Below you'll find a list of all posts from August, 2017
Immigration has been thrust back into the spotlight. Earlier this month, President Donald Trump lent his vocal support to the RAISE Act written by U.S. Senators Tom Cotton of Arkansas and David Perdue of Georgia. Last week the president reiterated his commitment to building a border wall, even if it meant shutting down our government. Read the full article >>>
The disaster that is Tropical Storm Harvey is still ongoing. It will be some time before the waters recede and the effect on Houston can be fully assessed. But it is already clear the damage to property will be immense. Tens of thousands of structures were impacted by floodwaters. Eventually, Houston will require massive cleanup, demolition, and reconstruction of individual homes, large buildings, and infrastructure. Tell me more >>>
Construction surety is about to get significantly more sure. Two trade groups, the National Association of Surety Bond Producers (NASBP) and the Surety & Fidelity Association of America (SFAA) are working with two standards-setting organizations and several underwriters to develop a whole new online protocol. Read more here >>>
If you’re like most Americans, you’ve been watching the Hurricane Harvey coverage, thanking your lucky stars that you don’t live in its path. However, for millions, their lives have just been turned upside down, and the problems haven’t stopped. You want to help; you want your business to help. How? Here are 10 ways you and your business can help. Tell me more >>>
This is an excerpt of an article by Gary Clevenger MS, CSP, CRIS, RRE, the national risk control director, construction at CNA Insurance. To read the full article >>> What can a construction employer do to thwart opioid abuse among its workers? These five prevention strategies can help: Educate employees about responsible prescription opioid use— Inform your workers about the potency of these drugs, how they work, any drug interactions and how they can become addictive. Understand risk factors surrounding opioid use, such as doctor shopping and physician dispensing. Provide support and a robust return-to-work program for injured employees— Your employee’s immediate supervisor can help prevent any further injury to the worker by refocusing his/ her injury away from …
The Great Recession delivered a knock out punch to many African-American-owned construction companies but Steven Garth Sr.’s Chicago Heights company was not among them. Garth, 72, is founder and CEO of Garth Construction Services Corp. and chairman and a co-founder of Black Contractors United, which assists and advocates for African-Americans in the construction industry. Read the full article >>>
Maryland’s beleaguered Purple Line light-rail project broke ground today, Bethesda Magazine reported. Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan and U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao were present. Tell me more >>>
Contractors will now need a permit and to post bonds before cutting into or digging under Conyngham streets. On Tuesday, Conyngham Borough Council adopted a street excavation ordinance that requires people to obtain a permit and pay a $150 fee before doing any street work, solicitor Donald Karpowich said. Read the full article >>>
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Office of Chief Counsel has recently issued several information letters regarding the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA) individual and employer mandate penalties. These letters clarify that: Employer shared responsibility penalties continue to apply for applicable large employers (ALEs) that fail to offer acceptable health coverage to their full-time employees (and dependents); and Individual mandate penalties continue to apply for individuals that do not obtain acceptable health coverage (if they do not qualify for an exemption). These letters were issued in response to confusion over President Donald Trump’s executive order directing federal agencies to provide relief from the burdens of the ACA. Action Steps These information letters clarify that the ACA’s individual and employer mandate penalties still …
By David J. Ledermann, Esq., Barley Snyder While the long-term future of the Affordable Care Act may be in doubt, the law’s application to employers remains largely unaffected by recent political developments. Information letters recently released by the IRS Office of Chief Counsel, responding to inquiries about the status of the ACA’s employer shared responsibility requirements (the “employer mandate”), emphasize that these requirements remain effective. Therefore, an “applicable large employer” (an organization, or group of related organizations, that averaged at least 50 or more full-time equivalent employees in the prior year) could face penalties for failing to offer adequate health coverage to full-time employees and their non-spouse dependents. The IRS information letters indicate that no waivers under the employer mandate …
