On Feb. 14, the Departments of Treasury, Labor and Health and Human Services issued final regulations regarding the summary of benefits and coverage and the uniform glossary for group health plans and health insurance coverage in the group and individual markets. The final regulations are effective April 16, 2012.

ABC on Feb. 21 filed comments with the Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) in response to a proposed rule that would set a national hiring goal for federal contractors to employ workers with disabilities, in addition to requiring greatly increased recordkeeping and affirmative action steps. Under the proposal, OFCCP would mandate federal contractors to set a goal of having persons with disabilities comprise at least 7 percent of their workforces. OFCCP is also considering an additional goal of having at least 2 percent of federal contractors’ employees comprised of persons with “certain particularly severe” disabilities. 

The Departments of Labor (DOL), Health and Human Services (HHS), and the Treasury in February issued a list of frequently asked questions (FAQs) regarding automatic enrollment, employer shared responsibility, and waiting periods under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA).

Phoenix, Ariz. – Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) today endorsed Republican presidential candidate and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney to be the 45th president of the United States. The association’s endorsement of Romney came during the ABC National Board of Directors meeting in Phoenix.

ABC praised the introduction of H.J. Res. 103 to the U.S. House of Representatives and S. J. Res. 36 to the U.S. Senate. Both pieces of legislation use the Congressional Review Act to block the National Labor Relations Board’s (NLRB) “ambush” election rule. 

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced it is withdrawing a Dec. 1 direct final rule that would have altered the USDA’s procurement policies to require federal contractors to certify that they, as well as their subcontractors and suppliers, were in compliance with all applicable labor laws. 

Washington, D.C. – Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) has named American Infrastructure, Worcester, Pa., its 2011 Contractor of the Year. American Infrastructure Chairman and CEO, A. Ross Myers, accepted the award on behalf of the company during ABC’s 22nd annual Excellence in Construction and National Safety Excellence Award program held Feb. 22 at the Biltmore Hotel in Phoenix, Ariz.

The Heart of America Foundation has found many enthusiastic partners to assist in accomplishing its mission of putting books into the hands of children who need them most. Through a partnership with Target and with the help of passionate volunteers, the organization renovates school libraries across the country under the Target School Library Makeover program. 

In the Department of Labor (DOL) 2012 regulatory agenda released in January, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) listed action items on Injury and Illness Prevention Programs (I2P2); confined spaces in construction; crystalline silica exposure limits; and walking work surfaces; among other issues.