On July 31, the Department of Labor’s Employee Benefits Security Administration issued a final rule that would allow small and mid-sized businesses to band together and offer 401(k) plans to their employees through Association Retirement Plans. The final rule goes into effect Sept. 30, 2019.

On July 18, the U.S. Small Business Administration issued an interim final rule that will adjust monetary-based small business size standards for inflation to allow more small businesses to become eligible for the SBA’s loan and contracting programs.

On July 15, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission opened the online portal for the collection of data on pay and hours worked (or Component 2 data) for calendar years 2017 and 2018.

On July 2, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission updated the Component 2 EEO-1 Online Filing System website to include additional resources for employers. The website now includes a More Info section and a Frequently Asked Questions page.

On June 25, ABC submitted comments to the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division on its proposed rule to update and clarify its interpretation of joint-employer status under the Fair Labor Standards Act. Additionally, the ABC-led Coalition for a Democratic Workplace submitted comments in support of the DOL’s proposal.

On June 19, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency issued the Affordable Clean Energy final rule, which replaces the Obama administration’s overreaching Clean Power Plan with a rule that restores rule of law, empowers states and supports energy diversity.

On June 12, ABC submitted comments to the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division in support of its proposal to clarify and update the regulations governing regular rate requirements under section 7(e) of the Fair Labor Standards Act and offered the Department further suggestions for improvement.

On May 28, as part of the Partnership for the Employer-Sponsored Coverage, ABC signed on to a letter to the U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee supporting legislation to combat surprise billing in health care and providing key insight on the committee’s draft proposals.

On May 22, the Trump administration released its Spring 2019 Unified Agenda of Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions. The agenda lists upcoming rulemakings and other regulatory actions from each agency that the administration expects to publish through the end of the year and into 2020.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will be holding stakeholder webinars in June 2019 to provide an overview of its actions under the Revolutionize USACE Civil Works initiative.