RockBlog
The new law AB5 is here. What's in store for the construction industry?
Posted by Kevin Jeffery on Tue, December 17th, 2019, 9:48 am
Governor Newsom signed AB 5 into law in September 2019.AB 5 is a broad, sweeping law that changes the bottom-line test for determining whether a worker is an employee or an independent contractor in California.This new law has spawned a lot of rumors throughout the construction industry.In this article, we’re not going to address the rumors one by one. But by sticking to the basics, we’ll try to bring some clarity to what AB 5 really ... Read More
What becomes of independent contractors after the Dynamex decision?
Posted by Kevin Jeffery on Wed, December 5th, 2018, 3:25 pm
For the better part of 30 years, businesses in California had relative certainty on how to determine whether their workers were considered independent contractors or employees.Though no clear-cut definition of an independent contractor existed, California employers could lean on a well-established legal test, which focused on whether workers had the right to control their own work and the manner and means in which it was performed.That all changed April 30, 2018.On that date, the California Supreme ... Read More
Young brains buzz with math equations at Bruce W. Woolpert Algebra Academy
Posted by Kevin Jeffery on Wed, August 1st, 2018, 2:47 pm
WATSONVILLE –Summer's no time to let young noggins get rusty!Just ask the 125 students headed to the Bruce W. Woolpert Algebra Academy at Graniterock’s corporate headquarters and Driscoll’s Cassin Ranch facility in Watsonville Aug. 6-10 for the opportunity to sharpen their math skills. The academy runs 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m. each day.Incoming eighth-graders from 10 different Santa Cruz, Santa Benito, and Monterey county middle schools will attend the week-long algebra immersion camp that provides students a strong ... Read More
A new law and its impact on general contractors
Posted by Kevin Jeffery on Wed, March 14th, 2018, 12:29 pm
AB 1701 is a California law, effective January 1, 2018, that creates new potential liability for generalcontractors on private works projects.We talked with Graniterock Vice President and General Counsel Kevin Jeffery to understand the basics.When and to whom does AB 1701 apply?It applies only to generalcontractors on private works projects. By the way I use the usual term generalcontractor for convenience, but specifically the law refers to “direct contractors” (defined as “contractors that have a direct ... Read More
Counting down to the Bruce W. Woolpert Algebra Academy
Posted by Kevin Jeffery on Thu, August 3rd, 2017, 1:46 pm
WATSONVILLE – Math isn’t boring.Just ask the 130 students headed to the Bruce W. Woolpert Algebra Academy at Graniterock’s corporate headquarters in Watsonville Aug. 7-11 for the opportunity to sharpen their algebra skills. The academy runs 9 a.m.-4 p.m. each day.Incoming eighth-graders from Santa Cruz, Santa Benito, and Monterey county middle schools will attend the week-long algebra immersion camp that provides students a strong math foundation in preparation of the coming school year.The academy, which started ... Read More
Construction Academy takes teens beyond the text book
Posted by Kevin Jeffery on Fri, September 2nd, 2016, 11:56 am
SAN JOSE – Andrea Rocha spent the summer before her senior year at Watsonville High School washing, testing and measuring aggregate at Graniterock’s research laboratory in Aromas.The full-time paid internship allowed the 17-year-old a look at what it’s like to work in the construction materials industry, with all kinds of hands-on experiences related to asphalt quality and compaction.It was like a science class on steroids. One that could lead to a career.“This opportunity has given me ... Read More
More than 100 teens set aside video games for Bruce W. Woolpert Algebra Academy
Posted by Kevin Jeffery on Wed, August 3rd, 2016, 3:31 pm
WATSONVILLE – Most teenagers grumble and protest if you try to pull them away from Pokemon Go or other video games, especially during summer break.But a group of more than 100 incoming eighth-graders from Santa Cruz, San Benito and Monterey county middle schools voluntarily agreed to give up one week of summer to attend the 7th annual Bruce W. Woolpert Algebra Academy Aug. 8-12 at Graniterock’s corporate office in Watsonville. The academy runs 9 a.m.-4 p.m., ... Read More
Sacramento's surprise: Public works ready-mix delivery will be subject to prevailing wage
Posted by Kevin Jeffery on Wed, November 4th, 2015, 8:38 pm
Many of us in the construction industry spent time this fall with one eye on Sacramento, hoping our legislators would at long last address the crumbling state of California's highways, roads and bridges.Editorial boards, local agencies, citizen groups and construction industry and union leaders alike pressed for additional funding to improve our infrastructure.When the legislative session ended, we were disappointed, again. No deal on additional funding was reached.While that unfortunate news grabbed recent construction-related headlines, the ... Read More
Integrity Matters
Posted by Kevin Jeffery on Wed, March 18th, 2015, 8:16 am
A pair of Marines at Officer Candidate School in Quantico, Virginia were on a night training exercise in the woods outside of the facility. At one point in the exercise, both of them suffered a significant lapse. Each Marine fell asleep on his watch.For one officer candidate, the incident became a constructive leadership development experience. For the other, it threatened to end his military career. Why the difference?The first Marine immediately and voluntarily owned up to ... Read More
To Prevent Legal Problems, Be a Great Communicator
Posted by Kevin Jeffery on Wed, March 18th, 2015, 8:16 am
I know a construction foreman who freely shares that contractors are not “411 kind of guys.” Construction is much more about doing than about talking about doing. The downside of this ethic is that lack of communication breeds disputes on jobs.Communication is absolutely essential to jobsite coordination, but more than that it is the key to maintaining strong relationships with customers. Customers often go into relationships with contractors expecting the worst. Good communication can overcome mistrust; ... Read More
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