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  The Developing America’s Workforce Act On Thursday, November 14, 2024, Reps. Good (R-VA) and Miller (R-IL) introduced H.R. 10122, The Developing America’s Workforce Act. Notably, the bill text would reinstate the Trump Industry Recognized Apprenticeship Rule (IRAP) rule with one important change—it eliminates the “construction exemption,” which was accepted in the first Trump Administration.…

Overtime Rule Declared Invalid On Friday, November 15, 2024, a federal judge in Texas ruled that the Department of Labor’s 2024 overtime rule is invalid.  The Department of Labor (DOL) released the rule earlier this year that attempted to implement a new overtime regulation and salary threshold increase.  The rule would have required employers to…

Potential Immigration Enforcement and I-9 Audits While much of the incoming administration’s policy agenda for the immigrant workforce is still unknown, I am informed that employers are gearing up for a dramatic increase in worksite enforcement, as outlined by President-elect Trump’s Transition Team.  This could include a return of surprise raids of companies suspected of…

This Week in Congress The House returned with votes planned this week on three measures under a rule, requiring a simple majority vote for passage: (1) the Critical Mineral Consistency Act, H.R. 8446, would amend the Energy Act of 2020 to include certain critical materials in the definition of critical minerals; (2) the HEATS Act, H.R.…

2024 Election Update! Republicans have won the White House and control of the Senate. The House majority has not yet been determined and called races have resulted in Republican wins in 214 districts, and Democratic wins in 203 districts, with 18 races yet to be decided.  Republicans are favored to win a narrow majority in…

Lame Duck Session Begins… Congress returns this week with an extensive list of items to consider between now and the end of the year. These items include: Government Funding: Congress must fund the federal government past December 20th.  In September, after the House passed the last continuing resolution (CR) to extend funding through that date, Speaker…

NCCER Survey: Return on Investment of Craft Training The National Center for Construction Education and Research (NCCER) is conducting critical research to quantify the impact and return on investment (ROI) of craft training in the construction industry. Your organization is invited to participate in this important study by completing this survey. The survey is comprehensive…

Regulatory Update: OSHA’s Heat Injury and Illness Prevention Proposed Rule The U.S. Postal Service submitted an extension request asking OSHA to extend the comment period on its Heat Injury and Illness Prevention proposed rule to March 31, 2025. The comment period is currently set to end on December 30, 2024. As explained in the request, the…

President Trump and the 119th Congress’s Top Legislative Priorities With the Presidency and the 119th Congress likely to be controlled by the Republican Party, it is anticipated that their proposed legislative priorities will include the following: extend President Trump’s Tax and Jobs Cuts Act of 2017, which sunsets in 2025; fund border security measures and…

Fed Cuts Interest The Federal Open Market Committee lowered its borrowing rate by a quarter percentage point, or 25 basis points, to a target range of 4.50%-4.75%. Return to the ASAToday page to read more articles.