Department of Labor – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

Section 101(c) of the Federal Mine Safety and Health Act of 1977 and 30 CFR 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 to modify the application of existing mandatory safety standards codified in Title 30 of the Code of Federal Regulations.

The Department of Labor (DOL) is submitting the information collection request (ICR) proposal titled, ``2012 Wage and Hour Division and Occupational Safety and Health Administration Surveys Workers' Voice in the Workplace,'' 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, 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 continuing collections of information in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. 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 is soliciting comments concerning the extension of the information collection for 30 CFR 77.1000-1. OMB last approved this information collection request on October 13, 2009. The OMB approval for this information collection expires on October 31, 2012.

Public Law 105-220, the Workforce Investment Act of 1998, requires the Secretary of Labor (Secretary) to conduct reallotment of dislocated worker formula allotted funds based on State financial reports submitted as of the end of the prior program year. This notice publishes the dislocated worker PY 2011 funds for recapture by State and the amount to be reallotted to eligible States.

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 continuing collections of information in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. 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 Mine Safety and Health Administration is soliciting comments concerning the extension of the information collection for 30 CFR 57.22401(b). The Office of Management and Budget last approved this information collection request on October 13, 2009.

The Department of Labor (DOL) is submitting the Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) sponsored information collection request (ICR) titled, ``Notice of Blackout Period Under ERISA,'' 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.).

OSHA solicits public comments concerning its proposal to extend OMB approval of the information collection requirements specified in the OSHAs Strategic Partnership Program for Worker Safety and Health (OSPP).

In accordance with Section 743 of Division C of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2010 (Pub. L. 111-117), Department of Labor (DOL) is publishing this notice to advise the public of the availability of its FY 2011 Service Contract Inventory. This inventory provides information on service contract actions over $25,000 made in FY 2011. The information is organized by function to show how contracted resources are distributed throughout the agency. The inventory has been developed in accordance with guidance issued on November 5, 2010 by the Office of Management and Budget's Office of Federal Procurement Policy (OFPP). OFPP's guidance is available at https://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/omb/procurement /memo/ service-contract-inventories-guidance-11052010.pdf. DOL has posted its inventory and a summary of the inventory on the DOL homepage at https:// www.dol.gov/dol/aboutdol/main.htm#inventory.

The Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) requires this notice to set forth the effectiveness of information collection requirements contained in 20 CFR part 655, related to the Temporary Non-Agricultural Employment of H-2B Aliens in the United States; Final Rule. See 77 FR 10038, Feb. 21, 2012.

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 (PRA) [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 seeks a regular 3 year extension of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval for collecting site visit data from organizations that received grants under four Solicitations for Grant Applications (SGAs) that were issued under the ARRA Initiative: Pathways Out of Poverty (POP), Energy Training Partnership (ETP), State Energy Sector Partnership (SESP), and Health Care and Other High Growth and Emerging Industries Training grant initiative. POP, ETP and SESP are all Green Jobs training programs. The overall aim of these evaluations is to determine the extent to which enrollees achieve increases in employment, earnings, and career advancement as a result of their participation in the training provided and to identify promising best practices and strategies for replication. It is necessary to collect data from the grant sites included in both studies while they are still in operation. Failure to collect site visit data will affect our ability to conduct rigorous evaluations of these grants. For example, site visits are the only way the research team can observe the training programs in operation and collect real time data that amplifies the findings through other documentation. Lack of a rigorous evaluation process will mean that no information will be available on the potential of training for green jobs as a strategy for reducing poverty or increasing employment. Conducting these evaluations rigorously requires appropriate operational data collection. This information collection follows an emergency review that was conducted in accordance with PRA and 5 CFR 1320.13. The submission for OMB emergency review was approved on January 19, 2012.

The Department of Labor (DOL) is submitting the Employment and Training Administration (ETA) sponsored information collection request (ICR) titled, ``Guam Military Base Realignment Contractors Recruitment Standards,'' 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.).

Pursuant to Section 10 of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA) (Pub. L. 92-463; 5 U.S.C. APP. 1), notice is hereby given to announce a open virtual meeting of the Advisory Committee on Apprenticeship (ACA) on May 9-10, 2012, which will be held online at https://www.doleta.gov/oa/. The ACA is a discretionary committee established by the Secretary of Labor, in accordance with FACA, as amended 5 U.S.C., App. 2, and its implementing regulations (41 CFR 101- 6 and 102-3). All meetings of the ACA are open to the public. A virtual meeting of the ACA provides cost savings and a greater degree of public participation and transparency.

The Department of Labor (DOL) is submitting the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) sponsored information collection request (ICR) revision titled, ``Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Safety and Health Statistics Cooperative Agreement Application Package,'' 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) hereby announces the submission of the Employment and Training Administration (ETA) sponsored information collection request (ICR) revision titled, ``YouthBuild Reporting System,'' to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval for use in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104-13, 44 U.S.C. chapter 35).

The Department of Labor (DOL) is submitting the Employment and Training Administration (ETA) sponsored information collection request (ICR) titled, ``Workforce Investment Streamlined Performance Reporting System,'' to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for approval in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.).

OSHA is correcting its sling standard for construction titled ``Rigging Equipment for Material Handling'' by removing the rated capacity tables and making minor, nonsubstantive revisions to the regulatory text.

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: Regulations Governing the Administration of the Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation Act (LS-200, LS-201, LS-203, LS-204, LS-262, LS-267, LS- 271, LS-274, and LS-513). A copy of the proposed information collection request can be obtained by contacting the office listed below in the address section of this Notice.

This document extends the period for filing written comments until April 30, 2012 on the proposed revisions to certain regulations of the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 (FMLA). On February 15, 2012, the Department published a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to revise certain regulations the FMLA, primarily to implement recent statutory amendments to the Act. The comment period is scheduled to close on April 16, 2012. The Department of Labor (Department) is taking this action in order to provide interested parties additional time to submit comments.

This notice announces the opportunity for interested non- profit organizations, including qualifying trade associations, labor unions, and community-based and faith-based organizations that are not an agency of a state or local government to submit applications to become an OSHA Training Institute Education Center and deliver standard classroom instruction on a regional basis. State or local government- supported institutions of higher education are eligible to apply. Eligible organizations can apply independently or in partnership with other eligible organizations, but in such a case, a lead organization must be identified along with a list of any consortium partners. Current OSHA-authorized OSHA Training Institute Education Centers must submit a new application in order to maintain their OSHA Training Institute Education Center status. Applications will only be accepted during the solicitation period and will be rated on a competitive basis. Complete application instructions are contained in this notice. Please note that all applicants selected to be OSHA Training Institute Education Centers must attend a mandatory orientation meeting at the OSHA Directorate of Training and Education, 2020 South Arlington Heights Rd., Arlington Heights, Illinois 60005-4102, at a time and date to be determined. This notice also contains information on a proposal conference designed to provide potential applicants with information about the OSHA Training Institute Education Centers Program. The conference will clarify OSHA expectations for OSHA Training Institute Education Centers, courses and methods of instruction, as well as administrative and program requirements for OSHA Training Institute Education Centers and the OSHA Outreach Training Program. Applicants are strongly encouraged to attend the proposal conference. OSHA will enter into five-year, non-financial cooperative agreements with successful applicants. These authorization agreements are intended solely to facilitate the ongoing monitoring and evaluation of safety training provided by authorized OSHA Training Institute Education Centers. These cooperative agreements will not constitute a grant or financial assistance instrument, and OSHA will provide no compensation to authorized OSHA Training Institute Education Centers.

OSHA invites interested parties to participate in an open, informal public meeting in Washington, DC to discuss proposals in preparation for the 23rd session of the United Nations Sub-committee of Experts on the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (UNSCEGHS). The UNSCEGHS meeting will be held July 4-6, 2012, in Geneva, Switzerland. OSHA, along with the U.S. Interagency Coordinating Group, plans to consider the comments and information gathered at this public meeting when developing the U.S. Government positions for the UNSCEGHS meeting. OSHA is also requesting stakeholder input on behalf of the Regulatory Coordination Council (RCC).

This amendment revises the Department of Labor's (DOL) regulations governing administrative claims submitted to DOL pursuant to the Federal Tort Claims Act (FTCA), the Military Personnel and Civilian Employees' Claims Act (MPCECA), and for payment of claims arising out of the operation of the Job Corps. The regulations governing such claims were last revised in 1995. MPCECA has since been amended to allow payment of up to $100,000 if the claim arose from an emergency or extraordinary circumstance. Further, the implementing authority for the Job Corps was changed to the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) since the last time the regulations were updated. These regulations are being amended to reflect those changes, improve the clarity and ease of use of the regulations, and to harmonize the regulations governing these claims between those regulations in titles 20 and 29 of the CFR, which includes deleting the references to these claims in 20 CFR part 638 as these revisions have rendered those sections unnecessary. Finally, the regulations in title 20 have also been updated to reflect the recently revised regulations regarding claims of Job Corps students under the Federal Employees' Compensation Act (FECA).