WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced a $558,591 grant to assist approximately 160 workers affected by layoffs at eight manufacturing companies located in southern New Hampshire.

"The professionalism and commitment to quality of the American manufacturing workforce is unparalleled," said Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis. "These workers deserve our support as they seek to upgrade current skills or enter training leading to good jobs in growing industries."

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today awarded $10 million in funding to organizations that connect older Americans to career opportunities. The Aging Worker Initiative: Strategies for Regional Talent Development is designed to train workers aged 55 and older for jobs in high-growth, high-demand industries, and increase the public workforce system's capacity to effectively serve an aging worker population.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today certified for release $28,231,263 in unemployment insurance (UI) modernization incentive funds to the state of Maine. Maine qualified for its full share of the funds available under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (Recovery Act or ARRA) by providing for a variety of provisions that make it easier for recent entrants to the workforce, workers seeking part-time work and people who are upgrading their skills to be eligible for benefits.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced that almost 1,000 workers in auto-related industries in Michigan are eligible to apply for Trade Adjustment Assistance.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced that more than 600 workers from Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co. in Union City, Tenn., are eligible to apply for Trade Adjustment Assistance.

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending July 18, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 554,000, an increase of 30,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 524,000. The 4-week moving average was 566,000, a decrease of 19,000 from the previous week's revised average of 585,000.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 4.7 percent for the week ending July 11, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate of 4.7 percent.

WASHINGTON – During a visit to the Des Moines Area Community College in Ankeny, Iowa, today, U.S. Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis announced a $664,074 Recovery Act grant to assist approximately 121 workers affected by layoffs at the RR Donnelley print plant in Spencer, Iowa.

WASHINGTON – During a visit to the Des Moines Area Community College in Ankeny, Iowa, today, U.S. Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis announced a $335,853 Recovery Act grant to assist approximately 125 workers affected by the closure of Atwood Mobile Products in West Union, Iowa.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced that more than 900 workers from Delphi Steering in Saginaw, Mich., are eligible to apply for Trade Adjustment Assistance.

"The Department of Labor is committed to supporting workers who lose their jobs through no fault of their own and who are in need of retraining," said Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis. "The support provided under the Trade Adjustment Assistance program will help get these auto workers back into good paying jobs."

Training in other high growth industries also will be targeted

TOPEKA, Kan. – During a visit to the Shawnee County Community Health Center as a stop on the Obama administration's Rural Tour, Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis today announced a $220 million competition to fund projects that prepare workers for careers in the health care and other high growth industries.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor has announced a $1,442,099 National Emergency Grant increment to continue clean-up and recovery efforts following a 2009 ice storm in Arkansas.

"Northern Arkansas is still working to clean up and recover from the destruction caused by a large ice storm in the winter of 2009," said Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis. "Today's grant will provide more funding to support continuing recovery efforts."

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending July 11, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 522,000, a decrease of 47,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 569,000. The 4-week moving average was 584,500, a decrease of 22,500 from the previous week's revised average of 607,000.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor has certified for release $57,049,761 in unemployment insurance (UI) modernization incentive funds to the state of Oregon. Oregon qualified for these funds available under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (Recovery Act) by enacting certain UI provisions.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor has certified for release $59,969,332 in unemployment insurance (UI) modernization incentive funds to the state of Arkansas. Arkansas qualified for its full share of the funds available under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (Recovery Act) by making it easier for recent entrants to the workforce, workers seeking part-time work and those unemployed for family reasons to be eligible for benefits.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor has certified for release $141,808,031 in unemployment insurance (UI) modernization incentive funds to the state of Tennessee. Tennessee qualified for its full share of the funds available under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (Recovery Act) by providing for a variety of family friendly provisions that assist recent entrants to the workforce, workers seeking part-time work and workers with children.

CHICAGO – The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) today announced the publication of a notice of proposed rulemaking in today's Federal Register to approve a new Illinois state public employee protection plan.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today certified for release $275,161,405 in unemployment insurance (UI) modernization incentive funds to the state of New York. New York qualified for these funds available under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (Recovery Act) by making it easier for unemployed workers seeking part-time employment and those unemployed for family-related reasons to be eligible for benefits.

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending July 4, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 565,000, a decrease of 52,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 617,000. The 4-week moving average was 606,000, a decrease of 10,000 from the previous week's revised average of 616,000.

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending June 27, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 614,000, a decrease of 16,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 630,000. The 4-week moving average was 615,250, a decrease of 2,750 from the previous week's revised average of 618,000.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor has announced a second and final increment of a National Emergency Grant, in the amount of $7,933,200, to assist in the continued clean-up and recovery efforts in Texas following Hurricane Ike.

"The state of Texas is still working to recover from the damage caused by Hurricane Ike in late summer 2008," said Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis. "This increment will create additional temporary jobs to aid in the state's ongoing clean-up and recovery efforts."