U.S. Department of Labor Announces 2019 Prevailing Wage Seminars

The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) Wage and Hour Division (WHD) has announced dates and locations for its free 2019 prevailing wage education seminars.

SWACCA Endorses 529 OPTIONS Act

Yesterday, SWACCA endorsed bipartisan legislation introduced by Reps. Donald Norcross (D-NJ) and Mike Kelly (R-PA) entitled the “529 OPTIONS Act” (H.R. 2679). H.R. 2679 is similar—but better than—a proposal SWACCA has long advocated to allow 529 education savings accounts to be used for costs associated with registered apprenticeship programs.

Colorado Lawmakers Approve Wage Theft Law, Send Bill to Governor

Last week, the Colorado Senate passed legislation that would define failure to pay workers the pay they’re due as a theft, and when the wages owed are greater than $2,000, a felony.

Washington Post Editors Call Multiemployer Pension Reform the “Public Policy Problem from Hell”

The Washington Post editorial board penned an op-ed last Thursday, which referred to multiemployer pension plans as the “public policy problem from hell.” The editors noted that the federal government considers about 1/10th of the nation’s 1,400 multiemployer pension plans to be “at-risk” with liabilities around $52.6 billion as of 2018.

Judge Requires Employers to Provide EEOC with Pay Data by September 30

Last Thursday, a federal judge for the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia ruled that more than 60,000 employers will have to turn over worker pay data to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) by September 30.

SWACCA Members Meet With IUPAT Leadership

On Thursday, April 25^th, SWACCA members were graciously invited to the IUPAT’s International Training Center for a business meeting and a tour of the facilities. IUPAT General President, Ken Rigmaiden, met with SWACCA members and addressed many issues of common interest for SWACCA and the IUPAT.

DOL Issues Proposed Rule Revising “Regular Rate” Requirements

The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) has issued a proposed rule revising “regular rate” requirements employers must follow under section 7(e) of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

DOL’s Overtime Rule to be Published in the Federal Register

Today, the U.S. Department of Labor published in the Federal Register its recently announced notice of proposed rulemaking on overtime.  The proposed regulations increase the salary threshold below which workers must be paid overtime—regardless of their job duties—from $455 a week ($23,660 per year) to $679 per week ($35,308 per year).

Construction Industry Tax Fraud Costs Taxpayers $2.6 Billion Annually

A new estimate from Smart Cities Prevail finds that 1.2 million construction workers are paid off the books each year.  Another 300,000 are misclassified as independent contractors when they are really employees.  These unlawful practices cost state and federal taxpayers at least $2.6 billion annually in lost federal income and employment taxes, and state income taxes. 

SWACCA strongly supports efforts to curb employee misclassification and off-the-books payment schemes in the construction industry.  These fraudulent practices create an unlevel playing field for legitimate employers at the expense of United States taxpayers.

SWACCA Focuses House of Representatives on the Need to Authorize Composite Plans as Part of any Solution for the Multiemployer Pension Crisis

SWACCA’s efforts to authorize composite plans continued at today’s House Education and Labor Subcommittee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions hearing entitled: “The Cost of Inaction: Why Congress Must Address the Multiemployer Pension Crisis”.  This hearing was intended to illustrate why Congress must act quickly to save the multiemployer pension system. SWACCA urged members and witnesses at the hearing to raise composite plans as part of any solution to the crisis facing the multiemployer system.  Three members of Congress and a witness from the U.S. Chamber of Congress raised the issue at today’s hearing.

SWACCA Joins in Calling for Repeal of Cadillac Tax

Last week, SWACCA joined over 600 businesses and organizations in signing a letter urging Congress to repeal the “Cadillac Tax”, which would levy a 40% tax on certain employer-provided health coverage.

OSHA Form 300A Reporting Deadline Coming March 2

March 2 is the deadline for electronically reporting your OSHA Form 300A data for calendar year 2018. Collection will begin January 2, 2019.