Department of Labor – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

In a ceremony announcing the recipients of the 2021 HIRE Vets Medallion Awards, the Department of Labor (Department) recognized a select group of veteran-ready employers for excellence in recruiting, employing, and retaining America's veterans. The employers honored by the Department on November 10, 2021, include small businesses, nonprofit organizations, and national corporations. Recipients receive an award certificate along with a digital image of the medallion for their use, including as part of an advertisement, solicitation, business activity, or product. The awards are conferred in six categories, based on the size of the employer (small, medium, or large) and what level of criteria their application met (platinum or gold). This action announces the recipients of the 2021, 2020 and 2019 HIRE Vets Medallion Awards.

OSHA is extending the period for submitting comments by 30 days to allow stakeholders interested in the ANPRM on Heat Injury and Illness Prevention in Outdoor and Indoor Work Settings additional time to review the ANPRM and collect information and data necessary for comment.

The Department of Labor (Department or DOL) is proposing to amend its regulations governing the certification of agricultural labor or services to be performed by temporary foreign workers in H-2A nonimmigrant status (H-2A workers). Specifically, the Department proposes to revise the methodology by which it determines the hourly Adverse Effect Wage Rates (AEWRs) for non-range occupations (i.e., all occupations other than herding and production of livestock on the range) using a combination of wage data reported by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Farm Labor Survey (FLS) and the Department's Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, formerly the Occupational Employment Statistics (OES) survey prior to March 31, 2021. For the vast majority of H-2A job opportunities represented by six occupations comprising the field and livestock worker (combined) wages reported by USDA, the proposed regulations will rely on the FLS to establish the AEWRs for these occupations in accordance with the methodology used by the Department for nearly all of the last 30 years. For all other occupations and to address circumstances in which the FLS does not report wage data for the field and livestock worker occupations, the Department proposes to use the OEWS survey to establish the AEWRs for each occupation. These proposed regulations are consistent with the Secretary of Labor's (Secretary) statutory responsibility to certify that the employment of H-2A workers will not adversely affect the wages and working conditions of workers in the United States similarly employed. The Department believes the proposed methodology will strike a reasonable balance between the statute's competing goals of providing employers with an adequate legal supply of agricultural labor and protecting the wages and working conditions of workers in the United States similarly employed.

The purpose of this notice is to alert the public to an error in the previously published annual Labor Surplus Area (LSA) list for Fiscal Year (FY) 2022, and to announce the corrected LSA list for FY 2022.

The Department of Labor (DOL) is submitting this Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA)-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 Secretary of Labor (Secretary) invites interested parties to submit nominations for individuals to serve on the Federal Advisory Council on Occupational Safety and Health (FACOSH). OSHA is extending the deadline for nominations to serve on FACOSH from November 22, 2021 to January 31, 2022.

In this notice, OSHA announces the final decision to expand the scope of recognition for SGS North America, Inc., as a Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory (NRTL). Additionally, OSHA announces the addition of one test standard to the NRTL Program's List of Appropriate Test Standards.

The Department of Labor (DOL) is submitting this Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA)-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 Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA)-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 document finalizes regulations to implement an Executive order titled ``Increasing the Minimum Wage for Federal Contractors,'' which was signed by President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. on April 27, 2021. The Executive order states the Federal Government's procurement interests in economy and efficiency are promoted when the Federal Government contracts with sources that adequately compensate their workers. The Executive order therefore seeks to raise the hourly minimum wage paid by those contractors to workers performing work on or in connection with covered Federal contracts to $15.00 per hour, beginning January 30, 2022; and beginning January 1, 2023, and annually thereafter, an amount determined by the Secretary of Labor (Secretary). The Executive order directs the Secretary to issue regulations by November 24, 2021, consistent with applicable law, to implement the order's requirements. This final rule therefore establishes standards and procedures for implementing and enforcing the minimum wage protections of the Executive order. As required by the order, the final rule incorporates to the extent practicable existing definitions, principles, procedures, remedies, and enforcement processes under the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938, the Service Contract Act, the Davis- Bacon Act, and the Executive order of February 12, 2014, entitled ``Establishing a Minimum Wage for Contractors,'' as well as the regulations issued to implement that order.

This document sets forth interim final rules implementing provisions of the Internal Revenue Code (the Code), the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA), and the Public Health Service Act (PHS Act), as enacted by the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (CAA). These provisions are applicable to group health plans and health insurance issuers offering group or individual health insurance coverage. These interim final rules add provisions to existing rules under the Code, ERISA, and the PHS Act. These interim final rules implement provisions of the Code, ERISA, and PHS Act that increase transparency by requiring group health plans and health insurance issuers in the group and individual markets to submit certain information about prescription drugs and health care spending to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the Department of Labor (DOL), and the Department of the Treasury (collectively, the Departments). The Departments are issuing these interim final rules with largely parallel provisions that apply to group health plans and health insurance issuers offering group or individual health insurance coverage. The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is also issuing interim final rules that require Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) carriers to report information about prescription drugs and health care spending in the same manner as a group health plan or health insurance issuer offering group or individual health insurance coverage.

The Department of Labor (DOL) is soliciting comments concerning a proposed extension for the authority to conduct the information collection request (ICR) titled, ``Uniform Billing Form''. This comment request is part of continuing Departmental efforts to reduce paperwork and respondent burden in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA).

This document contains notices of pendency before the Department of Labor (the Department) of proposed exemptions from certain of the prohibited transaction restrictions of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA or the Act) and/or the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (the Code). If granted, these proposed exemptions allow designated parties to engage in transactions that would otherwise be prohibited provided the conditions stated there in are met. This notice includes the following proposed exemptions: L- 12002, Retirement System of the American National Red Cross; D-11955, Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC, and Current and Future Affiliates and Subsidiaries.

The Employment and Training Administration (ETA) of the Department of Labor (Department) is issuing this notice to announce updates to Appendix A to the Preamble-Education and Training Categories by Occupational Information Network (O*NET)-Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) Occupations. Appendix A is a list of professional occupations that serves as a guide for employers to distinguish between professional and non-professional occupations in order to comply with the professional recruitment requirements of the permanent labor certification (PERM) program. In addition, this notice announces standard procedures for establishing Job Zones for a SOC code and occupational title in situations where O*NET Job Zone data are not yet available as O*NET transitions to the 2018 SOC system. These actions, updating Appendix A and establishing standard procedures for Job Zone values where O*NET Job Zone data are unavailable for certain occupations, will allow ETA to maintain a more comprehensive and current list of occupations and provide additional clarity to employers and the public regarding the appropriate education requirements and Job Zone value for each SOC code and occupational title.

The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL or the Department) proposes to rescind its regulation regarding Standards Recognition Entities (SREs) of Industry-Recognized Apprenticeship Programs (IRAPs). Specifically, the proposed rule would rescind the regulatory framework for the Department's recognition of SREs and SREs' role in recognizing IRAPs, and make necessary conforming changes to the Department's registered apprenticeship regulations.

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the DOL is soliciting public comments regarding this Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) -sponsored information collection to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval.

OSHA solicits public comments concerning the proposal to the Office of Management and Budget's (OMB) approval of the information collection requirements specified in the Standard on Blasting Operations and the Use of Explosives.

The Department of Labor (the Department), in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA 95) (44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)), provides the general public and Federal agencies with an opportunity to comment on proposed and continuing collections of information. This helps the Department assess the impact of its information collection requirements and minimize the reporting burden on the public and helps the public understand the Department's information collection requirements and provide the requested data in the desired format. Currently, the Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) is soliciting comments on No Surprises Act: IDR Process, Affordable Care Act Internal Claims and Appeals and External Review Procedures for ERISA Plans, and Opt-in State Balance Bill Process. A copy of the information collection request (ICR) may be obtained by contacting the office listed in the ADDRESSES section of this notice.

Notice is hereby given that the Workforce Information Advisory Council (WIAC or Advisory Council) will meet for two days, virtually. Information for public attendance at the virtual meetings will be posted at www.dol.gov/agencies/eta/wioa/wiac/meetings several days prior to each meeting date. The meetings will be open to the public.

The Department of Labor (DOL) is soliciting comments concerning a proposed extension for the authority to conduct the information collection request (ICR) titled, ``Request for Electronic Service of OrdersWaiver of Certified Mail Requirement.'' This comment request is part of continuing Departmental efforts to reduce paperwork and respondent burden in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA).

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 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 final decision to: (1) Add seven new test standards to the Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratories (NRTL) Program's list of appropriate test standards; (2) delete or replace several test standards from the NRTL Program's list of appropriate test standards; and (3) update the scope of recognition of several NRTLs.

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. 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 extension of the International Price Program (IPP) U.S. Import and Export Price Indexes. A copy of the proposed information collection request can be obtained by contacting the individual listed below in the Addresses section of this notice.