Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) of New Jersey applauded a federal court decision issued Sept. 12 that could end up prohibiting Jersey City, N.J., from mandating the use of union-only project labor agreements (PLAs) on certain tax-abated construction projects. ABC has long maintained that PLAs reduce competition and drive up the cost of development.
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| Date: |
Thursday, September 15, 2016 |
Watch Now |
| Time: |
11:00 a.m. (ET) / 10:00 a.m. (CT) / 9:00 a.m. (MT) / 8:00 a.m. (PT)
|
| Length: |
60 minutes |
| Fee: |
Free |
| Speaker: |
Nathaniel Peniston, Vice President, Fringe Benefit Group
|
| Category: |
HR Policy, AQC |
|
PRESENTED BY ABC's STRATEGIC PARTNER - FRINGE BENEFIT GROUP
WEBINAR DESCRIPTION
Providing self-funded health benefits to a hourly and geographically dispersed workforce requires a unique approach that integrates enrollment, ongoing eligibility management, premium collection and compliance. Self-funding has many positives, such as reducing costs and increasingly plan flexibility, but it is not a solution for all contractors. This Webinar will help participants learn key points on when (or if) a self-funded plan should be considered. The Contractors Plan by Fringe Benefit Group possesses unique administrative capabilities and processes designed specifically for multi-location construction contractors that facilitate enrollment and ongoing administration.
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In the wake of the Aug. 24 issuance of the final rule on “blacklisting,” ABC is quickly deploying resources to help members comply with new requirements while pursuing legislative efforts and, potentially, litigation to protect contractors and taxpayers from the policy.
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The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) final rule on non-hobbyist small unmanned aircraft systems (sUAS or drones) took effect on Monday, Aug. 29. The final rule applies to commercial drones weighing less than 55 pounds and defines specific regulations for operation and pilot certification. For a summary of the rule’s operational limitations, see this detailed article from Newsline.
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On Aug. 29, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) released its final Enforcement Guidance on Retaliation and Related Issues. The new guidance replaces the EEOC’s 1998 Compliance Manual Section 8: Retaliation.
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On Aug. 12, ABC submitted comments to the Office of Management and Budget’s (OMB) Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) expressing concerns about the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s (EEOC) proposed revision to the Employer Information Report (EEO-1), which would require employers with 100 or more employees to provide data on W-2 pay and hours worked, beginning in 2018. Under the Paperwork Reduction Act, OMB is responsible for reviewing and approving the revised EEO-1 report.
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A recent interpretation letter by the U.S. Department of Labor Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has refined the definition of a recordable injury under 29 CFR Part 1904 – Recording and Reporting Occupational Injuries and Illnesses. According to the interpretation, an employee’s self-treatment of wrist pain with a rigid brace qualifies as a reportable injury even if a physician later determines that the brace is acceptable yet unnecessary treatment.
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Due to a provision in the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015, all agencies with civil monetary penalties covered by the statute have the authority to raise penalties annually in line with the Consumer Price Index (CPI). Some agencies affected by this increase include DOL, EPA and OSHA. The provision also allows OSHA to have a one-time “catch-up adjustment” in 2016 since the fines have not increased since 1990.
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On July 11, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) issued its decision in Miller & Anderson. In a 3-1 decision, the NLRB held that “employer consent is not necessary for units that combine jointly employed and solely employed employees of a single user employer. Instead, we will apply the traditional community of interest factors to decide if such units are appropriate.” Philip A. Miscimarra, the only Republican Board Member, dissented.
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The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), Wage and Hour Division recently released a new guide to the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) for employers, managers, human resources specialists, and professional leave administrators. The Employer’s Guide to the Family and Medical Leave Act provides employers with a roadmap for leave administration from the initial leave request to the employee’s return to the same or equivalent job at the conclusion of leave.
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On July 13, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) announced it was delaying enforcement of the anti-retaliation provisions in the electronic injury reporting and anti-retaliation final rule, also known as Improve Tracking of Workplace Injuries and Illnesses, until Nov. 1, 2016. The provisions were originally scheduled to go into effect on Aug. 10.
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On June 15, 2016, the U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) issued a final rule on Discrimination on the Basis of Sex. The final rule applies to federal contractors (including subcontractors) and is effective on Aug. 15, 2016.
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On June 27, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas issued a nationwide injunction that will block the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) from implementing the final persuader rule, officially titled the Interpretation of the ‘Advice’ Exemption in Section 203(c) of the Labor-Management Reporting and Disclosure Act (LMRDA), which was scheduled to go into effect on July 1.
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The U.S. Department of Labor announced that the new annual hiring benchmark under the Vietnam Era Veterans’ Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA) is 6.9 percent, down slightly from 7 percent in 2015. The act requires federal contractors to take affirmative action to recruit, hire, promote and retain veterans.
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On June 10, 2016, the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals issued a decision rejecting ABC’s challenge to the National Labor Relations Board’s (NLRB) controversial “ambush” election final rule. ABC General Counsel Maury Baskin of Littler Mendelson P.C., Washington, D.C., argued the case on behalf of ABC of Texas, the Central Texas Chapter of ABC and the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) Texas on March 3 in New Orleans.
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