State and Federal Labor Guidance
Free state and federal labor-agency opinion letters, administrative policies, and interpretive notices, with plain-English summaries, current status, and the official source on every page.
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2011 WOTC and empowerment zone extensions Withdrawn
ETA explained legislative extensions of the Work Opportunity Tax Credit and HUD empowerment zones through December 31, 2011. It gave state workforce agencies procedural guidance for processing…
Minors assisting with powered patient lifts
WHD explained that trained 16- and 17-year-old nursing aides may assist an adult team leader with specified tasks involving powered patient or resident lifts. They may not operate those lifts alone…
Reviewing a physician's HAZWOPER written opinion
A fire department asked OSHA to approve a revised medical monitoring form for hazardous materials personnel. OSHA said the standard does not require a particular form and a blank template cannot…
Minimum disaster unemployment benefits for summer 2011 Withdrawn
ETA sent state workforce agencies a table of minimum weekly Disaster Unemployment Assistance amounts based on half of each state’s average weekly unemployment benefit. The figures applied to major…
FY 2011 unemployment administration allocations and funding Withdrawn
ETA provided state agencies with final FY 2011 unemployment insurance administration allocations and guidance on above-base funding and supplemental budget requests. It also addressed state…
Ending sampling for the ETA 203 unemployment report Withdrawn
ETA told state workforce agencies that they should no longer produce the ETA 203 report on characteristics of insured unemployed workers through statistical sampling. It instructed states to…
Designating local WIA workforce areas Withdrawn
ETA clarified a governor’s authority to designate or redesignate local WIA workforce investment areas despite restrictions in the 2011 appropriations law on changing federal redesignation…
Qualification cards for crane signal persons
An ironworkers' union asked whether its apprenticeship programs and certification cards could meet crane signal-person qualification rules. OSHA declined to endorse a particular program, saying…
2010 WIA customer satisfaction weights Rescinded
ETA gave states American Customer Satisfaction Index weights for calculating program year 2010 WIA participant and employer survey scores, with tables and survey guidance in attachments. This letter…
Which vehicles are powered industrial trucks
A safety consultant asked whether several vehicles used around yards and industrial sites fall under OSHA's powered industrial truck rule. OSHA said trackmobiles and golf cars are outside that rule,…
FY 2012 state unemployment quality service plans Withdrawn
ETA gave state workforce agencies supplemental instructions for their FY 2012 unemployment insurance State Quality Service Plans. It identified performance measures, planning requirements and…
Third edition of lower-level unemployment appeals quality handbook
ETA sent state workforce agencies the third edition of its handbook for measuring the quality of lower authority unemployment insurance appeals. The attached handbook sets review procedures and…
Investment-advice fiduciaries under securities exemption Unknown
A requester asked whether a fiduciary who gives investment advice may use a prohibited transaction exemption when acting as a securities agent for a plan. EBSA said the exemption can apply to such a…
Circuit breaker examination and maintenance
MSHA says underground and surface coal mine circuit breakers, including rebuilt units, require monthly examination and testing by qualified people. A breaker with a potentially dangerous condition…
Coal mine firefighting waterline performance
MSHA explains how coal mine waterlines must deliver the required water flow and nozzle pressure for firefighting. The letter clarifies which firehose and nozzle setup is used to evaluate the 50…
Payment for required ski helmets
A ski patrol adviser asked whether a ski center must buy or reimburse helmets it requires on-snow workers to wear. OSHA said that once management determined helmets were necessary protection, it…
Integrity in workforce board decisions Withdrawn
ETA asked state and local workforce investment boards to make decisions transparently and guard against conflicts of interest. It discussed open meetings, procurement standards, restrictions on…
2011 WIA Section 166 final allotments Withdrawn
ETA announced final program year 2011 allotments for the WIA Section 166 Supplemental Youth Services and Comprehensive Service programs. It reflected appropriations reductions and attached final…
Ingredient disclosure on disinfecting wipe safety sheets Unknown
A constituent asked why an ingredient on a disinfecting wipe's label was absent from its material safety data sheet. OSHA said the ingredient was reported at 0.23%, below the then-current 1%…
H-2A procedures for itinerant beekeepers Withdrawn
ETA established special H-2A labor certification procedures for itinerant commercial beekeepers. The attachment covers multi-state job orders, recruitment and related application steps for employers…
H-2A procedures for sheepherders and goatherders Withdrawn
ETA updated special H-2A labor certification procedures for sheepherding and goatherding employers, including offered wages, recruitment and job-order requirements. The second attachment gives…
H-2A procedures for itinerant animal shearing Withdrawn
ETA updated special H-2A labor certification procedures for itinerant sheep, goat and other animal shearing employers. The attachments set job-order, wage, recruitment and mobile housing rules. The…
H-2A procedures for custom combine operators Withdrawn
ETA updated special H-2A labor certification procedures for multi-state custom combine owners and operators, including job orders, recruitment, wage offers and itineraries. An attachment sets…
H-2A procedures for open range livestock work Withdrawn
ETA updated special H-2A labor certification procedures for employers hiring temporary workers for open range livestock production. Attachments address prevailing wages, recruitment and mobile…
Truck wheel chocking and state plan jurisdiction Unknown
A trucking association asked OSHA about a Washington citation for failing to chock trucks during loading and unloading. OSHA pointed to its federal guidance and explained that state safety plans…
Serving youth with disabilities Withdrawn
ETA and the Office of Disability Employment Policy urged workforce programs to improve enrollment, training and employment outcomes for youth with disabilities. The letter describes coordination and…
2011 WIA performance goal deadline extension Withdrawn
ETA extended to June 20, 2011 the deadline for states to declare whether they would negotiate program year 2011 WIA and Wagner-Peyser performance goals and to submit proposed targets. The change…
National effort to reduce improper unemployment payments
ETA called on state workforce agencies to prioritize unemployment insurance payment integrity and develop state-specific ways to prevent and reduce improper payments. It described a national…
Revised tax portion of unemployment data validation handbook Unknown
ETA transmitted a revised tax portion of its unemployment insurance Data Validation Handbook and instructed states to replace the July 2008 edition. The attached handbook supplies the revised…
Proposed unemployment insurance integrity performance measure Superseded
ETA proposed a state performance measure targeting unemployment insurance benefit-year earnings fraud overpayments and invited comments from state agencies. Two attachments gave baseline rates and…
Hazard communication article exemption for corrosion inhibitor films Unknown
A manufacturer asked whether vapor corrosion inhibitor paper and film are exempt 'articles' under the hazard communication rule. OSHA said the maker must reasonably establish that the product meets…
2011 WIA youth program guidance Withdrawn
ETA gave state and local workforce programs guidance for WIA youth activities in program year 2011. It addressed service priorities, education and credential attainment, work experience and program…
2011 WIA allotments for outlying areas Withdrawn
ETA supplemented TEGL 26-10 with program year 2011 WIA allotments for American Samoa, Guam, Northern Marianas, Palau and the Virgin Islands. The change provides youth, adult and dislocated worker…
Negotiating 2011 WIA performance goals Withdrawn
ETA told states how to negotiate program year 2011 WIA and Wagner-Peyser performance and customer satisfaction goals for incorporation into state strategic plans. It rescinded TEGL 23-09. Change 1…
Federal financial reporting definitions
ETA defined disbursements, expenditures and obligations for its grantees so federal financial reports would use those terms consistently. The letter relates the definitions to grant agreements,…
Treasury tax refund offsets for unemployment debts
ETA updated state procedures for using the Treasury Offset Program to collect unemployment compensation debts arising from fraud or work while claiming benefits. It addressed certification, tax…
2009 WIA incentive grant applications Withdrawn
ETA updated the application process for WIA Section 503 incentive grants based on program year 2009 performance. It explained eligibility, award amounts, authorized uses and application materials…
Total unemployment rate calculation for extended benefit triggers
ETA explained how it calculates the total unemployment rate look-back comparison used to decide when a state’s extended unemployment benefit period begins or ends. It changed the treatment of the…
Gloves when reading incubated laboratory cultures
A laboratory safety adviser asked whether technologists must wear gloves while reading and subculturing incubated bacterial plates. OSHA said employers must assess potential contact with biological…
Hepatitis B vaccination for collateral-duty first aiders Unknown
A care provider asked whether companion-sitters who give first aid only as an incidental duty must be offered hepatitis B vaccination before exposure. OSHA said designated first aiders are generally…
Ammonia exposure while refilling diesel exhaust fluid tanks Unknown
An attorney asked whether truck drivers refilling diesel exhaust fluid tanks were covered by OSHA and what protection was required against ammonia vapor. OSHA said no other federal agency had…
2010 performance reporting and validation timelines Superseded
ETA set program year 2010 quarterly and annual reporting and data validation timelines for WIA, TAA and other workforce programs. It expressly rescinded TEGL 31-09. Change 1 later reissued the…
2011 WIA and Wagner-Peyser allotments Withdrawn
ETA issued program year 2011 WIA adult, dislocated worker and youth allotments, final Wagner-Peyser Employment Service amounts, and workforce information grant allocations. Eight attachments provide…
2011 SCSEP planning and allotments Withdrawn
ETA instructed Senior Community Service Employment Program applicants on program year 2011 grants. It specified application materials, funding allotments, participant transition planning and a June…
2010 TAA data validation waiver Withdrawn
ETA told states that Trade Adjustment Assistance data element validation was not required for fiscal year 2010 while states implemented the revised reporting system. It stressed that the waiver was…
Unpaid internships at a nonprofit workforce-development program are not covered "occupation"
A nonprofit youth workforce-development organization asked DLS whether its unpaid internship program — an educational track combining classroom instruction with hands-on placements at corporate…
Sprinklers for underground coal conveyors
MSHA explains sprinkler installation and arrangement for underground coal mine belt conveyors and takeup storage units. It says sprinkler protection must address the full takeup area when sprinklers…
Prohibited H-2A recruiter fees
WHD said H-2A employers must contractually forbid recruiters and agents from charging workers prohibited fees related to labor certification. A contract clause alone may not protect an employer that…
2011 workforce appropriations and 2010 fund rescission Withdrawn
ETA summarized fiscal year 2011 employment and training appropriations and explained the required 0.2 percent rescission of prior advance WIA Adult and Dislocated Worker formula funds. Two…
WHD certification of U visa forms
WHD set procedures for deciding whether to certify U visa Supplement B forms when qualifying criminal activity relates to a workplace matter it enforces. It describes investigation, review,…
Smoke escape hoods for building area monitors
A protective equipment maker asked whether employees assigned to check and guide building evacuation may wear smoke escape hoods while performing those tasks. OSHA said the hoods are for escape…
Stable-value wrap limits and QPAM independence Unknown
A bank asked whether a stable-value wrapper’s negotiated investment limits gave it prohibited control over a plan asset manager’s agreement. EBSA said the described limits did not amount to…
Consolidation of ETA 204 and ETA 205 employer tax reports Withdrawn
ETA told state workforce agencies that the ETA 205 report on preliminary average employer contribution rates would end and its information would move into the ETA 204 Experience Rating Report. The…
Exposure limits on blended coating safety sheets Unknown
A coatings association asked whether paint makers must copy a solvent supplier's calculated exposure limit onto the safety sheet for a finished blend or calculate a new limit. OSHA said the…
Approval of mine communication and tracking devices
MSHA explains how its approval center evaluates communication and tracking devices intended to keep working after an underground mine emergency. The policy treats those systems as telephone or…
2011 WIA Section 166 strategic planning Withdrawn
ETA gave WIA Section 166 Indian and Native American grantees instructions for one-year Comprehensive Services and Supplemental Youth Services plans for program year 2011. Seven attachments supply…
Disposal of urine specimen containers
A medical clinic asked whether all urine sample containers must go into red bags or biohazard-labeled regulated waste containers. OSHA said its bloodborne pathogens container rule applies only to…
Completion and publication of 2010 UI benefit accuracy data Withdrawn
ETA gave state workforce agencies key dates and instructions for closing 2010 unemployment Benefit Accuracy Measurement cases and preparing the annual data for publication. Two attachments show…
Caterpillar diesel engine approval plate
MSHA says the Caterpillar Model 3306 PCNA diesel engine may be used in permissible equipment even when its existing plate shows Category B approval. The engine also has Category A approval, but the…
Facial hair and firefighter respirator seals
A firefighter asked how OSHA treats facial hair when using respiratory protection. OSHA said its rule does not ban facial hair outright, but an employee may not wear a tight-fitting respirator if…
How this guidance is useful
- See how the agency reads the law: An opinion letter shows how a state labor agency actually applied wage-and-hour law to a real employer's or worker's situation.
- Check the status before relying: Every page shows whether the document is still active or has been superseded, rescinded, or withdrawn, and when that status was last verified.
- Guidance, not law: These documents explain the agency's position but bind no court, and the agency can change its view. The official document linked on every page is the authoritative source.
- Research across states: Compare how different states treat the same question, from overtime and travel time to tips and independent-contractor status.
Browse guidance by state
This library covers 8 states plus federal guidance so far. Every document is checked against the agency's official source before it is published, so states are added as their labor departments' guidance is verified, not all at once. If your state is not listed yet, its labor department's own site is the place to check.