On April 15, Â鶹´«Ã½ participated in a small roundtable with the White House’s National Economic Council centered on President Biden’s Executive Order on Ensuring the Future Is Made in All of America by All of America’s Workers. The executive order directs the Federal Acquisition Regulatory (FAR) Council to consider proposing amendments to the FAR to promote enforcement of the Buy American Act of 1933. The White House staff briefed Â鶹´«Ã½ on the direction of proposed rulemaking and Â鶹´«Ã½ gave feedback to better inform the FAR Council’s as to the impact domestic product preference policies have on those building the nation’s infrastructure. Â鶹´«Ã½ will continue to advocate for the construction industry to ensure that policy makers are well informed about the uniqueness of construction.
According to the latest Contractor Compensation Quarterly (CCQ) published by PAS, Inc., construction executive staff wage increases came in at 3.8% for 2020 and are projected to rise by an average 3.4% in 2021. Though it is pointed out that historically executive staff predictions are low and readers are warned that it might not be until late in the second quarter that we get a better sense of true year end expectations.
DOL Issues Guidance to Stem Unemployment ID Theft, as Â鶹´«Ã½ Members See Rise in Fraudulent Claims
Â鶹´«Ã½ chapters and members should be aware that fraudulent unemployment claims are on the rise. While this has been a problem throughout the pandemic and while the construction industry is not a unique target, many Â鶹´«Ã½ members have reported experiencing such claims and some have reported a spike in recent weeks.
Now that the country is on course to see all adult Americans eligible for COVID-19 vaccination in a matter of days, and an increasing number of employees are returning to the workplace, vaccination status is likely to be an increasingly common topic over the coming weeks and months. This has led many Â鶹´«Ã½ members to ask: when and how can employers ask their workers whether they’ve been vaccinated without getting into hot water? Whether it’s an innocent question asked while trying to make conversation or an inquiry posed to determine whether someone can return to normal duties, employers need to understand their legal rights and obligations regarding this serious topic. Missteps can easily lead to legal complications.
The Construction Labor Research Council (CLRC) has released its latest edition of the Union Labor Costs in Construction. The report covers trends in collectively bargained compensation in the industry, providing data analyses by region, time, and trade. It can be a valuable resource when preparing for collective bargaining
Please join Â鶹´«Ã½ of America, and its partners on the Construction Industry Safety Coalition, in planning to participate in the COVID-19 Vaccine Awareness Week in Construction, April 19-23. The goal of the campaign is to raise awareness of the safety, effectiveness, and benefits of COVID-19 vaccination among construction workers.
Please join Â鶹´«Ã½ of America, and its partners on the Construction Industry Safety Coalition, in planning to participate in the COVID-19 Vaccine Awareness Week in Construction, April 19-23. The goal of the campaign is to raise awareness of the safety, effectiveness, and benefits of COVID-19 vaccination among construction workers.
New Producer Price Index Data Shows Costs Outstripping Contractors’ Bid Prices as Firms Cope with Growing Delivery Delays, Limited Supplies of Key Items; Association Urges Relief from Tariffs
On March 26, members of the U.S. Senate and U.S. House of Representatives introduced legislation directing the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to issue an enforceable heat standard for workers exposed to high temperatures. The bill specifically cites construction workers as suffering among the highest incidences of heat illness. Â鶹´«Ã½ previously testified on similar legislation, citing the industry’s thorough, proactive work on this subject and informed lawmakers that legislation mandating OSHA to quickly formulate a one-size-fits-all national standard to address workplace heat exposure is unwarranted. In addition, Â鶹´«Ã½ pointed out how the Obama administration’s OSHA previously decided against issuing such a standard given existing agency authorities to take enforcement action when heat hazards exist on the jobsite.
The anticipated publishing of the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) COVID-19 emergency temporary standards (ETS) is currently on hold. Since President Biden issued his executive order on January 21, which set a March 15 deadline to issue an ETS if deemed necessary, industry stakeholders have been closely monitoring the rulemaking process. According to reports from agency officials, Secretary Walsh requested OSHA update the materials to reflect the latest science and status of COVID-19. These updates will be based on the latest Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) analysis and information related to the state of vaccinations and the variants. As Â鶹´«Ã½ has previously reported, the standard could require employers to develop and implement COVID-19 safety plans that follow guidance from the CDC. It could potentially address other issues, such as paying workers if they are required to quarantine and ensuring those employees have jobs after their absence.