WASHINGTON – Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis today announced the appointment of Dusti Gurule as her regional representative in Colorado, New Mexico, Kansas, Texas, Oklahoma and Nebraska. Gurule is based in Denver, Colo.

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending Aug. 28, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 472,000, a decrease of 6,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 478,000. The 4-week moving average was 485,500, a decrease of 2,500 from the previous week's revised average of 488,000.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 3.5 percent for the week ending Aug. 21, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate of 3.5 percent.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has been petitioned by Public Citizen, a national advocacy organization, as well as other groups and individuals, to issue regulations that would limit the work hours of resident physicians. In response to the request, the assistant secretary of labor for occupational safety and health, Dr. David Michaels, today issued the following statement:

WASHINGTON – Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis today announced the appointment of Robert Asaro-Angelo as her representative in the states of Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia and West Virginia as well as the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Asaro-Angelo will be based in New York City.

ARLINGTON, Va. The U.S. Department of Labor's Mine Safety and Health Administration today announced the release of two new program information bulletins pertaining to the rights of miners who make hazardous condition complaints and request inspections, as well as miners' protections against discrimination.

BLANDON, Pa. – The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has issued citations to Kief Industries Inc., doing business as Excelsior Brass Works. The citations allege the company knowingly exposed workers to lead hazards and violated federal workplace safety and health standards at its Blandon facility. Proposed penalties total $550,400.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has published interim final rules that will help protect workers who voice safety, health and security concerns. The regulations, which establish procedures for handling worker retaliation complaints, allow filing by phone as well as in writing and filing in languages other than English.

HOUSTON – The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has issued Goodman Manufacturing Co. LP 83 willful citations for failing to record and improperly recording work-related injuries and illnesses at the company's Houston air conditioning cooling facility. Proposed penalties total $1,215,000.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today posted online its first-ever Labor Day video. This year, instead of giving the traditional "State of the American Worker" Labor Day speech in front of a small group, Secretary Solis has recorded a video both in English and Spanish highlighting the department's support of and commitment to the American worker. By harnessing the power of technology, she is able to speak directly to all American workers.

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration today fined Whitesell Corp. $3,071,500 and cited the company with 72 safety and health violations for exposing workers to amputation hazards and other problems at its manufacturing plants in Tuscumbia and Muscle Shoals, Ala.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor's Employment and Training Administration today announced a final rule regarding the Senior Community Service Employment Program. The final rule strengthens program aspects that will benefit unemployed, low-income older Americans who want to enter or re-enter the workforce. The rule will be effective on Oct.1.

BOULDER, Mont.—The U. S. Department of Labor has sued the owner of M.S. Molitor Trucking Inc. and M.D. Service LLC of Boulder, Mont., for failure to timely deposit $144,398.49 in delinquent employee contributions owed to the company’s SIMPLE IRA plans in violation of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act. The companies ceased operations as of Dec. 1, 2008.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor has announced a $938,441 National Emergency Grant award to assist clean-up and recovery efforts in the wake of severe storms, flooding, and mudslides that struck Kentucky in July 2010.

"A number of Kentuckians saw their jobs and livelihood swept away by these terrible storms," said Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis. "This grant will support ongoing recovery efforts and help Kentucky tackle the challenges left behind by the floodwaters and mudslides."

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy today announced that it will exercise the second option year of its cooperative agreement with the Institute for Educational Leadership and award an additional $999,926 to continue funding the Youth Technical Assistance Center through the National Collaborative on Workforce and Disability for Youth.

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Labor's Employee Benefits Security Administration today announced a proposed regulation to update the procedure for filing and processing applications for exemptions from the prohibited transaction provisions of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act. The proposed regulation is published in the August 30 edition of the Federal Register.

San Jose, California – The U. S. Department of Labor sued Mili Group Inc. of San Jose, and its owner for allegedly misusing retirement plan assets for their own benefit, in violation of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced a $1,352,776 grant to assist about 450 workers affected by layoffs at Electrolux in Jefferson and Webster City, Iowa and three of its suppliers in Ames and Webster City, Iowa.

"No worker should have to go it alone when facing a layoff," said Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis. "This funding will allow hundreds of Iowans impacted by layoffs at Electrolux to access training and employment services that will lead to good jobs in promising industries."

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor's Employment and Training Administration today announced a Notice of Proposed Rule Making regarding the department's YouthBuild program. The YouthBuild Transfer Act was signed into law in September 2006, transferring the administration of the YouthBuild program from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to the Department of Labor. The NPRM seeks to clarify the requirements of the Transfer Act for YouthBuild program providers and participants.

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending Aug. 21, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 473,000, a decrease of 31,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 504,000. The 4-week moving average was 486,750, an increase of 3,250 from the previous week's revised average of 483,500.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 3.5 percent for the week ending Aug. 14, a decrease of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week's revised rate of 3.6 percent.

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Labor today announced that it has paid more than $6 billion in compensation and medical benefits to more than 61,400 claimants nationwide under the Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program Act. This milestone coincides with the 9th anniversary of the Labor Department's administration of the EEOICPA, which assists employees who became ill as a result of working in the nuclear weapons industry.