Last week, U.S. Secretary of Labor Alexander Acosta announced the U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) new Office of Compliance Initiatives (OCI). The new agency is tasked with expanding and developing innovative approaches to compliance assistance, including more effective use of online resources to promote a better understanding of federal labor laws and regulations. Providing employers Read more
The federal appropriations bill for fiscal year 2018, which was signed into law on March 23, brought an end to uncertainty on two fronts: it put a stop to the short-term spending bills that have been keeping the government afloat since the end of fiscal year 2017, and it created a fix for the tip Read more
Today, the US Department of Labor announced its Final Rule that will extend overtime pay to workers not previously eligible under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). Although the FLSA ensures minimum wage and overtime pay protections for most employees covered by the Act, some workers, including bona fide executive, administrative, and professional (“EAP”) employees, are exempt Read more
On September 7, 2015, President Barack Obama signed Executive Order 13706 (EO) requiring that certain federal contractors provide their employees with up to seven days of paid sick leave per year, including paid leave allowing for family care. Accordingly, the US Department of Labor (DOL) has announced a Proposed Rule to implement the EO. The public Read more
How well is the US DOL Wage and Hour Division Performing? The US Department of Labor (US DOL), through various agencies, is responsible for the administration and enforcement of over 180 federal statutes. The US DOL’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD) in particular is responsible for administering and enforcing a number of laws that establish Read more
The US DOL Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) has published a proposed rule updating the sex discrimination guidelines for federal contractors and subcontractors. The sex discrimination guidelines implement Executive Order 11246, which prohibits companies with federal contracts and subcontracts from sex discrimination in employment. The proposed rule would replace existing sex discrimination guidelines, Read more
Because workplaces are constantly changing, the US Department of Labor is always reviewing its existing regulations to update rules that may be out of date, ineffective, insufficient or excessively burdensome. For example, in recent years OSHA implemented three improvement projects to address duplicative, unnecessary and inconsistent safety and health standards. Right now, the DOL is Read more
The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) has issued final regulations implementing the provisions of Executive Order 13658 that raises the minimum wage federal contractors are required to pay workers on covered contracts. Specifically, the Executive Order: raises the minimum wage for workers on federal service and construction contracts to $10.10 per hour beginning January 1, Read more
The US DOL’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) have partnered to release best practices for staffing agencies to better protect temporary workers from job hazards. Staffing agencies and host employers have joint responsibility to provide a safe working environment for this group of individuals. Read more
Federal contractors and subcontractors covered under Section 4212 of the Vietnam Era Veterans’ Readjustment Assistance Act (“VEVRAA”), are required to report annually their affirmative action efforts in employing veterans on forms VETS-100 or VETS 100-A. That may soon change. Last February, Department of Labor Veterans’ Employment and Training Service (VETS) filed a proposed rule that Read more
