PHILADELPHIA — The U.S. Department of Labor has obtained a default judgment appointing an independent fiduciary to manage the employee retirement savings plan of defunct Janbridge Inc., formerly located in Philadelphia.

Under the judgment, entered in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, Metro Benefits Inc. of Pittsburgh was appointed as the independent fiduciary with authority to manage the plan, distribute assets to plan participants and beneficiaries, and terminate the plan.

MERRIVILLE, Ind. – The U.S. Department of Labor has sued Subspecialty Centers of America LCC in Merriville and the defunct company’s owner, Mark S. Weinberger, for allegedly failing to administer and terminate the Subspecialty Centers of America LCC 401(k) Plan and Trust in violation of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced a $8,397,127 grant to assist about 1,500 workers affected by layoffs at General Motors Spring Hill Assembly Plant in Spring Hill, Tenn. Workers dislocated from the plant are covered by the grant, as are workers from four supplier companies: Johnson Controls, MAPA Spontex, Penske Logistics and Premier Manufacturing Services.

Proposed rule seeks to enhance access to jobs, benefits and protections for US workers

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending March 12, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 385,000, a decrease of 16,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 401,000. The 4-week moving average was 386,250, a decrease of 7,000 from the previous week's revised average of 393,250.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 3.0 percent for the week ending March 5, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate of 3.0 percent.

NEW YORK – The U.S. Department of Labor has obtained a court order appointing an independent fiduciary to manage the abandoned 401(k) plan of Swigonski Management Group, formerly located in Sherrill.

Company receives 46 safety and health violations at 3 Ohio facilities

MORRAL, Ohio – The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited Gavilon Grain LLC in Morral following the September 2010 death of a 20-year-old worker who was caught in a discharge auger while cleaning out a grain bin.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced two grant competitions for the National Farmworker Jobs Program. One competition will fund organizations that will provide training, the other housing services, to migrant and seasonal farmworkers and their families.

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Labor today announced the availability of a new online tool to collect public feedback on ways to improve regulations and the department's regulatory review process.

The online tool is part of the department's compliance with Executive Order 13563, which calls for federal agencies to detail how they will review existing significant regulations to identify whether regulations may be made more effective or less burdensome.

LOS ANGELES – The U.S. Department of Labor has sued USA Star Healthcare Group - East Los Angeles Inc. and executives of ElaStar Community Hospital for failure to remit and timely forward employee contributions and loan repayments to the hospital’s retirement plan in violation of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act. The company also operated under the name ElaStar Community Hospital.

MIAMI – The U.S. Department of Labor has obtained a consent judgment that restores more than $107,775 to participants in the Miami-based Michigan Drill Corp. Profit Sharing Plan.

Construction company also debarred from federal government contracts for 3 years

BURNSVILLE, Minn. – A federal district court in Minneapolis has ordered Larry Lauterbach, the president and former owner of Slate Cement Inc., a defunct Burnsville construction company, to restore $17,273.18 in unremitted employee contributions and lost opportunity costs to the company's health and dental plan, and $747.20 in unremitted employee contributions to the company's 401(k) plan.

WASHINGTON Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis today issued the following statement regarding the earthquake and tsunami in Japan:

"I send my deepest condolences to the people of Japan, particularly to those who have lost loved ones in the earthquake and tsunami. Disasters like this one have devastating effects on a nation s people, and I m proud that President Obama has acted swiftly in providing attention and support. My thoughts and prayers are with all of Japan's people as they overcome this tragedy."

BOSTON – The U.S. Department of Labor has sued Stephen Thomas, individually and as trustee of the defunct Gagne Precast Concrete Products Inc. Employee Stock Ownership Plan, for alleged violations of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act that cost the plan millions of dollars in losses. ERISA is the federal law that protects the assets and participants of private sector employee benefit plans.

MENTOR, Ohio – The U.S. Department of Labor has sued the trustee of the North Coast Wood Products Profit Sharing Plan, Harry Fishleigh III, for improperly transferring $96,837.63 in plan assets to his son, Steven Fishleigh, in violation of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act.

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending March 5, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 397,000, an increase of 26,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 371,000. The 4-week moving average was 392,250, an increase of 3,000 from the previous week's revised average of 389,250.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 3.0 percent for the week ending Feb. 26, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate of 3.0 percent.

INDIANAPOLIS –– The actions of the U.S. Department of Labor have ensured that $51,933.26 of un-remitted employee contributions and related lost opportunity costs have been returned to the Premier Properties USA Inc. 401(k) plan.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced a $1,570,907 grant to assist about 400 workers affected by the closing of Sonoco Packaging Products in Devens, Mass., and layoffs at Debbie's Staffing in Ayer, Mass.

"Many of these workers – who have lost jobs through no fault of their own – face significant language and education barriers to new employment," said Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis. "This grant will make available the services they need to re-enter the workforce."

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor's Veterans' Employment and Training Service today announced the availability of $600,000 in "Stand Down" grants that will provide an estimated 10,000 homeless veterans with opportunities to reintegrate into society. The grants are being awarded under the department's Homeless Veterans' Reintegration Program.