Department of Labor 2006 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Office of Trade Agreement Implementation (OTAI) gives notice that on January 6, 2006, U.S. Submission 2005-03 was accepted for review pursuant to Article 16(3) of the North American Agreement on Labor Cooperation (NAALC). The submission was filed with the OTAI on October 14, 2005, by The Progressive Union of Workers of the Textile Industry, the Manufacturing, Cutting and Confection of Fabric and Garments in General and Related and Similar Industries in the Mexican Republic, a member of the ``Vanguardia Obrera'' Workers Federation of the Revolutionary Confederation of Workers and Peasants (FTVO-CROC), with the support of the U.S. Labor Education in the Americas Project and the Washington Office on Latin America. The submitters allege that the Government of Mexico has failed to fulfill its obligations under the NAALC to effectively enforce its labor laws in connection with freedom of association and the right to organize, the right to bargain collectively, the right to strike, prohibition of forced labor, labor protection for children and young persons, elimination of employment discrimination, prevention of occupational injuries and illnesses, compensation in cases of occupational injuries and illnesses, and minimum employment standards related to events at a textile plant operated by Rubie's de Mexico, S. de R.L. de C.V., in the municipality of Tepeji del Rio, State of Hidalgo, Mexico. Article 16(3) of the NAALC provides for the review of labor law matters in Canada and Mexico by the National Administrative Office (NAO), which was redesignated as the OTAI in a Federal Register Notice issued on December 23, 2004 (69 FR 77128 (2004)). The objectives of the review of the submission will be to gather information to assist the OTAI to better understand and publicly report on the Government of Mexico's compliance with the obligations set forth in the NAALC.

The Department of Labor, as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, conducts a preclearance consultation program to provide the general public and Federal agencies with an opportunity to comment on proposed and/or continuing collections of information in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA95) [44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)]. This program helps to ensure that requested data can be provided in the desired format, reporting burden (time and financial resources) is minimized, collection instruments are clearly understood, and the impact of collection requirements on respondents can be properly assessed. Currently, the Employment Standards Administration is soliciting comments concerning the proposed collection: Request for Earnings Information (LS-426). A copy of the proposed information collection request can be obtained by contacting the office listed below in the ADDRESSES section of this Notice.

This document contains a final regulation implementing the notice requirement in section 101(f) of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974. Section 103 of the Pension Funding Equity Act of 2004 (PFEA '04) amended section 101 of ERISA by adding a new subsection (f), which requires the administrator of a multiemployer defined benefit plan to provide participants, beneficiaries, and certain other parties, including the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation, with an annual funding notice indicating, among other things, whether the plan's funded current liability percentage is at least 100 percent. This document also contains a model notice that may be used by plan administrators in discharging their duties under section 101(f).

The Department of Labor, as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden conducts a pre-clearance consultation program to provide the general public and Federal agencies with an opportunity to comment on proposed and/or continuing collections of information in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA95)[44 U.S.C. 3506 (c)(2)(A)]. The program helps to ensure that requested data can be provided in the desired format, reporting burden (time and financial resources) is minimized, collection instruments are clearly understood, and the impact of collection requirements on respondents can be properly assessed. Currently, the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) is soliciting comments concerning the extension of the information collection related to the 30 CFR Sections: 75.215Longwall mining systems; 75.220Roof control plan; 75.221Roof control plan information; 75.222Roof control plan-approval criteria; and 75.223Evaluation and revision of roof control plan.

The Department of Labor, as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, conducts a preclearance consultation program to provide the general public and Federal agencies with an opportunity to comment on proposed and/or continuing collections of information in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA95) (44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)]. This program helps to ensure that requested data can be provided in the desired format, reporting burden (time and financial resources) is minimized, collection instruments are clearly understood, and the impact of collection requirements on respondents can be properly assessed. ETA is soliciting comments concerning the revised financial reporting requirements for all ETA programs which do not otherwise have OMB approved program-specific financial reporting requirements.

The Department of Labor, as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, conducts a pre-clearance consultation program to provide the general public and Federal agencies with an opportunity to comment on proposed and/or continuing collections of information in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA95) (44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)). This program helps to ensure that requested data can be provided in the desired format, reporting burden (time and financial resources) is minimized, collection instruments are clearly understood, and the impact of collection requirements on respondents can be properly assessed. Currently the Employment Administration is soliciting comments concerning the proposed extension with change of the Standard Job Corps Center Request for Proposal and Related Contracting Information Reporting Requirements. A copy of the proposed information request (ICR) can be obtained by contacting the office listed below in the addressee section of this notice.

The Department of Labor, as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, conducts a preclearance consultation program to provide the general public and Federal agencies with an opportunity to comment on proposed and/or continuing collections of information in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA95) [44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)]. This program helps to ensure that requested data can be provided in the desired format, reporting burden (time and financial resources) is minimized, collection instruments are clearly understood, and the impact of collection requirements on respondents can be properly assessed. Currently, the Employment and Training Administration (ETA) is soliciting comments concerning the proposed extension of the collection of the ETA 203, Characteristics of the Insured Unemployed. A copy of the proposed information collection request (ICR) can be obtained by contacting the office listed below in the addressee section of this notice.