Asian Journal agrees to pay nearly $516,500 to 32 employees plus a $40,000 penalty

LOS ANGELES — The U.S. Department of Labor announced today that it has debarred Asian Journal Publications from using the H-1B visa program to hire temporary workers.

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy today announced the availability of approximately $2.3 million in funding for the Add Us In initiative, which will fund up to four cooperative agreements with allotments ranging from $500,000 to $625,000 each.

Washington – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) has launched a new online index for locating individual exemptions granted under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act.

This new online index lets people search by subject matter for individual exemptions granted from 1996 through 2010. For example, the index catalogues exemptions relating to captive reinsurance, co-investing, collateralized mortgage obligations, leases and in-kind contributions.

WASHINGTON — U.S. Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis today announced that the U.S. government has requested labor consultations with the Government of Guatemala under the Dominican Republic-Central America-United States Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR). This is the first time that the United States has requested consultations under the labor chapter of a U.S. free trade agreement.

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Labor's Employee Benefits Security Administration today announced its intention to withdraw the proposed regulation on the definition of a welfare benefit plan under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act from review by the Office of Management and Budget.

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending July 24, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 457,000, a decrease of 11,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 468,000. The 4-week moving average was 452,500, a decrease of 4,500 from the previous week's revised average of 457,000.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 3.6 percent for the week ending July 17, an increase of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week's unrevised rate of 3.5 percent.

SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador — In her first visit to El Salvador as U.S. Secretary of Labor, Hilda L. Solis announced a new United States government contribution of $10 million to support the Salvadoran government’s efforts to combat and eradicate child labor.

ARLINGTON, Va. – The U.S. Department of Labor's Mine Safety and Health Administration today announced that Kansas City Chiefs' running back Thomas Jones has become a spokesman for the agency's annual "Stay Out-Stay Alive" public safety campaign, launched in 1999 to warn outdoor enthusiasts, especially children, about the dangers of playing on mine property. Each year, dozens of people are injured or killed in recreational accidents at active and abandoned mine sites.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration today announced that it is issuing a new rule addressing the use of cranes and derricks in construction, which will replace a decades-old standard. Approximately 267,000 construction, crane rental and crane certification establishments employing about 4.8 million workers will be affected by the rule published today.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor has announced a $4 million National Emergency Grant award to assist cleanup and recovery efforts in the wake of severe storms and flooding that struck Puerto Rico in May 2010.

"The severe storms that battered Puerto Rico earlier this year left the island's residents in need of our help," said Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis. "This grant will support ongoing recovery efforts and help Puerto Ricans return their lives to normalcy."

TAMPA, Fla. — Following an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division, GeoPharma Inc. has agreed to pay $1,360,098 in back wages to 187 employees for violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act.

"Employees have the right to expect that they will receive full pay on time for their work, and the Labor Department will not sit by while employers attempt to evade their responsibilities," said Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis.

Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.

Philadelphia – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) will sponsor “Getting It Right – Know Your Fiduciary Responsibilities,” a free retirement plan seminar on September 15 at the Radisson Plaza Warwick Hotel, 1701 Locust Street.

JINOTEGA, Nicaragua — U.S. Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis saw first-hand the work of the U.S. Department of Labor-funded ENTERATE project during her July 26 visit to the coffee plantation Los Potrerillos in Jinotega. This project works to combat child labor in Jinotega, Madriz and Managua.

Crestview, Florida – The U.S. Department of Labor has sued Robert S. Caputo, his medical group, trustees of the group’s pension plan, the plan’s accounting firm, and an accountant for improperly using $800,000 in plan assets to pay company expenses, in violation of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act.

RENO, Nev. – In the event of a mine fire, roof collapse or explosion, mine rescue teams may be tapped to search for colleagues disoriented by toxic gas, trapped beneath layers of rock or severely injured. The teams undergo rigorous training to develop skills that often save lives. Those skills will be put to the test July 27 through 29 at the 2010 Metal/Nonmetal National Mine Rescue Contest, held at the Reno-Sparks Convention Center in Reno, Nevada. The contest is sponsored by the U.S.

WASHINGTON U.S. Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis today issued the following statement on the 20th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act:

"Twenty years ago today, the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act transformed our nation's disability policy and made a strong statement about the value of diversity and inclusion.

WASHINGTON – U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration Assistant Secretary of Labor Dr. David Michaels, today issued the following statement:

"If someone is at a beach that has been impacted by the oil spill, they may see workers wearing protective clothing to prevent their skin from coming into contact with weathered oil. Skin contact with weathered oil can cause dermatitis.

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending July 17, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 464,000, an increase of 37,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 427,000. The 4-week moving average was 456,000, an increase of 1,250 from the previous week's revised average of 454,750.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 3.5 percent for the week ending July 10, a decrease of 0.2 percentage point from the prior week's unrevised rate of 3.7 percent.

Washington – Today, the Obama Administration is announcing both new regulations to empower consumers to appeal decisions made by their health plans or insurance companies and the availability of resources that will be used to help give consumers more control of their health care decisions. These provisions of the Affordable Care Act will help support and protect consumers and help end some of the worst insurance company abuses.

WASHINGTON U.S. Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis today issued the following statement on the passage of the Miner Safety and Health Act of 2010 by the Committee on Education and Labor of the U.S. House of Representatives: