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Construction Employment Increases in 274 out of 358 Metro Areas Between August 2016 and 2017 as Firms Work to Cope with Growing Labor Shortages

Construction employment increased in 274 out of 358 metro areas between August 2016 and August 2017, declined in 52 and stagnated in 32, according to a new analysis of federal employment data released today by the Associated General Contractors of America. Association officials noted that the construction job gains come even as 70 percent of responding firms reported having a hard time finding qualified craft workers to hire.

Republicans Take Control of NLRB

The National Labor Relations Board (“NLRB” or “Board”) now has a full complement of five members with a Republican majority for the first time in roughly a decade.  This follows from the September 27 swearing in of Republican William J. Emanuel as a Board member for a term ending on August 27, 2021.  Emanuel is the second Trump nominee to join the Board, following Republican Marvin E. Kaplan’s swearing in on August 10 for a term ending on August 27, 2020.

AGC Advises DOL to Revisit Overtime Rule's Salary Threshold

On September 25, AGC submitted comments to the U. S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) Wage and Hour Division (WHD) in response to a Request for Information (RFI) on the 2016 changes to the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) overtime regulations. In line with AGC’s regulatory recommendations, this RFI is the first step the DOL is undertaking to revisit the overtime rule that dramatically increased the salary threshold for exempt employees. AGC and its members were concerned that imposing such a large and immediate increase might result in unintended consequences, particularly for small construction companies, construction employers in lower‐wage regions, and construction personnel.

Thirty-Four States and D.C. Add Construction Jobs Between August 2016 and August 2017 While 30 States Add Jobs Between July and August

Thirty-four states and the District of Columbia added construction jobs between August 2016 and August 2017, while 30 states added construction jobs between July and August amid strong demand for construction work in most parts of the country, according to an analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America of Labor Department data released today.

New Federal Contracts Proving Hurricane Relief Get Some Relief from OFCCP Requirements

The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) has announced that the agency will support Hurricane Harvey and Irma relief efforts in a number of ways, including by relaxing federal contractors’ requirements on a temporary basis. As part of the initiative, the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) will be temporarily suspending certain requirements on federal contractors to allow “businesses involved in hurricane relief the ability to prioritize recovery efforts.”

Judge Finds Contractor Responsible for Davis-Bacon Workers' Actual Lodging Expenses

A U.S. Department of Labor administrative law judge (ALJ) has held that the employer, not the workers, primarily benefited from lodging used by itinerant workers hired to work on a federal dredging project away from their home communities.  As a result, the employer was required under the Davis-Bacon Act to cover the full cost of the employees’ lodging expenses.

AGC Urges DOL to Modernize Davis-Bacon Certified Payroll Reporting Requirements

AGC of America submitted a letter to the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) Wage and Hour Division (WHD) on September 5 recommending several specific ideas on how to reform and modernize the weekly pay and certified payroll submission requirements as mandated by the Davis-Bacon and related Acts (DBRA).