Author: Crystal Yates
On March 26, President Trump signed an executive order targeting diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) activities by federal contractors. This follows past executive orders, as reported by AGC, in which the Trump administration has targeted DEI programs pointing to increased costs and a commitment to restoring “merit-based” hiring. The new executive order directs federal agencies and firms that contract with them to adopt new contract language certifying that the contractor does not engage in what the Trump administration refers to as “racially discriminatory DEI.” Specifically, the new contract clause states: In connection with the performance of work under this contract,…
Join AGC of America on Tuesday, April 28, 2026 (8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. EDT) at the association’s headquarters in Arlington, VA, for a focused, peer-driven conversation on strengthening workplace culture and expanding opportunity in construction. This is not a traditional conference. It’s a highly interactive roundtable, capped at 30 participants, designed for professionals within AGC member firms who are people-focused roles inside their organizations. Participants will: This event is limited to AGC contractor members and is not open to industry consultants or non-members. Cost: $299 for AGC contractor members Register now.
AGC of America’s Union Contractors Committee met during the 2026 AGC Annual Convention, welcoming new committee chair Todd Doenitz of Barton Malow Company and establishing initial programming for the year ahead. As part of that effort, the Committee finalized the schedule for its 2026 quarterly town hall series. These virtual meetings are designed to provide a forum for discussing emerging labor trends, sharing insights, and connecting members on key issues facing union contractors. Registration is now open to hold your calendar, with agendas and guest speakers to be announced closer to each meeting date: Looking ahead, the Committee also announced…
The U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) Employment and Training Administration (ETA) has released new guidance on the Registered Apprenticeship system aimed at increasing clarity, improving consistency, and speeding up program approvals. While these updates could help some construction employers, their real impact might depend on how states and federal offices apply them. Key Updates: For more information, contact Claiborne Guy at claiborne.guy@agc.org.
AGC recently joined the H-2B Workforce Coalition in a letter to Congress urging the inclusion of meaningful H-2B cap relief in the Fiscal 2027 Department of Homeland Security appropriations bill by exempting from the annual cap H-2B workers employed by certified seasonal employers that have used the program reliably in the past and are committed to maintaining a legal workforce. The program’s congressionally mandated cap of 66,000 visas is inadequate to meet the seasonal needs of small businesses. The supplemental visas authorized by Congress and made available by the Department of Homeland Security under its current authority have been helpful,…
AGC will kick off Earth Week with a town hall to help make sense of carbon reporting within the context of construction. AGC’s Climate Change Working Group co-chairs—Fernando Arias with HITT and Julianne Laue with JE Dunn—will delve into a new AGC resource “Carbon Reporting Flow Charts.” The flow charts present questions and considerations on carbon emissions data organized by the commonly used “scopes” framework developed by the Greenhouse Gas Protocol. Reserve your spot on the town hall for Monday, April 20, 2026, from 2:00-3:00PM ET. The town hall will explore: Town hall participants will receive an advance copy of the “Carbon Reporting Flow Charts,” which AGC will…
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is requesting feedback on the Nationwide Permits (NWP) program, which allows types of activities with minimal impacts on water resources to move forward without a time-consuming individual permit. At the urging of AGC of America and coalition partners, the Corps renewed the NWPs before they lapsed and provided this opportunity to explore improvements. The Corps is seeking specific and general feedback on the NWP program. The NWPs began as a streamlining tool for the Clean Water Act section 404 dredge and fill/wetlands permitting. Over the decades, administrations have made the program more complex with…
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit on March 6, 2026, issued a ruling in Brown-Forman Corp. v. National Labor Relations Board. Consistent with the position taken by AGC and coalition partners in an amicus brief in the case, the court held that the bargaining order standard established by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB or Board) in its controversial 2023 Cemex decision was invalid. The Brown-Forman case arose after employer Brown-Forman, owner of Woodford Reserve distillery, implemented a “velvet glove” strategy to discourage workers from supporting a union representation campaign, including promising an across-the-board raise, loosening vacation restrictions,…
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Department of Labor (DOL) announced that they will make an additional 64,716 H-2B temporary nonagricultural worker visas available for Fiscal Year 2026. All of these supplemental visas will be available only to those American businesses that are suffering or will suffer impending irreparable harm, i.e., those facing permanent and severe financial loss, as attested by the employer. These supplemental visas will be distributed in three allocations based on the petitioner’s start date of need through the end of the fiscal year. The H-2B program allows U.S. employers who meet specific regulatory requirements to…
The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) recently announced that, effective May 11, 2026, the Executive Order 13658federal contractor minimum wage rate will increase to $13.65 per hour. This adjustment follows the March 14, 2025, revocation of Executive Order 14026 (which set a $15 indexed rate) by President Trump, which reinstated the lower, indexed wage floor from EO 13658. The $13.65 rate applies to federal contracts and subcontracts entered into between Jan. 1, 2015, and Jan. 29, 2022, that were not renewed or extended on or after Jan. 30, 2022. The new rate does not apply to federal contracts and subcontracts entered into after…