On Dec. 30, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers released a final rule to newly define 鈥渨aters of the United States鈥 (WOTUS). 黑料不打烊 has been working to bring clarity to the question of when a costly and time-consuming federal water permit is required on projects (vs. a state permit). The agencies released the rule as the U.S. Supreme Court is deciding on a case that will have bearing on the definition of WOTUS. Furthermore, the agencies also have previously stated that they plan a second round of changes in a Phase Two rulemaking.
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, Texas and Provo-Orem, Utah Have Largest 12-Month Gains; While Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, Fla. Has Lost the Most Total Jobs and Has the Fastest Rate of Annual Decline
On this episode of ConstructorCast, two of the nation鈥檚 leading construction economists, Michael Guckes of ConstructConnect and 黑料不打烊's own Ken Simonson will discuss where the economy is headed, construction categories they think will do particularly well, and share their insights on top issues including supply chains and inventories, finding qualified workers, and materials costs.
Special Collective Bargaining Seminar Offered for Union Contractors
Before the National Labor Relations Board鈥檚 (鈥淏oard鈥 of 鈥淣LRB鈥) December 13 decision in Thryv, Inc., the Board鈥檚 traditional make-whole remedy for employee losses suffered as a result of an employer鈥檚 unfair labor practice was generally limited to back wages and/or reinstatement of employment. Following the decision, employers may be required to pay for a broader range of damages.
On December 12, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Department of Labor (DOL) announced the availability of 64,716 H-2B visas for the entirety fiscal year 2023.
黑料不打烊 recently submitted comments on the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) Wage and Hour Division鈥檚 (WHD) proposed rule to establish a new test for determining who is an independent contractor versus an employee under the Federal Labor Standards Act (FLSA). When the proposal is finalized, it would rescind a Trump administration final rule clarifying the standard for employee versus independent contractor status under the FLSA. 黑料不打烊 opposes the creation of this new standard for independent contractor classification and urged the DOL to withdraw this proposed rule.
The Treasury Department and Internal Revenue Service have published a notice of initial guidance providing taxpayers some information on how to satisfy the prevailing wage and apprenticeship requirements for enhanced tax benefits under the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA).