Labor laws are critical to ensuring fairness for workers, and they have an impact on the economy as they can impact output and employment trends. So our hugely-experienced Kiplinger Letter team will keep you abreast of the latest developments and forecasts in this sector (Get a free issue of The Kiplinger Letter or subscribe). You will get all the latest news first by subscribing, but we will publish many of the forecasts a few days afterward online. Here’s the latest…
California labor regulators are seeking the nation’s toughest lead regulations. Under the proposed rules, the allowable amount of workplace airborne lead would decline by 80%, and workers would be more quickly reassigned to jobs with less lead exposure upon reaching a certain threshold. Employees who work with lead would also face more stringent blood-lead-level testing requirements.
Officials cite new research on the harms of lead exposure, which finds that blood lead levels as low as 5 micrograms per deciliter have been associated with impaired kidney and reproductive function, high blood pressure and more.
Sign up for Kiplinger’s Free E-Newsletters
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and more - straight to your e-mail.
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice - straight to your e-mail.
The rules on the books now are designed to keep employee BLLs below 40 mpd and California regulators want to lower that threshold to less than 10 mpd.
Federal labor regulators are also working on new lead exposure rules. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration currently requires medical removal for workers with 60 micrograms of lead per deciliter in general industry, 50 mpd in construction. It’s unclear how low the feds will set their new standard.
This forecast first appeared in The Kiplinger Letter, which has been running since 1923 and is a collection of concise weekly forecasts on business and economic trends, as well as what to expect from Washington, to help you understand what’s coming up to make the most of your investments and your money. Subscribe to the Kiplinger Letter here.
-
Is Your Social Security Earnings Record Wrong? Here's How to Fix ItYour Social Security benefits are based on your Social Security earnings record. It's important to review your records to avoid having your benefits reduced.
-
Stock Market Today: Markets Discount Another U.S. DowngradeAfter Friday's closing bell, Moody's followed Standard & Poor's and Fitch and cut its rating on U.S. government debt.
-
The New AI Agents Will Tackle Your To-Do ListThe Kiplinger Letter Autonomous AI agents “see” your computer screen, then complete a task, from buying a concert ticket to organizing email. This opens up a world of possibilities.
-
AI’s Medical RevolutionThe Kiplinger Letter Medicine is a field ripe for finding both exciting and practical uses for AI. The tech is already being used by doctors and researchers.
-
The Economic Impact of the US-China Trade WarThe Letter The US-China trade war will impact US consumers and business. The decoupling process could be messy.
-
AI Heads to WashingtonThe Kiplinger Letter There’s big opportunity for AI tools that analyze MRIs and other medical images. But also big challenges that clinicians and companies will have to overcome.
-
The AI Doctor Coming to Read Your Test ResultsThe Kiplinger Letter There’s big opportunity for AI tools that analyze CAT scans, MRIs and other medical images. But there are also big challenges that human clinicians and tech companies will have to overcome.
-
The New Space Age Takes OffThe Kiplinger Letter From fast broadband to SOS texting, space has never been more embedded in peoples’ lives. The future is even more exciting for rockets, satellites and emerging space tech.
-
Rising AI Demand Stokes Undersea InvestmentsThe Kiplinger Letter As demand soars for AI, there’s a need to transport huge amounts of data across oceans. Tech giants have big plans for new submarine cables, including the longest ever.
-
What DOGE is Doing NowThe Kiplinger Letter As Musk's DOGE pursues its ambitious agenda, uncertainty and legal challenges are mounting — causing frustration for Trump.
