Did you know that September is Suicide Prevention Month? Further, did you know that male-dominated industries tend to have more suicides? The macho, tough-guy, and stoic nature of construction workers can even discourage those who are most at risk for suicide from seeking help. Men, especially white men in their early 20’s through their 50’s, account for the bulk of suicides. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 97 percent of the U.S. construction workforce is male and according to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, 38 percent of construction workers in the U.S. in 2018 were between the ages of 45 and 64.
Moving from jobsite to jobsite can create an environment in which workers are not as connected to their families, each other, or a workplace community. Couples with working long or irregular hours, sleep patterns can be impacted, causing sleep deprivation and mental and physical exhaustion.
The Construction Industry Alliance for Suicide Prevention (CIASP) has created tools and resources which can be used to help integrate suicide prevention into your company’s culture as a safety and health priority! Items available include a social media toolkit, toolbox talks, posters, OSHA suicide prevention resources, QR codes for CIASP’s website, and logos. You can view and download all their Suicide Prevention Resources by clicking here.
NECA has put together a Memo on the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022. On July 27, Senator Manchin and Senator Schumer announced a new agreement on Budget Reconciliation package that includes addressing inflation, healthcare, climate/energy policy, and tax issues. This new agreement came as a surprise because of Senator Manchin’s previous statements less than a month ago that he could not support a package outside of the healthcare provisions. Click here to read the full summary.
Governor Gavin Newsom signed NECA’s “5% Retention Cap Bill,” AB-2173 by Assemblymember Cottie Petrie-Norris (D-Laguna Beach).
The current public works 5% retention cap statute was set to expire at the end of this year. Now that AB-1273 has been signed by the Governor, the 5% public works retention cap policy is placed into California law for perpetuity.
NECA would like to thank all the contractors and other industry leaders who took the time to use grassroots advocacy to send an email to Governor Newsom asking that he sign the bill. Your voice makes a difference. We would also like to thank Assemblymember Cottie Petrie-Norris and her staff for all their hard work in getting AB-1273 passed into law. Assemblymember Petrie-Norris is a long-time industry supporter, and we truly appreciate her continue efforts in making prompt and fair payment in the construction industry a priority.
Finally, we would like to thank Eddie Bernacchi and the entire Politico Team in Sacramento for all their efforts throughout the year!
Many California employers were hopeful there was an end in sight for COVID-19 requirements – but recent activity from state workplace safety officials means that you will most likely need to comply with pandemic rules for at least the next two years. While Cal/OSHA’s Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) is scheduled to expire in December 2022, the agency released a proposed “permanent” rule on June 18, 2022, that proposes to impose COVID-19 requirements on workplaces through 2024. While most of the proposed new rules align with the existing requirements of the current ETS, there are some key changes employers need to know about – including the possible elimination of the controversial (and costly) exclusion pay requirement.
Read more from Fisher Phillips
here regarding the five changes we will see with the proposed permanent rule.
The #1 Trade Show of its kind in the electrical industry is back! The 2022 NECA Convention will be held in Austin, Texas, from October 14 – 18, 2022. This year’s event not only allows you to attend in-person, but also provides you with the opportunity to experience the event virtually!
As an industry solution center, the NECA Show has evolved into the event for Power, Light, Energy and Communication Technology. Electrical professionals will find solutions for the shop, the office and the job site through networking, visiting the showstopper showcase highlighting the newest products, attending educational workshops and so much more!
To register for the Convention, follow the below instructions:
- Log into the NECA Registration & Hotel Booking Website with your individual ID and Last Name. Note – please contact the Chapter office if you do not know your Individual ID.
- Once logged in, follow the prompts and register for the sessions you would like; including any pre-convention workshops, the full convention, just the weekend package, or the virtual convention (if you aren’t able to physically join us in Austin).
- After completing your registration, you will have the opportunity to add a guest or book your hotel room. As a member of the NorCal NECA Chapter, you will automatically be placed into our room bock at the JW Marriott. If you are a member of multiple Chapters, you will be able to select the Chapter with which to proceed.
Click here to find out more about the 2022 NECA Convention, including the full schedule of events. Please contact
Jenny Fothergill at the Chapter office for more information.
NorCal NECA’s 20th annual Golf Classic took place at Ruby Hill Golf Course on Monday, May 16, 2022, with a full field of players. We would like to thank each of our valued industry partners and contractor members who sponsored the event, and those who participated in our raffle. Each year, we donate proceeds from the tournament to five charities that have been hand-picked for our Chapter. These charities are: Make-A-Wish Foundation Greater Bay Area, Aldea Children and Family Services in Napa, Attitudinal Healing Connection in Oakland, Modesto Gospel Mission in Modesto, and Hospice of San Joaquin in Stockton. The Golf Committee decided to add two charities to the list in 2022 – Doctors without Borders and Society for Disabilities.
Congratulations to all our winners and especially to the Santa Clara Valley Chapter NECA foursome of Doug Lung, Jared Gamble, Andrew Bowdish and Matt Leslie who have now won the NorCal NECA Golf Classic three-years running. Click here to see photos from this year’s Golf Classic and we hope that you will consider joining us on May 15, 2023, for our 21st Annual Golf Classic.
A Key Performance Indicator (KPI) is “a quantifiable measure used to evaluate the success of an organization, employee, etc. in meeting objectives for performance.” A KPI considers the business’ context, strategies and values and is a metric that incorporates performance targets so companies can track their progress toward goals.
There is increased interest in KPIs, with many contractors either currently using them, trying to implement them, or expressing a strong desire to do so. Despite growing knowledge of metrics and the benefits of KPIs, many contractors have not implemented them because they are unclear how and where to begin.
KPIs are critical both for determining a contractor’s success and making necessary adjustments for optimal success and profitability. The objective of this study was to research and provide a practical guide for contractors to use KPIs in their companies.
Click here to read the report.
Further, ELECTRI International created a
KPI Evaluation Tool. Take a deep dive into pertinent KPIs and see how your company measures compared to your peers within the electrical construction industry. Functional areas such as business development, estimating, finance, operations, prefabrication, purchasing, field installation and more are built within this benchmarking tool. Properly established KPIs are more critical today and with an understanding of how to use metrics to monitor performance, increase profit margin, and reduce risk will support optimal success and profitability.
With paper and transportation costs increasing, switching to digital documents and forms to cut costs makes more and more sense – and not just for the obvious reasons. Digitization and “lean” best practices help contractors reduce waste across their businesses. From faster processes for forms to spotting patterns that cause project delays, digitization results in tangible benefits that make running a business easier and more affordable for business owners and operations managers.
NorCal NECA’s Associate Member DADO is trying to help our contractors by focusing on four practical, real-life ways that digital forms software will help your business achieve the benefits of lean construction. No BS, just concrete examples of what they can do, and the benefits you will see. Check out DADO’s Debrief by clicking here.
NorCal NECA’s Spring General Membership Meeting is scheduled for 5:00 PM on Tuesday, April 12, 2022, at the Dublin Ranch Golf Course (5900 Signal Hill Drive, Dublin). Network with your peers to gain informational insight in the industry, while participating in our mini tradeshow where select NorCal NECA Associate Members will display their products and services.
We will also welcome guest speaker Josh Bone (Executive Director ELECTRI International). Josh will talk about Innovative Technologies Transforming Electrical Contractors. Project deliver methods and building’s systems are growing increasingly complex. Owners and general contractors continue to push tighter schedules and control cost all while subcontractors are expected to adapt to their ever-changing expectations.
If you have not already done so, please RSVP your attendance by clicking here.
The Officer & Overhead Personnel Compensation Report presents a detailed analysis of key compensation and workforce benefits data from companies operating in the electrical contracting industry. Based on confidential surveys submitted by electrical contractors, this report includes a compilation and analysis of data segmented by total company sales volume, NECA chapter affiliation, and union status. The data includes: annual wages paid to overhead employees, officer compensation, employee benefit information, retirement/pension plan information and more!
NECA Members can receive this report for $45.00, and Non-NECA Members can receive the report for $95.00. If you participated in the study, you should have received a free copy of this report! You can click here to purchase a copy of the Officer and Overhead Personnel Compensation Report.
