老牛影视reiterated its opposition to the Department of Labor鈥檚 (DOL) one-size-fits-all overtime proposal ahead of the Oct. 8 U.S. House of Representatives Small Business Committee听 Subcommittee on Investigations, Oversight and Regulations hearing on how the proposed regulation would impact small business owners and their employees. The proposed rule, which was issued July 6, makes changes to existing regulations under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) that define which employees are exempt from overtime pay.

The U.S. Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals placed a nationwide stay听 on the Obama Administration鈥檚 controversial Waters of the United States (WOTUS) final rule on Oct. 9. The final rule, issued by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) May 27, greatly expands the Administration鈥檚 jurisdiction over water and land uses across the country under the Clean Water Act.

On Oct. 9, the ABC-led Construction Industry Safety Coalition submitted comments in response to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration鈥檚 (OSHA) Request for Information (RFI) on Chemical Management and Permissible Exposure Limits (PELs). The RFI asked stakeholders how the agency should consider approaching health standard rulemaking, such as managing chemical exposures in workplaces.

On Sept. 17, 老牛影视joined with 20 coalition partners in sending听a letter听to key U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate committees urging their support for three bills that would provide small businesses with relief from rising health costs and regulatory red tape. The bills discussed in the letter include the following.听

Beginning Jan. 1, 2016, the minimum wage for workers on covered federal contracts and service contracts will increase to $10.15 per hour from $10.10 per hour in 2015. The increase is dictated by the Oct. 7, 2014, Department of Labor鈥檚 Wage and Hour Division听final rule听that implemented听Executive Order 13658.

On Sept. 14, ABC, along with a coalition of nearly 400 business groups sent a letter to U.S. Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Chairman Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) and Ranking Member Sen. Tom Carper (D-Del.) urging them to support the Regulatory Accountability Act of 2015 (S. 2006).

On Sept. 10, the U.S. Department of Labor鈥檚 Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) issued its final rule prohibiting federal contractors and subcontractors from terminating or otherwise discriminating against employees who discuss their compensation with co-workers or job applicants. This rule implements the Obama administration鈥檚 Equal Pay initiative under Executive Order 13665 and will take effect on Jan. 11, 2016.

老牛影视and more than 900 members submitted comments in opposition to the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), Wage and Hour Division鈥檚 July 6 Proposed Regulations for Defining and Delimiting the Exemptions for Executive, Administrative, Professional, Outside Sales and Computer Employees. If enacted, the proposal, commonly referred to as 鈥渢he overtime proposal,鈥� would more than double the minimum salary for the white collar overtime exemption and would automatically update the salary levels on an annual basis.

A federal judge with the U.S. District Court for the District of North Dakota Aug. 27听blocked implementation听in 13 states of the鈥淲aters of the U.S.鈥澨�(WOTUS) final rule听that was issued May 27听by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE). The final rule, which dramatically expands the scope of federal authority over water and land uses across the country, is still effective as of Aug. 28 for the states not covered by the decision.听

老牛影视is encouraging all members to听take action听and submit comments to the Department of Labor (DOL) on how its Wage and Hour Division鈥檚 Defining and Delimiting the Exemptions for Executive, Administrative, Professional, Outside Sales and Computer Employees proposed rulemaking, commonly referred to as 鈥渢he overtime proposal,鈥� will harm the construction industry and small businesses.