Department of Labor December 2014 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

Pursuant to Section 10(a)(2) of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA) (Public Law 92-463), as amended, and Section 166(h)(4) of the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) [29 U.S.C. 2911(h)(4)], notice is hereby given of the next meeting of the Native American Employment and Training Council (Council), as constituted under WIA.

OSHA solicits public comments concerning its proposal to extend the Office of Management and Budget's (OMB) approval of the information collection requirements specified in the Methylene Chloride Standard (29 CFR 1910.1052).

Sections 3302(c)(2)(A) and 3302(d)(3) of the FUTA provide that employers in a State that has an outstanding balance of advances under Title XII of the Social Security Act at the beginning of January 1 of two or more consecutive years are subject to a reduction in credits otherwise available against the FUTA tax for the calendar year in which the most recent such January 1 occurs, if a balance of advances remains at the beginning of November 10 of that year. Further, section 3302(c)(2)(C) of FUTA provides for an additional credit reduction for a year if a State has outstanding advances on five or more consecutive January firsts and has a balance at the beginning of November 10 for such years. Section 3302(c)(2)(C) also provides for waiver of this additional credit reduction and substitution of the credit reduction provided in section 3302(c)(2)(B) if a state meets certain conditions. The States of California, Indiana, Kentucky, Missouri, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Virgin Islands, and Wisconsin applied for a waiver of the 2014 additional credit reduction under section 3302(c)(2)(C) of FUTA and it has been determined that each of these States met all of the criteria of that section necessary to qualify for the waiver of the additional credit reduction. Further, the additional credit reduction of section 3302(c)(2)(B) is zero for these States for 2014. Therefore, employers in these States will have no additional credit reduction applied for calendar year 2014. In addition, Missouri, Rhode Island, and Wisconsin did not have balance of advances at the beginning of November 10, 2014. Therefore, employers in those States will have no reduction in FUTA offset credit for calendar year 2014. Section 3302(g) of FUTA provides that a State may avoid any reduction in credit for a year by meeting certain criteria. South Carolina applied for avoidance of the 2014 credit reduction under this section. It has been determined that South Carolina met all of the criteria of section 3302(g) and thus qualifies for credit reduction avoidance. Therefore, South Carolina employers will have no reduction in FUTA credit for calendar year 2014.

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 (OWCP) is soliciting comments concerning the proposed collection: Notice of Final Payment or Suspension of Compensation Benefits (LS-208). A copy of the proposed information collection request can be obtained by contacting the office listed below in the address section of this Notice.

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 collections of information in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, 44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A). 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. Currently, the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) is soliciting comments on the information collection for Roof Control Plans for Underground Coal Mines.