WASHINGTON—Two solicitations to help mentor and successfully transition youth with disabilities to work were published in the June 16, 2003 Federal Register by the Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP), Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao announced today.

Archived News Release — Caution: Information may be out of date.

Archived News Release — Caution: Information may be out of date.

Stresses Support for Workers to Move up Ladder of Opportunity

GENEVA, Switzerland—Secretary Elaine L. Chao highlighted U.S. programs to help child laborers—particularly child soldiers—and President George W. Bush’s commitment to people imperiled by AIDS in her remarks to the 91st session of the International Labor Conference. She pointed out that these efforts meet the challenge laid out in the International Labor Organization (ILO) Director-General’s report, Working Out of Poverty.

Secretary Recognizes Queen Rania’s Leadership in Combating Child Labor

GENEVA, Switzerland—Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao met with Queen Rania Al-Abdullah of Jordan and praised her for her leadership in the campaign to end abusive child labor. The two met in Geneva, Switzerland, where the Secretary was participating in the 91st session of the International Labor Conference.

Archived News Release — Caution: Information may be out of date.

DOL Ranked Overall Winner in E-Government Performance

WASHINGTON—The U.S. Department of Labor continues to heed President George W. Bush’s call that “(g)overnment should be results-oriented—guided not by process but guided by performance.”

WASHINGTON—DisabilityInfo.gov, a comprehensive federal Web site with one-stop access to governmental disability information, has gone over the one-million visitor mark and achieved more than 20 million “hits,” Labor Secretary Elaine L. Chao announced today.

“DisabilityInfo.gov provides Americans with disabilities a direct and easy connection to information and resources they need to become full participants in the 21st Century workforce,” Secretary Chao said.

Archived News Release — Caution: Information may be out of date.

WASHINGTON—Two solicitations for Customized Grants and High School/High Tech (HS/HT) Development and Implementation Grants were published in the June 6, 2003 Federal Register by the Office of Disability Employment Policy, Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao announced today.

Expansion Includes New Strategic Partnerships, Resource Materials, and Revamped Website

WASHINGTON—Tammy D. McCutchen, Administrator of the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division, today announced the expansion of the YouthRules! initiative to include information geared towards youth employed in agriculture.

Report Specified Under the Trade and Development Act

WASHINGTON—The Labor Department today released its second annual report on the worst forms of child labor in 146 countries and territories that receive U.S. trade benefits.

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

Washington, DC  - The U.S. Department of Labor’s Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) has proposed a class exemption to create a level playing field between corporate real estate investment trusts (REITs) and trust REITs.

WASHINGTON—Two grant solicitations were published in the May 29, 2003 Federal Register by the Office of Disability Employment Policy, Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao announced today.

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

Newark, New Jersey - The U.S. Department of Labor obtained a consent judgment and order on May 23, 2003 appointing an independent trustee to terminate the Coastal Copy Systems, Inc. 401(k) plan and distribute approximately $30,000 in plan assets to 16 participants.

WASHINGTON—More than 260 college students and recent graduates with disabilities have been placed in summer and permanent jobs since the Labor Department’s Workforce Recruitment Program (WRP) was announced in April, U.S. Labor Secretary Elaine L. Chao said today.

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

South Bend, Indiana - The U.S. Department of Labor obtained a consent order and judgment on May 20, 2003, in which the trustees of the pension and welfare plans of Local 1969 of the International Longshoremen’s Association of Portage, Indiana agreed to restore $497,225.83 to the plans, resign their positions and be permanently barred from serving employee benefit plan governed by the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA).

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

Washington, DC - The U.S. Department of Labor today announced proposed rules clarifying the requirements for notices under the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA) for employees, employers and plan administrators. The proposal provides guidance and model notices for workers and family members to continue their group health care coverage.

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

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