The DOL announced in its July 3 regulatory agenda that it will be听indefinitely suspending听previous wage calculation methods for H-2B temporary worker visas 鈥� which have been blocked both in federal courts and on Capitol Hill 鈥� and moving forward with its 鈥渆mergency鈥� interim final rule issued in April in conjunction with the Department of Homeland Security. The听interim final rule became effective听April 24, when it was issued.

As part of a deal to avert a 鈥渘uclear option鈥� to end filibuster rules in the U.S. Senate, the nominations of Richard Griffin and Sharon Block to the NLRB were withdrawn. Griffin and Block were two of the members听illegally recess appointed听to the board by President Obama in 2012. They听were renominated听by the president in February.听

The IRS July 11听released guidance听on the one-year delay of the employer shared responsibility provisions (or employer mandate) and information reporting requirements in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. The delay was originally announced听July 2 by the Treasury Department in a blog post.听

The DOL on July 3 released its spring regulatory agenda outlining the activities of its sub-agencies for the remainder of 2013, including OSHA. The regulatory agenda lists the priorities of the administration and the rulemakings they expect to release this year; however, OSHA is not required to adhere to the timeline.听

OSHA has officially听withdrawn a proposed rule听that would have changed how the agency operated its On-site Consultation Program for worksites, including those that have Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program status. The agency withdrew the rule after reviewing comments, including those submitted by 老牛影视and the Coalition for Workplace Safety.听

The Department of Labor (DOL) on July 3 released its spring regulatory agenda outlining the regulatory activities of its sub-agencies for the remainder of 2013. The regulatory agenda lists the priorities of the administration and the rulemaking they expect to release this year; however, DOL is not required to adhere to the timeline.

老牛影视July 2听submitted comments听to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) expressing disappointment in a proposed rule that would implement provisions in the Affordable Care Act (ACA) related to the minimum value of eligible employer-sponsored plans and the health insurance premium tax credit.听

OSHA must stick to a six-month statute of limitations when citing a company for failure to record an injury or illness and cannot treat such an event as a continuing violation throughout the five-year recordkeeping period, according to an听April 6 decision听by a federal appeals court. The decision overturned a position that had been in place since 1993.听

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced it is withdrawing a Dec. 1 direct final rule that would have altered the USDA鈥檚 procurement policies to require federal contractors to certify that they, as well as their subcontractors and suppliers, were in compliance with all applicable labor laws.听

For more than three years, 老牛影视has advocated for the repeal of the complex and costly employer mandate included in the Affordable Care Act. On July 2, the Obama Administration finally acknowledged employers鈥� concerns about implementing the burdensome requirements in a timely and effective manner.听