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.

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 awarded $125 million in grants to 41 community colleges and organizations. This round is the fifth and final of Community-Based Job Training Grant awards. Awardees were chosen from among 323 applications received in response to a competition first announced on March 15. Of the full amount, nearly $74 million is dedicated to applicants that have never received a Community-Based Job Training Grant.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced a $470,835 National Emergency Grant supplemental award to the Citrus Levy Marion Regional Workforce Development Board Inc. to provide services to about 575 workers affected by layoffs from the manufacturing industry.

"Today's supplemental funds will continue to help Floridians with job placement assistance, skills training and other re-employment services to help them get started in new careers," said Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced a $2,571,600 grant to assist about 370 workers affected by documented and projected layoffs from multiple companies in a defined regional economy in rural Oregon. This region is comprised of Baker, Clatsop, Columbia, Coos, Crook, Curry, Deschutes, Douglas, Gilliam, Grant, Harney, Hood River, Jefferson, Klamath, Lake, Malheur, Morrow, Sherman, Tillamook, Umatilla, Union, Wallowa, Wasco and Wheeler counties.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor's Veterans' Employment and Training Service has awarded $4 million in Incarcerated Veterans Transition Program grants designed to aid veterans "at risk" of homelessness. The 16 grants will serve more than 1,400 formerly incarcerated veterans in 13 states.

WASHINGTON – U.S. Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis today issued the following statement on the death of Sen. Robert Byrd:

"Few people ever really earn the right to be called a legend; however, Sen. Robert Byrd earned it every day. For decades, the people of the Mountain State knew they had a true friend and someone who would fight for them and their families.

ARLINGTON, Va. – The U.S. Department of Labor's Mine Safety and Health Administration spokesperson Amy Louviere today made the following statement:

Washington – The Advisory Council on Employee Welfare and Pension Benefit Plans (also known as the ERISA Advisory Council) will meet June 29 to July 1 in Washington at the U.S. Department of Labor, 200 Constitution Avenue NW, Room C-5310-1B to hear testimony from witnesses.

Atlanta – The owners of Williams-Russell & Johnson, an Atlanta engineering firm, have agreed to restore $150,129 in lost earnings plus accrued interest to the company’s 401(k) retirement plan after being sued by the U.S. Department of Labor for violating the Employee Retirement Income Security Act. In addition to restitution, the defendants have agreed to pay a $30,673 penalty and to reimburse the plan for the fees and expenses of a fiduciary appointed to administer the plan’s assets.

ARLINGTON, Va. – The U.S. Department of Labor's Mine Safety and Health Administration today announced that the federal team investigating the April 5 explosion at the Upper Big Branch Mine will begin its underground examination early next week, following a walk-through today and June 28. Investigators previously had been prevented from beginning their physical probe underground due to conditions resulting from the explosion.

DENVER – During a visit to Denver, Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis today announced $75 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 funds for On-the-Job Training, National Emergency Grants to 41 states, the District of Columbia and three federally recognized Native American tribes. These resources will be used to help Americans get back to work, especially in geographic areas disproportionately impacted by the recession.

LOS ANGELES – During a visit to Olvera Street in Los Angeles, U.S. Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis today announced $78,410,000 in grant funds through the National Farmworker Jobs Program. The program provides training and employment services to migrant and seasonal farmworkers. It is authorized by the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 and is designed to counter the impact of chronic unemployment and underemployment experienced by migrant and seasonal farmworkers who depend primarily on agricultural labor jobs.

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending June 19, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 457,000, a decrease of 19,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 476,000. The 4-week moving average was 462,750, a decrease of 1,500 from the previous week's revised average of 464,250.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 3.5 percent for the week ending June 12, a decrease of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week's unrevised rate of 3.6 percent.

WASHINGTON – Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis today issued the following statement after the U.S. Senate failed by three votes to approve legislation extending unemployment insurance benefits:

"There are nearly 15 million unemployed workers across our nation. Each and every day, they look for work and do everything they can to care for their families and put food on the table. Hundreds of thousands of them rely on unemployment insurance benefits as a final lifeline.

WASHINGTON – On April 13, 2010, following the explosion at the Upper Big Branch Mine that killed 29 men on April 5, U.S. Rep. George Miller, chairman of the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Education and Labor, asked the U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Inspector General to review the Mine Safety and Health Administration's Pattern of Violation Program. Later that month, the inspector general began its review, with the full support and cooperation of MSHA leadership and staff. An interim report was released today.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today released $596,525,000 in funds to continue support for 74 state, territory and national grantees of the Senior Community Service Employment Program for program year 2010. These funds will enable income and training support for 61,900 individuals ages 55 and older, who have low incomes or are unemployed. At least 75 percent of SCSEP funds will go to provide these individuals with part-time, paid community service-based job training program opportunities throughout the country.