DOL Archives - Laborsphere

New York State DOL Issues Amended WARN Regulations

The New York State Department of Labor (NYS DOL) amended its Worker Adjustment and Retraining Act (NY WARN) regulations, which took effect on June 21, 2023. Both NY WARN and its federal counterpart require covered businesses to provide advance notice of closures and layoffs to the Commissioner of Labor and affected employees. The NY WARN regulations are more expansive than the federal WARN regulations, defining “covered business” as any private business employing 50 or more full-time employees in New York. As outlined below, it also has stricter notice requirements.

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OFCCP Sends Notice of Intent to Release EEO-1 Data to Non-objecting Contractors

On August 19, 2022, as discussed in previous alerts, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) notified its federal contractor base that the OFCCP received a request under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) from the Center for Investigative Reporting (CIR) for all Type 2 Consolidated Employer Information Reports, Standard Form 100 (EEO-1 Report), filed by federal contractors and first-tier subcontractors (contractors) from 2016 to 2020. Contractors had until October 19, 2022, to file their individualized objections to the production of their EEO-1 reports.

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New Proposed Rule on Independent Contractors: DOL’s Latest Plan for Overhaul of the Existing Standard

On October 11, 2022, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) issued a new proposed rule that is more aligned with judicial precedent than a previous proposal regarding whether a worker is an employee or an independent contractor under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). The proposed rule would rescind the Independent Contractor Rule (2021 IC Rule) promulgated by the Trump administration on January 5, 2021, which has been criticized by some for making it easier for businesses to classify workers as independent contractors.

This is the DOL’s second attempt to rescind the 2021 IC Rule, after a Texas federal court ruled that the DOL’s first revision failed on procedural grounds. The DOL’s latest proposal may also face legal challenges when it is made final. The proposal is subject to a 45-day comment period beginning October 13, 2022, the date of publication in the Federal Register.

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OFCCP Extends Deadline for Individualized Objections From Federal Contractors to Production of Their 2016-2020 EEO-1 Data in Response to FOIA Request

As covered in a previous alert, on August 19, 2022, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) notified its federal contractor base that it received a request under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) from the Center for Investigative Reporting (CIR) for all Type 2 Consolidated Employer Information Reports, Standard Form 100 (EEO-1 Report), filed by federal contractors and first tier subcontractors from 2016-2020.

Contractors initially had until September 19, 2022, to file individualized objections to the production of their EEO-1 reports. Importantly, the OFCCP has extended the deadline to file an objection to October 19, 2022, to allow contractors sufficient time to ascertain whether they are covered by the FOIA request and submit objections.

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OFCCP Launches Notification of Construction Contract Award Portal

On August 26, 2022, the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) launched its Notification of Construction Contract Award Portal (NCAP). The NCAP is a new online platform for contracting officers, applicants, contractors, and subcontractors to submit notice to the OFCCP of a construction contract or subcontract.

The OFCCP’s construction regulations require federal construction contractors to give written notice to the OFCCP within 10 working days of awarding a construction subcontract of more than $10,000 at any tier for construction work performed under a federal or federally assisted construction contract. 41 C.F.R. § 60-4.2(d)(3). Federal contracting officers, applicants for construction contracts, and non-construction contractors (in some circumstances) are also responsible for providing this notice. Id. §§ 60-4.2(b)–(c). The OFCCP uses this information to determine jurisdiction and to schedule construction contractors and subcontractors for compliance evaluations. The OFCCP has developed NCAP so that contractors can submit Form CC-314 information electronically. The OFCCP states that it also plans to use NCAP as the primary source for entering, tracking, and submitting contract award notifications for review by the agency.

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OFCCP Provides 30-day Notice Seeking Individualized Objections from Federal Contractors Before Response to FOIA Request

On August 19, 2022, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) alerted its federal contractor base that it received a request under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) from the Center for Investigative Reporting (CIR) for all Type 2 Consolidated Employer Information Reports, Standard Form 100 (EEO-1 Report), filed by federal contractors and first tier subcontractors from 2016-2020. By issuing this alert, the OFCCP has met its obligation to notify contractors that it will be disclosing information unless contractors file an objection within 30-days.

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