AOCA's Management Certification Courses Coming This Fall!
How do you ensure your management team is trained to the highest level of fast lube industry standards? Send them to AOCA's Management Certification Course! 
  • September 11th and 12th in Chicago 
  • October 23rd & 24th in Dallas
These courses provide comprehensive training in the following areas: 

·  Leadership
· Manager Responsibilities
· Attracting and Retaining Customers & Employees
· Implementing Training Programs
· Financial Management
· Safety & OSHA
· Regulatory Compliance
· And much more! 

Click here for more information on our management courses and to register students today! 
AOCA Is YOUR Association - 
Get Involved TODAY!
AOCA is seeking dedicated members to give back to the industry by serving on a committee or on the Board of Directors. We are currently seeking individuals to serve on the following committees: 
  • Events and Programs Committee
  • Education Committee
  • Government Affairs Committee
  • Membership Committee
For more information on joining a committee, click here. 
For more information on joining the Board, click here.
Questions? Contact Executive Director Kristy Babb at 
[email protected] or (800) 230-0702. 

Q&A  with Affinity HR's  Claudia St. John:  Interview Tips
Q: I am new at my company.  I have learned that our interview process is very lose - there is very little structure to what we ask and how we ask it.  Do you have any recommendations?

A:  Yes! The interview is a critical piece of the recruiting process and, if handled correctly, it can be effective. If not, it can be worthless or, worse yet, illegal. Here's what we recommend:

1)     Know in advance who will be on the interview team and what questions will be asked.
2)     Use a panel interview where multiple people are interviewing the candidate at the same time.
3)     Ask the same or similar questions of all candidates.
4)     Stick to the script - try not to get off track or be influenced by non-work related questions or conversations.
5)     Most importantly, avoid prohibited interview questions. You can find a list of them here.
Trends in State Employment Law
Many state and local legislatures are taking action in several areas of employment law due to the confusion, sluggishness, and/or inaction on the federal level.  Some laws passed are part of long-evolving trends such as restricting inquiries into criminal and pay history, while others are responses to new social movements such as #MeToo.  The following is a list of the prevailing laws that are popular.  Note that the laws vary and may or may not apply to your business.  Our best advice is to keep an eye out and if you are unsure if any of these apply to you and your locations, you can contact your local labor attorney or HR professional, or contact us at Affinity HR Group to evaluate your particular situation. 

Exclusive Offers from 
AOCA's Savings4Members
Savings4Members is offering our members huge savings with limited time promotions. 

A few featured programs include:
  • Exxon Mobil save 10 cents per gallon for 7 months, then save 5 cents per gallon. Apply by 09/30/2018
Don't miss out on all current Savings4Members' vendor promotions. View all promos.

Learn more or contact a Savings Consultant at [email protected] or 844.346.3746
Three Ways to Increase Facebook Engagement
It's difficult to run a Facebook business page these days-or at least an active one.

Organic reach has been dropping steadily for several years, and Facebook is continually altering its algorithm to place more emphasis-and show more users-content from their friends, family and outer circle. That's understandable, given that it was created to be a social platform, but it makes things  difficult for marketers.

Still, engagement on your page is important. It shows you are a personable business, you care about the people who frequent your shop or use your services and the additional engagement will help increase your SEO rankings.

What are some good ways to increase interaction on your business page? Here's a quick refresher course.

Investigatory Suspension: Paid or Unpaid?
Q:  We have a full time employee who will be suspended pending the outcome of a sexual harassment accusation against him. Are we required to pay him for the hours that he would have regularly worked had he not been suspended?

A: Absent a contract that otherwise governs the issue, the employer can, and in this scenario should, suspend without pay, but keep in mind that unpaid suspensions are generally only permitted for exempt employees if the suspension is in whole week increments.
 
Mark Your Calendars For iFlex 2019! 
Join us for some fun in Music City. Stay tuned for more information on iFlex 2019 and our Annual President's Reception. 
1800 J Street | Sacramento, CA 95811 Like us on Facebook
Phone: 800.230.0702 | Website: www.aoca.org