January 16, 2014

ETA Press Release: Unemployment Insurance Weekly Claims Report

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending January 11, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 326,000, a decrease of 2,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 328,000. The 4-week moving average was 335,000, a decrease of 13,500 from the previous week's revised average of 348,500.

January 16, 2014

WHD News Release: US Labor Department enforcement initiative results in more than $170,000 in back wages for more than 600 child care workers in Kentucky [01/16/2014]

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — An ongoing enforcement initiative conducted by the U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division focusing on the child care industry in Kentucky has uncovered significant violations of the minimum wage, overtime and record-keeping provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act. In fiscal year 2013, the division's Louisville District Office conducted 59 cases involving child care providers, resulting in more than $170,000 in back wages for more than 600 workers.

January 15, 2014

US Department of Labor sues trustees of Western Steel Erection 401(k) Plan to recover more than $5,000 in retirement benefits

Date of Action: Jan. 14, 2014

Type of Action: Complaint

Names of Defendants: Stephanie J. Jochims and Robert C. Jochims

Allegations: The U.S. Department of Labor has filed suit against Stephanie J. Jochims, the former owner of Western Steel Erection, Inc., and her husband Robert C. Jochims, in an effort to recover $5,167 in employee retirement contributions and loan repayments intended for the Western Steel Erection 401(k) Plan. The company was located in Long Lake, Minn.

January 15, 2014

Perez v. Zohouri Group involving failure to administer and terminate the company's 401(k) plan in Alpharetta, Ga.

Date of Action: Jan. 2, 2014

Type of Action: Default Judgment and Order

Names of Defendants: Zohouri Group LLC and Farbod S. Zohouri

January 15, 2014

OSHA News Release: OSHA releases new resources to protect hospital workers and enhance patient safety [01/15/2014]

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration today launched a new educational Web resource, http://www.osha.gov/hospitals, which has extensive materials to help hospitals prevent worker injuries, assess workplace safety needs, enhance safe patient handling programs, and implement safety and health management systems. The materials include fact books, self-assessments and best practice guides.

January 14, 2014

Trustees of Hico Flex Brass Co. restore more than $79,000 to Machesney Park, Ill., employee retirement plan

Date of Action: Jan. 8, 2014

Type of Action: Consent Order and Judgment

Name of Defendant: Hico Flex Brass Co., Inc., Mark Isaacs, and Neil Isaacs

January 14, 2014

MSHA News Release: Administrative Law Judge ruling in Sago mine explosion overturned by federal mine review commission [01/14/2014]

ARLINGTON, Va. — The U.S. Department of Labor's Mine Safety and Health Administration announced today that the Federal Mine Safety and Health Review Commission has overturned a decision by Administrative Law Judge Jerold Feldman involving Wolf Run Mining Co.'s Sago Mine in Upshure County, W. Va., where 12 miners died in a massive explosion Jan. 2, 2006. The commission found that the mine operator's failure to notify MSHA and mine rescue teams immediately after the explosion involved unwarrantable failure and high negligence.

January 14, 2014

WHD News Release: California company restores nearly $2M in pension benefits to 515 employees following US Labor Department investigation [01/14/2014]

OAKLAND, Calif. — An investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division resulted in the restoration of $1,979,779 in 401(k) pension benefits to 515 drivers working on U.S. Postal Service contracts for Lange Trucking Inc. because of violations of the McNamara-O'Hara Service Contract Act. The company, along with its President, William A. Langenhuizen; Vice President, William H.

January 14, 2014

MSHA News Release: Administrative Law Judge ruling in Sago mine explosion overturned by federal mine review commission [01/14/2014]

ARLINGTON, Va. — The U.S. Department of Labor's Mine Safety and Health Administration announced today that the Federal Mine Safety and Health Review Commission has overturned a decision by Administrative Law Judge Jerold Feldman involving Wolf Run Mining Co.'s Sago Mine in Upshure County, W. Va., where 12 miners died in a massive explosion Jan. 2, 2006. The commission found that the mine operator's failure to notify MSHA and mine rescue teams immediately after the explosion involved unwarrantable failure and high negligence.

January 13, 2014

MSHA News Release: MSHA implements Upper Big Branch corrective actions on schedule [01/13/2014]

ARLINGTON, Va. — The U.S. Department of Labor's Mine Safety and Health Administration announced today that, as of Dec. 31, 2013, the agency had addressed the 100 recommendations published in a March 2012 internal review report, meeting the specific timetables and deadlines it had set for implementation of each recommendation. That report examined the agency's actions in the months leading up to the April 2010 Upper Big Branch mine explosion, which killed 29 miners, injured two and led to sweeping changes in mine safety.

January 13, 2014

OPA News Release: Statement by U.S. Secretary of Labor Thomas E. Perez on Congressman George Miller's retirement announcement [01/13/2014]

WASHINGTON — U.S. Secretary of Labor Thomas E. Perez today issued the following statement regarding Rep. George Miller's announcement to retire at the end of his 20th term in the House of Representatives:

January 13, 2014

MSHA News Release: MSHA implements Upper Big Branch corrective actions on schedule [01/13/2014]

ARLINGTON, Va. — The U.S. Department of Labor's Mine Safety and Health Administration announced today that, as of Dec. 31, 2013, the agency had addressed the 100 recommendations published in a March 2012 internal review report, meeting the specific timetables and deadlines it had set for implementation of each recommendation. That report examined the agency's actions in the months leading up to the April 2010 Upper Big Branch mine explosion, which killed 29 miners, injured two and led to sweeping changes in mine safety.

January 10, 2014

OPA News Release: Statement of Labor Secretary Perez on December employment numbers [01/10/2014]

WASHINGTON — Secretary of Labor Thomas E. Perez issued the following statement about the December 2013 Employment Situation report released today:

"The U.S. economy closed out 2013 by adding 74,000 jobs, bringing the 2013 total to nearly 2.2 million new jobs. With 87,000 new private-sector jobs in December, that makes 8.2 million jobs created by the private sector over the last 46 straight months. The December unemployment rate fell to 6.7 percent.

January 9, 2014

ETA Press Release: Unemployment Insurance Weekly Claims Report

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending January 4, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 330,000, a decrease of 15,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 345,000. The 4-week moving average was 349,000, a decrease of 9,750 from the previous week's revised average of 358,750.

January 9, 2014

MSHA News Release: MSHA settles two discrimination cases with Tennessee mine operator [01/09/2014]

ARLINGTON, Va. — The U.S. Department of Labor's Mine Safety and Health Administration announced today that the department has settled two discrimination cases with Nyrstar Tennessee Mines – Gordonsville LLC, which operates the Cumberland and Elmwood/Gordonsville Mines in Smith County, Tenn. According to the settlement, which was approved by Kenneth R.

January 8, 2014

US Department of Labor files suit to recover unpaid contributions to 401(k) plan of West Haven, Conn., contractor

Date of Action: Dec. 5, 2013

Type of Action: Complaint

Name(s) of Defendant: F.V. Zanetti Inc. and Robert Zanetti

January 8, 2014

US Department of Labor obtains consent judgment ordering restoration of almost $53,000 to SIMPLE IRA plan of former Rhode Island day care business

Date of Action: Dec. 12, 2013

Type of Action: Consent Judgment and Order

Name(s) of Defendant: Counseling and Educational Consultants, doing business as Rumford Day Nursery, Inc., and Deborah Very-King

January 8, 2014

OSHA News Release: OSHA will hold live Web chat on its proposed silica rule [01/08/2014]

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration will host a live Web chat to discuss the agency's proposed rule on occupational exposure to respirable crystalline silica from 1 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. EST, Tuesday, Jan. 14. Visit http://www.osha.gov/silica/webchat.html to participate.

January 7, 2014

ETA News Release: Additional funding awarded to Mississippi to assist ongoing cleanup and recovery efforts from severe storms, tornadoes and flooding [01/07/2014]

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Labor today announced a $833,835 National Emergency Grant incremental award to continue with the cleanup and recovery efforts resulting from the severe storms, tornadoes and flooding in Mississippi on Feb. 10, 2013. These funds are being awarded to the Mississippi Department of Employment Security to create temporary jobs for eligible individuals to assist in cleanup efforts.

January 7, 2014

OPA News Release: Statement by US Secretary of Labor Thomas E. Perez on extending unemployment benefits [01/07/2014]

WASHINGTON — U.S. Secretary of Labor Thomas E. Perez today issued the following statement regarding the Senate's procedural vote invoking cloture on a three-month extension of Emergency Unemployment Compensation:

"Today, the U.S. Senate threw a lifeline that 1.3 million Americans desperately need, agreeing to move forward on legislation to extend emergency unemployment benefits that had expired on Dec. 28.