The Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) recently announced that the 2017 annual Vietnam Era Veterans’ Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA) hiring benchmark is 6.9 percent. The new benchmark is a slight decrease from last year’s 6.9 percent benchmark and became effective on March 31. It reflects the national percentage of veterans in the civilian labor force for 2017 as determined by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Thanks in part to AGC’s advocacy efforts, contractors are enjoying a major victory today: permanent nullification of regulations implementing Pres. Obama’s Fair Pay and Safe Workplaces Executive Order, often referred to as the “blacklisting” rule. On March 27, Pres. Trump signed into law a joint resolution under the Congressional Review Act (CRA) by which Congress expressed disapproval of the rule and stripped it of all force and effect.

Company revenue size is the most relevant demographic factor in determining how a construction company pays its executives as compared to other construction companies, reports PAS, Inc. in its latest Contractor Compensation Quarterly (CCQ). When it comes to open-shop craft compensation in infrastructure construction, though, location and type of construction are most relevant.

AGC and its members are on the verge of a major legislative victory: nullification of the regulations implementing President Obama’s Fair Pay and Safe Workplaces Executive Order, often referred to as the “blacklisting” rule. Following a concerted AGC advocacy effort, the House of Representatives voted to nullify the rule through use of the Congressional Review Act (CRA) on Feb. 2, and the Senate passed the joint resolution by a slim margin on March 9. The legislation now moves to the President Trump’s desk for signature.

AGC of America’s Union Contractors Committee and the United Brotherhood of Carpenters (UBC) hosted a special event at the Carpenters International Training Center (CITC) in Las Vegas, NV, during AGC’s Annual Convention on March 8. Convention attendees enjoyed small-group tours of the exceptional, recently expanded 17-acre CITC campus, which now boasts 1.2 million square feet of classrooms, guest rooms, dining rooms, conference rooms, shops, and event space. A reception followed, at which Carpenters General President Doug McCarron, AGC CEO Steve Sandherr, and CITC Executive Director Bill Irwin gave brief remarks.

Construction-industry collective bargaining negotiations completed during 2016 resulted in an average first-year increase in wages and benefits of $1.18 per hour or 2.6 percent, according to the annual year-end Settlements Report issued by the AGC-supported Construction Labor Research Council. For newly negotiated multi-year contracts, the average negotiated second-year increase was $1.59 or 2.8 percent, and the average third-year increase was $1.61 or 2.9 percent.

Christie DeLuca, AECOM Grow, increase, expand. These concepts form the foundation of a company’s strategic goals. Although not all strategies require entering new markets, at some point, firms must expand beyond existing clients or geographies to achieve significant growth. Whether you’re on the executive team or serve in the business development space, answering these questions honestly can help your team determine where your company should focus its resources to achieve realistic and meaningful growth.

Matthew Lee, Young Contracting Have you ever had to sit through a presentation where you spend the entire time checking you phone for emails and messages even though you know you haven’t received any new ones? At some point in your career, whether you are in business development, sales, marketing, management, or otherwise, most of us will have to get up in front of a group of people and make a presentation. Here are FIVE tips that may help you give a meaningful presentation.

Union representation in the construction industry (covering all occupations) rose from 14.0% in 2015 to 14.6% in 2016, according to an annual report issued by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (“BLS”) January 26. The number of union-represented employees in the industry also rose over the year, from 992,000 to 1,095,000, while the total number of workers in the industry rose from 7,109,000 to 7,488,000. Union membership in the industry similarly increased, from 13.2% to 13.9%.

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has released a new “resource document” about the rights of employees and applicants with mental health conditions. The document, Depression, PTSD, & Other Mental Health Conditions in the Workplace: Your Legal Rights, is written in question-and-answer format for an employee audience, but it is also useful for employers as it demonstrates the EEOC’s interpretation of the law and of employers’ obligations under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).