H.R. 5972, Leveraging and Energizing America’s Apprenticeship Programs (LEAP) Act would encourage employers to hire new apprentices registered with the US Department of Labor or a state apprenticeship agency by offering a federal tax credit. Read More

The Biden Administration and the U.S. Department of Labor issued a proposed rule to rescind the regulatory framework used to establish and govern IRAPs created under the previous administration. The IRAP rule exempted the construction industry but left the possibility of this exemption being withdrawn and IRAPs entering construction in the future. Rescinding the IRAP rule will help ensure the proven joint labor-management registered apprenticeship programs will be positioned to meet the workforce and career development goals of the Administration‘s Infrastructure and in expanding and strengthening the Registered Apprenticeship model. US Department of Labor Announces Proposal to Rescind Industry-Recognized Apprenticeship Program | USDOL News Release 11/12/2021 

Read the Construction Employers of America (CEA) statement about rescinding IRAPs here.

Total Construction Starts Soar in October rising 16% to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $1.01 trillion. Richard Branch, Chief Economist for Dodge Construction Network stated, “Economic growth has resumed following the third quarter’s Delta-led slowdown. Long term, construction starts should improve, fed by an increase of nonresidential building projects in the planning pipeline and the recent passage of the infrastructure bill. While healing from the pandemic continues, there’s still a long road back to full recovery.”

Note: November data has not been released to date

Dodge Momentum Index Declines in November falling 4% to 171.7, down from the revised October reading of 178, which was up from the September reading of 164.91. Commercial planning fell 8% while institutional planning moved 5% higher. The value of nonresidential building projects continues to fluctuate between a month of gains followed by a loss. The Momentum Index remains near a 14-year high despite the issues of higher supply prices, labor shortages and a lack of underlying demand for some building types. A total of 10 projects with a value of $100 million or more entered planning in November and data continues to suggest a healthy level of construction to come in 2022. The new Omicron variant does show a potential impact on economic growth and uncertainty the construction sector will face next year.

Garden State Records Tenth Consecutive Month of Employment Gains in October and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that New Jersey unemployment rate declined in October to 7.0% with total nonfarm wage and salary employment rising by 210,000 jobs. This decline continues from September when New Jersey added another 21,500 jobs to its workforce gaining back 68% of jobs lost during pandemic | NJBIZ.

The October ABI Billings score of 54.3, although down from 56.6 in September and 55.6 in August, shows that business conditions remain generally strong and that most architecture firms are still seeing billings growth. The value of new Design Contracts for October is 58.0, up from 54.7 in September and 56.6 in August.

Business conditions at architecture firms remain strong heading into the last quarter of the year and billings continued to rise in October, although the pace of growth decreased modestly from that of the last few months. Inquiries and the value of new design contracts strengthened in October, signaling conversations of new projects and contracts in the coming months. Concerns of staffing, inflation and material prices/availability do not appear as a major deterrent to projects at this time.

The Architecture Billings Index is an economic indicator for nonresidential construction activity, with a lead time of approximately 9–12 months.

OSHA has wrapped up its latest quarter of fines for the period from July through September. Some contractors were penalized hundreds of thousands of dollars, with the highest fine totaling over $1 million, for a variety of violations ranging from a failure to provide adequate protection to preventable deaths on a jobsite, according to the agency. Read more here.

According to this November 16, 2021 federal register notice, "...the effective date of the final rule published September 15, 2021, at 86 FR 51456, is delayed until December 18, 2021."

Further updates can be found on the CMU Checkoff website as they become available.

Helmets to Hardhats is a national, nonprofit program that connects transitioning active-duty military service members, veterans, National Guard and Reservists with skilled training and quality career opportunities in the construction industry. The program is designed to help military service members successfully transition back into civilian life by offering them the means to secure a quality career in the construction industry.

Helmets to Hardhats exec: Veterans can help combat construction labor issues | ConstructionDive

"It's a Wonderful Life"

ICE's VOICE provides short updates of issues of interest

Visit ICE's website for the November issue

Visit our website Membership Page under Membership Directory tab,

then select Contractor, Associate, or Architect and Engineer for company details.