Four U.S. senators reintroduced the Training America’s Workforce Act last week, a bill they say would make apprenticeships more responsive to industry workforce needs. For the door and window industries, that could mean more on-the-job training and classroom instruction to help take a bite out of workforce shortages. U.S. Sens. John Thune (R-S.D.), Tim Scott […]

As the eighth annual National Apprenticeship Week (NAW) draws to a close, it’s clear that organizers promoted not only the manufacturing industry but the benefits of a Registered Apprenticeship program. NAW 2022 included roundtable and panel discussions, conferences, and career and trade fairs hosted by stakeholders in the “earn-as-you-learn” model, in a bid to connect […]

Cardinal Automation Group and Cardinal Insulated Glass, both in Spring Green, Wis., recently were awarded the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s Voluntary Protection Program (VPP) Star Level Designation. According to a Department of Labor press release about the honor, the companies earned recognition for their initiative-taking safety and health programs, and can now be considered […]

People in marginalized and underrepresented populations will have the opportunity to overcome barriers to the career and technical education programs they need to be connected to good-paying jobs, thanks to a new initiative announced today by the Department of Labor (DOL). To bolster community colleges’ and other institutions’ efforts to deliver more equitable education and […]

The Work Opportunity Tax Credit provides the chance for thousands of dollars in relief for employers who hire from targeted groups historically faced with significant barriers to employment. From qualified veterans to ex-convicts and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program recipients, realized credits can be in excess of $9,000 per qualified employee. Eligibility Requirements Administered by the […]

Some companies and organizations in the glass and fenestration industry may have breathed a collective sigh of relief yesterday when the Supreme Court ruled to block an Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) rule mandating businesses with at least 100 employees require workers to be vaccinated or get tested weekly and wear a mask. In Minnesota, […]

In an effort to provide relief to companies impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) has issued a memorandum that grants a limited exemption and waiver from some of the requirements of the laws administered by the OFCCP. This includes a requirement that federal contracting […]

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration has announced three Susan Harwood Training Grants funding opportunity announcements for Targeted Topic Training Grants, Training and Educational Materials Development Grants, and Capacity Building Grants. A total of $10.5 million is available for nonprofit organizations including community and faith-based organizations, employer associations, labor unions, joint […]

On Wednesday, Secretary of Labor Alexander Acosta withdrew the department’s 2015 and 2016 informal guidance on joint employment that,  under Obama-era definitions, could have held an employer liable for the labor and workplace practices of independent contractors and subcontractors such as window installers. The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) praised the decision. “Given that […]

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) issued its final “Silica Rule,” intended to limit construction and general industry workers’ exposure to respirable crystalline silica. The rule, which has been in the works since 2013, reduces the permissible exposure limit (PEL) for workers. It also requires employers to implement engineering controls, offer medical exams and […]