This Legal Update reports on select federal administrative agency developments which occurred October 1 through November 2, 2015, and which are not covered in our full-length Legal Updates, such as information about agency posters, notices and agreements with agencies of states and sovereign nations.
Department of Homeland Security (DHS)
US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)
October 22, 2015: USCIS announced that it will permanently close its Vienna, Austria field office on December 31, 2015.
October 7, 2015: USCIS announced Form I-140 petitions and Form I-485 applications workload transfers and a new direct filing address for Form I-140 petitions submitted together with Form I-907, Request for Premium Processing, for worksites in Maryland, New Jersey, New York or Pennsylvania. Starting October 19, 2015, petitioners must file these forms with the Nebraska Service Center.
October 5, 2015: USCIS issued a reminder that December 21, 2015 is the deadline to register for temporary protected status for Nepal.
October 5, 2015: USCIS announced that it began applying secure laminates to certain secure forms that authorize travel to the US. The affected forms are Form I-797F, Transportation Letter and Form I-512L, Parole Authorization Letter.
October 1, 2015: USCIS announced that on January 1, 2016, E-Verify must dispose of transaction records dated on or before December 31, 2005. E-Verify employers must download case data from the new Historic Records Report before December 31, 2015, if they want to retain transaction data more than ten years old.
DOL
Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP)
The OFCCP recently launched Class Member Locator, a website that lists federal contractors that have negotiated conciliation agreements with the OFCCP for violative employment practices and seeks the identities of prospective class members to whom it might distribute settlement proceeds under those conciliation agreements.
OSHA
October 29, 2015: OSHA announced that its Baton Rouge Area Office had renewed its alliance with the Louisiana Associated General Contractors to promote worker safety and health.
October 8, 2015: OSHA released new instructions and guidelines for implementing training programs for OSHA Whistleblower Investigation personnel.
Wage and Hour Division (WHD)
October 27, 2015: The DOL's Wage and Hour Division published a rule indicating that its previously-announced 30-day non-enforcement period against employers for FLSA violations resulting from its amended domestic service regulations will end on November 12, 2015.
EEOC
October 5, 2015: The EEOC announced that beginning October 1, 2015, all federal sector appellate decisions issued for publication will use a randomly generated name as a substitute for the name of the complainant, rather than the generic term "Complainant."
October 1, 2015: The EEOC announced the launch of a new automated FOIAXpress software to process and track Freedom of Information Act requests and appeals.
NLRB
October 19, 2015: The NLRB’s Office of Public Affairs announced that the Judges Division of the NLRB has issued a new edition of the NLRB Bench Book, replacing an earlier 2010 version.
November 2, 2015: The DOS issued a final rule updating its regulations regarding nonimmigrant visa format, and records retention procedures. The new rule is effective November 2, 2015.
US Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB)
October 30, 2015: The MSPB issued an amendment to its rules of practice and procedure to clarify that parties have a right to discovery under the MSPB’s existing discovery procedures in compliance proceedings. The interim final rule is effective on October 30, 2015. Parties must submit written comments on or before December 29, 2015.
For additional labor and employment developments, see Labor & Employment: Updates.