December 2003
Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) Web Site Receives "Best of the Web" Recognition
Both OSHA and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) were recognized for providing valuable Web information relative to "Safety and Loss Control Services." To be eligible for consideration, a Web site must provide relevant information or services to Business Insurance’s audience of commercial risk and benefits management professionals.

Tips for Employers on Safe and Sober Office Parties
With the holiday season upon us, employers may want to consider their approach to workplace celebrations. DOL's Working Partners for an Alcohol- and Drug-Free Workplace program addresses steps employers can take to help prevent impaired driving in their communities and send their employees a safe and sober message about office parties and drinking.

November 2003
Secretary Chao Interviewed on "Ask the White House" Web Chat
Secretary Chao answers questions from the American public about job growth and the economy.

October 2003
Department of Labor Web Site Helps Businesses and Workers Benefit from Being Drug-Free
The U.S. Department of Labor recently revamped its Working Partners for an Alcohol- and Drug-Free Workplace Web site to better connect employers to valuable online information and tools available to help them establish drug-free workplace programs that protect worker safety and health, while improving productivity and bottom-line profits.

Mine Safety & Health Administration Announces Internet Filing of Forms
The Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) announced expanded Web site services on its home page at www.msha.gov. The site now allows mine operators, independent contractors and other mining industry stakeholders to file required forms with the agency over the Internet. As part of the federal government’s “e-gov” initiative, mining industry stakeholders will now see enhancements to forms previously available and the option to provide required information directly to the agency at the MSHA Web site.

Secretary of Labor Announces Career Voyages Web Site
Secretary Chao launched the Career Voyages Web site at a High School Leadership Summit in Washington, D.C. The result of collaboration between the Department of Labor and the Department of Education, the Web site is part of a larger, more comprehensive effort to link the educational community with the world of work.

DOL Releases Strategic Plan for Fiscal Years 2003-2008
Secretary Chao released the newly developed Department of Labor Strategic Plan for 2003-2008. The plan updates the current strategic plan and outlines the department’s priorities for the next several years. The new strategic plan demonstrates how the department will achieve its goals:

• A Prepared Workforce — Enhance opportunities for America’s workforce
• A Secure Workforce — Promote the economic security of workers and families
• A Quality Workplace — Foster quality workplaces that are safe, healthy and fair
• A Competitive Workforce — Maintain competitiveness in the 21st century

August 2003
DOL Honors Unions for a Century of Service to Workers
Labor Day, the first Monday in September, is a creation of the American labor movement and is dedicated to the social and economic achievements of American workers. It constitutes a yearly national tribute to the contributions workers have made to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of our country.

Opportunities Conference — September 24-25, 2003 — Strengthening the Economic Development of the Asian Pacific and Hispanic American Communities.

Women Entrepreneurship in the 21st Century Summit — September 23, 2003
Register here for the summit to be held in Tampa, Florida.

Employers Encouraged to Recognize Recovery Month in September
President Bush has proclaimed September 2003 the 14th Annual National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month, and businesses are encouraged to participate. This month-long campaign highlights the significant strides made in substance abuse treatment and educates that addiction to alcohol and other drugs is a chronic, but treatable, public health problem that impacts all segments of society, including the workplace. Learn more about ways employers can contribute Read President Bush's Recovery Month Proclamation

July 2003
New Labor Department Web Site Can Help Millions Find Valuable Information on Health Benefits
DOL launches elaws Health Benefits Advisor.

A Chartbook of International Labor Comparisons: United States, Europe, and Asia
Focuses on the labor market situation in countries in the 1990s and the most current year for which international comparable data are available.

May 2003

National Moment of Remembrance Planned for Memorial Day
Along with other Americans, you are asked to spend a Moment of Remembrance on Memorial Day, Monday, May 26 at 3:00 p.m. local time (duration: one minute). The Moment does not replace the traditional Memorial Day observances, but is intended to a be a unifying act of remembrance for Americans of all ages.

April 2003

Department of Labor Receives Top Ranking in 4^th Annual Government Performance Report
In its 4^th annual performance report scorecard, George Mason University’s Mercatus Center recognized DOL for its "transparency of communications with the general public, identification and assessment of the public benefits it provides, and its leadership vision for the future."

Department of Labor Observes Worker Memorial Day
OHSA celebrated Worker Memorial Day on April 28 in order to honor those workers who lost their lives making a living, supporting their families and contributing to their communities.

Office of Faith-Based & Community Initiatives Seeking Applicants for Grassroots and Intermediary Grants
President Bush's faith-based and community initiative seeks to level the playing field in order to provide grassroots organizations an equal opportunity to participate in existing federally funded programs as they serve their communities. Look here for various faith-based grants from the Employment & Training Administration (ETA) and the Veterans' Employment & Training Service (VETS).

OSHA Conference Assists Employers with Workplace Emergency Preparedness Planning
An OSHA conference held in Denver titled “Terrorism: What Every Colorado Employer Should Know,” drew approximately 400 participants including a number of “first responders” — employees of hospitals, law enforcement and emergency preparedness agencies.

OSHA Effective Ergonomics: Strategy for Success
OSHA has developed a new comprehensive approach to ergonomics designed to quickly and effectively address musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) in the workplace. This approach includes helping businesses, especially small businesses, proactively address ergonomic issues in the workplace. OSHA also plans to develop industry-or-task-specific guidelines for a number of industries based on current incidence rates and available information about effective and feasible solutions.

Employers Encouraged to Participate in National Alcohol Screening Day (NASD)
National Alcohol Screening Day (NASD) will be held April 10 as part of Alcohol Awareness Month, and the Department of Labor's Working Partners program is cooperating with program coordinator Screening for Mental Health, Inc. to encourage employers across the country to participate. Activities can take place throughout the month. NASD educates people about alcohol use and its health effects by making confidential screening available so that individuals can assess their own drinking habits and privately determine whether they need help to change those habits. Learn more about how employers can participate.

March 2003

Women Entrepreneurship in the 21^st Century Conference—April 3, 2003
Women business leaders, owners and entrepreneurs nationwide are invited to this DOL-sponsored workshop in Philadelphia.

• View the agenda
• Register online at http://www.women-21.gov

Information for Military Reservists Called to Active Duty (USERRA)
Frequently asked questions for reservists from the Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA).

February 2003

DOL Annual Report, Fiscal Year 2002: Report on Performance and Accountability (PDF)
This report, prepared in accordance with the Reports Consolidation Act of 2000, presents the results of the DOL's program and financial performance for FY 2002. The report features the benefits accruing from DOL’s “New Partnerships for a New Century,” as DOL enlists the support of an ever widening network of partners who share our commitment to bettering the lives of America’s workers.

DOL E-Government Strategic Plan Debut
Secretary Chao electronically signed into action the Department of Labor E-Government Strategic Plan on February 19. Chao was joined by Rep. Adam Putnam of Florida and Mark Forman of the Office of Management and Budget.

• E-Government Strategic Plan
• View the Webcast

Department of Labor Budget for Fiscal Year 2004
Secretary Chao announced details of the Department of Labor’s Fiscal Year (FY) 2004 budget request. The budget includes increased funds to protect Americans’ retirement funds, strengthen safety in the workplace, and help more displaced workers find jobs.

Pension & Welfare Benefits Administration Becomes Employee Benefits Security Administration
The DOL agency that administers private-sector retirement, health, and other employer-based benefit programs for more than 150 million workers and their families has been renamed the Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA). In 2002, more than 184,000 individuals contacted the agency for assistance.

January 2003

DOL Issues Rules on Disclosure of Pension Plan “Blackout Periods”
The Pension and Welfare Benefits Administration’s final rules implementing a new federal law requiring 401(k) plans to give workers 30-day advance notice of “blackout periods” when their rights to direct investments, take loans or obtain distributions are suspended were published in the Federal Register on January 24. The final rules made public today supersede interim final rules issued by the department on October 21, 2002.

Mining Deaths Drop to New Low in 2002
For the second consecutive year, fatal injuries at mines in the U.S. declined to an historic new low, according to preliminary data released January 2 by the Department of Labor’s Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA).

President Calls on Congress to Extend Unemployment Benefits
In a radio address to the nation, President Bush asked for quick action from Congress to extend unemployment benefits retroactively for about 750,000 Americans whose benefits expired on December 28.

West Coast Ports Update
An injunction related to the Taft-Hartley Act was discharged on December 18, 2002, after a proposed contract was agreed to by negotiators from the International Longshore and Warehouse Union and the shipping industry's Pacific Maritime Association.

• State Activities