Newport News, Virginia — The U.S. Department of Labor has filed a lawsuit in federal district court in Newport News, alleging that former National Football League (NFL) player Michael Vick and others violated federal employee benefits law by making a series of prohibited transfers from a pension plan sponsored by one of his companies. The department also simultaneously filed an adversary complaint in federal bankruptcy court to prevent Vick from discharging his alleged debt to the MV7 retirement plan.

Total grant exceeds $7 million, with initial amount provided in August 2008

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced the release of $4,900,171 in grant funds to create 534 temporary jobs in Texas to help clean up the state following Hurricane Dolly.

"Texas continues to recover from Hurricane Dolly, which hit in late July 2008," said Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis. "Today's grant will create additional jobs for workers to help affected areas recover from hurricane damage."

Washington – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) published in the March 20, 2009, edition of the Federal Register a notice extending to May 22, 2009, the applicability and effective dates of the final rule on investment advice under the Pension Protection Act (PPA).

DETROIT In a settlement filed with the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan in Detroit, Ecolab Inc. has agreed to pay $118,000 to a returning Iraq war veteran to resolve a Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA) complaint investigated by the U.S. Department of Labor's Veterans' Employment and Training Service (VETS).

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor has issued policy guidance to grantees of the Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP) for the implementation of an additional $118,800,000 under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Recovery Act). This critical investment is designed to increase services and training for unemployed, low-income seniors, and to invigorate and advance prosperity in the communities where they live.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced a $2,167,099 grant to the state of Arkansas to create approximately 151 temporary jobs related to cleanup after a winter storm.

"Today's grant will provide temporary jobs in Arkansas to assist in cleanup and projects that provide food, clothing, shelter and humanitarian assistance for those affected by the recent ice storm," said Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced an $877,096 grant to assist approximately 150 workers affected by layoffs at Northwood Manufacturing located in LaGrande, Ore.

"Today's grant will aid affected workers in Oregon by providing job-search assistance and retraining, so workers can return to jobs in new industries," said Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced a $5,231,200 grant to the commonwealth of Kentucky to create approximately 503 temporary jobs related to cleanup after a severe winter storm.

"Today's grant will provide temporary jobs to assist in the necessary cleanup resulting from the severe winter storm that affected Kentucky communities," said Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis.

Calendar Year 2009 Seasonal Factors: Seasonal factors for CY 2009 and the revised historical series for CY 2004-2008 for both initial claims and continued claims will be made available on line on March 26, 2009, with the release of the Unemployment Insurance Weekly Claims Report.

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

Washington — The U.S. Department of Labor today released four model notice packages that will enable group health plans and employers to provide notice on the availability of premium reductions and additional election opportunities under the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA). The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) signed into law by President Obama on February 17, 2009, made available a premium reduction and the additional election period as part of the administration’s stimulus package.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today issued policy guidance to states and outlying areas for the implementation of American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) investments in core employment and training programs. This critical investment of $3,514,500,000 in the nation's workforce system and network of One-Stop Career Centers is intended to help unemployed Americans upgrade their skills and get back to work.

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Labor today will make available to employers nationwide a free database of 1,921 job candidates with disabilities seeking employment in a wide variety of fields. Federal employers can tap into this ongoing recruitment resource online at http://WRP.gov, and private sector, other government and nonprofit employers can request unlimited searches by calling a toll-free telephone number.

Atlanta – The U.S. Department of Labor has sued Carolina Express Care P.A. of Knightdale, North Carolina, Dale Everett White and Howell Anderson Vaughan to recover more than $55,000 as restitution for their failure to fulfill their fiduciary duties to the Carolina Express Care P.A. 401(k) Plan and Trust.

WASHINGTON – Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis today announced the withdrawal of an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPRM) for occupational exposure to food flavorings containing diacetyl.

The withdrawal will facilitate the Labor Department's Occupational Safety and Health Administration's (OSHA) timely development of a standard to protect workers from bronchiolitis obliterans, a serious and potentially fatal lung disease associated with such an exposure.

Louisville, Kentucky – Bristol Bar and Grille and Kevin Wagner have agreed to restore $11,892 to the company’s 401(k) plan based on an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labors Employment and Training Administration (ETA) today announced the proposed suspension for nine months of a final rule implementing changes to the H-2A program, which allows U.S. agricultural businesses to employ foreign workers in temporary or seasonal agricultural jobs. The departments proposed action is open for public comment for 10 days.

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending March 7, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 654,000, an increase of 9,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 645,000. The 4-week moving average was 650,000, an increase of 6,750 from the previous week's revised average of 643,250.

BRIDGEPORT, Pa. – The U.S. Department of Labor has sued Penn-Mont Benefit Services Inc. of Bridgeport; its owner, John Koresko V; Koresko's law firms; and an attorney for the firms over alleged improper administration of death benefit plans marketed nationwide. The defendants allegedly underpaid benefits to participants, improperly withdrew more than $1 million in plan assets from the plans' trust, and illegally used assets to pay unreasonable and unnecessary lobbying expenses.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced a $299,232 grant to assist approximately 52 workers affected by layoffs at Bayliner Marine in Roseburg, Ore.

"Today's grant will allow affected workers to access employment and training services so they can begin new careers in Roseburg and surrounding areas," said Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis. "With the unemployment rate above eight percent, it is vital that the Labor Department use every resource at its disposal to assist workers who have lost their jobs."

McHenry, Illinois – The U.S. Department of Labor has sued the owner and profit sharing plan fiduciaries of the Forms Corporation of America 401(k) Profit Sharing Plan and Trust for allegedly failing to forward to the plan contributions withheld from employees’ pay, in violation of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA).