ARLINGTON, Va. – As a result of troubling testimony heard in a recent field hearing regarding the explosion of Massey Energy's Upper Big Branch mine, the U.S. Department of Labor's Mine Safety and Health Administration today announced the release of four new program information bulletins pertaining to ventilation issues in underground coal mines.

Omaha, Nebraska – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Employee Benefits Security Administration and the Nebraska Department of Insurance will co-host a free health law compliance assistance seminar September 14 and 15 at the Holiday Inn Omaha Convention Center, 3321 South 72nd Street in Omaha.

WASHINGTON – Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis today issued the following statement regarding the deaths and subsequent recovery of two gold miners in Nevada:

"As the hours passed at Barrick Goldstrike's Meikle Mine in Elko County, Nev., we all hoped and prayed for better news. My thoughts are with the families, friends, loved ones, neighbors and co-workers of Joel Ethan Schorr and Daniel Noel, who lost their lives while simply trying to do their job and provide for their families.

WASHINGTON The Advisory Council on Employee Welfare and Pension Benefit Plans (also known as the ERISA Advisory Council) will meet Aug. 31 to Sept. 2 in Washington at the U.S. Department of Labor, 200 Constitution Ave. NW, Room C-5515-1A, to hear testimony from witnesses.

The meeting will take place on Aug. 31 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. EDT and on Sept. 1 and 2 from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. EDT.

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending Aug. 7, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 484,000, an increase of 2,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 482,000. The 4-week moving average was 473,500, an increase of 14,250 from the previous week's revised average of 459,250.

Washington – The Advisory Council on Employee Welfare and Pension Benefit Plans (also known as the ERISA Advisory Council) will meet August 31 to Septeber 2 in Washington at the U.S. Department of Labor, 200 Constitution Avenue NW, Room C-5515-1A, to hear testimony from witnesses.

The meeting will take place on August 31 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. EDT and on September 1 and 2 from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. EDT.

ARLINGTON, Va. – The U.S. Department of Labor's Mine Safety and Health Administration today filed a complaint with the Federal Mine Safety and Health Review Commission alleging that a miner was discharged from his job in retaliation for engaging in protected safety activities. Ricky Lee Campbell, who worked as a shuttle car operator and bolter for several mines operated by Massey Energy Co., was fired April 23, 2010, after working fewer than three weeks at Marfork Coal Co. Inc.'s Slip Ridge Cedar Grove Mine in Raleigh County, W.Va.

WASHINGTON Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis today issued the following statement on the 75th anniversary of the Unemployment Insurance program:

"Losing a job is never easy. Workers facing layoffs wonder how they will continue to support their families while they find work or enter training that will lead to new careers.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The U.S. Department of Labor has recovered $868,443 in back wages for 1,065 employees of Central Florida Investments, based in Orlando, Fla., following an investigation by the department's Wage and Hour Division.

Central Florida Investments operates timeshare resorts in Arizona, Florida, Mississippi, Missouri, Nevada, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah and Virginia under the name Westgate Resorts. The investigation included all locations of the company.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor will release $97,459,490 in unemployment insurance modernization incentive funds to the state of South Carolina. South Carolina qualified for its full share of funding available through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act by enacting a variety of provisions that allow more workers who lose jobs through no fault of their own to receive unemployment compensation. This group includes recent entrants to the workforce, part-time workers, and those who become unemployed due to compelling family reasons.

DALLAS — Following an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division, prime contractor Williams Brothers Construction in Houston and subcontractors Cimolai USA and Cosme have agreed to collectively pay $136,679 in back wages to 140 current and former construction employees for violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act, the Davis-Bacon Act and the Contract Work Hours and Safety Standards Act. The workers were performing work on the Margaret Hunt Hill bridge project over the Trinity River in Dallas.

New York – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Employee Benefits Security Administration will hold a free workshop on September 1 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. EDT to help employers, the employee benefit community and others better comply with federal pension law. The workshop will be held at 33 Whitehall Street, 11th floor, in Manhattan.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today certified for release $15,640,385 in unemployment insurance modernization incentive funds to Rhode Island. The state qualified for the remaining two-thirds of its share of funds available through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act by updating state unemployment insurance laws to include certain family-friendly provisions.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced a solicitation for grant applications for approximately $22 million to fund programs that will improve educational, training and employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities.

WASHINGTON U.S. Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis issued the following statement on the July 2010 Employment Situation report released today:

"This past July, the economy gained 71,000 jobs in the private sector. Overall, employment declined by 131,000, and the unemployment rate was unchanged at 9.5 percent. This year we've seen the creation of 630,000 private sector jobs steady growth averaging 90,000 new private sector jobs each month, which tracks closely with what the Council of Economic Advisors had predicted earlier this year.

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending July 31, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 479,000, an increase of 19,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 460,000. The 4-week moving average was 458,500, an increase of 5,250 from the previous week's revised average of 453,250.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 3.6 percent for the week ending July 24, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate of 3.6 percent.

Penalty stems from 2005 explosion at Texas City, Texas, refinery

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced awards totaling $9,556,068 that will go to 29 states and the Virgin Islands to improve unemployment insurance information technology contingency plans and unemployment insurance IT security. This year is the sixth that the department has awarded these grants.

Federal agency warns natural gas power plant operators against deadly practice

Washington – The U. S. Department of Labor's Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) and the Department of the Treasury today announced a joint public hearing on Sept. 14, 2010, and if necessary on Sept. 15, to hear testimony on several specific issues relating to lifetime income and other arrangements that provide a stream of income after retirement for workers in employer-sponsored retirement plans. The hearing will begin at 9:00 a.m. in the Labor Department's auditorium, 200 Constitution Ave., N.W. in Washington, D.C.