Rules and proposed rules

Black Lung Benefits Act: Authorization of Self-Insurers

The Department is proposing revisions to regulations under the Black Lung Benefits Act (BLBA or the Act) governing authorization of self-insurers. These rules will determine the process for coal mine operators to apply for authorization to self-insure, the requirements operators must meet to qualify to self-insure, the amount of security self-insured operators must provide, and the types of security accepted for operators to self-insure.

Comments close Sep 28, 2026

Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation Act: Quality Standards for Hearing Loss Testing

The Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation Act (LHWCA) provides compensation to employees for disability or death from injury arising out of and in the course of employment. Hearing loss claims constitute a significant portion of LHWCA claims, and determining the extent of hearing loss necessarily entails evaluating medical test results. The program statutes and regulations currently reference audiograms as the primary testing method and incorporate the American Medical Association's Guides to the Evaluation of Permanent Impairment for measuring and calculating hearing impairment. The Office of Workers' Compensation Programs (OWCP) is considering updating the quality standards for hearing loss testing to better reflect current medical technology and practice, particularly the potential use of objective testing methods. This request for information seeks the public's input on the comparative reliability and validity of audiograms versus objective tests such as Auditory Brainstem Response (ABR), Auditory Steady State Response (ASSR), and Otoacoustic Emissions (OAE) and others; current standards for administering these tests; and criteria used to evaluate hearing impairment.

Comments close Oct 22, 2026

Department of Labor Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act Annual Adjustments for 2026

As required by statute, the Department of Labor annually publishes a final rule updating the civil monetary penalties it assesses. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) did not publish its October 2025 Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) data due to a lapse in funding. Because the relevant law requires that annual penalty adjustments be based specifically on October CPI-U data--with no alternative calculation allowed--the 2026 adjustment is cancelled entirely.

Division of Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation Guidance for Insurance Carrier Security Deposit Requirements

The Office of Workers' Compensation Program is issuing this guidance to clarify the securitization requirements for insurance carriers authorized under the Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation Act (LHWCA) and its extensions. This guidance establishes a rubric which allows OWCP to adjust the insurance carriers' obligations based on their fiscal stability and performance within the Longshore industry and serves to establish a clear and standardized process for determining the amount of collateral an authorized insurance carrier must deposit to cover its potential liabilities. This clarification benefits insurance carriers by providing predictability which aids in capital planning and avoids arbitrary or unexpected security adjustments. This also helps to standardize compliance across the industry and ensures authorized carriers secure their critical obligations. This sub-regulatory guidance does not supersede existing regulations and is intended to provide insurance carriers (carriers) with clarification on the posting of security deposits to collateralize liabilities.

Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation Act: Civil Money Penalties Procedures; Withdrawal

The Office of Workers' Compensation Programs (OWCP) is withdrawing its Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) that proposed new procedures for assessing and adjudicating penalties under the Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation Act (LHWCA).

Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act Annual Adjustments for 2025

The U.S. Department of Labor (Department) is publishing this final rule to adjust for inflation the civil monetary penalties assessed or enforced by the Department, pursuant to the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act of 1990 as amended by the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act Improvements Act of 2015 (Inflation Adjustment Act). The Inflation Adjustment Act requires the Department to annually adjust its civil money penalty levels for inflation no later than January 15 of each year. The Inflation Adjustment Act provides that agencies shall adjust civil monetary penalties notwithstanding section 553 of the Administrative Procedure Act (APA). Additionally, the Inflation Adjustment Act provides a cost- of-living formula for adjustment of the civil penalties. Accordingly, this final rule sets forth the Department's 2025 annual adjustments for inflation to its civil monetary penalties.