WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced a $394,617 grant to assist about 60 workers affected by layoffs at The Hinckley Co., a leading producer of pleasure boats and yachts, in Trenton, Maine.

"This grant will provide the retraining and job search assistance necessary for these Mainers to enter new careers in promising regional industries," said Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has issued commonsense fact sheets that employers and workers can use to promote safety during the current H1N1 influenza outbreak.

The fact sheets inform employers and workers about ways to reduce the risk of exposure to the 2009 H1N1 virus at work. Separate fact sheets for health care workers, who carry out tasks and activities that require close contact with 2009 H1N1 patients, contain additional precautions.

WASHINGTON – U.S. Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis today issued the following statement on the October 2009 Employment Situation report released today:

"This past October, the economy lost 190,000 jobs, and the unemployment rate increased to 10.2 percent.

"We have known for some time now that the unemployment rate could reach this level, and it is an unacceptable situation. We are working hard to reverse these circumstances for the millions of Americans who need and want work but cannot find it.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced that approximately 5,500 workers from companies in 16 states – Alabama, California, Connecticut, Georgia, Illinois, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, New York, Ohio, Oregon, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah, Virginia and Wisconsin – are eligible to apply for Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA).

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending Oct. 31, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 512,000, a decrease of 20,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 532,000. The 4-week moving average was 523,750, a decrease of 3,000 from the previous week's revised average of 526,750.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 4.4 percent for the week ending Oct. 24, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate of 4.4 percent.

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Tyson Foods Inc., one of the nation's largest poultry producers, has been found in violation of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) at its Blountsville, Ala., facility. The jury's verdict in federal court in Birmingham resulted from a lawsuit filed by the U.S. Department of Labor against the company.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today certified for release $108,455,561 in unemployment insurance (UI) modernization incentive funds to the commonwealth of Massachusetts.

SAN FRANCISCO — The owners of a Southland residential cleaning service were taken into custody and later released after failing to comply with a court order directing payment of $3.5 million in back wages, plus interest, fines and liquidated damages to at least 385 workers.

"It is unconscionable that an employer would continue to disregard the obligation to pay vulnerable workers, even after being ordered to do so by a federal judge," said Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis.

Boston — The U.S. Department of Labor has obtained a federal court order appointing an independent fiduciary to manage the abandoned 401(k) plan of Autolines Inc., a company formerly located in Whitman, Massachusetts.

Kearneysville, West Virginia – The U.S. Department of Labor has filed an adversary complaint in federal bankruptcy court against Sherry Hill, part owner of now defunct Stinger Sheet Metal, Inc., to prevent her from discharging an alleged debt of $63, 347 owed to the company’s SIMPLE IRA employee benefit plan.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced an $827,616 grant to assist about 135 workers in the commonwealth of Massachusetts affected by the closure of Jabil Circuit Inc. in Billerica, Mass.

San Juan, Puerto Rico – Caribbean International News Corp. has been ordered by a federal court to restore more than $1.2 million to the El Vocero de Puerto Rico Union Employees Savings and Investment Plan, a retirement plan established for the benefit of the company’s unionized employees. The corporation does business as El Vocero de Puerto Rico, a newspaper based in San Juan.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labors Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) today announced it is issuing $87,430,000 in proposed penalties to BP Products North America Inc. for the companys failure to correct potential hazards faced by employees. The fine is the largest in OSHAs history. The prior largest total penalty, $21 million, was issued in 2005, also against BP.

WASHINGTON – U.S. Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis today issued the following statement regarding the AFL-CIO and American Rights at Work report ICED OUT: How Immigration Enforcement Has Interfered with Workers Rights.

"The Department of Labor is firmly committed to protecting the rights of all workers, and especially the rights of the most vulnerable workers in our economy.

"The violation of any one worker's rights is cause for concern to all American workers. When unscrupulous employers abuse vulnerable workers, honest employers and their workers suffer.

Federal OSHA to review all state plan programs

WASHINGTON – Jordan Barab, acting assistant secretary for the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), today told a Congressional committee that the serious shortcomings discovered during his agency's evaluation of the Nevada Occupational Safety and Health Administration's safety program raised concerns about federal OSHA's monitoring of all state plan states.

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending Oct. 24, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 530,000, a decrease of 1,000 from the previous week's unrevised figure of 531,000. The 4-week moving average was 526,250, a decrease of 6,000 from the previous week's unrevised average of 532,250.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 4.4 percent for the week ending Oct. 17, a decrease of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week's unrevised rate of 4.5 percent.

WASHINGTON – Today the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) announced that injury and illness rates among private industry employers are down from a total case rate of 4.2 in 2007 to 3.9 in 2008. BLS also reported a decline in non-fatal occupational injuries and illnesses from 4 million cases in 2007 to 3.7 million cases in 2008. Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis issued the following statement:

"Preventable workplace injuries and illnesses affect millions of American workers every year, many with lifelong effects.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced that approximately 8,600 workers from companies in 16 states – Arizona, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, Nebraska, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, West Virginia and Wisconsin – are eligible to apply for Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA).

Award will help increase electric reliability, create clean energy jobs

Las Vegas – U.S. Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis today announced the award of $138 million in federal funds to NV Energy for smart grid technology. Matching funds increase the value of this project to $298 million. These funds will help transition an electric distribution system to a smarter, more efficient and reliable electric system, and spur the creation of clean energy jobs across Nevada.

Boston – The U.S. Department of Labor has obtained a consent judgment and order recovering more than $25,000 owed to the Benes Communications Inc. 401(k) Profit Sharing Plan. The plan was sponsored by the now defunct Michael Benes Communications Inc. of Lexington, Massachusetts, and was controlled by Robert Feige, who was the president, treasurer, secretary, director and majority owner of Benes Communications.