Clarifies Employers’ Obligations to Track Compensable Hours
With telework arrangements expanding in response to the coronavirus pandemic, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD) issued Field Assistance Bulletin (FAB) 2020-5 to clarify an employer’s obligation to track the number of hours of compensable work by employees who are teleworking or otherwise working away from premises controlled by their employers.
Pre-Conference Federal Construction HR Workshop Returns
The 2020 Construction HR and Training Professionals Conference and pre-conference Federal Construction HR Workshop has officially gone virtual. The workshop is scheduled for September 23 and 24, with the full conference to follow on October 6, 7 and 8.
California and New Mexico Have Worst One-Month Job Losses While New York Has Largest Increases; California and Vermont Post Worst Yearly Declines as Utah and South Dakota Have Largest Gains
Delay until September 30
On August 18, ѻý, along with 14 other stakeholders in the transportation community, called on President Trump to oppose any temporary suspension or permanent repeal of dedicated federal user fees that generate revenue for the Highway Trust Fund (HTF). This call comes in light of a recent effort among other industry stakeholders seeking to temporarily suspend the federal excise tax on the purchase of new heavy trucks and trailers. Those in support of this measure have called for the lost revenue that such a suspension of the tax would create to be backfilled by Congress. However, ѻý fears that a temporary suspension of any HTF funding mechanism could become permanent. The amount of revenue generated by this tax for the HTF can vary fiscal year to fiscal year. In fiscal year 2019, the tax generated approximately $5 billion in revenue for the HTF. ѻý earlier in August sent the same message to congressional leaders. While ѻý recognizes the need to provide economic relief on a multitude of fronts to the broader transportation community during this time, we cannot support any further exacerbation of the impending insolvency of the HTF and the loss of dedicated federal user fees.
On August 13, a federal prohibition on the use of certain telecommunications components took effect. The new Interim Final Rule (IFR), often referred to as “Section 889 Part B,” prohibits federal agencies from entering into, extending, or renewing a contract with a contractor that uses any equipment, system, or service that utilizes certain Chinese companies’ telecommunications equipment or services as a component or critical technology of any system, unless an exception applies or a waiver is granted. The Department of Defense issued a memo on this measure, explaining that federal contractors should expect change orders or other required affirmations of a contractor’s compliance with this prohibition. On July 1 and July 15, ѻý, along with a coalition of stakeholders, called on Congress to extend the date of implementation and to make key changes to the rule.
ѻý of America’s Union Contractors Committee will hold its next quarterly conference call on September 10, 2020, at 2:00 p.m. Eastern time.
Gains in July are Limited to Residential Side as State and Local Governments and Private Owners Postpone And Cancel Upcoming Projects; Association Urges Prompt Federal Action to Make up for Revenue Losses
Apply by Wednesday, October 21, 2020!
Earlier this week ѻý joined nearly 200 companies, unions and organizations in a letter urging Congress to include COBRA funding in the next COVID relief package. COBRA is important for the continuation of job-based health insurance for the Americans that have recently lost their jobs as a result of the pandemic. ѻý recognizes the importance of keeping the employer-provided health care system operating and federal subsidies will provide certainty for plans and the recently separated participants. Congress provided similar relief in response to the 2009 recession.