Author: agcnews

In the latest setback in the administration of the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced on November 18, via Revenue Ruling 2020-27, that expenses funded through a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan are not deductible for this tax year if “the taxpayer reasonably expects to receive forgiveness of the covered loan on the basis of the expenses it paid or accrued during the covered period, even if the taxpayer has not submitted an application for forgiveness of the covered loan by the end of such taxable year” (emphasis added). AGC is opposed to this IRS position and will continue to fight for…

Part of AGC Charities’ annual Operation Opening Doors project, local volunteer general contractors led by Penta Building Group renovated the Las Vegas Rescue Mission, the downtown homeless shelter. Before the remodeling, it had just one bathroom to serve 88 guests in the women and children portion of the facility. The renovations were made possible by donations and voluntary construction work from Penta Building Group, a general contractor, and AGC Charities Inc., a national construction philanthropy organization. The two companies partnered to provide the means for the two new bathrooms, upgraded windows, roofing, doors, plumbing, lighting, a new security system, additional storage and…

In addition to the federal, state, and local political races that were decided on Election Day 2020, many state and local transportation initiatives were taken up by voters across the country. While a few major transportation initiatives failed, the majority received a positive vote. Below is a sampling of all the transportation funding initiatives that were approved or rejected by voters this election season. Statewide Financing Initiatives Transit Initiatives Bonding Measures As AGC continues to advocate for solvency of the federal highway trust fund and pushes for higher federal investment in our nation’s infrastructure, we recognize the importance that each…

As previously reported, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is planning to require all recipients of loans of $2 million or more to complete a questionnaire to demonstrate the need for their loan. This form, based on versions leaked to the media and still in the works, appears to arbitrarily mandate that many borrowers provide proprietary financial information to the SBA. To be certain, AGC of America remains committed to confirming that construction firms were eligible for PPP loans and loan forgiveness as Congress intended under the CARES Act. And we remain committed to blocking the SBA’s efforts to disregard the…

The Associated General Contractors of America’s chief executive officer, Stephen E. Sandherr, issued the following statement in reaction to the election of Joseph Biden to serve as the next president of the United States: “Congratulations to President-elect Biden and all newly elected and re-elected members of Congress. We are ready to work with the incoming administration and Congress to help craft an agenda that is focused in rebuilding infrastructure and reviving the national economy. To that end, we are eager to work with the president-elect as he and his team fashion their promised infrastructure investment proposals. In addition, we look…

Construction employment increased by 84,000 jobs in October, with jobs added in both nonresidential and residential categories, according to an analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America of government data released today. Association officials cautioned, however, that the pandemic is causing a growing number of construction projects to be canceled or delayed, according to a survey the association released in late October. “The employment data for October is good news, but our latest survey found that only a minority of contractors expect to add to their workforce in the next 12 months,” said Ken Simonson, the association’s chief economist. “As project…

Oregon voters became the first in the nation to decriminalize possession of “hard drugs” and thus making it easier to use illegal substances leading to safety and health implications. In addition, the measure could contribute to the workforce shortage when the industry resumes hiring. Florida voters approved raising the state minimum wage to $15 an hour, joining 8 other states and DC. In another sign of the times, Colorado voters approved a Paid Family and Medical Leave Insurance Program, making it the first state to do so through ballot initiative, and the ninth plus DC with state paid family leave law in the country. There…

The U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) Wage and Hour Division (WHD) recently issued two new opinion letters. Of particular interest is opinion letter FLSA2020-16 addressing compensability of employee travel time in certain situations involving construction sites located away from the employer’s principal place of business. Specifically, the letter discusses the compensability of a non-exempt (e.g., overtime-eligible) foremen and laborer’s travel time under the Fair Labors Standards Act (FLSA). An opinion letter is an official document authored by WHD on how a particular law applies in specific circumstances presented by the person or entity requesting the letter. Opinion letters represent official statements of agency…

On Oct. 26, U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) announced that Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) lenders would send a questionnaire to PPP borrowers who received a principal loan amount of $2 million or more and have to return a completed questionnaire in ten days. No questionnaire had been released until late on Oct. 30, when Politico released what appears to be a leaked version of the questionnaire, found here. As of this moment, the SBA has neither verified the Politico released questionnaire nor released an official one. The questionnaire is subject to review by and final approval of the White House Office of Management…

Four states (Arizona, Montana, New Jersey, and South Dakota) approved recreational use of marijuana while Mississippi approved use of medical marijuana in ballot measures on Tuesday. The additions on Tuesday make 15 states and DC with legalized marijuana. Federal attempts to decriminalize and legalize marijuana are on the horizon. The U.S. House of Representatives is expected to eventually consider the MORE Act, which would remove federal penalties for marijuana use. AGC continues to advocate for the ability for employers to maintain drug free workplaces. The association remains concerned over the implications of the MORE Act and the impact marijuana legalization use could have on workplace safety. Marijuana negatively impacts attention…