Beginning August 1, penalties for all US Department of Labor (DOL) will increase due to a Congressional mandate that required adjustments for inflation. For some agencies, it was the first adjustment since 1990. As a result, the increases are substantial, leaving businesses with a greater impetus for compliance. Agencies will continue to adjust penalties for inflation each year based on the Consumer Price Index.

On Tuesday (July 12), ALCC members participated in the landscape industry's annual Legislative Day on the Hilland Renewal and Remembrance events. With other members of National Association of Landscape Professionals (NALP), ALCC representatives met with legislators to discuss issues that affect the industry.

Paul Hartman, Changing Landscapes, Longmont, says his company’s recent involvement with the Landscape Industry Certification program is becoming a win/win for his team and the company. It began two years ago when one of his team came to him with an interest in certification.

“Now, Certified Landscape Technicians are an important component of building our team at Changing Landscapes,” Hartman explained. “Having a certification program gives me as an employer, as well as our customers and employees, a sense of competence and confidence in our standards of performance, and it guarantees a successful outcome.”

UPDATE 0816/2016: new questions have been asked/answered and added to this post. 

Recently, ALCC hosted a webinar for members featuring HR consultant Ned Frazier who addressed what landscape companies need to know about the new federal overtime rule.  We compiled some of those questions, and Frazier’s response, below. If you missed the webinar, you can purchase a recording of the full presentation at the ALCC bookstore.

The Bob Cannon Lifetime Achievement Award, was bestowed this year upon Ralph Bronk, founder of Mountain High Tree, Lawn and Landscape Company in Denver.

After earning a degree in marketing on the East Coast and heading west, a young Bronk found himself in need of a job, and he found work trimming trees for a green industry company.

Each year, The ELITE Awards recognize a project that demonstrates the value and rewards of applying sustainable landscape principles to a design/build or installation project. For 2016, ALCC created a subcategory of the sustainability award to recognize a unique finalist that fits into a category all its own.

Smart Irrigation Month is a public awareness campaign to promote efficient water use. The Irrigation Association hosts the campaign each July to help educate consumers on how to save water, save money and see better results from their landscape water use.

(WASHINGTON, DC) -- The H-2B Workforce Coalition applauds the House Appropriations Committee for passing the Returning Worker Exemption amendment to the DHS Appropriations bill today. This crucial element of the H-2B program will help keep American small businesses open and sustain American jobs.

There is still time to register to participate in the landscape industry’s annual Legislative Day on the Hill, presented by NALP. ALCC members will travel to Washington, D.C. to visit with Congressional representatives and make their concerns heard. It’s also a chance to learn more about ALCC leadership and see what involvement can do for you, your business, and your industry.

This month, Associated Landscape Contractors of Colorado (ALCC) received a Power of A Gold Award from American Society of Association Executives (ASAE). The honor, bestowed in the category "The Power to Create a Competitive Workforce," recognizes ALCC’s Day of Service/Landscape Career Pathway Program.

In addition to beautifying the school campus by installing plant life, the landscapes built at Day of Service will become part of the school curriculum. Students at each school will learn about horticulture and landscape and be exposed to the opportunities for a lifelong career. They'll be able to acquire skills for a career immediately after high school, or be aware of the career path if they choose to pursue an industry-related college degree.