The Northern California Chapter, NECA Member Services Committee is proud to announce its 14th 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, 2020 and December 31, 2020, in Alameda, Calaveras, Mariposa, Merced, Napa, San Joaquin, Stanislaus and Tuolumne Counties are eligible for entry.
If you would like to enter a project in the 2021 competition for projects completed in 2020, please
click here and you will be directed to the Entry Form. Entries must be submitted to the Chapter office by 2:00 PM on Monday, March 1, 2021. Awards will be presented at the Chapter’s Fall General Member meeting in September 2021.
More information on each project, including photos can be found by
clicking here.
What a wild roller coaster ride we took in 2020. The year began amid a historic but softening US economic expansion. Then COVID-19 struck. The descent was brutal. An earlier-than-forecast recession took hold, hitting the construction industry hard. COVID-19 containment, vaccine roll-outs and therapeutics will hover over the coming months. Expect a slow heal extending into 2022. There will be dips, rises and a few turns in 2021. The ride is not over, but growth is returning. Click here to read more.
On January 14, 2021, NECA launched the NECA Podcast Network (NPN), featuring regular content across a range of critical industry issues. The series of podcasts will cover the latest technology, labor relations and safety guidance, and the latest news and updates from the world of NECA.
The first podcast, available now, is “Innovation Overload,” created by NECA’s Technology Innovation team. This podcast helps contractors make sense of these tools and decide what is right for their business. Each week, the NECA Innovation Team and a weekly guest discuss and decide what is right for their business. Each week, the NECA Innovation Team and a weekly guest discuss and tackle problems contractors across the country are facing. New episodes are released every Thursday.
- Episode #1 features Dan Shea, COO of Shea Electric in Oshkosh, WI, who shares his journey and passion as an electrical contractor. Listen to his thoughts on how to overcome fear culture in the midst of change.
- Episode #2 features Sean Lazarian, CFO of ESSCO in Pasadena, CA, who shares his experience of embracing change while running a third-generation-owned business. Listen on how to pit fear against fear in order to overcome those who are risk adverse.
All NPN podcasts were created to engage and excite NECA members across the country, as well as provide an outlet for NECA experts to share their knowledge and experience with the industry. The NECA Podcast Network will continue to expand with new shows throughout 2021 and into the future, covering all aspects of the electrical contracting world.
NorCal NECA’s Member Services Committee invites you to join us for a 30-minute Zoom webinar:
- Date: Tuesday, February 9, 2021
- Time: 10:00 AM – 10:30 AM
- Purpose: Higher learning through Education Advancement Resource Network
National NECA is partnering with institutions of higher education on degree and certificate programs. Specifically curated for individuals in electrical construction firms, these programs will allow people across firms to grow in their roles. NECA EARN is working with seven world-class universities to offer a wide selection of programs – ranging from non-credit certificate programs to graduate degrees. You can view the full catalog of offerings by clicking here.
You can also access a teaser video of NECA EARN by clicking here. Please contact Juanita Mitchell at the Chapter office if you are interested in attending this valuable webinar.
Please remember that in 2016, California passed legislation to increase the State minimum wage to $15.00 per hour over time. Under the provisions of that law, California’s minimum wage will increase on January 1, 2021 to $14.00/hour for employers with 26 employees or more, and to $13.00/hour for employers with 25 or fewer employees.
Please note that some cities and counties have a local minimum wage that is higher than the state rate. Those cities and counties can be found here.
NECA and a coalition of organizations have
signed a letter urging Congress to enact legislation before the end of the year that includes a technical correction addressing the tax treatment of loan forgiveness under the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP).
The CARES Act clearly stated that any portion of a PPP loan that qualified for loan forgiveness “shall be excluded from gross income” for tax purposes. In contradiction to Congressional intent, the IRS issues Notice 2020-32, which specified that “no deduction is allowed under the Internal Revenue Code…if the payment of the expense results in forgiveness of a covered loan pursuant to section 1106(b) of the [CARES Act].”
NECA encourages you to
Take Action and tell your representative to act before the end of the year to ensure PPP loan forgiveness is not considered taxable income.
Every electrical contracting business will face challenges. The way you deal with them will determine your ability to grow your small business profitably. Small business owners wish their growth trajectory was ever upwards. Unfortunately, small business is complex, with many ups and downs in expansion. A multitude of factors influence and determine small business success, including finance, technology, staffing resources, sales and competitors. Most obstacles can be avoided and many issues can be managed to success. Unattended, these issues can steal our focus, sap our financial resources and, sometimes, derail our most important initiatives.
What can we do to remove these roadblocks so we can capitalize on our opportunities to succeed? This report contains strategies to help address the issues preventing electrical contracting business growth.
Click here to get a copy of the report.
On November 24, 2020, our office sent out an HR Bulletin to our members. This HR Bulletin discussed NorCal NECA’s partnership with ‘Mammoth with Think HR’ to provide an added benefit to our permanent NorCal NECA Chapter members.
Further, the HR Bulletin provided information on California Employment Laws that are currently in effect, or go into effect on January 1, 2021.
We understand that many of you may have been on vacation when this HR Bulletin was sent out, so we wanted to be sure you had a chance to review the information. Please click here to read the HR Bulletin that was sent.
As the end of 2020 approaches, remember to submit your reimbursement requests!
- Education Fund Reimbursement: was established as an incentive for our permanent members to participate in educational and industry events.
- COVID-19 Safety Reimbursement: was established to subsidize some of the increased incurred due to the mandated safety protocols of COVID-19. The goal is to help alleviate some of the costs for every permanent Chapter member.
An accounting of remaining education fund credits, along with an account of COVID-19 safety reimbursement fund credits, will be send to each Chapter member in the coming weeks. Take advantage of these member-only benefits and submit your reimbursement requests before the deadline!
As we prepare for the new year, a question often asked is which holidays are recognized in our agreements? Each agreement specifies holidays recognized and what compensation is required if work is performed.
For your reference, we have summarized a list of holidays recognized under each agreement covered by the NorCal Chapter NECA. In instances where it is necessary that employees covered under the agreement must work, employees are paid at double the regular straight time rate of pay. Some agreements preclude any work on Labor Day, except under emergency circumstances and only with the Business Manager’s approval.
Another area that should be reviewed is Carpenter’s Off-Days, which means that if electricians work on a project with other crafts that receive premium pay for the Carpenter’s Off-Day, then the electrician(s) shall also receive premium pay. However, if work is performed on a project where no other trade(s) receive premium pay, then electricians likewise shall not.
Click here to see a listing of the holiday’s and other off-days observed in each of our Chapter’s jurisdictions.
