ARLINGTON, Va. — The U.S. Department of Labor's Mine Safety and Health Administration announced today that, as of Dec. 31, 2013, the agency had addressed the 100 recommendations published in a March 2012 internal review report, meeting the specific timetables and deadlines it had set for implementation of each recommendation. That report examined the agency's actions in the months leading up to the April 2010 Upper Big Branch mine explosion, which killed 29 miners, injured two and led to sweeping changes in mine safety.

WASHINGTON — Secretary of Labor Thomas E. Perez issued the following statement about the December 2013 Employment Situation report released today:

"The U.S. economy closed out 2013 by adding 74,000 jobs, bringing the 2013 total to nearly 2.2 million new jobs. With 87,000 new private-sector jobs in December, that makes 8.2 million jobs created by the private sector over the last 46 straight months. The December unemployment rate fell to 6.7 percent.

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending January 4, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 330,000, a decrease of 15,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 345,000. The 4-week moving average was 349,000, a decrease of 9,750 from the previous week's revised average of 358,750.

ARLINGTON, Va. — The U.S. Department of Labor's Mine Safety and Health Administration announced today that the department has settled two discrimination cases with Nyrstar Tennessee Mines – Gordonsville LLC, which operates the Cumberland and Elmwood/Gordonsville Mines in Smith County, Tenn. According to the settlement, which was approved by Kenneth R.

Date of Action: Dec. 5, 2013

Type of Action: Complaint

Name(s) of Defendant: F.V. Zanetti Inc. and Robert Zanetti

Date of Action: Dec. 12, 2013

Type of Action: Consent Judgment and Order

Name(s) of Defendant: Counseling and Educational Consultants, doing business as Rumford Day Nursery, Inc., and Deborah Very-King

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration will host a live Web chat to discuss the agency's proposed rule on occupational exposure to respirable crystalline silica from 1 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. EST, Tuesday, Jan. 14. Visit http://www.osha.gov/silica/webchat.html to participate.

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Labor today announced a $833,835 National Emergency Grant incremental award to continue with the cleanup and recovery efforts resulting from the severe storms, tornadoes and flooding in Mississippi on Feb. 10, 2013. These funds are being awarded to the Mississippi Department of Employment Security to create temporary jobs for eligible individuals to assist in cleanup efforts.

WASHINGTON — U.S. Secretary of Labor Thomas E. Perez today issued the following statement regarding the Senate's procedural vote invoking cloture on a three-month extension of Emergency Unemployment Compensation:

"Today, the U.S. Senate threw a lifeline that 1.3 million Americans desperately need, agreeing to move forward on legislation to extend emergency unemployment benefits that had expired on Dec. 28.

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Labor today announced a $833,835 National Emergency Grant incremental award to continue with the cleanup and recovery efforts resulting from the severe storms, tornadoes and flooding in Mississippi on Feb. 10, 2013. These funds are being awarded to the Mississippi Department of Employment Security to create temporary jobs for eligible individuals to assist in cleanup efforts.

ARLINGTON, Va. — The U.S. Department of Labor's Mine Safety and Health Administration today announced that federal inspectors issued 198 citations and 11 orders during special impact inspections conducted at 11 coal mines and three metal and nonmetal mines in January.

Mining deaths sharply higher in 4th quarter, following record low fatality rates

ARLINGTON, Va. — The U.S. Department of Labor's Mine Safety and Health Administration today announced that federal inspectors issued 198 citations and 11 orders during special impact inspections conducted at 11 coal mines and three metal and nonmetal mines in January.

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending December 28, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 339,000, a decrease of 2,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 341,000. The 4-week moving average was 357,250, an increase of 8,500 from the previous week's revised average of 348,750.

Date of Action: Dec. 19, 2013

Name(s) of Defendant(s): David Kephart, Timothy Kephart, Kephart Trucking Co., and the Kephart Trucking Co. 401(k) plan

Allegations: In 1988, trucking company Kephart Trucking Co. in Bigler, Pa., established the Kephart Trucking Co. 401(k) plan for its employees. David Kephart, Timothy Kephart, and the company were plan fiduciaries, responsible for making decisions concerning the remittance of elective contributions to the plan.

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of International Labor Affairs today announced a $998,384 grant award to promote gender equality in the workplace in the Kingdom of Morocco. The grant provides funding for a project that will be implemented through a cooperative agreement between the department and Management Systems International.

Date of Action: Dec. 30, 2013

Type of Action: Complaint

Name of Defendant: David E. Doll

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending December 21, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 338,000, a decrease of 42,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 380,000. The 4-week moving average was 348,000, an increase of 4,250 from the previous week's revised average of 343,750.

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of International Labor Affairs today announced the award of a $3 million cooperative agreement to World Education to implement a project that addresses exploitative labor among youth under the age of 18 in Uganda. The project will provide training to youth to help them develop marketable skills and serve as civic leaders in their communities.

WARSAW, Ind — The U.S. Department of Labor has filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court to recover losses to the Miller's Health Systems, Inc., Employee Stock Ownership Plan. The suit alleges that PBI Bank, Inc., the trustee of the plan, authorized the purchase of company stock for $40 million, an amount far in excess of the fair market value of the stock. The suit also alleges that PBI Bank approved financing for the transaction at an excessive interest rate. Miller's Health is a Warsaw-based company that manages long-term care and assisted-living facilities.