Dept. of Labor's Regulatory Agenda- 2009

The Department of Labor's (DOL) 2009 Regulatory Agenda released on December 7 states that their mission is to protect workers by improving working conditions, advancing opportunities for employment, protecting retirement and health care benefits, helping employers find workers, and strengthening collective bargaining. Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis's vision is to ensure good jobs for everyone. The Department of Labor outlined 12 strategic outcomes; for the first time DOL hosted an online web chat discussing these outcomes and issues impacting America's workers everyday.

Through a video message by the Secretary, she states that "Protecting wages and working conditions is the key mission of our department. Insuring workers have a voice on the job is also vital….We are committed to ensuring that workers are paid a fair wage and have a voice in the workplace." Concerning worker's wages, Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis also states that the Department will "foster more openness and transparency by demonstrating employers’ compliance with minimum wage and overtime requirements to workers."

As mentioned, one of the goals of the agenda is to produce greater openness and transparency as an integral part of the Department's compliance strategy. The Department believes that this greater transparency will encourage and lead to compliance by the regulated community. Part of this transparency will include a proposed rule that would update the rules covering employers’ payroll record keeping requirements and the rights of workers to access those records. Other proposed rules directly dealing with transparency include The Mine Safety and Health's Administration proposed rule of Notification of Legal Identity and proposed regulations on Notification of Employee Rights and OSHA's modification of its Hazard Communication Standard. New rules on combustible dust and airborne infectious diseases such the H1N1 virus and improvements to the cranes and derricks standard are in the works for 2010. These new rules are expected to improve communication of hazards to American workers, reduce exposure and ultimately lead to a significant reduction in occupational illnesses and fatalities.

Sources:
For the full agenda: http://bit.ly/6WN75G
http://www.dol.gov/
Hall, Mike. "Labor Department Says Focus is on Worker Safety, Fair Wages." Aflcio.org. 10 Dec. 2009. Web. 11 Dec. 2009.