On February 14th, the District Court for the Eastern District of Texas heard oral arguments in a lawsuit filed by CDW (a group headed by ABC, that CIRT has supported, called “Coalition for a Democratic Workplace”).   The coalition is challenging the NLRB’s Joint Employer final rule. On February 22nd, the judge issued a brief order delaying the Rule’s effective date to March 11th. The ruling didn’t include the court’s reasoning for issuing the delay, but it is hoped by the coalition that it signals a potential decision favorable to the employer community.

The 2024 edition of the American Tort Reform Association (ATRA) “Tort Reform Outlook,” a compendium of the civil justice reform legislative activity expected in the states, has been released.  As a member of ATRA, the Round Table contributes to compiling this valuable resource.

For details see, attached ATRA Outlook.

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) recently singled-out construction (specifically naming the industry) for what it claims is a lack of diversity.  The reference was included in the Commission’s latest , the official operating roadmap or strategic enforcement plan (SEP) that will guide the agency’s enforcement efforts through 2027.  In essence, the EEOC has put the entire industry on notice to expect more scrutiny and possibly increased enforcement and legal procedures to right what it considers racial, gender, and other inequities/imbalances in the composition or make-up of the workforce.  Of course, it has long been known to the industry that it does not attract large enough numbers of women and minorities to its workforce, but that is NOT necessarily due to discrimination or prejudices, but possibly to the nature of the work. Programs like ACE Mentor of America, Safety Week Initiative, and DEI efforts all address aspects of attracting, retaining, and developing a diverse workforce.