Texas construction executives told state lawmakers this past week that there is an urgent need for more legal workers in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey, a storm that worsened an already acute labor shortage along the Gulf Coast.
A broader and more streamlined crackdown on worker misclassification is coming in Louisiana, where the state’s workforce commission is beefing up efforts to deal with the problem in 2018. The Louisiana Workforce Commission says the Government Against Misclassified Employees Operational Network, or GAME ON initiative, is “a unique task force found only in Louisiana.”
December 06, 2017
The fact that President Donald Trump’s administration is cracking down on unauthorized immigrants in the wake of Hurricane Harvey is already making it much harder to rebuild portions of the Gulf Coast. That’s according to an Associated Press report out this week that suggests unauthorized workers are badly needed in the rebuilding effort while simultaneously living with the reality that they could be ejected from the country at any time.
November 28, 2017
Business groups are raising concerns about a proposal in Austin aimed at requiring employers in the city to provide paid sick leave for workers. It’s a discussion that’s playing out before the Austin City Council. The idea is in its preliminary stages but seems on track for a vote next year.
November 22, 2017
With an expedited scheduled described as “unprecedented,” a special Texas House committee on Wednesday got down to work examining a wide variety of challenges facing the state as lawmakers study ways to preserve its economic edge.
November 16, 2017
Finding workers to rebuild homes and other structures damaged or completely destroyed by Hurricane Harvey this year on the Gulf Coast is a challenge compounded by the fact that the United States does not have a way for undocumented residents to gain legal status.
November 09, 2017
Wildfires this year in California burned through hundreds of thousands of acres of land and left dozens dead or missing. The deadly Tubbs fire, for example, is estimated to have burned roughly 5,300 buildings across 36,807 acres and killed at least 22 people.
October 31, 2017
In a move many business leaders called “long overdue,” Texas House Speaker Joe Straus has announced a new panel of lawmakers will consider what policies need to be in place – and what kind of policies should be rejected – in order to keep this state a vibrant economic powerhouse for decades to come.
October 24, 2017
Attorneys for workers who were denied overtime pay because of the way they were compensated by a major Canadian oil and gas company have settled a lawsuit in Colorado for nearly $2 million. Attorneys’ fees of $693,000 were also approved by a federal judge in Denver.
October 18, 2017
Competition for skilled workers in this industry is becoming as fierce as it has ever been. In fact, some general contractors in Texas have started hosting happy hours for subcontractors, proving once again just how tight the labor market is. Folks are willing to try new things to try to lock down a reliable labor force in one of the tightest markets we've seen.
October 10, 2017
