WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today released an evaluation study of the Disability Program Navigator Initiative titled "Use of One-Stops by Social Security Disability Beneficiaries in Four States Implementing Disability Program Navigator Initiative." The study measures whether the public workforce system, particularly the One-Stop Career Center system, is helping people who are receiving Supplemental Security Income and Social Security Disability Insurance find jobs in the workplace.

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending July 10, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 429,000, a decrease of 29,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 458,000. The 4-week moving average was 455,250, a decrease of 11,750 from the previous week's revised average of 467,000.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 3.7 percent for the week ending July 3, an increase of 0.2 percentage point from the prior week's revised rate of 3.5 percent.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced $119.6 million in funding allocations for Trade Adjustment Assistance to states to assist workers who lose their jobs due to outsourcing and foreign trade. These allocations are from the second distribution for fiscal year 2010 and represent, along with previously distributed initial allocation and reserve requests, approximately 90 percent of the total amount available for TAA training for this year.

WASHINGTON – Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis today announced second year funding amounting to $66,678,357 to 183 community groups to provide education and training to young people across the United States. The YouthBuild program assists out-of-school youth in obtaining their diplomas or GEDs while providing occupational training in the construction industry. While acquiring leadership skills and participating in community service, at-risk youth build and renovate affordable housing within their communities.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today launched an online registry allowing the public to retrieve information about temporary agricultural jobs that fall under the H-2A program. The new tool was developed in compliance with regulations implemented by the department on March 15.

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending July 3, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 454,000, a decrease of 21,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 475,000. The 4-week moving average was 466,000, a decrease of 1,250 from the previous week's revised average of 467,250.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 3.4 percent for the week ending June 26, a decrease of 0.2 percentage point from the prior week's unrevised rate of 3.6 percent.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor's Employment and Training Administration today announced the release of an industry competency model for geospatial technology. There are now 16 models available on the Competency Model Clearinghouse available through the department's One-Stop Career Centers website.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today certified for release $43,625,769 in unemployment insurance modernization incentive funds to the state of Nebraska. Nebraska qualified for its full share of the funds available under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act by adding new provisions to its UI law that assist recent entrants to the workforce, part-time workers and people who are upgrading their skills.

WASHINGTON – At the direction of Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis, July 7 through 9, three U.S. Department of Labor agency heads will travel to Gulf states impacted by the BP Deepwater spill. The delegation will include Assistant Secretary of Labor for Employment and Training Jane Oates, Wage and Hour Division Deputy Administrator Nancy J. Leppink and Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs Director Patricia A. Shiu.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor announced a grant of $1,573,542 to assist about 385 migrant and seasonal farmworkers affected by layoffs at numerous orchards and farms in New Jersey, New York, Ohio and Pennsylvania, as well as in the territory of Puerto Rico.

"This grant will help ensure that migrant and seasonal farmworkers do not fall through the cracks, and give them access to the re-employment and retraining services needed to find jobs in emerging local industries," said Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis.

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending June 26, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 472,000, an increase of 13,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 459,000. The 4-week moving average was 466,500, an increase of 3,250 from the previous week's revised average of 463,250.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 3.6 percent for the week ending June 19, unchanged from the prior week's revised rate of 3.6 percent.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor has announced a total of $27 million in National Emergency Grant awards to four key states to assist workers along the Gulf Coast who have been displaced as a result of the ongoing Deepwater Horizon oil spill. The states are Alabama, Florida, Louisiana and Mississippi.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced a $240,000 National Emergency Grant increment to help continue clean-up and recovery efforts in the wake of flooding that struck southern West Virginia in May 2009.

"These funds will provide additional assistance to support clean up and repair efforts in the communities affected by last year's flooding," said Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis. "The floodwaters may have receded, but West Virginia is still cleaning up and we are committed to helping."

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced a $1,376,673 grant that will assist about 507 dislocated workers who either are currently receiving intensive services and training from the state of Ohio or are on waiting lists due to funding shortages.

"This grant will ensure that Ohioans who are now on waiting lists will be able to receive the kind of re-employment and re-training services they need and deserve and that will help them secure good jobs in emerging industries," said Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced a $2,031,400 National Emergency Grant increment to continue to provide services to workers affected by layoffs that occurred throughout multiple industries in the state of Louisiana.

"Today's grant will allow continued job placement assistance, skills training and other re-employment services for these Louisianans and will help them get started in new careers," said Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced a $906,538 grant to assist about 400 dislocated workers who either are currently receiving intensive services and training from the state of New York or are on waiting lists for services and training due to funding shortages.

"As our nation's economic recovery takes hold, New Yorkers deserve access to training and other services that will lead to jobs with family supporting wages, stability and a real chance for advancement," said Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced a $1,377,250 grant to assist about 1,680 dislocated workers who either are currently receiving intensive services and training from the state of Wisconsin or are on waiting lists due to funding shortages.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced a $6,255,784 grant to assist about 800 workers affected by layoffs at John Morrell and Co. as well as four secondarily-affected companies, all located in Sioux City, Iowa.

"Today's grant will help Iowans receive the re-training and re-employment skills necessary to find new jobs in emerging industries," said Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced a $2.2 million National Emergency Grant supplemental award to provide an estimated 2,400 unemployed individuals in North Carolina with partial premium payments for health insurance coverage. The announcement bolsters an initial award of $2 million made by the Labor Department to the Tar Heel State on Aug. 11, 2009. Those funds were used to serve about 1,800 unemployed North Carolinians who were eligible to participate in the Health Coverage Tax Credit program.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced a $2,545,084 grant to assist about 200 workers affected by layoffs across multiple industries in eastern Texas.

"This grant will help these Texans receive the re-employment and re-training services that are crucial to successfully finding new jobs in emerging industries," said Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis.