Department of Labor October 23, 2008 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) will hold an additional public hearing on its proposed rule to amend the existing metal and nonmetal standards for the possession and use of intoxicating beverages and narcotics and make the new standard applicable to all mines. The proposed rule would also require those who violate the prohibitions to be removed from the performance of safety-sensitive job duties until they successfully complete the recommended treatment and their alcohol- and drug-free status is confirmed by a return-to-duty test.

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 Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) is soliciting comments concerning the proposed extension of the information collection related to the 30 CFR Sections 46.3, 46.5, 46.6, 46.7, 46.8, 46.9, and 46.11; Training Plans, New Miner Training; Newly- Hired Experienced Miner Training; New Task Training; Annual Refresher Training; Records of Training; and Site-Specific Hazard Awareness Training.

This document contains a notice of pendency before the Department of Labor (the Department) of a proposed individual exemption, which, if granted, would amend PTE 99-34 (64 FR 46419, August 25, 1999), an exemption granted to The Chase Manhattan Bank (CMB). PTE 99-34 permits the lending of securities to affiliates of The Chase Manhattan Corporation (CMC) by employee benefit plans, including commingled investment funds holding plan assets for which CMC affiliates act as directed trustee or custodian and securities lending agent or subagent, and the receipt of compensation in connection with the transactions. The amendment, if granted, would apply to JPMorgan Chase Bank, National Association (JPMCB), a successor organization to CMB, and would extend the provisions of PTE 99-34 to certain transactions with affiliates of the Bear Stearns Companies Inc. (Bear Stearns). If granted, the proposed amendment would affect participants and beneficiaries and fiduciaries of employee benefit plans to which affiliates of JPMCB act as securities lending agent or sub-agent and may also act as custodian or directed trustee.

The U.S. Department of Labor (Department) is issuing this final rule to amend its regulations governing combined-wage claims filed under the Federal-State Unemployment Compensation (UC) program. Most significantly, this final rule amends the definition of ``paying State.''