Author: agcnews
Construction employment edged up by 2,000 jobs between March and April as contractors scrambled to find workers in an increasingly tight labor market, according to an analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America of new government data. Association leaders urged officials in Washington to address both short- and long-term worker shortages with expanded permits for foreign-born workers and support for career training and education to enable more workers to acquire the skills for high-paying construction careers. “The pause in employment gains last month most likely signifies a shortage of qualified workers, rather than any slowdown in demand for projects,”…
On April 28, the Department of Transportation (DOT) published a request for comment on proposing to issue a transitional waiver to comply with the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law’s new Buy America requirements. Here’s what to know: AGC supports this move by the Department and will voice that during the comment period. At a time when transportation contractors are still facing historic disruptions to the material supply chain, it is self-evident that more time and collaboration among industry partners is needed to be able to meet these new requirements.
Spending on most categories of nonresidential and multifamily construction declined from February to March as contractors struggled to find enough workers and get timely deliveries of materials, according to an analysis the Associated General Contractors of America released today regarding federal spending data. Association leaders urged Washington officials to end tariffs on construction materials and widen the opportunities for gaining the skills for rewarding careers in construction. “Contractors continue to report strong demand for most types of structures, with few owners canceling or postponing planned projects,” said Ken Simonson, the association’s chief economist. “But worker shortages and supply-chain problems, from…
DHS is ending the COVID-19 Temporary Policy for List B Identity Documents. Beginning May 1, employers will no longer be able to accept expired List B documents. DHS adopted the temporary policy in response to the difficulties many individuals experienced with renewing documents during the COVID-19 pandemic. Now that document-issuing authorities have reopened and/or provided alternatives to in-person renewals, DHS will end this flexibility. Starting May 1, 2022, employers must only accept unexpired List B documents. If an employee presented an expired List B document between May 1, 2020, and April 30, 2022, employers are required to update their Forms I-9…
The Department of Justice (DOJ) recently announced that it has published guidance on how the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) protects people with opioid use disorder (OUD) who are in treatment or recovery, including those who take medication to treat their OUD. The publication, “The Americans with Disabilities Act and the Opioid Crisis: Combating Discrimination Against People in Treatment or Recovery,” is intended to help people with OUD who are in treatment or recovery understand their rights under federal law and to provide guidance to entities covered by the ADA about how to comply with the law. The guidance document explains how the ADA…
The Construction Labor Research Council (CLRC) has released its annual report on Union Labor Costs in Construction. The report covers trends in collectively bargained compensation in the industry, providing data analyses by region, time, and trade. It can be a valuable resource when preparing for collective bargaining negotiations, particularly when used in conjunction with CLRC’s latest Settlements Report. The report shows 55 percent of the total package rates paid in 2021 fell in the $50.01–$70.00 range, and 85 percent in the $40.01-$80.00 range. The total package covers all negotiated employer payments, including wages, fringe benefits, and such additional payments as contributions to…
The University of Massachusetts Amherst, as well as Kansas State University and Boise State University were named the nation’s most outstanding student construction chapters of 2021, the Associated General Contractors of America announced today. The student chapters were each honored for one of three categories: Emerging Student Chapter Award, Community Service Award and Construction Management Skills Award. “These student chapters offer a vital connection between the future leaders of our industry and the construction employers of today,” said Bob Lanham, the association’s former president and president of Williams Brothers Construction Co., Inc. in Houston, Texas. “These three student chapters stand out for their commitment…
With the federal government seeking to mandate the use of project labor agreements (PLAs) in federal construction, AGC of America needs members’ help in providing information about the impact of PLA mandates on their business. The association is presently asking members to complete the survey here to provide such information. On February 4, Pres. Biden signed Executive Order 14063 which will require every federal prime contractor and subcontractor to engage in negotiation over or agree to PLAs on federal construction projects valued at $35 million or more. (For more information on the order, see AGC Memo: What Federal Contractors Should Know About the New PLA…
Rachel Wilber is currently a senior estimator for Walbridge with more than a decade of construction experience. Her construction experience and estimating expertise has supported constructing some of the largest manufacturing facilities across the U.S. including several Fortune 500 customers in the industrial, industrial process, and commercial market sectors. A graduate of Michigan State University’s Construction Management Program in May 2011, Rachel’s spent her career at Walbridge – starting in the company’s internship program. Rachel has been active with the Associated General Contractors of Michigan and became involved with the national level of AGC in 2020 when she joined the…
El Paso’s Veliz Construction was named as the 2022 Diverse Business of the Year award winner by the Associated General Contractors of America, association officials announced today. The association also awarded Diversity and Inclusion Excellence Awards, which are sponsored by WTW, to Austin Commercial, Hensel Phelps, Millstone Weber, LLC, and Central Builders. “These awards recognize firms that are doing an outstanding job recruiting, retaining and engaging workers of all backgrounds,” said Bob Lanham, the association’s former president and president of Williams Brothers Construction Co., Inc. in Houston, Texas. “More important, they are designed to inspire and instruct other firms in how to…