Author: clara.kinney@agc.org
The U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division recently published a proposed rule designed to help workers and employers better understand when a worker is an employee under the Fair Labor Standards Act and when he or she may be properly classified as an independent contractor. The proposed rule would rescind the department’s 2024 rule addressing the classification of independent contractors and replace it with an analysis similar to the one adopted by the department in the first Trump administration in 2021 which AGC supported. AGC also joined in a legal challenge to the 2024 rule. The analysis in…
Congress continues to work towards reauthorization of a new surface transportation bill. In Part 4 of our Road to Reauthorization series, we focused on protecting workers in highway work zones. But before crews can even get to the job site, many projects spend years stuck in environmental review and permitting. AGC members are ready to build. The funding provided by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act created opportunity across the country. The problem is that too often projects are delayed by lengthy National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) reviews, overlapping federal permits, and lawsuits challenging those decisions. Every delay increases costs,…
If you work in construction, your livelihood is shaped by public policy. Decisions made in Washington, D.C., and in state capitals affect what you build, how fast you can build it, and how much uncertainty you face along the way. That is why voting in 2026 matters for professionals in the industry, and why AGC of America’s Election Center makes it easy to take part. From infrastructure funding and permitting timelines to workforce programs and regulations, elections shape the environment you work in every day. When you vote, you are helping determine the future of your projects, your business, and…
Get hands-on with the full heavy highway civil estimating workflow in this three-part, highly interactive Estimating with Impact – Heavy Highway Civil Estimating workshop. From interpreting plan sets to running bid simulations, you’ll strengthen your preconstruction foundation while learning to spot risk, structure your approach, and use modern tools. Develop core estimating skills for heavy highway civil projects such as earthwork, paving, structures, and utilities delivered through modern risk-analysis and AI workflows. Participation in this workshop is for one person per registration. Member price is $950, Non-member price is $1100. For more information, please contact Babs Parnarouskis.
At a February 24 hearing before the U.S. House Committee on Small Business, Mike Gibson, Executive Vice President of the Associated General Contractors (AGC) of Kansas, testified on the critical role career and technical education (CTE) programs play in supporting economic development and addressing workforce needs in the construction industry. Gibson highlighted AGC of Kansas’ workforce development initiative, Build Up Kansas, as a model for connecting students to high-demand careers in construction while equipping them with valuable technical and life skills. During his testimony, Gibson offered several recommendations for Congress to better align federal policy with employer needs. These included:…
On February 20, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a decision holding that the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) does NOT authorize the President to impose tariffs. However, the Court did not order refunds or set a refund process for tariffs already paid. Any tariff refunds (if they occur) would generally run through normal Customs processes and typically go back to the importer of record who paid the tariff invoice (usually not the contractor). AGC of America is still actively analyzing the effects of the ruling, but below are the top-level takeaways for members. This decision is specific to IEEPA-based…
On February 24, President Donald Trump delivered the longest State of the Union address in recent history, at one hour and forty-seven minutes. He hit on a wide array of topics from energy, national security, voter fraud, healthcare, and more. AGC breaks down for you the parts of the speech that impact construction: Praise for the Economy and Construction. The President opened by touting a “roaring economy” and growth in construction employment. In addition, he touted the tax cuts provided under the One Big Beautiful Bill, which prevented most construction companies from facing on average a 20% tax hike. He…
The House and Senate have begun undertaking reauthorization of the “Water Resources Development Act” (WRDA). WRDA must be reauthorized every two years, and it provides critical funding for our nation’s water resources infrastructure. The bill is traditionally passed with broad bipartisan support and ensures the United States’ ability to engage in the robust economic activity that sustains and supports Americans working in all sectors of the economy. AGC of America has published recommendations that Congress should consider when crafting the next WRDA. Our recommendations call for Congress to: A detailed list with more information on AGC’s WRDA priorities may be…
In previous installments of AGC’s Road to Reauthorization series, we examined the Highway Trust Fund, funding structures, and financing tools. Equally critical to the next reauthorization is ensuring that the men and women building our nation’s infrastructure are better protected in highway work zones. An AGC survey found that 60% of highway contractors reported motor vehicle crashes in their work zones during the past year. Even more concerning, 98% reported that work zones are either as dangerous or more dangerous than they were a year ago. While federal agencies have taken steps to improve roadway safety, too often the focus…
The application of the Davis-Bacon and Related Acts (DBRA) to federal and federally assisted construction projects often leaves many contractors uncertain about the requirements of federal prevailing wage laws and the consequences of non-compliance. Failure to comply puts covered contractors at risk of catastrophic consequences, from losing money on contracts due to failure to understand labor costs, to high-dollar back pay and related penalties, to debarment from future federal work. This three-part webinar series seeks to help such contractors avoid these risks by educating staff responsible for DBRA compliance and administration on coverage, requirements, pitfalls, and enforcement of these laws.…