Contest will engage developers to address wage gap through innovative use of data

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor's Employment and Training Administration has issued a final rule amending the Senior Community Service Employment Program regulations to allow entry into volunteer work as an additional performance indicator. The rule will be effective on March 1.

BURLINGTON, Vt. – A federal judge has granted the U.S. Department of Labor a preliminary and permanent injunction to enjoin the operators of a Pawlet slate milling operation from interfering with, hindering or delaying an inspection by the department's Mine Safety and Health Administration.

Rule would expand military family leave provisions, incorporate special eligibility provision for airline flight crew employees

WASHINGTON — Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis today announced that the U.S. Department of Labor is issuing a notice of proposed rulemaking to implement new statutory amendments to the Family and Medical Leave Act that would expand military family leave provisions and incorporate a special eligibility provision for airline flight crew employees.

WASHINGTON – Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis issued the following statement regarding the Bureau of Labor Statistics report released today on union members in 2011:

"Today the Bureau of Labor Statistics announced that, in 2011, the unionization rate of employed wage and salary workers was 11.8 percent, essentially unchanged from 11.9 percent in 2010. Among private sector employees, the rate remained at 6.9 percent.

NEWPORT, Del. – An administrative law judge with the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission has found that Newport-based Daisy Construction willfully violated the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration's trenching standards, and ordered the company to pay $59,000 in penalties.

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending January 21, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 377,000, an increase of 21,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 356,000. The 4-week moving average was 377,500, a decrease of 2,500 from the previous week's revised average of 380,000.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.8 percent for the week ending January 14, an increase of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week's unrevised rate.

ARLINGTON, Va. – The U.S. Department of Labor's Mine Safety and Health Administration today announced that federal inspectors issued 321 citations and orders during special impact inspections conducted at 10 coal mines and three metal/nonmetal mines last month. The coal mines were issued 174 citations and 19 orders, while the metal/nonmetal operations were issued 112 citations and 16 orders.

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – The U.S. Department of Labor has obtained a court judgment and order appointing an independent fiduciary to manage the 401(k) plan of defunct BlueSky Brands Inc. of Westerly, R.I. The judgment and order resolve a lawsuit filed by the Labor Department against the company for violations of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act.

DETROIT – The U.S. Department of Labor has obtained a default judgment removing Intelec Inc., formerly known as Integra Engineering Inc. in Sterling Heights, from its position as fiduciary of the Integra Engineering Inc. Employees 401(k) Plan. The default judgment, entered in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan in Detroit, allows the plan’s known assets of $299,598.84 to be distributed to its 23 participants as required by the Employee Retirement Income Security Act.

Date of Action: December 21, 2011

Type of Action: Complaint

Names of Defendants: Jerry Craig, Sr.; Pattie Craig; Spectrum Financial Group, Inc.; Spectrum Financial Group, Inc. 401(k) Profit Sharing Plan

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending January 14, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 352,000, a decrease of 50,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 402,000. The 4-week moving average was 379,000, a decrease of 3,500 from the previous week's revised average of 382,500.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.7 percent for the week ending January 7, a decrease of 0.2 percentage point from the prior week's unrevised rate.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced a $306,838 National Emergency Grant to provide re-employment services to approximately 150 workers affected by the closure of Ocean Logistics LLC's Dunmore, Pa., facility. Ocean Logistics LLC is a warehousing and distribution service for general merchandise as well as health and beauty items. The layoffs occurred in September and October 2011.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – The U.S. Department of Labor is suing Garrison Enterprises’ former chief executive officer and chairman of the board, Cameron Garrison, to restore $103,481.37 to the Web development company’s 401(k) pension plan. The lawsuit follows an investigation by the department’s Employee Benefits Security Administration that found employees’ contributions to the 401(k) plan had been commingled with the general assets of the company, a violation of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced a $5 million National Emergency Grant increment to continue providing temporary jobs for eligible dislocated workers. They will assist with cleanup and recovery efforts following severe storms and floods in April and May 2011 that affected southeastern Ohio.

Employees of New England grocery chain exposed to fall and laceration dangers

Mandated full-time unpaid leave violated Family and Medical Leave Act

SAN ANTONIO — Bexar County Hospital District, doing business as University Health System in San Antonio, has agreed to pay a former employee $7,915 in back wages after an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division found that the hospital had placed the worker on full-time unpaid leave, in violation of the Family and Medical Leave Act.

OSHA found airline violated whistleblower protection provision of AIR21

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced a $2 million National Emergency Grant supplemental award, in the form of a National Emergency Grant, to provide an estimated 1,175 additional jobless workers in North Carolina with partial premium payments for health insurance coverage. The state qualified for funds available under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis today announced the availability of $20.6 million in grant funds to assist adult former offenders who are returning to their communities after serving time in justice facilities. The U.S. Department of Labor expects to award 17 grants of approximately $1.21 million each to organizations that will provide these individuals with employment-focused services and support.