WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced guidance for state demonstration projects to identify innovative strategies that quickly connect unemployed workers with good jobs. Today's announcement is a key component of the first major overhaul of the Unemployment Insurance system in decades, made possible by the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012 signed by President Obama in February.

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending April 14, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 386,000, a decrease of 2,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 388,000. The 4-week moving average was 374,750, an increase of 5,500 from the previous week's revised average of 369,250.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.6 percent for the week ending April 7, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate of 2.6 percent.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced the availability of approximately $20 million in grants to fund cooperative agreements that will improve educational, training and employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities.

These grants represent the third round of funding through the Disability Employment Initiative, a joint program of the Labor Department's Employment and Training Administration and its Office of Disability Employment Policy.

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WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today awarded a $514,800 National Emergency Grant to create temporary jobs for eligible dislocated workers to assist with cleanup and recovery efforts after severe storms, tornadoes, flooding, mudslides and landslides struck West Virginia in February and March.

"The storm-battered citizens of West Virginia need our help," said Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis. "The department's funding is part of the federal government's commitment to support the people of West Virginia as they rebuild their communities."

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced a $1,793,475 National Emergency Grant to assist approximately 570 workers who were affected by layoffs between Dec. 15, 2011, and March 31, 2012, that resulted from the closure of the Kimberly-Clark Corp. paper mill in Everett, Wash.

"Any time a major employer shuts its doors, a community suffers," said Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis. "This federal grant will help Everett by providing these workers the services they need to transition to jobs in growing local industries."

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending April 7, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 380,000, an increase of 13,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 367,000. The 4-week moving average was 368,500, an increase of 4,250 from the previous week's revised average of 364,250.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.6 percent for the week ending March 31, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate of 2.6 percent.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today awarded a National Emergency Grant increment of $375,200 that will fund 200 temporary jobs for eligible workers to continue cleanup and recovery efforts in North Carolina following Hurricane Irene, which struck in August 2011.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced the availability of approximately $1.8 million for up to six grants through the Women in Apprenticeship and Nontraditional Occupations program.

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending March 31, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 357,000, a decrease of 6,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 363,000. The 4-week moving average was 361,750, a decrease of 4,250 from the previous week's revised average of 366,000.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.6 percent for the week ending March 24, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate of 2.6 percent.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced a $1,341,383 National Emergency Grant to provide re-employment assistance for about 400 workers affected by layoffs from multiple environmental cleanup contractors including CH2MHILL Plateau Remediation Co., Materials and Energy Corp., Mission Support Alliance and 13 others – at the U.S. Department of Energy's Hanford Site in southeastern Washington.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today awarded a $16,532,485 National Emergency Grant supplement that will fund approximately 2,200 temporary jobs to assist with ongoing cleanup and recovery efforts following the tornado that devastated Joplin, Mo., on May 22, 2011, and storms that caused flooding in a number of Missouri counties between mid-April and early June 2011.

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending March 24, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 359,000, a decrease of 5,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 364,000. The 4-week moving average was 365,000, a decrease of 3,500 from the previous week's revised average of 368,500.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor has awarded a $1,045,616 National Emergency Grant to assist approximately 175 workers laid off by three contractors – Battelle Energy Alliance, Bechtel Bwxt Idaho LLC and CH2M WG Idaho LLC – working for the Idaho National Laboratory in Idaho Falls, Idaho.

WASHINGTON – A $5 million National Emergency Grant has been awarded by the U.S. Department of Labor to the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry to provide re-employment services to about 1,000 workers affected by the closure of two oil refineries in the commonwealth. The refineries provided jobs at ConocoPhillips' Trainer facility and Sunoco Inc.'s Marcus Hook facility as well as for contractors who were employed at both locations.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced the availability of approximately $12 million in grants to provide workforce development and support services for formerly incarcerated adult and youth females as they make the transition from justice facilities back to their communities.

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending March 17, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 348,000, a decrease of 5,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 353,000. The 4-week moving average was 355,000, a decrease of 1,250 from the previous week's revised average of 356,250.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today awarded a $2,285,489 supplemental National Emergency Grant to fund continuing recovery efforts following storms and flooding that affected southern Illinois in April and May 2011.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced a $656,098 grant to provide employment-related assistance to about 150 workers laid off in November and December 2011 by window and door manufacturer Andersen Corp. A majority of the affected individuals worked at the company's Bayport, Minn., facility, and a few worked at the Renewal by Andersen facility in Cottage Grove, Minn.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced the availability of approximately $20 million in grant funds to provide employment-related training and support services to youth who have been involved in the juvenile justice system. The purpose of these grants is to improve the long-term labor market prospects for former offenders, ages 14 and older, in high-poverty, high-crime areas by focusing on training for in-demand industries and occupations within their communities.