Legal/Regulation: Page 2

New York City MTA inspector general wants reform of agency's contractor evaluation system

Carolyn Pokorny said that the Metropolitan Transportation Authority's current contractor evaluation system allows subpar performance to be overrated.

By Kim Slowey • Oct. 16, 2020

Labor Department tackles questions about Trump's diversity training limits

The Trump administration's guidance and language are "unusual" compared to what is typically found in nondiscrimination law, an attorney said.

By Ryan Golden • Oct. 14, 2020

Auditor says Pennsylvania's COVID-19 waiver process was unclear, inconsistent

While the construction industry was not one of the business categories studied, the report cited a Pennsylvania contractor as an example of the uncertainty of the waiver process.

By Kim Slowey • Oct. 12, 2020

Former Turner project manager pleads guilty to tax evasion

Vito Nigro pleaded guilty to one count of tax evasion in connection with a $15 million pay-to-play scheme involving Bloomberg LLC construction projects.

By Kim Slowey • UPDATED: Nov. 2, 2020 at 9:25 a.m.

Report: Wisconsin prevailing wage repeal yielded lost construction jobs, lower wages

A new study contends that the state's prevailing wage repeal has not yielded the cost savings and other benefits lawmakers promised, but a Wisconsin ABC official said that's not true and that wages have gone up. 

By Kim Slowey • Oct. 07, 2020

OSHA: Employers have 8 hours to report work-related COVID-19 deaths

The agency also outlined reporting requirements for hospitalizations.

By Kate Tornone • Oct. 06, 2020

Column

Modular Monitor: How codes help or hinder offsite building

Modular building codes and regulations vary from state to state, so how are offsite builders supposed to know which hurdles to jump through?

By Kim Slowey • Oct. 05, 2020

New York union boss indicted for racketeering, fraud and bribery

James Cahill, president of the New York State Building and Construction Trades Council, was indicted along with 10 additional officials connected to two other unions.

By Kim Slowey • Oct. 05, 2020

New York contractors ask Gov. Cuomo to repeal state Scaffold Law

Business groups including the Associated Builders and Contractors Empire Chapter argue that the law makes doing business in the state too expensive for contractors, especially in light of coronavirus-related impediments.

By Kim Slowey • Oct. 02, 2020

PPP forgiveness approvals could begin soon, SBA says

The Small Business Administration has received more than 96,000 Paycheck Protection Program loan forgiveness applications but has approved none, according to the agency's chief of staff.

By Dan Ennis, Jenn Goodman • Oct. 01, 2020

Former Bloomberg construction exec pleads guilty to tax evasion

One other former Bloomberg executive and two former construction managers from Turner Construction Co. were also charged in the same scheme.

By Kim Slowey • Oct. 01, 2020

Trump order bans 'divisive' diversity training for federal contractors, subs

The directive follows a White House memorandum advising federal agencies not to spend taxpayer money on "anti-American propaganda training sessions."

By Kim Slowey • Sept. 29, 2020

Michigan fines 12 construction-related businesses for COVID-19 violations

“The employers that are doing nothing and essentially thumbing their noses at the CDC and health agencies" will get noticed by state and federal authorities, according to a construction attorney.

By Kim Slowey • Sept. 24, 2020

Labor Department proposes revision of independent contractor test

DOL wants to provide more clarity for employers to determine who is an independent contractor or employee, but a legal expert said contractors should follow stricter state laws where applicable.

By Kim Slowey • Sept. 23, 2020

What to do when an employee is afraid to return to the jobsite due to COVID-19

If an employee refuses to work although there is no imminent danger, "the courts have made it clear that those employees don’t have to be paid," says a human resources expert.

By Kate Tornone • Sept. 17, 2020

More than 60 projects expedited by Trump executive order waiving environmental regulations

Newly released documents provide details into some of the infrastructure projects that have been sped up by the Trump administration to help hasten the economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.

By Jenn Goodman • Sept. 17, 2020

AIA paper offers guidance on the difference between delegated design and design assist

Both collaborative methods put contractors in the position of offering input that can influence the overall project.

By Kim Slowey • Sept. 16, 2020

Federal court says DOL joint-employer rule 'arbitrary and capricious'; ABC says judge 'got it wrong'

A federal court judge found that the Labor Department's new rule is in conflict with the Fair Labor Standards Act's broader definition. The Associated Builders and Contractors contends the judge "misapplied precedent" and suggests an appeal.

By Kim Slowey • Sept. 15, 2020

Engineer finds a portion of Texas border wall at risk of failing

Delivered as part of a lawsuit against We Build the Wall, a new report claims that Fisher Sand and Gravel's work on part of the U.S.-Mexico border wall was done without ensuring that it would not "cause more harm than good."

By Kim Slowey • Sept. 11, 2020

Payroll tax deferral program could leave employers holding the bag

Firms that allow workers to defer Social Security taxes this year could face the liability of repaying the taxes themselves, according to an ADP executive.

By Robert Freedman • Sept. 11, 2020

Black workers file lawsuit against Mitsubishi Electric US for racial harassment, discrimination

The plaintiffs, four employees in the company's elevator and escalator business, claim that the company did not take timely action after they complained about alleged racist behavior by supervisors and other workers.

By Kim Slowey • Sept. 10, 2020

Work resumes at Amazon distribution center site after deadly accident

The two men killed earlier this month at the Suffolk, Virginia, jobsite worked for Louisiana-based Eastern Constructors, which has seen other employees killed or injured in workplace incidents in recent years.

By Kim Slowey • UPDATED: Sept. 15, 2020 at 8:13 a.m.

PPP loan forgiveness could result in big tax bills

Unless Congress intervenes, the IRS will not allow businesses to write off wages and rent paid for with Paycheck Protection Program funds, something many contractors are unaware of, according to one expert.

By Jenn Goodman , Joe Bousquin • Aug. 31, 2020

Electrical sub to pay $1.25M to settle discrimination claims at Apple jobsite

The ruling sends a message that subcontractors as well as general contractors must take prompt, effective action to stop harassment and hate speech, said the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

By Lisa Burden • Aug. 31, 2020

Justice Department indicts Minnesota contractor for $841K PPP loan fraud

Kyle Brenizer applied for and received a federal Paycheck Protection Program loan under the name of his defunct construction company and allegedly submitted false employee and tax information.

By Kim Slowey • Aug. 28, 2020