The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) released听new guidance听July 15 related to employers鈥� use of independent contractors. In the Administrator鈥檚 Interpretation and an听accompanying blog post, Wage and Hour Division Administrator Dr. David Weil laments the 鈥減roblematic trend鈥� of deliberate misclassification, and considers the guidance part of a 鈥渕ulti-pronged approach鈥� to combat the phenomenon.

Republican leaders of three congressional committees sent a letter July 15 to the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), the Federal Acquisition Regulatory (FAR) Council, and other Obama administration officials, requesting that the proposed guidance and regulations for the Fair Pay and Safe Workplaces Executive Order 13673 (known as the Blacklisting EO) be withdrawn. This letter was sent a few days after the DOL and the FAR Council announced a听two-week extension听of the notice and comment period for the Blacklisting proposal to August 11. 听

老牛影视members have more time to respond to a proposal implementing President Obama鈥檚 Fair Pay and Safe Workplaces Executive Order 13673, known as the 鈥渂lacklisting鈥� EO, signed July 31, 2014. The public comment deadline for a听proposed rulemaking issued听May 28, by the Federal Acquisition Regulatory (FAR) Council and proposed guidance by the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) implementing the blacklisting EO has been extended from July 27 to August 11.

The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) announced July 9 a 60-day temporary enforcement policy of its听Confined Spaces in Construction听standard, effective Aug. 3. The announcement postpones full enforcement of the听new standard听to Oct. 2 in order to allow for additional time to train and acquire the equipment necessary to comply with the new rule.

President Obama鈥檚 Fair Pay and Safe Workplaces Executive Order 13673, known as the 鈥渂lacklisting鈥� EO, was signed July 31, 2014. A proposed rulemaking issued May 28, by the Federal Acquisition Regulatory (FAR) Council and proposed guidance by the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) implementing the blacklisting EO is open for public comment until July 27.

At the direction of President Obama, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) issued a听proposed rule听on June 30, that would change federal overtime exemptions for administrative, executive, professional, and computer professional employees鈥攖he so-called "white collar" worker classifications that have long been exempt from being paid time-and-one-half for working hours over 40 per week. 听

Associated Builders and Contractors of West Virginia (ABCWV) voiced its concerns over the newly presented methodology for the calculation of prevailing wage rates in West Virginia after Workforce West Virginia released a听summary of its report听on June 1. The report, a product of prevailing wage reform legislation (S.B. 361) signed 听March 12 by West Virginia Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin (D), illustrates how new methodology will determine 听forthcoming prevailing wage rates on state-funded public improvements. 听However, because Workforce West Virginia failed to publish its new prevailing wage calculations by the July 1 deadline because lawmakers complained t

The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) regulatory agenda was released on May 21 and lists the priorities of the administration and the rulemakings they expect to release this year. The most recent agenda focuses on overtime requirements, the persuader rule and more.听

As part of a coalition, 老牛影视submitted comments June 15 to the U.S.听Department of Labor听(DOL) and U.S.听Department of Education听(DOE) on听proposed rules听for the implementation of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA). 老牛影视and the coalition offered its input in a number of areas where the public workforce system under WIOA can be better aligned with the needs of employers.

The latest OSHA regulatory agenda was released on May 21 and lists the priorities of the administration and the rulemakings they expect to release this year regarding rules on silica exposure, recordkeeping and more.听