Regulations/Legislation

Washington – Qualification requirements for passenger and cargo airline co-pilots are increasing under a Federal Aviation Administration final rule published July 15.

New York – Certain workers in New York City who do not have paid sick time will soon have access to it under a new law.

Austin, TX – Beginning Sept. 1, assaulting emergency department personnel in Texas will be a felony offense under legislation signed into law June 14 by Gov. Rick Perry (R).

Washington – The remaining two provisions of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s 2011 final rule on hours of service went into effect July 1.

Washington – Legislation introduced June 26 by Rep. Gloria Negrete McLeod (D-CA) aims to improve safety in the motorcoach industry.

Washington – Three advocacy groups on June 25 filed a petition with the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights alleging that unsafe conditions in poultry plants threaten workers’ basic human rights.

Washington – A bill in Oregon that would require paid sick leave for workers would save employers in the state almost $11 million a year and lower public health costs, according to a new report from the Institute for Women’s Policy and Research.

More than 16 years after OSHA suggested a comprehensive silica dust standard is necessary, stakeholders such as the American Foundry Society continue to meet and argue about the issue.

OSHA’s rulemaking process has several steps, but not everyone agrees all the steps are needed. With some agency rules taking decades to promulgate, a few OSHA-watchers have suggested ways to speed up the process.

Oklahoma City – A bill recently approved by the Oklahoma House would give administrative law judges designated to handle workers’ compensation exclusive authority over cases against counties, cities, towns and education bodies.