WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Labor's Advisory Council on Employee Welfare and Pension Benefit Plans, also known as the ERISA Advisory Council, will meet Aug. 28-30 at Labor Department headquarters, 200 Constitution Ave. NW, Washington, D.C. 20210, in Room C5521-4. The meeting will run from 9 a.m. to approximately 5 p.m. on Aug. 28 and 29, and from 8:30 a.m. to approximately 4:30 p.m. on Aug. 30.

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Labor is notifying former employees of the Feed Materials Production Center in Fernald, Ohio, about a new class of employees added to the Special Exposure Cohort of the Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program Act. The EEOICPA provides compensation and medical benefits to workers who became ill as a result of working in the nuclear weapons industry. Survivors of qualified workers also may be entitled to benefits.

ARLINGTON, Va. – The U.S. Department of Labor's Mine Safety and Health Administration today announced that federal inspectors issued 177 citations, 22 orders and one safeguard during special impact inspections conducted at nine coal mines and three metal/nonmetal mines last month.

Date of Action: July 27, 2012

Type of Action: Complaint

Names of Defendants: Gary Merritt, as fiduciary to the Bemcore, Inc. Incentive Plan, Bemcore, Inc. and Bemcore, Inc. Incentive Plan in Dayton, Ohio

WASHINGTON – Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis today issued the following statement regarding the death of Lupe Ontiveros:

"Lupe Ontiveros' great talent extended far past television, stage and motion pictures. Indeed, she was a fine actress, but more than that, she was a woman of great action. And she was my friend for more than 20 years.

"Growing up in East Los Angeles in the 1970s, I never saw a family like mine on television, except portrayed as maids or farmworkers. And then Lupe came along and helped to change that.

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending July 21, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 353,000, a decrease of 35,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 388,000. The 4-week moving average was 367,250, a decrease of 8,750 from the previous week's revised average of 376,000.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.6 percent for the week ending July 14, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today awarded a $795,076 National Emergency Grant that will fund temporary jobs to assist with cleanup and recovery efforts following severe storms that struck a number of eastern Minnesota counties June 14-21. The funds are being awarded to the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced the award of nearly $260 million in grants to 15 nonprofit organizations across the country to provide critical job training and related services through Senior Community Service Employment Program jobs.

WASHINGTON – Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis today issued the following statement saluting University of California – Los Angeles professor Ra l Hinojosa Ojeda, who will be honored by the White House on July 27 as a "Connecting the Americas Champion of Change" for his work linking immigrant diasporas to their home countries. The Champions of Change program, part of President Obama's Winning the Future initiative, highlights individuals whose work has strengthened communities and impacted the lives of people throughout the Americas.

Landmark enhanced compliance measures also secured covering company and its subcontractors on federal prevailing wage construction projects

Date of Action: July 20, 2012

Type of Action: Consent order and judgment

Names of Defendants: James H. Trotter, Sr.; Sylvia Trotter; Trotter Construction Company, Inc.; Trotter Development Group NC, LLC, and The Trotter Construction Company, Inc. 401(K) Plan, located in Indianapolis, Ind.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced a $2 million grant to assist about 450 workers who will be affected by the closure of the General Motors assembly plant in Shreveport, La. Layoffs at General Motors and by three of its suppliers – Android Industries LLC, Johnson Controls and Voith Industrial Services Inc. – will begin in August and continue through December.

WASHINGTON – The states of Georgia, Illinois, North Carolina and Texas will receive grants totaling $3 million to develop strategies aimed at helping returning Army veterans find employment more quickly through the public workforce system, Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis announced today. This funding represents an initiative of the U.S. Department of Labor and the U.S. Army under the Unemployment Compensation for Ex-service Members program.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced a $256,953 National Emergency Grant to assist with cleanup and recovery efforts in the aftermath of Tropical Storm Debby, which made landfall in Florida June 23.

"Tropical Storm Debby brought flash floods, tornadoes and coastal erosion to Florida," said Jane Oates, assistant secretary of labor for employment and training. "The department's funding is part of the federal government's commitment to help Floridians rebuild their communities and put their lives back on track."

OSHA proposes more than $34,000 in fines for exposing workers to hazards; Wage and Hour Division seeks nearly $214,000 in back wages and penalties

CLIFFWOOD BEACH, N.J. ‒ The U.S. Department of Labor has filed a lawsuit seeking to recover losses suffered by participants in the SJP Group Inc. Employee Stock Ownership Plan. The department’s suit is based on an investigation conducted by its Employee Benefits Security Administration that found violations of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor has awarded a $420,518 grant to assist about 100 Connecticut workers affected by layoffs at the businesses of Klingberg Family Centers in New Britain, Moore Wallace North America Inc. (known as RR Donnelley) in Windsor and Raytel Cardiac Services Inc. (which also operated as Philips Remote Cardiac Services) in Windsor.

WASHINGTON – Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis today announced six new appointments and 21 reappointments of members to the Advisory Committee on Apprenticeship. The committee is charged with expanding apprenticeships into all sectors of the economy and building partnerships that increase apprenticeship opportunities for Americans.

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending July 14, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 386,000, an increase of 34,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 352,000. The 4-week moving average was 375,500, a decrease of 1,500 from the previous week's revised average of 377,000.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.6 percent for the week ending July 7, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate.

CHICAGO – The U.S. Department of Labor has ordered two railroad companies to pay three workers a total of $650,729.14 in back wages and damages for retaliating against them for reporting workplace injuries and safety concerns. The orders resulted from investigations conducted by the Chicago office of the department's Occupational Safety and Health Administration, which were initiated upon receiving complaints from the employees.