WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Labor today announced a one-month period for public comment on a preliminary plan to revise department regulations. Members of the public who wish to provide feedback on the "Preliminary Plan for Retrospective Analysis of Existing Rules" are encouraged to do so via a recently launched Web page — http://www.dol.gov/regulations/regreview.htm — established for that purpose.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced grants of $1,170,000 each to 10 organizations to provide training, employment and support services to adult former inmates returning to their communities after serving time in justice facilities.

"The grants announced today are an investment not just in the futures of former inmates, but also in the communities and families to which they are returning," said Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis.

WASHINGTON – Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis today announced 22 grants totaling more than $9 million to provide approximately 4,000 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 to continue successful programs into second and third years.

WASHINGTON – Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis today announced 122 grants totaling more than $28 million to provide approximately 17,000 veterans who are homeless or at risk of being homeless with job training to help them succeed in civilian careers.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced a $1,690,122 National Emergency Grant increment to continue services to existing participants and to increase the number of workers to be trained in aerospace occupations as a result of the realignment of military installations in Oklahoma. About 885 individuals will be served under this grant.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced a $471,150 National Emergency Grant to create temporary jobs for clean-up and recovery efforts in the wake of the severe storms, tornadoes and associated flooding that struck Oklahoma last month.

"Communities in Oklahoma are suffering from the devastation of recent storms," said Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis. "This grant will help the many people who have been affected begin to repair their lives."

The funds are being awarded to the Oklahoma Employment Security Commission.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced the availability of approximately $20 million to fund programs that will improve education, training and employment opportunities for adults and youth with disabilities. A solicitation for grant applications is published in today's edition of the Federal Register.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor's Employee Benefits Security Administration has announced that it will publish in tomorrow's Federal Register a notice proposing to extend and align the applicability dates for its retirement plan fee disclosure rules.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced a $5,822,352 National Emergency Grant to assist with clean-up and recovery efforts in the wake of tornado damage in Missouri, including the May 22 tornado that devastated Joplin.

"The incredible damage that this latest tornado has inflicted on the people of Joplin is unprecedented," said Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis. "The Labor Department's grant will assist affected Missouri communities with clean-up efforts that will help lead to a sustained recovery for the region."

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of International Labor Affairs will publish a revised list of products that federal contractors must certify under Executive Order 13126 are not produced with forced or indentured child labor. The list will appear in the May 31 edition of the Federal Register.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration today announced the forthcoming release of a final rule that streamlines and simplifies standards while reducing employer burdens. The rule, which soon will be published in the Federal Register, will help keep OSHA standards up-to-date and better enable employers to comply with their regulatory obligations.

Affirms musculoskeletal disorder should be recorded on OSHA 300 Injury and Illness Log

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending May 21, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 424,000, an increase of 10,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 414,000. The 4-week moving average was 438,500, a decrease of 1,750 from the previous week's revised average of 440,250.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.9 percent for the week ending May 14, a decrease of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week's unrevised rate of 3.0 percent.

URBANA, Ill. — A federal judge in Urbana has ordered Dolores Onate, owner, and Ricardo Onate, manager, of the El Matador Inc. and El Caporal Inc. restaurants in Decatur to pay a total of $1,149,702.50 in back wages and damages to 64 workers employed as servers and kitchen staff. This judgment resolves a lawsuit filed by the U.S.

CICERO, Ill. The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has issued penalties of $1,247,400 to AMD Industries Inc. in Cicero after five unprotected and untrained workers allegedly were required to conduct asbestos removal exposing them to this cancer-causing material.

The company was issued 19 willful and eight serious health citations following an OSHA inspection at its facilities in December 2010, in response to a referral from the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced a $3,758,327 National Emergency Grant to assist with clean-up and recovery efforts in the wake of the severe storms, tornadoes and associated flooding that struck Arkansas last month.

"Many communities in Arkansas are suffering from the devastation of recent storms," said Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis. "While the hard work of clean-up and repairs is only one part of the recovery, today's grant will help the people of Arkansas get back on their feet."

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has launched a survey of private sector employers as a tool toward better designing future rules, compliance assistance and outreach efforts. As many as 19,000 employers nationwide will receive the Baseline Survey of Safety and Health Practices, which asks questions about workplace safety and health management practices.

TUCKER, Ga. – The U.S. Department of Labor has sued fiduciaries of architectural company Milton Pate and Associates seeking to recover $135,516 for participants and beneficiaries of the company’s 401(k) profit-sharing plan.

The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia, Atlanta Division, alleges that the defendants violated the Employee Retirement Income Security Act by taking prohibited loans from the plan and not forwarding employee contributions to the plan in a timely manner.

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – The U.S. Department of Labor has sued defunct mental health services provider Embrenche LLC and the company’s owners, Marty Hickman, Joe Parker and Avery Hairston, for allegedly violating the Employee Retirement Income Security Act.  The lawsuit alleges that the defendants diverted employees’ contributions away from the company’s 401(k) profit-sharing plan, and failed to administer and terminate the plan after the company ceased operating.

FLETCHER, N.C. – The U.S. Department of Labor has sued former Fletcher-based Unicomp Inc. and its chief executive officer, Stephen Hafer, to restore losses suffered by participants in the company’s health plan.