The COVID-relief bill moving through Congress does not include a federal paid leave mandate. However, it does include an extension of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) refundable tax credits from March 31, 2021 through September 30, 2021 for those employers that follow those expired mandates. Additional information and guidance on FFCRA and the tax credits can be found on the Department of Labor website and Internal Revenue Service website. However, the tax credits included in the COVID-relief bill would also increase the amount of wages for which an employer may claim the paid family credit in a year from $10,000 to $12,000 per employee while also expanding the reasons for leave. Employers with over 500 employees would still be ineligible for tax credits. The broader COVID-relief bill is under restrictive and specific procedural rules that prohibit legislators from resurrecting and enhancing the FFCRA paid leave mandates. The legislation could become law as early as March. AGC fully expects future legislative attempts to impose federal paid leave mandates on employers.

On February 10, the House Ways and Means Committee approved legislation, as part of the broader Biden Administration COVID-relief legislation, that would extend the Employee Retention Tax Credit (ERTC) through December 31, 2021. Previously, AGC supported the expansion and extension of the ERTC in the end-of-year (2020) COVID relief bill, which boosted the credit for eligible employers from $5,000 per year to $7,000 per quarter and extended its availability through June 31, 2021. The Biden Administration and Democrats in Congress have made it a priority to pass further COVID relief before enhanced unemployment benefits expire on March 14. AGC anticipates this provision to be included in any final package.

Webinar Playback and Q&A Document Now Available

Newly Introduced PRO Act and Congressional Efforts to Discriminate Against Certain Construction Training Programs Likely to Disrupt Ongoing Projects and Undermine Efforts to Prepare New Workers

On Feb. 3, the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works held a hearing for Michael Regan on his nomination for Administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

AGC concerned not all registered apprenticeship programs eligible for benefits

The AGC Construction Safety Excellence Awards (CSEA), sponsored by Willis Towers Watson, is the industry’s elite safety excellence awards program. The CSEA recognizes companies that have developed and implemented premier safety and risk control programs and showcases companies that have achieved continuous improvement and maintenance of their safety and health management systems. Don’t miss this opportunity to be recognized for your best-in-class safety program! For more information on the CSEA program, please visit www.agc.org/csea. The deadline for submitting applications is Wednesday, March 31, 2021.

Measure Denies Workers Absolute Right to Secret and Fair Union Elections, Forces Them to Become the Victims of Union Disputes, Will Unleash Strikes and Disruptions that Will Kill Jobs, Hurt Recovery

AGC is requesting presentation proposals covering construction safety and health issues as well as those cross-over topics that would appeal to a broader audience of Safety, Health & Environmental (SH&E) professionals; for example leadership, management, training, general technologies, or risk and crisis management that use a mix of safety and health and environmental examples. The conference addresses the most critical safety, health and environmental issues impacting the business of construction, provides management guidance for professionals, and gives context for other construction professionals looking to understand the key concepts and round out their knowledge. For more information on speaker expectations, important deadlines, and how to submit your proposal, click here.

On Jan. 29, the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) issued new guidance on protecting workers and preventing the spread of COVID-19 in the workplace. Per OSHA, the guidance is not a standard or regulation, creates no new legal obligations and the recommendations are advisory in nature, informational in content, and are intended to assist employers in recognizing and abating hazards in the workplace.