Under the Affordable Care Act, the federal government must collect $25 billion in fees over a three-year period to help pay for the Transitional Reinsurance Program administered by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Consequently, all NECA Taft-Hartley health and welfare trusts are being assessed a fee of $63 per covered life in 2014, $42 in 2015, and $26.50 in 2016 to raise less money each year to finance this program. The problem? None of these fees being taken from the bottom line of our trusts will benefit NECA contractors or their families. Actually, they only help their competitors who don't offer health care to their employees and instead send them to the exchanges. We don't think it's fair or right. NECA is supporting legislation to repeal the Transitional Reinsurance Fee altogether. NECA members have already sent nearly 200 letters to their senators and representatives asking them to support this legislation. Tell your representative to support H.R. 3489.

On November 5th, members of the International Facilities Manager's Association will host an event at the Zero Net Energy Center, starting at 5PM. The visit will include a tour followed by a cocktail/hors d'oeuvres networking time. Contractors are encourage to attend to meet facilities managers who recommend and/or hire contractors for new construction, renovations/retrofits, and maintenance and service contracts. Contractors are encouraged to join with us at these events. On November 12th, the City of San Leandro will host an all-day conference "Prototyping the Future." Click here for detailed and registration information.
 

The results are in.... our Zero Net Energy Center is officially zero net. After one year of collecting data, we are generating more energy than what is being used, and we're celebrating. Joining us is the City of San Leandro, which has cause to celebrate as well. San Leandro is a city of 85,000 residents and it is about to enter the future. With an enviable location, good transportation, civic infrastructure, affordable housing, and more, San Leandro is becoming a force in innovation. Lit San Leandro is funded by a leading local business owner in cooperation with city, and federal governments. Its objective is simple: attract new businesses to the San Leandro area by modernizing the communications infrastructure, without relying on public funds. Read more about Lit San Leandro on by visiting the website and join us on Thursday, November 6, 2014 to celebrate our successes.

Not all companies need a ten-ton gold plated safety program, especially small contractor companies. Your goal is to prevent injuries and accidents, not create a complex safety program that makes your managers and employees jump through hoops so that not much else gets done. While you do need a comprehensive illness and injury prevention plan (IIPP), expecting all your employees to read every single page of the plan without their eyes rolling into the back of their heads is unrealistic. There are very few specific safety topics that cannot be communicated to employees using information on a single sheet of paper. See attached for more information.
 

On October 1, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) announced a final rule that raises the minimum wage for workers on federal service and construction contracts to $10.10 per hour. The final rule implements Executive Order 13658, which was announced by the president on February 12, and it will benefit nearly 200,000 American workers, according to the DOL. Executive Order 13658 applies to new contracts and replacements for expiring contracts with the federal government that result from solicitations issued on or after January 1, 2015, and to contracts that are awarded outside the solicitation process on or after January 1, 2015.