of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA).

Filed in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida, the complaint alleges that the defendant violated his fiduciary responsibilities when he failed to discharge his duties with respect to the Central Home Care Services 401(k) pension plan by engaging in prohibited transactions.

September 11, 2009

U.S. Department of Labor’s ERISA Advisory Council to hold September 29 teleconference

Washington – The Advisory Council on Employee Welfare and Pension Benefit Plans (known as the ERISA Advisory Council) will convene by teleconference September 29 to discuss reports and recommendations on topics to be submitted to the secretary of labor.

September 10, 2009

Statement of U.S. Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis on Sen. Tom Harkin as new chairman of HELP Committee

WASHINGTON – Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis today issued the following statement regarding Sen. Tom Harkin as chairman of the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee:

"I am delighted to congratulate Sen. Tom Harkin on his new role as chairman of the HELP Committee.

September 10, 2009

U.S. Labor Department announces release of $11.1 million in unemployment insurance modernization incentive funds to West Virginia

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today certified for release $11,058,877 in unemployment insurance (UI) modernization incentive funds to the state of West Virginia. West Virginia qualified for a portion of its share of the funds available under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (Recovery Act) by allowing workers to use their more recent earnings to qualify for benefits.

September 10, 2009

ETA Press Release: Unemployment Insurance Weekly Claims Report

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending Sept. 5, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 550,000, a decrease of 26,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 576,000. The 4-week moving average was 570,000, a decrease of 2,750 from the previous week's revised average of 572,750.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 4.6 percent for the week ending Aug. 29, a decrease of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week's unrevised rate of 4.7 percent.

September 10, 2009

U.S. Labor Department issues reports on international child labor and forced labor

WASHINGTONThe U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of International Labor Affairs (ILAB) today released three reports on child labor and/or forced labor in countries around the globe. The documents include the initial "List of Goods Produced by Child or Forced Labor" required by the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2005 (TVPRA List).

September 10, 2009

Statement by U.S. Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis on reports detailing international child labor and forced labor

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Labor today released three reports on child labor and forced labor around the world. The reports, which can be downloaded at http://www.dol.gov/ilab include a list of 122 goods — from 58 countries — made using child labor and forced labor.

Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis issued the following statement:

September 10, 2009

U.S. Labor Department sues fiduciary of ERISA-covered plan sponsored by Twinsburg, Ohio, company

Twinsburg, Ohio – The U.S. Department of Labor has sued the former president and fiduciary to the 401(k) retirement plan of Precision Funding Corp., a mortgage broker, for improperly using plan assets withheld from employees’ pay for the benefit of the company, in violation of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA).

September 9, 2009

U.S. Labor Departments OSHA issues final rule updating personal protective equipment standards based on national consensus standards

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) today published in the Federal Register a final rule revising the personal protective equipment (PPE) sections of its general industry, shipyard employment, longshoring and marine terminals standards concerning requirements for eye- and face-protective devices, and head and foot protection.

September 9, 2009

U.S. Labor Department announces release of $42.5 million in unemployment insurance modernization incentive funds to Colorado

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today certified for release $42,489,921 in unemployment insurance (UI) modernization incentive funds to the state of Colorado. Colorado qualified for a portion of its share of the funds available under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (Recovery Act) by allowing workers to use their more recent earnings to qualify for benefits.