Safety, Health & Environmental ResourcesCOVID-19 BasicsAdvocacy EffortsEconomic Impact Contractual ImpactsInfrastructure ImpactsLabor, HR & Paid Leave Impacts Risk Management InformationTax ImpactsTechnology Guidance Webinar InformationAGC SurveysWorkforce Development Impacts New MexicoThe New Mexico Environment Department recently reported "57.9% of New Mexicans 16 years and older have completed their COVID-19 vaccinations. This is a tremendous accomplishment - and part of the reason New Mexico recently moved all counties to the Turquoise level. By June 17, we aim to hit 60% of New Mexicans years and older who have completed their vaccinations. Meeting this goal will enable our state to graduate from the Red-Yellow-Green-Turquoise system and reopen economically on July 1. As of June 14, New Mexico is only 36,805 doses away from meeting this goal. COVID-19 vaccines are safe, effective, and free and there is no need to show proof of insurance or residency to receive the vaccine. State health officials have scheduled numerous vaccination events around the state to assist in reaching this goal. Click here or call 1-855-600-3453 (press 1 for English and 3 for Español) to schedule your vaccine today. Seniors and those with disabilities can also call 1-800-432-2080 for support with registration and scheduling. Scheduling is recommended but not required at any of these events. As an added incentive, everyone who receives either the booster vaccine or the Johnson & Johnson vaccine between now and June 17 will receive $100. For the $100 incentive, New Mexicans must provide proof of residency (e.g. an identification card, pay stub or utility bill). Those who are receiving a second Pfizer or Moderna shot must provide a vaccination card proving that they have received a primary shot and that they received their booster on the applicable day at an eligible location. Recipients of the $100 incentive are solely responsible for any taxes. New Mexicans will receive $100 either on-site or at their home addresses. For New Mexicans eligible to be vaccinated who are under 18 years old, a parent or guardian must be present to qualify for the $100. All New Mexicans who have received at least one shot are also eligible for the Vax 2 the Max sweepstakes, including a total of $10 million in cash prizes and other awards. On June 18, New Mexico will conduct its first drawings - four prizes of $250,000 each. New Mexicans who wish to participate can sign up at vax2themaxNM.org. New Mexicans who have completed their vaccination series will be eligible for the grand prize drawing of $5 million in early August. Let’s band together, hit our target - and then celebrate together!" Sincerely, ---- The New Mexico Environment Department
More Information Considerations for Wearing Cloth Face Coverings How to Wear Your Cloth Face Covering How to Wash Your Cloth Face Covering How to Make Your Own Cloth Face Covering Important Information About Your Cloth Face Coverings ASL Video Series: Easy DIY Cloth Face Covering How to Make Your Own Face Covering Video (Spanish) CDC Social Media Toolkit Violations of this ordinance are subject to a civil penalty of $50 per occurrence
- June 30, 2020 updated Public Health Order (PHO)
- On May 28th the Office of the Governor released an updated version of the All Together New Mexico COVID-Safe Practices for Individuals and Employers.
- The updated version makes revisions to the COVID-Safe Practices for Restaurants and added COVID-Safe Practices for the following industries: salons, spas, tattoo parlors and related services, as well as gyms. The emergency public health order mandates compliance with the COVID-Safe Practices.
Essential Businesses and EmployersImportant**Second round of the Paycheck Protection Program is now open for applications. Download the USHCC Technical Assistance Guide. View the PPP second draw application. Find an SBA approved lender. Información disponible en español aquí. deadline March 31, 2021
DOL Publishes Guidance on FFCRA Paid Leave Expiration - Tax Credits for Voluntarily Providing Leave Temporarily Extended The U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD) posted announced additional guidance to provide information about protections and relief offered by the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA). The FFCRA’s paid sick leave and expanded family and medical leave requirements expired on Dec. 31, 2020. The new guidance, in the form of Frequently Asked Questions (see questions 104 & 105) on the WHD website, addresses whether workers who did not use their leave entitlement under the FFCRA in 2020 may use such leave after Dec. 31, 2020. It also explains how WHD will maintain its enforcement authority over employers’ leave responsibilities while the FFCRA’s paid leave requirements were in effect, even after these leave entitlements have expired. Additionally, the Consolidated Appropriations Act (CAA), 2021, extended employer tax credits for paid sick leave and expanded family and medical leave voluntarily provided to employees until March 31, 2021. However, the CAA did not extend employees’ entitlement to FFCRA leave beyond Dec. 31, 2020, meaning employers will no longer be legally required to provide such leave. IRS has not updated its guidance yet, but existing guidance on the eligible tax credits can be found here. WHD provides additional information on common issues employers and employees face when responding to the coronavirus and its effects on wages and hours worked and job-protected leave under the FMLA at https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/pandemic. For AGC-provided resources on FFCRA and other coronavirus-related matters of significance to construction employers, visit AGC’s coronavirus website.
AGC Virtual Media Event: Release of New Construction Data AGC released the new survey during a virtual media event today alongside Procore, who also released new data it collects on the impacts of the coronavirus on the industry. You can watch that event HERE and view AGC’s analysis of the survey results HERE. You can also watch a short video of AGC chief economist Ken Simonson explaining the new survey results HERE. Recap of Current Construction Business Conditions AGC has prepared a packet of information to help document current market conditions that helped influence many firms’ decisions to apply for Paycheck Protection Program loans. The intent of this packet is to provide a snapshot of media coverage starting on March 27 – the launch of the initial round of Paycheck Protection Program loans – covering topics like declining demand, growing layoffs and general worries about market conditions for the construction industry. Please see packet HERE. If you feel it appropriate, please consider including this packet of material in the records you retain relating to your application for a Paycheck Protection Program loan. This packet should provide an overview of the nationwide market conditions the industry faced when firms opted to apply for the loans. State-by-State Business Reopening Guidance On May 6, U.S. Chamber of Commerce launched an interactive map with state-specific information to help business owners distill and navigate different state-based public health guidelines as they begin to reopen in communities across the nation. The state-by-state map contains critical information for American businesses in 29 states where governors have begun to reopen local economies. The Chamber will update the map as new guidelines become available. Latest UpdatesDOL Provides FFCRA Guidance for Federal Contractors August 3, 2020 Clarifies Outstanding Fringe Benefit Questions Regarding Paid Leave The U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD) released additional guidance for employers with certain federal contracts regarding paid sick leave or expanded family and medical leave under the Families First... Read More
DOL Releases Additional Guidance as Workplaces Reopen July 21, 2020 Covers FLSA, FMLA, and FFCRA Issues The U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD) released additional guidance to provide information to workers and employers about how the requirements and protections of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), ... Read More
DOL Adds Summer School and Camp Closures to Emergency Paid Leave Qualifications June 29, 2020 Provides Online Tool to Help Workers Determine Eligibility The U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD) recently issued a Field Assistance Bulletin addressing paid sick or expanded family and medical leave eligibility under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA).... Read More
What Construction Contractors Can Expect from Multiemployer Pension Plans Following COVID-19 Crisis June 25, 2020 The COVID-19 crisis portends a new and troubling outlook for union construction contractors participating in multiemployer pension plans. While many multiemployer pension plans had been recovering enough from the 2007–2009 Great Recession to have their current funding levels approach or exceed... Read More
AGC Victorious in Leading Congressional Passage of PPP Loan Improvements; Association Continues to Fight for Additional Tweaks June 4, 2020 On June 3, the Senate passed the AGC-backed Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) Flexibility Act of 2020 (H.R. 7010) after AGC members sent tens of thousands of messages seeking improvements to the PPP. The measure makes significant improvements to the Paycheck Protection Program that AGC has been... Read More
AGC Puts Forth Construction Firm Liability & Workers Comp. Protections; Protect Good Actor Construction Firms and the Viability of Workers Compensation System June 4, 2020 On June 4, AGC provided key members of Congress with its recommendations and white paper, detailing construction employer COVID-19 liability protections and unreasonable workers compensation burdens. Among other things, AGC called for Congress to: (1) Assure low exposure risk businesses, like... Read More
AGC Calls for Federal Contractors to be Compensated; Submits Comments on DOD Guidance May 28, 2020 On May 22, AGC submitted comments to the Department of Defense (DOD) request for input regarding draft guidance for contractor reimbursement under Section 3610 of the CARES Act. Among AGC's concerns with the draft guidance is the potential for the government to double dip into contractor pockets by... Read More
OSHA Issues Guidance to Help Construction Workers During the Pandemic May 28, 2020 On May 26, OSHA launched a webpage with coronavirus-related guidance for construction employers and workers. The guidance includes recommended actions—many of which AGC members have likely already incorporated in their safety plans—to reduce the risk of exposure to the coronavirus. One item AGC... Read More
AGC Opposes Overly Onerous and Broad COVID-19 Health Standard May 28, 2020 In response to recent legislative efforts to force the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to create a new Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) to address the coronavirus, AGC joined stakeholders in opposing the power grab. AGC prioritizes worker safety and AGC and its members have... Read More
Clone of House Passes AGC-Backed PPP Loan Improvements; Includes Significant Flexibilities for the Construction Industry May 28, 2020 On May 28, House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed the AGC-backed Paycheck Protection Program Flexibility Act (H.R. 7010), which would make substantial improvements to the Paycheck Protection loan Program (PPP). Since the program was created in the CARES Act, many construction firms have... Read More
House Passes AGC-Backed PPP Loan Improvements; Includes Significant Flexibilities for the Construction Industry May 28, 2020 On May 28, House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed the AGC-backed Paycheck Protection Program Flexibility Act (H.R. 7010), which would make substantial improvements to the Paycheck Protection loan Program (PPP). Since the program was created in the CARES Act, many construction firms have... Read More
EEOC Delays EEO Data Collections Due to COVID-19 Public Health Emergency May 27, 2020 The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) will delay the anticipated opening of the 2019 EEO-1 Component 1 data collection and the 2020 EEO-3 and EEO-5 data collections because of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) public health emergency, the agency announced today in a Federal... Read More
AGC Comments on Building Trades' COVID-19 Jobsite Standards May 27, 2020 North America’s Building Trades Unions (“NABTU”) and CPWR-The Center for Construction Research and Training (NABTU’s research arm) on April 27 publicly released COVID-19 Standards for U.S. Construction Sites. The document provides recommended practices for construction employers to implement at... Read More
AGC Seeks Construction Contractor COVID-19 Liability Protections, Also Fighting Unfair Legal Presumptions of Work-Contracted COVID-19 May 21, 2020 AGC is working to secure targeted and reasonable liability protections against legal claims arising from the current pandemic to protect construction firms following recognized safety and health protocols to guard against the spread of COVID-19. In addition, AGC is working to bar legal presumptions... Read More
House Passes $3 Trillion Relief Bill, AGC Seeks Improvements Through Legislative Process May 21, 2020 Prior to the House passing its more than $3 trillion coronavirus relief bill on May 15, AGC shared with legislators its comprehensive analysis on construction industry priorities missing from and included in the bill. There, the association noted that the legislation failed to include liability... Read More
PPP Loan Forgiveness Application Released, Final Rules on Loan Forgiveness Still Outstanding May 21, 2020 On May 15, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and Department of the Treasury released the Paycheck Protection Program loan forgiveness application late. The application includes step-by-step instructions on how to perform the mechanical calculations required by the CARES Act to confirm... Read More
Congress & SBA Work on AGC-Backed PPP Loan Fixes, Imminent Votes in House and Senate on Fixes May 21, 2020 AGC continues to lead efforts—both legislative and regulatory—to bring needed flexibilities to the terms of the Paycheck Protection Program for the construction industry. In the House of Representatives, AGC is working with Reps. Dean Phillips (D-Minn.) and Chip Roy (R-Tex.) to advance their... Read More
OSHA Revises its Recordkeeping Guidance and Interim Enforcement Response Plan for Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) May 20, 2020 On May 19, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) issued their latest guidance on recording cases of COVID-19 in the workplace and interim enforcement response plan. The enforcement memos will become effective on May 26, 2020 and rescinds both previously issued memos on each topic... Read More
U.S. EPA COVID-Related Enforcement Policy and Resources May 8, 2020 As previously reported, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) issued a new, temporary enforcement discretion policy for certain noncompliance events that can be documented and tied to the COVID-19 epidemic. The policy applies to specified federal programs, states may take a different... Read More
AGC Leads Effort to Address IRS Guidance Undermining PPP Loan Impact; Organizes 152 Trade Associations in the Effort Under its Lead May 7, 2020 On May 7, AGC organized 152 trade associations in calling for Congress to nullify recent Internal Revenue Service (IRS) guidance essentially making business expenses—which are usually deductible—paid by forgiven Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan funds fully taxable. The impact of this IRS... Read More
EEOC Updates COVID-19 Technical Assistance Publication May 7, 2020 WASHINGTON – The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) today posted an updated and expanded technical assistance publication addressing questions arising under the Federal Equal Employment Opportunity Laws related to the COVID-19 pandemic. The publication, “What You Should Know... Read More
EEOC Delays EEO Data Collections Due to COVID-19 Public Health Emergency May 7, 2020 The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) will delay the anticipated opening of the 2019 EEO-1 Component 1 data collection and the 2020 EEO-3 and EEO-5 data collections because of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) public health emergency, the agency announced today in a Federal... Read More
DOL Considers Employer’s Good Faith Efforts in Enforcement During Pandemic April 23, 2020 On April 16, the Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) issued interim guidance to advise compliance safety and health officers to evaluate an employer’s good faith efforts to comply with safety and health standards during the coronavirus pandemic. This guidance... Read More
Senate Passes, House Takes Up New Coronavirus Relief Package; Billions in new SBA PPP Program Funding Included April 23, 2020 On April 21, the Senate passed a $480 billion coronavirus relief package that included $310 billion in new funding for the U.S. Small Business Administration’s (SBA) Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans. The House of Representatives is expected to pass this measure overwhelmingly when they meet... Read More
SBA & Treasury Issue Important New PPP Loan Guidance; Puts Borrowers on Notice of “Good Faith” Need for PPP Loans April 23, 2020 New guidance from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and Department of the Treasury puts Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) borrowers and potential borrowers on notice that they should be able to prove in “good faith” that “[c]urrent economic uncertainty makes this loan request necessary... Read More
Additional $310 Billion In Funding For Paycheck Protection Program Loans Will Help Support Thousands Of Essential Construction Jobs April 22, 2020 Construction Officials Urge Congress to Quickly Pass New Coronavirus Relief Measure and Start Work on Broader Recovery Measures, Including New Infrastructure Funding and Pension Relief The chief executive officer of the Associated General Contractors of America, Stephen E. Sandherr, issued the... Read More
New AGC Web Page Shows How the Industry is Protecting Workers and the Public April 15, 2020 Few industries are as well suited to protecting workers as the construction industry. Contractors are used to following complex and ever-changing safety rules and finding ways to make inherently dangerous work safe. The coronavirus has forced firms to change the way they operate to maintain that... Read More
OSHA Further Clarifies Employer Requirement to Record and Report COVID-19 Cases April 10, 2020 On April 10, 2020, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) issued temporary guidance for recording cases of COVID-19 that provides relief to the construction industry. In an earlier letter to OSHA leadership, AGC, along with our industry partners on the Construction Industry Safety... Read More
New Trump Administration Guidance Now Allows Firms With 500 Or Fewer Employees To Qualify For Paycheck Protection Program Loans April 7, 2020 Associated General Contractors of America Secures Fix to Loan Qualifications After Alerting Administration Officials to Small Business Administration Language that Excluded Many Firms The Associated General Contractors of America today announced that the Trump administration released new guidance... Read More
New Small Business Administration Loan Guidance Appears To Exclude Many Construction Firms That Employ Fewer Than 500 People April 6, 2020 Construction Officials Urge Agency to Make Clear that Firms that Employ 500 or Fewer People to Qualify for Paycheck Protection Program Loans, Regardless of Revenue The chief executive officer of the Associated General Contractors of America, Stephen E. Sandherr, called on the Small Business... Read More
Twenty-seven Percent Of Construction Firms Report Layoffs Since The Coronavirus As New Jobs Report Offers Early Snapshot Of The Losses April 3, 2020 Association Survey Conducted This Week Suggests Industry’s Job Losses are Spreading Rapidly; Officials Call for Additional Federal Measures to Help Avoid Further Layoffs and Economic Pain The fast-worsening covid-19 pandemic has triggered layoffs at more than a quarter of construction firms... Read More
AGC Releases Analysis of SBA Paycheck Protection Program April 2, 2020 AGC has prepared a new analysis of the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Paycheck Protection Program, a new loan program enacted in the most-recent coronavirus relief measure under which construction businesses with 500 or fewer employees may be eligible. Click here for the full analysis.
AGC calls on FASB to Delay Implementation of Leases Standard for Private Companies April 2, 2020 On April 1, AGC CEO Steve Sandherr requested that the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) enact a one-year delay of the implementation of the leases standard for private companies due to the economic uncertainty caused by the coronavirus. Last year, AGC requested a one-year delay for the... Read More
DHS Releases Updated “Essential Critical Infrastructure Workforce Guidance” April 2, 2020 On March 28, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) – an agency within the Department of Homeland Security – released version 2.0 of its “Essential Critical Infrastructure Workforce” guidance. The objective of the advisory guidance is to help states and local governments... Read More
US DOL Publishes Emergency Paid Leave Regulations April 1, 2020 Treasury Issues Tax Credit FAQs The U.S. Department of Labor today announced new action regarding how American workers and employers will benefit from the protections and relief offered by the Emergency Paid Sick Leave Act and Emergency Family and Medical Leave Expansion Act, both part of the ... Read More
February Rise In Construction Outlays Contrasts With Pandemic-driven Collapse In March As Owners, Government Orders Shut Down Projects April 1, 2020 Survey Finds Contractors Face Shortages of Materials and Workers, Delivery Delays and Cancellations; Association Officials Urge Additional Measures to Help Workers, Firms and the Economy to Recover Construction spending in February increased 6.0 percent from February 2019, with year-over-year... Read More
U.S. EPA Issues Enforcement Policy for Noncompliance Resultant from COVID-19 Pandemic April 1, 2020 States may take a different approach On Mar. 26, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) issued a new, temporary enforcement discretion policy for certain noncompliance events that can be documented and tied to the COVID-19 epidemic. U.S. EPA has emphasized that this new policy is not... Read More
Updated AGC CARES Act Analysis March 30, 2020 Based on member inquiries, AGC updated our CARES Act analysis as it applies to small business eligibility for the new Small Business Administration (SBA) loan program. Those changes are noted below. A business is eligible for such a loan if it employs 500 employees or fewer, or if the business is... Read More |