Construction input prices climbed 9.6% year over year in May, driven by rising energy costs and continued increases in steel, copper and other tariff-sensitive materials.
Construction material prices rose nearly 10% from a year ago as higher energy, steel and copper costs added pressure on contractors and project budgets.
The Labor Department introduced new tools to help U.S. companies assess supply chain risks, identify labor abuses abroad and comply with laws banning forced labor imports.
Proposed rule would reinstate a streamlined economic reality test, with construction groups praising the shift and officials opening a 60-day public comment period.
The proposed rule would restore a streamlined economic reality test, with officials and industry groups citing clarity and flexibility for employers and independent workers.
The U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division introduced new webpages, videos and updated toolkits to help employers comply with federal labor laws
New compliance resources aim to help employers understand labor law obligations, prevent violations and resolve wage, overtime and FMLA issues proactively.
The construction industry will need to attract hundreds of thousands of new workers—349,000 in 2026 and 456,000 in 2027—largely to offset retirements and meet renewed spending growth, or risk worsening labor shortages that could drive up costs and slow critical infrastructure projects.
The construction industry will need to attract hundreds of thousands of new workers largely to offset retirements and meet renewed spending growth, or risk worsening labor shortages that could drive up costs and slow critical infrastructure projects.
Balfour Beatty’s guilty plea to federal fraud and its $65 million penalty reveal a pattern of deception in military housing that continues to raise urgent questions about accountability and public trust.
Balfour Beatty’s guilty plea to federal fraud and its $65 million penalty reveal a pattern of deception in military housing that continues to raise urgent questions about accountability and public trust.
The September 2025 jobs report shows the U.S. economy added 119,000 jobs, with Secretary Chavez-DeRemer crediting strong private-sector growth and the administration’s economic policies for the better-than-expected results.