On Sept. 12, the U.S. Department of Labor and the Internal Revenue Service will hold a webcast providing employers with compliance assistance on the joint final rule on health reimbursement arrangements. Ìý

On Aug. 15, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration published aÌý Request for Information seeking comment on Table 1 of the agency’s Respirable Crystalline Silica Standard for Construction.Ìý

On Aug. 12, the National Labor Relations Board published a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking titled Representation-Case Procedures: Election Bars; Proof of Majority Support in Construction Industry Collective-Bargaining Relationships, which proposes amendments to the representation election regulations.Ìý

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs recently published several compliance assistance guides to provide federal contractors with resources on recordkeeping, postings and notices, technical assistance and more.

On June 25, the U.S. Department of Labor issued a proposed rule on apprenticeship programs that would establish a process for creating high-quality, industry-recognized apprenticeship programs by organizations that apply to become DOL recognized Standards Recognition Entities. DOL’s new release on the proposal is available here.ÌýÌý

On July 31, the Department of Labor’s Employee Benefits Security Administration issued aÌýfinal ruleÌýthat would allow small and mid-sized businesses to band together and offer 401(k) plans to their employees through Association Retirement Plans. The final rule goes into effect Sept. 30, 2019.

On July 18, the U.S. Small Business Administration issued an interim final rule that will adjust monetary-based small business size standards for inflation to allow more small businesses to become eligible for the SBA’s loan and contracting programs.

On July 15, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission opened theÌýonline portalÌýfor the collection of data on pay and hours worked (or Component 2 data) for calendar years 2017 and 2018.

On July 2, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission updated theÌýComponent 2 EEO-1 Online Filing System websiteÌýto include additional resources for employers. The website now includes aÌýMore Info sectionÌýand aÌýFrequently Asked Questions page.

On June 25, ABCÌýsubmitted commentsÌýto the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division on itsÌýproposed ruleÌýto update and clarify its interpretation of joint-employer status under the Fair Labor Standards Act. Additionally, the ABC-led Coalition for a Democratic WorkplaceÌýsubmitted commentsÌýin support of the DOL’s proposal.