Decision supports February ruling by Office of Administrative Law Judges

WASHINGTON — The U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia has ruled that United Space Alliance LLC must supply the U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs with compensation information requested for a review of the company's Cape Canaveral, Fla., facility. The ruling upholds a Feb. 28 decision by the department's Office of Administrative Law Judges.

Date of Action:  Oct. 25, 2011

Type of Action:  consent judgment and order

Names of Defendants: Frank Mitacek III, Susan Mitacek, and the Frank’s International, Inc. 401(k) Plan. 

Allegations: The defendants breached the fiduciary duties under ERISA by failing to remit, and remit timely, employee contributions and participant loan payments to the plan, causing losses to the plan of $21,853.91, including lost-opportunity costs. 

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending November 5, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 390,000, a decrease of 10,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 400,000. The 4-week moving average was 400,000, a decrease of 5,250 from the previous week's revised average of 405,250.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.9 percent for the week ending October 29, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate.

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Workers' Compensation Programs today announced a partnership with the National Academy of Sciences to further enhance the Site Exposure Matrices website, a tool that aids the adjudication of claims under the Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program Act.

Date of Action:  Nov. 8, 2011

Action: Consent order and judgment

Names of Defendants:  Christina Metzler, Westside Cabinet & Millwork Savings Incentive Match Plan for Employees Individual Retirement Accounts Plan located in Madison, Wis.

Allegations: Christina Metzler was the treasurer of Westside Cabinet and Millwork Inc., and fiduciary of the Westside Cabinet & Millwork SIMPLE IRA Plan, which was established in 1997.

OSHA to focus on improving safety and health at nursing home facilities

Partnership will provide no-cost training and certifications to veterans in California, Florida, Texas, Virginia and Washington communities

WASHINGTON – Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis today issued the following statement on the Nov. 8 Ohio labor referendum, in which a majority of voters rejected a state law limiting collective bargaining:

"Last night, Ohio voters delivered a bona fide victory for public sector workers everywhere.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration is encouraging major retail employers to take precautions to prevent worker injuries during Black Friday and other major sales events during the holiday season.

ARLINGTON, Va. – The U.S. Department of Labor's Mine Safety and Health Administration announced today that an Administrative Law Judge with the Federal Mine Safety and Health Review Commission has upheld citations issued last May to Connolly-Pacific Co.'s Pebbly Beach Quarry, located on Catalina Island, Calif. The citations have now been appealed to the Commission.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced a $3,448,259 grant to provide re-employment and support services to about 850 workers laid off in July due to the closure of the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co. facility in Union City, Tenn.

Compliance assistance workshops covering H-2A and MSPA rules to be held in Arcadia, Avon Park and Dover

WASHINGTON – Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis today issued the following statement on the October 2011 Employment Situation report released today:

"Our nation's labor market posted stable growth in the month of October. The economy added 104,000 private sector jobs last month, and we also added 102,000 more jobs than had previously been reported in August and September. The unemployment rate dropped to 9 percent, its lowest level in six months.

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending October 29, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 397,000, a decrease of 9,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 406,000. The 4-week moving average was 404,500, a decrease of 2,000 from the previous week's revised average of 406,500.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.9 percent for the week ending October 22, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate.

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Workers' Compensation Programs has successfully defended a recent amendment to the Black Lung Benefits Act contained in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 3rd Circuit held in "B & G Construction Co. v. Campbell and Director, Office of Workers' Comp. Programs" that the amendment is constitutional and provides benefits to certain survivors of miners who were entitled to benefits at the time of their deaths.

All-Feed Processing & Packaging failed to protect workers from dust and noise exposure

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration will publish interim final rules in the Nov. 3 Federal Register that revise the regulations governing whistleblower complaints filed under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced the formal recognition of the Guam Department of Labor as the state apprenticeship agency authorized to oversee the territory's Registered Apprenticeship system.

LOS ANGELES – Two former corporate officers of an East Los Angeles community hospital have been ordered to repay $600,692 plus post-judgment interest to the ElaStar Community Hospital Retirement Savings Plan, according to the terms of a consent judgment and order filed in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California’s Southern Division.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced a $504,000 National Emergency Grant to provide re-employment services to about 115 workers affected by layoffs at the Pittsburgh branch of the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland.

"This federal grant will assist workers in Pittsburgh who lost their jobs through no fault of their own," said Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis. "These workers will receive re-employment services and training to help them obtain jobs in Pittsburgh's growing industries."