Join CAWA Members and Friends at the February Leadership & Educational Forum in Napa | |
Join us for networking and an educational program in Napa, February (21-23). Here are the presenters at the educational forum:
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Bill Hanvey, President & CEO of the Auto Care Association will speak about current federal issues impacting the industry.
- A panel presentation moderated by Steve Sharp of the Endeavor Institute on “AI and its Impact on the Automotive Industry”, will feature Mark Seng of Predii, Derek Kaufman of Schwartz Advisors, and Ram ChandraSeka of PhaseZero, and
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Joel Ayres, Executive Director of the Automotive Aftermarket Charitable Foundation will remind attendees regarding the support the organization can give associates of the industry during times of personal crisis or natural disasters.
See registration materials here. Join us in the beautiful Napa Valley!
CAWA also thanks the following sponsors of the Forum:
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TechForce Report: 2023 Transportation Technician Supply & Demand | This report addresses projected annual demand for new entrant technicians in the automotive, collision, diesel and aviation fields. By definition, new entrant technicians are those entering the occupation for the first time, as opposed to experienced technicians who may be switching employers but don’t increase the number of technicians available in the occupation. These new entrant techs come not only from postsecondary training programs, but also from high school shop programs and “off-the-street”, with no training at all. It is important to understand the projections below are for new entrant demand, not actual hiring. To the extent that employers are not able to hire all the technicians they seek, the numbers below will exceed the total increase in technicians actually reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). See the complete report here. Source: TechForce Foundation | |
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Major Changes in California for 2024 SDI Withholding | Effective January 1, 2024, Senate Bill (SB) 951 removes the State Disability Insurance (SDI) taxable wage limit and the maximum withholding amount for each employee. The SDI rate for 2024 is 1.1%. For more information, visit Rates and Withholding. To stay up to date with this and other California payroll tax news, visit the California Employer News and Updates webpage. | |
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Manufacturers to Invest More in AI and Cloud Due to Economic Uncertainty
65% of manufacturers cited pervasive artificial intelligence (AI) as having the highest positive impact on the business / market environment. Despite 59% citing economic uncertainty, 54% of manufacturers surveyed say the current economic climate will cause them to increase investment in IT over the next 12 months, according to a study sponsored by Rackspace Technology with Dell/VMware. Further, 65% of manufacturers cited pervasive artificial intelligence (AI) as having the highest positive impact on the business/market environment. “These results highlight an evolution in artificial intelligence, signaling a decisive shift from the theoretical exploration of generative AI. The proliferation of pilot programs we saw in 2023 will result in active implementation in 2024,” says Jeff DeVerter, chief technology evangelist, Rackspace Technology. Key takeaways are here. Source: Supply & Demand Chain Executive
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Arizona Small Businesses Brace for Another Jump in Minimum Wage | The statewide minimum wage in Arizona will be $14.35 beginning January 1, a 50-cent increase from the 2023 rate of $13.85. The state minimum wage rate resets every January to reflect the rate of inflation. The historically high inflation rate caused the minimum wage rate to jump more than $1 in the readjustment from 2022 to 2023. See how they got there (here). Source: Friends at the Arizona Chamber of Commerce | |
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The Labor Commissioner’s Office Reminds Employers that California’s Minimum Wage Increases to $16 per hour on January 1 | |
The Labor Commissioner’s Office is reminding employers that the state minimum wage will increase to $16 on January 1, 2024. Some cities and counties in California have a local minimum wage that is higher than the state rate. State law requires that most California workers be paid the minimum wage. Workers paid less than the minimum wage are urged to contact the Labor Commissioner’s Office in their area to file a wage claim.
The change in the minimum wage also affects the minimum salary an employee must earn to meet one part of the overtime exemption test. Exempt employees are not subject to the payment of overtime for hours worked. An employee must earn no less than two times the state’s minimum wage for full-time work to meet this initial requirement of the exemption test. As of January 1, 2024, employees in California must earn an annual salary of no less than $66,560 to meet this threshold requirement.
Employers must post the Minimum Wage Order and the Wage Order applicable to their workplace at a worksite area accessible to employees. The wage orders can be downloaded and printed from the workplace postings page on the DIR website. Employers must ensure that the wage rate is displayed on the employee’s pay stub, and that employees are paid at least the minimum wage even when employees are paid at piece rate. Source: California Department of Industrial Relations
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Use Caution When Granting Family Leave Before Employee Is Eligible
My employee wants to take 12 weeks off for child bonding, but he has worked for us for only 11 months so he’s not eligible for protected family leave time yet. Is there anything I need to be concerned about if we go ahead and grant his child bonding family leave time early? See discussion here. Source: Our Friends at the California Chamber of Commerce
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A Quiet Revolution: The Future of Warehouse Automation | Recent supply chain disruptions may have highlighted the critical role of automation in building resilient supply chains, but now it's time to build on the foundation and solidify practices that foster growth in a new age of warehousing. A quick look around shows exactly how warehouse automation has emerged as a transformative force in the world of supply chain management. Although the rise of AI and robotics have been making waves for years now, disruptions of COVID-19 magnitudes have ushered in a “new normal” and brought on a quest for companies to dive deeper into solutions that drive efficiency. Predictive analytics, demand forecasting, inventory management and visibility data continue to become more streamlined practice that the warehousing sector must adopt to remain competitive. See more discussion here. Source: Supply & Demand Chain Executive | |
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Updated California Paid Sick and Safe Leave FAQs Address January 1, 2024 Changes
On December 12, 2023, California’s Labor Commissioner revised its FAQs to address changes that will occur on January 1, 2024, to the Healthy Workplaces Healthy Families Act (HWHFA), the statewide paid sick and safe leave law. Since amendments made by SB 616 were enacted on October 4, 2023, employers have anxiously awaited the Labor Commissioner’s interpretation of the changes. Learn More. Source: Littler
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2023 Dues Deductibility Statement
For federal income tax purposes, CAWA dues may be deductible as a business expense but not as a charitable contribution. CAWA estimates that 35% of your dues for 2023 are not deductible as a business expense because they are attributable to lobbying as in accordance with the Internal Revenue Code Section 6033. Contributions to the Political Action Fund are not deductible as a charitable contribution or as a business expense for federal income tax purposes. For more information, consult with your accountant or tax attorney.
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CAWA Memorial Scholarship Awards for Students
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 www.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. Applications are accepted through March 31 of each year. Scholarships will be awarded in June of each year. The applicant with the highest ranking each year will receive the Mort Schwartz Scholarship Award. NEXT DEADLINE: March 31, 2024. APPLY HERE!
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