October 7, 2022

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Out & About with Donna

Students Caelyn, Max, and Kate prepare items for customers.

Donna Visits Mychal's Bakery & Coffee

The South Bay is rich with organizations that strengthen our community by providing the educational, health, and social services that citizens need and which the government cannot fully provide. Yesterday I had the opportunity to visit one of these outstanding organizations, Mychal’s Bakery & Coffee. Mychal’s Bakery & Coffee provides baked goods and coffee service for local businesses, community events, and private catering. All of Mychal’s bakers and baristas are young adults with developmental or intellectual disabilities using this opportunity to demonstrate that they are talented and able contributors to our community.


Through the generosity of Sodexo cafeterias and Torrance Memorial Medical Center, Mychal’s Bakery & Coffee was given the opportunity to open the first Café by Mychal’s Bakery & Coffee. All items sold at The Café are produced by students at Mychal’s Bakery & Coffee and/or on site at The Café providing critical work experience for students. “Our students love coming to work. It provides them with the purpose to get up each morning and to make a difference,” said Page Sacks, Director of Development. Read More...

News

5 New California Labor Laws

Employers Should Start Preparing For

In this episode of The Workplace podcast, CalChamber employment law expert Matthew Roberts and CalChamber policy advocate Ashley Hoffman discuss five new labor laws employers should know and prepare for: SB 1162; AB 152; AB 1949; AB 1041; and SB 1044.


The California legislative session has finally come to a close, and this year there are a number of new labor laws that will really affect employers, Roberts says in kicking off the podcast. Unless stated otherwise, these new employment laws will take effect on

January 1, 2023. Read More...

The Workplace: A Podcast by CalChamber

Extension of Operations at Diablo Canyon Plant

Exposes Risks and Raises Tough Questions

In response to forecasted grid instability, the governor recently called for an urgent five-year extension of operations at Diablo Canyon Power Plant (DCPP), the leases for which were set to expire in phases by 2025. Senate Bill 846 (Dodd, Ch. 239 of 2022), which authorized the extension, was passed and signed into law in the final hours of the legislative session. The next twelve months – as the state implements the requirements of the bill – will be critical to ensuring the state’s continued grid reliability.


Controller Yee is mindful that the agencies responsible must maintain an open, inclusive, and data-driven decision-making process. Simultaneously, California must keep an eye toward learning from this experience to avoid future risks from emergency policy decisions. Read More...

COVID-19 Paid Sick Leave (SPSL)

Extended Through End of the Year

On September 29, 2022, Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 152 into law. AB 152 is a budget trailer bill extending an employee’s eligibility to use 2022 COVID-19 Supplemental Paid Sick Leave (SPSL) through December 31, 2022.


Update (October 3): The California Division of Labor Standards Enforcement (DLSE) has updated the SPSL poster to reflect the new expiration date. Employers should replace their existing posters with this version and may send the poster via email to employees who are completely remote. Read More...

California Paid Family Leave Grants

Available to Eligible Businesses

Small businesses in California with at least one employee who utilizes California’s Paid

Family Leave program benefits on or after June 1, 2022, can apply online for grants up

to $2,000 per employee on leave.


California’s Paid Family Leave program provides eight weeks of wage replacement

benefits to workers who take time off from work to bond with a child within one year of

birth or adoption. This includes to care for a seriously ill child, spouse, parent, grandparent, sibling, or domestic partner. Paid Family Leave is a wage replacement benefit of the state’s disability insurance program administered by the Employment Development Department. Read More...

Chamber Supports Career Day at North High

The Torrance Area Chamber of Commerce Foundation has partnered, since 1982, to develop relationships between students and the business community. The Foundation designs and advances educational and workforce development opportunities that strengthen the local and regional economy. By leveraging the power of the business community and experts from across the city, the Foundation builds partnerships and programs that demonstrate collaboration and seeks innovative solutions that yield measurable and transformational impact.


Several chamber members will participate in an October 25th Career Day at North High School. "Being a Career Day speaker provides our youth with more opportunities and knowledge. A speaker helps students discover the path that will lead them to a successful future. What I learned from being a former career day speaker is that we have amazing kids in our communities and a very bright future." - Tamala Lewis, Senior Director, Community Relations & Foundation, Dignity Health Sports Park.

Young Professionals Group (YPG) at the Chamber

A monthly networking event, Young Professionals Group (YPG) will be held on Tuesday, October 11th at the Torrance Area Chamber of Commerce starting at 12:00 PM. Andrea Sala, Executive Director of El Camino College Foundation, will share her career journey and tips on how to best align skills and interests with a career members will enjoy and prosper in.


When asked why he chose to attend the YPG meeting, Ian Johnson from Top Tyr Training responded “I attended for two main reasons, first to introduce myself into the Chamber and start the process of getting to know the members. My hope was to get my face to be more recognizable and begin the process of ‘know-like-trust’. My second reason is to

network.”

Click here to RSVP

Chamber Selected to Be Part of Power Saver Rewards Program

The Torrance Chamber has been selected to be part of the Power Saver Rewards (PSR) community outreach and education program through Southern California Edison. The PSR program is a free, no-penalty program that will reward customers with bill credits when they reduce energy use during temporary high energy demand times (PSR events).


By conserving energy during Power Saver Rewards events, customers will earn $2 for each kilowatt-hour (kWh) of energy they save. A typical customer who lowers energy usage during eight events over an annual season could earn $40 in bill credits. Receive annual bill credits at the start of each year as compensation for the previous year’s power savings.

Meet Board Member Vince Giuliano

Vince Giuliano is the business owner and operator of not just one, but three restaurants in the South Bay. Gaetano’s Restaurant which opened in 1993, Bettolino Kitchen in 2015, and more recently Piccini Italian Takeout in 2022.

 

Giuliano was born and raised in the South Bay and is a 4th generation restaurateur. He is a part of the family that founded the Original Giuliano’s Delicatessen in Gardena which was established in 1952. Giuliano learned all aspects of the industry from a young age. He had the opportunity to study abroad in Italy and attended Apicius Culinary School in Florence while simultaneously working for various restaurants in Italy. After college, Giuliano began working at Gaetano’s and since then, has received many awards such as ‘South Bay’s Best Italian Restaurant’ and the 2021 Community Child’s ‘Making a Difference’ Award. Read More...

Vince Giuliano

Gaetano's Restaurant

Upcoming Events

Tuesday, October 11th, 11:45 AM - Business at Noon

Tuesday, October 11th, 12:00 PM - Young Professionals Group (YPG)

Thursday, October 13th, 12:00 PM - Government Affairs Policy (GAP)

Thursday, October 18th, 10:00 AM - Small Employer Relief Package Information

Wednesday, October 19th, 8:30 AM - Women in Business

Thursday, October 27th, 4:30 PM - Business Expo & Showcase

Online Calendar
New Members: Welcome!

1 Touch Office Technology | Cressida Capital Group | Walt's Auto Service

Eye 2 Eye Optical | La Petit Med Spa

Renewing Members: Thank you!

1-10 Years

Dentist of Torrance

Key Disposal and Recycling, LLC

The Brews Hall

ICAN California Abilities Network

Los Angeles Harbor College Foundation

Employment Development Dept.

11-35 Years

The Salvation Army Torrance Corps

The Van Lingen Group

The Chamber helps businesses reach their full potential.
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For more information about the Torrance Area Chamber of Commerce, call (310) 540-5858 or
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