MCACA

Several new laws and regulations significantly affect masonry construction businesses. Notable changes include an increase in employee sick leave from three to five days, implementation of a workplace violence prevention plan, an increase in the state minimum wage and minimum exempt employee salary, updates to the criminal history regulation, and a proposed indoor heat illness regulation. 1). Paid Sick Leave (SB 616) Starting January 1, 2024, Employees are now entitled to 5 days or 40 hours of paid sick leave (PSL). Previously, they were entitled to 3 days or 24 hours. Additionally, by January 1, 2024, [...]

New Edition of TMS 402/602 Masonry Code and Spec Published Courtesy of THE MASONRY SOCIETY Following a 6-year development schedule, The Masonry Society (TMS) has completed and published the 2022 edition of TMS 402/602 Building Code Requirements and Specification for Masonry Structures. This updated edition of TMS 402/602 includes numerous changes and additions such as completely revised veneer provisions that are more rationally based and a new Appendix on the use of GFRP (Glass Fiber Reinforced Polymer) reinforced masonry. Review of the new standards and changes made are available on a five-part recorded webinar series by The Masonry Society [...]

On July 19, 2022, Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 2173 thereby making permanent the 5% retention cap on public projects originally enacted by SB 93 in 2011. MCAC requested the Governor's signature in a July 12, 2022 letter. Background: SB 293 (2011) capped public works retentions at 5% (from 10%) until January 1, 2016 and reduced the timeline of private and public progress payments from 10 to 7 days (no sunset date on the progress payments timeline). Then, AB 1705 (2014) came along and extended the public works 5% maximum retention withholding until January 1, 2018. Later, AB 92 (2017) [...]

On Tuesday, September 27 California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed the state’s pay transparency law (SB 1162). The new law will require nearly 200,000 California companies with 15 or more employees to disclose pay starting January 1 next year. What the bill requires (partial list of key provisions): disclose pay scale in job postings, provide pay scale to current employees upon request, employers with 100 or more employees must report the median and mean hourly rate for each combination of race, ethnicity, and sex within each job category to the state by May 2023, maintain a record of each employee’s job [...]

California's wildfire 'season' has become a year‐round proposition and state leaders, scientists, and other stakeholders are looking for solutions. Two efforts currently in play contemplate buildings and structures as an opportunity to improve our communities' fire resilience. Masonry needs to be at the forefront of these discussions, and we are working with our industry partners to put them there. Wildfire Resilient Structures Conference (WIRES) by UC Davis In May 2021 MCAC received an invitation from UC Davis asking about our interest to be part of a fire resilient structures conference that would include building officials, government representatives, architects, engineers, researchers, [...]

BIM-M announces the availability of a new report titled "BIM Deliverables Guide for Masonry Contractors" Developed by mason contractors for mason contractors under the direction of BIM-M project consultant Fred Kinateder, the Guide addresses 6 key issues every mason contractor needs to know: Why BIM is important to the mason contractor How to get started in BIM What a BIM Execution Plan is and how to develop one Examples of software being used by mason contractors to work in the BIM environment Deliverables that provide a return on investment for contractors that are willing to invest the time and [...]