Last week the Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES) and Governor Pat Quinn announced a renewed effort to protect workers and reward law abiding companies by fighting worker misclassification, or payroll fraud, through education and enforcement. Payroll fraud occurs when companies intentionally treat their employees as independent contractors in order to avoid paying unemployment insurance, workers’ compensation insurance, minimum wage, overtime pay, and to avoid having to withhold payroll taxes. IDES has posted a clear explanation of how to tell whether an individual should be considered an employee or an independent contractor on their website, as well as a link where suspected payroll fraud may be reported. As stated on their web site:“Law abiding businesses that properly classify their employees are subsidizing businesses that misclassify and could end up paying higher unemployment insurance contributions, higher workers' compensation premiums, and higher taxes than would be required if all employers followed Illinois law.”A press release from the Illinois Department of Labor quoted Governor Quinn: “Hiding a full-time employee as an independent contractor creates an unfair competitive advantage.
Editor’s note: The Crane Operator Rodeo competitions have been renamed the Crane Operator & Rigger Skills Competition. The final regional competion for 2015 will take place in Louisville, Kentucky on September 28, and the National Championship will be held the following day.Two weeks ago in Houston, infrastructure construction contractor Webber LLC hosted a Crane Operator Rodeo along with the Crane Institute of America, Inc. The event was one of a handful of regional qualifying competitions for the National Championship Rodeo which will be held on October 27-28 at the Ritchie Brothers Auctioneers site about 45 minutes southwest of Orlando in Davenport, FL.Each of the crane operators who competed had to maneuver a large climbing crane’s hook through three tasks which were laid out on a course in the yard of the Four Seasons Equipment Rental where the Houston regional was held. The tasks were titled “Ball in Barrel”, “Slalom”, and “Stand and Move Pipe” and demonstrated various skills needed to perform work with the large crane safely and productively.
September 27, 2012
The latest video construction update of One World Trade Center was released today on the 11th anniversary of the attacks on the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center. The video released by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, one of the main developers on the project, shows several of the tasks being executed as the building rises higher above New York.In the video below, you can watch as workers erect rebar, weld and sand, pour and smooth concrete and perform many other skilled labors which together will construct what will become the tallest building in the United States.
September 11, 2012
On June 23, a crowd consisting of volunteers, civic groups, local politicians, veterans, and other well-wishers waited expectantly for the arrival of Lance Corporal Daniel Peterson who was to be presented with the keys to his new home. The home was built by volunteers coordinated by Homes for our Troops, a national organization that coordinates donations and volunteers to build homes for veterans with serious disabilities and injuries. LCpl Peterson lost both of his legs in Afghanistan after a bomb explosion interrupted his Special Forces Team’s return to base, hurling Peterson more than ten feet in the air.The day began with a parade down the small residential street lined with the parked vehicles of the large crowd. Cub Scouts from Den 12 of Magnolia, Texas led the procession with a giant “Welcome Home” banner and a bugle accompaniment.
August 30, 2012
An article by Robert Dickie III published on FoxNews.com over the weekend advises that considering how often the average person changes study courses and professions, perhaps more consideration should be given to each individual’s interests, skills and talents before entering a new phase of life. Dickie writes:“With so much of our lives spent at our jobs, sometimes it is important to stop and consider a question that may sound childish or unrealistic in this job market: What do you want to be when you grow up?”He outlines 8 “mistakes” which many people make when choosing a career that often lead to job dissatisfaction.Choosing the first or easiest job you can get. He recommends that individuals should try to work in areas that take advantage of their particular strengths.
August 22, 2012
A recent press release from the Florida Department of Financial Services announced multiple arrests in “Operation Dirty Money” conducted by Florida’s Workers’ Compensation Fraud Task Force. Eight people have been charged with workers’ compensation fraud and money laundering.The Workers’ Compensation Fraud Task Force was formed last summer under the state’s Chief Financial Officer, Jeff Atwater, with the primary goal of investigating workers’ compensation fraud and working with law enforcement to bring the state’s worst offenders to justice. Over the past year, they have found over $140 million of illegal transactions committed through 12 shell companies and check cashing stores.
August 16, 2012
A specialty contractor has come to the rescue of a homeowner in McAllen, Texas who had been cheated by the first contractor she had hired to repair her damaged shingle roof. Yvonne Vacca had originally hired Ponce General Contractors to repair damage caused by hail last March. The company cashed her check but did not return to complete the repairs to her home.Hannah Linn of Action 4 News / KGBT Television serving the Rio Grande Valley reported this story yesterday about one of the “good guys” – a contracting company who heard about Mrs. Vacca’s plight and decided to repair her roof for free.
July 26, 2012
Over the weekend, San Francisco residents and visitors celebrated the 75th anniversary of the completion of the iconic Golden Gate Bridge. The longest suspension bridge in the world at the time, the mile-long bridge was constructed from 1933 to 1937 – a sign of optimism during the Great Depression when many Americans were unemployed.According to David Muir in the ABC World News video below, many believed that due to the dangerous wind conditions and ocean currents through the Golden Gate Strait, the bridge could not be built. The brave construction workers who often worked without harnesses with only a “safety net” stretched between them and the ocean proved the naysayers wrong.
May 29, 2012
Recently, representatives from Construction Citizen (including myself) visited the offices and training facilities of SER-Jobs for Progress, guided by executive director Nory Angel. One of the programs offered by SER is their Green Jobs Training Project, which they provide in partnership with several other organizations including Workforce Solutions, Houston Community College, Home Builders Institute, Houston Works USA, and Fifth Ward Enrichment Program for Green Training Programs. They provide training at no cost to eligible individuals which includes career coaching and is followed by pre-employment services and referrals to help the graduates find work after completing one or more of the offered courses. The program is provided to extremely low-income adults who live in the Houston community.
May 23, 2012
An article in the Washington Post by Lonnae O'Neal Parker reported that yesterday a revised design for the National Eisenhower Memorial was presented to the Eisenhower Memorial Commission for consideration. If approved, the proposal will be sent on to the National Capital Planning Commission as the next step toward building the $110 million memorial to Dwight David “Ike” Eisenhower near The National Mall in Washington, DC. The original design by architect Frank Gehry received criticism from Eisenhower’s family members and design traditionalists. Gehry has modified his design, and planners now hope to break ground on the project later this year.
May 16, 2012
