Newsline

ABC reiterated its opposition to the Department of Labor’s (DOL) “persuader rule” ahead of the April 27 U.S. House Committee on Education and the Workforce Subcommittee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions hearing on how the newly finalized regulation limits employers’ rights and undermines the right of workers to make informed decisions in union elections. The final rule, issued March 23, redefines “persuader” activity under the Labor Management Reporting and Disclosure Act (LMRDA) and triggers expanded reporting requirements for employers and their attorneys. 

The U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship continued its oversight of the controversial “Waters of the U.S.” (WOTUS) regulation April 27, holding a hearing on how small businesses were left out of the rulemaking process as required by the Regulatory Flexibility Act (RFA). At the hearing, members of the committee heard from stakeholders, who expressed concern about the onslaught of new regulations from the Obama administration and the detrimental impact they have on small businesses.

The U.S. House of Representatives Small Business Committee held a hearing on April 14 entitled Regulation Nation: The Hidden Small Business Tax , which examined the cost of new federal regulations to entrepreneurs in the small business community. During the hearing, members of the Committee heard from several small business owners who cited high compliance costs and expensive new mandates as a major impediment to expanding their businesses. 

On April 12, ABC submitted comments in response to the U.S. Department (DOL) of Labor Wage and Hour Division’s proposed rule on establishing paid sick leave for federal contractors. The proposed rule  requires certain federal contractors to offer employees up to seven days of paid sick leave annually, including paid leave for family care. The paid sick leave required by the proposal is in addition to a contractor’s obligations under the Service Contract Act (SCA) and Davis-Bacon Act (DBA). Therefore, a contractor may not receive credit toward its prevailing wage or fringe benefit obligation under the SCA and DBA for paid sick leave provided in satisfaction of the

New analysis from the U.S. Department of the Treasury shows that the construction industry pays the highest effective tax rate—the percent of income businesses actually pay in taxes—of any sector of the economy. According to the report, the typical construction company faces an average effective federal tax burden of 30.3 percent, well above the 23.3 percent average for all US businesses.

ABC of Michigan secured an important victory for electricians when Gov. Rick Snyder (R-Mich.) signed industry-backed Public Act 73  of 2016 on April 5. ABC of Michigan advocated for the legislation, which will increase the ratio from one to three apprentices per one journeyman electrician through an amendment of the Electrical Administrative Act. State Rep. Amanda Price (R-Holland) introduced the bill in January in response to a court decision in 2008 that lifted an injunction and cleared the way for a one-to-one ratio to be implemented. 

On April 12, ABC joined more than 60 national and multi-state organizations across the country in sending a letter  to members of the House Committee on Ways and Means urging them to take action on the Small Business Healthcare Relief Act (H.R. 2911 ).  The bill would allow small businesses that have fewer than 50 employees to offer employer payment plans and Health Reimbursement Arrangements (HRAs) to employees for the payment of premiums or qualified medical expenses associated with insurance coverage.

On March 17, a group of lawmakers introduced ABC-supported legislation that would prevent the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) from implementing its overtime proposal. The proposed rule issued last June more than doubles the salary threshold to qualify as a white-collar employee exempt from federal overtime pay requirements and would automatically increase the salary levels on an annual basis.

On April 1, ABC submitted comments in response to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s (EEOC) proposed revisions 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 2017. ABC urged the EEOC to withdraw the proposal because it imposes an unjustified burden on employers, fails to generate useful and reliable information to combat pay discrimination, and fails to protect the confidentiality of the information.