Department of Labor – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Department of Labor (DOL), Employment Training Administration is soliciting comments concerning a proposed extension for the authority to conduct the information collection request (ICR) titled, ``Job Corps Health Questionnaire''. 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), 44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.

The Department of Labor (DOL) is submitting the Veterans' Employment and Training Services (VETS) sponsored information collection request (ICR) titled, ``Eligibility Data Form: Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act and Veterans' Preference,'' 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), 44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq. Public comments on the ICR are invited.

Workplace violence against employees providing healthcare and social assistance services is a serious concern. Evidence indicates that the rate of workplace violence in the industry is substantially higher than private industry as a whole. OSHA is considering whether a standard is needed to protect healthcare and social assistance employees from workplace violence and is interested in obtaining information about the extent and nature of workplace violence in the industry and the nature and effectiveness of interventions and controls used to prevent such violence. This RFI provides an overview of the problem of workplace violence in the healthcare and social assistance sector and the measures that have been taken to address it. It also seeks information on issues that might be considered in developing a standard, including scope and the types of controls that might be required.

The subcommittee will meet via teleconference on December 21, 2016, from 2:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Eastern Time.

On October 4, 2016, OSHA published a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) titled ``Standards Improvement Project-Phase IV.'' The period for submitting comments is being extended 30 days to allow parties affected by the rule more time to review the proposed rule and collect information and data necessary for comments.

This final rule revises the U.S. Department of Labor (Department) regulations implementing the nondiscrimination and equal opportunity provisions of Section 188 of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA). Signed by President Obama on July 22, 2014, WIOA superseded the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (WIA) as the Department's primary mechanism for providing financial assistance for a comprehensive system of job training and placement services for adults and eligible youth. Section 188 of WIOA prohibits the exclusion of an individual from participation in, denial of the benefits of, discrimination in, or denial of employment in the administration of or in connection with any programs and activities funded or otherwise financially assisted in whole or in part under Title I of WIOA because of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, or political affiliation or belief, or, for beneficiaries, applicants, and participants only, on the basis of citizenship status, or participation in a program or activity that receives financial assistance under Title I of WIOA. This final rule updates Department regulations consistent with current law and addresses its application to current workforce development and workplace practices and issues.

The Department of Labor (DOL) is submitting the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) sponsored information collection request (ICR) proposal titled, ``Leave Supplement to the American Time Use Survey,'' 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.). Public comments on the ICR are invited.

The Department of Labor (DOL) is submitting the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) sponsored information collection request (ICR) revision titled, ``Consumer Expenditure Surveys: Quarterly Interview and Diary,'' 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), Employment Training Administration (ETA) is soliciting comments concerning a proposed extension for the authority to conduct the information collection request (ICR) titled, ``Job Corps Application Data.'' 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), 44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.

The Department of Labor (DOL) is submitting the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) sponsored information collection request (ICR) titled, ``Ventilation Plan and Main Fan Maintenance Record,'' to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval for continued use, without change, in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.). Public comments on the ICR are invited.

The subcommittee will meet via teleconference on December 16, 2016, from 12:00 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. Eastern Time. For Press Inquiries Contact: For press inquiries: Ms. Amanda McClure, Office of Public Affairs, U.S. Department of Labor, Room S- 1028, 200 Constitution Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20210; telephone (202) 693-4672; email mcclure.amanda.c@dol.gov.

The subcommittee will meet via teleconference on December 12, 2016, from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. Eastern Time.

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. 3056(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: Disclosures to Workers Under the Migrant and Seasonal Agricultural Worker Protection Act. A copy of the proposed information request can be obtained by contacting the office listed below in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section of this Notice.

Sections 3302(c)(2)(A) and 3302(d)(3) of the FUTA provide that employers in a State that has an outstanding balance of advances under Title XII of the Social Security Act at the beginning of January 1 of two or more consecutive years are subject to a reduction in credits otherwise available against the FUTA tax for the calendar year in which the most recent such January 1 occurs, if a balance of advances remains at the beginning of November 10 of that year. Further, section 3302(c)(2)(C) of FUTA provides for an additional credit reduction for a year if a State has outstanding advances on five or more consecutive January firsts and has a balance at the beginning of November 10 for such years. Section 3302(c)(2)(C) also provides for waiver of this additional credit reduction and substitution of the credit reduction provided in section 3302(c)(2)(B) if a state meets certain conditions. California, Connecticut, Ohio, and the Virgin Islands passed January 1, 2016 with outstanding Title XII advances and were potentially subject to FUTA credit reductions. California, Ohio, and the Virgin Islands applied for a waiver of the 2016 additional credit reduction under section 3302 (c)(2)(C) of FUTA and it has been determined that each one met all of the criteria of that section necessary to qualify for the waiver of the additional credit reduction. Further, the additional credit reduction of section 3302(c)(2)(B) is zero for these States for 2016. Therefore, employers in these States will have no additional credit reduction applied for calendar year 2016. Connecticut and Ohio repaid all of their outstanding advance balances before the beginning of November 10, 2016. Therefore, employers in those States will have no reduction in FUTA offset credit for calendar year 2016. California and the Virgin Islands will have a credit reduction of 1.8 for calendar year 2016.

Section 101(c) of the Federal Mine Safety and Health Act of 1977 and Title 30 of the Code of Federal Regulations 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.

OSHA is revising and updating its general industry standards on walking-working surfaces to prevent and reduce workplace slips, trips, and falls, as well as other injuries and fatalities associated with walking-working surface hazards. The final rule includes revised and new provisions addressing, for example, fixed ladders; rope descent systems; fall protection systems and criteria, including personal fall protection systems; and training on fall hazards and fall protection systems. In addition, the final rule adds requirements on the design, performance, and use of personal fall protection systems. The final rule increases consistency between the general industry and construction standards, which will make compliance easier for employers who conduct operations in both industry sectors. Similarly, the final rule updates requirements to reflect advances in technology and to make them consistent with more recent OSHA standards and national consensus standards. OSHA has also reorganized the requirements and incorporated plain language in order to make the final rule easier to understand and follow. The final rule also uses performance-based language whenever possible to give employers greater compliance flexibility.

The Secretary of Labor has renewed the Charter of the Advisory Committee on Construction Safety and Health (ACCSH) for two years. The current ACCSH Charter will expire on November 17, 2016.

This document contains a notice of pendency before the Department of Labor (the Department) of a proposed temporary individual exemption from certain prohibited transaction restrictions of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (ERISA), and the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the Code). The proposed temporary exemption, if granted, would affect the ability of certain entities with specified relationships to UBS AG (UBS) to continue to rely upon the relief provided by Prohibited Transaction Class Exemption 84-14.

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 Radiation Sampling and Exposure Records (pertains to underground metal and nonmetal mines).

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. Currently, the Office of Workers' Compensation Programs is soliciting comments concerning the proposal to extend OMB approval of the information collection: Operator Response to Schedule for Submission of Additional Evidence (CM-2970) and Operator Response to Notice of Claim (CM-2970a). 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) is soliciting comments concerning a proposed extension and revision of the information collection request (ICR) titled, ``Information Collections: Pertaining to Special Employment Under the Fair Labor Standards Act.'' 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), 44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq. 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. A copy of the proposed information request can be obtained by contacting the office listed below in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section of this Notice.