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Regulatory Compliance News & Updates

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

Safety & Compliance News

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.
Keep your hazmat procedures relevant and reliable
2026-07-07T05:00:00Z

Keep your hazmat procedures relevant and reliable

Have you ever looked at a procedure and thought, "There's no way we do it that way anymore?" If so, you're not alone.

Most procedures are created with the best intentions. However, over time, things change. New products are introduced, software gets updated, job responsibilities shift, and experienced employees naturally find faster ways to complete routine tasks. Before long, the written procedure no longer reflects what's happening on the shipping floor.

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The EEOC’s 2026 regulatory agenda includes changes to the PWFA
2026-07-06T05:00:00Z

The EEOC’s 2026 regulatory agenda includes changes to the PWFA

On July 6, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) published its 2026 regulatory agenda. The EEOC plans to publish a proposed rule revising the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA) regulations in November. The agency proposes revising the interpretation of the words “pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions.”

The EEOC also proposes rescinding some requirements this month. The proposals include the following:

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Wage and Hour Division publishes its 2026 regulatory agenda
2026-07-06T05:00:00Z

Wage and Hour Division publishes its 2026 regulatory agenda

On July 6, the U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) Wage and Hour Division (WHD) published its 2026 unified regulatory agenda. The agenda offers a glimpse into what the WHD is planning for its regulations and when.

Joint employer proposed rule: July 2026

Since 2021, the WHD has had no regulatory guidance addressing joint employer liability under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). The WHD is considering a proposed rule to adopt regulations that would guide WHD enforcement of joint employer liability under the FLSA, the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), and the Migrant and Seasonal Agricultural Workers Protection Act (MSPA). The WHD says that joint employer status under the FMLA and MSPA should be determined using the FLSA analysis.

Independent contractor final rule: October 2026

In 2024, the WHD published a final rule providing an analysis for determining employee or independent contractor (IC) classification under the FLSA. The 2024 IC rule took effect on March 11, 2024. The 2024 IC rule, however, is the subject of legal challenges. The WHD intends to rescind the 2024 IC rule. The WHD has also proposed to modify regulations interpreting the FMLA and MSPA to clarify that the analysis for determining employee or IC status under the FLSA also applies under the FMLA and MSPA.

The WHD considered three alternatives to the proposed rule, listed below from least to most restrictive:

  1. Adopting the common law control test, which applies in distinguishing between employees and ICs under various other federal laws;
  2. Adopting the WHD’s current enforcement policy, which is comprised of sub-regulatory guidance from before 2021 applying a multifactor economic reality balancing test; and
  3. Adopting a 3-pronged “ABC” test (which several states have adopted).

The WHD issued a proposed rule in February 2026, and the comment period ended on April 28.

A final rule addresses the public comments submitted in response to a proposed rule to help determine the final regulatory language. When an agency publishes a final rule, generally the rule is effective no less than 30 days after the date of publication in the Federal Register. A final rule doesn’t take effect until its “effective date” is reached.

Key to remember: The Wage and Hour Division is looking to revise the joint employer and independent contractor regulations.

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Federal priorities may shift, but employer obligations remain
2026-07-06T05:00:00Z

Federal priorities may shift, but employer obligations remain

On June 12, a federal court in Maryland dismissed a challenge to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s (EEOC) current enforcement approach to some gender identity discrimination claims.

The case, FreeState Justice v. EEOC, involved allegations that the EEOC had limited its investigations into some gender identity-related claims, including ones related to harassment and retaliation.

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OSHA publishes long-awaited Regulatory Agenda
2026-07-06T05:00:00Z

OSHA publishes long-awaited Regulatory Agenda

After failing to publish a Fall 2025 or Spring 2026 regulatory agenda, on July 3 OSHA published a 2026 Regulatory Plan and the Unified Agenda of Federal Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions. Of note, a Subpoenas interim final rule is up for November 2026, the Emergency Response final rule is set for April 2027, and the Heat proposal is slated to be finalized in October 2027.

Starting August 19, 2026, OSHA will hold public hearings on numerous proposed rules, most of which relate to respiratory protection requirements for different chemical substances. The others relate to construction illumination, safety color code for marking for physical hazards, limiting the General Duty Clause for inherently risky professional activities, and fixed ladders.

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