Department of Labor 2008 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Department of Labor (the Department or DOL) is publishing this Final Rule to amend its regulations regarding the temporary employment of nonimmigrant foreign professionals in order to implement procedural requirements applicable to the E-3 visa category. This visa classification was established by Title V of the REAL ID Act of 2005 (Division B) in the Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act for Defense, the Global War on Terror, and Tsunami Relief, 2005, and applies to certain Australian nationals coming to the United States solely to perform services in specialty occupations. This Final Rule clarifies the procedures that employers must follow in obtaining a DOL- certified labor condition application before seeking an E-3 visa for a foreign worker.

Pursuant to the Council on Environmental Quality Regulations (40 CFR part 1500-08) implementing procedural provisions of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the Department of Labor, Office of the Secretary (OSEC), in accordance with 29 CFR 11.11(d), gives final notice of the proposed construction of a new Job Corps Center located in Ottumwa, Iowa, and that this construction will not have a significant adverse impact on the environment. In accordance with 29 CFR 11.11(d) and 40 CFR 1501.4(e)(2), a preliminary FONSI for the new Job Corps Center was published in the February 1, 2008 Federal Register (73 FR Page 6209-6210). No comments were received regarding the preliminary FONSI. OSEC has reviewed the conclusion of the environmental assessment (EA), and agrees with the finding of no significant impact. This notice serves as the Final Finding of No Significant Impact for the new Job Corps Center located at College Avenue and 6th Street, Ottumwa, Iowa. The preliminary FONSI and the EA are adopted in final with no change.

Pursuant to the Council on Environmental Quality Regulations (40 CFR part 1500-08) implementing procedural provisions of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the Department of Labor, Office of the Secretary (OSEC), in accordance with 29 CFR 11.11(d), gives final notice of the proposed construction of a new Job Corps Center located at 4000 Airport Road approximately two miles northwest of Riverton, Wyoming, and that this construction will not have a significant adverse impact on the environment. In accordance with 29 CFR 11.11(d) and 40 CFR 1501.4(e)(2), a preliminary FONSI for the new Job Corps Center was published in the December 12, 2007 Federal Register (72 FR Page 70615-70616). No comments were received that related to the environmental findings of the preliminary FONSI. The Job Corps has reviewed the conclusion of the environmental assessment (EA), and agrees with the finding of no significant impact. This notice serves as the Final Finding of No Significant Impact for the new Job Corps Center located at 4000 Airport Road approximately two miles northwest of Riverton, Wyoming. The preliminary FONSI and the EA are adopted in final with no change.

The U.S. Department of Labor (USDOL), Bureau of International Labor Affairs (ILAB), intends to obligate approximately USD 21 million to support cooperative agreement awards to organizations to address exploitive child labor and forced labor internationally. ILAB intends to award, through a competitive and merit-based process, cooperative agreements to organizations to develop and implement formal, non- formal, and vocational education projects as a means to combat exploitive child labor in the following five countries: Guinea, Jordan, Madagascar, Nicaragua, and Yemen. ILAB intends to fund projects that focus on withdrawing and preventing children who are engaged in, or at risk of engaging in, exploitive child labor through the provision of direct educational services. The projects should propose innovative ways to provide these educational services to target populations and address the gaps and challenges to basic education found in the countries mentioned above. ILAB also intends to award a cooperative agreement to an organization(s) to conduct research on forced labor in selected countries to be determined. ILAB intends to solicit cooperative agreement applications from qualified organizations (i.e., any commercial, international, educational, or non-profit organization, including any faith-based, community-based, or public international organizations(s), capable of successfully developing and implementing child labor projects) to implement these projects. Please refer to https://www.dol.gov/ilab/grants/main.htm for examples of previous notices of availability of funds and solicitations for cooperative agreement applications. Information on the specific sectors, geographical regions, and funding levels for the potential projects in the countries listed above will be addressed in a solicitation(s) for cooperative agreement applications to be published prior to September 30, 2008. Potential applicants should not submit inquiries to USDOL for further information on these award opportunities until after USDOL's publication of the solicitations. For a list of frequently asked questions on Solicitations for Cooperative Agreement Applications (based on last year's solicitations, SGAs 07-10 and 07-11), please visit https:// www.dol.gov/ilab/faq/faq0710.htm. Key Dates: The forthcoming solicitation(s) for cooperative agreement applications will be published on https://www.grants.gov and USDOL/ILAB's Web site. A brief synopsis of the solicitation(s) for cooperative agreement applications (SGA) and Web site links to the full-text SGAs will be published in the Federal Register. The SGA will remain open for at least 30 days from the date of publication. All cooperative agreement awards will be made on or before September 30, 2008. Submission Information: Applications in response to the forthcoming solicitation must be submitted via https://www.grants.gov. Any application sent by mail or other delivery services, e-mail, telegram, or facsimile (Fax) will not be accepted.

The Department of Labor published a notice in the Federal Register on March 28, 2008, concerning the announcement of the WIA Allotments to States. The notice did not contain attachments. This correction notice contains the attachments.

On August 22, 2006, the Advisory Committee on Job Corps (ACJC) was established in accordance with the provisions of the Workforce Investment Act and the Federal Advisory Committee Act. The Committee was established to advance Job Corps' new vision for student achievement aimed at 21st century high-growth employment. The Committee was established to advance Job Corps' new vision for student achievement aimed at 21st century high-growth employment. This Committee will also evaluate Job Corps program characteristics, including its purpose, goals, and effectiveness, efficiency, and performance measures in order to address the critical issues facing the provision of job training and education to the youth population that it serves. The Committee may provide other advice and recommendations with regard to identifying and overcoming problems, planning program or center development or strengthening relations between Job Corps and agencies, institutions, or groups engaged in related activities.

The Veterans' Employment and Training Service published a document in the Federal Register of March 5, 2008, concerning a proposed data collection under the Veteran Employment Services Survey. The document contained an incorrect submission deadline, and an incorrect total burden cost.

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 a provision of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 at 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 State Quality Service Plan (SQSP). Guidelines for completion and submittal of the SQSP are contained in ETA Handbook 336, 18th Edition. Fiscal year-specific information such as DOL's strategic goals and program areas that warrant special attention will be provided in an advisory that will initiate the planning process each year. The requirements of the reporting and data collection process itself remain unchanged from year to year. Copies of the SQSP Handbook may be obtained by contacting the addressee below. The Handbook is also available electronically at https://www.workforcesecurity.doleta.gov. 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 or by accessing: https://www.doleta.gov/OMBCN/ OMBControlNumber.cfm.

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 continuing collections of information in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA 95). 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 Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) is soliciting comments on the proposed extension of the Application for EFAST Electronic Signature and Codes for EFAST Transmitters and Software Developers (Form EFAST-1). A copy of the proposed information collection request (ICR) can be obtained by contacting the office listed below in the addresses section of this notice or at https://www.RegInfo.gov. The Form EFAST-1 is also available for viewing and downloading through the Department of Labor's Internet site (https://www.efast.dol.gov).

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 is soliciting comments on a new data collection for the Workforce Innovation in Regional Economic Development (WIRED) Initiative Evaluation. 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 or by accessing: https://www.doleta.gov/OMBCN/ OMBControlNumber.cfm.

This document extends the period for comments on the proposed rule published on March 4, 2008 (73 FR 11754). The proposed rule would establish the financial report (Form T-1) required to be filed by labor organizations under the Labor-Management Reporting and Disclosure Act of 1959, as amended, on trusts in which they are interested. The comment period, which was to expire on April 18, 2008, is extended to May 5, 2008.

The Employment and Training Administration and the Employment Standards Administration recently issued a proposed rule to modernize the application process for and enforcement of temporary alien agricultural (H-2A) labor certifications. 73 FR 8538 (Feb. 13, 2008). The proposed rule provided a comment period through March 31, 2008. The agencies have received several requests to extend the comment period and have decided to extend the comment period through April 14, 2008.