Recently, AGC sent a letter opposing the possible use of a project labor agreement (PLA) mandate posted by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The letter addressed concerns about a possible PLA mandate for a command and control facility project at Fort Shafter, Hawaii.

Today, the House passed an AGC-supported resolution that would nullify the National Labor Relations Board’s (NLRB) rule on representation-case procedures, which will go into effect on April 14, 2015. The vote fell mostly along party lines with Republicans supporting and Democrats opposing. The resolution passed the Senate earlier this month and will now be sent to the president’s desk. However, President Obama has indicated his intention to veto the legislation, which Congress will be unlikely to overturn. Therefore, a lawsuit making its way through the court system may be the best and last chance at blocking the rule before the implementation date.

At AGC of America, we know how important maintaining professional credentials are to those who hold such designations. Therefore, AGC’s Construction HR & Training Professionals Conference will offer opportunities for HR, training and workforce development professionals to earn recertification credits from the HR Certification Institute (HRCI). At AGC of America, we know how important maintaining professional credentials are to those who hold such designations. Therefore, AGC’s Construction HR & Training Professionals Conference will offer opportunities for HR, training and workforce development professionals to earn recertification credits from the HR Certification Institute (HRCI).

On June 30, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD) published its Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) announcing proposed changes to the overtime regulations of the Fair Labor Standards Act. The proposal is the result of a 2014 directive from President Obama requiring the Secretary of Labor to modernize and streamline the existing overtime regulations. The NPRM was officially published in the Federal Register on July 6.

On June 19, AGC submitted comments to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) regarding its proposed rule to amend the regulations and interpretive guidance implementing Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) as they relate to employee wellness programs.

The Departments of Health and Human Services, Labor, and Treasury (the “Departments”) recently finalized changes to regulations governing the summary of benefits and coverage (“SBC”), which were published in the Federal Register on June 16, 2015. The final regulations generally track the proposed regulations in codifying certain pieces of interim and informal guidance, including guidance regarding a plan sponsor’s responsibly to ensure compliance with the SBC rules if the plan sponsor chooses to contract with a third party with respect to SBC compliance.

The federal agencies tasked with implementing the AGC-backed Multiemployer Pension Reform Act of 2014 issued proposed final regulations this week that will govern the implementation of the new law. The regulations from the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation and Internal Revenue Service address the suspension of benefits and the partitioning of plans under the Act. View the PBGC press release,final rule and the suspension of benefits guidance from IRS.

Siding with AGC of America, the AGC of Colorado and the Colorado Contractor’s Association, the Colorado Supreme Court has unanimously held that a state law insulating Colorado residents from prosecution for making medical use of marijuana does not require the state’s employers to tolerate the same or apparently any other use of the drug. The decision extends well beyond employees who use marijuana on the job, or show up under the influence of it. In fact, the case involved an employee who used marijuana only at home and during non-working hours.

During the May 18 web meeting of AGC of America’s Open Shop Committee, attorney Rick Samson of Ogletree Deakins provided a Quick Learn presentation on Preparing for the National Labor Relations Board’s New “Quickie Election” Rule. Click here to access an audio recording of the presentation, a copy of the presentation slides, and a supplementary handout originally distributed at AGC's Annual Convention. The web meeting also featured an update on legal developments by AGC Associate General Counsel Denise Gold.

Registration is now open for AGC’s 2015 Construction HR and Training Professionals Conference. The conference, for HR, training and workforce development professionals in the construction industry, will be held Oct. 7-9 at the Hyatt Regency at The Arch hotel in St. Louis, Missouri. For more information or to register visit www.agc.org/CHRTPC.