News

Indiana Contractors, Inc. hosted a series of interviews with Andy Martone addressing the Teamsters Central States Pension Fund and withdrawal liability.

In this YouTube video series, Andy and George Sheraw, Director of Labor Relations at ICI, discussed the situation surrounding the Central States Pension Fund and contractor withdrawal liability.

Part 1 of the Series
Andy and George touch on 5 options for employers to consider with the impending insolvency of Central States pension fund.

Part 2 of the Series
Andy dives into the risks and rewards of employer options for the impending pension fund insolvency.

Part 3 of the Series
The topics of mass withdrawal and construction industry exemption are covered by Andy and George.

Part 4 of the Series
Myths are dispelled and triggers are explained regarding partial withdrawal liabilities, fund insolvency, and excise taxes

Part 5 of the Series
Teamsters local withdrawal liability and bankruptcy are discussed by Andy and George, and they open the floor for contractors to ask questions for a bonus episode.

The firm is proud to be a sponsor of the Southern Illinois Builders Association (SIBA) Golf Outing on August 20th.

The event kicks off with a shot-gun start at 10am and concludes with dinner and awards at 3pm. Proceeds from these SIBA events are distributed as scholarships to students pursuing degrees in construction related management, engineering, and architecture.

As a result of the restrictions caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, SIBA is able to hold limited social events this year. HesseMartone invites you to support SIBA in these important fundraising events.

Click here to see the event flyer. Visit here to see a list of SIBA events for 2020.

Mitrata Nepal Foundation for Children is hosting a virtual trivia night on August 15th. Event sponsorships help the foundation support 120 underprivileged children in Nepal for education, healthcare, housing and support services. The pandemic this year has heightened the need for support and funding.

HesseMartone is proud to be registered as a table sponsor. The HesseMartone team will participate online in the virtual event which includes multi-media trivia, a Fund-a-Need auction, and more. The Mitrata foundation hopes to raise $35,000 for the children that they serve.

Learn more about the event and the Mitrata-Nepal Foundation for Children at mitrata.org.

Indiana Contractors, Inc. is hosting a week of interviews with pension fund experts. In the first video of the series, Andy Martone, president and CEO of HesseMartone, and George Sheraw, Director of Labor Relations at ICI, discuss the situation surrounding the Central States Pension Fund and contractor withdrawal liabilities.

Click here to view the feature.

by Andy Martone

The Illinois Department of Labor (IDOL) has confirmed that the Employment of Illinois Workers on Public Works Act is now in effect as a result of the excessive unemployment rate in Illinois caused by the pandemic, the related Stay at Home Orders and the resulting business closures.

The Act requires the workforce on all public works projects to be comprised of a minimum of 90 percent of Illinois workers.

The law covers public works projects that are funded in whole or in part with state funds or funds administered by the state of Illinois. Any public works project financed in whole or in part by federal funds administered by the state of Illinois is also covered to the extent permitted by applicable federal law or regulation.

The consequences of violating the Act can be severe, and include substantial penalties per worker, per day – starting at $1,000 and going up to $15,000 for multiple repeat violations – and also allow for the filing of private lawsuits.

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has again updated its pandemic guidance to address employment and disability-related issues as they arise in the midst of this pandemic.

A link to this most recent update is found here.

For the most part, the EEOC has used common sense to adapt current law to the Covid-19 – however, there are certain twists and turns that may not be readily apparent.

The best advice for employers under these circumstances is to have patience, use common sense, and to consult with an appropriate professional prior to taking a potentially questionable adverse employment action.

The Collective Thread is a non-profit that trains immigrants and refugees to sew. They graduate skilled stitchers to fulfill the sewing workforce issue for local companies as well as hire graduates to work in their small batch facility.

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the non-profit has shifted their textile production to exclusively make masks and hospital gowns. 2,000 masks had been produced for the St. Louis Community as of April 1st. Their cost is $5 per mast, and thousands of requests remain in our region.

They are giving items to hospitals and the VA free of charge. With no income from texle orders, they are keeping their staff on payroll, relying exclusively on donations.

HesseMartone has donated to The Collective Thread and invites you to join. Donations are urgently needed to keep their efforts going.

Visit their website to support.

https://thecollectivethread.org

Download the PDF below to read the CDC’s interim guidance.

Download the PDF below to read the full document.