Date of Action: Jan. 25, 2013

Type of Action: Default judgment

Names of Defendant:Tannile Elizabeth Ortiz, a fiduciary to the Spencer & Associates LLC Profit Sharing and 401(k) Plan

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending January 19, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 330,000, a decrease of 5,000 from the previous week's unrevised figure of 335,000. The 4-week moving average was 351,750, a decrease of 8,250 from the previous week's revised average of 360,000.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor's Mine Safety and Health Administration today announced that federal inspectors issued 150 citations and nine orders during special impact inspections conducted at eight coal mines and three metal/nonmetal mines last month.

WASHINGTON – Deputy Secretary of Labor Seth D. Harris has issued the following statement regarding the Bureau of Labor Statistics report released today on union membership in 2012:

"Today the Bureau of Labor Statistics announced that, in 2012, the unionization rate of employed wage and salary workers was 11.3 percent. Among private sector employees, the rate was 6.6 percent.

Date of Action: Jan. 18, 2013

Type of Action: Consent judgment

Name(s) of Defendant(s): Towson Rehabilitation LLC, chief executive officer Howard Neels, and the Towson Rehabilitation 401(k) plan

Allegations: Since January 2006, the defendants failed to remit employee contributions to the plan, remitted certain employee contributions late without interest, and failed to segregate the plan's assets from the general assets of the company.

Date of Action: Jan. 22, 2013

Type of Action: Default judgment

Name(s) of Defendant(s): Gary L. Merritt, as fiduciary to the Bemcore Inc. Incentive Plan, Bemcore, Inc. and Bemcore, Inc. Incentive Plan in Dayton, Ohio

Date of Action: Jan. 17, 2013

Type of Action: Complaint

Name(s) of Defendant(s): Tripp Mechanical Services, Jarvis Edward Tripp, Jr., and Gina Tripp

WASHINGTON – Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis today announced a final rule to strengthen safety in the nation's most dangerous mines. The rule, which revises the Mine Safety and Health Administration's pattern of violations regulation in 30 Code of Federal Regulations Part 104, has been submitted to the Federal Register for publication. It will ensure that mine operators monitor and address the most hazardous safety problems in their mines.

WASHINGTON – Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis today announced the availability of approximately $75 million in YouthBuild grant funds to develop programs that will help out-of-school youths complete high school or General Educational Development programs, as well as learn critical occupational skills in construction, health care, information technology and other fields.

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending January 12, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 335,000, a decrease of 37,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 372,000. The 4-week moving average was 359,250, a decrease of 6,750 from the previous week's revised average of 366,000.

WASHINGTON — Officials of the U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division and Iowa Workforce Development today signed a memorandum of understanding to protect the rights of employees by preventing their misclassification as independent contractors by employers.

Complaint asks court to bar security company from government contracting

CHICAGO — The U.S. Department of Labor has filed lawsuits to require Roswell, Ga.-based U.S. Security Associates Inc. — which provides uniformed and trained guards and other emergency responders under federal contract — to submit documents detailing the company's affirmative action plans for its own facilities in Milwaukee, Wis., and Portage, Ind.

WASHINGTON – Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis today issued the following statement regarding the retirement of Sen. Jay Rockefeller:

SAVANNAH, Ga. – A judge has ordered former Savannah attorney Benjamin S. Eichholz and the Eichholz Law Firm P.C. to restore losses and interest to the firm’s retirement and pension plans. The order resolves a lawsuit filed by the U.S. Department of Labor, which was based on an investigation by the department’s Employee Benefits Security Administration. EBSA found that Eichholz and his former law firm breached their fiduciary responsibilities in violation of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act and caused losses to the plans in excess of $1 million.

WASHINGTON The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has signed an accord with BNSF Railway Co., headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas, announcing BNSF's voluntary revision of several personnel policies that OSHA alleged violated the whistleblower provisions of the Federal Railroad Safety Act and dissuaded workers from reporting on-the-job injuries.

Date of Action: Jan. 9, 2013

Type of Action: Consent judgment

Name(s) of Defendant(s): Richard Yanek, president, sole owner and trustee of the 401(k) plan, and Cardservice of Virginia Inc.

WACO, Texas The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited Marathon Norco Aerospace Inc. with eight serious health violations following a July inspection for exposing workers to hazardous materials, such as nickel and cadmium, at the company's facility on Imperial Drive in Waco. Proposed penalties total $41,220.

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending January 5, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 371,000, an increase of 4,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 367,000. The 4-week moving average was 365,750, an increase of 6,750 from the previous week's revised average of 359,000.

New electronic tools to help inform young workers about hazards and rights

DALLAS — Paradise Detail Ltd. in Dallas has agreed to pay 82 current and former detail and car wash employees $229,475 in back wages following an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division that found violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act's overtime and minimum wage provisions.