Department of Labor September 2024 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Wage and Hour Division (WHD) of the U.S. Department of Labor (the Department) is issuing this notice to announce the applicable minimum wage rate for workers performing work on or in connection with Federal contracts covered by Executive Order 13658, Establishing a Minimum Wage for Contractors (the Executive Order or the order), beginning January 1, 2025. Beginning on that date, the Executive Order 13658 minimum wage rate that generally must be paid to workers performing work on or in connection with covered contracts will increase to $13.30 per hour, while the required minimum cash wage that generally must be paid to tipped employees performing work on or in connection with covered contracts will increase to $9.30 per hour. Covered contracts that are entered into on or after January 30, 2022, or that are renewed or extended (pursuant to an option or otherwise) on or after January 30, 2022, are generally subject to a higher minimum wage rate established by Executive Order 14026 of April 27, 2021, Increasing the Minimum Wage for Federal Contractors.

In this notice, OSHA grants a permanent variance to Ballard Marine Construction (Ballard) related to work in compressed air environments.

In the Federal Register of August 24, 2023, in notice document 2023-18234 on page 57975, make the following correction: In the subject line correct "Department of Labor's Restricted Use Data Access Program" to read "Secure Transfer, Restricted-Use Data Lake".

This document sets forth final rules amending regulations implementing the Paul Wellstone and Pete Domenici Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008 (MHPAEA) and adding new regulations implementing the nonquantitative treatment limitation (NQTL) comparative analyses requirements under MHPAEA, as amended by the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (CAA, 2021). Specifically, these final rules amend the existing NQTL standard to prohibit group health plans and health insurance issuers offering group or individual health insurance coverage from using NQTLs that place greater restrictions on access to mental health and substance use disorder benefits as compared to medical/surgical benefits. As part of these changes, these final rules require plans and issuers to collect and evaluate relevant data in a manner reasonably designed to assess the impact of NQTLs on relevant outcomes related to access to mental health and substance use disorder benefits and medical/surgical benefits and to take reasonable action, as necessary, to address material differences in access to mental health or substance use disorder benefits as compared to medical/surgical benefits. These final rules also amend existing examples and add new examples on the application of the rules for NQTLs to clarify and illustrate the requirements of MHPAEA. Additionally, these final rules set forth the content requirements for NQTL comparative analyses and specify how plans and issuers must make these comparative analyses available to the Department of the Treasury (Treasury), the Department of Labor (DOL), and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) (collectively, the Departments), as well as to an applicable State authority, and to participants, beneficiaries, and enrollees. Finally, HHS finalizes regulatory amendments to implement the sunset provision for self-funded non-Federal governmental plan elections to opt out of compliance with MHPAEA, as adopted in the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023 (CAA, 2023).

The Department of Labor (DOL) is submitting this Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)-sponsored information collection request (ICR) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA). Public comments on the ICR are invited.

The Department of Labor (DOL) is submitting this Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)-sponsored information collection request (ICR) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA). Public comments on the ICR are invited.

OSHA solicits public comments concerning the proposal to extend the Office of Management and Budget's (OMB) approval of the information collection requirements specified Occupational Safety and Health Act Variance Regulations.

The Acting Secretary of Labor (Secretary) has renewed the charter for NACOSH.

The Department of Labor (DOL) is submitting this Employment and Training Administration (ETA)-sponsored information collection request (ICR) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA). Public comments on the ICR are invited.

In this notice, OSHA announces the application of Bureau Veritas Consumer Product Services Inc., for expansion of the recognition as a Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory (NRTL) and presents the agency's preliminary finding to grant the application.

In this notice, OSHA announces the applications of Nemko North America, Inc. (NNA) for expansion of recognition as a Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory (NRTL) and presents the agency's preliminary finding to grant the applications.

In this notice, OSHA announces the final decision to expand the scope of recognition for TUV Rheinland of North America, Inc., as a Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory (NRTL).

The Department of Labor (DOL) will be submitting the following information collection request to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for emergency review and approval in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA). DOL is requesting OMB approve this emergency revision by September 12.

OSHA solicits public comments concerning the proposal to revise the Office of Management and Budget's (OMB) approval of the information collection requirements specified in the Occupational Safety and Health On-Site Consultation Agreements. This revision will combine two separately approved data collections into one paperwork package for the On-Site Consultation Program. The agency is proposing to combine the Supporting Statement for Collection of Information, On- Site Consultation Agreements, Safety and Health Program Assessment Worksheet, OSHA Form 33, OMB Control Number 1218-0110, Expiration Date: February 28, 2025); and Supporting Statement for the Collection of Information Requirements in the PSM On-Site Consultation Agreements, OMB Control Number 1218-0281, Expiration Date: July 31, 2026.

This notice announces the publication on September 5, 2024, of an updated list of goodsalong with countries of originthat the Department of Labor (DOL) has reason to believe are produced with child labor or forced labor in violation of international standards (the TVPRA List). DOL, in consultation with U.S. Departments of State and Homeland Security, also proposes to revise the list required by the Executive order entitled "Prohibition of Acquisition of Products Produced by Forced or Indentured Child Labor" to add garments from Bangladesh and invites public comments. Finally, DOL invites information and/or comment on the likelihood of child labor and/or forced child labor in the production of shrimp from India, on child labor and/or forced labor risks in gold supply chain inputs connected to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and any other product not mentioned in this notice.

The Department of Labor (DOL) is submitting this Bureau of International Labor Affairs (ILAB)-sponsored information collection request (ICR) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA). Public comments on the ICR are invited.

This notice is a request for information and/or comment on three reports issued by the Bureau of International Labor Affairs (ILAB) regarding child labor and forced labor in certain foreign countries, as well as ILAB's Comply Chain knowledge tool for labor compliance in global supply chains. Relevant information submitted by the public will be used by the Department of Labor (DOL) in preparing its ongoing reporting as required under Congressional mandates and a Presidential directive.

This notice is a final determination to revise the list required by Executive Order No. 13126 ("Prohibition of Acquisition of Products Produced by Forced or Indentured Child Labor", hereafter the E.O. List). The E.O. List identifies a list of products, by their country of origin, that the Department of Labor (DOL), in consultation and cooperation with the Department of State (DOS) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) (collectively, the Departments), has a reasonable basis to believe might have been mined, produced, or manufactured by forced or indentured child labor.