Department of Labor May 2013 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

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 continuing collections of information in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. This program helps to assure 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.

In this notice, OSHA announces the application of Intertek Testing Services NA, Inc. for expansion of its recognition as a Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory and presents the Agency's preliminary finding to grant the application and request. Intertek Testing Services NA, Inc. requests the addition of two new sites and for OSHA to remove a special condition of its recognition that involves testing hazardous-location equipment. This preliminary finding does not constitute an interim or temporary approval of the application and request.

On May 31, 2013, the Department of Labor (DOL) will submit the Employment and Training (ETA) sponsored information collection request (ICR) revision titled, ``Reporting and Performance Standards for Workforce Investment Act Indian and Native American Programs,'' to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval for use in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.).

The Department of Labor (Department), as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, conducts a preclearance consultation program to provide the 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 [44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)]. This program helps 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, ETA is soliciting comments concerning the collection of data about supporting the Workforce Investment Act's National Emergency Grant Program: Application and Reporting Procedures (OMB Control No. 1205-0439, expires July 31, 2013).

OSHA published a direct final rule and a companion notice of proposed rulemaking on November 9, 2012, to broaden the exemption for digger derricks in its construction standard for cranes and derricks. OSHA received a significant adverse comment on the direct final rule during the comment period, and as a result, OSHA withdrew the direct final rule on February 7, 2013. After considering this comment, OSHA is issuing this final rule based on the notice of proposed rulemaking.

The Department of Labor (DOL) is submitting the Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) sponsored information collection request (ICR) titled, ``Employee Benefit Plan Claims Procedure under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act,'' to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval for continued use, without change, in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.).

The Department of Labor (DOL) is submitting the Employment and Training Administration (ETA) sponsored information collection request (ICR) proposal titled, ``Registered Apprenticeship College Consortium,'' to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval for use in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.).

The Department of Labor (DOL), in collaboration with the Department of Education (ED), announces that 15 States are eligible to apply for Workforce Investment Act (WIA) (Pub. L. 105-220, 29 U.S.C. 2801 et seq.) incentive grant awards authorized by section 503 of the WIA.

The Department of Labor (DOL) is submitting the Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) sponsored information collection request (ICR) titled, ``Petition for Finding under Employee Retirement Income Security Act Section 3(40),'' to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval for continued use, without change, in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.).

This document contains a notice of pendency before the Department of Labor (the Department) of a proposed amendment to PTE 80- 26. PTE 80-26 is a class exemption that permits parties in interest with respect to employee benefit plans to make certain interest free loans and extensions of credit to such plans, provided the conditions of the exemption are met. The proposed amendment, if adopted, would give retroactive and temporary exemptive relief for certain guarantees of the payment of debits to plan investment accounts (including IRAs) by parties in interest to such plans as well as certain loans and loan repayments made pursuant to such guarantees. The proposed amendment would affect employee benefit plans described in section 3(3) of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (ERISA or the Act), and plans described in section 4975(e)(1) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the Code), the participants and beneficiaries of such plans, and parties in interest with respect to those plans engaging in the described transactions.

This document contains an exemption issued by the Department of Labor (the Department) from certain of the prohibited transaction restrictions of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA or the Act) and/or the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (the Code). This notice includes the following: 2013-07, The Mo-Kan Teamsters Apprenticeship and Training Fund (the Fund) L-11720.

This notice is to advise interested persons that PHMSA and OSHA will conduct a joint public meeting in preparation for United Nations meetings being held in Geneva, Switzerland, this summer. PHMSA is hosting the morning portion of the meeting to discuss proposals in preparation for the 43rd session of the United Nations Sub-Committee of Experts on the Transport of Dangerous Goods (UNSCOE TDG) to be held June 24 to 28, 2013, in Geneva. During this meeting, PHMSA is also soliciting comments relative to potential new work items which may be considered for inclusion in its international agenda. OSHA is hosting the afternoon portion of the meeting to discuss proposals in preparation for the 25th session of the United Nations Sub-Committee of Experts on the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (UNSCEGHS) to be held July 1 to 3, 2013, in Geneva. OSHA, along with the U.S. Interagency GHS Coordinating Group, plans to consider the comments and information gathered at this public meeting when developing the U.S. Government positions for the UNSCEGHS meeting.

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 [44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A); 3506(b)(1)(2)(3)]. 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. 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.

Pursuant to Article 17.5 of the U.S.-Colombia Trade Promotion Agreement (TPA), the International Labor Affairs Bureau (ILAB) of the U.S. Department of Labor gives notice of the public session of the meeting of the Labor Affairs Council (``Council'' or ``LAC''). The LAC public session has been rescheduled and will be held the morning of June 5, 2013. The purpose of the public session is to provide an opportunity for the Council to meet with the public to discuss matters related to the implementation of Chapter 17 (the Labor Chapter) of the U.S.-Colombia TPA, including activities of the Labor Cooperation Mechanism established under Article 17.6 of the TPA.

The Department of Labor (DOL) is submitting the Office of Labor-Management Standards (OLMS) sponsored information collection request (ICR) titled, ``Notification of Employee Rights under Federal Labor Laws,'' to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval for continued use without change in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.).

Section 101(c) of the Federal Mine Safety and Health Act of 1977 and 30 CFR Part 44 govern the application, processing, and disposition of petitions for modification. This notice is a summary of petitions for modification submitted to the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) by the parties listed below to modify the application of existing mandatory safety standards codified in Title 30 of the Code of Federal Regulations.

This notice announces availability of approximately $1.5 million for Susan Harwood Training Program grants under the following categories: Targeted Topic Training and Targeted Topic Training and Educational Materials Development.