The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers have released new implementation tools for the Navigable Waters Protection Rule that went into effect earlier this summer. These tools are available online for the public to view and include educational resources, new forms, and 鈥渋mplementation memos鈥 to provide greater clarity and consistency implementing the rule across the country.
The National Labor Relations Board (鈥淣LRB鈥 or 鈥淏oard鈥) has revised its standard for determining the lawfulness of an employer鈥檚 discipline or discharge of an employee who has engaged in abusive or offensive conduct 鈥攊ncluding making profane, racist, and sexually unacceptable remarks鈥攊n the course of activity otherwise protected under the National Labor Relations Act (鈥淣LRA鈥).
Clarifies Employers鈥 Obligations to Track Compensable Hours With telework arrangements expanding in response to the coronavirus pandemic, the U.S. Department of Labor鈥檚 Wage and Hour Division (WHD) issued Field Assistance Bulletin (FAB) 2020-5 to clarify an employer鈥檚 obligation to track the number of hours of compensable work by employees who are teleworking or otherwise working away from premises controlled by their employers.
Pre-Conference Federal Construction HR Workshop Returns The 2020 Construction HR and Training Professionals Conference and pre-conference Federal Construction HR Workshop has officially gone virtual. The workshop is scheduled for September 23 and 24, with the full conference to follow on October 6, 7 and 8.
California and New Mexico Have Worst One-Month Job Losses While New York Has Largest Increases; California and Vermont Post Worst Yearly Declines as Utah and South Dakota Have Largest Gains

On August 18, 蜜桔直播, along with 14 other stakeholders in the transportation community, called on President Trump to oppose any temporary suspension or permanent repeal of dedicated federal user fees that generate revenue for the Highway Trust Fund (HTF). This call comes in light of a recent effort among other industry stakeholders seeking to temporarily suspend the federal excise tax on the purchase of new heavy trucks and trailers. Those in support of this measure have called for the lost revenue that such a suspension of the tax would create to be backfilled by Congress. However, 蜜桔直播 fears that a temporary suspension of any HTF funding mechanism could become permanent. The amount of revenue generated by this tax for the HTF can vary fiscal year to fiscal year. In fiscal year 2019, the tax generated approximately $5 billion in revenue for the HTF. 蜜桔直播 earlier in August sent the same message to congressional leaders. While 蜜桔直播 recognizes the need to provide economic relief on a multitude of fronts to the broader transportation community during this time, we cannot support any further exacerbation of the impending insolvency of the HTF and the loss of dedicated federal user fees.

Calls for One-Year Surface Transportation Extension with Additional Funds

蜜桔直播 of America鈥檚 Union Contractors Committee will hold its next quarterly conference call on September 10, 2020, at 2:00 p.m. Eastern time.
Gains in July are Limited to Residential Side as State and Local Governments and Private Owners Postpone And Cancel Upcoming Projects; Association Urges Prompt Federal Action to Make up for Revenue Losses