Author: agcnews
All Employers 100+ Must Ensure Vaccinated or Tested Weekly On September 9, President Biden announced a new plan to require all federal employees and federal contractors to be vaccinated against COVID-19. Additionally, the plan will also require all employers with 100 or more employees to ensure their workforces are vaccinated or require weekly testing. The new plan is a significant shift from the Administration’s previous policy announced in July that required only federal employees and “onsite contractors” to be required to attest to being vaccinated or to be subject to protective measures, such as wearing a mask and regular testing. Fundamental questions remain unanswered,…
On September 9, the House Committee on Ways and Means, which has jurisdiction over tax policy, began consideration of its share of President Biden’s American Families Plan. The final price tag of the overall legislation is still being negotiated by the House and Senate, as moderate Democrats, such as Senator Joe Manchin of West Virginia, are seeking to scale back the size and scope of the legislation. This will have significant bearing on how large the overall package of tax increases will be that the Ways and Means Committee will consider. Currently, the Committee is scheduled to release their draft proposal of…
Includes AGC-Opposed PRO Act Provisions and More On September 8, House Democrats released legislative text detailing their labor priorities under consideration for inclusion in a $3.5 trillion human infrastructure bill. Included in that legislative text are AGC-opposed PRO Act provisions such as holding officers and directors personally liable for unfair labor violations, imposing civil fines up to as much as $100,000 for certain violations, and adding employer prohibitions on replacing striking workers, certain lockouts, and class action arbitration agreements. The legislative text also puts forth provisions increasing funding for federal enforcement agencies (such as the Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health…
Association Officials Urge Congress to Finish Work on Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill to Boost Demand for Nonresidential Construction and Fund Career and Technical Education Programs to Add to Worker Supply The construction industry lost 3,000 jobs between July and August as ongoing declines in nonresidential segments offset a pickup among residential building and remodeling firms, according to an analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America of government data released today. Association officials said their newly released survey shows many contractors are eager to hire but are encountering a lack of qualified applicants and supply-chain delays that are holding back nonresidential employment gains.…
Rep. Anthony Brown (D-Md.) Joins AGC for Tour On August 26, AGC, working with Gilbane Construction and the Prince George County School System in Maryland, led Rep. Anthony Brown (D-Md.) on a tour of the Walker Hill Middle School construction project. The project, which is part of a $1.2 billion public private partnership to design, build, operate, and maintain six schools for Prince George County, provided AGC with an opportunity to talk to Rep. Brown about the potential benefits of this type of project delivery and federal legislation that would provide additional financial tools for such projects. AGC discussed legislation, introduced…
Every State will See Benefits from this Historic Level of Investment This week the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) released a state-by-state survey of the benefits of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). The complete survey can be found here. The White House also released state fact sheets outlining the needs and funding each state would receive. AGC also put together these summaries by market: Highway Contractors, Utility Contractors, Direct Federal Contractors, and Other Transportation Contractors. The IIJA already passed the U.S. Senate with bipartisan support on August 10 and is awaiting a vote before the U.S. House of Representatives.
AGC Submits Regulatory Comments On August 27, AGC submitted regulatory comments in response to the U.S. Department of Labor’s proposed rule to implement and enforce Executive Order 14026, “Increasing the Minimum Wage for Federal Contractors,” signed by President Biden on April 27. This Executive Order and its enacting regulations will: The proposed rule generally followed the provisions of the previous rulemaking increasing the minimum wage for federal contractors and retains existing guidelines and definitions. Among its comments, AGC called on regulators to: For more information, contact Claiborne Guy at claiborne.guy@agc.org or 703-837-5382 or Jordan Howard at Jordan.howard@agc.org or 703-837-5368.
Eighty-Nine Percent of Contractors Are Having a Hard Time Finding Craft Workers, While 88 Percent of Firms Are Experiencing Project Delays and 93 Percent Are Affected by Rising Materials Prices Construction firms are struggling to find enough qualified workers to hire even as they continue to be impacted by pandemic-induced project delays and supply chain disruptions, according to the results of a workforce survey conducted by the Associated General Contractors of America and Autodesk. The survey results underscore how the coronavirus pandemic has created constraints on the demand for work even as it limits the number of workers available to hire. “Market…
Contractors may have millions of dollars of equipment, tools and materials stored on their job sites. On this episode, John Wallen of HUB International discusses how to position your firm to best manage the risk of theft. That includes being aware of the coverage details of your insurance policies, taking a multi-layered approach to keeping sites secure and deterring theft, and considering “Internet of Things” (IoT)-based solutions. Also hear tips and best practices on filing a theft report and insurance claim. Guest:John Wallen CPCU, Vice President at HUB International, Wisconsin Construction Industry Practice Leaderwww.hubinternational.com Resources:Best Practices for Deterring Crime at…
Long Requested New Selection Methodology Also Finally Published The Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) has published the latest Corporate Scheduling Announcement List (CSAL) for construction contractors, which is comprised of 400 federal contractors, federally assisted contractors and subcontractors. After years and multiple requests from AGC of America, OFCCP has also finally released the methodology for developing the list as well as frequently asked questions (FAQs) where answers to other matters related to the topic are included. The CSAL is a courtesy notification providing contractors at least 45-days advance notice to prepare for the compliance evaluation. OFCCP encourages contractors to take advantage of…