Labor Proposes Changes in the Regs

Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Local
Wednesday, May 20, 2009

Labor wants new changes to employment regulations

By Ferdie de la Torre
Reporter

The Department of Labor is again proposing another set of amendments to the current employment rules and regulations.

Labor is seeking public comments in its notice of proposed rules and regulations filed before the Commonwealth Registrar's Office.

According to Labor Secretary Gil M. San Nicolas, the proposed revisions are intended to provide additional opportunities for the employment of U.S. citizens and to advance the phase-out of the moratorium.

In Labor's public notice, San Nicolas said the proposed amendments are also intended to suspend the provisions for periodic exit until the uncertainties of the federalization law are resolved, and to decrease the department's paperwork burdens and make other administrative changes.

According to Labor, the proposed amendments are:

* To broaden the requirement to post job vacancy announcements on the department's website so that job opportunities are made known within the community and to increase the requirements for an exemption from the workforce participation requirement of 20 percent U.S. citizens in order to promote the employment of U.S. citizens;

* To advance the phase-out of the moratorium to July 1, 2009 in order to increase flexibility for local businesses under the current adverse economic circumstances and to suspend the provisions for periodic exit until the uncertainties of the federalization law are resolved so that local businesses are not faced with potentially conflicting requirements;

* To simplify the provisions for part-time employment of foreign national workers in order to decrease the paperwork burdens on local employers;

* To simplify the regulations governing deductions from wages in light of minimum wage hikes;

* To eliminate or simplify certain paperwork burdens on the department and to make minor adjustments in fees;

* To provide guidelines for judicial review of final agency actions.

Comments are due within 30 days from the date of the publication of the notice.

Last October, Labor also filed proposed amendments to the employment rules and regulations.