By Mike Henderson, president ABC Baltimore For many youth and young adults in Maryland, the future doesn’t look bright. They lack the necessary education, work and life skills, and employment opportunities that could get them out of dire circumstances to build a better life. Some call them “disconnected youth.” Nearly 6.5 million teens and young adults (ages 16 to 24) …
Two new prevailing wage bills attempt to put several roadblocks in the path of small business success in Maryland. HB 466, Prevailing Wage-Tax Increment Finance Developments, wants to place prevailing wage on jobs funded by a TIF that are over $500,000. HB 466 was proposed as a direct result of the contentious debate on whether prevailing wage should be applied …
Join us February 13 for ABC’s Annual Legislative Reception; MAKE YOUR VOICE KNOWN As Maryland continues to work its way back to a strong economy, Maryland Healthy Working Families Act (aka ‘Sick and Safe’), could erode the foundation for success for employers and job creators statewide. Despite failing to pass similar legislation in 2015 and 2016, and other previous incarnations …
Legislation was introduced earlier this week that would increase Baltimore City’s minimum wage by an astounding 81 percent over the next four years. “All we have heard from our elected officials and community leaders the past year – and rightly so — is how badly we need to address high unemployment among entry-level workers and our youth.” said Mike Henderson, …
Invariably, on most busy construction jobsites, you will have people occasionally wander onto the job who really have no business being there. Most jobsites will have a point of entry where these people, from salesman to people looking for a job, will be redirected to contact the main office. It’s also not unusual for the occasional state inspector to wander …
There are certainly no shortages of confusing local, state and federal regulations with which contractors must contend. But it would be hard to imagine anything more befuddling than trying to comply with Maryland’s prevailing wage law. Even seasoned companies, those who have performed prevailing wage work for decades, can still get tripped up trying to adhere to the convoluted intricacies …
At a time when Maryland hopes to rebuild itself as a business-friendly, forward-thinking center for commerce, HB 1175, The Fair Scheduling, Wages, and Benefits Act, takes backward steps by trying, once again, to burden businesses with unnecessary red tape that hinders progress and slows economic growth. HB 1175 would require employers to provide schedules to employees 21 days in advance …
With spending inefficiencies, cost overruns, and other financial headaches on public construction projects, it’s clear that Maryland needs to rein in onerous laws that increase the costs of public construction. The existing prevailing wage requirements on public construction projects are one such financial burden that Maryland could do without as it tries to rebuild itself as a center for commerce. …
Legislation will provide much-needed incentive to employers On Wednesday, Senator Nancy King (R-39) introduced legislation, Senate Bill 273, which would allow small businesses to receive tax credits for every employee they sponsor to participate in a state-approved apprenticeship training program. The bill would allow an individual or a corporation that employs apprentices to claim a credit against their state …
By Alexandra D’Ovidio Like many American cities, Baltimore contains its share of neighborhoods where dilapidated and boarded up homes and businesses create more than just an eyesore. They contribute to what sociologists call the Broken Window Theory—the concept that if a window is broken and remains unrepaired, people will conclude no one cares and break more windows, further vandalize that …