U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Fall 2010 Statement of Regulatory Priorities

Secretary Solis has consistently stated that all of the work of the Department of Labor is focused on achieving Good Jobs for Everyone. The Labor Department's vision of a "good job" includes jobs that:

• increase workers' incomes and narrow wage and income inequality;

• assure workers are paid their wages and overtime;

• are in safe and healthy workplaces, and fair and diverse workplaces;

• provide workplace flexibility for family and personal care-giving;

• improve health benefits and retirement security for all workers; and

• assure workers have a voice in the workplace.

To achieve this goal, the Department is using every tool in its toolbox, including increased enforcement actions, increased education and outreach, and targeted regulatory actions. Because the Department cannot be in every workplace every day, our targeted regulatory actions are centered on two broad themes-Plan/Prevent/Protect, and Openness and Transparency. These unifying themes seek to foster a new calculus that strengthens protections for workers and results in significantly increased compliance. Employers and other regulated entities must take full ownership over their adherence to Department regulations. The Department also hopes that with greater openness and transparency, workers will be in a better position to judge whether their workplace is one that values health and safety, work-life balance, and diversity.

Plan/Prevent/Protect Compliance Strategy

In the fall 2010 regulatory agenda, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA), Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP), and the Wage and Hour Division (WHD) will all propose regulatory actions that would require employers to develop programs to address specific compliance issues within each agency's portfolio. Although the specifics will vary by law, industry, and regulated enterprise, the Plan/Prevent/Protect strategy seeks to remind employers and other regulated entities that they are responsible for full compliance with the law every day, not just when Department inspectors come calling. As announced with the spring 2010 regulatory agenda, the strategy will require employers and other regulated entities to:

• "Plan": Create a plan for identifying and remediating risks of legal violations and other risks to workers-for example, a plan to inspect their workplaces for safety hazards that might injure or kill workers. Workers will be given opportunities to participate in the creation of the plans. In addition, the plans would be made available to workers so they can fully understand them and help to monitor their implementation.

• "Prevent": Thoroughly and completely implement the plan in a manner that prevents legal violations. The plan cannot be a mere paper process. This will not be an exercise in drafting a plan only to put it on a shelf. The plan must be fully implemented.

• "Protect": Verify on a regular basis that the plan's objectives are being met. The plan must actually protect workers from health and safety risks and other violations of their workplace rights.

Employers and other regulated entities who fail to take these steps to comprehensively address the risks, hazards, and inequities in their workplaces will be considered out of compliance with the law and, depending upon the agency and the substantive law it is enforcing, subject to remedial action. But employers, unions, and others who follow the Department's Plan/Prevent/Protect strategy will assure compliance with employment laws before Labor Department enforcement personnel arrive at their doorsteps. Most important, they will assure that workers get the safe, healthy, diverse, family-friendly, and fair workplaces they deserve.

Openness and Transparency: Tools for Achieving Compliance

Greater openness and transparency continues to be central to the Department's compliance and regulatory strategies. The fall 2010 regulatory plan demonstrates the Department's continued commitment to conducting the people's business with openness and transparency, not only as good government and stakeholder engagement strategies, but as important means to achieve compliance with the employment laws administered and enforced by the Department. Openness and transparency will not only enhance agencies' enforcement actions but will encourage greater levels of compliance by the regulated community and enhance awareness among workers of their rights and benefits. When employers, unions, workers, advocates, and members of the public have greater access to information concerning workplace conditions and expectations, then we all become partners in the endeavor to create Good Jobs for Everyone.

Worker Protection Responsiveness

The Department believes Plan/Prevent/Protect and increased Openness and Transparency will result in gradual improvements to worker health and safety. However, when the Department identifies specific hazards and risks to worker health, safety, security or fairness, we will utilize our regulatory powers to limit the risk to workers. The fall 2010 regulatory plan includes examples of such regulatory initiatives to address such specific concerns.

MSHA is planning several regulatory initiatives to respond to specific health and safety needs of workers: (1) MSHA plans to issue an emergency temporary standard (ETS) covering the Maintenance of Incombustible Content of Rock Dust in Underground Coal Mines, (2) MSHA advanced the publication date for the proposed rule covering Examinations of Work Areas in Underground Coal Mines from March 2011 to October 2010, and (3) MSHA decided not to publish a request for information on Safety and Health Management Programs for Mines and is instead planning to hold a series of public meetings in October 2010 followed by the publication of a proposed rule in June 2011.

OSHA plans to issue a proposed rule that will update fatality and catastrophe reporting requirements so the Agency receives more timely information on a broader range of catastrophic events, which will help OSHA conduct more responsive investigations.

Crystalline silica exposure is one of the most serious hazards workers face. OSHA and MSHA are both proposing to address worker exposures to crystalline silica through the promulgation and enforcement of a comprehensive health standard.

Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)

OSHA's regulatory program is designed to help workers and employers identify hazards in the workplace, prevent the occurrence of injuries and adverse health effects, and communicate with the regulated community regarding hazards and how to effectively control them. Long-recognized health hazards such as silica, beryllium, and emerging hazards such as food flavorings containing diacetyl place American workers at risk of serious disease and death and are initiatives on OSHA's regulatory agenda. In addition to targeting specific hazards, OSHA is focusing on systematic processes that will modernize the culture of safety in America's workplaces.

Plan/Prevent/Protect

Infectious Diseases

OSHA is considering the need for regulatory action to address the risk to workers exposed to infectious diseases in healthcare and other related high-risk environments. The Agency is considering an approach that would combine elements of the Department's Plan/Prevent/Protect strategy with established infection control practices. The Agency received strong stakeholder participation in response to its May 2010 request for information on infectious diseases and is currently reviewing the docket.

In 2007, the healthcare and social assistance sector as a whole had 16.5 million employees. Healthcare workplaces can range from small, private practices of physicians to hospitals that employ thousands of workers. In addition, healthcare is increasingly being provided in other settings such as nursing homes, free-standing surgical and outpatient centers, emergency care clinics, patients' homes, and pre-hospitalization emergency care settings. OSHA is interested in all routes of infectious disease transmission in healthcare settings not already covered by its bloodborne pathogens standard (e.g., contact, droplet, and airborne). The Agency is particularly concerned by studies that indicate that transmission of infectious diseases to both patients and healthcare workers may be occurring as a result of incomplete adherence to recognized, but voluntary, infection control measures. Another concern is the movement of healthcare delivery from the traditional hospital setting, with its greater infrastructure and resources to effectively implement infection control measures, into more diverse and smaller workplace setting with less infrastructure and fewer resources, but with an expanding worker population.

Injury and illness Prevention Program (12P2)

OSHA's I2P2 program is the prototype for the Department's Plan/Prevent/Protect strategy. OSHA's first step in this important rulemaking was to hold stakeholder meetings. Stakeholder meetings were held in East Brunswick, NJ; Dallas, Texas; Washington, DC; and Sacramento, California, beginning in June 2010 and ending in August 2010. More than 200 stakeholders participated in these meetings, and in addition, nearly 300 stakeholders attended as observers. The proposed rule will explore requiring employers to provide their employees with opportunities to participate in the development and implementation of an injury and illness prevention program, including a systematic process to proactively and continuously address workplace safety and health hazards. This rule will involve planning, implementing, evaluating, and improving processes and activities that promote worker safety and health, and address the needs of special categories of workers (such as youth, aging, and immigrant workers). OSHA's efforts to protect workers under the age of 18 will be undertaken in cooperation with the Department's Wage and Hour Division, which has responsibility for enforcing the child labor provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act. OSHA has substantial evidence showing that employers that have implemented similar injury and illness prevention programs have significantly reduced injuries and illnesses in their workplaces. The new rule would build on OSHA's existing Safety and Health Program Management Guidelines and lessons learned from successful approaches and best practices that have been applied by companies participating in OSHA's Voluntary Protection Program and Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program, and similar industry and international initiatives.

Addressing Targeted Hazards

Silica

In order to target one of the most serious hazards workers face, OSHA is proposing to address worker exposures to crystalline silica through the promulgation and enforcement of a comprehensive health standard. Exposure to silica causes silicosis, a debilitating respiratory disease, and may cause cancer, other chronic respiratory diseases, and renal and autoimmune disease as well. Over 2 million workers are exposed to crystalline silica in general industry, construction, and maritime industries and workers are often exposed to levels that exceed current OSHA permissible limits, especially in the construction industry where workers are exposed at levels that exceed current limits by several fold. It has been estimated that between 3,500 and 7,000 new cases of silicosis arise each year in the U.S., and that 1,746 workers died of silicosis between 1996 and 2005. Reducing these hazardous exposures through promulgation and enforcement of a comprehensive health standard will contribute to OSHA's goal of reducing occupational fatalities and illnesses. As a part of the Secretary's strategy for securing safe and healthy workplaces, MSHA will also utilize information provided by OSHA to undertake regulatory action related to silica exposure in mines.

Backing Operations

In order to target one of most serious hazards that construction workers face, OSHA is proposing to address worker exposures to the dangers inherent in backing operations through the promulgation and enforcement of a revised construction standard. NIOSH reports that half of the fatalities involving construction equipment occur while the equipment is backing. Backing accidents cause 500 deaths and 15,000 injuries per year. Emerging technologies in the field of backing operations include after market devices, such as camera, radar, and sonar, to help monitor the presence of workers on foot in blind areas, and new monitoring technology, such as tag-based warning systems that use radio frequency (RFID) and magnetic field generators on equipment to detect electronic tags worn by workers. OSHA is developing this proposal in consultation with MSHA, which will issue an Emergency Temporary Standard concerning Proximity Detection.

Openness and Transparency

Hazard Communication

Hearings on OSHA's proposal to modify its Hazard Communication standard have helped the agency to promote transparency in the communication of chemical hazard information. These hearings gathered information to assist OSHA in creating consistency between its current Hazard Communication standard (HCS) and the United Nations' Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals (GHS). This rulemaking involves changing the criteria for classifying health and physical hazards to require information regarding the severity of the hazard, a standardized order of information for safety data sheets, and adopting standardized labeling requirements that would be understandable for low-literacy workers or those who do not speak English. The HCS covers over 945,000 hazardous chemical products in 7 million American workplaces and gives workers the "right to know" about chemical hazards to which they are exposed. OSHA and other Federal agencies have participated in long-term international negotiations to develop the GHS. Revising the HCS to be consistent with the GHS is expected to significantly improve the communication of hazards to workers in American workplaces, reducing exposures to hazardous chemicals, and reducing occupational illnesses and fatalities.

Modernizing Recordkeeping

In the first half of this year, OSHA held informal meetings to gather information from experts and stakeholders regarding the modification of its current injury and illness data collection system that will help the agency, employers, employees, researchers, and the public prevent workplace injuries and illnesses, as well as support President Obama's Open Government Initiative. Under the proposed rule, OSFIA will explore increasing its legal authority to require employers to electronically submit to the Agency any data required by part 1904 (Recording and Reporting Occupational Injuries). In addition it will set ongoing electronic submission requirements of data for a defined set of establishments. This two-part rule will give OSHA the flexibility to define the scope and frequency of data collection without having to undertake additional rulemakings. With OMB approval, OSHA will be able to conduct data collections ranging from the annual collection of data from a handful of employers to the real-time collection of all part 1904 data from all covered employers. In addition, OSHA will be able to request additional data elements that employers are not required to maintain, such as data on race and ethnicity, as a non-mandatory component of a given data collection. OSHA learned from stakeholders that most large employers already maintain their part 1904 data electronically; as a result, electronic submission will constitute a minimal burden on these employers, while providing a wealth of data to help OSHA, employers, employees, researchers, and the public prevent workplace injuries and illnesses.

Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA)

The Mine Safety and Health Administration is the worker protection agency focused on the prevention of death, disease, and injury from mining and the promotion of safe and healthful workplaces for the Nation's miners. The Department believes that every worker has a right to a safe and healthy workplace. Workers should never have to sacrifice their lives for their livelihood, and all workers deserve to come home to their families at the end of their shift safe and whole. MSHA's approach to reducing workplace fatalities and injuries includes promulgating and enforcing mandatory health and safety standards.

Plan/Prevent/Protect

Safety and Health Management Programs for Mines

Year after year, many mines experience low injury and illness rates and low violation rates. For these mine operators, preventing harm to their miners is more than compliance with safety and health requirements; it reflects the embodiment of a culture of safety-from the CEO to the miner. This culture of safety derives from a commitment to an effective, comprehensive safety and health management program. Since compliance with safety and health standards is the responsibility of mine operators, MSHA plans to publish a proposed rule to require mine operators to develop comprehensive Safety and Health Management Programs for Mines. MSHA believes that operators with effective safety and health management programs would identify and correct hazards in a more timely manner, resulting in fewer accidents, injuries and illnesses. To help develop the proposal, MSHA held public meetings and gathered information from worker organizations, industry, academia, government, and safety and health professionals about model safety and health programs.

Examinations of Work Areas in Underground Coal Mines for Violations of Mandatory Health or Safety Standards

To complement the safety and health management programs proposed rule, MSHA also plans to issue a proposed rule to address section 303(d) of the Federal Mine Safety and Health Act that requires mine operators to conduct examinations, in areas where miners work or travel, for violations of mandatory health or safety standards. The proposal would assure that underground coal mine operators find and fix violations of mandatory health or safety standards, thereby improving health and safety for miners.

Pattern of Violations

MSHA has determined that the existing pattern criteria and procedures contained in 30 CFR part 104 do not reflect the statutory intent for section 104(e) of the Federal Mine Safety and Health Act of 1977 (Mine Act). The legislative history of the Mine Act explains that Congress intended the pattern of violations to be an enforcement tool for operators who have demonstrated a disregard for the health and safety of miners. These mine operators, who have a chronic history of persistent significant and substantial (S&S) violations, needlessly expose miners to the same hazards again and again. This indicates a serious safety and health management problem at a mine. The goal of the pattern of violations proposed rule is to compel operators to manage health and safety conditions so that the root causes of S&S violations are found and fixed before they become a hazard to miners. The proposal would reflect statutory intent, simplify the pattern of violations criteria, and improve consistency in applying the pattern of violations criteria.

Addressing Targeted Hazards

Maintenance of Incombustible Content of Rock Dust in Underground Coal Mines

To help prevent explosion hazards, MSHA issued an emergency temporary standard (ETS) in response to the grave danger that miners in underground bituminous coal mines face when accumulations of coal dust are not made inert. MSHA concluded from investigations of mine explosions and other reports that immediate action was necessary to protect miners. Accumulations of coal dust can ignite, resulting in an explosion, or after an explosion, accumulations can propagate, increasing the severity of explosions. The ETS requires mine operators to increase the incombustible content of combined coal dust, rock dust, and other dust to at least 80 percent in underground bituminous coal mines. The ETS strengthens the protections for miners by reducing both the potential for and the severity of coal mine explosions.

Regulating Crystalline Silica Exposure

The Agency's regulatory actions also exemplify a commitment to protecting the most vulnerable populations while assuring broad-based compliance. Health hazards are pervasive in both coal and metal/nonmetal mines (including surface and underground mines) and large and small mines. As mentioned previously, as part of the Secretary's strategy for securing safe and healthy workplaces, both MSHA and OSHA will be undertaking regulatory actions related to silica. Overexposure to crystalline silica can result in some miners developing silicosis, an irreversible but preventable lung disease, which ultimately may be fatal. In its proposed rule, MSHA plans to follow the recommendation of the Secretary of Labor's Advisory Committee on the Elimination of Pneumoconiosis Among Coal Mine Workers, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), and other groups to address the exposure limit for respirable crystalline silica. As another example of intra-departmental collaboration, MSHA intends to consider OSHA's work on the health effects of occupational exposure to silica and OSHA's risk assessment in developing the appropriate standard for the mining industry.

Lowering Miners 'Exposure to Coal Mine Dust, including Continuous Personal Dust Monitors

MSHA will continue its regulatory action related to preventing Black Lung disease. Data from the NIOSH indicate increased prevalence of coal workers pneumoconiosis (CWP) "clusters" in several geographical areas, particularly in the Southern Appalachian Region. MSHA published a notice of proposed rulemaking to address continued risk to coal miners from exposure to respirable coal mine dust. This regulatory action is part of MSHA's Comprehensive Black Lung Reduction Strategy for reducing miners' exposure to respirable dust. This strategy includes enhanced enforcement, education and training, and health outreach and collaboration. The major provisions of the proposal would lower the existing exposure limit from 2.0 mg/m³ to 1.0 mg/m³ over a 2-year phase-in period, provide for single full-shift compliance sampling under both mine operator and MSHA inspector sampling programs, and establish sampling requirements for use of the continuous personal dust monitors.

Proximity Detection Systems

MSHA will issue an emergency temporary standard (ETS) to address the grave danger that miners face when working near mobile equipment in underground mines. MSHA has concluded, from investigations of accidents involving mobile equipment and other reports, that immediate action is necessary to protect miners. To date, in 2010, there have been 5 fatalities resulting from crushing and pinning accidents. Mobile equipment can pin, crush, or strike a miner working near the equipment. Proximity detection technology can prevent these types of accidents. Proximity detection systems can be installed on mining machinery to detect the presence of personnel or equipment within a certain distance of the machine. The ETS would strengthen the protection for underground miners by reducing the potential of pinning, crushing or striking hazards associated with working close to mobile equipment. As a part of the Secretary's strategy for securing safe and healthy workplaces, OSHA will also undertake regulatory action related to reducing injuries and fatalities to workers in close proximity to moving equipment and vehicles.

Wage and Hour Division (WHD)

The Wage and Hour Division is responsible for administering and enforcing a number of laws that establish the minimum standards for wages and working conditions in the United States. Collectively, these labor standards cover most private, state, and local government employment.

Plan/Prevent/Protect

Right To Know Under the Fair Labor Standards Act

WHD intends to publish a proposed rule updating the recordkeeping regulation issued under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) to assist employers in planning to protect workers' entitlement to wages that they have earned and bring greater transparency and openness to the workplace. The proposed rule would address notification of workers' status as employees or some other status such as independent contractors, and whether that worker is entitled to the protections of the FLSA. The proposed rulemaking would also explore requiring employers to provide a wage statement each pay period to their employees. This greater transparency will provide workers with essential information about their employment status and earnings, consistent with the Secretary's strategic vision. This greater transparency will in turn better ensure compliance by regulated entities and assist the Department with its enforcement efforts. This initiative contributes to the Department's efforts to prevent misclassification that denies workers employment law protections to which they are entitled.

As part of this Departmentwide initiative, OSHA's Injury and Illness Prevention Program NPRM and OFCCP's NPRM on Construction Contractor Affirmative Action Requirements, propose to also address employer analyses and worker notification as to whether an individual is an employee or is an independent business, volunteer, or trainee.

Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP)

Through the work of the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs, DOL ensures that the contractors and sub-contractors doing business at over 200,000 establishments provide equal employment opportunities-a fair and diverse workplace. OFCCP ensures workers are recruited, hired, trained, promoted, terminated, and compensated in a non-discriminatory manner by Federal contractors and helps workers in the Federal contractor sector by strengthening affirmative action and by combating discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran.

Construction Contractor Affirmative Action Requirements

OFCCP will publish a proposed rule that would enhance the effectiveness of the affirmative action program requirements for Federal and federally assisted construction contractors and subcontractors. The proposed rule would strengthen the regulations that set forth the actions construction contractors are required to take to implement their affirmative action programs particularly in the areas of recruitment, training, and apprenticeships. OFCCP is coordinating with the Employment and Training Administration (ETA), which is developing a proposed regulation revising the equal opportunity regulatory framework under the National Apprenticeship Act.

Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA)

The Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) is responsible for administering and enforcing the fiduciary, reporting and disclosure, and health coverage provisions of title I of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA). This includes recent amendments and additions to ERISA enacted in the Pension Protection Act of 2006, as well as new health coverage provisions under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 (the Affordable Care Act). EBSA's regulatory plan initiatives are intended to improve health benefits and retirement security for workers in every type of job at every income level. EBSA is charged with protecting approximately 150 million Americans covered by an estimated 708,000 private retirement plans, 2.6 million health plans, and similar numbers of other welfare benefit plans which together hold $5.2 trillion in assets.

EBSA will continue to issue guidance implementing the health reform provisions of the Affordable Care Act and other laws, such as the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act, to help provide better quality health care for American workers and their families. EBSA's regulations reduce discrimination in health coverage, promote better access to quality coverage, and protect the ability of individuals and businesses to keep their current health coverage. Many regulations are joint rulemakings with the Departments of Health and Human Services and the Treasury.

Using regulatory changes to produce greater openness and transparency is an integral part of EBSA's contribution to a Departmentwide compliance strategy. These efforts will not only enhance EBSA's enforcement toolbox but will encourage greater levels of compliance by the regulated community and enhance awareness among workers of their rights and benefits. Several proposals from the EBSA agenda expand disclosure requirements, substantially enhancing the availability of information to employee benefit plan participants and beneficiaries and employers, and strengthening the retirement security of America's workers.

Health Reform Implementation

These regulations require better disclosure to participants and beneficiaries regarding their health plan coverage. These disclosures must now provide new and better descriptions regarding:

Certain enrollment opportunities and access to health coverage; rights to internal claims and appeals, and external review of health plan denials; access to providers; and a group health plan's status as a grandfathered health plan, which affects consumer protections under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.

Enhancing participant protections

EBSA recently proposed amendments to its regulations to clarify the circumstances under which a person will be considered a "fiduciary" when providing investment advice to employee benefit plans and their participants and beneficiaries of such plans. The amendments would take into account current practices of investment advisers and the expectations of plan officials and participants who receive investment advice. This initiative is intended to assure retirement security for workers in all jobs regardless of income level by ensuring that financial advisers and similar persons are required to meet ERISA's strict standards of fiduciary responsibility.

Lifetime Income Options

In February 2010, EBSA published a request for information concerning steps it can take by regulation, or otherwise, to encourage the offering of lifetime annuities or similar lifetime benefits distribution options for participants and beneficiaries of defined contribution plans. EBSA recently held a hearing with the Department of the Treasury and Internal Revenue Service to further explore these possibilities during the fall 2010 regulatory cycle. This initiative is intended to assure retirement security for workers in all jobs regardless of income level by helping to ensure that participants and beneficiaries have the benefit of their plan savings throughout retirement.

Promoting Openness and Transparency

In addition to its health care reform and participant protection initiatives, EBSA is pursuing a regulatory program that, as reflected in the Unified Agenda, is designed to encourage, foster, and promote openness, transparency, and communication with respect to the management and operations of pension plans, as well as participant rights and benefits under such plans. Among other things, EBSA will be issuing a final rule that will ensure that the participants and beneficiaries in participant-directed individual account plans are provided the information they need, including information about plan and investment-related fees and expenses, to make informed decisions about the management of their individual accounts and the investment of their retirement savings (RIN 1210-AB07); EBSA also will be issuing a proposed rule addressing the requirement that administrators of defined benefit pension plans annually disclose the funding status of their plan to the plan's participants and beneficiaries (RIN l210-AB18). EBSA's Unified Agenda also includes the publication of a proposed rule requiring the automatic furnishing of a statement to pension plan participants informing them of their accrued and vested pension benefits, as well as other information pertinent to their retirement security (RIN 1210-AB20). In addition, EBSA will be amending the disclosure requirements applicable to plan investment options, including Qualified Default Investment Alternatives, to better ensure that participants understand the operations and risks associated with investments in target date funds (RIN 1210-AB38). A complete listing of EBSA's regulatory initiatives (both Plan and non-Plan items) is provided in the Unified Agenda portion of this document.

Office of Labor-Management Standards (OLMS)

The Office of Labor-Management Standards (OLMS) administers and enforces most provisions of the Labor-Management Reporting and Disclosure Act of 1959 (LMRDA). The LMRDA promotes labor-management transparency by requiring unions, employers, labor-relations consultants, and others to file reports that are publicly available. The LMRDA includes provisions protecting union member rights to participate in their union's governance, to run for office and fully exercise their union citizenship, as well as procedural safeguards to ensure free and fair union elections. Besides enforcing these provisions, OLMS also ensures the financial accountability of unions, their officers and employees, through enforcement and voluntary compliance efforts. Because of these activities, OLMS better ensures that workers have a more effective voice in the governance of their unions, which in turn affords them a more effective voice in their workplaces. OLMS also administers certain provisions of Executive Order 13496 that require Federal contractors to notify their employees concerning their rights under Federal labor laws.

Openness and Transparency

Persuader Agreements: Employer and Labor Consultant Reporting under the LMRDA

OLMS is proposing a regulatory initiative to provide workers with information critical to their effective participation in the workplace, both as union members and as employees. OLMS intends to propose regulations to better implement the public disclosure objectives of the LMRDA in situations where an employer engages a consultant in order to persuade employees concerning their rights to organize and bargain collectively. Under LMRDA section 203, an employer must report any agreement or arrangement with a consultant to persuade employees concerning their rights to organize and collectively bargain, or to obtain certain information concerning the activities of employees or a labor organization in connection with a labor dispute involving the employer. The consultant is also required to report such an agreement or arrangement with an employer. Statutory exceptions to these reporting requirements are set forth in LMRDA section 203(c), which provides, in part, that employers and consultants are not required to file a report by reason of the consultant's giving or agreeing to give "advice" to the employer. The Department is reconsidering the current policy concerning the scope of the "advice exception." When workers have the necessary information about arrangements that have been made by their employer to persuade them whether or not to form, join or assist a union, they are better able to make a more informed choice about representation.

Employment and Training Administration (ETA)

The Employment and Training Administration (ETA) administers and oversees programs that prepare workers for good jobs at good wages by providing high quality job training, employment, labor market information, and income maintenance services through its national network of One-Stop centers. The programs within ETA promote pathways to economic independence for individuals and families. Through several laws, ETA is charged with administering numerous employment and training programs designed to assist the American worker in developing the knowledge, skills, and abilities that are sought after in the 21st century's economy.

Openness and Transparency

Temporary Non Agricultural Employment of H-2B Aliens in the United States

As part of the Department's labor certification responsibilities, ETA certifies whether U.S. workers capable of performing the jobs for which employers are seeking foreign workers are available and whether the employment of foreign workers will adversely affect the wages and working conditions of U.S. workers similarly employed. Through the Wage and Hour Division (WHD), the Department enforces compliance with the conditions of an H-2B petition and Department of Labor-approved temporary labor certification.

The proposed rule seeks to ensure that only those employers who demonstrate a real temporary need for foreign workers will have access to the H-2B program. The proposed rule also will seek to provide U.S. workers with greater access to the jobs employers wish to fill with temporary H-2B workers through more robust recruitment by employers to demonstrate the unavailability of U.S. workers and through the creation of a national, electronic job registry. In addition, the Department is reviewing the current wage determination methodology to ensure that wages are not being adversely affected across industries and occupations. The proposed rule will explore strengthening existing worker protections, establishing new protections, and enhancing ETA program integrity measures and WHD enforcement to ensure adequate protections for both U.S. and H-2B workers. The proposal will include greater transparency and openness to provide U.S. workers with greater information and access to the job opportunities.

Addressing Targeted Concerns of Workers

Equal Employment Opportunity in Apprenticeship and Training, Amendment of Regulations

The revision of the National Apprenticeship Act Equal Opportunity in Apprenticeship and Training (EEO) regulations is a critical element in the Department's vision to promote and expand registered apprenticeship opportunities in the 21st Century while safeguarding the welfare and safety of all apprentices. In October 2008, ETA issued a final rule updating 29 CFR part 29, the regulatory framework for registration of apprenticeship programs and apprentices, and administration of the National Apprenticeship System. The companion EEO regulations, 29 CFR part 30, have not been amended since 1978. ETA proposes to update part 30 EEO in the Apprenticeship and Training regulations to ensure that they act in concert with the 2008 revised part 29 rule. The proposed EEO regulations also will further Secretary Solis' vision of good jobs for everyone by ensuring that apprenticeship program sponsors develop and fully implement affirmative action efforts that provide equal opportunity for all applicants to apprenticeship and apprentices, regardless of race, gender, national origin, or disability. ETA is coordinating with OFCCP, which is developing a proposed regulation that would enhance the effectiveness of the affirmative action program requirements for Federal and federally assisted construction contractors and subcontractors.