Department of Labor 2013 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Department of Labor (DOL) is submitting the Employment and Training Administration (ETA) sponsored information collection request (ICR) titled, ``Benefit Rights and Experience Report,'' to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval for continued use 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 Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) sponsored information collection request (ICR) titled, ``Personal Protective Equipment for Shipyard Employment,'' to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval for continued use in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.).

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, ETA is soliciting comments concerning the collection of data about the regulatory requirements of the Confidentiality and Disclosure of State Unemployment Compensation Information final rule and State Income and Eligibility Verification System (IEVS) provisions of the Deficit Reduction Act of 1984, which expires September 30, 2013. 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.

The Employment and Training Administration (ETA), U.S. Department of Labor, announces the availability of approximately $6 million for grants to State Workforce Agencies (SWA) to develop the Workforce Data Quality Initiative (WDQI). Grants awarded will provide SWAs the opportunity to develop or expand State workforce longitudinal administrative data systems. These State longitudinal data systems will, at a minimum, include information on programs that provide training, employment services, and unemployment insurance; connect with education data contained in Statewide Longitudinal Data Systems (SLDS) databases; be linked longitudinally at the individual level to allow for enhanced opportunity for evaluation of federally and State-supported education programs; and lead to better information for customers and stakeholders of the workforce system. Where such longitudinal systems do not exist or are in early development, WDQI grant assistance may be used to design and develop these systems. WDQI grant assistance can also be used to improve upon existing State longitudinal systems. Current round one WDQI grant recipients who were awarded under solicitation SGA/DFA PY 09-10 and states that currently do not have a WDQI grant are eligible for this competition. The complete SGA and any subsequent SGA amendments in connection with this solicitation are described in further detail on ETA's Web site at https://www.doleta.gov/grants/ or on https://www.grants.gov. The Web sites provide application information, eligibility requirements, review and selection procedures, and other program requirements governing this solicitation.

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 Office of Workers' Compensation Programs is soliciting comments concerning the proposed collection: Claim for Compensation by Dependents Information Reports (CA-5, CA-5b, CA-1031, CA-1074, Letter of Compensation Due at Death and Letter of Student/Dependency). A copy of the proposed information collection request can be obtained by contacting the office listed below in the addresses section of this Notice.

The Employment and Training Administration (ETA) of the Department of Labor (Department) is issuing this Notice to announce (1) the allowable charges for 2013 that employers seeking H-2A workers may charge their workers when the employer provides three meals a day, and (2) the maximum travel subsistence meal reimbursement that a worker with receipts may claim in 2013. The Notice also includes a reminder regarding employers' obligations with respect to overnight lodging costs as part of required subsistence.

The purpose of this Final Rule is to establish the uniform national threshold entered employment rate (UNTEER) for veterans, as required of the Secretary in 38 U.S.C. 4102A(c)(3)(B), for use in evaluating States' performance in assisting veterans to meet their employment needs. The Final Rule also explains how the threshold will be used in the process of identifying those States to be reviewed by comparing the actual entered employment rate (EER) achieved for veterans with the threshold EER, and it identifies certain factors, in addition to the threshold, that will be included in the Department's review to determine whether an EER below the threshold reflects a deficiency in the State's performance, or is attributable to other factors beyond the State's control. Finally, in those cases in which a State's EER is determined to reflect a deficiency in a State's performance, this Final Rule identifies the procedure for the submission and review of a corrective action plan (CAP), the delivery of technical assistance (TA), and the initiation of the necessary steps to implement corrective actions to improve the State's performance in assisting veterans to meet their employment needs.

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 required 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 or by accessing: https://www.doleta.gov/OMBCN/ OMBControlNumber.cfm.

The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), Employment and Training Administration (ETA), announces the availability of $12 million in grant funds authorized by the Workforce Investment Act to serve adult and youth ex-offenders. Services for ex-offenders will be targeted to females, but must also be open to eligible male ex-offenders. Strategies Targeting Characteristics Common to Female Ex-Offenders grants will be awarded through a competitive process. Under this solicitation, DOL expects to award eight grants up to $1.5 million each to cover a 37-month period of performance. These grants will include an integrated strategy of recruitment and assessment, empowerment and self- development, case management, education and training, workforce development, follow-up, and state/local partnerships. The complete SGA and any subsequent SGA amendments in connection with this solicitation are described in further detail on ETA's Web site at https://www.doleta.gov/grants/ or on https://www.grants.gov. The Web sites provide application information, eligibility requirements, review and selection procedures, and other program requirements governing this solicitation.

Pursuant to Article 19.5 of the U.S.-Korea Free Trade Agreement (KORUS FTA), 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 will be held the morning of March 19, 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 19 (the Labor Chapter) of the KORUS FTA, including activities of the Labor Cooperation Mechanism established under Article 19.6 of the FTA.

This document contains revisions to the Form 5500 Annual Return/Report filed by administrators of certain employee welfare benefit plans that are required to comply with the Form M-1 reporting requirements of 29 CFR 2520.101-2. The revisions are intended to enhance the Department of Labor's ability to enforce the Form M-1 reporting requirements under Title I of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (ERISA). These forms revisions are being published simultaneously with final regulations under Title I of ERISA that implement reporting requirements for MEWAs and certain other entities that offer or provide coverage for medical care benefits for employees of two or more employers.

This document contains two final rules under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) to facilitate implementation of new enforcement authority provided to the Secretary of Labor by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (Affordable Care Act). The Affordable Care Act authorizes the Secretary to issue a cease and desist order, ex parte (i.e. without prior notice or hearing), when it appears that the alleged conduct of a multiple employer welfare arrangement (MEWA) is fraudulent, creates an immediate danger to the public safety or welfare, or is causing or can be reasonably expected to cause significant, imminent, and irreparable public injury. The Secretary may also issue a summary seizure order when it appears that a MEWA is in a financially hazardous condition. The first regulation establishes the procedures for the Secretary to issue ex parte cease and desist orders and summary seizure orders with respect to fraudulent or insolvent MEWAs. The second regulation establishes the procedures for use by administrative law judges and the Secretary when a MEWA or other person challenges a temporary cease and desist order.

The Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) is publishing a final notice rescinding two guidance documents: The Interpreting Nondiscrimination Requirements of Executive Order 11246 with respect to Systemic Compensation Discrimination and Voluntary Guidelines for Self-Evaluation of Compensation Practices for Compliance with Executive Order 11246 with respect to Systemic Compensation Discrimination. Rescinding these prior guidance documents will improve OFCCP's ability to enforce the Executive Order's ban on pay discrimination. It will eliminate a rarely used, ineffective and burdensome compliance procedure. This rescission allows OFCCP to better direct its resources for the benefit of victims of discrimination, the government, contractors, and taxpayers.

The ACCSH will hold a special meeting March 18, 2013, in Washington, DC, to consider a proposed rule to update OSHA's standard on Accident Prevention Signs and Tags in construction and proposed technical amendments and corrections to the Cranes and Derricks standards.

On February 28, 2013, the Department of Labor (DOL) will submit the Employment and Training Administration (ETA) sponsored information collection request (ICR) revision titled, ``Standard Job Corps Contractor Information Gathering,'' 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), 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 required 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 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 (DOL) is submitting the Employment and Training Administration (ETA) sponsored information collection request (ICR) revision titled, ``Unemployment Insurance Data Validation Program,'' 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) is submitting the Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) sponsored information collection request (ICR) titled, ``Access to Multiemployer Plan Information,'' to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval for continued use in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.).

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 Office of Labor-Management Standards (OLMS) of the Department of Labor (Department) is soliciting comments concerning the proposed extension of the collection of information requirements implementing Executive Order (E.O.) 13496: Notification of Employee Rights Under Federal Labor Laws. A copy of the proposed information collection request can be obtained by contacting the office listed below in the addresses section of this Notice.

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