Author: agcnews

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is working on a new rule related to hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD), a flame retardant chemical that was used from the 1980s until 2017 as an additive to polystyrene to make insulation boards for construction. An EPA risk assessment showed that there is a potential for worker exposure to HBCD particles. EPA has asked AGC to identify small business construction representatives who can advise a panel of government lawmakers on their respective technical and financial abilities to meet clean-up or handling requirements that may be put in place regarding HBCD insulation board. If you are a small…

Construction Officials Say New Infrastructure Investments, Tariff Relief for Key Construction Materials are Needed to Help Contractors Cope with Continued Economic Impacts of the Pandemic Nonresidential construction spending fell to a two-year low in March as contractors struggled with slumping demand for most project types and growing shortages of materials, transport, and workers, according to an analysis of new federal construction spending data by the Associated General Contractors of America. Officials with the association said project cancellations and widespread supply chain problems are hindering the industry’s recovery. “Every major category of private nonresidential projects has declined over the past year, while…

After delaying the opening of the 2019 EEO-1 Component 1 Data Collections on May 8, 2020, in light of the COVID-19 public health emergency, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has announced that the 2019 and 2020 EEO-1 Component 1 data collection is now open. The EEO-1 is an annual survey that requires all private employers with 100 or more employees and federal government contractors or first-tier subcontractors with 50 or more employees and a contract/subcontract of $50,000 or more to file the EEO-1 report. The deadline for submitting 2019 and 2020 EEO-1 Component 1 data will be Monday, July 19,…

$15 on Federal Contracts Beginning in 2022 On Apr. 21, President Biden issued an Executive Order (EO) requiring federal contractors to pay a $15 minimum wage to employees working on federal contracts. The increase builds on a 2014 EO signed by President Barack Obama that previously raised the minimum wage for federal contractors to $10.10, indexed to inflation. President Biden’s E.O. orders all agencies by January 30, 2022, to incorporate a $15 minimum wage in new contract solicitations, and by March 30, 2022, all agencies will need to implement the $15 minimum wage into new contracts. The E.O. indexes the minimum wage to inflation…

Would Increase Taxes on Individuals, on Capital Gains & at Death On April 28, President Biden released his $2 trillion American Families Plan to expand federal spending on childcare, community college and paid leave programs. The plan, as outlined in a White House fact sheet, would be financed with a slew of new taxes and increased enforcement through the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). Workforce Development A brief outline of the labor and education proposals include two years of free community college, an expansion of Pell Grant funding and other educational programs. It is unclear how these initiatives could help with the…

AGC to Meet with White House On April 26, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) submitted its draft COVID-19 ETS to the White House for final review. The review process generally takes a few weeks to no more than 90 days. Given the pressure the White House is under from organized labor, worker advocacy groups and Democrats, it is expected that the review process will be expedited. While there has been very limited opportunity to engage in the rulemaking process, AGC, along with their coalition partners will meet with the White House on Friday, April 30 to raise concerns…

AGC Seeks Clarity on Conflicts Between CDC & OSHA Guidance On April 27, the CDC issued updated guidance for fully vaccinated individuals related to mask use, social distancing and COVID-19 testing requirements, among other things. The agency clarified that fully vaccinated people can, “visit with other fully vaccinated people without wearing a mask or social distancing” as well as “participate in outdoor activities and recreation without a mask, except in certain crowded settings and venues.” AGC expects the new guidance will create confusion among contractors and workers and has reached out to CDC and OSHA for clarification due to conflicts between the…

Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land and Odessa, Texas Have Worst 12-Month Employment Losses, While Seattle-Bellevue-Everett, Wash. and Sierra Vista-Douglas, Ariz. Lead List of 104 Metros with Job Gains Construction employment decreased from March 2020 to March 2021 in 203, or 57 percent, of the nation’s metro areas, according to an analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America of government employment data released today. Association officials said that the industry’s broader recovery in many parts of the country is being hampered by rising materials prices, supply chain disruptions and project cancellations. “Nearly twice as many metros have lost construction jobs as gained them in…

As the director of marketing and social media for Small Giants, Kimberly Werner has worked in the design and construction industry since 2003, joined Small Giants in 2009 and moved to Colorado in 2015 to lead the expansion of Small Giants in the Denver market. In addition to her day-to-day responsibilities of proposal development, websites and social media, she focuses on Denver’s business development to showcase Small Giants as an industry marketing expert. In addition to being an active member of the AGC America Business Development Forum Steering Committee, Kimberly serves as the Denver Chapter President of the BD Guild, Communications Chair of the…

Christina Pasquariello, Project Manager for P. Agnes, Inc. in Philadelphia, has been a member of GBCA’s Construction Leadership Council Steering Committee since 2019. She also sits on GBCA’s Membership Committee, which leads GBCA’s member recruitment and retention programs. Christina’s interest in construction began at a young age, when her father, Patrick Pasquariello, III (pictured with Christina), would take her to job sites on the weekends. Early on, she knew that she wanted to work in the family business and follow in her father’s footsteps. Like many construction professionals in family businesses, she earned a degree outside of construction (in her…