Both Residential and Nonresidential Contractors Added Jobs in October, but Total Construction Employment Remains 3.9 Percent Below February Peak as Pandemic Continues to Depress Demand

The U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) Wage and Hour Division (WHD) recently issued two new opinion letters. Of particular interest is opinion letter FLSA2020-16 addressing compensability of employee travel time in certain situations involving construction sites located away from the employer’s principal place of business. Specifically, the letter discusses the compensability of a non-exempt (e.g., overtime-eligible) foremen and laborer’s travel time under the Fair Labors Standards Act (FLSA). An opinion letter is an official document authored by WHD on how a particular law applies in specific circumstances presented by the person or entity requesting the letter. Opinion letters represent official statements of agency policy.

Oregon voters became the first in the nation to decriminalize possession of “hard drugs” and thus making it easier to use illegal substances leading to safety and health implications. In addition, the measure could contribute to the workforce shortage when the industry resumes hiring. Florida voters approved raising the state minimum wage to $15 an hour, joining 8 other states and DC. In another sign of the times, Colorado voters approved a Paid Family and Medical Leave Insurance Program, making it the first state to do so through ballot initiative, and the ninth plus DC with state paid family leave law in the country. There was no paid federal leave law program before the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA). The undercurrent in the country could lead other states or Congress to act in a more expansive manner.

AGC Prepared as Federal Action May Be Next

Would Impact PPP Loans of $2M or More

The U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) Wage and Hour Division (WHD) recently issued two new opinion letters. Of particular interest is opinion letter FLSA2020-16 addressing compensability of employee travel time in certain situations involving construction sites located away from the employer’s principal place of business. Specifically, the letter discusses the compensability of non-exempt (e.g., overtime-eligible) foremen’s and laborers’ travel time under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). An opinion letter is an official document authored by WHD on how a particular law applies in specific circumstances presented by the person or entity requesting the letter. Opinion letters represent official statements of agency policy.
Association Officials Warn that Demand for Nonresidential Construction Will Slide Further without New Federal Relief Measures, Citing New Data Showing Most Contractors Had Projects Delayed or Cancelled

Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land and Brockton-Bridgewater-Easton, Mass. Have Worst 12-Month Losses, While Dallas-Plano-Irving, Texas and Walla Walla, Wash. Lead in Construction Job Increases

Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land and Brockton-Bridgewater-Easton, Mass. Have Worst 12-Month Losses, While Dallas-Plano-Irving, Texas and Walla Walla, Wash. Lead in Construction Job Increases

Tonya Jackson has over 25 years of experience in the areas of business development, marketing, and sales. Jackson is a 16-year veteran of RA-LIN and Associates Inc., a Georgia construction management firm, where she works as a business development manager. She serves on the AGC of America Business Development Forum Steering Committee as well on the board of directors for Douglas County Chamber of Commerce, Douglas County Education Foundation and Douglas County Schools Partners in Education; WellStar-Douglas Hospital Authority Board; University of West Georgia Foundation; committees of the Georgia Economic Developers Association and the Georgia Chamber of Commerce; and the Society of Marketing Professional Services.