ASAToday for April 22nd, 2021

This Week in Congress The House voted on bill regarding gender wage gap (H.R.7) and workplace violence against healthcare and social service workers (H.R. 1195). Meanwhile, the Senate held nomination votes. Return to the ASAToday page to read more articles.

2021 COBRA Premium Subsidies The latest round of COVID relief legislation that was signed into law in March (the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021) included a provision to provide COBRA premium subsidies to help laid off employees and their beneficiaries retain health insurance coverage.   COBRA provides certain employees and their beneficiaries with the right…

The Growing Need for Faster Labor Productivity Reporting Supply chain disruptions continue to impact construction schedules, resulting in the majority of contractors facing at least one material shortage. With the current construction environment showing both strong growth potential and high uncertainty, many construction teams are facing challenges of effective labor management and distribution across their…

Senate Earmarks Senate Republicans will decide on April 21st to lift their ban on earmarks, as House and Senate Democrats plan to bring them back this year.  The debate could pit long-standing Republican appropriators against spending hawks in the party, along with newer senators, who oppose restoring the practice.  Senate Appropriations Chair Leahy said that…

Employers Must Ensure Employee Handbook Policies Are Compliant with the NLRA Return to the ASAToday page to read more articles.

Senate Democrats on President Biden’s Infrastructure Proposal On Tuesday, Senate Democrats expressed hope that a bipartisan deal could be reached on the President’s infrastructure legislation and it remains unclear how long they plan to delay the bill through the reconciliation process if a bipartisan agreement cannot be reached between both parties.  Republican senators have united…

This Week in Congress The Senate and House adjourned until the week of April 12th. Return to the ASAToday page to read more articles.

Senate Parliamentarian Rules Favorably on President Biden’s American Jobs Plan On Monday, the Senate Parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonough ruled that Democrats could enact another reconciliation package such as President Biden’s recent $2.25 trillion infrastructure and tax proposal, which would bypass the 60-vote rule required to pass most legislation in the Senate.  However, this effort could be…