Expanding ‘religious’ exemptions for vendors

      The Labor Dept. proposed a controversial rulemaking to expand existing religious exemption laws for federal contractors. Under the new rule, potentially many more federal vendors would qualify for religious exemptions, which previously would have conflicted with equal employment opportunity rules.

      For example, under the new rule “religious contractors” can limit their hiring to people who share their religion and their beliefs.

      “This proposed rule is certainly controversial, and may face substantial challenges if enacted,” Venable LLP wrote in a blog.

Read more:
Venable blog entry:https://bit.ly/2lYKbOE
FedRegister notice of proposed rulemaking: https://bit.ly/2lKreiU

24 FAST awards go to small biz organizations

      The SBA handed out 24 grants of up to $125,000 each under its Federal and State Technology Partnership Program (FAST). The goal is to help underrepresented entrepreneurs in the SBIR and STTR programs commercialize their research products. The grants went to these organizations:

• U. of Arkansas at Little Rock
• The Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade
• Connecticut Innovations Inc.
• Hawaii Technology Development Corporation (HTDC)
• Northeast Indiana Innovation Center
• Wichita State U. (KS)
• Louisiana Business & Technology Center/LSU
• Maryland Technology Development Corporation (TEDCO)
• Minnesota High Tech Association
• Innovate Mississippi
• The Curators of the U. of Missouri, Office of Sponsored Programs
• Montana State U.
• Nebraska Business Dev. Center, U. of Nebraska at Omaha;
• U. of Nevada, Reno
• Arrowhead Center at New Mexico State U.
• First Flight Venture Center Inc. (NC)
• Ohio Aerospace Institute
• U. of Oklahoma Tom Love Innovation Hub
• VertueLab (OR)
• U. of South Carolina
• Launch Tennessee
• Center for Innovative Technology (VA)
• TechConnect West Virginia
• U. of Wyoming SBDC

DOL tweaks Job Corps RFP authority

      In a direct final rule, the Labor Dept. made two procedural changes to its Job Corps regulations to allow the Secretary to delegate authority for developing and issuing requests for proposals for Job Corps services. The goal is partially greater flexibility for Job Corps executives. The rule will be effective Oct. 28 unless there is significant pushback.

Read more at:
FedRegister final rule and request for comment: https://bit.ly/2kEJaLH

Inside this Edition:

SBA lacks effective controls on mentors and proteges, IG says

DUNS change raises issues

Category management small biz share drops

Employer of blind workers cuts 47 jobs; judge backs SDVOSBs

Gaps in mentored joint ventures?

Column: Put a Time for a Check-Up on Your Calendar Now

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