ABC members from the Wisconsin Chapter participated in a Tele-Town Hall Meeting March 13 with Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI) and more than 2,300 other Wisconsin business owners from Associated General Contractors, the National Association of Manufacturers and the National Federation of Independent Business in the first of a series of virtual meetings with Senators from across the country sponsored by ABC’s Free Enterprise Alliance.

The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Feb. 23 issued the long-anticipated proposal to address the commercial use of small unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), also referred to as drones. The proposal was introduced after the FAA previously failed to meet numerous deadlines to provide a regulatory framework for non-recreational use of small UAS. The proposed rule is expected to go into effect January 1, 2017.

OSHA released an interpretation letter stating that construction contractors are allowed to require employees to pay a deposit for company-issued personal protection equipment (PPE) so that it provides an incentive for the employee to return the equipment. Contractors should be aware that this does not circumvent the requirement that employers provide protection equipment at no expense to the workers. 

Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) has added North Alabama Chapter member Kathy Pigg of Brindley Construction, LLC, Pulaski, Tenn., to the Beam Club Hall of Fame Level, which recognizes ABC’s top membership recruiters.

Nevada Gov. Brian Sandoval (R) March 6 signed S.B. 119, which will exempt K-12 and higher education school construction from state prevailing wage requirements beginning immediately.

ABC congratulated the winners of the 25th annual Excellence in Construction Awards, including Contractor of the Year Brasfield & Gorrie, March 5 at the Greater Fort Lauderdale Broward County Convention Center in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

On March 9, Wisconsin became the 25th state to enact a Right to Work law, allowing all workers in the state to have a job without paying dues or fees to a labor union.

Seven ABC member companies, representing 26 chapters, were ranked in Fortune Magazine’s annual “Top 100 Companies to Work For” list. They include: Acuity, Plante Moran, Baker Donelson, PCL Construction, Ernst & Young, TDIndustries and Hilti.

During the Careers in Construction Awards Ceremony March 6, ABC recognized Holley Thomas, a foreman for KBR, Houston, Texas, as its 2015 Craft Professional of the Year and Jonathan Sacks, transmission and distribution training manager for Cianbro, Pittsfield, Maine, as its 2015 Craft Instructor of the Year. The awards were presented during ABC’s Workforce Conference in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. 

An updated summary of employer requirements included in the Affordable Care Act (ACA) is available for ABC members in a reference document provided by Washington Council Ernst & Young. The document is available on the Health Care Law Employer Toolkit (login required) on ABC’s website.