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SAFETY & COMPLIANCE NEWS

Keep up to date on the latest developments affecting OSHA, DOT, EPA, and DOL regulatory compliance.

Regulations change quickly. Compliance Network ensures you never miss a relevant update with a personalized feed of featured news and analysis, industry highlights, and more.

RECENT INDUSTRY HIGHLIGHTS

How the end of USPS same-day postmark affects FMLA administration
2026-01-14T06:00:00Z

How the end of USPS same-day postmark affects FMLA administration

Sometimes, small, seemingly unrelated changes can have an unforeseen impact. Last year, the United States Postal Service (USPS) proposed changes to the way it handles mail that could affect how employers process leave requests under the federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA).

The USPS said that, “while the presence of a postmark (also known as a “cancellation”) on a mailpiece confirms that the Postal Service was in possession of the mailpiece on the date of the postmark's inscription, the postmark date does not inherently or necessarily align with the date on which the Postal Service first accepted possession of a mailpiece.”

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Do days when a company is closed for inclement weather count as FMLA leave?
2026-01-14T06:00:00Z

Do days when a company is closed for inclement weather count as FMLA leave?

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD) published an opinion letter in January on how an employer’s closure for inclement weather affects an employee on leave under the federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). The letter was in response to an employer’s question on this issue.

The situation

An employer wondered how to calculate an employee’s FMLA leave use when the employer closed its business for less than a full week due to inclement weather. The FMLA regulations address similar situations involving holidays or when an employer closes for a full week (or more) for reasons such as inventory. But the regulations don’t specifically say what to do when employers close for less than a full week.

The leave type rules the day

The WHD turned to the regulations regarding holidays and other closures. Whether a snow day counts as FMLA leave depends on whether the employee is taking the leave in full or partial weeks.

If an employee is taking FMLA leave in less than full-week increments (intermittently or on a reduced schedule), and that employee isn’t expected to work during the time the employer is closed, the employer wouldn’t count the time the business is closed as FMLA leave.

For example, if Joe Employee takes intermittent FMLA leave on Thursday afternoon and a snowstorm causes the employer to close that day, the employer wouldn’t count Thursday afternoon as FMLA for Joe.

If, on the other hand, Joe Employee was taking FMLA in full weeks, if the employer closed for a day or two due to a snowstorm, it doesn’t matter. The employer would still count the entire week as FMLA leave.

Whether a closure is planned or unplanned has no impact on how much FMLA leave an employee uses. Nor does whether the employee makes up the time lost while an employer is closed because of inclement weather.

Key to remember: Whether an employer’s closure for inclement weather counts as FMLA leave depends on whether the employee takes leave in full or partial weeks.

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HM-265 final rule sets new regulatory expectations
2026-01-14T06:00:00Z

HM-265 final rule sets new regulatory expectations

For anyone who ships, transports, or works around hazardous materials, this update is worth your attention. It targets unnecessary compliance burdens while maintaining established safety standards in hazmat transportation. These changes affect fuel haulers, packaging manufacturers, cargo tank facilities, and others across the hazardous materials industry. The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) published its HM‑265 Final Rule, Hazardous Materials: Eliminating Unnecessary Regulatory Burdens on Fuel Transportation, to implement these adjustments.

PHMSA included staggered dates for compliance, with a voluntary compliance date of January 14, 2026, and a mandatory effective date of February 13, 2026. Companies can begin using the new rule immediately because of the voluntary date. However, they don’t need to be fully compliant until the mandatory effective date.

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OSHA’s “Safety Champions Program” now available
2026-01-13T06:00:00Z

OSHA’s “Safety Champions Program” now available

Registration is open for OSHA’s “Safety Champions Program,” designed to help employers develop and implement effective safety and health (S&H) programs to prevent workplace injuries, illnesses, and deaths.

The self-guided program highlights seven core elements from OSHA’s Recommended Practices for Safety and Health Programs:

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Understanding the smaller lithium battery exception
2026-01-13T06:00:00Z

Understanding the smaller lithium battery exception

Lithium batteries are everywhere, and they’re one of the most shipped hazardous materials today. They’re also one of the most misunderstood. These batteries can enter thermal runaway if damaged, short-circuited, or improperly packaged, which is a risk that has led to continuous updates in the Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR). These updates are intended to reinforce compliance and prevent incidents that could result in fires or other serious hazards.

Between the exception in 49 CFR 173.185(c) and evolving safety requirements, it’s easy for shippers and transporters to get tripped up. This article breaks down what you need to know about the lithium battery exception and the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) guidance, without overwhelming you with regulatory jargon.

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