Labor Department News Releases Update

The funding of this National Dislocated Worker Grant (NDWG) supplemental award will provide for the continuation of reemployment services to workers affected by paper industry layoffs in the Maine counties of Hancock and Penobscot in 2014. This grant was initially approved on August 11, 2014, awarding $284,879 to the Maine Department of Labor for a project that currently provides reemployment services to about 262 workers affected by these layoffs. All of the workers targeted for NDWG services have been certified as eligible for Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA). This dual enrollment project provides these TAA-certified workers with access to “wrap around” and supportive services that are not available through the TAA program.

Ensuring that women earn equal pay for equal work is essential to improving the economic security of our families and the strength of our middle class. In too many workplaces around the country, however, a culture of secrecy keeps women from knowing that they are underpaid, and makes it difficult to enforce equal pay laws. Prohibiting pay secrecy policies and promoting pay transparency helps address the persistent pay gap for women — that remains at 23 cents for every dollar earned by men — and provides employers access to a diverse pool of qualified talent. That is why the U.S. Department of Labor today issued a commonsense rule that finally lifts the veil on pay for employees of federal contractors and subcontractors.

In the week ending September 5, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 275,000, a decrease of 6,000 from the previous week's revised level. The previous week's level was revised down by 1,000 from 282,000 to 281,000. The 4-week moving average was 275,750, an increase of 500 from the previous week's revised average. The previous week's average was revised down by 250 from 275,500 to 275,250.