On June 12, AGC submitted comments to the U. S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) Wage and Hour Division (WHD) in response to its Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) updating the regulations governing regular rate requirements for the first time in more than 50 years. Regular rate requirements define what forms of payment employers include and exclude in the "time and one-half" calculation when determining workers' overtime rates. The NPRM focused primarily on clarifying whether certain kinds of perks, benefits, or other miscellaneous items must be included in the regular rate. Because these regulations have not been updated in decades, the proposal’s intent is to better define the regular rate for today's workplace practices.
Expands Employer and Employee Insurance Options
Construction employment increased by 4,000 jobs in May and by 215,000, or 3.0 percent, over the past 12 months, while the number of unemployed jobseekers with construction experience fell to a record low, according to an analysis of new government data by the Associated General Contractors of America. Association officials said that an extremely tight job market, rather than softening demand for projects, probably explains the modest employment increase in May.
The most recent Unified Agenda, released in late May, demonstrates that a robust agenda of regulatory reform continues as a theme of this Administration, yet it also shows little movement in the relevant policy AGC has been tracking.
At the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ (USACE) invitation, AGC attended a “Revolutionize USACE Civil Works (CW) Partner Session” on May 15 at USACE Headquarters. AGC took the opportunity to provide feedback on the Corps’ initiative to improve our nation’s infrastructure by synchronizing actions, developing new tools, and streamlining activities. USACE will host webinars on June 20 and 28 to outline Revolutionize USACE CW and to provide interested stakeholders with an opportunity to provide input on how the Corps’ can improve upon its goals and objects, as well as its outreach and communication efforts.
Agency Removes ‘Joint and Several Liability’ from the Federal CGP
The chief executive officer of the Associated General Contractors of America, Stephen E. Sandherr, released the following statement in response to the passage today in the U.S. House of Representatives of the American Dream and Promise Act of 2019, a measure to offer conditional green cards and extend work authorizations to individuals who are in the United States under the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) and Deferred Action for Children Arrivals (“Dreamers”) programs:
Construction spending was unchanged from March to April, with mixed results by project type for the month and for the year to date, according to an analysis today by the Associated General Contractors of America of new federal spending data. Association officials warned that tariffs and countermeasures by U.S. trading partners are adding costs and uncertainty to construction projects and are potentially reducing demand for numerous types of projects.
Construction employment grew in 250 out of 358 metro areas between April 2018 and April 2019, declined in 53 and was unchanged in 55, according to a new analysis of federal employment data released today by the Associated General Contractors of America. Association officials said construction employment in many parts of the country likely would have been higher if firms could find more qualified workers to hire.
The AGC Labor and Employment Law Council (LELC) recently held its 35th Annual Construction Labor Law Symposium in Washington, DC. Attorneys and labor relations managers from across the country gathered to learn about labor and employment law developments relevant to construction employers.