The Obama administration has released its Spring Agency Rule List.  The list provides updates on the priorities of the Obama administration as it relates to pending rules and regulations.  The agenda notes that the Obama administration aims to issue the Final Rule implementing the Fair Pay and Safe Workplaces Executive Order (the “Order”) by August 2016.  This is a change from the previous agenda which projected to release the Final Rule by July 2016.  The Order imposes additional disclosure and compliance obligations on federal government contractors with contracts valued at $500,000 or more, including requiring contractors to disclose violations of numerous labor, employment, wage payment and safety laws during the contract bidding and renewal process.  Our previous blog posts on the Order and proposed regulations can be found here, here, here, and here.

Also of note in the list is the Obama administration’s plan to issue a Final Rule implementing the Establishing Paid Sick Leave for Contractors Executive Order (the “EPSL”) by September 2016.  The EPSL requires federal contractors to provide up to 56 hours (7 days) of paid sick leave per year to their employees on new contracts entered into after January 1, 2017.  Given that the notice and comment period for the proposed rule implementing the EPSL closed on April 12, 2016, the goal to issue a Final Rule by September 2016 demonstrates the Obama administration’s motivation to implement these new regulations prior to the election of the next president.  Our previous blog posts on the EPSL can be found here, here, and here.

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