The Industry Rundown – July

Jul 23, 2018 | Uncategorized

A Message From the Director 

Dear ABC Members,

I have excellent news to share with you.

Today, the U.S. Department of Labor issued a final rule to rescind the 2016 persuader rule, officially named the “Interpretation of the ‘Advice’ Exemption in Section 203(c) of the Labor-Management Reporting and Disclosure Act.” In its press release, DOL explained, “by rescinding this rule, the department stands up for the rights of Americans to ask a question of their attorney without mandated disclosure to the government.”

Had it gone into effect, the 2016 final rule would have significantly broadened the reporting requirements for employers, attorneys, trade associations and other third-party advisors under the Labor-Management Reporting and Disclosure Act by redefining what is meant by labor relations “advice.” It also would have greatly limited the ability of employers, particularly small businesses, to obtain advice from labor relations experts, and in turn deprived employees of their right to obtain balanced information about union representation.

ABC applauds the Trump administration for following through on its promise to rescind the persuader rule. Read ABC’s press release here.

For more background on this topic click here.

I’m also happy to announce that ABC Central Ohio has become the NCCER Curriculum Sponsor for Tolles Career & Technical Center in Plain City, Ohio. Look for more information to follow soon.

As always, please feel free to contact me at any time with questions or concerns and come see us at the ApprenticeOhio booth at the Ohio State Fair on July 26 from 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM

Sincerely,
Barton Hacker

ABC Leaders Make Their Voices Heard During Legislative Week

(from left to right: Chuck Fenske and Larry McKeever, Barton Hacker & ABC Central Ohio Board Chairman Brian Haughn)

More than 500 ABC members came to Washington, D.C., for meetings with top administration and congressional leaders on the issues that impact the merit shop construction industry at both the federal and state levels during Legislative Week 2018. To lead off, ABC’s Executive Committee met with President Trump, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Senior Advisor to the President Ivanka Trump at the White House to talk about the positive economic effects of tax reform, regulatory relief and dynamic enhancements to workforce development efforts on June 26.

Read the full story here

ABC Central Ohio 2018 Summer Apprenticeship Graduation

(Ohio Construction Academy Graduates: Desmond Powell, Kaydn Shingary, and Elijah Williams)

ABC Central Ohio hosted its annual apprentice graduation on June 26 at The Boathouse restaurant. In addition to recognizing 49 graduates in four trades, and from twelve participating companies, official Journey Worker status was conferred upon three individuals. This is the first time that ABC Central Ohio has formally recognized this status.For the complete list please click here

We are also excited to announce that Ohio Construction Academy had three graduates, all of whom have found employment with ABC member companies: Titan Electric, Echo24, and Fergusson Construction

New Lowe’s Program for ABC Members

ABC is pleased to announce a new partnership with Lowe’s that can help member companies save on materials, tools and supplies online or in Lowe’s retail stores.  This is a business program through the Lowe’s ProServices division.  Individuals will only be able to use it through the business account set up by the company.

Members will need to set up a Lowe’s Accounts Receivable (LAR) account, which will provide 5% off every day purchases.  After approval, LAR account holders can then register for the ABC additional savings of 2%, which appears as a credit on monthly statements.  The 2% credit is Lowe’s standard offering for their handful of association partners.  Lowe’s has set up a separate registration process for each discount, including LowesForPros savings. Visit abc.org/lowes for step by step instructions.

Important Dates and Upcoming BWC Deadlines courtesy of our partner CareWorks

CareWorksComp can assist you in controlling unemployment claims and taxes. If you would like more information on how much a claimant can collect per week, how the amount is determined, and how much you, as an employer, may be charged, please contact Kammy Staton, our Unemployment Manager, at 614.526.7165, or kammy.staton@careworkscomp.com

  • July 31, 2018
    • Final day to join a safety council for the 2018 policy year.
    • Deadline to complete DFSP accident analysis training for 7/1 program start date (initial year only!). Please note that new supervisors have 60 days from the date of hire to complete.
    • Deadline to complete the online safety management self-assessment (SH-26) for a 7/1 start date for both the DFSP program and the ISSP program.
  • August 15, 2018 
    • Due date for BWC to receive your 2017 payroll True-Up report, as well as any True-Up payment for the July 1, 2017 through June 30, 2018 rate year.
    • It is very important that your true-up is done timely or BWC may lapse your coverage and/or remove your company from any alternative rating programs. The BWC considers the True-Up complete when payroll is reported and any related premium payments are made.
  • August 30, 2018 
    • DFSP action plan deadline for 7/1 start date – advanced level only.