On August 29, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) informed the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) that it is initiating a review and immediate stay of the effectiveness of the pay data collection aspects of the EEO-1 form that was revised on September 29, 2016, in accordance with its authority under the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA). OMB’s decision follows AGC’s regulatory recommendations, specifically that the new EEO-1 requirements were unnecessary and burdensome. “Among other things, OMB is concerned that some aspects of the revised collection of information lack practical utility, are unnecessarily burdensome, and do not adequately address privacy and confidentiality issues,” the office said in its memo to the EEOC.

Percentage of firms having trouble finding craft workers

Thirty-six states and the District of Columbia added construction jobs between July 2016 and July 2017, yet only half the states added construction jobs between June and July amid declining public-sector investments in infrastructure and other construction projects, according to an analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America of Labor Department data released today. Association officials said firms in parts of the country that build infrastructure projects are seeing less demand for their services amid overall declines in public-sector spending.

Last week, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency reversed its June 2017 decision to delay by one year the final designation of counties that are not attaining the 2015 ozone national ambient air quality standard (NAAQS). EPA will now make those determinations by the October 1, 2017, deadline. The reversal came after news that 15 states and the District of Columbia were filing suit against EPA to enforce the original deadline. EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt has been critical of lawsuits (and settlement agreements) resulting from missed statutory deadlines.

AGC Calls on Congress to Make Additional Reforms

Silica, WOTUS, Paid Sick Leave, Local Hiring and More

Also Recommends Change Order & Other Reforms

Marvin E. Kaplan was sworn in today as a member of the National Labor Relations Board for a term ending on Aug. 27, 2020. The U.S. Senate confirmed Kaplan along party lines on Aug. 2, bringing the Board one step closer to a Republican majority expected to be more employer-friendly than the Obama-appointed Board. The five-member board had been operating with a Democratic majority of two, a Republican minority of one, and two vacancies since Pres. Trump took office.

AGC of America submitted a letter to the U.S. Department of Labor on August 10 in support of the Department’s proposed rule to rescind the controversial “persuader rule” issued during the Obama Administration.

Each October, construction industry professionals in HR, training and workforce development gear up for the industry’s premier learning and networking event, AGC’s Construction HR & Training Professionals Conference, and this year is no different. The 2017 event will be held Oct. 11-13 at the Hyatt Regency Phoenix in Phoenix, Arizona. Here are the top 10 reasons to attend this year’s event.