Budget reflects fiscal responsibility while investing in job training and worker protection

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today outlined its part of the president's fiscal year 2012 budget request to Congress. The department's budget request focuses on efficiently achieving the department's goals while exercising fiscal restraint.

Mine deaths are not inevitable, says agency head

ARLINGTON, Va. – The U.S. Department of Labor's Mine Safety and Health Administration today issued a fatality alert to the mining community profiling the causes of and circumstances surrounding the 71 fatal accidents that occurred last year.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced a $4,883,709 grant to assist about 1,000 workers affected by layoffs and closures at 21 companies in multiple industries, including three auto suppliers, located throughout Kentucky.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced the availability of approximately $11.7 million in grant funds to serve adult offenders who are returning from incarceration to high-poverty, high-crime communities. The purpose of these grants is to provide an employment-centered approach to reintegration that improves long-term labor market prospects for ex-offenders.

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending Feb. 5, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 383,000, a decrease of 36,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 419,000. The 4-week moving average was 415,500, a decrease of 16,000 from the previous week's revised average of 431,500.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 3.1 percent for the week ending Jan. 29, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate of 3.1 percent.

HOUSTON — The U.S. Department of Labor has announced the filing of a lawsuit against Houston-based Kinder Morgan Inc. and Kinder Morgan Energy Partners LP for their failure to pay more than $1 million in overtime compensation to approximately 4,500 current and former operators, technicians, maintenance workers, laborers and administrative nonexempt employees in violation of the Fair Labor Standards Act.

WASHINGTON – Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis today issued the following statement regarding the extension of the Trade Adjustment Assistance program as amended by the Trade and Globalization Adjustment Assistance Act of 2009:

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – The U.S. Department of Labor has obtained a court judgment appointing an independent fiduciary to manage the retirement savings plan of Shawnee Hills Inc., a defunct mental health hospital formerly located in Charleston.

Under the judgment, entered in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia, G Trust of Topeka, Kan., was appointed as the independent fiduciary with authority to manage the plan, distribute assets to plan participants and beneficiaries, and terminate the plan.

PITTSBURGH – The U.S. Department of Labor has sued Liberty-Pittsburgh Systems Inc. of Pittsburgh and its chief executive officer, Kevin T. Weir, for failing to remit employee contributions to its 401(k) plan in violation of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act.

The lawsuit alleges that from January 2007 through December 2009 the defendants failed to remit employee contributions or participant loan repayments to the plan, and remitted certain contributions and loan repayments to the plan late without interest.

TOLEDO, Ohio – While in Ohio today, Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis announced a $2,932,835 National Emergency Grant supplemental award to provide services to an additional 729 workers affected by layoffs at Wilmington Air Park in Wilmington, Ohio. Following an initial grant in November 2008 and one other previous award of supplemental funding with dislocated workers added as more layoffs occurred, a total of approximately 2,360 individuals now will be served.

Miner fired after cooperating in federal investigation is permanently reinstated

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced the availability of approximately $20 million in grants through its Civic Justice Corps program. Projects funded through these grants will help juvenile offenders gain valuable jobs skills, and participants will demonstrate accountability for their actions through community service.

HARTFORD, Conn. — The U.S. Department of Labor has recovered a total of $934,551 in overtime back wages for 479 employees of UnitedHealthcare and $104,280 in civil money penalties after an investigation by the department's Wage and Hour Division determined that the employees had been incorrectly classified as exempt from the Fair Labor Standards Act and consequently denied compensation for all hours worked.

NEW CASTLE, Del. – The U.S. Department of Labor has obtained a consent judgment ordering Arkion Life Sciences LLC and its corporate officers, Earnest W. Porta, Rick, L. Stejskal, Harvey L. Weaver and Anthony J. Simei, to restore $193,795 in restitution and interest to the company's 401(k) plan.

WASHINGTON – Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis today issued the following statement regarding Black History Month 2011:

"Harriet Tubman once said, 'Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world.' A true soldier of the Civil War, Tubman is among the ranks of countless African-Americans who have paved a path of opportunity, bold visionaries who dreamed, who challenged the status quo, defied the odds and changed the course of American history.

WASHINGTON – Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis issued the following statement on the January 2011 Employment Situation report released today:

"The unemployment rate declined by 0.4 percent to 9.0 percent, down 0.8 percent in the last two months. The private sector added 50,000 jobs, and revisions indicate 1.1 million jobs were added in 2010. While there is still work to be done, the data show the unemployment rate fell in January because more people are working and not because people are leaving the labor force.

WASHINGTON – Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis today issued the following statement regarding the Lunar New Year:

"I would like to wish Asian-Americans and Pacific Islanders throughout the United States and around the world, and everyone who celebrates the Lunar New Year, a wonderful holiday. The richness of your cultures and traditions will be embraced as observances take place across this nation.

New online tool will help young adults, students, first-time workers and those returning to workforce explore careers, find jobs

WASHINGTON – Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis today unveiled a new online tool called My Next Move. The tool is aimed at providing jobseekers with information on more than 900 occupations, as well as local job openings and training opportunities in a simple, user-friendly format.

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending Jan. 29, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 415,000, a decrease of 42,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 457,000. The 4-week moving average was 430,500, an increase of 1,000 from the previous week's revised average of 429,500.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 3.1 percent for the week ending Jan. 22, a decrease of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week's unrevised rate of 3.2 percent.

GREEN BAY, Wis. — Federal contractor Green Bay Dressed Beef LLC will pay $1.65 million in back wages, interest and benefits to 970 women who were subjected to systemic discrimination by the company. The settlement follows an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs, which found that the women were rejected for general laborer positions at the company's Green Bay plant in 2006 and 2007.