July 03, 2026
Federal Agencies Publish Plans Pushing for Change
The Unified Agenda of Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions (Agenda) reports on the actions administrative agencies plan to issue in the near and long term. Released by the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, the Agenda provides important public notice and transparency about proposed regulatory and deregulatory actions within the Executive Branch.
The latest agenda was published on July 3rd. Below are just a few highlights from the hundreds that I found most interesting.
- Pregnant Workers Fairness Act – revise language in the regulations regarding the interpretation of the words “pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions.” Proposed rule scheduled for November 2026.
- EEO Reporting – rescind all portions of the federal regulations that require covered entities to file an EE0-1 through 6. Proposed rule scheduled for this month.
- Uniform Guidelines on Employee Selection Procedures – rescind the recordkeeping requirements of this regulation that requires covered employers to conduct validation testing and maintain records for adverse impact of selection procedures based on race, sex, or ethnic group. Proposed rule scheduled for this month.
- Other actions rescinding or updating employment-related regulations that are 30+ years old and outdated.
Wage & Hour Division
- Joint Employer Status – proposed rule scheduled for July 2026
- Independent Contractor – final rule scheduled for October 2026 (proposed rule published in February).
OFCCP
- Affirmative action for individual with Disabilities (Sec. 503) – remove the utilization goal, related data collection analysis, and disability self-identification requirements, as well as make revisions to the jurisdictional thresholds. Final rule scheduled for July 2026.
- Affirmative action for protected veterans (VEVRAA) – also making revisions to update the jurisdictional thresholds. Final rule also scheduled for this month.
ETA
Unemployment Insurance – federal law requires states to require all claimants, as a condition of eligibility each week, be able to work, available to work, and actively seeking work, but no Federal regulation covers the requirement to be actively seeking work. A proposed rule to define “actively seeking” is scheduled for November 2026.
OSHA
Heat Injury and Illness Prevention in Outdoor and Indoor Work Settings – If you are in one of six states that have already issued related regulations, you know what this is about. OSHA has issued proposed rules over the las two years. It plans to issue a supplemental. A proposed rule is scheduled for December of this year with a final rule scheduled for October 2027.
Remember. The federal agencies are not obligated to meet any of the suggested timelines that they have proposed. They are just a guide. Stay tuned for more news and updates.
