Wednesday, May 20, 2020 3:48 PM |
ABC News
While ABC is pleased with Congress and the U.S. Small Business Administration’s efforts to combat the COVID-19 emergency and strengthen the American economy through the Paycheck Protection Program, members have raised concerns about current guidance and requirements.
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On May 19, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration announced the availability of $11.5 million in Susan Harwood Training Grants for various nonprofit organizations, including employer associations, labor unions and joint labor/management associations, including as ABC chapters. Grant applications must be submitted through grants.gov by July 20, 2020.
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Wednesday, May 20, 2020 3:42 PM |
ABC News
On May 13, former Navy pilot and defense executive Mike Garcia (R) scored an impressive 10-point victory to win California’s 25th Congressional District after Democrat Kristy Smith conceded the race.
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Wednesday, May 20, 2020 1:43 PM |
ABC News
As ABC continues working to secure clear guidance on Paycheck Protection Program loans, we are also collecting information on issues members have confronted while seeking loans to provide critical pay and benefits for their employees. ABC urges members to send any personal stories they are comfortable sharing on their experience with the loan program by emailing [email protected].
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Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker (R) released a four-phase plan on reopening the state’s economy that permitted construction, along with manufacturing, to resume operations on May 18. Businesses in other industries are scheduled to reopen incrementally, with restrictions and limitations, as outlined in the administration’s plan.
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On May 13, former Navy pilot and defense executive Mike Garcia (R) scored an impressive 10-point victory to win California’s 25th Congressional District after Democrat Kristy Smith conceded the race.
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ABC and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce appreciate the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s efforts to provide clarification to the interpretation of the term “begin actual construction” in regulations implementing the major New Source Review permitting program, they wrote in a May 11 letter.
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A new PPP FAQ was released on the good-faith certification, which would clarify that borrowers with loans of less than $2 million are deemed to have made the certification in good faith.
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As part of the Parity for Main Street Employers coalition, ABC opposed a proposal from Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives that would raise taxes on small construction businesses through the repeal of the bipartisan-supported net operating loss carryback and loss limitation provisions previously included in the CARES Act.
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Construction jobsites in Vermont, which had been gradually reopening over the last few weeks, resumed full operation on Monday, May 11, under revised guidance from the state.
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All Construction Executive readers are invited to register for an exclusive Mid-Year Economic Outlook webinar featuring Anirban Basu, the chief economist to Associated Builders and Contractors. Basu, known for his entertaining delivery and sharp assessments of the economic state of the industry, will provide a candid assessment of the market impact of COVID-19 crisis on the construction sector for the rest of 2020.
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On May 1, ABC sent a letter to the U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works advocating for improvements to draft legislation that is being considered by the committee, the America’s Water Infrastructure Act of 2020 and the Drinking Water Infrastructure Act of 2020.
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Construction projects in Washington, which have been widely shut down since March 25, resumed this week in limited scope and under new safety guidelines issued by Gov. Jay Inslee.
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The U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs published a new webpage with information and resources for federal contractors and workers related to their obligations and rights concerning the past misuse of drugs.
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On April 30, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employee Benefits Security Administration published a rule extending deadlines under Title I of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act and the Internal Revenue Code for group health plans, disability and other welfare plans, pension plans and participants and beneficiaries of these plans during the COVID-19 national emergency.
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Voters in Wisconsin and California will cast ballots for two important special general elections on Tuesday, May 12.
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On April 25, Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf (D) rolled out his plan for a gradual reopening of the state, which says that construction can resume on Friday, May 1, as long as it is in accordance with safety and COVID-19 mitigation standards.
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The Construction Industry Safety Coalition recently released an updated COVID-19 Prevention, Preparedness and Response Plan for Construction. ABC, a member of the CISC Steering Committee, encourages its members to review the plan, which includes the latest protective measures and guidance on keeping workers safe on jobsites.
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Twenty-three students have won college scholarships worth between $5,000 and $40,000 in the second year of a national competition organized by the ACE Mentor Program, a free after-school program created by the integrated construction industry to attract students into pursuing industry-related careers.
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On April 27, a bipartisan group of 18 U.S. senators urged expanding eligibility for the Paycheck Protection Program to include 501(c)(6) organizations in the next coronavirus relief package. If your senator supported this effort, please take the time to thank them through ABC’s Action Alert.
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ABC is committed to providing its members with the latest health, safety, economic and policy information regarding the coronavirus pandemic. To better manage the growing number of resources, ABC just updated its Coronavirus Update webpage to simplify and improve navigation, with topics and resources organized in four different categories: Employer Resources, Employee Resources, National Markets and State & Local Markets.
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On April 24, the president signed into law a $484 billion bipartisan deal to extend the Paycheck Protection Program and provide additional funding for hospitals and testing for the virus. Following the bill’s passage, additional guidance was issued by the Small Business Administration and U.S. Department of Treasury on the second round of funding for the popular loan program.
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During its annual reconvene/veto session April 22, the Virginia General Assembly agreed with Gov. Ralph Northam (D) and delayed the effective date of two laws permitting prevailing wage and project labor agreement requirements on taxpayer-funded public works projects.
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On April 17, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs issued guidance to increase accountability and efficiency in its enforcement and to maximize the effectiveness of compliance assistance resources to assist contractors in meeting their responsibilities.
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On April 21, the U.S. Senate passed a bipartisan agreement that will provide $321 billion in additional funding for the Paycheck Protection Program. House members have been advised to return to Washington, D.C., for an April 23 vote on the interim coronavirus relief package, and the president has stated he will sign the bill into law once passed.
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In a victory for worker freedom and the merit shop philosophy, on April 21, the West Virginia Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of the Workplace Freedom Act, the state’s right-to-work law, in a 4-1 decision.
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ABC’s construction technology and innovation initiative officially kicks off with three technology webinars.
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Due to ongoing disruptions caused by the coronavirus pandemic, ABC has cancelled Legislative Week as an in-person event and will offer elements of the program virtually.
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JR Gaylor, president and CEO of ABC of Indiana/Kentucky, is running for Indiana State Senate District 20 and will face two challengers in the Republican primary, which is set to be held on June 2.
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On April 16, Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee announced the formation of the Economic Recovery Group, a joint effort between public officials and private industry that will look at rebooting the state’s economy amidst the coronavirus pandemic. ABC Greater Tennessee Chapter President Clay Crownover was appointed to the group and will serve alongside 14 other industry representatives, state legislators and agency officials to draft recommendations, according to a press release from the governor’s office.
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On April 17, ABC, as a member of the Construction Industry Safety Coalition Steering Committee, wrote to the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration regarding additional guidance from OSHA as it relates to construction.
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Tuesday, April 21, 2020 3:52 PM |
ABC News
On April 17, the Department of Homeland Security’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency released version 3.0 of its guidance on the essential critical infrastructure workforce.
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On April 13, the U. S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration issued an interim enforcement response plan with instructions and guidance to OSHA Area Offices and compliance safety and health officers for handling coronavirus-related complaints, referrals and severe illness reports. The vast majority of OSHA’s interim enforcement response plan focuses on how to conduct inspections in the health care industry as opposed to general industry or construction.
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On April 14, President Donald Trump announced that ABC President and CEO Mike Bellaman was named to one of the Great American Economic Revival Industry Groups, which will work together with the White House towards the stated goal of “charting the path forward toward a future of unparalleled American prosperity.”
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Last week, the Federal Reserve took additional actions to provide up to $2.3 trillion in loans to support the economy during the COVID-19 health crisis.
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On April 9, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission issued an updated technical assistance publication that addresses questions regarding the COVID-19 pandemic and its effect on federal Equal Employment Opportunity Laws.
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ABC is encouraging individual employers to talk directly to workers about coronavirus safe work practices and protocols on construction jobsites by hosting COVID-19 Safety Stand-downs on Thursday, April 23.
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Wednesday, April 15, 2020 2:04 PM |
ABC News
This weekend, Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam (D) signed into law and issued amendment recommendations for legislation impacting Virginia’s construction industry, including two bills permitting prevailing wage and project labor agreement requirements on taxpayer-funded public works projects.
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On April 8, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration expanded temporary guidance provided in a March 14, 2020, memorandum regarding supply shortages of N95s or other filtering facepiece respirators due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Join Matt Abeles, ABC vice president of construction technology and innovation, and his guests to explore ways to leverage cutting-edge technology and help ABC member companies succeed in today’s unique construction climate. Three tech-focused webinars are scheduled as part of ABC’s COVID-19 series and will provide unique, innovative insights into a variety of timely topics.
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On April 10, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration issued interim guidance for enforcing OSHA’s recordkeeping requirements (29 CFR Part 1904) as it relates to recording cases of COVID-19.
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On April 13, two multi-state coalitions announced the formation of separate task forces focused on reopening their state economies through regional partnerships.
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States and localities across the United States are facing an uncertain economic future as the coronavirus pandemic has ground economic activity to a halt across the country and cut off revenue streams that these governments rely on, such as sales and income taxes. Unanticipated state budget expenditures, like emergency funding packages, are also forcing states to reconsider how resources are allocated in their budgets.
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Wisconsin held its in-person election on April 7, despite numerous primary postponements and some public criticism. Former Vice President Joe Biden won with 62.93% of the vote, bringing his delegate count to 1,293 (1,991 delegates are needed to secure his nomination).
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On April 14, ABC sent an action alert to ABC members asking them to call on their member of Congress to quickly authorize additional funding for the Paycheck Protection Program, which was created under the CARES Act to provide forgivable loans to small businesses. With nearly $350 billion in small business aid estimated to run out this week, ABC is asking Congress to pass a clean bill to increase funds for the PPP, which has been a priority for Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R) and the White House.
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The New York State Legislature took action to include an expansion of prevailing wage in the state’s budget for fiscal year 2020-21, which was signed into law on April 3 by Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D). The provision expands the view of what projects are considered “public works” and applies prevailing wage to private projects of $5 million or above in project cost that receive at least 30% of their financing from public assistance. This assistance goes beyond direct public investment to include loan and grant programs and certain tax incentives, greatly increasing the number of projects required to pay prevailing wages.
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The recently passed CARES Act, a $2.2 trillion COVID-19 relief bill, provided aid for small businesses and affected industries across the country. However, the bill does not include assistance for 501(c)(6) organizations such as trade associations that are, in some cases, experiencing the same operational challenges that large and small businesses are facing due to the coronavirus pandemic.
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In response to the current shortage of N95 respirators, OSHA has released guidance regarding the enforcement of its respiratory protection standard.
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ABC Votes 2020, the one-stop-shop for all voter questions, information and priority issues surrounding the 2020 election cycle, is now live at abcvotes.com.
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