Construction has one of the highest suicide rates of all major industry groups. AGC of America is launching a new effort to combat the silent epidemic of suicide and other mental health issues plaguing our workforce. As part of this effort, we are releasing a series of videos telling the stories of real industry professionals who have struggled with mental health. We hope that in sharing their stories, others will know they are not alone, and it is okay to seek help when it is needed. For more information and resources, visit agc.org/mental-health-suicide-prevention.

Construction companies added 20,000 employees in November and continued to raise wages for hourly workers more steeply than other sectors as the industry’s unemployment rate tumbled, according to an analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America of new government data. Association officials said the data shows that firms would have added significantly more workers if they could find more people to hire.

AGC CEO Stephen Sandherr and members of AGC’s Government Affairs staff met with US Department of Labor Secretary Marty Walsh on November 10 to discuss top industry priorities including, among other things, addressing the workforce shortage through skills training and attracting individuals to the construction industry as well as the importance of job site safety.

The FAR Council’s new proposed rule creates two new categories for federal contractors – significant contractors and major contractors – which trigger significant reporting requirements related to greenhouse gas emissions.