Tag: U.S. Department of Labor

WorkForce West Virginia Gets Federal Funds

  WorkForce West Virginia is receiving more than $191,000 in federal funding to help West Virginians who are out of work find employment opportunities.

Sen. Joe Manchin says the funds are through the Re-Employment and Eligibility Assessments program administered by the U.S. Department of Labor.

The federal program helps reduce the number of weeks unemployment insurance benefits are claimed by advancing the re-employment of claimants.

Officials say the funding will be used to conduct in-person assessments at WorkForce West Virginia.

The assessments will include developing individual re-employment plans, providing labor market information, reviewing unemployment benefits eligibility, and providing a referral to relevant re-employment or job training services.

W.Va. Gets $6 Milion in Federal Funds for Job Training

  West Virginia is receiving more than $6 million in federal funds for job training programs for laid-off workers.

The U.S. Department of Labor is awarding more than $154.7 million nationwide through the Job-Driven National Emergency Grant program.

Officials say the funds will be used to train workers who lost a job through no fault of their own for jobs in high-demand industries.

Labor Secretary Thomas Perez says providing workers with access to the skills training needed to pursue in-demand jobs is critical to expanding opportunity and to helping businesses grow and thrive.

The funding will help create or expand employer partnerships and provide career counseling and job placement.

Long-Awaited U.S. Rule on Coal Dust to be Announced

  Top federal labor and mine safety officials are heading to West Virginia to release a long-awaited final rule on coal dust.

The announcement will be made Wednesday in Morgantown. Among those attending will be U.S. Secretary of Labor Thomas E. Perez and Joseph A. Main, assistant secretary of labor for mine safety and health. The director of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, John Howard, will also discuss the new rule.

For 3½ years, the Obama administration has been working on the rule to reduce miners’ exposure to dust that causes black lung.

Black lung, or coal workers’ pneumoconiosis, is an irreversible and potentially deadly disease caused by exposure to coal dust.

 

Audit: Mine Injury Underreporting Data Lacking

An audit says the Mine Safety and Health Administration needs to improve its data on underreporting of mining injuries and illnesses so that it can better…

An audit says the Mine Safety and Health Administration needs to improve its data on underreporting of mining injuries and illnesses so that it can better target enforcement efforts.

The audit by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General says the agency has taken steps to detect and deter underreporting of accidents and illnesses. But more can be done to address the problem.
 
The audit recommends that the agency derive better estimates of the overall occurrence, magnitude and distribution of underreporting. It also recommends providing guidance to mine operators on programs that could discourage miners from reporting injuries and illnesses.
 
In its response, the mine safety agency said it would consider sponsoring or participating in additional underreporting studies. It also is developing guidance for mine operators.
 

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