WASHINGTON – In a first-of-its-kind action, the U.S. Department of Labor has issued guidance to all 50 states and the nation’s territories encouraging them to designate more than 2,300 locally operated American Job Centers as voter registration agencies under the National Voter Registration Act.

In the week ending March 19, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 187,000, a decrease of 28,000 from the previous week's revised level. This is the lowest level for initial claims since September 6, 1969 when it was 182,000. The previous week's level was revised up by 1,000 from 214,000 to 215,000. The 4-week moving average was 211,750, a decrease of 11,500 from the previous week's revised average. The previous week's average was revised up by 250 from 223,000 to 223,250.

WASHINGTON – American Indians and Alaska Natives have traditionally faced higher unemployment rates and lower workforce participation, and attained lower levels of education – subjecting them to lower wages, fewer career opportunities and a continued cycle of unemployment and poverty.

WASHINGTON – With opioid-related overdoses linked to 3,237 deaths in Ohio in 2018, and the state’s neonatal units reporting higher rates of newborns suffering opioid withdrawal, opioid abuse remains a serious health emergency.

In the week ending March 12, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claimswas 214,000, a decrease of 15,000 from the previous week's revised level. The previous week's level was revised up by 2,000 from 227,000 to 229,000. The 4-week moving average was 223,000, a decrease of 8,750 from the previous week's revised average. The previous week's average was revised up by 500 from 231,250 to 231,750.

WASHINGTON – Just months after one of the largest structure fires in North Carolina’s history, at QVC Rocky Mount Inc.’s Distribution Center in December 2021, thousands of workers found themselves facing unemployment. In February 2022, 1,953 fell victim as layoffs began, prompting the U.S. Department of Labor to respond to help affected workers in 10 counties find new employment opportunities.  

WASHINGTON – Known as the “Air Capital of the World,” the Wichita, Kansas, area is home to some of the world’s largest aerospace manufacturers, so there was a significant ripple effect in the region after the grounding of the Boeing 737 in 2020. Two years later, industry layoffs continue to affect more than 9,000 workers, prompting the U.S. Department of Labor to provide funding to help workers in six counties prepare for new employment opportunities.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced a supplemental award of $800,000 in funds to the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands’ Department of Labor – Workforce Investment Agency Division to support continued pandemic-related, disaster-relief employment.

In the week ending March 5, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 227,000, an increase of 11,000 from the previous week's revised level. The previous week's level was revised up by 1,000 from 215,000 to 216,000. The 4-week moving average was 231,250, an increase of 500 from the previous week's revised average. The previous week's average was revised up by 250 from 230,500 to 230,750.

WASHINGTON – On the heels of a strong jobs report, workers and jobseekers are taking advantage of opportunities to acquire new skills and explore better opportunities. Many of those workers will seek help from the public workforce system – a network of federal, state and local government-funded programs that provide services to workers, jobseekers and employers that lead to economic growth and improved skills for workers.

WASHINGTON – As they develop the habits, skills and other traits needed for future success, young people from age 14 to 21 have a limited window of opportunity. That’s why, when school is not in session, out-of-school time organizations provide supervised programs for young people and expose them to career options that prepare them better to enter and succeed in the workforce.

WASHINGTON – The U.S.

WASHINGTON – While the causes are many and the remedies sometimes complex, the reality for young people from ages 10 to 24 in the nation’s underserved communities is sadly simple: violence and poverty is stopping many from realizing their potential and blocking access to equity in education and employment.   

WASHINGTON – Each year, state prisons release approximately 573,000 people who need the resources and support to re-enter and find stable employment in their communities successfully.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration today announced the availability of $3.2 million in funds from the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 for Susan Harwood Workplace Safety and Health Training on Infectious Diseases, Including COVID-19 grants.

In the week ending February 26, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 215,000, a decrease of 18,000 from the previous week's revised level. The previous week's level was revised up by 1,000 from 232,000 to 233,000. The 4-week moving average was 230,500, a decrease of 6,000 from the previous week's revised average. The previous week's average was revised up by 250 from 236,250 to 236,500.

WASHINGTON – Earlier today, Deputy Secretary of Labor Julie Su hosted an online listening session with members of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters to discuss strategies for improving trucking job quality, and for retaining and recruiting drivers.

WASHINGTON – The pandemic worsened disparities in economic outcomes across racial, ethnic and gender lines. Today, the U.S. Department of Labor is announcing a $45 million funding availability to help people in marginalized and underrepresented populations overcome barriers to access career and technical education programs that can help connect them with good-paying jobs.

WASHINGTON – Throughout the pandemic, disparities in access to benefits affected women, communities of color and other marginalized workers at a higher rate and often delayed delivery of much needed financial support and services. These disparities in access to unemployment insurance exposed serious real-world shortcomings in the outdated systems used to deliver state and territories unemployment insurance benefits.

In the week ending February 19, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 232,000, a decrease of 17,000 from the previous week's revised level. The previous week's level was revised up by 1,000 from 248,000 to 249,000. The 4-week moving average was 236,250, a decrease of 7,250 from the previous week's revised average. The previous week's average was revised up by 250 from 243,250 to 243,500.