Washington – The American Trucking Associations’ Trucking Cares Foundation honored four Members of Congress who have taken a major role in addressing the fentanyl crisis that is plaguing cities and towns nationwide.
Category Archives: Legislative News
DEPARTMENT OF LABOR AWARDS $5M TO TRAIN, EXPAND PATHWAYS FOR WOMEN FOR REGISTERED APPRENTICESHIPS, NONTRADITIONAL OCCUPATIONS Largest awards of WANTO grants target underrepresentation of women in high-wage industries WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced the award of $5 million to organizations in seven states to increase the numbers of women in Registered Apprenticeship programs and help […]
Washington – Today, American Trucking Associations President and CEO Chris Spear told the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee that automated vehicle technology holds great promise to enhance highway safety, boost economic productivity, and support trucking’s essential workforce.
High Court Strikes Down EPA’s Efforts to Expand Its Authority; ARTBA and NSSGA Partnered During Legal Battle
WASHINGTON – On Oct. 20, Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh and the department’s Assistant Secretary for Disability Employment Policy Taryn Williams welcomed a group of corporate employers and disability advocacy leaders recognized for their innovative approaches to fostering mental health-friendly workplaces.
Taking action to support the next generation of the trucking workforce The trucking industry plays a vital role in the U.S. supply chain, and America’s truck drivers have helped keep our economy — and 72% of all goods shipped in the U.S. — moving throughout the pandemic. Unfortunately, the industry continues to face longstanding recruitment […]
On Nov. 22, 2021, the Department announced publication of the final rule, “Increasing the Minimum Wage for Federal Contractors.” The Department has finalized regulations to implement Executive Order 14026, “Increasing the Minimum Wage for Federal Contractors,” which was signed by President Joseph R. Biden Jr. on April 27, 2021. Executive Order 14026 states that the […]
Source: Safety Law Matters By Donna Pryor, Erik Dullea & Tracey O’Brien on April 12, 2021 On April 9, 2021, the White House issued a press release announcing its nomination of Douglas Parker (Parker) for the position of Assistant Secretary for the Occupational and Health Administration (OSHA). Parker is currently the chief of California’s […]
Make sure you are adhering to the agency’s and CDC workplace guidances Source: EHS Today David Sparkman Mar 25, 2021 Employers now find themselves in the crosshairs of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) amped-up enforcement of its COVID-19 guidelines and need to take immediate action to avoid the potential flood of citations and […]
Make sure you are adhering to the agency’s and CDC workplace guidances. Source: EHS Today David Sparkman Employers now find themselves in the crosshairs of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) amped-up enforcement of its COVID-19 guidelines and need to take immediate action to avoid the potential flood of citations and penalties expected to […]
WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Mine Safety and Health Administration announced today the availability of up to $1 million to fund grants to support education and training to help mine workers identify, avoid and prevent unsafe working conditions. The funding, made available by the department’s Brookwood-Sago grant program, will enable grant recipients […]
ARLINGTON, VA – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Mine Safety and Health Administration today announced the availability of $10,537,000 in state grant funding to provide training and retraining of miners and mine operators working at surface and underground coal and metal and nonmetal mines. The training is federally mandated. Any state in which mining takes […]
Source: EHS Today The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) launched a national emphasis program (NEP) March 12 in response to President Joe Biden’s Executive Order on Protecting Worker Health and Safety during COVID-19. The NEP means OSHA will focus enforcement efforts in the coming months on coronavirus-related inspections. In a press release announcing the […]
PELLA, Iowa — At a recent Make-A-Wish Day celebration held at the Vermeer Wisconsin facility in Madison, Edgar Contreras was presented with the tools of the trade he needs to turn his dream of owning and operating his own landscaping company into a reality. Contreras is a 19-year-old from Milwaukee who is battling thyroid cancer. Orchestrated […]
Source: EHS Today David Sparkman Feb 04, 2021 When the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recently issued its comprehensive guidance on what employers are expected to do to protect their workers from the COVID-19 virus, the bulk of the 6,000-word document repeated much of the advice that was contained in previous agency guidances issued […]
The order extends to other cabinet departments and MSHA as well. Source: EHS Today David Sparkman Jan 26, 2021 One day after he was inaugurated, President Joe Biden fulfilled a campaign promise to labor unions by ordering the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to begin the process of developing COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standards (ETS) […]
Source: EHS Today Date: Thursday, January 28, 2021 Time: 12:00 PM ET Duration: 1 Hour Sponsored by: BSI Register HERE As the Biden-Harris Administration transitions into the White House, business leaders should be preparing for the anticipated impacts of policy changes, investments, and enforcement priorities related to Environmental, Health, Safety, Sustainability, Security and Supply Chain […]
Source: EHS Today As a reminder, OSHA’s civil penalty amounts for workplace safety and health violations will increase slightly effective tomorrow in accordance with cost-of-living adjustments for 2021. These penalty levels apply to any violations assessed after Jan. 15. OSHA’s maximum penalty for willful or repeated violations will increase from $134,937 to $136,532 per violation. […]
Source: Safety Law Matters By Brittany Falkowski, Jenna Brofsky, Timothy A. Hilton & Avi Meyerstein on December 18, 2020 Posted in Compliance tips, MSHA, OSHA As vaccines roll out, employers have been asking how to prepare and whether they can mandate vaccination for their employees. This week the EEOC released fresh guidance, confirming that mandates […]
Source: EHS Today In some cases, employers can require workers be vaccinated David Sparkman Nov 25, 2020 The recent news about the imminent release of a safe and effective vaccine for COVID-19 is like catching a glimpse of blue sky between distant clouds in the midst of a driving thunderstorm. Inevitably, however, practical questions arise, […]
WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) has announced a proposed rule incorporating national and international voluntary consensus standards related to electric motor-driven mine equipment and accessories. Under the proposed rule, during a one-year transition period, mine operators could use equipment and accessories that meet either 14 voluntary […]
In the latest setback in the administration of the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced this evening, via Revenue Ruling 2020-27 that expenses funded through a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan are not deductible for this tax year if “the taxpayer reasonably expects to receive forgiveness of the covered loan on the basis […]
Source: Safety Law Matters By Avi Meyerstein on November 16, 2020 Posted in Compliance tips, OSHA OSHA announced last week that it has issued 204 citations so far relating to COVID-19 with total penalties of $2,856,533. As these penalties continue to climb, OSHA also issued new guidance to help employers understand which standards it most […]
by Travis Vance / Fisher Phillips The COVID-19 pandemic has brought more workplace law challenges over the past six months or so than many employers will see in a lifetime. From changing directives on wearing masks, determining what to do when an employee is ill with COVID-19, and tracking the hours of employees working at home, employers have […]
WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Labor recently announced a proposed rule clarifying the definition of employee under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) as it relates to independent contractors. “The Department’s proposal aims to bring clarity and consistency to the determination of who’s an independent contractor under the Fair Labor Standards Act,” said […]