More than 1,650 qualified female applicants denied jobs at 4 Midwest plants

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced a $2 million National Emergency Grant to create temporary jobs for eligible dislocated workers to assist with cleanup and recovery efforts in North Carolina after major damage was inflicted by Hurricane Irene in August.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced a $1.68 million National Emergency Grant to assist Vermont with cleanup and recovery efforts in the wake of Tropical Storm Irene.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced a $16,186,108 National Emergency Grant to assist New York with recovery efforts in the wake of Hurricane Irene.

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of International Labor Affairs has announced a $10 million competitive solicitation for cooperative agreements to combat exploitative child labor in Ethiopia, with a focus on the weaving industry and rural areas of the country.

11 state agency leaders also sign, agree to memorandums of understanding

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor's Employee Benefits Security Administration will re-propose its rule on the definition of a fiduciary. Consistent with the president's January executive order on regulation, the re-proposal is designed to inform judgments, ensure an open exchange of views and protect consumers while avoiding unjustified costs and burdens. When finalized, this important consumer protection initiative will safeguard workers who are saving for retirement as well as the businesses that provide retirement plans to America's working men and women.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration today awarded $10.7 million in Susan Harwood Training Grants to 37 new and 32 returning recipients, including nonprofit and community/faith-based groups, business and trade associations, labor unions, joint labor/management associations, and colleges and universities.

SAN FRANCISCO – The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has found Bond Laboratories Inc. and former CEO Scott Landow in violation of the whistleblower protection provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act for improperly firing an employee. The company and Landow have been ordered to re-hire the employee and pay approximately $500,000 in back wages, interest and compensatory damages. The findings follow an investigation by OSHA's San Francisco Regional Office, which was initiated after receiving a complaint from the employee.

WASHINGTON – Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis today issued the following statement regarding National POW/MIA Recognition Day:

"Our freedom comes at a very high price. Throughout our nation's history, the brave men and women of America's military have made incredible sacrifices to defend our liberty, protect our security and uphold our democratic values. Too many of them never come home, or have been held as prisoners of war whose fate has never been resolved.

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending September 10, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 428,000, an increase of 11,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 417,000. The 4-week moving average was 419,500, an increase of 4,000 from the previous week's revised average of 415,500.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 3.0 percent for the week ending September 3, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate.

SAN FRANCISCO – The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has found Charlotte, N.C.-based Bank of America Corp. in violation of the whistleblower protection provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act for improperly firing an employee. The bank has been ordered to reinstate and pay the employee approximately $930,000, which includes back wages, interest, compensatory damages and attorney fees.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor has certified for release $41,247,756 in unemployment insurance modernization incentive funds to Puerto Rico. Puerto Rico qualified for its full share of the funds available under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act by including in its law provisions that assist recent entrants to the workforce, part-time workers and individuals who become unemployed because of compelling family reasons.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced awards totaling $191.5 million to 40 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico for unemployment insurance program integrity and technology infrastructure systems. The grants are intended to accelerate actions to reduce UI improper payment rates; provide an opportunity for modernizing UI tax and benefits systems; and enable the design of technology-based tools to prevent, detect and recover improper UI payments.

BOSTON – The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited Bostik Inc. for 50 alleged violations of workplace safety standards following a March 13 explosion at the company's Middleton plant in which four workers were injured. The adhesives manufacturer faces a total of $917,000 in proposed fines.

Conference will provide Davis-Bacon and Service Contract Act compliance assistance

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division will host a free online conference for federal, state and local contracting officials to provide information on federal rules concerning prevailing wages and other labor law requirements. The conference will be webcast live from 10 a.m. — 3 p.m. EDT on both Tuesday, Oct. 4, and Wednesday, Oct. 5.

Date of Action:  Aug. 8, 2011

Type of Action: Complaint

Names of Defendants:  Odell Jones, III; Cecily Hoagland; and Jomar Building Company 401(k) Plan located in Detroit, Mich.

Companies failed to protect workers, warn product users of hazards

ELK GROVE VILLAGE, Ill. The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited J & S Plumbing Inc. in Elk Grove Village for one willful and two repeat alleged safety violations involving failing to protect workers from cave-ins while performing repairs to a sewer line in Arlington Heights. Proposed penalties total $57,860.

Companies failed to protect workers, warn product users of hazards

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending September 3, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 414,000, an increase of 2,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 412,000. The 4-week moving average was 414,750, an increase of 3,750 from the previous week's revised average of 411,000.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 3.0 percent for the week ending August 27, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate of 3.0 percent.