On July 26, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) formally published a Request for Information (RFI) on the 2016 changes to the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) overtime regulations. In line with ż’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. ż 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.
EPA Drafts OECA Outlook; ż Continues to Push for Cooperative Approach
Country Expected to Remain in Compliance
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers proposed a rule to rescind the Obama-era 2015 “Waters of the United States” (WOTUS) rule that defines what streams, wetlands and other wet areas are controlled by the federal government and subject to the permitting requirements of the Clean Water Act. This action (published July 27, 2017) is the first step in a comprehensive, two-step process intended to review and revise the definition of WOTUS consistent with President Trump’s Executive Order on “Restoring the Rule of Law, Federalism, and Economic Growth by Reviewing the ‘Waters of the United States’ Rule.”
September 12, 2017; Co-located with its 2017 Construction Environmental Conference
WOTUS, Lead Paint, Stormwater, Ozone, Aerosol Cans and More
On July 17, 2017, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) released a revised version of Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification. Instructions for how to download Form I-9 are available on the Form I-9 page. Employers can use this revised version or continue using Form I-9 with a revision date of 11/14/16 N through Sept. 17. On Sept. 18, employers must use the revised form with a revision date of 07/17/17 N. Employers must continue following existing storage and retention rules for any previously completed Form I-9.
Construction employment increased by 16,000 jobs in June to the highest level since October 2008, signaling a new burst of hiring after three months of pause, according to an analysis of new government data by the Associated General Contractors of America. Association officials urged federal, state and local lawmakers to enact measures to make it easier for school officials, local associations and construction firms to set up construction training programs.
Lindsay Andrews, Kokosing, Inc.
For many construction companies, marketing supports the Business Development department in winning new work. This includes responding to project opportunities through the creation of statements of qualifications, proposals and presentations. Depending on company size, perations staff or team members working in different departments such as HR or Accounting may have marketing responsibilities. In some cases, companies haven’t needed a marketing department until now. If you’re just setting up your marketing department, planning it to support Business Development is priority No. 1. Here are some tips to help you lay the foundation and set your company up for long-term success.
Were you inspired by the environmental management solutions in ż’s Earth Day Exclusive to develop your own environmental program? The environmental compliance and sustainability resources and management tools on the ż-supported online Construction Industry Compliance Assistance (CICA) Center can help you get started.