On April 27, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Health and Safety Administration sent a draft OSHA COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standard to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs at the Office of Management and Budget for review. The review at OIRA is usually the final step in the process before a rule is officially published, which could take up to two weeks. At this time, neither OIRA nor DOL have made the content of the ETS public, but ABC has requested a meeting with OIRA to discuss its concerns with an OSHA COVID-19 ETS.

On April 26, President Joe Biden issued an executive order that establishes the Task Force on Worker Organizing and Empowerment. ABC is concerned that the Biden administration is promoting policies that undermine workers’ choice whether to freely join a union, such as government-mandated project labor agreements.

On June 14, ABC will be hosting a virtual Inclusion, Diversity and Equity Summit, which will explore the complexity of IDE in today’s world and evaluate its historical journey and sustainable future in the construction industry. Learn more and register today!

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division launched its Essential Workers – Essential Protections initiative to provide resources and offer information on common issues that employers and employees face during the COVID-19 pandemic.

On April 14, Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives, led by Rep. Garrett Graves (R-La.), reintroduced the Building U.S. Infrastructure Through Limited Delays & Efficient Reviews (BUILDER) Act, which would modernize the outdated National Environmental Policy Act) to make infrastructure project reviews more efficient, reduce project costs, spur economic recovery and rebuild America. The BUILDER Act has been r

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration recently posted new Frequently Asked Questions on recording illnesses caused by required and recommended COVID-19 vaccinations.

All ABC contractor members received the monthly Construction Backlog Indicator/Construction Confidence Survey in their inboxes on Tuesday, April 20. Please encourage your members to respond to this monthly survey to help us understand the market forces that are shaping the construction outlook for the coming months.

ABC has added Massachusetts Chapter member Karl Hudson of L. C. Anderson, Inc. to the Beam Club Presidential Level.  

On April 14, the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure hosted a “Members’ Day Hearing” to seek recommendations on the policy priorities of members of the U.S. House of Representatives as they begin to consider legislation to reauthorize surface transportation legislation, which expires at the end of September.

On April 12, ABC submitted comments in opposition to proposals from the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division to rescind the Trump-era independent contractor and joint employer final rules.