{"abstract":"On March 16, 2016, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) of the U.S. Department of Labor (Department) issued an interim final rule (IFR) that provided procedures for the Department's processing of complaints under the employee protection (retaliation or whistleblower) provisions of Section 31307 of the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21). The IFR established procedures and time frames for the handling of retaliation complaints under MAP-21, including procedures and time frames for employee complaints to OSHA, investigations by OSHA, appeals of OSHA determinations to an administrative law judge (ALJ) for a hearing de novo, hearings by ALJs, review of ALJ decisions by the Administrative Review Board (ARB) (acting on behalf of the Secretary of Labor) and judicial review of the Secretary's final decision. It also set forth the Department's interpretations of the MAP-21 whistleblower provisions on certain matters. This final rule adopts, without change, the IFR.","action":"Final rule.","agencies":[{"raw_name":"DEPARTMENT OF LABOR","name":"Labor Department","id":271,"url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/agencies/labor-department","json_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/api/v1/agencies/271","parent_id":null,"slug":"labor-department"},{"raw_name":"Occupational Safety and Health Administration","name":"Occupational Safety and Health Administration","id":386,"url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/agencies/occupational-safety-and-health-administration","json_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/api/v1/agencies/386","parent_id":271,"slug":"occupational-safety-and-health-administration"}],"body_html_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/full_text/html/2016/12/14/2016-29914.html","cfr_references":[{"chapter":null,"citation_url":null,"part":1988,"title":29}],"citation":"81 FR 90196","comment_url":null,"comments_close_on":null,"correction_of":null,"corrections":[],"dates":"This final rule is effective December 14, 2016.","disposition_notes":null,"docket_ids":["Docket Number: OSHA-2015-0021"],"dockets":[],"document_number":"2016-29914","effective_on":"2016-12-14","end_page":90198,"executive_order_notes":null,"executive_order_number":null,"full_text_xml_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/full_text/xml/2016/12/14/2016-29914.xml","html_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2016/12/14/2016-29914/procedures-for-handling-retaliation-complaints-under-section-31307-of-the-moving-ahead-for-progress","images":{},"images_metadata":{},"json_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/api/v1/documents/2016-29914?publication_date=2016-12-14","mods_url":"https://www.govinfo.gov/metadata/granule/FR-2016-12-14/2016-29914/mods.xml","not_received_for_publication":null,"page_length":3,"page_views":{"count":707,"last_updated":"2026-08-26 10:15:07 -0400"},"pdf_url":"https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2016-12-14/pdf/2016-29914.pdf","presidential_document_number":null,"proclamation_number":null,"public_inspection_pdf_url":"https://public-inspection.federalregister.gov/2016-29914.pdf?1481636731","publication_date":"2016-12-14","raw_text_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/full_text/text/2016/12/14/2016-29914.txt","regulation_id_number_info":{"1218-AC88":{"issue":"201610","html_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/regulations/1218-AC88/procedures-for-the-handling-of-retaliation-complaints-under-the-employee-protection-provision-of-the","title":"Procedures for the Handling of Retaliation Complaints Under the Employee Protection Provision of the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act","xml_url":"http://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/eAgendaViewRule?pubId=201610&RIN=1218-AC88&operation=OPERATION_EXPORT_XML","priority_category":"Other Significant"}},"regulation_id_numbers":["1218-AC88"],"regulations_dot_gov_info":{"supporting_documents":[],"regulatory_plan":{"html_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/regulations/1218-AC88/procedures-for-the-handling-of-retaliation-complaints-under-the-employee-protection-provision-of-the","title":"Procedures for the Handling of Retaliation Complaints Under the Employee Protection Provision of the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act"},"comments_url":"https://www.regulations.gov/docketBrowser?rpp=50&so=DESC&sb=postedDate&po=0&dct=PS&D=OSHA-2015-0021","supporting_documents_count":0,"docket_id":"OSHA-2015-0021","regulation_id_number":"1218-AC88","title":"Procedures for the Handling of Retaliation Complaints Under the Employee Protection Provision of the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act ","checked_regulationsdotgov_at":"2017-01-03T06:00:21Z"},"regulations_dot_gov_url":null,"significant":true,"signing_date":null,"start_page":90196,"subtype":null,"title":"Procedures for Handling Retaliation Complaints Under Section 31307 of the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21)","toc_doc":"Procedures for Handling Retaliation Complaints under Section 31307 of Moving Ahead for Progress in 21st Century Act","toc_subject":null,"topics":["Administrative practice and procedure","Employment","Investigations","Reporting and recordkeeping requirements"],"type":"Rule","volume":81}