May 2, 2025

Secretary Chavez-DeRemer lauds President Trump’s America First budget proposal

WASHINGTONU.S. Secretary of Labor Lori Chavez-DeRemer issued the following statement regarding the release of President Donald Trump’s Fiscal Year 2026 Discretionary Budget Request:

May 2, 2025

Secretary Chavez-DeRemer statement on April jobs report

WASHINGTON – U.S. Secretary of Labor Lori Chavez-DeRemer issued the following statement regarding the April 2025 Employment Situation Report:

May 1, 2025

US Department of Labor issues guidance on independent contractor misclassification enforcement

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division today issued a field assistance bulletin providing guidance on how to determine employee or independent contractor status when enforcing the Fair Labor Standards Act

May 1, 2025

US Department of Labor awards $2.7M for disaster-relief jobs, training for Georgia residents affected by Hurricane Helene

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today awarded $2.7 million in grant funding to support disaster-relief jobs and employment and training services for Georgia residents suffering from the aftermath of Hurricane Helene. 

May 1, 2025

US Department of Labor awards $4M in funding to continue disaster-relief jobs, training for North Carolinians affected by Hurricane Helene

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today awarded incremental funding of $4 million to support disaster-relief jobs and continue employment training for North Carolina residents harmed in September 2024 when Hurricane Helene brought the worst flooding in a century to the area. 

May 1, 2025

Unemployment Insurance Weekly Claims Report

In the week ending April 26, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 241,000, an increase of 18,000 from the previous week's revised level. The previous week's level was revised up by 1,000 from 222,000 to 223,000. The 4-week moving average was 226,000, an increase of 5,500 from the previous week's revised average. The previous week's average was revised up by 250 from 220,250 to 220,500.

April 30, 2025

US Department of Labor celebrates National Apprenticeship Day 2025, highlighting limitless potential of apprenticeships for American workers

WASHINGTON – U.S. Department of Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer celebrated National Apprenticeship Day today by welcoming the International Association of Fire Fighters for a ceremonial signing event highlighting the importance of apprenticeships and ways the program can unlock a multitude of possibilities for the American worker.

April 29, 2025

Secretary Chavez-DeRemer celebrates President Trump’s first 100 days of economic success with visit to California’s Central Valley

WASHINGTON – To mark President Donald Trump’s successful first 100 days in office, U.S. Department of Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer traveled to California’s Central Valley to meet with local businesses and workers who are benefiting from the new Administration’s America First policies. The Secretary joined Rep. Vince Fong for a workforce development roundtable and a tour of a California Resources Corporation’s energy facilities.

April 28, 2025

US Department of Labor seeks input from building, large-scale construction contractors to set prevailing wages, fringe benefits in Houston area

HOUSTON – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division encourages employers, stakeholders, and others in Southeast Texas’ building and heavy construction industries to help establish accurate prevailing wage rates and fringe benefits for workers on federally funded and assisted projects.

April 25, 2025

Statement by Secretary of Labor Lori Chavez-DeRemer on the death of former Secretary of Labor Alexis M. Herman

WASHINGTON – U.S. Secretary of Labor Lori Chavez-DeRemer issued the following statement regarding the death of former U.S. Secretary of Labor Alexis M. Herman:

April 25, 2025

US Department of Labor releases new Job Corps Transparency Report

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration today released a detailed report analyzing the financial performance and operational costs of the Job Corps Program, the federally funded residential career training and education program for eligible low-income young adults ages 16 to 24. 

April 25, 2025

Secretary Chavez-DeRemer warns states could lose federal funds if illegal immigrants allowed access to unemployment benefits

WASHINGTON – U.S. Secretary of Labor Lori Chavez-DeRemer is urging governors to comply with President Trump’s directives ensuring tax dollars are not spent on encouraging or rewarding illegal immigration. In a letter sent today, the Secretary reminds all states that failing to fulfill existing legal obligations will result in the loss of federal funding through the Title III UI administrative grant.

April 24, 2025

US Department of Labor applauds President Trump’s executive order advancing artificial intelligence education for young Americans

WASHINGTON – U.S. Secretary of Labor Lori Chavez-DeRemer and Deputy Secretary of Labor Keith Sonderling applauded President Trump’s latest Executive Order “Advancing Artificial Intelligence Education for American Youth.” 

The directive, which establishes the White House Task Force on Artificial Intelligence Education, calls on the U.S. Department of Labor to protect and prepare the American workforce for challenges of the future, which remains at the forefront of the President’s AI agenda.

April 24, 2025

Unemployment Insurance Weekly Claims Report

In the week ending April 19, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 222,000, an increase of 6,000 from the previous week's revised level. The previous week's level was revised up by 1,000 from 215,000 to 216,000. The 4-week moving average was 220,250, a decrease of 750 from the previous week's revised average. The previous week's average was revised up by 250 from 220,750 to 221,000.

April 23, 2025

Secretary Chavez-DeRemer praises President Trump’s executive order aimed at expanding apprenticeships, modernizing workforce development

WASHINGTON – U.S. Secretary of Labor Lori Chavez-DeRemer this evening attended the signing of President Trump’s Executive Order “Preparing Americans for High-Paying, Skilled Trade Jobs of the Future.” The directive calls on the U.S.

April 21, 2025

US Department of Labor honors fallen workers with national Workers Memorial Day program April 24

The U.S. Department of Labor will honor workers whose jobs have claimed their lives during its national Workers Memorial Day program on April 24, 2025. 

The department will welcome families traveling from across the country to the nation’s capital for the program, which pays tribute to men and women who have lost their lives while on the job, as well as all the fallen workers before them, and the survivors who remain to grieve and carry on.

April 21, 2025

Secretary Chavez-DeRemer meets with Teamsters, manufacturers, construction workers as America at Work tour continues

BEAVERTON, OR – U.S. Department of Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer delivered a keynote address at the Teamsters Unity Conference last week in Nevada, where she also visited a training facility for aviation mechanics and held a roundtable with local small business owners. Continuing her promise to tell the story of America at Work, the Secretary then traveled to Oregon, where she toured a high school construction project and met with Daimler Truck North America’s Chief Executive Officer John O’Leary.

April 17, 2025

US Department of Labor awards $1.5M to provide resources for Fort Bliss service members transitioning to civilian life

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today awarded $1,564,526 to help service members and their spouses transitioning from the military to civilian life. The funding will ensure impacted workers at and around Fort Bliss have uninterrupted access to needed resources, including employment and training services.

April 17, 2025

Unemployment Insurance Weekly Claims Report

In the week ending April 12, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 215,000, a decrease of 9,000 from the previous week's revised level. The previous week's level was revised up by 1,000 from 223,000 to 224,000. The 4-week moving average was 220,750, a decrease of 2,500 from the previous week's revised average. The previous week's average was revised up by 250 from 223,000 to 223,250.

April 14, 2025

Secretary Chavez-DeRemer continues America at Work tour, meets with PortMiami leadership and longshoremen

MIAMI – U.S. Secretary of Labor Lori Chavez-DeRemer joined Rep. Maria Salazar, small business owners, developers, longshoremen, and local officials during the second stop on her nationwide America at Work listening tour