WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor announced today an investment of $6.4 million in grants to provide currently and formerly incarcerated individuals with important jobs skills and resources by establishing additional American Job Centers inside correctional facilities, and create an online clearinghouse – in partnership with the U.S. Department of Justice – to make information needed to expunge criminal records more readily available to further remove barriers to employment.

In the week ending September 10, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 260,000, an increase of 1,000 from the previous week's unrevised level of 259,000. The 4-week moving average was 260,750, a decrease of 500 from the previous week's unrevised average of 261,250.

In the week ending September 3, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 259,000, a decrease of 4,000 from the previous week's unrevised level of 263,000. The 4-week moving average was 261,250, a decrease of 1,750 from the previous week's unrevised average of 263,000.

State: Ohio

Type of Award: National Dislocated Worker Grant

Initial Amount Approved: $2,000,000

Incremental Amount Awarded: $1,083,750

Funding Awarded to: Ohio Department of Job and Family Services

Number of Workers Served: Approximately 221

In the week ending August 27, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 263,000, an increase of 2,000 from the previous week's unrevised level of 261,000. The 4-week moving average was 263,000, a decrease of 1,000 from the previous week's unrevised average of 264,000.

In the week ending August 20, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 261,000, a decrease of 1,000 from the previous week's unrevised level of 262,000. The 4-week moving average was 264,000, a decrease of 1,250 from the previous week's unrevised average of 265,250.

State: Texas

Type of award: National Dislocated Worker Grant

Amount approved/awarded: $559,005

Funding awarded to: Texas Workforce Commission

Number of workers served: Approximately 85

Use of funds: The U.S. Department of Labor approved a National Dislocated Worker Grant award for $559,005 to the Texas Workforce Commission to provide reemployment services to dislocated workers impacted by April 2016 layoffs in the coal industry.

State: California

Type of award: National Dislocated Worker Grant

Total amount approved: $11,000,000

Incremental amount released: $2,000,000

Funding awarded to: California Employment Development Department

Number of workers served: Approximately 500

In the week ending August 13, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 262,000, a decrease of 4,000 from the previous week's unrevised level of 266,000. The 4-week moving average was 265,250, an increase of 2,500 from the previous week's unrevised average of 262,750.

In the week ending August 6, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 266,000, a decrease of 1,000 from the previous week's revised level. The previous week's level was revised down by 2,000 from 269,000 to 267,000. The 4-week moving average was 262,750, an increase of 3,000 from the previous week's revised average. The previous week's average was revised down by 500 from 260,250 to 259,750.

In the week ending July 30, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 269,000, an increase of 3,000 from the previous week's unrevised level of 266,000. The 4-week moving average was 260,250, an increase of 3,750 from the previous week's unrevised average of 256,500.

WASHINGTON – U.S. Secretary of Labor Thomas E. Perez today announced membership changes to the national Advisory Committee on Apprenticeship. The changes include the appointment of seven new members, the reappointment of 23 current members and the appointment of a new chairperson.

In the week ending July 23, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 266,000, an increase of 14,000 from the previous week's revised level. The previous week's level was revised down by 1,000 from 253,000 to 252,000. The 4-week moving average was 256,500, a decrease of 1,000 from the previous week's revised average. The previous week's average was revised down by 250 from 257,750 to 257,500.

WASHINGTON – As part of the U.S. Department of Labor’s historic investments in the ApprenticeshipUSA initiative, the department’s Employment and Training Administration announced it is seeking to award three to five contracts to workforce intermediaries, including community-based organizations; labor organizations; or workforce, industry and education organizations to develop national or regional “opportunity partnerships.”

State: Kentucky

Type of Award: National Dislocated Worker Grant

Initial Amount Approved: $7,494,017

Incremental Amount Awarded: $2,550,000

Funding Awarded to: Eastern Kentucky Concentrated Employment Programs, Inc.

Number of Workers Served: Approximately 685

In the week ending July 16, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 253,000, a decrease of 1,000 from the previous week's unrevised level of 254,000. The 4-week moving average was 257,750, a decrease of 1,250 from the previous week's unrevised average of 259,000.

State: Iowa

Type of Award: National Dislocated Worker Grant

Incremental Amount Awarded: $518,643

Total Funds Awarded to Date: $1,037,286

Funding Awarded to: Iowa Workforce Development

Number of Workers Served: Approximately 650

State: Missouri

Type of Award: National Dislocated Worker Grant

Initial Amount Approved: $3,280,823

Incremental Amount Awarded: $2,277,823

Funding Awarded to: Missouri Division of Workforce Development

Number of Workers Served: Approximately 309

In the week ending July 9, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 254,000, unchanged from the previous week's unrevised level of 254,000. The 4-week moving average was 259,000, a decrease of 5,750 from the previous week's unrevised average of 264,750.

State: West Virginia

Type of Award: National Dislocated Worker Grant

Award Amount Approved/Released: $3,500,000

Funding Awarded to: Workforce West Virginia

Number of Workers Served: Approximately 250