WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced a $500,000 National Emergency Grant to provide an estimated 500 jobless workers in West Virginia with partial premium payments for health insurance coverage.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced a $202,395 National Emergency Grant to assist about 70 workers affected by the closure of a Whirlpool Corp. manufacturing facility in Benton Harbor, Mich.

740 employees in California, Arizona and Nevada to be compensated

HESPERIA, Calif. — Arizona Pipeline Co. has agreed to pay $750,000 in back wages to 740 employees following an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division, which found that the company violated the overtime and record keeping provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act.

Business, policy, academic, HR representatives and workers invited to attend

Overtime violations found at retail stores nationwide

SAN FRANCISCO — Levi Strauss & Co. has agreed to pay $1,011,413 in overtime back wages to 596 employees nationwide after the U.S. Department of Labor found that the company violated overtime and recordkeeping provisions of the federal Fair Labor Standards Act.

BAY CITY, Mich. – Independent Bank has agreed to restore a combined $87,000 to the Richard P. Payea M.D., P.C. Money Purchase Plan and the Richard P. Payea M.D., P.C. Profit Sharing Plan as part of the settlement of a lawsuit filed by the U.S. Department of Labor against the bank for alleged violations of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act. The bank also has been assessed $8,700 in civil money penalties.

ARLINGTON, Va. – The U.S. Department of Labor's Mine Safety and Health Administration today announced that federal inspectors issued 166 citations and orders during special impact inspections conducted at seven coal mines and one dimension stone quarry last month. The seven coal mines were issued 127 citations and four orders; the quarry operation was issued 27 citations and eight orders.

WASHINGTON – Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis today issued the following statement on the death of Geraldine Ferraro:

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration today applauded a ruling by Chief Administrative Law Judge Covette Rooney of the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission upholding the citation and full penalty issued to Wal-Mart Stores Inc. for inadequate crowd management following a November 2008 trampling death of a worker at one of the company's retail locations in New York.

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending March 19, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 382,000, a decrease of 5,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 387,000. The 4-week moving average was 385,250, a decrease of 1,500 from the previous week's revised average of 386,750.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 3.0 percent for the week ending March 12, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate of 3.0 percent.

LAFAYETTE, La. – Furthering safety and health for oil and gas workers in Louisiana is the goal of an alliance signed today by the Baton Rouge Area Office of the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration and the South Louisiana Service Transmission, Exploration and Production Safety Network.

Investigators visiting farms in South Florida to ensure compliance

MIAMI — The U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division is reminding agricultural workers in South Florida that their rights are protected by the Migrant and Seasonal Agricultural Worker Protection Act, the Fair Labor Standards Act and the Occupational Safety and Health Act's Field Sanitation Standard. Virtually all employees engaged in agriculture are covered by federal law because they produce goods for interstate commerce.

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. − The U.S. Department of Labor has sued McIntyre Construction Inc. of Virginia Beach and its vice president, Robert Berkopec, for failing to remit employee contributions to the company’s 401(k) plan in violation of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act.

The lawsuit alleges that the defendants failed to remit employee contributions to the plan from 2006 through 2009, and used the money to fund corporate operations and pay other creditors.

Change would involve checking box for a musculoskeletal disorder

MERRILLVILLE, Ind. – The U.S. Department of Labor has sued Family Mobile Medical Services Inc. of Merrillville and owner Ben Richmond to restore $8,965.94 in voluntary employee contributions plus interest to the company’s retirement plan. The case resulted from an investigation by the Labor Department’s Employee Benefits Security Administration into alleged violations of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced the release of the Long-Term Care, Supports and Services Competency Model. Over the past several months, the department's Employment and Training Administration has worked with federal and industry partners to identify the core competencies required of workers who provide long-term care, support and services for individuals with disabilities and older adults in need of assistance.

WASHINGTON — U.S. Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis and El Salvador Minister of Foreign Affairs Hugo Martinez today signed a new agreement that will make it easier to protect the rights of citizens of El Salvador who work in the United States. Secretary Solis is in El Salvador to strengthen partnerships with the government, having joined President Obama for part of his Latin America trip.

Announces $10 million contribution to target root causes of exploitative child labor

TACOMA, Wash. – The U.S. Department of Labor has obtained a default judgment ordering Vincent’s Apartment Washer Service Inc. and its former owner and president, Keith D. Vincent, to restore $16,939 to the company’s savings incentive match plan for employees.

Mobile site features audio tour and background of historic event

WASHINGTON – In commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the deadly fire at the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory in New York City, the U.S. Department of Labor today announced a new website and audio tour optimized for smartphones documenting that milestone in labor's history.