Labor Department News Releases Update

The U.S. Department of Labor's Mine Safety and Health Administration today announced that federal inspectors issued 176 citations, eight orders and one safeguard during special impact inspections conducted at 13 coal mines and three metal and nonmetal mines in January.

The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky has issued a consent judgment against George Hofmeister, trustee of pension plans sponsored by TPOP LLC, formerly known as Metavation LLC, Fairfield Castings LLC (formerly known as Revstone Castings Fairfield LLC), and Fourslides Inc., requiring Hofmeister to repay $300,000 to the plans. The judgment also bans Hofmeister from being a fiduciary or service provider to employee benefit plans under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act.

In the week ending February 21, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 313,000, an increase of 31,000 from the previous week's revised level. The previous week's level was revised down by 1,000 from 283,000 to 282,000. The 4-week moving average was 294,500, an increase of 11,500 from the previous week's revised average. The previous week's average was revised down by 250 from 283,250 to 283,000.