80 FR 13894 - Whistleblower Protection Advisory Committee

DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Occupational Safety and Health Administration

Federal Register Volume 80, Issue 51 (March 17, 2015)

The Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health requests nominations for membership on the Whistleblower Protection Advisory Committee (WPAC).

[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 51 (Tuesday, March 17, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 13894-13896]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2015-06000]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

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.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

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

[[Page 13895]]

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 [email protected].

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).

[[Page 13896]]

    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