Newsline

On July 12, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration issued revised guidance under the hours of service (HOS) rules for how commercial drivers should record and take breaks.

The DOL announced in its July 3 regulatory agenda that it will be indefinitely suspending previous wage calculation methods for H-2B temporary worker visas – which have been blocked both in federal courts and on Capitol Hill – and moving forward with its “emergency” interim final rule issued in April in conjunction with the Department of Homeland Security. The interim final rule became effective April 24, when it was issued.

As part of a deal to avert a “nuclear option” to end filibuster rules in the U.S. Senate, the nominations of Richard Griffin and Sharon Block to the NLRB were withdrawn. Griffin and Block were two of the members illegally recess appointed to the board by President Obama in 2012. They were renominated by the president in February. 

The IRS July 11 released guidance on the one-year delay of the employer shared responsibility provisions (or employer mandate) and information reporting requirements in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. The delay was originally announced July 2 by the Treasury Department in a blog post. 

The DOL on July 3 released its spring regulatory agenda outlining the activities of its sub-agencies for the remainder of 2013, including OSHA. The regulatory agenda lists the priorities of the administration and the rulemakings they expect to release this year; however, OSHA is not required to adhere to the timeline. 

OSHA has officially withdrawn a proposed rule that would have changed how the agency operated its On-site Consultation Program for worksites, including those that have Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program status. The agency withdrew the rule after reviewing comments, including those submitted by ABC and the Coalition for Workplace Safety. 

The Department of Labor (DOL) on July 3 released its spring regulatory agenda outlining the regulatory activities of its sub-agencies for the remainder of 2013. The regulatory agenda lists the priorities of the administration and the rulemaking they expect to release this year; however, DOL is not required to adhere to the timeline.

ABC July 2 submitted comments to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) expressing disappointment in a proposed rule that would implement provisions in the Affordable Care Act (ACA) related to the minimum value of eligible employer-sponsored plans and the health insurance premium tax credit. 

OSHA must stick to a six-month statute of limitations when citing a company for failure to record an injury or illness and cannot treat such an event as a continuing violation throughout the five-year recordkeeping period, according to an April 6 decision by a federal appeals court. The decision overturned a position that had been in place since 1993. 

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced it is withdrawing a Dec. 1 direct final rule that would have altered the USDA’s procurement policies to require federal contractors to certify that they, as well as their subcontractors and suppliers, were in compliance with all applicable labor laws.