CISCA Monday Newsletter
 
Industry News
The CISCA Ceilings Systems Handbook, the authoritative guide to ceiling installation, safety and tools for modern ceiling installation, has been fully updated and revised for 2019. This is an excellent resource for those new to the industry, as well as educators, contractors or anyone needing a detailed overview of proper, safe procedures for installing ceilings. Purchase and download today!
 
The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) announced Sept. 24 that it will publish a final overtime rule, setting the minimum salary threshold for overtime eligibility at $35,568. The regulations implement the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)'s overtime mandate and, according to a senior DOL official, will make an estimated 1.3 million additional U.S. workers eligible for overtime pay. The final rule will be effective Jan. 1.
 
Thirty-nine states added construction jobs between August 2018 and August 2019, while construction employment increased in 29 states from July to August, according to an analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America of Labor Department data released Sept. 24. Association officials said that construction workforce shortages identified in a survey the association released last month may have kept more states from adding construction jobs this past month.
 
There is a mountain of research and discussion around the differences in generational value sets, work ethic and motivational drivers. Where this intersects with skilled trade work, there is a diminishing reservoir of the talent and passion that will build the next generation of schools, hospitals, courthouses and other traditional infrastructure.
 
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Contractors know that prompt payment of their pay applications is critical to a construction project’s success. Timely and accurate payments allow them to pay their employees, lower-tier contractors, material suppliers and other vendors as agreed, which not only helps make sure there are no disruptions to the project schedule, but builds loyalty.
 
New construction starts dropped 6% over the month in August to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $807.1 billion, according to Dodge Data & Analytics. August’s decline breaks a string of three consecutive month-to-month gains. By major sector, nonbuilding construction fell 15% in August, reversing the large increases made in the previous month when several notable projects started. The declines in residential and nonresidential building were milder – falling 1% and 3% respectively in August.
 
It likely won’t be long before KC Williams is an expert on the topic of warehouse construction. The former U.S. naval aviator, senior living community builder and apartment construction executive joined Woodstock, Georgia-based Primus Builders Inc. as chief operating officer about three months ago and, despite what he says has been a slight learning curve, has settled right into his new position.
 
Prequalifying subcontractors to confirm they are qualified and capable of performing their scope of work on the project should be a common practice of general contractors. Creating and implementing a program requiring proof of compliance with the general contractor’s prequalification program is not only prudent, but may also be required by its commercial general liability (CGL) policy as a precondition to coverage. 
 
The American Institute of Architects (AIA) this week, in its latest Architecture Billings Index (ABI) report, found that there was a "substantial" decrease in architecture firm billings from July to August and a corresponding drop in the index's score from 50.1 to 47.2. The AIA said this shift signifies the biggest weakness in design activity in the last several years.
 
In today’s ever-evolving world of employment law, it is far from an easy task for construction industry employers to operate their business while successfully navigating all of the potential legal potholes that continue to abound and multiply seemingly with every passing day. This is particularly true in the face of the onslaught of claims lodged by current and former employees in recent years for alleged unpaid wages. While there may not be a “sure bet” way of avoiding such claims, one tool that employers should strongly consider in their arsenal are arbitration and class action waiver agreements.
 
Acoustic systems that simplify the specification, sourcing, and installation process
Focal Point Lights

Focal Point, one of the newest members of CISCA is an industry leader that designs and manufactures integrated lighting and acoustic systems that simplify the specification, sourcing, and installation process while delivering a unified look with their Acoustic Solutions. Their in-house specialists can help you achieve your desired design.  

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How can construction company managers get more current and accurate information on how each project is progressing compared to its plan so they can optimize overall performance? Recent advances in technology can improve the speed and reliability of this critical process, but a newly released research study from Dodge Data & Analytics and Viewpoint, “Improving Performance With Project Data,” shows that the industry is still transitioning toward effectively connecting the worksite with the office.
 
Controlled insurance programs, sometimes called WRAPs or CIPs, have been around for years. But while their use in the past was generally limited to very large projects, now they are being utilized much more widely on projects of much more moderate size. 
 
New data released by a coalition of 150 associations from every sector of the U.S. economy show tariffs costs consumers and businesses $6.8 billion in July. That’s a 62% increase from the same time frame in 2018. The figure includes the tariffs of 10% to 25% over the year's time and the additional $3.5 billion in tariffs on goods imported from China since summer. Americans have now paid $30 billion in extra import tariffs since the trade war began in 2018, according to the group.
 
 

 

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