Labor

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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
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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
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    sculpies via Getty Images
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    Q&A

    Take breaks, buddy up: Tips for beating the heat

    Ventilated hard hats, “heat buddies” and electrolyte drinks are just a few of the ways that Curran Young Construction helps keep workers cool.

    By • May 22, 2025
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    halbergman via Getty Images
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    Defense Department must resume use of PLAs, judge says

    A U.S. District Court ruling ordered the agency to return to using project labor agreements on major construction projects to align with a Biden-era executive order.

    By • May 22, 2025
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    Mario Tama / Staff via Getty Images
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    Foreign job seeker interest in US jobs has plummeted, Indeed says

    “This drop could have real economic consequences, especially for sectors like healthcare and construction that depend heavily on immigrant labor,” according to the report.

    By Carolyn Crist • May 15, 2025
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    gollykim via Getty Images
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    Q&A

    New York contractors boost pay, benefits to fight labor shortages

    A report that surveyed more than 200 contractors in New York also highlighted workforce development programs, flexible work options and mental health resources.

    By • May 15, 2025
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    brightstars via Getty Images
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    Opinion // Business Matters

    How new construction execs can set themselves up to succeed

    Emerging leaders must be flexible in the face of change while also speaking up for what they need, writes consultant Matt Verderamo.

    By Matt Verderamo • May 14, 2025
  • A group of construction workers stand together on a jobsite
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    Permission granted by McHugh Construction
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    Safety Week 2025

    Ready to stand down? Construction Safety Week kicks off.

    This year’s initiative will focus on fall prevention among other efforts to keep workers safe and healthy.

    By • May 5, 2025
  • A brown Department of Labor sign in front of a beige building under a clear blue sky.
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    iStock Editorial via Getty Images
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    DOL orders staff not to enforce Biden-era independent contractor rule

    The Labor Department is still considering whether to rescind the rule, which faces ongoing litigation, it said Thursday.

    By Ryan Golden • May 5, 2025
  • a woman hangs a Help Wanted sign on a window
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    YinYang via Getty Images
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    Economic Reports

    Construction hiring slows to lowest rate ever recorded

    New job numbers point to a decreased demand for labor across the industry, according to Associated Builders and Contractors’ analysis.

    By • May 1, 2025
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    David Ryder via Getty Images
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    ‘I can’t find any help’: Employers scramble to solve worker shortages caused by immigration crackdowns

    President Donald Trump recently said the government would seek to let some undocumented persons return to the country “if they’re good,” but he was scant on details.

    By Ryan Golden • May 1, 2025