Construction employment increased in 263 (73 percent) out of 358 metro areas between May 2017 and May 2018

Merced, Calif., Midland and Dallas-Plano-Irving, Texas Have Largest Gains as 63 Areas Set May Records for Construction Employment; Newark, N.J.-Pa. and Bloomington, Ill. Have Biggest Annual Decreases

James V. Christianson, Vice President, Government Relations, for the Associated General Contractors of America (AGC), the nation’s leading construction trade association, today urged Congress “to reform the nation’s immigration system.”

On June 19, the U. S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) released a final rule intended to expand association health plans (AHPs) and increase flexibility for small employers to join groups or associations to offer insured health coverage in the large group market at potentially more favorable pricing with less restrictive requirements. A number of AGC Chapters across the country currently recognize the need to offer alternative health care options and administer AHPs that offer “group health plan” coverage to employees of members. As outlined in response to the proposed version of the rule, AGC is supportive of the flexibility and opportunity the DOL intends to provide and pleased that existing AHPs were preserved in the final rule.

Forty-two states and the District of Columbia added construction jobs between May 2017 and May 2018, while 28 states added construction jobs between April and May, according to an analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America of Labor Department data released today. Association officials warned that soaring construction costs, aggravated by new tariffs on steel and aluminum, could trigger project cancellations and job losses.

A federal district court has ruled that the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) violated the Fourth Amendment’s prohibition of unreasonable searches and seizures in an attempted audit of construction contractor Baker DC.

In conjunction with AGC’s 2018 workforce development campaign, we are currently seeking success stories and best practices in the areas of construction workforce development, industry image enhancement and industry recruiting. Our goal is to gather and share these success stories with member firms and AGC chapter staff in the hopes of increasing knowledge sharing and program collaboration, communicating lessons learned, and sparking innovative workforce solutions.

According to the latest Contractor Compensation Quarterly (CCQ) published by PAS, Inc., construction staff wages rose by 3.7% in 2017 and contractors are projecting wages to increase an average of 3.4% in 2018. The prediction is based on data gathered from 295 companies who participated in the 36th edition of PAS’s Construction/CM Staff Salary Survey. Though the projected 2018 increase is 3.5% for professionals & middle managers, it is pointed out that historically predictions are usually about .5% low, so year-end 2018 is expected to exceed 2017’s 3.7% increase.

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Association Officials Say the Threat of New Tariffs Has Already Led to Dramatic Increases in the Cost of Many Construction Materials, Warn Prices Will Grow As the New Trade Restrictions Take Effect