Employment Standards Administration – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

This notice is a request for information from the public regarding the recent amendment to the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) that requires employers to provide reasonable break time and a place for nursing mothers to express breast milk for one year after their child's birth. The Department of Labor (``the Department'') administers and enforces the FLSA through its Wage and Hour Division. Contained in this notice are the Department's preliminary interpretations of the new break time amendment to the FLSA. The Department seeks information and comments for its review on various issues addressed in this notice, as it considers how best to help employers and employees understand the requirements of the break time for nursing mothers law. The break time requirement that is now part of the FLSA is set forth in Section 4207 of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, Public Law 111-148 (``Affordable Care Act''). The provision requires employers to provide ``reasonable break time for an employee to express breast milk for her nursing child for 1 year after the child's birth each time such employee has need to express the milk.'' Employers are also required to provide ``a place, other than a bathroom, that is shielded from view and free from intrusion from coworkers and the public, which may be used by an employee to express breast milk.'' See 29 U.S.C. 207(r). The break time requirement became effective when the Affordable Care Act was signed into law on March 23, 2010. To assist employers with complying with the new law, the Department has issued Wage and Hour Fact Sheet 73: ``Break Time for Nursing Mothers under the FLSA'' at https://www.dol.gov/whd/regs/compliance/whdfs73.pdf. The Department has also posted Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) on its Web site that reiterate the information provided in the Fact Sheet in a different format. Until the Department issues final guidance, the Department's enforcement will be based on the statutory language and the guidance provided in WHD Fact Sheet 73 and the associated FAQs. Employers, employees, and other stakeholders have requested additional guidance from the Department about the law's requirements and the Department wants to provide an opportunity for the public to submit information and comments for its consideration. The Department will consider the information and comments received in response to this Request for Information in formulating further guidance for the regulated community on complying with the new break time requirement. Until any such further guidance is issued, the RFI provides useful information for employers to consider in establishing policies for nursing employees. At this time, the Department does not plan to issue regulations implementing this provision. Because of the wide variety of workplace environments, work schedules, and individual factors that will impact the number and length of breaks required by a nursing mother, as well as the manner in which an employer complies with break time requirement, the Department believes that regulations may not be the most useful or effective means for providing initial guidance to employers and employees. If, however, based on its experience administering and enforcing the break time requirement and the comments received in response to this Request for Information, the Department determines that regulations are necessary, it will initiate rulemaking at that time. This Request for Information contains the Department's preliminary interpretations of the law's requirements. The Department's identification of key issues related to the law and the development of this Request for Information have been informed by the Department's meetings and discussions with various stakeholders, including employer organizations and representatives, public health and women's organizations, state agencies that have experience administering state laws concerning workplace lactation, and individuals and businesses that have contacted the Department with questions about the new law. The Department looks forward to continuing to receive input and invites the public to comment on the break time requirement generally and on the Department's preliminary interpretations in this Request for Information. All comments will be made publicly available.

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 Wage and Hour Division is soliciting comments concerning its proposal to extend Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval of the Information Collection: Report of Construction Contractor's Wage Rates. A copy of the proposed information collection request can be obtained by contacting the office listed below in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section of this Notice.

This Final Rule revises the child labor regulations to incorporate statutory amendments to the Fair Labor Standards Act and to update and clarify the regulations that establish protections for youth employed in nonagricultural occupations. These revisions also implement specific recommendations made by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health in its 2002 report to the Department of Labor. The Department of Labor is revising the regulations to incorporate the 2008 amendment to section 16(e) of the Fair Labor Standards Act that substantially increased the maximum permissible civil money penalty an employer may be assessed for child labor violations that cause the death or serious injury of a young worker.

On February 12, 2010, the Department of Labor (the Department or DOL) amended the H-2A regulations at 20 CFR part 655 governing the certification of temporary employment of nonimmigrant workers in temporary or seasonal agricultural employment. See, Temporary Agricultural Employment of H-2A Aliens in the United States, Final Rule, 75 FR 6884, Feb. 12, 2010 (the Final Rule). The Department's Final Rule also amended the regulations at 29 CFR part 501 to provide for enhanced enforcement under the H-2A program requirements when employers fail to meet their obligations under the H-2A program. The Department has also made changes to the Application for Temporary Employment Certification, ETA Form 9142.

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). 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 Wage and Hour Division is soliciting comments concerning its proposal to extend Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval of the Information Collection: Motor Vehicle Safety for Transportation of Migrant and Seasonal Agricultural Workers. A copy of the proposed information collection request can be obtained by contacting the office listed below in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section of this Notice.

This final rule amends regulations of the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) setting forth reporting requirements for the BE-605 quarterly survey of foreign direct investment in the United States. The survey obtains quarterly sample data on transactions and positions between foreign-owned U.S. business enterprises (U.S. affiliates) and their ``affiliated foreign groups'' (i.e., their foreign parents and foreign affiliates of their foreign parents).

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 Wage and Hour Division is soliciting comments concerning its proposal to extend the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval of the Information Collection: Employment Information (Forms WH-3 and WH-3 SP). A copy of the proposed information collection request can be obtained by contacting the office listed below in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section of this Notice.

The Department of Labor (the Department or DOL) is proposing to amend its regulations governing the certification of temporary employment of nonimmigrant workers in temporary or seasonal agricultural employment and the enforcement of the contractual obligations applicable to employers of such nonimmigrant workers. This Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM or Proposed Rule) reexamines the process by which employers obtain a temporary labor certification from the Department for use in petitioning the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to employ a nonimmigrant worker in H-2A status. The Department also proposes to amend the regulations at 29 CFR part 501 to provide for sufficient enforcement under the H-2A program so that workers are appropriately protected when employers fail to meet the requirements of the H-2A program.

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 Employment Standards Administration is soliciting comments concerning its proposal to extend the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval of the Information Collection: Claim for Medical Reimbursement (Form OWCP-915). A copy of the proposed information collection request can be obtained by contacting the office listed

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 Employment Standards Administration is soliciting comments concerning its proposal to extend the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval of the Information Collection: Uniform Billing Form (OWCP-04). A copy of the proposed information collection request

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 Employment Standards Administration is soliciting comments concerning its proposal to extend the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval of the Information Collection: Secretary of Labor's Opportunity Award, Exemplary Voluntary Effort (EVE) Award, and Exemplary Public Interest Contribution (EPIC) Award. A copy of the proposed information collection request can be obtained by contacting

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 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 Standards Administration is soliciting comments concerning its proposal to extend the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval of the Information Collection: Application for Certificate to Employ Homeworkers (WH-46); Piece Rate Measurements; and Homeworker Handbook (WH-75). A copy of the proposed information collection request can be obtained by contacting the office listed

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 Employment Standards Administration is soliciting comments concerning its proposal to extend the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval of the Information Collection: Overpayment Recovery Questionnaire (OWCP-20). A copy of the proposed information collection request can be obtained by contacting the office listed

The Department of Labor (DOL or the Department) proposes to suspend for 9 months the H-2A regulations published on December 18, 2008, which became effective on January 17, 2009, that amended the rules governing the certification for temporary employment of nonimmigrant workers in agricultural occupations on a temporary or seasonal basis, and the enforcement of contractual obligations applicable to employers of such nonimmigrant workers. A suspension would provide the Department with an opportunity to review and reconsider the new requirements in light of issues that have arisen since the publication of the H-2A Final Rule, while minimizing the disruption to the Department, State Workforce Agencies (SWAs), employers, and workers. To avoid the regulatory vacuum that would result from a suspension, the Department proposes to reinstate on an interim basis the rules that were in place on January 16, 2009, the day before the revised rules became effective, by reprinting those previous regulations.

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 Employment Standards Administration is soliciting comments concerning its proposal to extend the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval of the Information Collection: Notice of Termination, Suspension, Reduction or Increase in Benefit Payments (CM- 908). 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), 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 Employment Standards Administration is soliciting comments concerning its proposal to extend the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval of the Information Collection: Wage Statement (WH-501 (English) and WH-501S (Spanish)). A copy of the proposed information collection request can be obtained by contacting the office listed below in the ADDRESSES section of this Notice.

Consistent with the memorandum of January 20, 2009, from the Assistant to the President and Chief of Staff, entitled ``Regulatory Review'' and the memorandum of January 21, 2009, from the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), entitled ``Implementation of Memorandum Concerning Regulatory Review,'' this document seeks public comment on a proposal to delay for 60 days the effective date of the final rule, Labor Organization Annual Financial Reports, published in the Federal Register on January 21, 2009. The rule revised Form LM-2 and established a procedure whereby the Department may revoke, when warranted, the authorization to file the simplified report Form LM-3. This document proposes to extend the effective date until April 21, 2009. The Department seeks comments on whether or not it should delay the effective date of the final rule in order to provide an opportunity for further review and consideration of the questions of law and policy raised by it. For that reason, the Department also seeks comments generally on the rule, including comments on the merits of rescinding or retaining the rule.

The Department of Labor's Employment Standards Administration (``ESA'') Office of Labor-Management Standards (``OLMS'') publishes this Final Rule to make several revisions to the current Form LM-2 (used by the largest labor organizations to file their annual financial reports) that will provide additional information on Schedules 3, 4, 11 and 12, clarify reporting under certain functional categories and add itemization schedules corresponding to categories of receipts, and establish a procedure and standards by which the Secretary of Labor may revoke a particular labor organization's privilege to file a simplified annual report, Form LM-3, where appropriate, after investigation, due notice, and opportunity for a hearing. The changes are made pursuant to section 208 of the Labor-Management Reporting and Disclosure Act (``LMRDA''), 29 U.S.C. 438. The final rule will apply prospectively.

On December 14, 2008, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approved under the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) the Department of Labor's information collection request for requirements regarding Family and Medical Leave Act regulations, as published in the Federal Register on November 17, 2008. The PRA requires this notice to set forth the effectiveness of information collection requirements contained in a final rule.

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 Employment Standards Administration is soliciting comments concerning its proposal to extend the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval of the Information Collection: Request for Earnings Information (LS-426). 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 or Department) is amending its regulations regarding the certification for the temporary employment of nonimmigrant workers in agricultural occupations on a temporary or seasonal basis, and the enforcement of the contractual obligations applicable to employers of such nonimmigrant workers. This final rule re-engineers the process by which employers obtain a temporary labor certification from the Department for use in petitioning the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to employ a nonimmigrant worker in H-2A (agricultural temporary worker) status. The final rule utilizes an attestation-based application process based on pre-filing recruitment and eliminates duplicative H-2A activities currently performed by State Workforce Agencies (SWAs) and the Department. The rule also provides enhanced enforcement, including more rigorous penalties, to complement the modernized certification process and to appropriately protect workers.

This document provides the text of final regulations implementing the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 (``FMLA''), the law that provides eligible employees who work for covered employers the right to take job-protected, unpaid leave for absences due to the birth of the employee's son or daughter and to care for the newborn child; because of the placement of a son or daughter with the employee for adoption or foster care; in order to care for a son, daughter, spouse, or parent with a serious health condition; or because of the employee's own serious health condition that makes the employee unable to perform the functions of his or her job. The final regulations also address new military family leave entitlements included in amendments to the FMLA enacted as part of the National Defense Authorization Act for FY 2008, which provide additional job-protected leave rights to eligible employees of covered employers who provide care for covered servicemembers with a serious injury or illness and because of qualifying exigencies arising out of the fact that a covered military member is on active duty or has been notified of an impending call or order to active duty in support of a contingency operation.

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 Employment Standards Administration is soliciting comments concerning its proposal to extend OMB approval of the information collection: Request to be Selected as Payee (CM-910). 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, 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 Employment Standards Administration is soliciting comments concerning the proposal to extend OMB approval of the information collection: Certified Payrolls Under The Davis-Bacon and Related Acts (WH-347). A copy of the proposed information collection request can be obtained by contacting the office listed below in the addresses section of this Notice.

This document extends the period for filing written comments for an additional 15 days on proposed revisions to regulations issued under the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 (FLSA) and the Portal-to- Portal Act of 1947 (Portal Act) that have become out of date because of subsequent legislation or court decisions. The Department of Labor is taking this action in order to provide interested parties additional time to submit comments.