Department of Labor – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

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, 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 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 (MSHA) is soliciting comments on the information collection for Certification and Qualification to Examine, Test, Operate Hoists and Perform Other Duties.

The Secretary of Labor invites interested persons to submit nominations for individuals to serve on the Task Force on Apprenticeship Expansion (hereinafter ``the Task Force'' or ``the panel''), a non-discretionary federal advisory committee authorized pursuant to section 8 of Executive Order 13801, entitled ``Expanding Apprenticeships in America'' (hereinafter ``the Executive Order''), which was issued on June 15, 2017 (82 FR 28229) and which directed the Secretary of Labor to establish and chair such a panel in the Department of Labor.

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 (PRA). 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 is properly assessed. Currently, the Department of Labor is soliciting comments concerning the extension of data collection for the Evaluation of the EFSLMP. A copy of the proposed Information Collection Request (ICR) can be obtained by contacting the office listed in the addressee section of this notice.

The Veterans' Employment and Training Service (VETS) is announcing an opportunity for public comment on a proposed collection of information by the agency. Under the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995, Federal agencies are required to publish notice in the Federal Register concerning each proposed collection of information and to allow 60 days for public comment in response to the notice. In this notice, VETS is soliciting comments concerning the proposed information collection request for the VETS Federal Contractor Veterans' Employment Report VETS-4212.

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)]. 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 is properly assessed. Currently, the Department of Labor is soliciting comments concerning the collection of data about the Evaluation of Strategies Used in America's Promise Job Driven Grant Program Evaluation. 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.

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). 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 new collection of the ``Quick Business Survey Operations Test.'' 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.

This technical amendment revises an OSHA regulation to reflect the Office of Management and Budget's (OMB) approval of the collections of information contained in the general industry Walking-Working Surfaces and Personal Protective Equipment (Fall Protection Systems) standards.

On June 30, 2017, the Department of Labor (DOL) will submit the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) sponsored information collection request (ICR) titled, ``Ethylene Oxide 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). Public comments on the ICR are invited.

On June 30, 2017, the Department of Labor (DOL) will submit the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) sponsored information collection request (ICR) titled, ``Concrete and Masonry Construction 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). Public comments on the ICR are invited.

This Notice announces allocations for Program Year (PY) 2017 for the WIOA Title I Section 167 National Farmworker Jobs Program (NFJP) program as required under Section 182(d) of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act of 2014. The NFJP allocations are distributed to the state service areas by a formula that estimates, by State, the relative demand for NFJP services. The formula factors used to allocate funds for the NFJP were published in the Federal Register on May 19, 1999. The notice explained the purpose of the formula; i.e., distributing funds geographically by State service area on the basis of each area's relative share of farmworkers who are eligible for enrollment in the NFJP. The data used in the formula are comprised of a combination of data sets that were selected to yield the relative share distribution across States of eligible farmworkers. While the data factors used in the formula remain unchanged since their development in 1999, the data sets were last updated in 2005 with data from the 2000 Census, the 2003 National Agricultural Workers Survey (NAWS), and the 2002 Census of Agriculture.

On May 12, 2016, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) published a rule entitled ``Improve Tracking of Workplace Injuries and Illnesses'' with an effective date of January 1, 2017 for the final rule's electronic reporting requirements. The final rule sets an initial deadline of July 1, 2017, as the date by which certain employers are required to submit the information from their completed 2016 Form 300A to OSHA electronically. This action proposes to extend the initial submission deadline for 2016 Form 300A data to December 1, 2017, to provide the new administration an opportunity to review the new electronic reporting requirements prior to their implementation and allow affected entities sufficient time to familiarize themselves with the electronic reporting system, which will not be available until August 1. The proposed five-month delay would be effective on the date of publication of a final rule in the Federal Register. OSHA also intends to issue a separate proposal to reconsider, revise, or remove other provisions of the prior final rule. OSHA will seek comment on those provisions in that separate proposal. In this proposal, OSHA only seeks comment on the delay of the July 1, 2017 compliance date to December 1, 2017.

This document contains exemptions issued by the Department of Labor (the Department) 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). This notice includes the following: 2017-01, Rosetree & Company 401(k) Plan and Trust, D-11845; and 2017-02, Aon Pension Plan, D-11880.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) proposes to revoke the ancillary provisions for the construction and the shipyard sectors that OSHA adopted on January 9, 2017 but retain the new lower permissible exposure limit (PEL) of 0.2 [mu]g/m\3\ and the short term exposure limit (STEL) of 2.0 [mu]g/m\3\ for each sector. OSHA will not enforce the January 9, 2017 shipyard and construction standards without further notice while this new rulemaking is underway. This proposal does not affect the general industry beryllium standard published on January 9, 2017.

The Department of Labor (DOL) is submitting the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) sponsored information collection request (ICR) revision titled, ``Report on Occupational Employment and Wages,'' to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval for use in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995. Public comments on the ICR are invited.

The Department of Labor (DOL) is submitting the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) sponsored information collection request (ICR) titled, ``Records of Tests and Examinations of Mine Personnel Hoisting Equipment,'' 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). Public comments on the ICR are invited.

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

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

OSHA is soliciting public comments concerning its proposal to extend the Office of Management and Budget's (OMBs') approval of the information collection requirements specified in its standard on Underground Construction.

The Department of Labor (the Department), in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA 95), 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 is soliciting comments on a revision of the Notices under the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008 information collection request (ICR) to add a model form participants and authorized representatives can use to request certain information from their health plans that is discussed below. A copy of the information collection request (ICR) may be obtained by contacting the office listed in the ADDRESSES section of this notice. The ICR is also available on the Department's Web site at: https://www.dol.gov/agencies/ebsa.

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). 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 reinstatement of the ``Current Population Survey (CPS) Displaced Worker, Job Tenure, and Occupational Mobility Supplement'' to be conducted in January 2018 and January 2020. 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.

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 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 (MSHA) is soliciting comments on the information collection for Refuse Piles and Impoundment Structures, Recordkeeping and Reporting Requirements.

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 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 (MSHA) is soliciting comments on the information collection for Examinations and Testing of Electrical Equipment, Including Examination, Testing, and Maintenance of High Voltage Longwalls.

This notice announces allotments for PY 2017 for WIOA Title I Youth, Adult and Dislocated Worker Activities programs; final allotments for Employment Service (ES) activities under the Wagner- Peyser Act for PY 2017 and the allotments of Workforce Information Grants to States for PY 2017. WIOA allotments for States and the State final allotments for the Wagner-Peyser Act are based on formulas defined in their respective statutes. WIOA requires allotments for the Outlying Areas to be competitively based rather than based on a formula determined by the Secretary of Labor (Secretary) as occurred under the Workforce Investment Act (WIA). For PY 2017, the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2017 waives the competition requirement, and the Secretary is using the discretionary formula rationale and methodology for allocating PY 2017 funds for the Outlying Areas (American Samoa, Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the Republic of Palau, and the United States Virgin Islands) that was published in the Federal Register at 65 FR 8236 (Feb. 17, 2000). WIOA specifically included the Republic of Palau as an Outlying Area, except during any period for which the Secretary of Labor and the Secretary of Education determine that a Compact of Free Association is in effect and contains provisions for training and education assistance prohibiting the assistance provided under WIOA; no such determinations prohibiting assistance have been made. The formula that the Department of Labor (Department) used for PY 2017 is the same formula used in PY 2016 and is described in the section on Youth Activities program allotments. Comments are invited on the formula used to allot funds to the Outlying Areas.