Labor Department News Releases Update

The U.S. Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Treasury today published a final rule that adjusts regulations originally issued under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 regarding dental and vision benefits. The new rule also expands the definition of excepted benefits to include employee assistance programs.

Upholding President Obama's promise to make 2014 a year of action to expand opportunity, reward work and grow the middle class, U.S. Secretary of Labor Thomas E. Perez today announced a final rule that raises the minimum wage for workers on federal service and construction contracts to $10.10 per hour. The final rule implements Executive Order 13658, which was announced by the president on Feb. 12, and it will benefit nearly 200,000 American workers.

The U.S. Department of Labor today announced a $944,839 National Emergency Grant incremental award to help communities in northern Colorado recover from the severe storms, flooding, landslides and mudslides that occurred on Sept. 11, 2013. These funds are being awarded to the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment to hire temporary workers to continue with cleanup and recovery efforts.

The U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of International Labor Affairs today announced a $2 million competitive solicitation for a project to strengthen the capacity of Peru's labor inspectorate.