Government rulemakingWorkplaces are constantly changing, and the U.S. Department of Labor regularly reviews its existing regulations to update rules that may be out of date, ineffective, insufficient or excessively burdensome.

The department is looking for new ideas from the public on which rules should be modified, streamlined, expanded or even repealed. Therefore, it has launched an interactive website to engage interested parties to suggest rules that should be reviewed.

Commenters have until Feb. 25 to give input that will help the DOL implement effective regulations.

The DOL wants to know:

  • Which of the Department’s regulations, guidance, or interpretations should be considered for review, expansion or modification?  
  • What regulations and reporting requirements should be reviewed due to conflicts, inconsistencies, or duplication among our own agencies or with other federal agencies?
  • What reporting requirements and information collections can be streamlined or reduced in frequency while achieving the same level of protections for workers, job-seekers, and retirees? Are there less costly methods, advances in technology, or innovative techniques that can be leveraged toward these purposes?
  • What regulatory reforms may require short-term cost increases to the regulated entities while creating longer-term savings, for example, through the adoption of new technologies?  What information, data, or technical assistance do regulated entities need in order to better assess these opportunities?
  • How should the Department capture changes in firm and market behavior in response to a regulation?
  • What data or other indicators suggest that the estimated costs and benefits of an existing regulation should be reviewed?
  • What other strategies exist for increasing the flexibility of regulations without limiting important protections? What information, data, or other technical assistance do stakeholders require in order to better assess the long-term impact of these reforms upon such protections?

• Visit the Interactive Website
• See Retrospective Review Progress Reports