WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today certified for release $54,227,780 in unemployment insurance (UI) modernization incentive funds to the commonwealth of Massachusetts. Massachusetts 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.

Newark, New Jersey – A free health law compliance assistance seminar for employers, plan fiduciaries and plan services providers, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) and the New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance, will take place on April 22 and 23 at the Essex County College, 303 University Avenue, Smith Lecture Hall, Room 2131.

Hackensack, New Jersey — The U.S. Department of Labor has obtained a default judgment appointing Jacqueline Carmichael as the independent fiduciary of the profit sharing plan of defunct Jules Prosnitz & Sons Inc., formerly doing business as Prozy’s Army-Navy Store, in Hackensack. The court order gives Carmichael authority to terminate the plan and distribute approximately $110,178 in assets to five plan participants.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced a $1,680,000 grant to create approximately 140 temporary jobs in Minnesota related to the Red River flood cleanup and recovery effort.

"Recent flooding has left a portion of Minnesota in need of cleanup and recovery services," said Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis. "This grant will provide temporary jobs for a number of dislocated workers to help restore areas affected by flooding."

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced a $271,075 grant to assist approximately 75 workers affected by the closure of GE Lighting located in Willoughby, Ohio.

"This grant will allow affected Ohio workers to gain access to the services they need to help prepare them for new jobs in high-demand industries in the region, such as health care," said Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis. "These workers have expressed an interest in long-term training, among other employment-related services."

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending April 11, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 610,000, a decrease of 53,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 663,000. The 4-week moving average was 651,000, a decrease of 8,500 from the previous week's revised average of 659,500.

SAN FRANCISCO — In the latest of a series of court actions pursued by the U.S. Department of Labor, a federal judge has ordered a Southern California cleaning service and its owners to pay $227,791 in post-judgment interest plus $2,400 in daily fines for failing to follow a 2007 order to pay nearly $3.5 million in back wages plus more than $1 million in liquidated damages to 385 workers.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor has certified for release $10,467,073 in unemployment insurance (UI) modernization incentive funds to the state of New Hampshire. New Hampshire 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. New Hampshire's approved application will be posted at the department's Employment and Training Administration Web site at http://www.doleta.gov/recovery.

Atlanta – The U.S. Department of Labor has sued Batesville Truck Line and Jet Transportation and the trustees of the company’s 401(k) plan for allegedly failing to administer the plan in violation of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA).

Boston – Robert Kjellman, former owner of bankrupt Massachusetts children’s furniture store chain BB Kids LLC, has agreed to restore $14,212 to the company’s savings incentive match plan for employees individual retirement account (SIMPLE IRA) to settle a lawsuit filed by the U.S. Department of Labor alleging violations of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA).

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending April 4, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 654,000, a decrease of 20,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 674,000. The 4-week moving average was 657,250, a decrease of 750 from the previous week's revised average of 658,000.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced a $2,409,877 grant to assist approximately 815 workers affected by mass layoffs and plant closures at 11 companies across three regions in southern Missouri. These include the Ozark region, the southeast region and the south central region.

Salt Lake City – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Employee Benefits and Security Administration (EBSA) will hold free, half-day workshops in Salt Lake City on April 14 to help employers, the employee benefit community and others better understand and comply with federal pension law. The workshops will be held at the Wallace F. Bennett Federal Building, 125 South State St., Room 2404 at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. (MDT).

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has ordered Southern Air Inc., a Norwalk, Conn.-based air cargo carrier, to withdraw a lawsuit it filed against nine former employees and pay them more than $7.9 million in wages, damages and legal fees.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today certified for release $29,270,446 in unemployment insurance (UI) modernization incentive funds to the state of Connecticut. Connecticut 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. Connecticut's approved application will be posted at the department's Employment and Training Administration Web site at http://www.doleta.gov/recovery.

HOUSTON — IFCO Systems North America Inc., doing business as IFCO Systems, based in Houston has paid $1,602,267 in back wages to its employees after investigations by the U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division found that 1,751 employees in 17 states had not been properly paid for the overtime hours that they worked as required by the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). The Wage and Hour Division also fined the company $963,050 in civil money penalties.

New Haven, Connecticut – The U.S. Department of Labor has obtained a consent judgment ordering the owner and operator of Fairfield Podiatry Associates LLC of Fairfield, Connecticut, to restore more than $32,000 to the company’s 401(k) plan. The defendant must also pay a civil penalty of almost $6,500 to the Labor Department.

New York City – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) will hold a free workshop on April 28 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 – U.S. Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis issued the following statement on the March 2009 Employment Situation report released today:

"Our economy lost another 663,000 jobs in March, bringing the total number of Americans that have lost their jobs to 5.1 million since this recession began last year. The overall unemployment rate has increased to 8.5 percent.

Atlanta – The U.S. Department of Labor has entered into a consent judgment and order with defunct Shelton and Associates and a corporate officer to restore assets to the former company’s pension plan.