White House loosens environmental law to speed up infrastructure projects

Industry groups including the Associated Builders and Contractors praised the Trump administration's updates to the National Environmental Policy Act, which are designed to streamline the project approval process.

By Kim Slowey • Updated July 16, 2020

New York City reopens nonessential construction work

Phase 1 is underway, allowing construction to reboot on almost 32,500 nonessential projects across the city's five boroughs. 

By Kim Slowey • June 8, 2020

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Legal Issues

Contracts, disputes, change orders and delays can keep builders up at night. Construction Dive covers some of the top issues facing the industry.

By Construction Dive staff

Justice Department joins whistleblower lawsuit against AECOM

The lawsuit, originally filed in 2016 but unsealed last week, claims that the contractor and other defendants knowingly inflated repair estimates for post-Hurricane Katrina FEMA work.

By Kim Slowey • June 5, 2020

House Democrats introduce $494B transportation bill

Construction industry officials say comprehensive legislation could generate construction jobs and help with the post-COVID-19 economic recovery. 

By Kim Slowey • June 4, 2020

What new PPP loan guidance means for contractors

The clarifications are intended to make the Paycheck Protection Program more flexible for construction and other businesses while Congress works to expand some of the program's parameters.  

By Kim Slowey • June 2, 2020

Residents near Amazon's $1.5B Kentucky air hub project sue Whiting-Turner Kokosing JV

Homeowners within a mile of the jobsite at the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport said the blasting and other earthwork activity has caused damage to their houses. 

By Kim Slowey • June 2, 2020

Who pays for extra time, work to keep construction workers safe?

There's no simple answers to this and other COVID-19 jobsite questions, says one construction attorney.

By Jennifer Goodman • May 29, 2020

OSHA issues new COVID-19 guidance

The agency's latest workplace enforcement guidance for contractors details how to determine if a coronavirus case is work related.

By Kim Slowey • May 29, 2020

Michigan judge rules that state safety violations are not felonies

Judge Christopher Murray ruled that Gov. Gretchen Whitmer exceeded her authority when she set possible felony penalties for contractors and other employers that violate her coronavirus safety orders.

By Kim Slowey • Updated June 10, 2020

What does Maryland's Purple Line project team breakup mean for P3s?

Although one of the country's most-watched public-private partnerships has stalled, the delivery method has advantages for many large civil projects, experts say.

By Kim Slowey • May 27, 2020

The Dotted Line: How will clients approach contracts post-pandemic?

Owners will likely demand more flexibility in future construction contracts so they can easily suspend or stop projects, as well as mitigate their risk.

By Kim Slowey • May 26, 2020

Mechanics liens up 40% as COVID-19 pandemic disrupts industry

The increase in liens filed from January through March indicates that contractors and suppliers took action to protect their payments as projects began to shut down in response to the novel coronavirus.

By Kim Slowey • May 21, 2020

How construction firms can prepare for a potential second wave of COVID-19

Although work is restarting in most jurisdictions, contractors can't let their guard down regarding coronavirus precautions for the future.

By Kim Slowey • May 18, 2020

HVAC worker sues for overtime, PPE

The fired Florida worker alleges that his previous employer did not provide PPE to protect him from COVID-19 and that he was misclassified as a salaried employee.

By Lisa Burden • May 18, 2020

What contractors need to know about the Paycheck Protection Program

Attorneys say the big takeaway for construction firms that use PPP loans is to document everything — from the decisions that led to their applications to how they used the proceeds.

By Kim Slowey • May 13, 2020

Bay Area construction opens to new set of rules and guidance

Companies must work with owners to re-imagine "essential" onsite personnel, create work shifts and structure the layout of the way work is performed, says AGC of California CEO Peter Tateishi. 

By Jennifer Goodman • May 7, 2020

Nurses contracted by Tampa, Florida, officials drop in on jobsites in fight against coronavirus

Developers are behind the new initiative and are paying for the visits to the city's bigger construction projects amid pressure to prep for Super Bowl 2021.

By Kim Slowey • May 6, 2020

The new normal: 8 ways the coronavirus crisis is changing construction

U.S. jobsites are reopening but construction will not look the same as before the COVID-19 outbreak. Are you ready for the paradigm shift?

By Jennifer Goodman • April 30, 2020

Construction code purveyor calls Supreme Court's ruling that annotated code can't be copyrighted 'monumental'

The court's decision could have an impact on other similar cases, like the International Code Council's lawsuit against online code provider Upcodes, which heralded the decision.

By Kim Slowey • April 29, 2020

Massachusetts union members advised to return to work following strikes

Effective April 21, the work stoppage directive issued by the state's largest industry union earlier this month is no longer in effect for essential projects with acceptable COVID-19 safety protocols.

By Kim Slowey • April 24, 2020

April Mailbag: Construction attorney answers readers' coronavirus legal questions

Among other questions, U.S. contractors want to know when their projects are "essential" and what to do if a worker is exposed to COVID-19. 

By Jennifer Goodman • April 21, 2020

Feds on track to begin equal employment opportunity audits

New letters for construction firms working on public contracts might mean agencies will begin cracking down on EEO measures, and contractors shouldn't rely on the coronavirus pandemic to give them a break, an expert said.

By Kim Slowey • April 20, 2020

Paying employees during a coronavirus-related project suspension: What do federal laws say?

As the number of contractors faced with a project suspension continues to mount, one increasingly common question arises: "Am I obligated to pay my employees for time off during a COVID-19-related suspension?”

By Roscoe Green and Benjamin Briggs • April 17, 2020

Construction boss in Oregon charged with $65M tax evasion

Victor Hugo Lopez-Diaz's employment tax fraud, involving other contractors as well, could be one of the state's largest ever prosecuted, officials said.

By Kim Slowey • April 16, 2020

Mortenson, Trammell Crow reach $9M settlement on Colorado Convention Center project

The two contractors have entered into an agreement with the city and county of Denver to settle civil claims related to the $233 million project.

By Kim Slowey • Updated Jan. 5, 2021