WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor has certified for release $75,886,483 in unemployment insurance (UI) modernization incentive funds to the state of Oklahoma. Oklahoma qualified for its full share of the funds available under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (Recovery Act) by providing for a variety of provisions that assist recent entrants to the workforce, part time workers, and people who become unemployed because of compelling family reasons.

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – During a visit to Memphis today, Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis announced five grant competitions, totaling $500 million, to fund projects that prepare workers for green jobs in the energy efficiency and renewable energy industries.

Atlanta – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) will sponsor “Getting It Right – Know Your Fiduciary Responsibilities,” a free compliance assistance seminar in Atlanta on July 9 at the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta, 1000 Peachtree Street NE.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced a $405,000 grant to assist approximately 80 workers affected by layoffs at the Freightliner Trucks manufacturing facility in Portland, Ore. Freightliner Trucks is a division of Daimler Trucks North America, the largest manufacturer of heavy duty vehicles in North America and a leading manufacturer of medium-duty vehicles.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced a $469,694 grant to assist approximately 60 workers affected by layoffs at ACE Precision Castings LLC and Lennox Industries Inc. located in Marshalltown, Iowa.

"The grant awarded today will allow these Iowans to access services and training that will enable them to enter careers in growing regional industries," said Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis.

WHITEHALL, Wis. – The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has cited Milk Specialties Co. in Whitehall with violations of federal workplace safety and health standards and proposed $1,145,200 in penalties.

WASHINGTON The U.S. Department of Labor today announced the certification of 20 petitions for benefit eligibility for workers under the Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) program, which provides training and employment services for workers who have lost their jobs due to competitive foreign trade. These are the first certifications under the new TAA law that took effect on May 18, 2009, which, among other changes, expanded program access to previously ineligible service industry workers.

LOS ANGELES – U.S. Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis today participated in the "green" refurbishing and painting of a Los Angeles low-income residence with high school students and adult volunteers through LA CAUSA, a youth leadership and community development organization that is a grantee of the Labor Department's nationwide YouthBuild program. The effort was part of a kick-off for United We Serve, President Obama's summer service initiative to create meaningful change in America's communities through long-term volunteer involvement.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced a $643,661 grant to assist approximately 90 workers affected by layoffs at GE Security Inc. located in Tualatin, Ore. On Jan. 8, the company announced the permanent modification of operations at the Tualatin facility, resulting in significant layoffs.

"Today's grant will allow these workers to access the employment and training services necessary to gain re-employment in growing regional industries," said Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) today announced that it will address problems identified in its Voluntary Protection Programs (VPP) in response to a new Government Accountability Office (GAO) report, OSHA's Voluntary Protection Programs: Improved Oversight and Controls Would Better Ensure Program Quality. The report recommends improved oversight and additional controls to ensure participating companies maintain effective workplace safety and health management systems.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor has certified for release $69,427,524 in unemployment insurance (UI) modernization incentive funds to the state of Michigan. Michigan qualified for the funds available under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (Recovery Act) by allowing workers to use their more recent earnings to qualify for benefits.

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending June 13, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 608,000, an increase of 3,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 605,000. The 4-week moving average was 615,750, a decrease of 7,000 from the previous week's revised average of 622,750.

New rule calls for more teams, additional training

Washington — The U.S. Department of Labor’s Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) jointly will hold a public hearing on June 18 to hear testimony on the investment of 401(k) and other retirement plans in target date funds. The hearing will begin at 9 a.m. EDT in the department’s auditorium, 200 Constitution Ave. N.W. in Washington.

WASHINGTON – Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis has announced the award of approximately $114 million to 183 community groups to provide education and training to young people across the United States. This amount is an initial increment for two years of grant operations. A remaining increment may be awarded pending the availability of additional funding. Among today's awardees, 62 are current Department of Labor YouthBuild grantees, and 121 are new to the department.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced a $4,768,700 grant to assist approximately 1,109 workers affected by layoffs at five companies in the manufacturing and retail industries.

Charlotte, North Carolina – The U.S. Department of Labor will sponsor free workshops to assist employers and service providers in understanding and complying with federal regulations regarding employee pension and health benefit plans governed by the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA).

Representatives from the department’s Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) will conduct the seminars at the Hilton Charlotte Executive Park, 5624 Westpark Drive in Charlotte, on June 17 and 18.

WASHINGTON – Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis today issued the following statement on the death of Stephen Tyrone Johns:

"For the past six years, Stephen Tyrone Johns put on his uniform and went to work as a security guard at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum. But yesterday, while performing his duties to serve and protect, he lost his life and before doing so, saved countless others.

"Stephen Tyrone Johns is among the 5,700 American workers, good men and women, who die every year just doing their jobs.

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending June 6, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 601,000, a decrease of 24,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 625,000. The 4-week moving average was 621,750, a decrease of 10,500 from the previous week's revised average of 632,250.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 5.1 percent for the week ending May 30, unchanged from the prior week's revised rate of 5.1 percent.

San Francisco – The U.S. Department of Labor has entered into settlement agreements with Aloha Airlines Inc., Bank of Hawaii and First Hawaiian Bank, which agreed to pay $9,545,454 to the airline’s three pension plans for losses the plans suffered on investments in stock of the airline’s holding company. Both Aloha and its holding company are bankrupt. The money will be paid to the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corp., the trustee of the plans.