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Politics & Policy
ABC’s September Regulatory Roundup—Learn About the Latest Developments Affecting the Construction Industry
ABC Disappointed in NLRB’s Cemex Decision
NLRB Revives Controversial 2014 ‘Ambush’ Election Rule; ABC Opposes Again
Safety
Build Health and Safety Engagement Through Leadership Commitment and Metrics Tied to Leading Indicators
Is Your PPE and Mobile Equipment as Safe as You Think It Is?
President Biden Announces Heat Safety Actions, Including DOL Hazard Alert
Events/Products/Programs
Nearly 350 ABC Leaders Gather in Washington for Annual Legislative Conference
ABC Members Rank Among ENR’s Top 400 Contractors
Trades Day: Industry Outreach Opportunity With Meaning
State/Local News
Ed Capodanno Honored by Delaware State Legislature
Election Update: ABC Staff and Members Elected in 2022
California Targets Workplace Cannabis Testing
Awards
Graham Roofing Earns the AQC Credential in September
ABC's Construction Executive Magazine Wins Silver in Publishing Competition
Legislation
ABC-Supported Legislation To Overturn the Northern Long-Eared Bat’s Endangered Species Listing Heads to President Biden’s Desk
ABC Advocates for Solutions to Workforce Shortage at U.S. House Committee Roundtable
Smucker Introduces the ABC-Supported Main Street Tax Certainty Act
Regulations
OSHA Announces Silica-Focused Inspection Initiative in the Engineered Stone Fabrication and Installation Industries
Take the Survey: Input Needed by Oct. 2 on President Biden’s IRA Mandates
Take the Survey: ABC Needs Your Input on President Biden’s IRA Mandates by Oct. 2
Workforce Development
Register Now for ABC’s Construction Inclusion Week Webinar Series
DOL High Road Workforce Development Program Map Snubs Nonunion Programs
LISTEN: How to Design an Effective Technology Adoption Strategy
On March 31, 2017, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) updated its Annual Vietnam Era Veterans’ Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA) Benchmark Database to reflect a new hiring benchmark of 6.7 percent. The new benchmark is slightly lower than the previous year’s benchmark of 6.9 percent. The VEVRAA benchmark is a figure federal contractors must use to evaluate hiring and representation of protected veterans in the workforce. Under VEVRAA regulations, contractors may either use the OFCCP’s annual benchmark, which is based on annual data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, or establish their own benchmark by following the five-factor method outlined in the OFCCP’s regulations. Factor 1: The average percentage of veterans in the civilian labor force for the state where the establishment is located for the previous three years. Factor 2: The number of veterans who participated in the employment service delivery system in the state where the establishment is located over the previous four quarters. Factor 3: The applicant ratio and hiring ratio for the establishment for the previous year. Factor 4: The most recent assessment of the effectiveness of outreach and recruitment efforts. Factor 5: Any other factor, such as the nature of the job openings or the facility’s location that would tend to affect the availability of qualified protected veterans. The new benchmark is effective March 31, 2017. Contractors that adopted the previous 6.9 percent benchmark in their affirmative action plans after March 4, 2016, but prior to the OFCCP’s announcement, may keep their benchmark at 6.9 percent. More information on the VEVRAA hiring benchmark requirement can be found here.