Commercial Painting Blog
SSPC Commercial Coating CommitteeThe SSPC Commercial Coating Committee Moves Briskly Forward in Embracing Its Mission! At the upcoming EXPO event in Las Vegas, the Commercial Forum hosted roundtable discussions will include the topic of this important and beneficial work by SPPC's Commercial Coating Committee. |
Feds Cost Cutting - GSA New Projects on HoldThough Some Military Construction Remains Strong The General Services Administration will not start new projects this year. Although military construction is strong and specific agency facilities will result in spending of $117 billion this year, down from $125 billion last year, in contrast to the 2012 request of $182 billion. (Figures courtesy of the Associated General Contractors of America.) Back out the Department of Housing and Urban Development, grant and contract spending will be cut in half. And construction pulls through so much related spending like IT, audio visual, and furniture. Paint On Solar Cells DevelopedResearchers are getting results. A team of researchers at the University of Notre Dame has made a major advance toward their goal of creating an inexpensive "solar paint" that uses semiconducting nanoparticles to produce energy. They must up the the light to energy conversion rate in order to really shine. NLRB Postpones Rights Posting Rule AgainThe National Labor Relations Board has agreed to postpone the effective date of its employee rights notice-posting rule at the request of the federal court in Washington, DC hearing a legal challenge regarding the rule. The Board’s ruling states that it has determined that postponing the effective date of the rule would facilitate the resolution of the legal challenges that have been filed with respect to the rule. The new implementation date is April 30, 2012. Office Holiday Parties
NLRB New Notice Requirement Postponed
The National Labor Relations Board announced that it was postponing to January 31, 2012, the effective date of its new notice-posting rule. That rule, issued in August, will require all employers covered by the National Labor Relations Act to post a notice advising employees of their right to unionize and certain other protected rights. The Board’s press release asserted that the deadline has been extended in order to allow more time for “education and outreach” to employers. Many commentators, however, suspect that the delay has more to do with pending legal challenges to the new rule. Among its other flaws, the new rule requires employers to notify employees of their pro-union rights but not of their rights to oppose unionization, such as their right to speak out in opposition to a union, to refuse to sign an authorization card, to vote “no” in a union election, to refuse to pay full union dues (in all states) or to pay any money to a union at all (in right-to-work states), and their right to “decertify” a union. For now, employers should plan to post the required notice on January 31, 2012 - unless the Board postpones that deadline again, for more “education and outreach.”
BOMA: CRE Work Space CompressingThe best and brightest minds in commercial real estate gathered at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. on November 10th to discuss what the industry will look like in the future. BOMA International hosted the symposium entitled 2025: A Vision for Commercial Real Estate, which was presented by the BOMA Foundation and the Georgetown University School of Continuing Studies and its Masters of Professional Studies in Real Estate. Topics covered included:
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- Follow up on 3% Income Tax Withholding on State and Federal Contracts
- Commercial Forum Sessions at EXPO 2012
- Is ICE IMAGE Certification For Your Company?
- Forum Member Ron Yarbrough Awarded MAC Member of the Year Award
- California Governor Signs Law Mandating Penalties for Penalties for Contractor Misclassification
- An Opportunity to Help Scouts Gain Merit Badges
- Help Push the Repeal of Excessive 3% Withholding on Government Contracts
- Color Care Across America Campaign
- Growing Green Article in APC Magazine




Office holiday parties can be a joyful celebration of the year’s accomplishments. But they can also give the gift of legal liability. Employers should remember a few basic rules: