WASHINGTON – Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis issued the following statement on the December 2012 Employment Situation report released today:

"December's report marks 34 straight months of private sector job growth, which have added close to 5.8 million jobs. For nearly three years, steady gains have occurred across different sectors of the economy, and December finishes a strong year of consistent growth with average increases of about 160,000 private sector jobs per month in 2012.

SAVANNAH, Ga. — L-3 Communications Vertex Aerospace LLC has agreed to pay $261,899 in back wages to 361 workers employed at Hunter Army Airfield in Savannah following an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division that found employees were not being compensated in compliance with the McNamara-O'Hara Service Contract Act.

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending December 29, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 372,000, an increase of 10,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 362,000. The 4-week moving average was 360,000, an increase of 250 from the previous week's revised average of 359,750.

Asian Moon and Golden Rod restaurants also will pay more than $98,000 in civil money penalties for minimum wage, overtime, recordkeeping violations

WASHINGTON – U.S. Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis today released the following statement on the death of Lucille Beserra Roybal:

Servers worked only for tips

DUNCAN, Okla. — Peyton's Place LLC in Duncan has agreed to pay $84,864 in back wages to 31 current and former servers following an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division which found violations of the minimum wage and record-keeping provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act.

Employees in New Orleans not paid prevailing wage, overtime

NEW ORLEANS — Mahaffey Tent and Awning Co. Inc., doing business as Mahaffey Fabric Structures, has paid $133,285 in back wages and fringe benefits to 28 current and former workers following an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division. The investigation found that the company violated the requirements of the McNamara-O'Hara Service Contract Act and the Contract Work Hours and Safety Standards Act.

$26,000 in civil money penalties assessed

DALLAS — Nieman Printing Inc. in Dallas has paid $96,335 in overtime back wages to 101 employees following an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division, which found that the company violated the overtime provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act. Civil money penalties assessed total an additional $26,000.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced a $1.4 million National Emergency Grant increment award to the Kentucky Education and Workforce Development Cabinet's Department for Workforce Investment. The award will provide partial premium payments for health insurance coverage for eligible unemployed individuals.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced a $300,000 National Emergency Grant to assist with cleanup and recovery efforts in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy.

"We are committed to helping the citizens of West Virginia recover from the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy," said Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis. "Today's grant will assist with cleanup and repair of the state's infrastructure and help those affected by Hurricane Sandy to return to normalcy."

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending December 22, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 350,000, a decrease of 12,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 362,000. The 4-week moving average was 356,750, a decrease of 11,250 from the previous week's revised average of 368,000.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced the award of a $105,600 National Emergency Grant supplement to the Georgia Department of Labor. The supplement will enable the state to continue funding partial premium payments for health insurance coverage for qualified jobless workers and expand the number of people served under the grant to about 460.

ARLINGTON, Va. – The U.S. Department of Labor's Mine Safety and Health Administration today announced that federal inspectors issued 285 citations, 11 orders and two safeguards during special impact inspections conducted at nine coal mines and seven metal/nonmetal mines last month.

WASHINGTON — U.S. Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis today announced a $1.5 million grant award to strengthen labor rights in Colombia. The grant awarded by U.S Department of Labor's Bureau of International Labor Affairs will fund a project implemented by the Escuela Nacional Sindical.

WASHINGTON — U.S. Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis today announced a $2.2 million grant award to strengthen worker organizations in Haiti and Peru. The grant awarded by the U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of International Labor Affairs will fund projects implemented by the American Center for International Labor Solidarity, also known as the Solidarity Center.

Funds will assist workers in Alabama, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maryland, Mississippi, South Carolina and Virginia

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced the award of a $1,058,254 National Emergency Grant supplement to provide qualified jobless workers with partial premium payments for health insurance coverage and to expand the number of states and people served.

OSHA finds Orlando, Fla., employer in violation of OSH Act's Section 11(c)

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of International Labor Affairs awarded a $5 million cooperative agreement to the International Labor Organization for a project to support efforts to reduce child domestic work by building the capacity of domestic worker organizations and promoting decent work for domestic workers in four provinces of Indonesia.

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Labor today announced the award of two new cooperative agreements to support efforts by the governments of Ecuador and Panama to combat child labor among vulnerable groups. Both projects include a focus on children from Afro-descendant, indigenous and migrant populations.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced the award of a $1.2 million National Emergency Grant supplement to WorkForce West Virginia. The supplement will enable the state to continue funding partial premium payments for health insurance coverage for qualified unemployed individuals and expand the number of people served.