On Oct. 30, the National Labor Relations Board announced an extension of the comment period on its proposed rule that would set a new standard for determining joint-employer liability under the National Labor Relations Act. The deadline for submitting comments has been extended from Nov. 13 to Dec. 13, 2018.

ABC and Construction Executive joined more than 2,300 attendees at Viewpoint’s Collaborate 2018 User Conference, held Oct. 16-18 in Portland, Oregon, where the construction management software company provided three days of in-depth educational sessions and unveiled new software innovations to help construction companies transform their operations, lower risk, gain efficiencies and improve productivity. 

Estimated September construction unemployment rates fell nationally and in 30 states on a year-over-year basis, according to an analysis of U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data released by ABC. The September 2018 not seasonally adjusted national construction unemployment rate fell 0.6 percent from a year ago to 4.1 percent.

On Oct. 29, ABC announced that Timothy Mongeau has been appointed as director of workforce development. With more than 15 years of experience designing and implementing construction education programs, Mongeau will spearhead ABC’s workforce development strategies and initiatives at the state and local level. Mongeau will also be tasked with creating new opportunities to increase the pipeline of skilled construction professionals and support workforce public policy efforts.

The U.S. economy expanded at a 3.5 percent annualized rate during the third quarter of 2018, according to an ABC analysis of U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis data. This represents the first time there have been two consecutive quarters of 3 percent-plus growth since the beginning of 2015.

Last week, ABC government affairs staff traveled to the Grand Canyon state to visit members of the Arizona Builders Alliance. They visited 140 ABA member companies in the Tucson and Phoenix areas, delivering important “get-out-the-vote” information and industry-specific election materials, including the ABC Votes and We Build America websites. 

On Oct. 23, the U.S. Department of Labor issued a proposed rule that would allow small and mid-sized businesses to band together and offer 401(k) plans to their employees through Association Retirement Plans.

On Oct. 23, the U.S. Departments of Labor, Treasury and Health and Human Services jointly issued a proposed rule, Health Reimbursement Arrangements and Other Account-Based Group Health Plans, that seeks to expand the availability of affordable health insurance for hardworking Americans by increasing the usability of health reimbursement arrangements.

On Oct. 17, the Trump Administration released its Fall 2018 Regulatory Plan and Unified Agenda of Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions. The agenda lists upcoming rulemakings and other regulatory actions from each agency that the administration expects to publish through the end of the year and in 2019.

Construction Executive magazine won three honorable mentions in the 2018 Folio: Eddie Awards for association/nonprofit newsletter, website and profile/Q&A. CE This Week, ConstructionExec.com and Stepping Up to Serve, featuring 2018 ABC National Chair George Nash, brought the Construction Executive tally of editorial awards nearly 30 since its first issue in 2003.