WASHINGTON – The U.S. departments of Labor and Agriculture today announced a Memorandum of Understanding to maximize skills training and work opportunities for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program participants. The agreement, which will help states more effectively connect SNAP participants with Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act job training programs, aims to help more low-income Americans find and maintain employment.

In the week ending December 13, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 224,000, a decrease of 13,000 from the previous week's revised level. The previous week's level was revised up by 1,000 from 236,000 to 237,000. The 4-week moving average was 217,500, an increase of 500 from the previous week's revised average. The previous week's average was revised up by 250 from 216,750 to 217,000.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced it will conduct a targeted review of Minnesota’s Unemployment Insurance Program using an onsite specialized UI strike team following recent discoveries of widespread fraud in the state’s benefits programs. 

In the week ending December 6, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 236,000, an increase of 44,000 from the previous week's revised level. The previous week's level was revised up by 1,000 from 191,000 to 192,000. The 4-week moving average was 216,750, an increase of 2,000 from the previous week's unrevised average of 214,750.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Departments of Labor and Education provided an update today on the Trump Administration’s historic actions to integrate the federal government’s workforce development portfolio, announcing that the departments transitioned the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act state plan portal to the Labor Department to streamline federal workforce development programs. 

In the week ending November 29, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 191,000, a decrease of 27,000 from the previous week's revised level. This is the lowest level for initial claims since September 24, 2022 when it was 189,000. The previous week's level was revised up by 2,000 from 216,000 to 218,000. The 4-week moving average was 214,750, a decrease of 9,500 from the previous week's revised average. The previous week's average was revised up by 500 from 223,750 to 224,250.

In the week ending November 22, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 216,000, a decrease of 6,000 from the previous week's revised level. The previous week's level was revised up by 2,000 from 220,000 to 222,000. The 4-week moving average was 223,750, a decrease of 1,000 from the previous week's revised average. The previous week's average was revised up by 500 from 224,250 to 224,750.

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

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration today announced new guidance aimed at empowering state and local workforce development boards to innovate and optimize service delivery of these workforce systems. 

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today awarded $2,383,398 in additional funding to support continued disaster-relief jobs and employment and training services for West Virginia residents in the aftermath of February 2025 severe storms. 

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today awarded $1 million in grant funding to support disaster-relief jobs and employment and training services for Alaska residents in the aftermath of severe storms and flooding caused by Typhoon Halong. 

In the week ending November 15, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 220,000, a decrease of 8,000 from the previous week's level. The 4-week moving average was 224,250, a decrease of 3,000 from the previous week's average.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today awarded $4 million in additional funding to support continued disaster-relief jobs for Missouri residents affected by severe storms that occurred in spring 2025.   

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced the award of an additional $700,000 in grant funding to Georgia for continued employment and training services for residents affected by severe storms in 2024. 

On Aug. 5, 2024, Hurricane Debby made landfall as a Category 1 storm near Steinhatchee, Florida, and moved through southeast Georgia as a tropical storm. Debby caused significant infrastructure damage in Georgia, blocking and collapsing many roads, destroying public facilities and denying access to local businesses. 

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced the award of more than $86 million in Industry-Driven Skills Training Fund grants to 14 states to accelerate innovation, strengthen domestic production, and address critical workforce needs across the country, with more than $20 million of the funding supporting the revitalization of the domestic shipbuilding industry, training workers in welding, marine electrical, manufacturing, and other skilled trades.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced the award of $890,121 in grant funding to Texas to support disaster-relief jobs and employment training services for residents suffering from the aftermath of severe storms. 

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced Alabama and Colorado have each received $12.5 million in funding to develop resources and invest in educational pipelines that lead to more Registered Apprenticeship opportunities. 

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced the launch of Project Firewall, an H-1B enforcement initiative that will safeguard the rights, wages, and job opportunities of highly skilled American workers by ensuring employers prioritize qualified Americans when hiring workers and holding employers accountable if they abuse the H-1B visa process.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today awarded $2 million to Ohio to support employment and training services for workers affected by the closure of the Pixelle Specialty Solutions LLC Chillicothe Paper Mill.