Prepared and Distributed by The Midwest Hardware Association, Inc.
|
|
Release of U.S. Census Data Starts Redistricting Process
By Misha Lee, MHA Wisconsin Lobbyist
|
The long awaited U.S. Census data drop has finally arrived and now states like Wisconsin will start the process of redrawing congressional and state legislative district boundaries for the next 10 years. Much of what goes into redistricting is inside political baseball, but every Wisconsin citizen should pay attention because new district boundaries determine who will be your elected representatives in Madison and Washington, D.C. for the next decade.
Here in Wisconsin, Republicans control both houses of the Legislature and the issue of redistricting has already shifted into high gear as a top priority for Republicans during the upcoming October and November fall session. Once the Legislature has voted to approve its new district boundaries, it is likely that Democratic Governor Tony Evers will veto their plans and then the courts will ultimately draw and decide what the new boundaries for the next decade will look like. Wisconsin’s rising diverse population in urban areas, combined with rural population declines and other shifts will determine congressional boundary lines and what parts of the state gain or lose seats in the state Legislature.
|
|
Illinois Passes Energy Reform
By Alec Laird, MHA Illinois Lobbyist and Vice President, Government Relations for the Illinois Retail Merchants Association
|
This week, the Illinois General Assembly passed an energy bill that subsidizes Illinois’ aging nuclear fleet and also includes wide-ranging “green” energy initiatives.
The stated goal of the proposal is to move Illinois to a clean energy future. A large part of that included the Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS). Significant subsidies will be put in place to incentivize development of solar and wind generation. While MHA was able to secure some concessions around utility-scale RPS, it remains to be seen if renewables can reach their goal of 50% generation by 2040. Under previous subsidies, renewables failed to even come close to their goals. There is a strong belief, shared by MHA, that without a much greater emphasis on utility-scale, renewables will once again fail to reach their goals. If they do, or start to fall behind early, there will need to be an early and thorough review of the program.
The proposal also attempts to protect reliability, at least in the ComEd territory, as there are subsidies to ensure the Braidwoood, Bryon, and Dresden nuclear generation facilities remain open. Under the provisions, Exelon must apply for the federal subsidies that are expected to be available when the federal infrastructure legislation passes. If they receive federal subsidies, Illinois ratepayers will receive a reimbursement for the state subsidies issued to that point-in-time. Downstate, there are significant concerns over reliability. Downstate Illinois is already a net importer of energy. If renewables do not meet their goals, there will be significant concerns about supply and reliability downstate.
|
|
If you'd like to place an ad, please contact Sam Schmidt at
|
|
President Biden's COVID-19 Action Plan - What Employers Want to Know
By Alka Ramchandani-Raj, Michael Lotito, Brad Hammock, Maury Baskin, and Jim Paretti on September 14, 2021
|
|
On September 9, 2021, President Biden released his COVID-19 Action Plan, Path Out of the Pandemic (the “Plan”). The Plan mandates vaccination against COVID-19 for employees working for employers that have 100 or more employees, as well as employees that work for the federal government or healthcare entities, and/or are federal contractors. The following Q&As address some of the common employer concerns regarding Biden’s Plan and the upcoming OSHA Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS).
1) Will the White House issue an executive order regarding the ETS?
No, we do not anticipate that the White House will release an official executive order regarding the ETS. While an executive order was published on the federal contractor vaccination requirement, President Biden has the authority to direct OSHA to develop an ETS without issuing an executive order.
2) If there is no executive order to be challenged, will we have an opportunity to provide comment on the ETS before it takes effect?
No, there will likely be no opportunity for comment before the ETS takes effect immediately upon publication in the Federal Register. The president has asked OSHA to issue the ETS as soon as possible. OSHA will ask stakeholders to provide comment afterwards, when the agency considers approving a permanent standard.
3) What can we do to voice our concerns about the ETS before publication?
Write a letter or join a coalition to write a letter on your behalf addressing your concerns. Littler Workplace Policy Institute (WPI) is joining forces with the business community to assist employers with their concerns. Data that describes infeasibility of implementation, issues with compliance and enforcement, or extensive cost measures will likely be helpful information to OSHA’s formulation of certain provisions in the ETS. If most employers cannot comply with the standard as drafted, OSHA’s efforts will be futile and will likely render the regulation ineffective and could lead to extensive litigation.
|
|
Best Practices for Retaining Employees
|
|
Employee retention relates to strategies an organization takes to manage turnover in an effort to keep its most talented employees. Effective retention strategies that promote a positive work culture go a long way to keeping employees motivated and productive, while building higher levels of loyalty and engagement across the organization. Organizations that do not consider employee retention a strategic priority can suffer negative consequences, for example:
- High costs of replacing workers who leave the organization;
- Loss of institutional knowledge and key skills;
- Lower levels of customer service; and
- Decreased levels of employee motivation and morale.
This guide discusses best practices in employee retention and factors affecting turnover. It covers a range of strategies an organization can use to reach its retention goals, such as promoting training and career development opportunities, having policies and practices that reflect the organization's culture and implementing fair and competitive compensation and benefit practices.
|
|
Here are the most recent Illinois, Minnesota-Dakotas, and Wisconsin hardware store sales trends, gathered from association members using the MHA's monthly accounting services. The figures derived for each region include sales data from the following number of stores:
Illinois - 16 stores
Minn.-Dakotas - 14 stores
Wisconsin - 67 stores
|
|
Smart Ways to Transfer the Family Business
Three ways to create a meaningful legacy, while generating a healthy retirement income for yourself
FOR MOST BUSINESS OWNERS, retirement is either a subject they welcome or the last thing they want to think about. If you're looking forward to that day, you've probably already started preparing to move on from your business. “For many business owners, their retirement plan is their business,” says Judith Anderson, senior vice president, Retirement Personal & Wealth Solutions, Bank of America.
If you're not thinking ahead, bear in mind that there are very real advantages to beginning to prepare for it now. “Small business owners typically re-invest their profits back into running their business and generally do very little planning ahead for a retirement that may be five, 10, 15 or more years down the road,” says Anderson. Selling your business at retirement will supplement your income, but it shouldn’t be the only asset you have to rely upon, says Anderson. “Instead, in anticipation of that day, choose an actual retirement plan that fits your needs.”
|
|
Bankcard Processing Service
|
The Midwest Hardware Association has over 300 businesses using our Bankcard Processing program. We process Visa, MasterCard, Discover, and American Express offering the fastest possible turnaround time for payment of your funds.
With so many bankcard processors constantly after your business, why do dealers choose to process their credit and debit cards through the MHA? Here are just a few reasons:
- We understand the hardware business and the type of bankcard transactions that you accept. We price our service accordingly, thereby minimizing your costs.
- We have a dedicated staff with over 40 years of experience in processing bankcards for stores just like yours. You will have a specific contact person servicing your account. With other processors, you will most likely end up with an unfamiliar, different person every time you call.
- On a daily basis, your bankcard sales dollars are deposited straight into your bank account and become available for you to use, rather than being posted to your wholesaler’s billing statement as a credit towards future purchases.
- Without ongoing PCI compliance, your processing costs and risk go up. As a participating MHA member on our bankcard service, we will assist you in validating your annual PCI compliance. Most other bankcard processors do not provide this service.
- You can trust us. As your trade association, we owe it to you, our member, to fairly evaluate our bankcard program against competitors and honestly inform you of the best fit for your store.
- Our agreement does not have any termination fees or minimum requirements for the length of time that you must remain on the program.
As a member-driven organization, the Midwest Hardware Association is in business to help you become as successful as possible. Our bankcard program sets itself apart from other processors by merging together the best service with the lowest possible cost.
Testimonial
“Bankcard has grown so much over the past years that managing it has become a very important part of my business. I trust MHA and I am comfortable. I don’t want to change to anyone else.”
Wayne Cole
Cole Hardware Hank
Grand Rapids, MN
For more information about the MHA Bankcard Processing program, please contact Mac Hardin by phone at 1-800-999-4399 or by email at mach@midwesthardware.com.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|