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On May 21, 2018, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the legality of arbitration agreements containing collective- and class-action waivers.  The Court held that arbitration agreements providing for individualized proceedings are valid and that neither the Federal Arbitration Act’s (“FAA”) savings clause nor the National Labor Relations Act (“NLRA”) suggests otherwise.

On May 15, AGC put forth its support for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) proposal to expand the universal waste regulations to include non-empty aerosol cans. Recognizing that aerosol cans are often the only hazardous waste stream produced on a construction site, this proposal could change a company’s status as a “generator” and reduce program costs and facilitate recycling.

On May 9, 2018, the Trump Administration unveiled its Spring 2018 Unified Agenda of Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions mapping out federal agency priorities for the coming months.  This bi-annual publication informs the public of regulations under consideration or planned by federal agencies. The present agenda includes several submissions by labor agencies.

Responding to recommendations from a 2016 Government Accountability Office (GAO) report and input gathered from succeeding Compliance Assistance Town Halls and stakeholder meetings, the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) has released its “Town Hall Action Plan” addressing “three general areas of focus:  training, communication and trust.”