SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending Sept. 25, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 453,000, a decrease of 16,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 469,000. The 4-week moving average was 458,000, a decrease of 6,250 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 Sept. 18, 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's Bureau of International Labor Affairs has announced a $9.5 million competitive grant solicitation listed at http://www.grants.gov seeking applications from qualified organizations to combat the worst forms of child labor in the cotton and other agriculture sectors in Egypt.

Applicants should focus on five goals for combating child labor:

Benefits.gov provides enhanced search tools to navigate government programs

WASHINGTON — As part of its "Add Us In" initiative, the U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy awarded four two-year cooperative agreements totaling more than $2.4 million to consortia led by the University of Missouri-Kansas City in Kansas City, Mo.; Community Partners-Integrated Recovery Network in Los Angeles, Calif.; The Workplace Inc. in Bridgeport, Conn.; and the University of Oklahoma in Norman, Okla.

ARLINGTON, Va. – The U.S. Department of Labor's Mine Safety and Health Administration today announced it has signed a cooperative agreement with the United Mine Workers of America Career Centers Inc., in which the UMWACC will receive $1,450,000 to develop classroom and simulated rescue training programs for mine rescue teams.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration today announced that it has concluded a special evaluation of state-run occupational safety and health programs under its jurisdiction. Enhanced Federal Annual Monitoring and Evaluation reports provide detailed findings and recommendations on the operations of state-run OSHA programs in 25 states and territories.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced an award of $21,276,575 to nine states under the Disability Employment Initiative to improve education, training, and employment opportunities and outcomes of youth and adults who are unemployed and/or receiving Social Security disability benefits. The Disability Employment Initiative is jointly funded and administered by the department's Employment and Training Administration and its Office of Disability Employment Policy.

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy today announced the continuation of funding for a National Technical Assistance, Policy and Research Center for Employers on Employment of People with Disabilities at Cornell University. Continued funding in the amount of $1.6 million was awarded by exercising the first option year of a cooperative agreement between ODEP and Cornell University that provides for the center's operation. The center is also referred to as the National Employer Technical Assistance Center.

LOS ANGELES – The U.S. Department of Labor has sued executives of Journey Electrical Technologies Inc. of Laguna Hills, Calif., for allegedly failing to collect more than $920,000 in employee and employer contributions owed to the company’s 401(k) plan in violation of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act.

ARLINGTON, Va. – The Department of Labor's Mine Safety and Health Administration has announced new screening criteria for the pattern of violations enforcement program, which gives the agency additional enforcement tools to use at mines with a history of violating safety standards. This is a critical first step in reforming the current pattern of violations enforcement program.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor has announced a $5.8 million National Emergency Grant award to assist cleanup and recovery efforts in the wake of severe storms, flooding, and tornadoes that struck Iowa in June.

"Severe storms inflicted widespread damage across the state of Iowa throughout June, and families and businesses need our support," said Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis. "Today's grant will help these citizens cleanup and repair their affected communities."

WASHINGTON — Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis issued the following statement in commemoration of the 45th anniversary of the signing of Executive Order 11246, creating what eventually became the U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs:

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced a $3,644,575 grant to assist about 960 workers affected by layoffs from the pharmaceutical industry in northern New Jersey.

"Today's grant will give these workers the opportunity to find new jobs in expanding sectors of the state's economy," said Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis. "These are hard-working and highly talented individuals, and we want to do everything possible to help guide and prepare them for other employment opportunities that may be available locally."

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor has announced a $919,588 National Emergency Grant supplemental award to continue to provide services to about 1,373 workers affected by layoffs in the manufacturing and retail industries in southeastern Minnesota.

WASHINGTON – Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis today issued the following statement on National Employ Older Workers Week, which takes place September 19 - 26.

"This week we celebrate the continued contributions of America's older workers. It is also a time to get word to every employer about the importance and benefits of hiring these seasoned professionals. After all, experience – coupled with a solid work ethic and strong decision making skills – makes for excellent job candidates.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced a $573,416 grant to assist about 183 workers affected by layoffs at Thermo Fisher Scientific in Dubuque, Iowa.

"Iowa has been hard hit by the recession, and I am committed to doing everything possible to help transition impacted workers across the state into better and permanent jobs," said Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis. "The grant announced today will help these Iowans gain skills and abilities, which will allow them to compete for and find good jobs in new and emerging industries."

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending Sept. 18, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 465,000, an increase of 12,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 453,000. The 4-week moving average was 463,250, a decrease of 3,250 from the previous week's revised average of 466,500.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 3.5 percent for the week ending Sept. 11, a decrease of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week's revised rate of 3.6 percent.

BOSTON – The U.S. Department of Labor has obtained a court order appointing an independent fiduciary to manage the abandoned 401(k) plan of defunct VIPswitch Inc. of Rowley, Mass.

ARLINGTON, Va. – The U.S. Department of Labor's Mine Safety and Health Administration announced that an Administrative Law Judge with the Federal Mine Safety and Health Review Commission has ruled in favor of MSHA in a legal challenge filed last June by Massey Energy's Performance Coal Co. The company had challenged MSHA's protocol guidelines in the underground accident investigation of the Upper Big Branch Mine, in which the agency prohibited Massey Energy investigators from using cameras, collecting evidence, mapping and conducting sampling.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration today awarded $2.75 million in Susan Harwood Targeted Topic Training Grants to 16 organizations, including nonprofit and community/faith-based groups, employer associations, labor unions, joint labor/management associations, and colleges and universities.