COLUMBUS, Ohio —— ConAgra Foods Inc. has been cited for multiple safety violations at its Columbus-based flour mill. Most of the citations were issued because machines lacked proper guarding, one of the 10 most frequently cited standards by the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration. The 13 safety violations, which include three repeat citations, carry proposed penalties of $117,000.

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Labor today announced a $256,696 grant to assist approximately 100 workers impacted by layoffs at Lincoln Paper and Tissue LLC located in Lincoln, Maine.

"These layoffs have had a significant impact on an area already suffering from high unemployment," said Acting Assistant Secretary of Labor for Employment and Training Eric M. Seleznow. "This National Emergency Grant will provide the workers affected by these layoffs with the critical services needed in order for them to succeed in finding new employment."

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending March 8, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 315,000, a decrease of 9,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 324,000. The 4-week moving average was 330,500, a decrease of 6,250 from the previous week's revised average of 336,750.

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy and the National Council on Disability invite the public to participate in a virtual town hall dialogue, "Advancing Accessibility and Inclusion in Social Media — The User Experience," which will examine the accessibility barriers of social media for individuals with disabilities, including jobseekers and workers.

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Labor today announced the availability of approximately $44 million in grants through the Face Forward program to provide work-based learning opportunities and support services for youth ages 14 to 24 who have been through the juvenile justice system.

GREENWOOD VILLAGE, Colo. — Reconstruction Experts Inc. was cited by the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration for three safety violations, including one willful. Chivas Contractors was also cited for three serious safety violations during a November 2013 complaint inspection of an unsafe trenching work site in Aurora. The combined proposed penalties total $81,400.

WASHINGTON — U.S. Secretary of Labor Thomas E. Perez today announced the appointments of five new members to the 2014 Advisory Council on Employee Welfare and Pension Benefit Plans, known as the ERISA Advisory Council. He also announced the 2014 chair and vice chair of the council, which are Neal S. Schelberg and Paul M. Secunda respectively.

CANTON, Ohio — Gaspar Inc., a boiler manufacturer, has been cited for two willful violations by the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Proposed penalties total $112,000. OSHA's investigation found the company was requiring employees to operate two press brakes and a horizontal boring machine where the machine guards had been removed. Machine guarding protects workers from lacerations, caught-in and amputation hazards.

LYONS, Ill. — Employees of Celtic Environmental Inc. were exposed to lead paint hazards while conducting abrasive blasting operations on a viaduct located at Richards and Herkimer Streets in Joliet in October 2013. The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration cited the company for 10 serious safety violations, carrying proposed penalties of $46,900. OSHA initiated a complaint inspection of the site under the National Emphasis Program for Lead Exposure in Construction.

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Labor announced today that it has entered into a conciliation agreement to address allegations of disability discrimination by a person with hearing impairments against the Colorado Department of Labor & Employment. The U.S. Labor Department's Civil Rights Center investigated allegations that a complainant with a profound hearing loss was denied communication services by Colorado's unemployment insurance program by not providing a qualified American Sign Language interpreter.

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Labor today requested public comments on a proposed rule that would require pension plan service providers to furnish employers and other plan fiduciaries with a guide to assist them in navigating fee disclosure documents.

ATLANTA — The U.S. Department of Labor's Women's Bureau is collaborating with the YWCA of Greater Atlanta and the National Center for Civil and Human rights to host the event as part of Women's Herstory Month. "The Story Behind the Story: A Fireside Chat" will take place Thursday, March 13, from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. EDT at the Georgia Power Arkwright Auditorium, 241 Ralph McGill Blvd. NE, Atlanta, GA 30308.

CLEVELAND — New Wave Plastics has been cited for 13 safety violations after the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration found a lack of training and personal protective equipment at the Cleveland facility, a recycler and plastic products supplier. After receiving a complaint in November 2013, OSHA initiated an inspection of the facility. Proposed penalties total $51,800.

PATERSON, N.J. — On Jan. 16, Paterson-based F&G Sons Contractors Inc., doing business as F&G Stucco and Stone Contractors Inc., was cited by the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration for two repeat and two serious safety violations for failing to provide required protective equipment and to protect workers from serious fall hazards. The company was working on a building at 231 Union Blvd. in Totowa at the time of the inspection.

WASHINGTON — The Advisory Council on Employee Welfare and Pension Benefit Plans, also known as the Employee Retirement Income Security Act Advisory Council, will hold its first meeting of 2014 on Wednesday, March 26 in Washington, D.C., at the U.S. Department of Labor, 200 Constitution Ave. NW, Room S-2508, from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. EDT. The meeting, which is open to the public, will begin with the introduction of the new council chair and vice chair.

WASHINGTON — U.S. Secretary of Labor Thomas E. Perez issued the following statement about the February 2014 Employment Situation report released today:

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending March 1, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 323,000, a decrease of 26,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 349,000. The 4-week moving average was 336,500, a decrease of 2,000 from the previous week's revised average of 338,500.

Date of Action: March 5, 2014

Type of Action: Complaint

Name(s) of Defendant(s):  American Therapeutic Corp. Inc., Marianella Valera, and American Therapeutic Corp. Inc. 401(k) Profit Sharing Plan

ALBION, Neb. — Werner Construction Inc. has been cited for three safety violations by the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration after a maintenance worker was fatally injured after being struck by a front-end loader. The worker became pinned between the loader and a semitrailer. The 35-year-old full-time employee died of his injuries on Sept. 14, 2013.

CHICAGO — The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has found Grand Trunk Western Railway Co. and Union Pacific Railroad Co. in violation of the Federal Railroad Safety Act for suspending and/or disciplining five workers following the reporting of workplace injuries or illnesses.