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Each week, MCAA will highlight one or more of the educational resources that benefit MCAA members. This week, we focus on MCAA’s GreatFutures Forum, where MCAA members can meet and help shape the students that are our industry’s future. It’s also a great place to find your next intern or new hire and have a great time.

The 2021 GreatFutures Forum will take place October 17 – 19 at the JW Marriott Scottsdale Camelback Inn Resort & Spa in Scottsdale, AZ.

If you are registered for the sold-out MSCA Conference, consider adding a few days to your stay to enjoy the Forum activities. Not registered for MSCA? No problem! Join us for the Forum alone. Learn more and register on our event website.

EVENT WEBSITE

Have Questions or Need Personal Assistance?

Contact MCAA’s Megan Walsh.

Each week, MCAA will highlight one or more of the educational resources that are free to MCAA members as a benefit of membership. This week, we focus on MCAA’s 2021 3D Scanning Technology Research Report. The report assesses various laser, non-laser scanning and photogrammetric hardware and software tools used by mechanical contractors. MCAA members stand to benefit from these and other rapidly evolving technologies that can expedite work, increase precision and prevent mistakes.

In addition to scanning, the MCAA’s Construction Technology Research Series explores tracking, layout, design and fabrication technologies using BIM and other tools.

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MCAA’s Innovative Technologies Initiative offers a wealth of resources and information for those interested in exploring new technologies. Visit the initiative’s web page to explore them all.

Have Questions or Need Personal Assistance?

Contact MCAA’s Sean McGuire.

Baker Group Chairman and CEO B.J. Baker, III signed an Employer Statement of Support for the National Guard and Reserve (ESSNGR). The June 14, 2021 signing was part of an event highlighting Baker Group’s continued commitment to supporting employees who are members of the National Guard and Reserve. The company is an MCAA member.

B.J. Baker was joined by members of the Iowa office of the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR), a Department of Defense operational committee. In signing the pledge, Baker Group unites with employers from across the country to affirm:

• We fully recognize, honor and enforce the Uniformed Services Employment and Re-Employment Rights Act (USERRA).
• We will provide our leadership team the tools necessary to effectively manage our employees who serve in the Guard and Reserve.
• We appreciate the unique combination of values, leadership, and skills service members bring to Baker Group.
• We will continue to actively recruit Guardsmen, Reservists and Veterans.
• We will provide continued support to service members and their families in peace, in crises and in war.

“Our National Guard and Reserve forces are vital to our national security, whether on the battlefield half a world away, or in responding to a national disaster right here in the United States,” Baker says. “As an employer of several Guard and Reserve members, we are proud to provide them stability and flexibility to help balance their work and their commitment to serve. Baker Group is more than willing to make the sacrifices necessary to ensure these valuable employees are able to carry out their missions and responsibilities quickly and effectively when duty calls.”

ESGR was established in 1972 to promote cooperation and understanding between Reserve Component Service members and their civilian employers and to assist in the resolution of conflicts arising from an employee’s military commitment. ESGR is supported by a network of more than 3,300 volunteers in 54 committees. In its more than 45 years of service, ESGR has been responsible for trying to foster a culture in which all employers support and value the employment and military service of members of the National Guard and Reserve in the United States.

“Baker Group has a long history of supporting members of our military, whether they are active duty, reserve or veterans,” Baker says. “We are humbled by their sacrifice and proudly recruit them as they transition out of active duty or seek a supportive employer as they continue Guard and Reserve service.”

MCAA applauds Baker Group’s commitment to supporting employees who are members of the National Guard and Reserve.

A new report provides MCAA members with a mechanical industry specific look at how MCAA members are using construction technology. The report, developed by JBKnowledge, is based on the 2020 Construction Technology Report released in March.

The 2020 Construction Technology Report provides an in-depth analysis of how the industry approaches technology based on thousands of responses from those in all areas of the construction industry, including MCAA members.

The new 2020 Supplementary Report for MCAA Members narrows the focus to MCAA members, comparing MCAA member responses with the rest of the construction industry.

In many ways, MCAA members are leading the rest of the industry in technology innovations. This can be seen in the use of fabrication and mobile devices, and the integration of construction apps and Virtual Design and Construction (VDC). Technology implementation and coordination have given many MCAA members a chance to take a leading role in the coordination and design of projects.

One area of that mechanical and plumbing contractors could use more help on is information technology (IT) budgeting. Compared to the rest of the industry, MCAA members tend to bill IT expenditures directly to jobs less often. They also require a greater budgetary commitment for their crucial IT workflows to positively impact productivity.

Both reports can be downloaded by MCAA members for free:

MCAA Supplementary Report

2020 JBKnowledge Construction Technology Report

Questions about either report, or anything else related to the Construction Technology Initiative, can be directed to Sean McGuire.

icon Mechanical was recently recognized as the MCAA/CNA Safety Excellence Awards winner for 2020 in Size Category 4, 450,001 – 1 Million Work Hours. icon Mechanical’s successful COVID-19 safety initiative set the company apart.

icon Mechanical went well above and beyond CDC recommendations to contractors to keep their workers safe. The company installed Global Plasma Solutions (GPS) systems in all company buildings. These systems use needlepoint bipolar ionization technology to help purify and sanitize the air.

The company rewarded employees for identifying potential gaps in the company’s COVID-19 precautions and for helping to identify solutions to remedy these gaps. Each worker was provided with foam-lined safety glasses that do not fog up when worn with face coverings for protection from the virus.

The MCAA/CNA Safety Excellence Awards Program began in the 1990s when MCAA partnered with CNA Insurance. It is a fiercely competitive program in which only the best of the best compete for the awards.

Participants are required to describe their safety programs in detail, including how they achieved safety excellence and why they believe they deserve the award. The Safety Awards Selection Taskforce, which is led by CNA, carefully evaluates each submission looking for safety leadership, an advanced safety culture, effective leading indicators of safety performance, and innovative safety initiatives that helped the company achieve an exceptionally high degree of safety excellence. MCAA and CNA congratulate icon Mechanical for earning such a high degree of safety excellence in 2020.

Tuesday, April 13, 2021 | 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. ET 

Originally enacted in March 2020 as part of the CARES Act, the Employee Retention Tax Credit (ERTC) was modified and extended through 2021. Join experts from Alston & Bird On Tuesday, April 13, 2021, from 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. ET as they explore the new opportunities for employers to claim ERTCs in 2021 and some of the challenges employers may face in determining eligibility for the credits. They will also discuss recent changes to the paid employee leave provisions of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) that provide additional opportunities for employer tax credits associated with FFCRA leave. Register now!
 

Alston & Bird experts will:

• Provide an overview of the employee retention tax credit as originally enacted in the CARES Act
• Discuss taxpayer-friendly changes to the ERTC provisions for 2020 and 2021
• Explore some of the challenges employers are facing when determining eligibility for ERTCs
• Discuss recent changes to FFCRA employee leave provisions and the additional tax credit opportunities they create

Meet the Panelists

Scott Harty | Partner | Alston & Bird
Companies rely on Scott to guide them through the tax implications of domestic and cross-border commercial transactions. An experienced negotiator and technician, Scott provides clients the counsel they need to navigate complex transactions.

Seth Buchwald | Associate | Alston & Bird
Drawing from his experience as a certified public accountant, Seth guides his clients through complex business transactions and controversy matters. Since enactment of the CARES Act, Seth has worked extensively with the ERTC provisions.

Brett Coburn | Partner | Alston & Bird
Brett regularly counsels employers of all sizes on compliance with federal and state employment laws. During the pandemic, he has worked extensively with employers regarding their compliance with the paid leave provisions of the FFCRA.