Rob Payne of the Automotive Parts Associates has been appointed to CAWA’s Board of Directors. During the appointment process, Michael Rukov, Chair of the Board of Directors, commented: “I am excited to announce that Rob Payne of the Automotive Parts Associates is joining the CAWA Board of Directors. I look forward to Rob’s participation and contributions to CAWA in assisting the Association in achieving its goals as an effective and valuable automotive care industry organization”, continued Rukov.

Mr. Payne is the Director of Product for Automotive Parts Associates (APA) with over 25 years of experience in the automotive aftermarket. In his position at APA, he is responsible for the management of supplier relationships and overall product strategy. He is also actively involved in marketing, data-warehousing and strategic planning. Prior to joining APA in July of 2021, he was the Category Manager for Brakes at GPC/NAPA headquarters in Atlanta where he led the NAPA brake team product strategy, advertising and marketing efforts over a two-year period. 

The majority of his career was spent at O’Reilly Auto Parts beginning in 1997 starting as a delivery driver, parts specialist and he joined the O’Reilly headquarters in 1999 with the Inventory Control Department in various roles. In 2007 was promoted to Product Manager overseeing undercar categories such as chassis, ride control and power steering. He and his wife Rachal currently live in the Atlanta area and enjoy traveling and spending time with the family. See the complete press release here.

Beyond its perennial critical work on behalf of the industry and its members, CAWA has three compelling and interesting Task Forces commissioned to improve the industry and the Association. Those Task Forces are: (1) eCommerce; (2) Political Action; and (3) Recruitment, Mentoring and Training. CAWA leadership volunteers are doing the work of these groups. For information on any of these initiatives, contact programs@cawa.org.

For nearly two decades, Nevada has utilized a unique two-tier minimum wage system that permitted employers that offered qualified health benefits to employees to pay $1.00 less per hour than employers that did not offer such benefits to their employees. On November 8, 2022, Nevada voters elected to alter significantly the landscape of Nevada’s minimum wage system by approving Ballot Question 2, returning Nevada to a single minimum wage regardless of whether an employer offers qualified health benefits to its employees. Ballot Question 2 amends the Nevada Constitution to require employers to pay each employee to whom the minimum wage requirements apply (i.e., nonexempt employees) a minimum wage of not less than $12.00 per hour, subject to any applicable increases above $12.00 per hour worked provided by federal law or later enacted by the Nevada Legislature. Learn More. Source: Littler

The move towards electrification for California fleets has been given a boost in the form of the Advanced Clean Fleets (ACF) Rule, which has many speculating how they will meet this regulation in time. In the clean fuel sector, California has long been the beacon for pushing the needle closer and closer to zero-emissions transportation. With the introduction of the ACF Rule, this may become a reality much faster than many expected. The rule, if approved, aims to transition to 100% zero-emission vehicle fleets — where feasible — by 2045, with an accelerated transition schedule for drayage trucks and public fleets in line with Governor Newsom’s Executive Order. Read more here. Source: Advanced Clean Tech News

We write you today on a matter of grave urgency. Once again, the United States is facing the threat of a major rail strike between the major freight railroads and 12 labor unions, the second such time in less than three months. A stoppage of rail service for any duration would be extremely damaging to American families and our economy, costing $2 billion dollars per day. 

As provided for under federal law and consistent with past practice, Congress must be prepared to intervene before the end of the current “status quo” period on December 9 to ensure continued rail service should railroads and four unions fail to reach a voluntary agreement. A strike by any one union would assuredly result in a stoppage of national rail service. See the complete letter here.

Recently, an employee complained to management that they were not receiving rest breaks. Because the breaks are paid, the employees do not clock out for them; how can we prove that employees are being provided their rest breaks? California law requires employers to provide paid net 10-minute rest breaks for every four hours (or major fraction thereof) that a nonexempt employee works. Read more here. Source: Our Friends at the California Chamber of Commerce

This scholarship program supports educational opportunities for you, your family, employees and those interested in a career in the auto care industry. Applying is easy! The online application process allows students interested in auto care industry careers to submit one application each year online at automotivescholarships.com and receive consideration for several scholarships. Preference will be given to those seeking a college level, vocational or technical program pursuing a degree, accreditation or certificate in the auto care industry. A candidate’s permanent residence must be located in the states of California, Nevada or Arizona. Scholarships will be awarded in June, 2023. The applicant with the highest ranking each year will receive the Mort Schwartz Scholarship Award. DEADLINE: March 31, 2023. APPLY HERE!

Automotive businesses can enhance their health plan benefits for their valued employees with the CAWA Arizona Health Trust (CAWA) Association Health Plan through Blue Cross® Blue Shield® of Arizona (BCBSAZ). For more details, click here. You could be saving your company many insurance premium dollars and enhancing your health insurance benefits! Another member benefit.

You can offer this dental program to staff without paying any portion of the premium, some of it, or all of it. The employees’ share of the premium is eligible to be pre-taxed from their paychecks as long as you have a Section 125 plan in place. It has group purchasing power and even if one employee wants it, that is fine. There is a small employer admin fee listed at the bottom. For any CAWA members currently enrolled on the program, the third-party administrator handling the billing will be changing to a new company called Nue Synergy. Keep an eye out for your future bills coming from them. For more information on the dental program, please reach out to our endorsed benefits broker, CoreMark Insurance Services. You can reach Mat Nabity at (916) 286-0918 or mnabity@coremarkins.com to get more information. CoreMark works with a dozen dental carriers and can help choose the plan that is the right fit for your business. See details here.