Search Results for agency_names:"Centers for Medicare

The Department of Education has announced a notice inviting applications for fiscal year 2025 to establish a National Technical Assistance Center on Transition for Students and Youth with Disabilities. This center aims to help educational and vocational rehabilitation agencies support students with disabilities in successfully transitioning from high school to further education or employment. The goal is to improve graduation rates, reduce dropout rates, and enhance postsecondary outcomes with increased collaboration and resources. Interested parties can apply for funding to help achieve these objectives by following the guidelines and deadlines outlined in the notice.

The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), part of the Department of Justice, has released a notice regarding an extension of a previously approved information collection related to the registration of those handling controlled substances. This involves DEA Forms 225, 225a, and 225b for businesses and individuals involved in the manufacturing, distribution, or research of controlled substances. The DEA is seeking public comments on the necessity, accuracy, and potential burden of this information collection process, which is estimated to affect 16,560 registrants and require 3,323 hours annually. Comments are welcome until May 27, 2025.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has finalized a rule that changes how it selects H-1B visa petitions submitted by employers. This new rule prioritizes selecting petitions based on the highest wage level offered for the job, rather than through a random lottery system. By ranking potential H-1B workers based on their salary offers, DHS aims to ensure that visas are more likely to go to highly skilled workers filling important roles, thus supporting economic recovery and protecting U.S. workers' wages. This rule is set to take effect on March 9, 2021, and aims to better align the H-1B program with the intention of hiring more qualified and valued international employees.

The Department of Labor is asking for public comments on an information collection request related to employee benefits laws. This request has been submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for approval as per the Paperwork Reduction Act. Comments are due by February 16, 2021, and can be submitted through the regulations website. The department aims to ensure the collected information is useful, accurate, and not overly burdensome for respondents.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is seeking approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for an extension of an existing information collection request concerning the NESHAP standards for epoxy resin and non-nylon polyamide production. This notice, published on February 24, 2021, invites public comments until March 26, 2021. The submission includes details about reporting and recordkeeping requirements for affected facilities and estimates that there are seven affected facilities, with a total annual burden of 3,940 hours and a total estimated cost of $476,000. There are no changes in the estimated burden from the previous approval, but the costs have increased slightly due to updated financial indices.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has submitted a request to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to review and approve an information collection concerning small industrial-commercial-institutional steam generating units. This is an extension of a previously approved collection, allowing additional public comments until February 10, 2021. The request involves ensuring owners of small steam generators (between 2.9 MW and 29 MW capacity) comply with reporting and recordkeeping standards to verify adherence to environmental regulations. The estimated total burden of this requirement is 219,000 hours per year, costing $38.3 million annually, and assumes a growth in the industry leading to an increase in the number of respondents.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has submitted a request to renew their authority to collect information regarding Experimental Use Permits (EUPs) for pesticides. This collection helps the EPA decide whether to issue EUPs, which allow pesticide companies to temporarily use pesticides for research purposes before registration. The request will be reviewed by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), and public comments are invited until February 10, 2021. The renewal does not impact prior estimates of the time or costs involved, which anticipate 567 hours of effort from 31 respondents, at a total cost of $37,497.

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) has issued an interim final rule that allows current and former Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) employees to appeal the recoupment of awards, bonuses, or relocation expenses. This regulation, which stems from the Department of Veterans Affairs Accountability and Whistleblower Protection Act of 2017, establishes procedures for these appeals to be made to the Director of OPM if the VA requires repayment, possibly due to misconduct or errors in payment authorization. OPM's review is limited to ensuring the VA followed its recoupment policies and relevant legal procedures, without evaluating the underlying disciplinary actions. The rule aims to provide clarity and fairness in the appeal process and is open for public comment until March 17, 2025.

The Employment and Training Administration of the Department of Labor has issued an annual update regarding the charges employers can impose on H-2A workers for meals and reimbursement for travel expenses. For 2025, the maximum charge for meals set by the Department of Labor is $16.28 per day, which an employer can only exceed with authorization. Additionally, H-2A and H-2B employers are obligated to reimburse workers for travel-related costs when they reach 50% of their employment period, ensuring the reimbursements do not exceed the standard per diem rate for meals and lodging in the Continental United States. These updates take effect on March 24, 2025.

The Small Business Administration (SBA) is requesting public feedback on its forms used in the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), particularly Forms 3509 and 3510, which gather information to assess borrowers' declarations of necessity for PPP loans. Comments will assist the SBA in refining these forms and ensuring they are effective and not overly burdensome. Feedback is also sought on the overall necessity, utility, and potential improvements to the information collected. Public comments should be submitted by March 5, 2021, via the provided email address.