On January 2, 2018, civil penalty amounts for violations of workplace safety and health standards increased by two percent from last year. In accordance with the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act Improvements Act of 2015, the Department of Labor is required to adjust penalties for inflation each year. New penalties for willful and repeat violations are $129,336 per violation, serious, other-than-serious, and posting requirements are $12,934 per violation; and failure to correct violations is $12,934 for each day the condition continues.

All Chapter Members are encouraged to participate with us in Sacramento for our annual Day at the Capitol on March 21st. Contractor’s personal stories and interactions with elected officials have been impactful and have had a favorable result on legislation to protect electrical contractor’s interest. Join us this year as we continue to advocate for Change Order legislation and prompt pay. Complete and return the attached registration form and make plans to join us in Sacramento. Contact Julie Russell for more information.

Remember to submit your reimbursement request for meetings and events attended in 2017. As a reminder, NECA Staff recently provided each NorCal NECA Member Contractor with their Education Fund Credit balance for 2017. The deadline to submit for your 2017 education fund reimbursement is January 31, 2018. Take advantage of this member-only benefit and submit your reimbursement before the deadline. Questions? Contact Janet Siemens at the Chapter office.

The Northern California Chapter, NECA Member Services Committee is proud to announce its 11th Annual Project Excellence Awards competition. This program was developed to recognize excellence in electrical/technology installations and the NECA contractors responsible for their outstanding achievements.

Projects completed between January 1, 2017 and December 31, 2017, in Alameda, Napa, Solano, Calaveras, San Joaquin, Mariposa, Merced, Stanislaus, and Tuolumne Counties are eligible for entry. Projects outside the Chapter’s jurisdiction may be considered depending on circumstances, location and complexity.

If you would like to enter a project in the 2018 competition for projects completed in 2017, please refer to the attached Program Rules and submit your entry forms with a project photo, to the Chapter office by 3:00 PM on Friday, March 30, 2018. Awards will be presented at the Chapter’s Fall General Member meeting in September 2018.

On December 14, 2017, the IRS issued the 2018 optional standard mileage rates used to calculate the deductible costs of operating an automobile for business, charitable, medical or moving purposes. Beginning January 1, 2018, the standard mileage rates for the use of a car (also vans, pickups, and/or panel trucks) is $0.545 per mile (up from $0.535 in 2017). Read more here.

As of January 1, 2018, California’s minimum wage will increase to $11.00/hour for businesses with 26 or more employees and will increase every year until the minimum wage is $15.00/hour in 2022. For businesses with 25 or fewer employees, the minimum wage will increase to $10.50/hour. It will also increase every year until the minimum wage is $15.00/hour for all employees in 2023.

Once the minimum wage reaches $15.00/hour for all businesses, wages can be increased up to 3.5% each year to account for inflation, as measured by the National Consumer Price Index. Click here to read more.

Several new laws become effective in 2018 that impact California employers. A brief overview is below:

• “Ban-the-Box” – This law applies to California employers with five (5) or more employees and prohibits covered employers from inquiring about an applicant’s criminal conviction history on an employment application or at any time before making a conditional offer of employment.
• No Consideration of Salary History – Prohibits California employers from directly or indirectly asking applicants about wage/salary history.
• New Parent Leave – Expands parental leave obligations to employers with 20 to 49 employees (employers with 50 or more employees are already subject to this parent leave obligation).
• Immigration Worker Protection Act – Generally prohibits California employers from allowing immigration enforcement agents into non-public areas without a warrant.
• Revised Mandatory Sexual Harassment Training for Supervisors – Provides that California employers required to to provide harassment prevention training to their supervisors must also include training on gender identity, gender expression and sexual orientation harassment.

More information is available by clicking here.

Assembly Bill 1245 (Chapter 222, Statutes of 2015) extends to all employers the requirement to electronically submit employment tax returns, wage reports and payroll tax deposits to the Employment Development Department (EDD) beginning January 2017. Electronic filing and paying offers employers many benefits including:

• Increased data accuracy in comparison to paper forms
• Protected data through encryption that is more secure than paper forms
• Reduced cost of printing, mailing and document storage
• Elimination of lost mail

AB 1245 was phased-in over a two-year period to offer employers ample time to prepare. Effective January 1, 2018, all employers are required to file electronically.

Employers can file and pay electronically today with a simple one-time enrollment in the EDD’s e-Services for Business. Available 24-hours a day, 7-days a week, employers can start managing their employer payroll tax account online now. e-Services for Business is fast, easy and Secure! There is no cost to enroll and use e-Services for Business, and no specialized software is required.

The EDD is committed to supporting employers as they transition to fulfilling this new state requirement. For employers who may be unable to electronically file and pay, a hardship waiver application will be available. Click here for more information on these requirements and how the EDD can assist you.

Thank you to the local electrical inspectors, building officials, contractors, NorCal NECA staff and guests who joined us at our annual East Bay Uniform Code Committee Holiday Dinner and Social on December 3rd, at Golden Gate Fields. Everyone enjoyed an afternoon of socializing, dining and lots of fun.

An annual honor to the jurisdiction with the best attendance at the EBUCC Educational Forums throughout 2017 was awarded to the City of Berkeley Building Department. The City of Oakland and the City of San Ramon Building Departments were presented with a Participation Certificate in recognition of their commitment and attendance. Congratulations to all three jurisdictions for their continued support.

In keeping with tradition, attendees generously donated food and money to the Alameda County Food Bank. Special thanks to all who participated. The afternoon concluded with a raffle prize giveaway and customary well wishes for the upcoming Holidays and New Year!

Eddie Bernacchi and the entire Politico Group team advocates for NECA Contractors at the State Capitol in Sacramento; lobbying for legislation that protects and supports the union electrical industry. Equally important is the work done to oppose legislation that would be detrimental to our members and the industry as a whole. With that, Mr. Bernacchi concluded a very successful year working on behalf of NECA members.

NECA’s biggest win came in the form of extending the 5% retention cap on public works projects. That policy is something we have fought hard for and extending it for another 5 years was a priority. We also brought home victories in the areas of protecting and expanding the prevailing wage and improving the skilled and trained workforce requirements as we expand the footprint of that policy. Please take the time to review the attached document from Mr. Bernacchi.