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The U.S. Department of Labor's Employee Benefits Security Administration granted an exemption allowing the Associated General Contractors of America, San Diego Chapter, Inc. to lease its training facility to its Apprenticeship and Training Fund under specific conditions. The agreement ensures the Plan pays fair market rent, verified by an independent fiduciary, and that the lease benefits participants by providing effective training facilities. The fiduciary also monitors compliance with the lease terms and any rent increases must adhere to changes in the Consumer Price Index. This exemption is designed to avoid conflicts with ERISA's prohibited transaction rules.

The Department of Labor's Employment and Training Administration decided to withdraw a proposed rule that aimed to revise regulations related to the National Apprenticeship Act of 1937. This proposed rule, initially published in January 2024, sought to enhance the quality and equity of registered apprenticeship programs. The withdrawal follows extensive feedback from over 2,000 stakeholders who highlighted the need for further discussion and refinement of proposed changes. The Department plans to continue engaging with interested parties to consider potential future enhancements before introducing a new proposal.

The Department of Labor's Employment and Training Administration is asking for public comments on extending the authority for the Tax Performance System (TPS) information collection, as part of their efforts to reduce paperwork. This information helps assess the performance of unemployment insurance tax programs and the burden on respondents. The public can submit comments by March 23, 2021, which will be considered before the final approval of the collection process. The TPS aims to ensure data is collected efficiently and accurately, evaluating the necessity and quality of this collection, while minimizing the burden on state workforce agencies.

The Department of Labor's Employment and Training Administration (ETA) is seeking public comments on proposed changes and an extension of the authority for the "Nonmonetary Determination Activities Report." These changes aim to reduce paperwork and improve reporting accuracy by revising definitions and categories used in state reports on unemployment insurance benefits. The proposed modifications include adding demographic information and clarifying reporting categories, which are expected to have little additional impact since states already collect this data. Comments are welcome until March 17, 2025, and will be considered in the final decision submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).

The Department of Labor is asking the public for comments on its plan to collect data related to workforce programs under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA). The information is required for these programs to report their performance. People have until February 5, 2025, to submit their comments. The proposed collection affects state, local, and tribal governments and is expected to include over 19 million responses, taking an estimated total of almost 4.85 million hours annually to complete.

The Department of Labor has confirmed and ratified a rule that was originally published on October 16, 2015, concerning the temporary employment of H-2A foreign workers in the herding and production of livestock on U.S. ranges. This ratification is being issued to eliminate any uncertainty about the rule's legality and ensure it complies with the Secretary of Labor's responsibility to protect U.S. workers' job opportunities and wages. The rule sets standards for hiring foreign labor for agricultural tasks in remote areas where workers must be available for long periods. Despite this confirmation, the validity of the rule can still be legally challenged.

The Department of Labor is requesting public comments on a proposed information collection related to attorney fees for representing federal employees in workers' compensation cases. This initiative aims to reduce paperwork while ensuring the data collected is useful and easy to understand. Feedback is specifically sought on the necessity, accuracy, and burden of the information collection process. Comments must be received by February 18, 2025, and the detailed information and procedures for submitting these can be found on the Federal eRulemaking Portal or by mail.

In this final rule, the Department of Labor revises the way it calculates prevailing wage levels for alien workers in the U.S. to ensure wages align more accurately with those of U.S. workers with similar skills. This change applies to H1-B, H1-B1, and E-3 visa programs as well as certain immigrant visa categories. The rule lowers the previous wage level estimates, transitioning over a phased implementation period, to better protect U.S. worker job opportunities by eliminating financial incentives for using lower-paid foreign labor over similarly capable American workers. The rule also provides steps to ensure a smooth transition to these new wage levels.

The Department of Labor has submitted an information collection request regarding the Respiratory Protection Standard to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review. This request is part of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 and aims to gather public comments. The standard requires employers to establish a respiratory protection program, including fit tests and medical surveillance. Interested parties can submit comments until January 2, 2025, and more details can be found on reginfo.gov.

The Department of Labor has withdrawn a rule announced on January 11, 2021, that would have required electronic filing and service of legal documents, after receiving significant negative feedback. This rule, which aimed to make e-filing mandatory for individuals with legal representation, is no longer proceeding because of the comments received before the deadline. The Department will reopen the comment period for the related proposed rule and plans to conduct public sessions to gather more input on its electronic filing system. The Department will provide advance notice if a final rule requiring e-filing is issued.