Construction employment stalled nationally on a seasonally adjusted (SA) basis in June. However, as expected, not seasonally adjusted (NSA) employment increased from May. The result was that 38 states experienced a decline in their estimated NSA construction unemployment rate.

Nonresidential fixed investment fell by 0.6 percent during the second quarter after expanding by 1.6 percent during the first quarter, according to the July 30 real gross domestic product (GDP) report by the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA). For the economy as a whole, real GDP expanded by 2.3 percent (seasonally adjusted annual rate) during the second quarter following a 0.6 percent increase during the year’s first quarter. Note that the first quarter estimate for nonresidential fixed investment was revised upward from -3.4 percent annualized growth.

The U.S. House of Representatives passed the ABC-supported Regulations from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny (REINS) Act of 2015 (H.R. 427) July 28. The bill was sponsored by Rep. Todd Young (R-Ind.) and was cosponsored by an additional 171 representatives. 

The U.S. House of Representatives passed the ABC-supported Improving Coal Combustion Residuals Act of 2015 (H.R.1734) July 22. The bill was sponsored by Rep. David McKinley (R-W. Va.) and was cosponsored by a bipartisan group of 44 representatives. 

This fall, ABC is bringing back its annual Construction Management Career fair Nov. 11 in San Diego, where ABC members will have the opportunity to recruit from some of the leading construction management programs from around the country. 

Safety has been a top priority since Florida based national, full-service electrical contractor Power Design, Inc. was founded in 1989. Power Design’s commitment to safety includes its leadership role in Safety Week 2015 and OSHA’s National Stand-Down to Prevent Falls in Construction events earlier this year and has allowed the company to partner with top 100 general contractors as ranked by Engineering News-Record. A commitment to safety within the broader community has also led the company to launch a safety campaign that extends well beyond its 130 active projects.

Through Project Virtual Marketplace, ABC’s exclusive program for BIM products and services, ABC members have access to four new programs that help businesses find BIM solutions.  

The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) released new guidance July 15 related to employers’ use of independent contractors. In the Administrator’s Interpretation and an accompanying blog post, Wage and Hour Division Administrator Dr. David Weil laments the “problematic trend” of deliberate misclassification, and considers the guidance part of a “multi-pronged approach” to combat the phenomenon.

Republican leaders of three congressional committees sent a letter July 15 to the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), the Federal Acquisition Regulatory (FAR) Council, and other Obama administration officials, requesting that the proposed guidance and regulations for the Fair Pay and Safe Workplaces Executive Order 13673 (known as the Blacklisting EO) be withdrawn. This letter was sent a few days after the DOL and the FAR Council announced a two-week extension of the notice and comment period for the Blacklisting proposal to August 11.