Newsline

On Feb. 16, President Trump announced R. Alexander Acosta as his nominee for Secretary of Labor. Acosta is currently the dean of the Florida International University College of Law and previously served as an assistant attorney general in the Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division and as a member of the National Labor Relations Board.  His nomination followed Andy Puzder’s withdrawal from the confirmation process.

On Feb. 16, the 2017 Construction General Permit (CGP) went into effect; the revised CGP was issued by the EPA on Jan. 11, 2017. The 2017 CGP replaces the 2012 CGP; the permit includes stormwater runoff from construction sites that disturb one or more acres, or sites that are a part of a larger common plan of development. The 2017 CGP will last for five years.

On Feb. 15, President Trump’s nominee for Secretary of Labor, former CKE Restaurants CEO Andrew Puzder, withdrew from consideration of the position. Prior to his withdrawal, Puzder was slated to appear before the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions for a hearing on Thursday Feb. 16. 

On Feb. 9,  President Trump signed three executive orders, including: 1) directing the administration’s new Attorney General to develop a strategy to more effectively prosecute people who engage in crimes against law enforcement officers, 2) establishing a task force to reduce crime in communities across the nation, and 3) refocusing federal resources on disrupting transnational criminal organizations.

On July 8, 2016 ABC and a coalition of stakeholders filed a lawsuit against the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) final rule on Tracking of Workplace Injuries and Illnesses, commonly referred to as the “electronic reporting and anti-retaliation final rule.” The complaint filed on July 8, immediately challenged the anti-retaliation provisions of the final rule that limit post-accident drug testing and safety incentive programs. On Feb. 8, the complaint was amended to include the provision

In its first two weeks, the Trump administration took a series of significant executive actions in the areas of federal regulation, infrastructure, manufacturing, trade, immigration and health care.

ABC is reminding its contractor member firms that their 2016 Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Form 300A work-related injury and illness log summaries must be posted in a visible spot on all construction sites Feb. 1 through April 30.

On Jan. 9, ABC sent a letter to Chairman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) to encourage the swift confirmation of Betsy DeVos as the next United States Secretary of Education.

On Dec. 19, 2016, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration issued a final rule entitled, “clarification of employer’s continuing obligation to make and maintain an accurate record of each recordable injury and illness.” The final rule goes into effect Jan. 18, 2017.

ABC sent letters to members of congress last week urging them to pass legislation that would bring much-needed regulatory relief to contractors. The ABC supported legislation included Regulations from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny (REINS) Act of 2017 (HR 26) and the Midnight Rules Relief Act of 2017 (HR 21) both of which passed the U.S. the week of Jan. 2 Additionally the House of Representatives Regulatory Accountability Act of 2017 (HR 5) is expected to pass the House this week.