Date of Action: Aug. 5, 2013

Type of Action: Complaint

Names of Defendants: DTK Computer Inc., DTK Computer Inc. 401(k) Plan

WASHINGTON —— An open meeting of the Advisory Council on Employee Welfare and Pension Benefit Plans, also known as the ERISA Advisory Council, will take place Aug. 27-29. During the open meeting Advisory Council members will hear testimony from invited witnesses and receive an update on Employee Benefits Security Administration activities. The EBSA update is scheduled for the morning of Aug. 28, subject to change.

SAN FRANCISCO — The U.S. Department of Labor today awarded a grant of $332,576 to the state of Oregon to enhance and promote its Self-Employment Assistance program. The program provides entrepreneurial services for individuals eligible to receive regular unemployment compensation as well as individuals eligible to receive Emergency Unemployment Compensation.

WASHINGTON — A $250,000 National Emergency Grant announced today by the U.S. Department of Labor will assist West Virginians with cleanup and recovery efforts following the severe storms and flooding that struck the state on June 13, 2013.

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending August 10, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 320,000, a decrease of 15,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 335,000. The 4-week moving average was 332,000, a decrease of 4,000 from the previous week's revised average of 336,000.

Date of Action: Aug. 5, 2013

Type of Action: Consent Judgment and Order

Name of Defendant: Celebration Events, Inc.

Allegations: The Celebrations Events, Inc. 401(k) plan was established in January 2006 to provide retirement benefits for employees of Celebration Events, Inc. of Woburn, Mass. The company ceased operations in or around 2010.

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Labor today announced a $500,000 National Emergency Grant increment to assist Rhode Island with continued cleanup and recovery efforts following the devastation caused by Hurricane Sandy.

WASHINGTON — A $380,168 National Emergency Grant was announced today by the U.S. Department of Labor to provide employment-related services to about 65 workers affected by layoffs at AAR Mobility Systems in Cadillac, Mich.

"The department's funding will give these Michigan workers the opportunity find new jobs in expanding sectors within the state," said acting Assistant Secretary of Labor for Employment and Training Eric Seleznow.

ARLINGTON, Va. — The U.S. Department of Labor's Mine Safety and Health Administration today launched a new online tool for the mining industry. The S&S Rate Calculator enables mine operators who implement a corrective action program to determine if their mine is successfully reducing its significant and substantial, or S&S, violations.

S&S violations are violations of a mandatory health or safety standard that "significantly and substantially contributes to the cause and effect of a coal or other mine safety or health hazard."

Date of Action: Aug. 5, 2013

Type of Action: Complaint

Name(s) of Defendant: Van Buren Automotive Products 401(k) Profit Sharing Plan

CANTON, Ohio — Republic Steel has been cited by the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration for 24 safety violations carrying fines of $1,138,500. Fifteen willful violations of OSHA's fall protection standards were found at the company's Canton steel manufacturing plant.

ARLINGTON, Va. — The U.S. Department of Labor's Mine Safety and Health Administration today issued guidance to the mining industry to clarify that mine operators who meet the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's hazard communication standard will be in compliance with MSHA's hazard communication standard. The guidance, in a program policy letter, reflects MSHA's understanding that many mine operators are meeting OSHA's HazCom standard.

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of International Labor Affairs will award up to $1 million to one or more organizations to help build the capacity of civil society organizations, including non-governmental organizations and trade unions, in the Kingdom of Morocco to address working women's issues and empower women to more fully exercise their labor rights, the agency announced today.

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of International Labor Affairs today announced a $5 million solicitation for cooperative agreement applications to support Burma's efforts to reduce child labor.

WASHINGTON —— The U.S. Department of Labor today announced a $1,081,678 grant to provide employment-related assistance to 120 residents affected by layoffs and closings at 16 manufacturing companies located in Bristol County, Mass.

BATON ROUGE, La. – The U.S. Department of Labor has sued Gulf States Staffing and Personnel LLC of Baton Rouge, and owner Gregory Walker, for violating the Employee Retirement Income Security Act. The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Louisiana, alleges  that between December 2008 and March 2009, Walker and the company failed to remit employee contributions to the GSSP Short-Term Disability Plan, GSSP Long-Term Disability Plan and GSSP Dental and Vision Plan.

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending August 3, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 333,000, an increase of 5,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 328,000. The 4-week moving average was 335,500, a decrease of 6,250 from the previous week's revised average of 341,750.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor's Employee Benefits Security Administration continues to solicit nominations to fill five three-year vacancies on the Advisory Council on Employee Welfare and Pension Benefit Plans, known as the ERISA Advisory Council. The deadline to submit nominations has been extended to Sept. 6.

Date of Action: April 5, 2013

Type of Action: Consent judgment and order

Name(s) of Defendant: Rick Lane Tasker, Martel Jed Cooper, Michael Gregory Smith, individually and as fiduciaries and service providers; and Zenith Capital LLC, an investment advisory firm located in Santa Rosa, Calif.

WASHINGTON — —The U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division announced today that T.G.I .Fridays, a subsidiary of Minnesota-based Carlson, has agreed to change its leave policy to be in compliance with the Family and Medical Leave Act. The move affects employees at its 272 company-owned locations. The company has also agreed to correct violations of the FMLA found during an investigation of one of its restaurants in Shreveport, La., and pay an employee $1,455 in back wages.