What’s on the Labor Department’s Regulatory Agenda?
by Katie TracyLate last week, the White House released its fall 2015 Unified Agenda—the semi-annual report on regulations under development or review by each federal agency. As usual, and therefore of little surprise, this latest agenda spells delay for a laundry list of critical safeguards at several agencies.
According to CPR senior analyst James Goodwin’s review of the regulatory agendas for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and several other agencies, several new protections will be delayed anywhere from two months to over a year.
A look at the Department of Labor’s regulatory agenda also signals extensive delays for some long-anticipated worker protections. Here is the status of rules under development at DOL classified as “major” or “economically significant” rules:
| Agency | Rule | Spring 2015 | Fall 2015 |
| DOL/OSHA |
| Pre-rulemaking: expected to initiate small business review panel by 02/2016 | Pre-rulemaking: expected to initiate small business review panel by 08/2016
*6 month delay |
| DOL/OSHA
| Preventing Backover Injuries and Fatalities
| Long-Term Action: expected to initiate small business review panel by 06/2016 | Pre-rulemaking: expected to initiate small business review panel 09/2016
*3 month delay |
| DOL/OSHA
| Walking Working Surfaces and Personal Fall Protection Systems | Final: Final rule expected 8/2015 | Final: Final rule expected 04/2016
*8 month delay |
| DOL/OSHA |
| Long-Term Action: Proposed rule expected 12/2016 | Long-Term Action: Proposed rule expected 12/2016
*no movement expected |
| DOL/OSHA | Long-Term Action: Next action undetermined | Long-Term Action: Next action undetermined
*no movement expected | |
| DOL/OSHA | Update to the Hazard Communication Standard
| Long-Term Action: Next action undetermined | Long-Term Action: Next action undetermined
*No movement expected |
| DOL/OSHA | Occupational Exposure to Beryllium
| Proposal: Proposed rule expected 05/2015 | Proposal: Analysis of comments on proposed rule expected 12/2015
*moving ahead
|
| DOL/OSHA | Proposal: Post-Hearing Comment Review Period expected 07/2014 | Final: Final rule expected 02/2016
*moving ahead | |
| DOL/ETA | Temporary Non-Agricultural Employment of H-2B Aliens in the U.S.
| Final: Comment period on interim final rule expected completion 06/29/2015 | Long-Term Action: Next action undetermined
+ indefinite delay |
| DOL/ETA | Proposal: Proposed rule expected 12/2015 | Proposal: Proposed rule expected 04/2016
+ 4 month delay | |
| DOL/ETA | Proposal: Comment period on proposed rule expected to conclude 06/15/2015 | Proposal: Analysis of comments on proposed rule expected 11/2015
+moving ahead
*statutory deadline for final rule is 01/18/2016 | |
| DOL/ETA | Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act; Joint Rule with the U.S. Dep’t of Education... | Proposal: Comment period on proposed rule expected to conclude 06/15/2015 | Proposal: Analysis of comments on proposed rule expected 11/2015
+moving ahead
*statutory deadline for final rule is 01/18/2016 |
| DOL/EBSA | Long-Term Action: Next action undetermined | Long-Term Action: Next action undetermined
+no movement expected | |
| DOL/EBSA | Proposal: Comment period on second proposed rule expected to end 07/06/2015 | Proposal: Analysis of comments on proposed rule expected 12/2015
+moving ahead | |
| DOL/EBSA | Final Rules under the Affordable Care Act for Grandfathered Plans… | No entry in Spring Agenda | Final: Final rule expected 11/2015
+moving ahead |
| DOL/WHD | Establishing Paid Sick Leave for Contractors
| No entry in Spring Agenda | Proposal: Proposed rule expected 02/2016
+moving ahead
*statutory deadline for final rule is 09/30/2016 |
| DOL/WHD | Proposal: Proposed rule expected 06/2015 | Final: Final rule expected 07/2016
+moving ahead
|
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