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Immediate Action
Required Workers’ Compensation Payroll Reporting Deadline Approaching
As
a current member, you may be aware that the Ohio Bureau of Workers’
Compensation (BWC) has recently transitioned to its new prospective premium
payment system. The BWC is providing a ‘Transition Credit’ in place of your
January through June 2015 premium payment.
In order
to receive the credit, employers needed to file a payroll report for the
January – June, 2015 period with BWC by August, 31, 2015. Employers that
did not file the payroll report, had the premium for that period estimated
and the BWC invoiced them on October 1, 2015.
If
you have not reported your payroll for this period there is still time to
resolve the issue. You can use the BWC website (www.bwc.ohio.gov and click on
‘Report & Pay’) to report the actual payroll for the referenced period.
Note you are simply reporting the payroll, and if done by October 30, you
will not need to make a premium payment for that payroll period. Once
reported BWC will reverse the estimated premium, post the actual premium
and issue the transition credit to eligible policies.
It
is imperative that you report this actual payroll by October 30th. Employers that do
not resolve this reporting issue timely:
·
Are subject to certification to the Ohio
Attorney General for final collection of the outstanding premium.
·
May jeopardize their eligibility for Group
& Alternative Programs for Policy Year 2016.
·
May lose the transition credit for the
January through June 2015 reporting period and be required to pay the
premium in full.
If you have recently supplied the payroll to BWC, and
fulfilled your requirement, please disregard this notice.
Now Is The Time To Make Your PAC
Contribution
The Ohio Contractors Association has been very engaged at the Ohio
Statehouse representing the concerns of your heavy/highway construction
industry. The first six months of this year included the introduction,
debate, and passage of the ODOT budget bill. It included billions of
dollars in funding for road and bridge construction and maintenance, along
with many policy issues affecting our industry. The general revenue fund
budget bill also was passed on June 30th and it too contained
policy issues that affect your business. So far this year, OCA has
successfully fought off attempts to raise competitive bidding thresholds,
abolish the prevailing wage, and raise force account limits for townships.
We have moved a bill through the House and Senate that would prohibit
cities or the state from imposing residency requirements on public works
contracts. Our goal is to achieve final passage of that legislation before
the end of this year.
Part of the reason for our success at the statehouse is
due to your contributions to the Ohio Contractors Political Action
Committee. Having an active PAC allows OCA’s Legislative Director to attend
fundraisers and build relationships with legislators who are deciding which
laws get passed and which don’t. It allows us to support the campaigns of
those legislators and statewide candidates who value good government by
supporting our issues, and to say no to those who don’t support our issues.
It is important for our industry and for you
individually to engage financially via the Ohio Contractors PAC to ensure
that our voice is heard at the state government level. Your financial
commitment to a strong PAC helps make the Ohio Contractors Association one
of the most effective associations in the state.
If you haven’t already contributed to the Ohio
Contractors PAC this year, please call the OCA office today at 800.229.1388
to make a contribution on your personal
credit card. Or mail a personal
check to Ohio Contractors PAC, 1313 Dublin Rd., Columbus, OH 43215. We
appreciate your support in advancing the concerns of our industry at the
Ohio Statehouse.
OCA's Board of Directors Has Taken
Positions On Two Ballot Issues That Will Be On The November 3rd Statewise
Ballot
OCA SUPPORTS THE PASSAGE OF ISSUE 2: The goal of Issue 2 is to create a
constitutional amendment that would prohibit the creation of monopolies in
the Ohio Constitution. The “Ohio Initiated Monopolies Amendment” would
require voters in the future to approve two
questions pertaining to citizen initiatives establishing economic
monopolies. Ohio’s legislators developed the Ohio Initiative Monopolies
amendment in response to Issue 3 (see below)
Issue 2 would work by requiring the Ohio Ballot Board to determine if an
initiative would create an economic monopoly or special privilege for any
nonpublic entity, including individuals, corporations and organizations. If
the Ohio Ballot Board determines an initiative would create an economic
monopoly, then the board would be required to create two separate ballot
questions. The first question would ask, "Shall the petitioner, in
violation of division (B)(1) of Section 1e of Article II of the Ohio
Constitution, be authorized to initiate a constitutional amendment that
grants or creates a monopoly, oligopoly, or cartel, specifies or determines
a tax rate, or confers a commercial interest, commercial right, or
commercial license that is not available to other similarly situated
persons?" The second question would be the ballot initiative. If both
questions are approved, then the amendment would take effect. If only one
question is approved, then the amendment would be defeated.
If voters approve the amendment, it could potentially
invalidate any initiatives voters approved on the November 3 ballot that
establish economic monopolies - specifically, it may invalidate the Marijuana
Legalization Initiative. However, it is likely that if Issue 2 and Issue 3
both pass, the final decision of which one rules supreme would be fought
out in the courts.
OCA OPPOSES ISSUE 3. Issue 3 is a proposed
constitutional amendment that was submitted by a group of wealthy investors
to create a monopoly that would give them, and only them, the ability to
commercially cultivate marijuana on 10 predetermined sites around Ohio. The
marijuana grown at those sites would be available for sale for recreational
and medical marijuana usage.The amendment would allow over 1100 retail
marijuana stores, more than three times the number of liquor stores
currently in Ohio. In addition, adults would be able to grow marijuana for
their own recreational use.
The use of the Ohio constitution to create a monopoly
for a few wealthy individuals is a threat to our free market system that is
built upon economic competitiveness. The fact that Issue 3 would also
create many uncertainties and problems for Ohio’s employers, however, is
even more troubling. Does state or federal law regarding marijuana use,
possession and cultivation take precedence? How would drug-testing and the
ensuing results be handled? How would safety standards be maintained in our
hazardous profession? Would union contracts have to be amended for this new
contingency? How would this impact our ability to attract and retain
employees?
We know
that Ohio’s contractors value predictability, safety, and a reliable and
drug-free workforce, all of which will be jeopardized if Issue 3 passes.
For that reason, we urge you to vote no on Issue 3. Please click here for more
information.
EPA
Rules On Ozone Levels, Finalized, Tightened To 70 PPB
EPA
released its new stricter National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS)
for ozone pollution, dropping the permissible levels from 75 parts per
billion (ppb) to 70 ppb. The new rule is drawing criticism from industry.
As AGC’s comments on the proposed version of the rule
point out, the 75 ppb standard was only recently set, back in 2008, and the
implementing guidance was not finalized until February 2015. Under the new
70 ppb standard, 241 counties, including 34 in Ohio, will be in violation,
using 2012-2014 monitoring data.However, EPA notes that they will likely
use 2014-2016 data when they designate areas of nonattainment.
Construction companies will feel the effects of tighter ozone limits,
mainly via restrictions on equipment emissions in areas with poor air
quality (direct impact), as well as additional controls on industrial facilities
and planning requirements for transportation-related sources (indirect
impact). Notably, nonattainment counties that are out of compliance with
CAA ozone standards could have federal highway funds withheld.
The new
rule is also drawing criticism from the environmental community, many of
which are disappointed that the level was not set at 65 or 60 ppb. Some
have already threatened lawsuits. AGC will be continuing to work with
industry coalition partners on this issue, and will be doing a deep analysis
of the new rule and its practical impacts for the construction industry
over the coming weeks.
OUPS Hosting 7 Free
Excavator Seminars In November
Ohio
Utilities Protection Service (OUPS) is hosting seven (7) free excavator
seminars across the state during the month of November. These seminars will
provide you and your crews valuable information.
·
Nov. 4th – St. Clairsville
·
Nov. 5th – Athens
·
Nov. 10th – Grove City
·
Nov. 12th – Findlay
·
Nov. 17th – Elyria
·
Nov. 18th - Astabula
Topics include legislative update for SB 378, Ohio’s
new underground damage prevention law which includes enforcement
provisions, new and improved remote ticket entry (RTE), or I-dig usage,
excavator training, features to OUPS’ new mobile app and so much more.
Registration begins at 8:30 and lunch will follow the meeting at noon.
Confined
Spaces Rule Compliance Deadline Extended
Full
enforcement of OSHA's confined spaces in construction rule has been delayed
once again. The new
deadline is Jan. 8, but the extension applies only to residential
construction.
The
Occupational Safety and Health Administration announced the Jan. 8 deadline
in a memo dated Oct. 1 and posted late Oct. 2, the day on which the previous
deadline expired.
The memo,
from James Maddux, head of OSHA's construction directorate, extends the
temporary enforcement policy only for “employers engaged in residential
construction work.”
Prior to
Jan. 8, the memo says, OSHA won't issue citations under the confined spaces
in construction standard to residential contractors if “the employer is
making good faith efforts” to comply with the standard as long as the
employer is in compliance with either the training requirements of the new
standard (29 C.F.R. 1926.1207) or the old training requirements (29 C.F.R.
1926.21(b)(6)(i)).
The
guidance is the same as a July 8 memo extending the deadline to Oct. 2,
with the exception that the prior memo covered all construction work, not
just residential (61 CLR 487, 7/16/15).
Among the
requirements put on hold for residential builders are that a “competent
person” conduct the initial job-site inspection, that specific information
be shared among employers and that continuous air monitoring of confined
spaces be performed.
OCA conducted the required training for the
construction confined space regulations on September 30th in
Columbus in order to meet the October 2, compliance deadline for all
construction except residential. Only 12 individuals registered and attended.
We expect that there will be additional demand for the confined space
training among the OCA membership, and will schedule future training
classes accordingly. Please contact OCA’s Safety Department if you are
interested in confined space training as required by the new regulations.
Estimating Competition
Coach for Bowling Green State University Needed
Doug Shealy with Mosser Construction, Inc., has been serving as a coach to
BGSU students since the beginning of the competition 15 years ago. Morgan
Montgomery with Vernon Nagel, Inc., also volunteers his time. While both
Doug and Morgan are working with the students for the upcoming competition
in February, they are requesting that one or two more people join them. The
goal is for the new coaches to learn the ropes and take a bigger role next
year. If you are interested, contact Rachel Sirca ([email protected] or
614-488-0724).
RFP
for Ohio Diesel Emission Reduction Grant (DERG) Program
Ohio
EPA has released the 2015 Request for Proposals for $15 million in Diesel
Emission Reduction Grants. Public sector diesel fleets and private sector
diesel fleets with a public sponsor are invited to apply for grants from
$50,000 to $1 million. Grants will reimburse up to 80% of the cost of
vehicle/equipment replacement, repower, retrofit, or installation of
anti-idle equipment for purposes of reducing diesel emissions in eligible
Ohio counties.
Applications
will be due December 1, 2015. Application guidelines are posted on the DERG program website. Ohio EPA and Ohio
Department of Transportation representatives will be available for
questions at an informal information session on Thursday October 8, 2015 at
ODOT headquarters, 1980 W. Broad Street, Columbus, OH 43223.Conference
calls are also scheduled on Tuesday, October 27 at 9:00 a.m. and Thursday
November 12 at 1:00 p.m. to take additional questions from applicants. A
summary of questions and answers from these calls will be posted on the
program web page a few days after each call.
To be added to the DERG Interested Parties List please
an to email [email protected]
Constructability and Value
Engineering Workshops Invitation to Contractors
The
Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) uses constructability review
workshops as a project improvement technique on select major projects. The
intent of the workshop is to review the project’s development and conduct
brainstorming activities that include constructability analysis and reviews
to identify and recommend ideas for ODOT’s consideration in the continued
project design and development. This effort will be a combination
constructability and value engineering workshop that will follow the approved
SAVE-International phased methodology that includes the 1) Information, 2)
Function Analysis, 3) Speculation, 4) Evaluation, 5) Development and 6)
Presentation. By utilizing contractor input and ideas early in the design
stage, a wide range of benefits can be achieved that produces a buildable,
cost-effective, biddable set of construction documents and an overall
better operable and maintainable project for ODOT and the public.
The project to be studied is the CCG3 (Central
Interchange) contract group. This project, referred to as Construction
Contract Group 3 (CCG3), addresses the I-77 / I-90 interchange. The I-77
work begins at the interchange with I-90 to the north and ends at the
Kingsbury Bridge near East 37th Street. The I-90 work is between East 9th
Street to East 22nd Street, and includes replacing the Carnegie Avenue
bridge over I-90. The proposed termini for this project will match into
previous CCG projects and the design will allow for additional construction
work in the future.) The
project is currently at about 25% design completion. More information on
the Innerbelt Program can be foundhere.
As part of this process, ODOT will conduct 2 separate
workshops on Thursday,
October 15, 2015 and Tuesday, November 10, 2015 at ODOT
District 12 offices in Garfield Heights. Attendance at both sessions is not
mandatory but encouraged to provide the greatest benefit. Each day’s session
will begin promptly at 9:00, end about 4:00.
Constructability
Workshop #1 will provide a project team presentation and include break-out
sessions with a constructability review process and idea development.
Workshop #2 will be a continuation with further development and refinement
of the ideas generated in the previous workshop.
Registration
is not required, however, ODOT would appreciate knowing your interest in
attending. Please
email Randall (Randy) S. Over, P.E., at [email protected] that you plan to
attend.
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