On December 21, 2011, the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") adopted its final rules to implement Section 1503 of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (the "Act"), which requires mine operators to disclose certain mine safety. While the mine safety disclosure requirements set forth in Section 1503 of the Act became effective on August 20, 2010, the SEC issued the Final Rules in order to facilitate consistent compliance with the Act's requirements and to codify amendments to Forms 8-K, 10-Q, 10-K, 20-F and 40-F.

The IRS has issued a New Year's gift in the form of new and improved guidance for employers preparing to gather 2012 data on the cost of employer-sponsored group health coverage for its employees. Most employers will be required to report the cost of group health plan coverage on 2012 Forms W-2 to be issued in January of 2013. Employers may choose to provide this information on a voluntary basis for 2011 reporting. There are some exemptions from this reporting requirement, most notably for employers filing fewer than 250 Forms W-2 in the previous year.

The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) on December 23 announced that it has agreed to postpone the effective date of its new notice-posting rule from January 31 until April 30, 2012. The NLRB's website notice said that the postponement "would facilitate the resolution of the legal challenges that have been filed with respect to the rule."