The U.S. House of Representatives passed the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs and Related Agencies Appropriations Act April 30 for Fiscal Year 2016 (H.R. 2029). While on the floor, two amendments were introduced that impact federal contractors.

OSHA issued a final rule for confined spaces in construction on May 4, which mirrors the general industry standard but adds certain provisions tailored specifically to the construction industry including an emphasis on training, monitoring and evaluating, as well as communication on multi-employer sites. The rule is set to go into effect August 3.

The Departments of Homeland Security and Labor released two H-2B regulations April 29 that will affect employers utilizing the H-2B program. The regulations include a final rule determining the wage methodology for temporary non-agricultural workers under the H-2B visa program, and an interim final rule (IFR) that includes a new employer registration process, increased recruitment and oversight, requirements for guaranteed pay, additional fees, and similar payment for corresponding U.S. workers.

ABC submitted comments April 24 to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on the proposed rule for the operation and certification of small unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), also known as drones. ABC offered its input on how the proposal will affect the construction industry’s ability to use drones on project sites. 

The Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) updated its Vietnam Era Veterans’ Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA) Benchmark Database April 21 to reflect a new 7 percent annual national benchmark for federal contractor hiring of protected veterans, down from the previous 7.2 percent. 

In advance of a hearing on the topic, ABC sent a letter April 14 to the U.S. House of Representatives encouraging Congress to repeal the employer mandate included in the Affordable Care Act (ACA).  

The NLRB’s controversial final rule overhauling its procedures for union elections, commonly known as the “ambush” elections rule, will be going into effect April 14 unless a court blocks enforcement of the new rule.

In a study evaluating Wisconsin’s approach to calculating prevailing wages and its financial impact on taxpayers, the nonpartisan, nonprofit, and independent Wisconsin Taxpayers Alliance (WISTAX) found at least two methodological “flaws” that tend to raise prevailing wages above market rates.

A new report released by the Construction Industry Safety Coalition (CISC) found that OSHA's proposed silica standards for construction will cost the industry $5 billion per year—roughly $4 .5 billion per year more than OSHA’s estimates. The coalition cautioned that the flawed cost estimates reflect deeper flaws in the rule and urged the federal agency to reconsider its approach.

ABC joined several organizations in strongly urging the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to retain the current ozone standards when finalizing the proposed rulemaking set to revise the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for ozone under the Clean Air Act (Act).