A Texas judge has ruled unconstitutional a law that would ban some local ordinances in the Lone Star State. On Aug. 30, State District Judge Maya Guerra Gamble of Travis County sided with the city of Houston, which had filed suit against the state earlier this summer, claiming the law signed by Gov. Greg Abbott in June overstepped his powers. The state has appealed the decision to the Texas Supreme Court, the Texas Tribune reported. The law was supposed to go into effect Sept. 1. Construction Dive

The U.S. Department of Labor will propose an increase of the minimum salary threshold for overtime eligibility under the Fair Labor Standards Act to $1,059 per week, or $55,068 per year, the agency announced Wednesday. In a press email, DOL said the updated regulations would expand overtime eligibility to some 3.6 million workers. The proposed threshold would mark an increase from the current level of $35,568 per year — set by the Trump administration in 2019 — and even surpasses the $47,476 threshold that the Obama administration attempted to set in 2016. Construction Dive

The time has arrived! Applications for the TEXO Executive Development Partners Class of 2024 are now open! This elite leadership group of rising executives and middle and senior managers gathers on a monthly basis to build relationships, troubleshoot challenges and hear from high-caliber speakers. Each cohort is capped at 30-40 top performers, so be sure to get your application in before the Oct. 6 deadline for your shot at joining the best of the best in our industry.

A suicide occurs every 12 minutes in the U.S. A CDC study found that in 2012 and 2015, suicide rates were highest among males in the construction industry. A major roadblock to addressing this issue is the stigma that has surrounded the issues of depression and suicide and the reluctance to talk about it. For many years, these have been taboo subjects, making it all the more difficult for those who may be contemplating suicide to get the help they need. What can safety professionals, supervisors and employers do to help prevent suicide and get workers the resources and assistance they need?

 

SPEAKER: Matt Clarke | Safety, Health and Environmental Manager, TDIndustries

WHEN: Wednesday, Sept. 6 | 11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
WHERE: TEXO Dallas Conference Center | 11111 N Stemmons Fwy, Dallas, TX 75229

This is an instructor-led course that teaches students critical skills needed to respond to and manage an emergency until emergency medical services arrive. Skills covered in this course include first aid for sudden illnesses, injuries and protection from blood-borne pathogens, choking relief and sudden cardiac arrest for adults. This course is for anyone with limited or no medical training who needs a course-completion card in CPR and AED use to meet job, regulatory or other requirements.

 

WHEN: Friday, Sept. 8 | 8 a.m. - noon
WHERE: TEXO Dallas Conference Center | 11111 N Stemmons Fwy, Dallas, TX 75229

 

Texters beware: Your data is not your own! Join us for this training program with Lauren Abeyta, COO at Construction Discovery Experts, to discuss how to mitigate the legal risks of communicating via text. Text messages are considered discoverable during litigation, so these experts will teach you how to  successfully manage your digital footprint and train your teams to keep you out of trouble.

 

SPEAKER: Lauren Abeyta, COO with Construction Discovery Experts 

WHEN: Tuesday, Sept. 12  |  3-5 p.m.

WHERE: STIRR Addison | 5100 Belt Line Rd. Suite 540, Dallas, TX 75254

The 2-day TEXO OSHA 10-Hour course serves as an orientation to occupational safety and health for workers covered by OSHA 29 CFR 1926. Workers must receive additional training on the specific hazards of the job when required by OSHA standards. After completing the course, participants are mailed an OSHA 10-Hour Construction Industry Outreach wallet-sized card.
 
WHEN: Sept. 20-21 | 7 a.m. - 3:45 p.m.
WHERE: TEXO Dallas Conference Center | 11111 N Stemmons Fwy, Dallas, TX 75229

Come join us for a happy hour at Byrne Construction's Beer Garden! Thank you to Byrne for sponsoring this great networking event and for Polk for bringing all the good eats. We hope to see everyone there! 

 

WHEN: Thursday, Sept. 21 | 4:30-6:30 p.m.

WHERE: Byrne Construction | 551 E. Berry St, Fort Worth, TX 76110

Advance your career and earn continuing education credits. All courses feature a live instruction via Zoom and are available in a variety of days and time blocks to accommodate your learning schedule. Ideal for construction professionals looking to learn without the hassle of traveling. 
 
When registering for any of the classes below, be sure to list TEXO as who referred you to the program!

 

Wage theft, an alarming issue plaguing the construction industry, demands our attention as we explore its impact on workers and industry stakeholders. Below, we discuss the intricacies of wage theft, the risks it poses to developers and top tier contractors and how Verfico™ can help to mitigate that risk.

 

Title Sponsor: Adolfson & Peterson

Lunch Sponsor: The Door Company

Ammo Sponsors: Byrne Construction, Linbeck, Rolling Plains Construction, SteelFab

Breakfast Sponsor: Lithko Contracting

Grid Board Sponsor: Eyesite Surveillance

Drink Snack Sponsor: Lazear Capital Partners

Shooting Station Sponsors: Key Construction, Knight Electric, Lee Lewis Construction, PCL Bonding, Radius Security, Southwest Construction Services, Texas Trades, US Secure Ventures

Platinum: Milwaukee Tool
Gold: Andres Construction, CORE, Mogul Wealth, Prime Controls, SitePro Rentals
Silver: Austin Commercial, Brasfield & Gorrie, Chamberlin, Hill & Wilkinson, Ridgemont, Rogers-O'Brien
Bronze: Campos Engineering, Dee Brown, GMi, Griffith Davison, Humphrey & Associates, KPost, Northstar Builders, PCL Bonding, Talley-Riggins

CompGroup AGC is a registered safety group formed to administer the workers' compensation program underwritten by Texas Mutual for building-construction contractors that are members of the AGC. They offer expert claim oversight and specialized loss-prevention services, including extensive practical safety information, workshops and special educational events. Call Julie Schatz at 972-770-4444, or send an email to CompGroupAGC@RobertsandCrow.com to get information on how your agent can access this competitive program.

CompGroup AGC is a registered safety group formed to administer the workers' compensation program underwritten by Texas Mutual for building-construction contractors that are members of the AGC. They offer expert claim oversight and specialized loss-prevention services, including extensive practical safety information, workshops and special educational events. Call Julie Schatz at 972-770-4444, or send an email to CompGroupAGC@RobertsandCrow.com to get information on how your agent can access this competitive program.