Will DACA Revival Address Worker Shortage? January 01, 2021 A federal judge in New York City has reinstated the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, which will allow undocumented immigrants brought to the US as children to apply for work permits. US District Judge Nicholas G. Garaufis said he was “fully restoring” the program, according to an article in Washington Post on December […] Read More
Price-Fixing Lawsuits Against CSSB Dismissed July 01, 2020 A U.S. district court judge recently entered an order dismissing all class action lawsuits against the Cedar Shake & Shingle Bureau (CSSB) and other defendants regarding price-fixing claims, according to the CCSB. In February 2019, S&W Forest Products, Ltd., Maple Ridge, BC, filed a lawsuit in U.S. district court in Seattle against CCSB; Anbrook Industries […] Read More
Construction-Related Events Rescheduled Due to COVID-19 May 01, 2020 Scores of construction-related conventions, meetings, and conferences have been postponed or even canceled due to the worldwide novel coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19). These include, of course, the International Institute of Building Enclosure Consultants’ (IIBEC’s) 2020 Convention and Trade Show, which was to have occurred in March. By now, interested parties know that IIBEC convention papers will […] Read More
“Be That One Guy” Program Fights Sexual Harassment May 01, 2020 When Vicki L. O’Leary, a union ironworker, heard about the 2017 beating death of union carpenter apprentice Outi Hicks on a worksite following days of harassment, she and fellow ironworkers formed the “Be That One Guy” campaign. The psychological violence of workplace harassment, O’Leary says, is a safety concern that the Occupational Safety and Health […] Read More
CARES Act Small Business Provisions April 03, 2020 The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act was signed by President Trump on March 27, 2020. This Act has certain provisions that apply to small businesses in need of assistance due to the pandemic. The programs listed below are primarily designed to help employers rehire or retain employees. The CARES Act provides avenues […] Read More
Canada’s COVID-19 Emergency Response Act April 03, 2020 The Parliament of Canada has formulated a response plan to help Canadians facing hardship as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak. This response plan includes assistance for both individuals and businesses. The COVID-19 Emergency Response Act was recently passed by Parliament to provide an estimated $107 billion in assistance. This article will focus on support […] Read More
Rule Change Makes 1.3 Million More Americans Eligible for Overtime January 03, 2020 A final rule by the U.S. Department of Labor updates the earnings threshold necessary to exempt executive, administrative, and professional employees from the Fair Labor Standards Act’s (FLSA’s) minimum wage and overtime pay requirements. The new thresholds had not been updated since 2004 and were effective on January 1, 2020. The rule: Raises the “standard […] Read More
