Blog

New for 2017, IEC is launching a program that will allow contractor members and chapters the opportunity to support IEC’s advocacy efforts by becoming PEF Patriots, sponsors of IEC’s Political Education Fund...
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In the early days of the 115th Congress, the House of Representatives has passed two pieces of legislation that would bring much needed reforms to the regulatory process...
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IEC has put together a brief list of regulations that impact the merit shop electrical contracting industry that took effect in 2016 or take effect in 2017...
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On December 19, 2016, the U.S. Department of Labor released its final rule to modernize the equal employment opportunity (EEO) regulations that implement the National Apprenticeship Act of 1937...
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Next week, President Donald Trump will be sworn into office as the 45th President of the United States...
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The National Electrical Code (NEC) is a document that seeks the practical safeguarding of persons and property from hazards arising from the use of electricity. We all too often forget about how important the NEC is to those working on, in, or around electrical equipment. Some State Code adoption hearings include discussions of delaying adoption of the NEC due to cost of the provisions within these requirements or even the cost of buying new books and conducting training. The most disappointing experiences in my book are the discussions that never happen as states drag their feet and take a casual approach to NEC adoption; yet another way to indirectly achieve a delayed adoption of requirements that are there to save lives and property.
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If we want to be insulated from the ebbs and flows of the market, we’re probably in the wrong business – even though there isn’t another industry we’d choose to commit to. Construction is continually exciting; it drives the economy. At the same time, it’s also heavily affected by capital spending, government budgeting and regulation, labor availability, and consumer confidence – in short, just about everything at play in the economy’s ups and downs. That means that far beyond our control there are simply fat times, lean times, and we-just-don’t-know-yet times. So as the industry holds stable in its slow recovery, and while owners and economists can’t guarantee what 2017 will bring, electrical contractors have the opportunity to make themselves sure about the future of their business by investing in the future now.
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In today’s world, technology is constantly evolving and the electrical trade is on the cutting- edge of these advancements. Electricians are dealing with higher demands, more complex systems, and difficult integrations in projects ranging from high-tech installations to smart homes. These advanced systems bring their own set of challenges for electricians, but they can also bring opportunities to grow the industry.
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