DIVIDEND CHECKS DISPERSED |
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More than 35 Blount Chamber members received dividends last week from Accident Fund for their participation in the workers' compensation group benefit program. Administered by Cate-Russell Insurance, Inter-Agency Insurance Service and SouthPointRisk this group was awarded $17,503 in combined dividends. Accident Fund’s dividend percentages range up to 5% based on each chamber member’s workers’ compensation premium costs and results.
Those receiving dividends were: Southern Glass Company, Volunteer Mechanical, Smith Funeral & Cremation Service, Specmat Technologies, Little River Trading Company, Blount Gastroenterology Associates, Brian King, Artistic Dance Unlimited, Van Metre School Of Dance, Pinkstaff, Simpson & Headrick, Subs & Such, Pregnancy Resource Center, Stinnett Auto Body, Fes Security, Wine And Spirits Cellar, Stat Olympia, Green Meadow Country Club, SignCo, National Safe Skies Alliance, Roger L Newman Company, Roost Home, Junior Achievement of East Tennessee, Rocky Top School Buses, Old Forge Distillery, Loudon County Fence, McNutt Oil Company, Rix North America, Silver Sport Transmission, South Blount County Utility, Boatmate Trailers, Whitlock & Company, Thermocopy of Tennessee, Miller Funeral Home, Lighting Trends, and Richy Kreme.
A special thank you to Cinnaholic for providing the treats to go along with the checks.
If you are interested in learning more about Accident Fund program as part of your chamber membership, contact Jessica Hahn.
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OSHA ETS VACCINE MANDATE REINSTATED |
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On Dec. 17, 2021, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit vacated the Fifth Circuit's stay of the large-employer COVID-19 emergency temporary standard (ETS) issued by the Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA).
Dozens of diverse petitioners immediately applied to the U.S. Supreme Court to stay the Sixth Circuit's decision.
For now, however, the ETS is again effective, and OSHA will begin enforcing the ETS' non-testing requirements on Jan. 10, 2022, and its testing requirements on Feb. 9, 2022. If they have not done so already, employers should take immediate steps to begin compliance.
The litigation regarding OSHA's large-employer vaccination ETS does not impact the status of OSHA's vaccination requirements for federal contractors, the stay of which was affirmed on Dec. 17, 2021, by the Eleventh Circuit. It also does not impact the vaccination requirement issued by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) for medical staff at facilities that participate in the Medicare and Medicaid programs, which is currently stayed in 25 states.
On December 18, 2021, the Department of Labor announced that, in light of the timing of the decision, it would not issue citations for noncompliance with any requirements of the ETS before January 10, 2022, and will not issue citations for noncompliance with the ETS’s testing requirements before February 9, 2022, as long as an employer is exercising reasonable, good faith efforts to come into compliance with the ETS. Therefore, although employers covered by the OSHA ETS are urged to do as much as possible to gather information regarding their workforces’ vaccination rates, comply with recordkeeping requirements, and distribute OSHA-compliant policies by the January 4 deadline, evidence of good faith attempts to comply with the ETS will grant employers a brief reprieve until January 10, 2022 to come into full compliance.
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ARE YOU USING YOUR TAX DEDUCTION? |
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Looking for a tax deduction to ring out 2020?
Your Blount County Chamber Membership fee is 85% tax deductible.
85% tax deductible
Return your invoice today to receive your tax deduction.
Offer Expires: Dec. 31, 2020
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SBA DEADLINE FOR COVID RELIEF NEARS |
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The SBA will accept and review reconsideration and appeal requests for COVID EIDL applications received on or before December 31.
To attend the final informational webinar on December 22 and learn the latest about the COVID-19 EIDL, sign up here.
For more information on EIDL or to apply, visit this website.
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GET TIX FOR REGIONAL LEGISLATIVE AGENDA |
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Join us January 28 at 8 a.m. at the Hilton Knoxville Airport for the Regional Legislative Agenda Breakfast presented by the Blount Partnership and the chambers of commerce from Knoxville, Oak Ridge, Farragut West Knox and Anderson County.
For more than three decades these chambers of commerce have worked together to develop a regional legislative agenda to identify state issues of importance and increase job and business growth in the region.
The guest speaker is former Tennessee governor Bill Haslam.
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GET READY FOR CO.STARTERS |
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CO.STARTERS is a three-month, cohort-based program that equips aspiring entrepreneurs with the insights, relationships, and tools needed to turn ideas into action and turn a passion into a sustainable and thriving endeavor.
We're offering this acclaimed national program right here in Blount County! It's open to everyone, not just existing Sky City members. Cost is $295 and includes 10 weeks of access to Sky City's amazingly modern co-working space.
The cohort launches 6 p.m. Wednesday, March 2, 2022. Application deadline is Feb. 9.
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The Blount County Chamber of Commerce has partnered with its software provider, Weblink, and Chamber Concierge to enhance your online presence on BlountChamber.com. A Chamber Concierge consultant is available to talk with members about taking advantage of the online benefits offered through your Chamber membership.
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Credibility – Chambers are a resource for the communities they represent – our website is a reputable place to expand your online presence.
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Visibility – Thousands of consumers visit the Chambers website annually!
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Opportunity – Advertisers enjoy priority placement, additional photo/video, bulleted highlights with additional links, expanded description of products/services and more.
Space is Limited, and sponsorships are reasonable, especially considering the Chamber’s website has over 100,000 unique visitors per year.
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The Tennessee Small Business Development Center is hosting a myriad of online training webinars to assist you in all facets of your businesses. Take advantage of training opportunities with the SBDC at little or no cost.
January 6 from 1-2 p.m.
January 10 from noon-1 p.m.
January 11 form 10 a.m.-noon
January 11 from 10-11 a.m.
January 11 from 10 a.m.-noon
January 13 from 10 a.m.-noon
January 13 from 1-2 p.m.
January 18 from 11 a.m.-noon
January 20 from 1-2 p.m.
January 25 from 9 a.m.-2 p.m.
January 25 from 11 a.m.-noon
January 25 from 4-6 p.m.
January 27 from 1-2 p.m.
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Please note. If you wish to add any of the following events to your calendar, you can do it from the website calendar by clicking on the icon in the lower right-hand corner of the listing. Chamber Events | Community Events
January 3-9
January 10-16
Save the Date
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BE SURE YOU'RE FOLLOWING US |
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If you aren't following us on social media, you must. We are constantly updating information as each day progresses. So, give us a like and stay up-to-date as we move through this crisis.
And follow tourism updates here:
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Here's a great way to offer Member-to-Member deals using your chamber member account. Check the deals.
Members can post Coupons and Discounts to this page at no charge. Click Here
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Topping the Billboard Hot 100 this week in 1990 was "Because I Love You (The Postman Song)" by Stevie B. It spent four consecutive weeks at No. 1 and, in August 2018, Billboard ranked the song the 71st-biggest hit in the history of the Hot 100.
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![Stevie B - Because I Love You (The Postman Song) [Official Video]](https://web-extract.constantcontact.com/v1/thumbnail?url=https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Xc1uQI2XmZs/hqdefault.jpg)
