WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration is soliciting applications for $2.75 million in Susan Harwood Targeted Topic Training Grants to provide training and education programs on safety and health for workers and their employers. For fiscal year 2010, the program offers 28 targeted topic areas including crane safety, combustible dust, maritime, oil and gas, and eye safety.

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's solicitor today filed a complaint against the U.S. Postal Service for electrical work safety violations. The complaint, which asks the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission to order USPS to correct electrical violations at 350 facilities, marks the first time the department has sought enterprise-wide relief as a remedy.

Washington – Assistant Secretary of Labor Phyllis C. Borzi today issued the following statement regarding the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA) and the premium reduction under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA):

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Labor's Employee Benefits Security Administration today adopted a final amendment that allows qualified professional asset managers to act as QPAMs for their own employee benefit plans provided certain additional conditions are met.

"We have updated the exemption to expand the investment opportunities available to plans sponsored by QPAMs while protecting the plans' assets," said Phyllis C. Borzi, assistant secretary of labor for EBSA.

New York – The U.S. Department of Labor has obtained a final consent order permanently barring Leonard Slutsky and Sharlene Slutsky from control over or serving in positions of responsibility to employee benefit plans governed by the Employee Retirement Income Security Act, except as outlined in the court order.

WASHINGTON – U.S. Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis issued the following statement on the June 2010 Employment Situation report released today:

WASHINGTON – Secretary Solis today issued the following statement on the introduction of the Miner Safety and Health Act of 2010 (H.R. 5663) in the U.S. House of Representatives:

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.

WASHINGTON – U.S. Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis issued the following statement on the death of an electrician at the Pocahontas Mine in West Virginia:

"I offer my heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of the mine worker in West Virginia who lost his life today. In 2010, no worker should lose his or her life simply because they showed up for work. We know that accidents are preventable when proper safety procedures are followed, and when mine operators make a serious commitment to providing for the safety and health of their workers.

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 – U.S. Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis today accompanied President Obama during a speech at American University in Washington, where the president called for comprehensive immigration reform. Secretary Solis issued the following statement in support of the president's message:

"There are defining moments in a nation's history, when its leaders are called upon to act decisively and irrespective of party or geography. This is such a moment.

Fresno, California – The U.S. Department of Labor has sued Explore General Inc. and its officers for allegedly failing to forward more than $70,000 in employee contributions and to collect more than $100,000 in employer contributions owed to the company’s 401(k) plan in violation of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act.

ARLINGTON, Va. – The U.S. Department of Labor's Mine Safety and Health Administration today responded to last week's alert memorandum issued by the department's Office of Inspector General, which highlights flaws in MSHA's past implementation of its Pattern of Violations authority, including setting limits on the number of mines the agency targeted for potential POV because of resource limitations. The Pattern of Violations process looks at mines with an inspection history of recurrent significant and substantial violations of mandatory safety or health standards.

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's Veterans' Employment and Training Service today announced more than $5 million in grants to aid homeless female veterans and veterans with families. Twenty-six grants in 14 states and the District of Columbia will provide job training, counseling and placement services (including job readiness, and literacy and skills training) to expedite the reintegration of homeless female veterans and veterans with families into the labor force through the Homeless Veterans Reintegration Program.

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.