WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced a $528,722 grant to assist workers affected by layoffs at Prime Tanning Co. Inc. in Berwick, Maine. Layoffs occurred on Sept. 29, 2008, and all production has since ceased at the Berwick facility.

"Today's grant will provide affected Maine workers with the necessary training and employment services to help their re-employment prospects in area industries," said Deputy Assistant Secretary for Employment and Training Brent R. Orrell.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced a $720,000 grant to the state of Indiana to create temporary jobs for cleanup and recovery efforts as a result of storms and flooding in September.

"The storms that hit Indiana this fall continue to affect Hoosiers up and down the state," said Deputy Assistant Secretary of Labor for Employment and Training Brent R. Orrell. "Today's grant will provide those affected with temporary jobs to help communities recover from the damage caused by the storms and flooding."

Awards will go to 20 projects in 16 states

WASHINGTON – U.S. Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao today announced $10 million in grants to increase access to technology-based learning. Twenty projects were selected from a pool of 193 applications.

"These $10 million in grants will increase workers' access to skills training through the Internet, video teleconferencing and other technology-based learning media," said Secretary Chao.

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending Jan. 3, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 467,000, a decrease of 24,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 491,000. The 4-week moving average was 525,750, a decrease of 27,000 from the previous week's revised average of 552,750.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 3.4 percent for the week ending Dec. 27, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate of 3.4 percent.

Archived News Release — Caution: Information may be out of date.

WASHINGTON-The U.S. Department of Labor today announced that more than $28 million in National Emergency Grant (NEG) funds has been awarded to 35 states, the District of Columbia and Guam, each of which could be affected by the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) recommendations.