Salt Lake City – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Employee Benefits and Security Administration (EBSA) will hold free, half-day workshops in Salt Lake City on April 14 to help employers, the employee benefit community and others better understand and comply with federal pension law. The workshops will be held at the Wallace F. Bennett Federal Building, 125 South State St., Room 2404 at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. (MDT).

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has ordered Southern Air Inc., a Norwalk, Conn.-based air cargo carrier, to withdraw a lawsuit it filed against nine former employees and pay them more than $7.9 million in wages, damages and legal fees.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today certified for release $29,270,446 in unemployment insurance (UI) modernization incentive funds to the state of Connecticut. Connecticut qualified for the funds available under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (Recovery Act) by allowing workers to use their more recent earnings to qualify for benefits. Connecticut's approved application will be posted at the department's Employment and Training Administration Web site at http://www.doleta.gov/recovery.

HOUSTON — IFCO Systems North America Inc., doing business as IFCO Systems, based in Houston has paid $1,602,267 in back wages to its employees after investigations by the U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division found that 1,751 employees in 17 states had not been properly paid for the overtime hours that they worked as required by the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). The Wage and Hour Division also fined the company $963,050 in civil money penalties.

New Haven, Connecticut – The U.S. Department of Labor has obtained a consent judgment ordering the owner and operator of Fairfield Podiatry Associates LLC of Fairfield, Connecticut, to restore more than $32,000 to the company’s 401(k) plan. The defendant must also pay a civil penalty of almost $6,500 to the Labor Department.

New York City – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) will hold a free workshop on April 28 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. EDT to help employers, the employee benefit community and others better comply with federal pension law. The workshop will be held at 33 Whitehall Street, 11th Floor in Manhattan.

WASHINGTON – U.S. Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis issued the following statement on the March 2009 Employment Situation report released today:

"Our economy lost another 663,000 jobs in March, bringing the total number of Americans that have lost their jobs to 5.1 million since this recession began last year. The overall unemployment rate has increased to 8.5 percent.

Kansas City, Missouri — The U.S. Department of Labor Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) will sponsor workshops April 6 through 10 in Kansas City on subsidy for continuation health benefits under the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA). These health benefits are particularly important for unemployed workers.

Atlanta – The U.S. Department of Labor has entered into a consent judgment and order with defunct Shelton and Associates and a corporate officer to restore assets to the former company’s pension plan.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today certified for release $5,882,545 in unemployment insurance (UI) modernization incentive funds to the state of South Dakota. South Dakota qualified for the funds available under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (Recovery Act) by allowing workers to use their more recent earnings to qualify for benefits. South Dakota's approved application will be posted at the department's Employment and Training Administration Web site at http://www.doleta.gov/recovery.

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending March 28, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 669,000, an increase of 12,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 657,000. The 4-week moving average was 656,750, an increase of 6,500 from the previous week's revised average of 650,250.

Washington – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) will host a free webcast April 6 to help employers and plan administrators understand new requirements under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Recovery Act) relating to continuation health coverage.

Chesterfield, Michigan – The U.S. Department of Labor has filed a lawsuit in federal district court in Detroit, Michigan, to obtain appointment of an independent fiduciary to terminate the profit-sharing trust of Constitution Mold & Engineering Inc. (CME) and distribute its assets to eligible plan participants. CME was formerly a business operated in Chesterfield.

Dallas – The U.S. Department of Labor has obtained a consent judgment appointing G Trust as the independent fiduciary of the 401(k) plan of defunct Warren Manufacturing Inc. of Morris, Oklahoma. The court order gives G Trust authority to manage the assets of the abandoned 401(k), terminate the plan and distribute $16,159.55 to nine participants.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has revised its Field Operations Manual to provide OSHA compliance officers with a single comprehensive resource of updated guidance in implementing the agency's mission to more effectively protect employees from occupational injuries, illnesses and fatalities.

WASHINGTON – Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis today issued the following statement in commemoration of Cesar E. Chavez's birthday:

"I would like to pay a special tribute to the legacy of Cesar E. Chavez. He dedicated his life to championing the rights of farm laborers and all working people, and he did it through nonviolence.

"Chavez was a second-generation American. He was born March 31, 1927, in Yuma, Ariz., and raised during the Great Depression.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced a $254,516 grant to assist approximately 73 workers affected by layoffs at Wausau Paper Specialty Products LLC located in Jay, Maine.

"Today's grant will provide affected workers with supportive services, such as career counseling and retraining, in new occupational fields that will enhance their eligibility for re-employment," said Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced an $8,342,254 grant to assist approximately 2,428 workers affected by layoffs at the General Motors Corp. truck assembly plant in Moraine, the Chrysler north assembly plant in Toledo, the GM Lordstown plant in Warren and 12 other supplier companies located in Ohio.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced a $757,678 grant to assist approximately 160 workers affected by layoffs at American Airlines Overhaul Base Facility located in Kansas City, Mo.

"American Airlines has experienced the effects of the global and national economic downturn that has caused the elimination of routes and an overall reduction in flights," said Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis. "The services offered by this grant will help the affected workers find and obtain employment in high growth occupations within their region."

ROME – U.S. Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis today issued the following statement on the American automotive industry:

"I am committed to revitalizing the American auto industry and helping manufacturing communities create new jobs to rebuild local economies. For hardest hit workers and communities, we will do everything we can to provide relief and paths to re-employment.