Labor

  • A tall, domed building with a green roof stands in the foreground on a nice day, blue sky and sunny in the evening.
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    4nadia via Getty Images
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    Pennsylvania lawmakers designate Construction Opioid Awareness Week

    State senators cast light on the building sector’s ongoing struggle against substance abuse via a campaign during the height of summer construction season.

    By • July 24, 2025
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    JHVEPhoto via Getty Images
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    Former Amazon exec, Biden official talk OSHA changes

    Corporate safety attorney Heather MacDougall and the former deputy assistant secretary of OSHA offered details at this week’s ASSP 2025 Conference + Expo.

    By • July 24, 2025
  • Two women post for a photograph together wearing personal protective equipment.
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    Permission granted by ARX
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    Why a women-owned firm developed PPE for women

    ARX’s leaders say they leaned on their own experiences and researched how women wear and use gear to create better products.

    By • July 17, 2025
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    David Ryder via Getty Images
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    Nearly 9% of younger workers use alcohol or drugs at work, study shows

    Substance use occurs more often in blue-collar and service industry jobs, but comprehensive policies and supportive interventions can help, researchers said.

    By Carolyn Crist • July 17, 2025
  • Construction worker pushes water cart to worksite during heat wave
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    Spencer Platt via Getty Images
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    Deep Dive

    How to protect employees from heat and other climate extremes

    Basics like shade, water and rest can help, but companies should involve workers in the planning process, experts say.

    By Ryan Golden • July 15, 2025
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    Spencer Platt via Getty Images
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    How immigration crackdowns, ICE raids will affect recruitment in 2025

    A decline in the foreign-born workforce “will keep the potential pool of workers historically tight,” Wells Fargo economists found.

    By Caroline Colvin • July 10, 2025
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    Permission granted by Eddie Lopez
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    TikTokers promote the construction trades to young workers

    Online influencers are reaching members of Gen Z via the popular social media site.

    By Keith Loria • July 10, 2025
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    Brian Tucker/Construction Dive
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    Mailbag: The EEOC sent us a letter about our DEI programs. What should we do next?

    Experts question whether the agency possesses the authority to issue such letters. But ignoring an agency notice or request is typically not a good tactic, an attorney says.

    By Ryan Golden • July 10, 2025
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    Permission granted by CIRT
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    Construction advocate Mark Casso remembered as mentor, friend

    The leader of the Construction Industry Round Table was humble, kind and a staunch champion for the building sector, his colleagues said.

    By • July 9, 2025
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    dventtr via Getty Images
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    6 ways employers can lower healthcare costs in 2025

    "Employers have absorbed the majority of cost increases over the past four years, and they likely cannot continue to do so," one expert said.

    By Michael Brady • July 2, 2025
  • Allyns Melendez, CEO and founder of HR Transformed, gives a session on managing a blended workforce at SHRM 2025 in San Diego, Calif.
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    Ginger Christ/Construction Dive
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    Return to office doesn’t mean rewind to 2019, conference speaker says

    COVID-19 transformed the workplace as much as desktop computers, HR Transformed’s CEO said. Her tip for managing a blended workforce? Be intentional.

    By Ginger Christ • July 2, 2025
  • A construction worker swinging a sledgehammer during a sunny day.
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    Mark Makela/Getty Images via Getty Images
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    Hiring rate, job openings remain historically low

    Though contractors are optimistic in the face of a subdued labor market, it’s not yet clear how President Donald Trump’s immigration policies have affected the data.

    By • July 2, 2025
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    Anna Moneymaker via Getty Images
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    OSHA hearings hint at revised heat rule

    Though many expected the Trump administration to kill the proposed regulation, the agency may simply tone it down to a more performance-based standard, experts say.

    By • June 26, 2025
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    JayLazarin via Getty Images
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    Contractors back New York’s Scaffold Law update

    Liability insurance premiums in New York generally run about 30% higher than in other states due to the legislation, builders say.

    By • June 26, 2025
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    Anna Moneymaker via Getty Images
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    Employers should regularly check E-Verify for authorization status changes, DHS warns

    The Trump administration recently revoked work authorization status for more than half a million noncitizens from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua and Venezuela.

    By Emilie Shumway • June 25, 2025
  • A rendering of JetZero's Greensboro, North Carolina, facility.
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    Courtesy of JetZero
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    Startup JetZero to build $4.7B factory in North Carolina

    The aircraft maker plans to create 14,500 jobs as it looks to produce more fuel-efficient, spacious planes.

    By Kate Magill • June 18, 2025
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    Win McNamee via Getty Images
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    PLA mandate to stay, with exemptions: OMB

    The Trump administration said that it supports the use of project labor agreements on federal construction projects when they are “practicable and cost effective.”

    By • June 13, 2025
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    Andrew Harnik via Getty Images
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    OSHA’s proposed cuts won’t affect enforcement: DOL chief

    A smaller budget will “modernize and streamline” the department, Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer said in a recent House committee hearing.

    By • June 12, 2025
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    Ivan Pantic via Getty Images
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    Opinion // Business Matters

    Strive for more than work-life balance

    A construction career can be deeply rewarding, not an experience to be dreaded, writes consultant Chad Prinkey.

    By Chad Prinkey • June 12, 2025
  • A seasoned professional gives advice to an early career worker.
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    Courtesy of Skender Construction
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    Opinion

    Why construction needs to lean into better mentorships

    Teaching early-career professionals should go beyond technical know-how to give future leaders critical thinking and problem-solving skills, writes a senior project manager.

    By Nelson Frech • June 6, 2025
  • Light through the Pride flag turns the street many colors.
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    Justin Sullivan via Getty Images
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    Planning for Pride? Attorneys offer tips to navigate a ‘thornier’ year

    Cultural observances may not necessarily be a target for federal enforcement actions, but some experts still urge caution.

    By Kate Tornone • June 5, 2025
  • Construction workers lift materials on a jobsite.
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    urbazon via Getty Images
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    Job openings stagnate as labor churn flattens

    Hires, layoffs and quits were historically low in April, while employers held onto valuable skilled labor amid economic uncertainty.

    By • June 4, 2025
  • A group of construction workers lined up on a construction jobsite.
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    Courtesy of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
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    ICE raids on building sites stoke fear, uncertainty

    Law enforcement officers arrested construction workers in San Antonio, New Orleans and Tallahassee, Florida, last week.

    By • June 4, 2025
  • A person wearing orange protective gear peaking out of a plane window in a factory.
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    Stephen Brashear via Getty Images
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    42% of Gen Z workers say they’re turning to blue-collar roles for security

    Regardless of education level, workers said they’re choosing blue-collar work for better long-term prospects, higher pay and a lower risk of being replaced by AI.

    By Carolyn Crist • May 29, 2025
  • Detail shot with american flag on soldier uniform, giving the honor salute during military ceremony
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    roibu via Getty Images
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    Why veterans make good construction leaders

    Former and current military members are well-suited for superintendent and safety manager roles, according to a recent webinar hosted by Skanska and the Society of American Military Engineers.

    By • May 27, 2025