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0 2019

The U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) Wage and Hour Division (WHD) published a proposed rule concerning the process and criteria used to determine a worker’s classification as an employee or an independent contractor under the Fair Labor Standards Act and related federal laws.

This proposed rule would rescind DOL’s 2024 Final Rule addressing the classification of independent contractors and replace it with an analysis for employee classification similar to the one adopted by DOL in 2021. The classification analysis in the proposed rule would:

  • Apply an “economic reality” test to determine whether a worker is in business for himself or herself as an independent contractor or is an employee economically dependent on an employer for work;
  • Identify and explain two “core factors” to help determine if a worker is economically dependent on an employer for work or in business for him- or herself:
    • The nature and degree of control over the work; and
    • The worker’s opportunity for profit or loss based on initiative and/or investment;
  • Identify other factors to help determine a worker’s status as an employee or independent contractor, including the amount of skill required for the work, degree of permanence of the working relationship, and whether the work is part of an integrated unit of production;
  • Advise that the actual practice of the worker and the potential employer is more relevant than what may be contractually or theoretically possible; and
  • Provide eight fact-specific examples applying the factors to real-life circumstances.

Last year, DOL published guidance advising WHD field staff on the analysis to apply when determining employee or independent contractor status. That guidance instructed agency investigators to stop applying the analysis from DOL’s 2024 rule in current enforcement matters but, instead, rely on the principles outlined in Field Assistance Bulletin No. 2025-1 and Fact Sheet #13.

The 2024 final rule prompted a number of federal lawsuits challenging its legality. As a result, DOL said last year that it would be “…reconsidering the 2024 Rule, including whether to rescind the regulation.”

DOL will be accepting comments on this proposed rule through 11:59 pm (ET) April 28, 2026.

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Press release by McAuley Ministries: Published February 26, 2026

Excerpt below:

PITTSBURGH (February 26, 2026) – McAuley Ministries, Pittsburgh Mercy’s grant-making foundation, awarded 29 grants totaling over $2 million. The grants help fund capacity building, education, empowerment, essential needs & social services, legacy programs, and whole-person health initiatives in Pittsburgh’s Hill District, Uptown, and West Oakland communities, its three focus neighborhoods, collectively referred to as the Mercy Corridor.

 

0 2135

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has released the calendar year (CY) 2026 KX modifier threshold amounts for therapy services.

The CY 2026 KX modifier threshold amount is $2,480 for:

  • Physical therapy and speech-language pathology services combined; and
  • Occupational therapy services.

Additional information on this topic is provided below:

Therapy Services web page, including CY 2026:

0 605

The Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) has shared communication ODPANN 26-029. The purpose of this communication is to announce that new live case study sessions for the AR Course are now available, featuring a new case study that allows participants to actively engage and apply their learning. The AR course page can be accessed by using the AR Training link and logging into MyODP.

Registration for the case study sessions is currently scheduled for:

  • Tuesday, April 28, 2026 (1:00 pm – 4:00 pm)
  • Wednesday, June 10, 2026 (9:00 am – 12:00 pm)

Please review the announcement for more details.

0 652

The Pennsylvania Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs is awarding more than $100,000 to community-based organizations serving 10 counties to assist with their efforts in reducing the stigma associated with substance use disorder (SUD).

Pennsylvania’s statewide anti-stigma campaign, Life Unites Us, addresses stigma by investing in those who are doing the work at the local level. By prioritizing compassionate, judgment-free care, DDAP intends to help more Pennsylvanians access life-saving resources and achieve recovery.

Life Unites Us (LUU) is a research-driven campaign that uses social media to spread stories of individuals in recovery, their family members, and allies who support those with SUD. In addition to offering stigma reduction grants, LUU gives local organizations an opportunity to learn through webinars, fosters community partnerships to promote recovery-focused support at the local level, and maintains an interactive data dashboard detailing the campaign’s progress.

The following community-based organizations will receive up to $29,000 each to help fund stigma reduction:

Read the full press release.

0 820

The Pennsylvania Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs (DDAP) State Epidemiological Outcomes Workgroup (SEOW), in partnership with the Department of Community Health and Prevention at Drexel University’s Dornsife School of Public Health, has released a new report, “Housing Access Among People Who Use Drugs in Pennsylvania.” The report explores the intersection of homelessness and substance use across the Commonwealth.

Key topics include:

  • Prevalence of homelessness in the United States and Pennsylvania;
  • Substance use among people experiencing homelessness in the United States and Pennsylvania;
  • Housing availability;
  • Results from a survey of 137 housing providers assessing availability and barriers for people who use drugs; and
  • Best practices for increasing housing access for people who use drugs.

SEOW brings together governmental and non-governmental partners statewide to inform state and community decisions on substance use and behavioral health programs, practices, and policies across Pennsylvania. To view previous SEOW reports, visit DDAP’s Document Library.

0 558

The Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) is happy to announce a new resource: “Communicating with Individuals who are Blind or have a Vision Impairment.” This resource provides some basic information on vision, the most common eye disorders, and how they impact a person’s vision, as well as strategies for effective communication when supporting these individuals.

The key to achieving effective communication with a person with vision impairment is to consciously accept the responsibility for it. How an individual is impacted will vary and communication access depends on individual needs, looking different for each person. ODP hopes this resource will provide valuable information on communicating and supporting individuals with a visual impairment. Please contact the ODP Special Populations Unit with any questions.

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