In our September 2024 blog post, we tracked OSHA’s ambitious proposal to create a first-of-its-kind federal heat standard. That proposal introduced strict “trigger” temperatures of 80°F and 90°F and sought to move away from the “General Duty Clause” that OSHA has used to issue nearly 350 heat-related citations since 1986.
However, the regulatory landscape has
In a recent decision, the Civilian Board of Contract Appeals (CBCA) held that contractors performing loan-servicing work for the Department of Education are entitled to reimbursement for increased labor costs resulting from federal minimum wage and paid sick leave mandates. The ruling clarifies that such adjustments are permissible even under fixed-price contracts when the
Most construction contracts include a provision stating that the contractor or subcontractor is an independent contractor and not an employee of the owner or contractor. That should settle the matter, right? Wrong. Depending on the context and jurisdiction, such contractual provisions may mean little or nothing at all.
In 2024, the Minnesota Legislature passed a
As the regulatory environment continues to evolve in the new administration, U.S. government contractors are facing an increasingly complex array of legal challenges. Staying compliant and competitive requires close attention to several ongoing legal issues in addition to emerging ones:
Cybersecurity remains a top priority for federal agencies, and
On March 14, 2025, President Donald Trump issued an executive order rescinding several policies from the previous administration, including Executive Order 14026, which had increased the minimum wage for federal contractors.
Signed on April 27, 2021, by then-President Joe Biden, Executive Order 14026 mandated that federal contractors pay a minimum
In the evolving landscape of workplace safety regulations, it is essential for construction employers to stay well-informed about the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) protocols and guidelines. Our series, “Top 10 Things Every Employer Should Know About OSHA,” breaks down critical aspects ranging from the rights and responsibilities during OSHA inspections to intricacies of
Nearly two and a half years after the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (IRA) became law, developers and contractors continue to adjust to the new normal for renewable energy projects: compliance with prevailing wage and apprenticeship requirements. As most renewable industry participants are aware, under the IRA, compliance with these requirements is necessary to realize
In a recent decision, the Court of Federal Claims (COFC) ruled on bid protests filed by 12 construction companies challenging the implementation of a February 4, 2022, Executive Order 14063 that mandated the use of project labor agreements (PLAs). FAR Council implemented EO 14063 in January 2024, and it was the first executive mandate
Effective December 12, 2024, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) finalized an update to its personal protective equipment (PPE) standard for the construction industry, emphasizing the importance of ensuring PPE fits properly.
The revised rule amends 29 CFR 1926.95, which outlines the criteria for PPE in the construction
On November 22, 2024, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) updated the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA) Entity List to add 29 companies based out of the Peoples Republic of China bringing the total number of listed companies to 107. As we previously posted here and here, companies included on the UFLPA Entity