[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 51 (Tuesday, March 17, 2015)][Notices][Pages 13894-13896]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-06000]
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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Occupational Safety and Health Administration
[Docket Number: OSHA-2015-0001]
Whistleblower Protection Advisory Committee
AGENCY: Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), DOL.
ACTION: Request for nominations to serve on the Whistleblower
Protection Advisory Committee.
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SUMMARY: The Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and
Health requests nominations for membership on the Whistleblower
Protection Advisory Committee (WPAC).
DATES: Nominations for WPAC must be submitted (postmarked, sent,
transmitted, or received) by May 18, 2015.
ADDRESSES: You may submit nominations for WPAC, identified by the OSHA
Docket No. OSHA-2015-0001, by any of the following methods:
Electronically: Nominations, including attachments, may be
submitted electronically at http://www.regulations.gov, which is the
Federal eRulemaking Portal. Follow the instructions online for making
electronic submissions.
Facsimile: If your nomination and supporting materials, including
attachments, do not exceed 10 pages, you may fax them to the OSHA
Docket Office at (202) 693-1648.
Mail, hand delivery, express mail, messenger or courier service:
Submit your nominations and supporting materials to the OSHA Docket
Office, Docket No. OSHA-2015-0001, U.S. Department of Labor, Room N-
2625, 200 Constitution Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20210; telephone
(202) 693-2350 (OSHA's TTY number is (877) 889-5627). Deliveries (hand,
express mail, messenger and courier service) are accepted during the
Department of Labor's and Docket Office's normal business hours, 8:15
a.m.-4:45 p.m., e.t.
Instructions: All nominations and supporting materials for WPAC
must include the Agency name and docket number for this Federal
Register notice (Docket No. OSHA-2015-0001). Because of security-
related procedures, submitting nominations by regular mail may result
in a significant delay in their receipt. Please contact the OSHA Docket
Office for information about security procedures for submitting
nominations by hand delivery, express delivery, and messenger or courier
service. For additional information on submitting nominations see the
"Public Participation--Submission of Nominations and Access to Docket"
heading in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section below.
Submissions in response to this Federal Register notice, including
personal information provided, are posted without change at
http://www.regulations.gov. Therefore, OSHA cautions interested parties
about submitting personal information such as social security numbers
and dates of birth.
Docket: To read or download submissions or other material in the
docket, go to http://www.regulations.gov or the OSHA Docket Office at
the address above. All documents in the docket are listed in the
http://www.regulations.gov index; however, some information (e.g.,
copyrighted material) is not publicly available to read or download
through that Web site. All submissions, including copyrighted material,
are available for inspection at the OSHA Docket Office.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Anthony Rosa, OSHA, Directorate of
Whistleblower Protection Programs, U.S. Department of Labor, Room N-
4618, 200 Constitution Avenue NW., Washington, DC., 20210; telephone
(202) 693-2199; email address osha.dwpp@dol.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Assistant Secretary of Labor for
Occupational Safety and Health invites interested individuals to submit
nominations for membership on WPAC.
Background
The WPAC advises the Secretary of Labor (the Secretary) and the
Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health (the
Assistant Secretary) on ways to improve the fairness, efficiency, and
transparency of OSHA's whistleblower investigations. WPAC is a
continuing advisory body and operates in compliance with the Federal
Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App. 2) and its implementing
regulations (see "Authority and Signature" section).
WPAC Membership
WPAC is comprised of 12 members, whom the Secretary appoints to
staggered terms, not to exceed 2 years. OSHA is seeking to fill six
positions on WPAC that will become vacant on December 1, 2015. The
composition of WPAC and categories of new members to be appointed to
new two-year terms are as follows:
Two management representatives who are or represent
employers or employer associations in industries covered by one or more
of the whistleblower laws;
Two labor representatives who are or represent workers or
worker advocacy organizations in industries covered by one or more of
the whistleblower laws;
One member who represents the State OSH Plan states; and
One public representative from a college, university, non-
partisan think tank, or other entity who has extensive knowledge and
expertise on whistleblower statutes and issues.
If a vacancy occurs before a term expires, the Secretary may
appoint a new member who represents the same interest as the
predecessor to serve for the remainder of the unexpired term. The
committee meets at least two times a year.
Nomination Requirements
Any individual or organization may nominate one or more qualified
persons for membership. If an individual or organization nominates more
than one person, each person must be named. Submissions of nominations
must include the following information for each nominee:
1. The nominee's name, contact information and current occupation
or position (required);
2. The nominee's resume or curriculum vitae, including prior
membership on WPAC and other relevant organizations, associations and
committees (required);
3. Category of membership (management, labor, state plan, or
academic/extensive whistleblower knowledge) the nominee is qualified to
represent (required);
4. A summary of the nominee's background, experience and
qualifications that address the nominee's suitability to serve on WPAC
(required);
5. Articles or other documents the nominee has authored that
indicate the nominee's knowledge, experience and expertise in
whistleblower protections (optional); and
6. A statement that the nominee is aware of the nomination, is
willing to regularly attend and participate in WPAC meetings, and has
no apparent conflicts of interest that would preclude membership on
WPAC (required).
Nominations that do not contain all required information will not
be considered.
Membership Selection
WPAC members will be selected on the basis of their experience,
knowledge, and competence in the field of whistleblower protection. The
information received through this nomination process, in addition to
other relevant sources of information, will assist the Secretary in
appointing members to serve on WPAC. In selecting WPAC members, the
Secretary will consider individuals nominated in response to this
Federal Register notice, as well as other qualified individuals. The
Department encourages the nomination of individuals with diverse
viewpoints, perspectives and experiences to the WPAC, including
individuals with disabilities and individuals of all races, genders,
ages, and sexual orientations.
Before candidates are appointed, the U.S. Department of Labor
(Department) conducts a basic background check using publically
available, internet-based sources.
Instructions for Submitting Nominations
Interested individuals may submit nominations and supplemental
materials using one of the methods listed in the ADDRESSES section. All
nominations, attachments and other materials must identify the docket
number for this Federal Register notice (Docket No. OSHA-2015-0001). To
submit nominations through http://www.regulations.gov, search for the
docket (OSHA-2015-0001), open the docket, click on the button that
states "Comment Now", and follow the instructions. You may supplement
electronic nominations by uploading document files electronically. If,
instead, you wish to submit additional materials in reference to an
electronic or FAX submission, you must submit them to the OSHA Docket
Office (see ADDRESSES section). The additional material must clearly
identify your electronic or FAX submission by name and docket number
(Docket No. OSHA-2015-0001), so that the materials can be attached to
your submission.
Because of security-related procedures, the use of regular mail may
cause a significant delay in the receipt of nominations. For
information about security procedures concerning the delivery of
materials by hand, express delivery, messenger or courier service,
please contact the OSHA Docket Office (see ADDRESSES section).
All submissions in response to this Federal Register notice are
posted without change at http://www.regulations.gov. Therefore, OSHA
cautions interested parties about submitting personal information, such
as Social Security numbers and birthdates. Guidance on submitting
nominations and materials in response to this Federal Register notice
is available at http://www.regulations.gov and from the OSHA Docket
Office.
Access to Docket and Other Materials
To read or download nominations and additional materials submitted
in response to this Federal Register notice, go to Docket No. OSHA-
2015-0001 at http://www.regulations.gov. All submissions are listed in
the index of that docket. However, some documents (e.g., copyrighted
material) are not publicly available to read or download through that
Web page. All submissions, including copyrighted material, are
available for inspection at the OSHA Docket Office. Contact the OSHA
Docket Office for information about materials not available through
http://www.regulations.gov and for assistance in using the internet to
locate submissions.
Electronic copies of this Federal Register notice are available at
http://www.regulations.gov. This document, as well as news releases and
other relevant information, also is available at the Directorate of
Whistleblower Protection Program's Web page at http://www.whistleblowers.gov.
Authority and Signature
David Michaels, Ph.D., MPH, Assistant Secretary of Labor for
Occupational Safety and Health, directed the preparation of this notice
under the authority granted by the Federal Advisory Committee Act
(FACA), as amended (5 U.S.C. App. 2), its implementing regulations (41
CFR part 102-3), chapter 1600 of Department of Labor Management Series
3 (Mar. 17, 2008), Secretary of Labor's Order 1-2012 (Jan. 18, 2012),
77 FR 3912 (Jan. 25, 2012), and the Secretary of Labor's authority to
administer the whistleblower provisions found in section 11(c) of the
Occupational Safety and Health Act, 29 U.S.C. 660(c); the Surface
Transportation Assistance Act, 49 U.S.C. 31105; the Asbestos Hazard
Emergency Response Act, 15 U.S.C. 2651; the International Safe
Container Act, 46 U.S.C. 80507; the Safe Drinking Water Act, 42 U.S.C.
300j-9(i); the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, 33 U.S.C. 1367; the
Toxic Substances Control Act, 15 U.S.C. 2622; the Solid Waste Disposal
Act, 42 U.S.C. 6971; the Clean Air Act, 42 U.S.C. 7622; the
Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act,
42 U.S.C. 9610; the Energy Reorganization Act, 42 U.S.C. 5851; the
Wendell H. Ford Aviation Investment and Reform Act for the 21st
Century, 49 U.S.C. 42121; the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, 18 U.S.C. 1514A; the
Pipeline Safety Improvement Act, 49 U.S.C. 60129; the Federal Railroad
Safety Act, 49 U.S.C. 20109; the National Transit Systems Security Act,
6 U.S.C. 1142; the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act, 15 U.S.C.
2087; the Affordable Care Act, 29 U.S.C. 218C; the Consumer Financial
Protection Act of 2010, 12 U.S.C.A. 5567; the Seaman's Protection Act,
46 U.S.C. 2114; the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act, 21 U.S.C. 399d;
and the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act, 49 U.S.C.
30171.
Signed at Washington, DC, on March 11, 2015.
David Michaels,
Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health.
[FR Doc. 2015-06000 Filed 3-16-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-26-P
