Agriculture industry records highest fatality rates of any industry

WASHINGTON — The agriculture sector accounted for 475 deaths in 2012. With a fatality rate of 21.2 per 100,000 full-time equivalent workers, agriculture recorded the highest fatality rate of any industry sector. Additionally, 48,300 injuries were recorded in 2011, the last year for which statistics are available from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. This sector employs more than 2 million people in the United States.

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration today awarded $10.1 million through the Susan Harwood Training Grant Program to 70 nonprofit, community and faith-based organizations; employer associations; labor unions; joint labor and management associations; and colleges and universities.

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Labor today announced a $4,131,089 National Emergency Grant to provide re-employment assistance to approximately 1,120 workers affected by layoffs at Fort Hood in Killeen, Texas, and the Red River Army Depot in Texarkana, Texas.

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending September 7, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 292,000, a decrease of 31,000 from the previous week's unrevised figure of 323,000. The 4-week moving average was 321,250, a decrease of 7,500 from the previous week's revised average of 328,750.

LINCOLN, Neb. — Taylor's Drain and Sewer Service has been cited by the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration for 10 safety violations, including two willful. OSHA found that the company failed to protect workers from cave-ins during trenching operations at two separate jobs sites in Lincoln, leading to a worker suffering a serious injury. OSHA has proposed penalties of $194,000.

SEATTLE — The U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs announced today that it has entered into a conciliation agreement to resolve allegations of sex discrimination by federal contractor, ResCare HomeCare Spokane. OFCCP investigators determined that ResCare's selection process violated Executive Order 11246 because it led to systemic hiring discrimination affecting men who applied for in-home care positions between June 2009 and May 2010.

ARLINGTON, Va. — The U.S. Department of Labor's Mine Safety and Health Administration today applauded an Aug. 26, 2013, ruling by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit. The court held that an MSHA district manager has broad discretion to disapprove a mine operator's proposed ventilation plan for an underground coal mine, and may do so as long as the decision is not arbitrary and capricious.

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Labor, through its contractor IMPAQ International, announced the availability of approximately $80,000 in funding for the 2013 Employment and Training Administration's Research Papers Program.

WASHINGTON — A $2,205,753 National Emergency Grant was announced today by the U.S. Department of Labor to assist about 645 workers affected by layoffs at The Boeing Company in Seattle, Wash.

"As the economy continues to improve, we need to ensure that workers are in the best position possible to fill available jobs," said Secretary of Labor Thomas E. Perez. "This federal grant will help former Boeing workers enhance their skills so they can more easily transition to new employment opportunities."

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Labor's Employee Benefits Security Administration will host a two-day compliance assistance webcast on Tuesday, Sept. 17 and Wednesday, Sept. 18 from 1 to 2:30 p.m. EDT each day. "The Affordable Care Act Compliance Assistance Webcast" will provide employers, brokers, third-party administrators and others with practical information, helpful tips and clarification on the new law. EBSA staff will be joined on the webcast by representatives from the Department of the Treasury and the Department of Health and Human Services.

Storrow Kinsella Associates Inc. SIMPLE IRA Plan in Indianapolis

Date of Action: Sept. 10, 2013

Type of Action: Complaint

Names of Defendant: Margaret T. Storrow, Storrow Kinsella Associates Inc., Storrow Kinsella Associates Inc. SIMPLE IRA Plan

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Labor today announced the award of grants totaling $2,335,270 to Mississippi and New York to develop and enhance Self-Employment Assistance programs for eligible individuals. Participants in this voluntary program will receive: entrepreneurial training; access to resources to help to help launch their own businesses and financial assistance, which will be equal to what qualified participants would otherwise receive under their Unemployment Insurance benefit eligibility.

Date of Action: Sept. 10, 2013

Type of Action: Complaint

Names of Defendants: Brandy Williams, Wanda Knight, Dmazana Lumukanda, Lakes Area Advertiser Inc. 401(k) Plan and A.D.S. Delivery Service Inc. 401(k) Plan

Date of Action: Sept. 4, 2013

Name(s) of Defendants: Progressive Services Inc., Michael Hirst and Peg Hirst

Date of Action: Sept. 9, 2013

Type of Action: Complaint

Names of Defendants: Orland Fasel, Bernice Fasel, Edward Fasel, E. L. Fasel & Sons Inc. Profit Sharing Plan

Date of Action: Aug. 30, 2013  

Name(s) of Defendant(s): Thomas Ramsburg and TMR Inc.

Allegations: The U.S. Secretary of Labor filed a complaint alleging the following:

WASHINGTON — Secretary of Labor Thomas E. Perez issued the following statement about the August 2013 Employment Situation report released today:

"This morning's report tells a story of an economy slowly and steadily continuing to heal, with 169,000 new jobs added in August. We have now had 42 straight months of private-sector job growth, with nearly 7.5 million private-sector jobs created over that time. The unemployment rate (7.3 percent) continues to remain stable and has now been below 8 percent for twelve consecutive months.

CANTON, S.D. — Adams Thermal Systems Inc. has entered into a deferred prosecution agreement with the U.S. Attorney's Office and the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration to pay more than $1.33 million to resolve criminal penalties and OSHA fines levied as a result of the death of a worker on Nov. 7, 2011, in the company's Canton plant. The U.S. Attorney's Office filed the Deferred Prosecution Agreement on Sept. 5, 2013, and has asked that it be approved by the U.S. District Court for the District of South Dakota.

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy invites employers and other interested stakeholders to participate in an online dialogue Sept. 9-11 on hiring, retaining and advancing workers with disabilities.

Date of Action: Aug. 29, 2013

Name(s) of Defendant(s): J. M. Singley & Associates Inc.