Washington - The U.S. Department of Labor’s Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) today made available the archived webcast of the June 18, 2009 hearing joint hearing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The hearing received testimony from 36 witnesses on issues relating to target date funds and other similar investment options.

San Francisco – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) will hold a free workshop July 8 at the Airtel Plaza Hotel in Van Nuys, California, to help employers and health and pension plan administrators better understand and comply with the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA), the federal law that governs private sector pension and health benefit plans for employees.

Tampa, Florida – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) has sued Blanchette Construction and its owners to restore assets to the former company’s 401(k) plan.

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis today issued the following statement regarding the death of retired Maj. Gen. David F. Wherley Jr., who served as a member of the U.S. Department of Labor's Job Corps Advisory Committee:

"We at the Labor Department are deeply saddened to learn about the tragic deaths of retired Air Force Maj. Gen. David F. Wherley Jr. and his wife, Ann, who died in the June 22 Metro subway accident.

"We also want to extend our sincerest condolences to their children, David and Betsy.

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending June 20, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 627,000, an increase of 15,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 612,000. The 4-week moving average was 617,250, an increase of 500 from the previous week's revised average of 616,750.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 5.0 percent for the week ending June 13, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate of 5.0 percent.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today certified for release $5,206,411 in unemployment insurance (UI) modernization incentive funds to the state of Alaska. Alaska qualified for a portion of its share of the funds available under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (Recovery Act) by allowing workers to use their more recent earnings to qualify for benefits.

Mondsview, Minnesota – The U.S. Department of Labor has obtained a judgment in federal district court in Minneapolis, Minnesota, that orders the appointment of an independent fiduciary to terminate the 401(k) plan of a former Mondsview trucking company and to distribute the plan’s assets to participants.

The court action resolves a lawsuit filed by the Labor Department against Hyman Freightways Inc., which ceased operation in October 1997, and will lead to the distribution of $164,251 in plan assets to 14 participants.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor has certified for release $44,644,693 in unemployment insurance (UI) modernization incentive funds to the state of Wisconsin. Wisconsin qualified for the funds available under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (Recovery Act) by allowing workers to use their more recent earnings to qualify for benefits.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today certified for release $6,508,588 in unemployment insurance (UI) modernization incentive funds to the state of Montana. Montana qualified for a portion of its share of the funds available under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (Recovery Act) by allowing workers to use their more recent earnings to qualify for benefits.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) today announced that it is continuing its nationwide program to emphasize workplace safety and health for federal workers and for those contractors whose work is supervised on a daily basis by federal agency personnel.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor has certified for release $75,886,483 in unemployment insurance (UI) modernization incentive funds to the state of Oklahoma. Oklahoma qualified for its full share of the funds available under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (Recovery Act) by providing for a variety of provisions that assist recent entrants to the workforce, part time workers, and people who become unemployed because of compelling family reasons.

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – During a visit to Memphis today, Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis announced five grant competitions, totaling $500 million, to fund projects that prepare workers for green jobs in the energy efficiency and renewable energy industries.

Atlanta – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) will sponsor “Getting It Right – Know Your Fiduciary Responsibilities,” a free compliance assistance seminar in Atlanta on July 9 at the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta, 1000 Peachtree Street NE.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced a $469,694 grant to assist approximately 60 workers affected by layoffs at ACE Precision Castings LLC and Lennox Industries Inc. located in Marshalltown, Iowa.

"The grant awarded today will allow these Iowans to access services and training that will enable them to enter careers in growing regional industries," said Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced a $405,000 grant to assist approximately 80 workers affected by layoffs at the Freightliner Trucks manufacturing facility in Portland, Ore. Freightliner Trucks is a division of Daimler Trucks North America, the largest manufacturer of heavy duty vehicles in North America and a leading manufacturer of medium-duty vehicles.

WHITEHALL, Wis. – The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has cited Milk Specialties Co. in Whitehall with violations of federal workplace safety and health standards and proposed $1,145,200 in penalties.

WASHINGTON The U.S. Department of Labor today announced the certification of 20 petitions for benefit eligibility for workers under the Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) program, which provides training and employment services for workers who have lost their jobs due to competitive foreign trade. These are the first certifications under the new TAA law that took effect on May 18, 2009, which, among other changes, expanded program access to previously ineligible service industry workers.

LOS ANGELES – U.S. Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis today participated in the "green" refurbishing and painting of a Los Angeles low-income residence with high school students and adult volunteers through LA CAUSA, a youth leadership and community development organization that is a grantee of the Labor Department's nationwide YouthBuild program. The effort was part of a kick-off for United We Serve, President Obama's summer service initiative to create meaningful change in America's communities through long-term volunteer involvement.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced a $643,661 grant to assist approximately 90 workers affected by layoffs at GE Security Inc. located in Tualatin, Ore. On Jan. 8, the company announced the permanent modification of operations at the Tualatin facility, resulting in significant layoffs.

"Today's grant will allow these workers to access the employment and training services necessary to gain re-employment in growing regional industries," said Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) today announced that it will address problems identified in its Voluntary Protection Programs (VPP) in response to a new Government Accountability Office (GAO) report, OSHA's Voluntary Protection Programs: Improved Oversight and Controls Would Better Ensure Program Quality. The report recommends improved oversight and additional controls to ensure participating companies maintain effective workplace safety and health management systems.