U.S. Department of Labor:update

 

U.S. Department of Labor

March 11, 2022

Davis-Bacon update proposed after 40 years For the first time in 40 years, we’re proposing comprehensive updates to the Davis-Bacon Act, which would speed up prevailing wage updates, improve efficiency and ensure prevailing wage rates keep up with actual wages. Updating these regulations will ensure workers on federal projects are being paid fairly, and help contractors recruit and retain skilled workers as we rebuild America. Report: Stifling competition hurts workers A new Treasury report found that corporate concentration and anti-competitive practices – such as requiring noncompete agreements and misclassifying employees as independent contractors – have stifled wages for workers and reduced their power in the marketplace. Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh joined a White House roundtable this week to discuss the report’s findings with workers who have experienced anticompetitive barriers firsthand.  Read the report Watch the roundtable Read the New York Times article on the report A crypto-caution for 401(k) plan fiduciaries Cryptocurrency has gained popularity and notoriety, but the market’s development is still uncertain. Our new guidance on 401(k) plan investments in cryptocurrencies warns fiduciaries about potential risks to the retirement savings of America's workers and their families. Thea Lee in the DRC Deputy Undersecretary of Labor for International Affairs Thea Lee met with President Felix Tshisekedi and others last week to discuss strengthening and enforcing workers’ rights, especially in the minerals sector. It was the first visit by a high-level Department of Labor official to the Democratic Republic of the Congo in nearly 20 years.  Creating good infrastructure and transportation jobs Secretary Walsh and Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg this week announced a partnership to promote the creation of good infrastructure and transportation jobs with a focus on equitable workforce development using funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The Department of Labor is also partnering with the Trucking Alliance to promote apprenticeship as a pathway to lucrative driving jobs.  Read about the Labor-Transportation partnership Read about the Trucking Alliance partnership Workers Owed Wages In 2021, we recovered more than $230 million for more than 190,000 workers. Yet thousands of dollars remained unclaimed because employees changed jobs, moved or changed their name. This tool can help us find them.  Partnering to protect workers We’re strengthening our partnership with the U.S. Department of Justice’s Antitrust Division to protect workers from employer collusion, ensure compliance with labor laws, and promote competitive labor markets and worker mobility. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT COVID protections OSHA launched an initiative at hospitals and skilled nursing care facilities with COVID-19 patients to protect healthcare workers and control the spread of the virus and future variants.  Misclassification resolved A Pennsylvania home healthcare staffing agency must pay $4.5 million in back wages and damages after misclassifying some workers as independent contractors.  Safety ruling A federal judge has ruled that one of New Jersey’s most flagrant OSHA violators, who continually puts workers at risk of serious injuries, must pay $2 million in penalties.  Grant awarded We’ve awarded $3.5 million to help establish a hub that will improve services and outcomes for jobseekers and employers.  Safety citations OSHA fined a New Jersey auto parts seller $1.2 million for 33 workplace safety and health violations following a worker’s serious hand injury. Mine safety A federal district court judge issued an injunction to prevent a Missouri mine operator and its owner from stopping federal inspectors from completing workplace safety inspections.   #WomenInConstruction Apprenticeship training set one woman on a path to a rewarding construction job that lets her provide for her family.  WORKING FOR YOU Helping a Navy corpsman land an in-demand civilian career U.S. Navy corpsman Domingo Sosa wasn’t sure where to start when he decided to transition into the civilian workforce. Our Employment Navigator and Partnership Pilot Program set him on the path to a rewarding IT career.   Grant Opportunities Funding opportunities will support efforts to connect America’s workers with good jobs We’re offering millions in grants to improve employment opportunities and working conditions around the country, including:  $55 million to reduce barriers to employment by providing training and employment services to people before they’re released from state correctional facilities, or county or local jails. $85 million to provide skills training, employment services, educational support and mentorship to young people involved in the criminal justice system. $10 million to expand workforce development services for out-of-school time organizations.

National Labor Relations Board,update

 

The Summary of NLRB decisions for the week of February 28 – March 4, 2022 is now available on the NLRB’s website.  The summary can be accessed by clicking the links below.   https://www.nlrb.gov/cases-decisions/weekly-summaries-decisions/summary-of-nlrb-decisions-for-week-of-february-28-march Questions? Contact Us

Small Business Administration:Women's History Month Events, Government Contracting Resources and More

 

Join the U.S. Small Business Administration on March 31, 2022 for an online event celebrating Women’s History Month. You will hear from industry experts including Natalie Madeira Cofield, SBA Assistant Administrator for the Office of Women’s Business Ownership; Candace Waterman, President and CEO of the Women Impacting Public Policy (WIPP); and Alisa Sheard, SBA Acting Deputy Director for the Office of Government Contracting and Business Development. The discussion will focus on financial wellness for women-owned small businesses, the importance of increasing equity and access to opportunities that help uplift and support women entrepreneurs, and SBA initiatives and resources that support existing women-owned small businesses and new startups as they pivot and grow in a post-COVID world. Register   In celebration of Women’s History Month, join the SBA's Office of Women’s Business Ownership and the Nasdaq Entrepreneurial Center for the virtual Women’s Business Summit on March 29-30, 2022. The free event will include power-packed panels, inspirational fireside chats, and 'Ask an Expert' workshops to help you build, scale, and grow your business. Panels and discussion topics include: Innovation and Investment Building an Equitable Recovery Framework for Women Entrepreneurs From Essential Worker to Essential Entrepreneur: CARE Economy Entrepreneurship Opportunities The $100B Marketplace: Contracting Opportunities for Women-led Firms Exporting & E-Commerce The Changing Landscape for Entertainment and Hospitality Industries Register Get Inspired: Small Business Success Story In celebration of Women's History Month, we are highlighting small business owners like Princess Ousley who is making an impact on the economy and her community. Over a decade ago, Ousley and her business partner founded Florida-based Elite Business Strategies, an 8(a) firm. Ousley worked with her local Small Business Development Center, which helped her forecast business growth and connect with a Procurement Center Representative. Ousley developed a crisis management plan and added a supply component to the business. This proved critical when the pandemic first hit and the demand for personal protective equipment soared. Through her established business relationships, Ousley was able to boost supplies, helping to meet the needs of federal agencies. Read more Join the SBA and Public Private Strategies Institute (PPSI) for a webinar on March 16, 2022 to learn about critical resources and information including how the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the American Rescue Plan, and Made in America create opportunities to help small businesses thrive. Register   This week, Administrator Isabella Casillas Guzman led the Presidential Delegation to Chile to attend the Inauguration of Gabriel Boric as President of the Republic of Chile. Administrator Guzman also visited Michigan to meet with small business owners and leaders. Follow the Administrator on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter to see photos and videos of all her visits.   Interested in government contracting? SBA Associate Administrator for the Office of Government Contracting and Business Development, Bibi Hidalgo discussed how small businesses can take advantage of government contracting opportunities during an interview with Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis, Jr., host of The Chavis Chronicles. Watch Help Improve NIST Cybersecurity Resources  The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is seeking comments on the challenges organizations are facing from a technology supply chain perspective to inform a public-private partnership, the National Initiative for Improving Cybersecurity in Supply Chains (NIICS). NIST is seeking comments about needed tools and guidance and how NIICS might be aligned and integrated with the cybersecurity framework. This information will help NIST to identify and prioritize supply chain-related cybersecurity needs across sectors. Submit your comments Getting It Right - Know Your Fiduciary Responsibilities: Three Part Webcast Series for Retirement and Health Plan Sponsors Operating an employee benefit plan can be challenging for small businesses who have limited time, resources, and access to professional help with benefit programs. To help increase awareness and understanding about basic fiduciary responsibilities when operating a retirement or health benefit plan, the Department of Labor is presenting the Getting It Right – Know Your Fiduciary Responsibilities webcast series. The three part series will help employers and service providers understand how the fiduciary responsibility provisions of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) apply to employer-sponsored retirement and health plans and provide information on how to avoid common problems in managing a plan. Register: March 22, 2022 Register: March 24, 2022 Register: March 29, 2022 Join the IRS for a series of online meetings in March (divided by location/states) for small business organizations and owners. The meetings will include: Presentations from IRS leadership covering the top tax issues affecting small business owners regarding income, deductions, employment taxes and recordkeeping How to get ready for the 2022 filing season Tax scams targeting small businesses  How the IRS is reorganizing to better serve small business taxpayers Listening session to hear concerns, feedback and suggestions from participants Learn more   Paycheck Protection Program borrowers: If your loan is $150,000 or less, you may be eligible to apply for direct forgiveness through SBA using our online portal. Follow the steps below. Find out if your lender is participating.  Watch a video about how to use the portal. Apply for forgiveness. For additional information, visit the SBA website.   Thanks to vaccines, small businesses across America have opened back up. Keep the momentum going by getting vaccinated. Find a vaccine provider near you.  Learn more

U.S. Small Business Administration 409 3rd St, SW. Washington DC 20416 www.sba.gov

ΔΗΜΟΣ ΜΑΡΚΟΠΟΥΛΟΥ Μ Ε Σ Ο Γ Α Ι Α Σ:συνεδρίαση Δ.Σ.

ΕΛΛΗΝΙΚΗ ΔΗΜΟΚΡΑΤΙΑ

ΝΟΜΟΣ ΑΤΤΙΚΗΣ

Μαρκόπουλο: 11-03-2022

ΔΗΜΟΣ ΜΑΡΚΟΠΟΥΛΟΥ Μ Ε Σ Ο Γ Α Ι Α Σ Αρ. Πρωτ.: 4201


Σας γνωρίζουμε ότι δεδομένης της αναγκαιότητας λήψης μέτρων για την αποφυγή της διάδοσης του κορωνοϊού COVID-19, η πέμπτη (5η) Τακτική Συνεδρίαση του Δημοτικού Συμβουλίου έτους 2022 θα πραγματοποιηθεί, δια περιφοράς την Τρίτη 15-3-2022 και ώρα 11.00 π.μ, σύμφωνα με τις διατάξεις του άρθρου 67, παρ.5 του Ν.3852/2010, όπως τροποποιήθηκαν με τις αντίστοιχες του άρ.184, παρ.1 του Ν.4635/2019, καθώς και τα έγγραφα ΥΠ.ΕΣ. ΔΙΔΑΔ/Φ.69/133/οικ.20764/7-11-2020 και ΥΠ.ΕΣ. εγκ.426/77233/13-11-2020, με αποστολή της ψήφου σας (υπέρ, κατά, παρών) μέσω ηλεκτρονικού ταχυδρομείου και με μοναδικό θέμα ημερήσιας διάταξης:

Λήψη απόφασης περί ανάληψης κόστους λειτουργίας και συντήρησης του υπό ανέγερση 2ου Νηπιαγωγείου Πόρτο Ράφτη, μετά την παραλαβή του.

Η συνεδρίαση ορίζεται κατεπείγουσα, βάσει των διατάξεων του Ν.3852/2010 αρ.67 παρ.5, λόγω δεσμευτικών χρονικών περιθωρίων για την υποβολή πρότασης ένταξης του έργου

USDA, Foreign Agricultural Service:update

USDA, Foreign Agricultural Service

The following GAIN reports were released on March 10, 2022. _______   Ethiopia: Food Inflation Stands High in Ethiopia despite Policy Measures to Stabilize Prices Ethiopia’s inflation rate remains persistently high, reaching 33.6 percent in February 2022. The headline inflation in February 2022 is lower than the 34.5 percent recorded in January 2022. Food inflation stood at 41.9 percent in February, up from 39.9 percent the previous month. Non-food inflation declined to 22.9 percent from 27.3 percent registered in January 2022. The major factors driving food inflation are spikes in price of cooking oils and fats, non-alcoholic beverages, bread and cereals, fish and sea foods, dairy, and meat products. Weak domestic market supply due to agricultural production constraints and steady devaluation of the local currency are among the major factors contributing to the staggeringly high inflation levels. Although the Ethiopian government took various policy actions including monetary, fiscal, and structural measures to control price escalations, the inflation levels remain in the double digits.   India: India - FSSAI Publishes Approved List of Specialty Products for Inborn - Congenital - Errors of Metabolism Conditions  On February 22, 2022, India’s Ministry of Health and Family Welfare/Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) published Stds/SP-05/Orders/FSSAI (E1317). The order includes a list of conditions associated with inborn (congenital) errors of metabolism (IEM) along with the specialty food products that can be manufactured, sold, marketed, or imported to address these imbalances. The FSSAI implementation date for the approved list is April 1, 2022. Until such time, the FSSAI will continue to allow the import of specialty food products listed in its earlier directive of June 30, 2021.   India: Russia's Invasion of Ukraine - Impact on Fertilizer Supply and Use in India's Agricultural Sector Black Sea regional producers Ukraine and Russia are significant suppliers to India of nitrogen and potassic fertilizers utilized in agricultural production. FAS New Delhi sources indicate that a short supply of potassic fertilizers is unlikely to affect agricultural production prospects in the upcoming crop year in the major food grain belt of northwest India and the Indo Gangetic plains. However, select crops in India’s western and southern regions can be affected by short supplies as a drop in potassic fertilizer applications will impact the stress tolerance and quality performance of some crops. Fertilizer prices are expected to increase in the upcoming season.   India: Russian Invasion of Ukraine - Agricultural Trade Impact on India  Since initiating the hostilities, Vladimir Putin’s Russian Federation’s war of aggression against neighboring Ukraine has led to volatility in different sectors of the global economy. For India and the region, trade is disrupted in the grains, oilseeds, fertilizer, and energy sectors. Post sources inform us that some 380,000 MT of sunflower oil shipments destined for India from the Black Sea region are waylaid at ports. New purchases are being suspended for the foreseeable future due to the war. India is the largest market for Ukraine’s sunflower oil, which in 2021 exported $1.9 billion to India (out of $5.69 billion total). Disruption of sunflower oil consignments from Ukraine will potentially offer possibilities for increased U.S.-origin soybean oil shipments to India. The crisis has also improved Indian wheat and corn export prospects in the region.   Philippines: Philippines Streamlines Biotechnology Regulations with Revised Joint Department Circular On February 15, 2022, the Philippines approved the revised Joint Department Circular No. 1 (JDC), streamlining the regulatory policy governing plant biotechnology. Signed by five Department Secretaries, the document was published in two newspapers on March 8, 2022, and will go into effect 15 days later. The reforms are expected to shorten the timeline for approvals significantly and greatly reduce compliance costs for commercializing genetically engineered crops. Passage of the revised JDC again highlights Philippine leadership in biotechnology, following its approval of Golden Rice for commercial propagation in 2021. The science-based policy will foster agricultural innovation to help the country address Sustainable Development Goals of zero hunger (SDG 2) and climate action (SDG 13).   Thailand: The Impact of Russian Invasion of Ukraine on Thai Agricultural Sector Russian invasion of Ukraine is expected to significantly affect Thai agriculture. Agricultural production costs are expected to increase 7-13 percent in livestock production and 10-17 percent in field crops due to the surge in prices of feed-quality grains and fertilizers. Feed mills are expected to shift their feed wheat procurement to Australia during the supply disruption in Ukraine in 2022.   Thailand: Thailand's Food and Restaurant Trends in 2022 The COVID-19 health crisis continues to change the behavior of consumers and shaping new trends in the food and restaurant industry. Restaurants and retail stores are producing new products and services that are based on the consumer trends towards health and wellness.   Tunisia: Oilseeds and Products Annual Tunisian MY 2022/23 soybean imports are expected to reach 560,000 MT, compared to 555,000 MT in MY 2021/22. Tunisian olive oil exports are forecast to reach 135,000 MT in MY 2022/23, compared to 200,000 MT in MY 2021/22.   Turkey: Turkish Government Intervenes to Stabilize Cooking Oil Market Fearing rising prices and the perceived threat of sunflower oil shortages, customers have scrambled in recent days to stock up on cooking oils. The Turkish government has reassured the public that a shortage doesn't exist. At the same time, in order to stabilize local market conditions, the government recently halted cooking oil exports and also zeroed out tariffs on imported oils. Meanwhile, the purchase price of imported wheat continues its upward climb, and some local feed companies are reportedly considering limiting sales volumes if feed ingredient supplies become tight.   For more information, or for an archive of all FAS GAIN reports, please visit gain.fas.usda.gov/.