Department of Labor December 2015 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

This final rule implements technical amendments to the Department of Labor's (Department or DOL) adoption of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Guidance in the Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards to Non-Federal Entities. The Department is making technical amendments in this final rule; all regulatory language included here is consistent with either the policies in the Uniform Guidance or the Department's existing policies and practices.

The Department of Labor (DOL) is submitting the Office of Workers' Compensation Programs (OWCP) sponsored information collection request (ICR) titled, ``Overpayment Recovery Questionnaire,'' to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval for use, without change, in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.). Public comments on the ICR are invited.

The Department of Labor (DOL) is submitting the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) sponsored information collection request (ICR) titled, ``OSHA Strategic Partnership Program (OSPP) for Worker Safety and Health,'' to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval for continued use, without change, in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), 44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq. Public comments on the ICR are invited.

The Department of Labor (DOL) is submitting the Employment and Training Administration (ETA) sponsored information collection request (ICR) revision titled, ``Employment and Training Administration Financial Reporting, Form ETA-9130,'' 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.). Public comments on the ICR are invited.

The Department of Labor (Department) is providing notice that the Office of Foreign Labor Certification (OFLC) National Office has relocated within Washington, DC effective November 23, 2015.

The U.S. Department of Labor (USDOL), Veterans' Employment and Training Service (VETS) supports local Stand Down events that help homeless veterans attain meaningful civilian employment. Authority to support such events is in 38 U.S.C. Section 2021, which provides that the ``Secretary of Labor shall conduct, directly or through grant or contract, such programs as the Secretary determines appropriate to provide job training, counseling, and placement services (including job readiness and literacy and skills training) to expedite the reintegration of homeless veterans into the labor force.'' A Stand Down is a local community event where homeless veterans are provided a wide variety of services and incentives to reintegrate into their community, such as housing opportunities, healthcare, and employment opportunities, Stand Down funding is provided in the form of non- competitive grants that are awarded on a first-come, first-served basis until available funding is exhausted. VETS anticipates that approximately $600,000 will be available to award approximately 70 grants in each Federal FY covered by this solicitation. The Federal FY begins on October 1 and ends on September 30 of the next calendar year. Awards will be made for a maximum of $10,000 per multi-day event or $7,000 per one-day event. VETS is now accepting applications for grant awards to fund Stand Down events in FY 2015. All applications for Stand Down grant funding must be submitted to the appropriate state Director for Veterans' Employment and Training (DVET). Applications will be accepted up to six (6) months prior to the event. Please allow up to 60 days to process your application. Address and contact information for each state DVET can be found at: https://www.dol.gov/vets/aboutvets/contacts/map.htm. Stand Down grant funding is awarded for a specific event on a specific date. Organizations planning Stand Down events must submit a new application each year to request funding and should not assume that the application will be approved. Stand Down grant awards are contingent upon a Federal appropriation or a continuing resolution each Federal FY. Therefore, applications submitted after July 1 for events to be held after September 30 may be held for consideration contingent upon Federal funding availability during the upcoming FY. Grant applicants cannot obligate grant funding toward Stand Down expenses prior to receiving a Notice of Award from the Grant Officer; any such expenses will be disallowed.

The Department of Labor (DOL) is submitting the Employment and Training (ETA) sponsored information collection request (ICR) ``Placement Verification and Follow Up of Job Corps Participants'' to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval for continued use, without change, in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), 44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq. Public comments on the ICR are invited.

The Department of Labor (Department) issued a proposed rule in the Federal Register of November 6, 2015 [80 FR 68907], concerning proposed updates to the equal opportunity regulations that implement the National Apprenticeship Act of 1937. This document extends the comment period an additional 15 days, from January 5, 2016, to January 20, 2016. The Department received a request for additional time to develop comments on the proposed rulemaking. The Department is therefore extending the comment period in order to give all interested persons the opportunity to comment fully.

The Department of Labor (DOL) is submitting the Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) sponsored information collection request (ICR) titled, ``Employee Retirement Income Security Act Summary Annual Report Requirement,'' to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval for continued use, without change, in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), 44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq. Public comments on the ICR are invited.

The Department of Labor (DOL) is submitting the Employment and Training Administration (ETA) sponsored information collection request (ICR) titled, ``Benefit Accuracy Measurement Program,'' to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval for continued use, without change, in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), 44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq. Public comments on the ICR are invited.

The Employment and Training Administration (ETA) of the Department of Labor (Department) is issuing this notice to announce the 2016 Adverse Effect Wage Rates (AEWRs) for the employment of temporary or seasonal nonimmigrant foreign workers (H-2A workers) to perform agricultural labor or services. AEWRs are the minimum wage rates the Department has determined must be offered and paid by employers to H-2A workers and workers in corresponding employment for a particular occupation and area so that the wages of similarly employed U.S. workers will not be adversely affected. In this notice, the Department announces the annual update of the AEWRs which must be paid for agricultural work performed by H-2A and U.S. workers on or after the effective date of this notice.

On August 18, 2015 OSHA published in the Federal Register a direct final rule that streamlined provisions on State Plans. OSHA stated in that document that it would withdraw the companion proposed rule and confirm the effective date of the final rule if the Agency received no significant adverse comments on the direct final rule or the proposal. Since OSHA received no comments on the direct final rule or the proposal, the Agency now confirms that the direct final rule became effective as a final rule on October 19, 2015. The proposed rule and the direct final rule also requested comments on the collections of information contained in State Plan regulations under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approved those collections of information.

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 Standard on 4,4' Methylenedianiline (MDA) in Construction (29 CFR 1926.60).

The U.S. Department of Labor (Department), Employment and Training Administration (ETA), is issuing this notice to revise recruitment standards that construction contractors are required to follow when recruiting United States (U.S.) workers for Guam military base realignment projects authorized by the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2010.

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 using the Occupational Code Assignment Form (ETA 741), which expires on May 31, 2016. 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.onetcenter.org/ombclearance.html.

Section 101(c) of the Federal Mine Safety and Health Act of 1977 and Title 30 of the Code of Federal Regulations 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.

The Department of Labor (DOL or 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, the Employment and Training Administration (ETA) is soliciting comments concerning the Form ETA-9141, Application for Prevailing Wage Determination and other information collections for determining prevailing wages in foreign labor certification programs in OMB Control Number 1205-0508. The form and all information collections in this control number expire on March 31, 2016. A copy of the proposed information collection request can be obtained free of charge by contacting the office listed below in the addressee section of this notice.

In this notice, OSHA announces its final decision to expand the scope of recognition for Curtis-Strauss LLC, as a Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory (NRTL).

In this notice, OSHA announces the application of TUV SUD America Inc. for expansion of its recognition as a Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory (NRTL).

On November 30, 2015, the Department of Labor (DOL) will submit the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) sponsored information collection request (ICR) revision titled, ``Respirable Coal Mine Dust Sampling,'' 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.). Public comments on the ICR are invited.

The Department of Labor (DOL) is submitting the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) sponsored information collection request (ICR) titled, ``The 1,2-Dibromo-3-Chloropropane Standard,'' to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval for continued use, without change, in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), 44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq. Public comments on the ICR are invited.

The Department of Labor (DOL), as part of continuing Departmental efforts to reduce paperwork and respondent burden in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA) (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), is soliciting comments concerning a proposed extension of the authorization to conduct the DOL Generic Solution for Solicitation for Funding Opportunity Announcement Responses information collection.

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. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) is soliciting comments concerning the proposed revision of the ``The Consumer Expenditure Surveys: The Quarterly Interview and the Diary.'' A copy of the proposed information collection request (ICR) can be obtained by contacting the individual listed below in the ADDRESSES section of this notice.