Every year, new laws come about that will likely affect your
company, and 2020 is no different. The year has brought about a host of changes
you'll need to make to keep your construction business legal in 2021. Look
through these relevant adjustments to get an idea of what you need to change
within your business to keep it going.
As you might imagine, many of this year's updates have to do
with the virus that has changed everyone's lives. Every area of life has new
standards for personal health and safety, and employers can enforce these
standards across the company. Take advantage of that authority to protect the
contractors you work with and do your best to keep your construction sites
healthy.
Regulations in a few critical areas have proven to help
prevent the virus from spreading onsite. Avoid cross-contamination in personal
protective equipment and respiratory protection by providing each contractor
with their own safeguards, and put measures in place to handle the possibility
of blood-borne pathogens. Prepare a plan to limit exposure in these areas, and
you'll be well on your way to protecting the people under you.
With the contagious capabilities of the COVID-19 virus, one
of the most important ways to keep your employees safe is to allow anyone who
contracts the virus enough time to recover before returning to work. To
encourage this practice, California placed a law that expanded supplemental
paid sick leave
for anything related to the disease, especially for any
company with more than 500 employees.
Additionally, lawmakers have created a worker's compensation
presumption for anyone who contracted the disease after March 19th, 2020. Since
stay-at-home orders have been in place during this time, the most likely place
to contract the disease is in the workplace, making it eligible for a worker's
compensation claim. The disputable presumption will extend until January 1,
2023, unless otherwise updated, so prepare your contractors accordingly.
One of the bills that passed this year created a new
category of contracting business, a B-2
classification
known as residential remodeling contracting. Any worker
within this classification can make improvements in, on, or to a wood frame
structure that is already standing and is classified as residential. This
category allows at least three unrelated building trades or crafts for a single
contract.
The redefinitions and categorizations aren't the only items
of note, though. Licenses have an extra layer of protection now that allows you
to renew after your expiration date. The only conditions are that you turn in
the correct application and fees within 90 days of your license's expiration
date.
PACE requirements and restrictions have undergone some
changes this year, which may affect your construction company depending on the
projects you usually take on. In any PACE assessment contracts, prepayment
penalties are prohibited, and PACE can no longer provide assessments on
properties with reverse mortgages. Additionally, PACE assessments must include
a financing estimate and disclosure on paper with the homeowner.
If you deal with many retirees, you may be glad to find
another law adjustment for customers 65 years old or older. Home solicitation
contracts, PACE assessment contracts, seminar sales contracts, service and
repair contracts, and home improvement contracts all have an extended deadline
to cancel the deal; now, you have five business days instead of three.
Whether you need temporary stairs and pedestrian walkways or
frame scaffolds for a large scale project, look no further than Pacific
Scaffold Company. With over 50 years of experience providing safe scaffolding
and excellent service, you can trust that your latest endeavor is in good
hands. Get in touch today
to see how we can help your building dreams come true.
