WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor has announced a $543,705 National Emergency Grant supplemental award to Missouri to continue re-employment services to about 400 civilian defense workers affected by 2005 Base Realignment and Closure actions.

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending Dec. 11, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 420,000, a decrease of 3,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 423,000. The 4-week moving average was 422,750, a decrease of 5,250 from the previous week's revised average of 428,000.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 3.3 percent for the week ending Dec. 4, unchanged from the prior week's revised rate of 3.3 percent.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced a $2,601,207 grant to assist about 448 workers affected by the closure of the Chrysler Kenosha Engine Plant located in Kenosha, Wis.

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending Dec. 4, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 421,000, a decrease of 17,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 438,000. The 4-week moving average was 427,500, a decrease of 4,000 from the previous week's revised average of 431,500.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 3.2 percent for the week ending Nov. 27, a decrease of 0.2 percentage point from the prior week's unrevised rate of 3.4 percent.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced a $709,864 National Emergency Grant increment to continue to provide re-employment and retraining services to workers affected by the closing of Dell Inc.'s call center in Twin Falls, Idaho.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor's Employment and Training Administration today announced the release of a competency model for the commercial and industrial construction industry. The new model is now the eighteenth available from the Competency Model Clearinghouse, and can be accessed through the department's CareerOneStop website at http://www.careeronestop.org/competencymodel/default.aspx.

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending Nov. 27, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 436,000, an increase of 26,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 410,000. The 4-week moving average was 431,000, a decrease of 5,750 from the previous week's revised average of 436,750.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 3.4 percent for the week ending Nov. 20, unchanged from the prior week's revised rate of 3.4 percent.

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending Nov. 20, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 407,000, a decrease of 34,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 441,000. The 4-week moving average was 436,000, a decrease of 7,500 from the previous week's revised average of 443,500.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor has announced a $2,579,730 National Emergency Grant increment to Massachusetts to continue providing services to workers affected by layoffs in the financial industry. More than 700 workers will be served under this funding.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor has announced a $4 million National Emergency Grant award to assist cleanup and recovery efforts in the wake of Tropical Storm Otto that struck Puerto Rico in October.

These funds will be awarded to the Puerto Rico Department of Labor and Human Resources. Funds will be used to create temporary jobs to assist in the recovery from the severe storm's devastation, which included flooding and landslides.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced a $517,197 grant to provide an estimated 210 jobless workers in Utah with partial premium payments for health insurance coverage.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced a $2,073,235 grant to assist about 330 workers who reside in Massachusetts affected by layoffs and closings at 12 companies, 11 in Massachusetts and one in Connecticut.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today hosted the 2010 Job Corps Oratory Competition in Washington, D.C. Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis delivered opening remarks before four finalists from California, Illinois, Michigan and Kentucky took the stage to present their speeches about how Job Corps has impacted their lives.

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending Nov. 13, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 439,000, an increase of 2,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 437,000. The 4-week moving average was 443,000, a decrease of 4,000 from the previous week's revised average of 447,000.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced the findings of a multi-year study of the impact of the Unemployment Insurance program in stabilizing the economy during a deep recession. The study was commissioned by the department and undertaken by IMPAQ International LLC and the Urban Institute.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today launched an online system for filing Trade Adjustment Assistance petitions. The department expects that the online tool will become the primary means by which TAA petitions are received, but the options to mail or fax a hard copy version of the petition remain available.

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending Nov. 6, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 435,000, a decrease of 24,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 459,000. The 4-week moving average was 446,500, a decrease of 10,000 from the previous week's revised average of 456,500.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 3.4 percent for the week ending Oct. 30, a decrease of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week's revised rate of 3.5 percent.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor has announced a $1,160,391 National Emergency Grant award to assist clean-up and recovery efforts following three days of severe storms and flooding that struck Minnesota this past September.

Grants to improve analysis of workforce program impacts

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced $12.2 million to 13 states through the Workforce Data Quality Initiative. These funds will enable states to build or expand longitudinal databases of workforce data that also link to education data. States will use these longitudinal databases to conduct research and analysis aimed at pinpointing the effectiveness of employment and training programs to better inform workforce system customers.

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending Oct. 30, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 457,000, an increase of 20,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 437,000. The 4-week moving average was 456,000, an increase of 2,000 from the previous week's revised average of 454,000.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 3.4 percent for the week ending Oct. 23, a decrease of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week's unrevised rate of 3.5 percent.