Sheet Metal & Air Conditioning Contractors’ National Association

At this time of year, the normal tradition is for a SMACNA President to bid farewell in this column, but as we all know, 2020 has not been normal and I am only at the midway point of an extended tenure due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

On January 8, 2021, the Department of Labor (DOL) issued a Final Rule outlining the analysis by which the DOL will consider whether a worker is an “employee,” and therefore potentially covered by the FLSA’s minimum wage or overtime laws, or an “independent contractor,” who is exempted from the FLSA and other employment laws.

2020 resulted in massive transformations in the workplace and on jobsites. Yet general contractors, specialty contractors and owners all managed to face the challenges of 2020 and come out more resilient and productive on the other side.

One of SMACNA’s most essential and popular annual initiatives is its Safety Excellence Award Program Survey.

Throughout 2020 and into this year, SMACNA has continued to significantly augment its Contractor Operations Manual with several new focus areas designed to help members improve their day-to-day operations.