Author: agcnews
The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) posted updated and expanded technical assistance related to the COVID-19 pandemic, addressing questions about religious objections to employer COVID-19 vaccine requirements and how they interact with federal equal employment opportunity (EEO) laws. The expanded technical assistance provides new information about how Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 applies when an applicant or employee requests an exception from an employer’s COVID-19 vaccination requirement that conflicts with their sincerely held religious beliefs, practices, or observances. Title VII prohibits employment discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, and national origin. The key updates to the…
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) released a proposal on Nov. 18, 2021, that would return to the 1980’s regulatory framework, with some changes, on Waters of the United States (WOTUS). As previously reported in September, a district court vacated the 2020 Navigable Waters Protection Rule (NWPR), which the Biden Administration has interpreted as a nationwide vacatur. Since then, the regulated community has been following the 1980’s regulatory regime and guidance on relevant U.S. Supreme Court rulings. Earlier this summer, the U.S. EPA announced its intention to remove and replace the Trump Administration’s NWPR. The first step is the proposal the U.S. EPA just released…
There are significant flaws with the current 811 utility location system according to a new survey of construction firms that perform any kind of underground excavation released by the Associated General Contractors of America today. Most contractors say that calling 811 often leads to inaccurate line marking and that utility firms are often very slow in coming out to even do locate and mark their underground lines. “Construction firms are doing their part to avoid hitting utility lines, but the current 811 system appears to be badly flawed,” said Stephen E. Sandherr, the association’s chief executive officer. “Fixing the 811 system will…
AGC is working to block the inclusion of policies that would negatively impact military construction contractors in a final National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) bill—a must-pass, annual defense bill. The House of Representatives passed its version of the NDAA in September and the Senate is expected to begin floor debate on its version as soon as November 15. Among other things, these policies—if included in the final bill—would: require prime contractors and subcontractors to be licensed in the state of the military construction project; establish local hiring preferences; impose subjective criteria into the suspension and debarment process that would make it easier to blacklist…
On Monday, November 15, President Biden will sign the AGC-backed Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill, also known as the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), into law. This bill will become law after a determined effort by AGC and its members—sending nearly 100,000 messages to Congress—to push it over the top. As a reminder, AGC put together this summary and also this myth v. fact document. Additionally, a breakdown of what’s in the bill for each construction market can be found here: Highway Contractors; Utility Contractors; Direct Federal Contractors; Building Contractors; and Other Markets (Transit, Rail, Waterways, Airports). The IIJA is the most significant infusion of investment in our infrastructure since the…
On November 5, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) officially published its long anticipated COVID-19 vaccination and testing emergency temporary standard (ETS). AGC and other construction industry allies are preparing to see OSHA in court to defend the industry’s interests. In the meantime, to help AGC members digest this 490-page ETS, the association compiled a construction industry-oriented summary found HERE. In addition, AGC held a webinar series covering the practical, contractual, and outside solutions AGC members may want to consider. For more information, please contact Kevin Cannon at kevin.cannon@agc.org or Nazia Shah at nazia.shah@agc.org.
The history of the consulting constructor and their impact on this country and around world stands as a testament to the valued and unparalleled expertise which individuals have brought to the construction community. The purpose of the Council is to recognize those in our industry who have made significant contributions to the quality and professionalism associated with commercial construction professionals. Many in the industry have risen to prominence from small companies, while still others made their way in some of this country’s largest construction businesses. Yet today, and despite their chosen paths, each maintains an emphasis on quality of deliverables…
Rising construction materials prices appear to be starting to drive up the price of construction projects, according to an analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America of government data released today. Association officials noted that despite a big jump in what contractors charge for projects, the rise in materials prices is still much higher. “After being battered by unprecedented price increases for many materials, contractors are finally passing along more of their costs,” said Ken Simonson, the association’s chief economist. “Meanwhile, supply-chain bottlenecks and labor shortages continue to impede contractors’ ability to finish projects.” The producer price index for new nonresidential…
The chief executive officer of the Associated General Contractors of America, Stephen E. Sandherr, issued the following statement in reaction to the passage in the U.S. House of Representatives of the Bipartisan Infrastructure measure: “The reason the Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill passed in the House today is because a majority of Representatives understand that this measure will provide significant, tangible improvements to their lives of the constituents and the success of their local employers. That is because the bill provides the kind of funding needed to modernize the country’s aging and overburdened infrastructure. The legislation also maintains the policy of One…
The construction industry added 44,000 jobs between September and October as nonresidential construction firms posted back-to-back increases for the first time since January, according to an analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America of government data released today. Association officials said the employment gains were welcome news but cautioned that employment levels remain well-below pre-pandemic totals as firms struggle with supply chain problems, labor shortages and federal inaction on infrastructure funding. “It is encouraging to see continuing job growth in nonresidential construction but the industry remains far behind the overall economy in recovering all of the job losses from…