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.

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.

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 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 $3,026,914 National Emergency Grant increment to continue assisting 1,063 California workers affected by mass layoffs and closures in the mortgage and banking industries.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor has announced an $11,646,300 grant to create approximately 641 temporary jobs to continue the clean-up and recovery efforts necessary as a result of the 2008 severe storms, tornadoes and flooding in Iowa.

"The grant awarded today is a result of the continued need for clean-up and restoration in the counties damaged in Iowa as a result of the 2008 disaster events and the discovery of additional damage," said Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis.

WASHINGTON – Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis today announced 17 grants, totaling more than $7.5 million dollars, to provide approximately 3,000 veterans with job training to help them succeed in civilian careers. The grants are being awarded under the U.S. Department of Labor's Veterans' Workforce Investment Program (VWIP).

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."

WASHINGTON – Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis today announced 10 grants totaling $18,715,780 to fund projects that will support young offenders seeking to enter the workforce. Funding announced today is focused on three areas: 1) young offender re-entry planning grants, 2) juvenile offender implementation grants for state and local government partnerships and 3) one intermediary re-entry grant to an organization with experience in conducting project demonstrations in multiple cities.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced a $2,203,292 National Emergency Grant increment to continue to assist approximately 1,515 Wisconsin workers impacted by automotive industry layoffs and plant closures in Rock County, Wis.

"These workers deserve training and employment services that will allow them to re-enter the workforce," said Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis. "The department is committed to helping auto workers upgrade existing skills or pursue new careers in promising regional industries."

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today awarded $2,212,751 to assist state apprenticeship agencies in the development of strategies to better serve dislocated workers and other unemployed individuals through expanded partnerships with the Registered Apprenticeship system, which is administered by the department's Employment and Training Administration.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today certified for release $13,007,527 in unemployment insurance (UI) modernization incentive funds to the state of New Mexico. New Mexico 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.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced a $1,624,000 National Emergency Grant increment to continue to assist Illinois workers impacted by layoffs and plant closures at 31 companies across the state.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today certified for release $5,206,411 in unemployment insurance (UI) modernization incentive funds to the state of Alaska. Alaska 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.

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending June 20, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 627,000, an increase of 15,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 612,000. The 4-week moving average was 617,250, an increase of 500 from the previous week's revised average of 616,750.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 5.0 percent for the week ending June 13, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate of 5.0 percent.

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – During a visit to Memphis today, Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis announced five grant competitions, totaling $500 million, to fund projects that prepare workers for green jobs in the energy efficiency and renewable energy industries.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor has certified for release $44,644,693 in unemployment insurance (UI) modernization incentive funds to the state of Wisconsin. Wisconsin qualified for 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.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today certified for release $6,508,588 in unemployment insurance (UI) modernization incentive funds to the state of Montana. Montana 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.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor has certified for release $75,886,483 in unemployment insurance (UI) modernization incentive funds to the state of Oklahoma. Oklahoma qualified for its full share of the funds available under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (Recovery Act) by providing for a variety of provisions that assist recent entrants to the workforce, part time workers, and people who become unemployed because of compelling family reasons.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced a $405,000 grant to assist approximately 80 workers affected by layoffs at the Freightliner Trucks manufacturing facility in Portland, Ore. Freightliner Trucks is a division of Daimler Trucks North America, the largest manufacturer of heavy duty vehicles in North America and a leading manufacturer of medium-duty vehicles.