Authored by: Andy Martone, Esq.

On August 8, 2023, the United States Department of Labor finally published its long-awaited Davis Bacon rule. The DOL’s 812 pages of rule justifications and explanations contain many substantial changes which will both expand the scope of work covered by Davis Bacon and which will change the way that the DOL administers the Act.

After the tumult that has roiled the building business the past three years, Jason Jones, the Cleveland regional vice president of Turner Construction Co., sees a calming in the market.

"It's nowhere near as crazy as it has been. We're adapting to a new normal," he said.

The price of materials and services used in nonresidential construction decreased 0.6 percent from April to May, while an index that measures contractors’ bid prices inched up by 0.1 percent, according to an analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America of government data released today. Association officials said contractors are finally seeing some relief from recent supply chain problems and price escalations but cautioned that some key materials are still very hard to find and warned that new federal Buy America mandates could lead to future price escalations.

A few weeks ago, a bill (SB 116) was introduced in the Ohio Senate that would make drastic changes to the unemployment compensation system in Ohio. The bill would reduce the maximum number of weeks that workers can receive benefits from 26 to 12 and lower the weekly benefit amount by 10%. It would also impose stricter work search requirements and penalties for workers who quit their jobs or refuse suitable work offers. The bill is sponsored by Senator Bill Reineke (R-Tiffin), who claims that it would prevent fraud and save money for the state's unemployment trust fund.

A coalition of environmental advocacy groups, including Beyond Plastics, Environmental Health Sciences, and the Plastic Pollution Coalition, released a report calling on the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to provide guidance on a safe alternative to PVC for replacing lead water service lines. 

The price of materials and services used in nonresidential construction increased 0.5 percent from March to April, while an index that measures contractors’ bid prices declined 0.3 percent, according to an analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America of government data released today. Association officials said the new data indicates contractors are getting squeezed by rising materials prices at a time when what they charge to build projects is declining.

Kim Palmer, Crain's

CBCTC

Rhonda Crowder for Properties Magazine

On August 11, Construction Employers Association (CEA) and the Cleveland Building & Construction Trades Council (CBCTC) hosted the 2022 Building Excellence and Craftsmanship Awards to honor and recognize tradespeople, apprentices and builders of top construction projects in Northeast Ohio.