On June 10, 2016, the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals issued a decision rejecting ABC’s challenge to the National Labor Relations Board’s (NLRB) controversial “ambush” election final rule.  ABC General Counsel Maury Baskin of Littler Mendelson P.C., Washington, D.C., argued the case on behalf of ABC of Texas, the Central Texas Chapter of ABC and the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) Texas on March 3 in New Orleans. 

On May 16, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) released final rules under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA) that address employer-sponsored wellness programs and financial inducements.  The rules specifically limit incentives for participation in programs that involve disability-related inquiries and/or medical examinations or require the disclosure of a spouse’s current or past health status information. 

On June 2, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) issued a final rule increasing the penalty for failure to post notices of worker rights under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and the Genetic Information Nondisclosure Act (GINA).  Under the final rule, the maximum fine for failure to comply with these notice-posting requirements rises from $210 to $525 per violation.  

The administration released the latest regulatory agenda on May 18th which outlines the priorities in the in the coming months. Previously we outlined the upcoming OSHA rulemakings and those impacting federal contractors. Here are some additional rulemaking impacting the construction industry.

On May 18, the administration released the latest regulatory agenda outlining their plans for their final months. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) listed a number of new initiatives.  An update on rulemakings affecting the construction industry is outlined below.

The University of Washington Department of Construction Management inducted Kathleen Garrity, retired president of the ABC Western Washington chapter, into the Construction Hall of Fame for her substantial contributions to the industry on May 24. She is the second woman to be inducted.

On May 18, the administration released the latest regulatory agenda outlining their plans for their final months. The agencies are looking to work on several rulemakings impacting federal contractors. An update on rulemakings affecting the construction industry is outlined below. 

On May 12, ABC joined with 15 organizations to send a letter  to the U.S. Senate in support of the EEOC Reform Act (S. 2693.  This legislation aims to eliminate the “enormous and unreasonable administrative burdens” posed by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s (EEOC) proposed revisions to the Employer Information Report (EEO-1), which would require employers with 100 or more employees to provide data on W-2 pay and hours worked, beginning in 2017.  

A brand-new 2016 Ram Tradesman Crew Cab truck was presented to ABC Craft Professional of the Year Scott Walters at an event in Grand Rapids, Mich. Scott, a carpentry superintendent at Dan Vos Construction Co., was awarded the truck courtesy of the award sponsor, Tradesmen International, with custom upgrades donated by FCA US. 

Construction jobsites in Washington, D.C., stopped work at midday on Thursday, May 5 so that workers could attend a special Safety Week event, the Ballpark Grand Slam for Safety at Nationals Park. Workers made their way to the stadium for safety and equipment demonstrations and exhibits, a Stretch and Flex exercise, subcontractor safety awards, remarks by OSHA's Acting Director, of the Directorate of Construction and lunch. The event was sponsored by ABC -a Safety Week partner, major general contractors, insurers and Associated General Contractors