WASHINGTON – U.S. Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao issued the following statement on the December 2008 employment situation report released today:

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) today published in the Federal Register final changes to its Voluntary Protection Programs (VPP) that, among other enhancements, allow participation by companies with mobile workforces.

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Sandia Corp., doing business as Sandia National Laboratory in Albuquerque, has agreed to pay $2,077,248 in overtime back wages to 2,657 research employees after a U.S. Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division investigation found violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

"Among the department's highest priorities is ensuring that workers are paid all the wages they are owed," said Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao. "In this case, we have succeeded in securing more than $2 million in back wages for these workers."

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Labor-Management Standards (OLMS) today announced its criminal enforcement data for December 2008. During the month, OLMS obtained six convictions and nine indictments, and payments or orders of restitution totaled more than $57,700. The office's December results bring its totals for fiscal year 2009, which began on October 1, 2008, to 31 indictments, 24 convictions and payments or orders of restitution of $1,585,872. The bulk of the cases involved the embezzlement of union funds.

Agency also makes available business case on value of employees with disabilities

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) today released findings of the most extensive survey in history of employers' actions and attitudes toward employing people with disabilities. The report is available at www.dol.gov/odep.

ARLINGTON, Va. – Preliminary data from the U.S. Department of Labor's Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) released today show that mine fatalities in 2008 fell to an all-time low recording a 31 percent drop from 2007. Metal/nonmetal mines recorded the lowest level of fatalities in that sector of mining since statistics were first recorded in 1910, and the fatality level in coal mines was the lowest recorded number since 2005.

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending Jan. 3, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 467,000, a decrease of 24,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 491,000. The 4-week moving average was 525,750, a decrease of 27,000 from the previous week's revised average of 552,750.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 3.4 percent for the week ending Dec. 27, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate of 3.4 percent.

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Labor today announced that it will launch an online digital library to archive its Web sites under a contract with the San Francisco-based Internet Archive.

Through an on-demand system, the Web Snapshot Initiative was designed to capture the content of all departmental Web sites for historical purposes — thus documenting the department's missions, goals and programs on the site as of mid-January 2009.

Archived News Release — Caution: Information may be out of date.

Mondsview, Minnesota – The U.S. Department of Labor has sued Hyman Freightways Inc., formerly located in Mondsview, for allegedly abandoning its profit-sharing and 401(k) plan in violation of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act after the company ceased operations in October 1997.

Archived News Release — Caution: Information may be out of date.

Atlanta – The U.S. Department of Labor has obtained consent judgments restoring an additional $250,000 to the Georgia Plumbers Trade Association Health Plan in Griffin, Georgia, and requiring the payment of a $50,000 civil penalty to the federal government. Earlier this year, the court ordered restitution of more than $500,000 for losses suffered by the plan.

SAN FRANCISCO – U.S. Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis today issued the following statement regarding the death of Agustin "Bobby" Salcedo:

"I want to express my deepest sympathies to the family and friends of Agustin 'Bobby' Salcedo. The untimely and senseless death of this young Latino leader touches many lives in El Monte and the greater Los Angeles area.

WASHINGTON – In fiscal year (FY) 2008, the U.S. Department of Labors Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) won a record $67,510,982 in back pay, salary and benefits for an unprecedented 24,508 American workers who had been subjected to unlawful employment discrimination.

WASHINGTON — In fiscal year (FY) 2008, the U.S. Department of Labors Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) won a record $67,510,982 in back pay, salary and benefits for an unprecedented 24,508 American workers who had been subjected to unlawful employment discrimination.

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division (WHD) today announced its enforcement data for Fiscal Year (FY) 2008. In FY 2008, WHD recouped back wages totaling $185,287,827 for 228,645 workers. This represents a 40 percent increase over the FY 2001 figure. Since FY 2001, WHD has recouped more than $1.4 billion back wages for over two million workers.

Archived News Release — Caution: Information may be out of date.

St. Amant, Louisiana – The U.S. Department of Labor has sued to appoint an independent fiduciary to manage the Highland Fabricators Inc. 401 (k) Plan in St. Amant and distribute $85,981 in assets to 38 participants of the abandoned 401(k) plan. The Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) requires plans be managed by a named plan fiduciary.

Archived News Release — Caution: Information may be out of date.

Washington —The U.S. Department of Labor today announced a final regulation implementing the department’s authority to assess civil penalties against plan administrators who fail to disclose certain documents to participants, beneficiaries and others as required by the Employee Retirement Income Security Act, as amended by the Pension Protection Act (PPA).

Archived News Release — Caution: Information may be out of date.

Memphis, Tennessee – The U.S. Department of Labor has sued defunct Stephens Brothers Inc. of Memphis for abandonment of its 401(k) plan in violation of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act.

Archived News Release — Caution: Information may be out of date.

Atlanta – The U.S. Department of Labor has sued Business Financial Solutions Inc., which operated as Academic Financial Services, and trustees of its 401(k) plan, for alleged violations of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) involving delinquent employee and employer contributions owed to the plan.

Archived News Release — Caution: Information may be out of date.

San Francisco – The U.S. Department of Labor has sued Power & Data Technology, San Jose, California, and its president to recover $39,325 and distribute the assets remaining in the company’s abandoned 401(k) profit-sharing plan. The defunct company manufactured and distributed electrical components.

Archived News Release — Caution: Information may be out of date.

Atlanta – The U.S. Department of Labor has sued Midland Employer Services of Brentwood, Tennessee, for failing to fulfill its fiduciary duties to the company’s 401(k) plan in violation of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA).