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    Analysis

    January 25, 2022

    AGC: Vaccine Mandate Withdrawn, But Labor Shortage Persists

    Written by David Schollaert

    Construction employment in December remained below pre-pandemic levels in more than half of U.S. states as firms struggle to find enough workers to hire, reports the Associated General Contractors of America in its latest analysis of government data. AGC hopes that this week’s decision by the Biden administration to withdraw its emergency vaccine mandate will ease the sector’s labor challenges, as firms avoid losing workers unwilling to comply with COVID shots.

    AGC was among the many organizations that had filed suit against the mandate, which was blocked by the Supreme Court earlier this month on the grounds that the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) had exceeded its authority to regulate public health. The administration continues to urge businesses to voluntarily implement vaccine and testing requirements for their workers to stem the spread of the Omicron virus.

    David Schollaert

    David Schollaert is deputy editor-in-chief for Steel Market Update. David joined SMU after more than a decade in the metals and mining industry in a myriad of different roles. Much of his early experience and expertise were within the coverage and analysis of steel-making raw materials and served previously as senior editor of the CRU Prices Service. Most recently, however, before his return to market analysis, David held roles as a metals buyer and an operations manager for raw material suppliers. He can be contacted at david@steelmarketupdate.com or 724-720-1008.

    Read more from David Schollaert

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