Labor
Good and Bad Housing Provisions in $3.5 Trillion Reconciliation Plan
House Democrats are working to draft a $3.5 trillion Build Back Better plan that includes onerous tax hikes of $2 trillion and aggressive energy efficiency requirements in model building energy codes that would harm housing affordability. This ambitious plan also contains several other elements of interest to the housing community.
Number of Women in Construction Edges Higher
The number of women employed in the construction industry in the United States grew slightly in 2020, rising to around 1.17 million workers. The number reflects about 10.9% of the construction workforce, up from 10.3% in 2019, a recent analysis of labor force statistics from the Current Population Survey (CPS) showed.
Employee vs. Independent Contractor is an Important Distinction for Builders
It is important that home builders make hiring decisions with a clear understanding of how the law classifies workers as employees or independent contractors.
Labor Department Rescinds Trump-Era Joint Employer Rule; A Democratic Majority at NLRB
The U.S. Department of Labor today announced it will rescind a joint employer rule that took effect in March 2020. In a separate development, the Senate yesterday confirmed two of President Biden’s nominees to the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), giving the Democrats a 3-2 majority.
Employers May File H-2B Visas for Returning Workers
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) announced today that employers may file H-2B petitions for returning workers under the FY 2021 H-2B supplemental visa temporary final rule. Employers may take this action if they are likely to suffer irreparable harm without these additional workers.
Labor Scarcity Will Increase
The overall economy has 9.2 million unfilled jobs, nearly 300,000 of which are in the construction sector. NAHB economists expect labor to be a rising challenge for construction firms as the overall labor market heals in the coming quarters.
Department of Labor Withdraws Final Independent Contractor Rule
The Department of Labor (DOL) announced today it is withdrawing the independent contractor rule that was finalized in January during the waning days of the Trump administration.
Feds Seek to Overhaul Independent Contractor, Joint Employer Rules
The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) announced that it intends to withdraw the independent contractor final rule issued on Jan. 7, 2021, and rescind a current regulation on joint employer relationships under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) which took effect on March 16, 2020.
Final Independent Contractor Rule Pushed Back Until May 7
The Department of Labor (DOL) has pushed back the effective implementation date of its final independent contractor rule from March 8 until May 7 to “allow the department to review issues of law, policy, and fact raised by the rule before it takes effect.”
House Passes Anti-Business Labor Bill Strongly Opposed by NAHB
The House on March 9 approved legislation strongly opposed by NAHBÂ that contains dozens of sweeping labor law revisions that would negatively affect the construction labor market at a time of critical skilled worker shortages.
