WASHINGTON – To help remove academic and training barriers faced by young people, the U.S. Department of Labor today announced a $90 million funding opportunity in YouthBuild Program grants to support pre-apprenticeships in high-demand industries including construction, healthcare, information technology and hospitality.

In the week ending November 19, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 240,000, an increase of 17,000 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 226,750, an increase of 5,500 from the previous week's revised average. The previous week's average was revised up by 250 from 221,000 to 221,250.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor has awarded $1,253,728 to the Kentucky Education and Labor Cabinet to help the commonwealth start a Short-Time Compensation program, a unique approach to prevent worker layoffs by enabling states to pay partial unemployment benefits when an employer must reduce employees’ work hours during economic downturns.

In the week ending November 12, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 222,000, a decrease of 4,000 from the previous week's revised level. The previous week's level was revised up by 1,000 from 225,000 to 226,000. The 4-week moving average was 221,000, an increase of 2,000 from the previous week's revised average. The previous week's average was revised up by 250 from 218,750 to 219,000.

WASHINGTON – As the nation marks National Apprenticeship Week, the U.S. Department of Labor today announced an initiative to expand its pre-apprenticeship opportunities for Job Corps students and connect them to Registered Apprenticeship programs.

The effort will allow Job Corps centers throughout the nation to emphasize pre-apprenticeship programs in green energy, healthcare, information technology and other high-growth industry sectors. 

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced the kick-off of more than 1,000 events and activities throughout the country as part of the eighth annual National Apprenticeship Week, Nov. 14-20, 2022.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced the award of $6,848,992 in grants to state employment insurance systems in Delaware, Montana and Wyoming to enhance awareness and improve delivery of unemployment insurance benefits to people who face obstacles to access.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced an incremental award of $2,677,470 to the Texas Workforce Commission to support continued employment and training services for transitioning military service members and their spouses near and at the U.S. Army’s Fort Hood installation.  

In the week ending November 5, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 225,000, an increase of 7,000 from the previous week's revised level. The previous week's level was revised up by 1,000 from 217,000 to 218,000. The 4-week moving average was 218,750, a decrease of 250 from the previous week's revised average. The previous week's average was revised up by 250 from 218,750 to 219,000.

In the week ending October 29, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 217,000, a decrease of 1,000 from the previous week's revised level. The previous week's level was revised up by 1,000 from 217,000 to 218,000. The 4-week moving average was 218,750, a decrease of 500 from the previous week's revised average. The previous week's average was revised up by 250 from 219,000 to 219,250.

WASHINGTON – Citing an unprecedent rise in global energy costs, Century Aluminum Co. – the nation’s largest producer of primary aluminum – announced plans in June 2022 to curtail operations and begin the idling process at its Hawesville, Kentucky, smelter until energy prices return to more normalized levels.

In the week ending October 22, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 217,000, an increase of 3,000 from the previous week's unrevised level of 214,000. The 4-week moving average was 219,000, an increase of 6,750 from the previous week's unrevised average of 212,250.

In the week ending October 15, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 214,000, a decrease of 12,000 from the previous week's revised level. The previous week's level was revised down by 2,000 from 228,000 to 226,000. The 4-week moving average was 212,250, an increase of 1,250 from the previous week's revised average. The previous week's average was revised down by 500 from 211,500 to 211,000.

SONOMA, CA – The U.S. Department of Labor recovered $54,935 in lost wages for 14 farmworkers after an investigation found that a California grape grower gave workers employed under the H-2A agricultural worker program more hours and better wages than those provided to U.S. workers, in violation of federal law.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced an initial award of $15 million to support disaster-relief employment, and employment and training services in Florida as the state continues its recovery from Hurricane Ian.

In the week ending October 8, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 228,000, an increase of 9,000 from the previous week's unrevised level of 219,000. The 4-week moving average was 211,500, an increase of 5,000 from the previous week's unrevised average of 206,500.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced a final rule to amend H-2A temporary labor certification regulations to protect agricultural workers better, and to update the H-2A application and temporary labor certification process. The final rule will be published in the Federal Register on Oct. 12, 2022.

In the week ending October 1, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 219,000, an increase of 29,000 from the previous week's revised level. The previous week's level was revised down by 3,000 from 193,000 to 190,000. The 4-week moving average was 206,500, an increase of 250 from the previous week's revised average. The previous week's average was revised down by 750 from 207,000 to 206,250.

WASHINGTON – The unprecedented demands that the pandemic placed on the nation’s nurses – combined with retirements and an aging workforce – have greatly increased the need for nursing workers in the U.S.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that more than 275,000 additional nurses are needed from 2020 to 2030, and that employment opportunities for nurses will grow at 9 percent, faster than all other occupations from 2016 through 2026.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor announced the award of nearly $2 million in grant funding to support efforts by six non-profit organizations to help low wage-earning women understand and exercise their employment rights and benefits.