All 45 Senate Republicans, the ABC-led Coalition for a Democratic Workplace and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce have filed friend-of-the-court briefs asking for the U.S. Supreme Court to uphold a lower court ruling that President Obama’s recess appointments to the NLRB were unconstitutional. 

ABC’s Legislative Conference will feature Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) as the keynote speaker during the Free Enterprise Alliance reception on June 11 and Rep. Martha Roby (R-Ala.-3) as the speaker at the Young Professionals Reception on June 12.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit May 16 ruled that President Barack Obama’s recess appointments to the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) between March 2010 and January 2012 were unconstitutional. The ruling, which supports a Jan. 25 decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit invalidating the January 2012 recess appointments of Democrats Sharon Block and Richard Griffin, also invalidates the March 2010 recess appointment of Craig Becker. 

The Department of Labor May 8 issued a technical release containing guidance on a provision in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act that requires employers to issue employees a notice of coverage options.

As part of the H-2B Workforce Coalition and in conjunction with Immigration Works, ABC is encouraging members that use H-2B visas to participate in a survey on how developments related to the visas are affecting their bottom line.

The National Hispanic Contractors Association and ABC will be holding concurrent Legislative Breakfasts on June 12 and afterward, members of both groups will visit their legislators to discuss key industry issues. 

OSHA has released new materials to help employers comply with the newly revised Hazard Communication Requirements, including a fact sheet outlining the new training requirements, Quickcards on the new pictogram label requirements, and a brief synopsis on the labels and pictograms. 

The U.S. House of Representatives May 16 voted 229 –195 to pass H.R. 45, which would repeal the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. 

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has issued a survey requesting comments from the construction industry on the potential use of a PLA for the Public Health Command Laboratory Replacement, Edgewood Area, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Md. 

A reference document provided by Washington Council Ernst and Young offers ABC members a summary of employer requirements contained in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.

The ABC Inland Pacific Chapter and the State of Idaho May 6 made oral arguments in an appeal of a December 2011 ruling that struck down two statutes of importance to merit shop contractors.  

ABC May 14 responded to the Senate Judiciary Committee mark-up of a section of the Border Security, Economic Opportunity and Immigration Modernization Act (S. 744) by supporting an amendment that would allow all industries, including construction, equal access to temporary worker visas.

The U.S. House of Representatives May 8 voted 223-204 to pass the Working Families Flexibility Act (H.R.1406), which would amend the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) to provide compensatory time for employees in the private sector.

OSHA and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) have re-launched their construction falls prevention campaign to raise awareness of fall hazards and provide information that employers and workers can use to prevent injury and death

ABC May 9 joined 87 other organizations and businesses in supporting the Auto Enroll Repeal Act of 2013 (H.R. 1254) that would repeal a provision in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act requiring employers of 200 or more full-time employees to automatically enroll employees in a health plan should coverage not be chosen by the employee.

Rep. Dave Camp (R-Mich.) and Sen. Max Baucus (D-Mont.) May 9 launched a new website, taxreform.gov, and a Twitter feed,@simplertaxes, to gather feedback from the public on tax reform. 

ABC’s 21st Century Workforce Development Conference, held April 30-May 3 in Birmingham Ala., drew nearly 1,000 attendees to its various Academies, competitions, career fairs and awards programs.

GoDaddy.com is hosting a free webinar for ABC members that will help attendees turn their website into a lead generation machine. Register now for, “10 Things Every Website Must Have to Drive Sales,” May 22 at 2 p.m. (ET).

ABC Sept. 2 filed comments with the Department of Labor (DOL) Office of Labor-Management Standards voicing strong opposition to a regulation proposed for the implementation of Executive Order 13496 that would require federal contractors and subcontractors to post a notice informing employees of their rights to join or not join a union.  

The Department of Labor Office of Labor-Management Standards Aug. 3 published a proposed rule for the implementation of Executive Order 13496 that requires federal contractors and subcontractors to post a notice aimed at informing employees of their rights to join or not join a union.

The Department of Labor (DOL) Office of Labor-Management Standards (OLMS) May 20 published a final rule detailing the way federal contractors and subcontractors must display a notice informing employees of their rights to join or not join a union.   

ABC Sept. 2 filed comments with the DOL voicing strong opposition to a regulation proposed for the implementation of Executive Order 13496 that would require federal contractors and subcontractors to post a notice informing employees of their rights to join or not join a union.  

President Obama Jan. 30 issued three executive orders establishing new labor requirements for government contractors that target open shop contractors.

ABC May 7 welcomed a decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit to invalidate the National Labor Relations Board’s (NLRB) “Notification of Employee Rights” notice posting rule. A three-judge panel struck down the 2011 rule, primarily on the grounds that it violated free speech rights afforded to employers under the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA). 

ABC is honored to have ABC member and freshman congressman representing Oklahoma's 2nd Congressional District Markwayne Mullin speak at the 2013 Legislative Conference, June 12 in Washington, D.C.  The early bird rate expires on May 17.