Labor & Employment Law Daily Wrap Up, LABOR NEWS—DOL self-audit programs provide support, tools to employers, (Jul 25, 2025)
Organizations Mentioned:Employee Benefits Security Administration | Office of Labor-Management Standards
By Patricia K. Ruiz, J.D.
The programs relate to compliance with federal labor laws related to benefits, safety and health, and labor management.
New self-audit programs announced by the Department of Labor (DOL) purport to aid employers, unions, and pension plans in voluntarily assessing and improving their compliance with federal labor laws. According to the announcement, the programs are intended to reduce the likelihood of formal investigation or litigation while enhancing worker protections.
Benefits. The Employee Benefits Security Administration (ESBA) offers two self-correction programs for fiduciaries and benefits plan administrators. The Voluntary Fiduciary Correction Program encourages employers and plan officials to voluntarily correct violations of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act; the Delinquent Filer Voluntary Compliance program encourages voluntary compliance with ERISA’s annual reporting requirements and offers incentives, such as lower penalties, to late filers.
Safety and health. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) expanded its Voluntary Protection Programs to help businesses develop strong safety programs and lower injury rates, allowing them to undergo regular self-evaluations and avoid routine inspections. OSHA is also increasing its efforts to support voluntary compliance through its On-Site Consultation Program, which offers no-cost, confidential safety and health services to small and medium-sized businesses. The Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) created the Compliance Assistance in Safety and Health program, which provides resources to mining operations via an information hub on the MSHA.gov website.
Labor management, USERRA, and pay. The Office of Labor-Management Standards (OLMS) administers the Voluntary Compliance Partnership program to help unions assess their compliance with the Labor-Management Reporting and Disclosure Act, and the Veterans’ Employment and Training Service’s new Support and Assistance for Leaders in USERRA Training and Employment (SALUTE) program aids employers in proactively reviewing their policies and practices under the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act. Finally, the Wage and Hour Division (WHD) restarted its Payroll Audit Independent Determination program, which enables employers to self-identify and resolve minimum wage, overtime, and leave violations.
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