2017 April | Page 7

President Trump Signs Resolution to
Block Federal Contractor Reporting Rule
President Trump recently signed a joint resolution under the
Congressional Review Act (CRA) to eliminate the Fair Pay and Safe
Workplaces rule. The Obama administration originally passed the rule,
which would have required prospective federal contractors to report
violations of labor, civil rights and wage violations when bidding on
government contracts worth at least $500,000.
The rule was originally finalized in August 2016 and was heavily
criticized by business groups, who stated that the rule essentially
created a blacklist for businesses that would not be allowed to
compete for lucrative federal contracts. A federal judge then issued a
restraining order against the rule after a lawsuit found that the rule, as
written, could violate due process by compelling contractors to report
alleged violations without a formal hearing.
Supporters of the rule’s elimination believe that businesses will be
better able to compete for federal contracts without additional reporting
requirements. Critics, however, argue that businesses may now focus
exclusively on competing for these contracts and ignore important
workplace safety issues.
The resolution is part of a Republican effort to use the CRA to
eliminate the federal regulations finalized during the last months of the
Obama administration. Now that the resolution has been signed,
agencies are barred from issuing substantially similar regulations in the
future.
The Importance of Anti-retaliation
Programs
Last year, OSHA introduced an anti-retaliation
rule to make it clear that employers may not
retaliate against their employees for reporting
workplace injuries and illnesses. This rule
includes two major requirements for employers:
• Employers must inform their employees
that they have a right to report work-related
injuries and illnesses without any form of
retaliation.
• Employers must ensure that “reasonable”
procedures are in place for employees to
report work-related injuries and illnesses.
To ensure that your workplace is in compliance
with the new rule, contact Marshall & Sterling
Insurance and ask to see our new resource,
“Recommended Practices for Anti-retaliation
Programs.” This comprehensive guide outlines
the importance of anti-retaliation programs, as
well as the five key elements you can use to
establish a program at your workplace.
OSHA Delays New Beryllium
Rule
OSHA recently announced that the planned
March 21 enforcement date of its new beryllium
exposure rule would be delayed until May 20.
The delay is in response to the Trump
administration’s regulatory freeze, which directs
federal agencies to review any new or pending
regulations and temporarily postpone the date
that they would take effect.
The final rule on beryllium will reduce the eight-
hour permissible exposure limit from 2.0
micrograms per cubic meter to 0.2 micrograms
per cubic meter. It will also establish a short-
term exposure limit of 2.0 micrograms per cubic
meter over a 15-minute sampling period. OSHA
estimates that the new rule will prevent 46 new
cases of beryllium-related disease and save the
lives of 94 employees annually.
Contact Us
Marshall & Sterling Insurance
800-724-0695
www.marshallsterling.com/leeds
© 2017 Zywave, Inc. This publication is for informational purposes
only. It is not intended to be exhaustive nor should any discussion
or opinions be construed as compliance or legal advice.