Building Business for a Strong Community

Tuesday, January 21st, 2025

First Benefits Mutual specializes in North Carolina Worker's compensation and has

been providing quality service to Chamber members for over 20 years.

Chamber Calendar

Click for

Outdoor Events Calendar

Who is Hiring? Check out Member Job Postings

Helene Relief Resources

City and County - Helene Relief

LoveHendo Business Recovery Fund

Dogwood Health Trust - Helene Resources

Community Foundation of WNC Emergency and Disaster Response Fund

Mountain Bizworks WNC Strong - Helene Business Recovery Fund

FEMA

SBA

Please contact the Chamber to secure your seats before January 23rd.

News and Information

Governor Stein, NC Department of Commerce Announce Expansion of Temporary Recovery Jobs, Training for Residents of 39 Helene-Impacted Counties

Press Release by NC Department of Commerce

1.17.2025

Residents of 39 counties may now apply to participate in the temporary jobs program that puts North Carolinians to work on recovery efforts in areas affected by Hurricane Helene, N.C. Department of Commerce Secretary Lee Lilley announced today. This represents an expansion from the 25-county area that was first announced in October.

“Hurricane Helene wreaked havoc on communities and devastated people’s livelihoods,” said Governor Josh Stein. “Unemployment in the west has spiked. This program will get folks back to work while helping their neighbors recover and rebuild.”

The program is funded by part of a $10 million Disaster Recovery Dislocated Worker Grant, which the U.S. Department of Labor awarded to support North Carolina in the wake of Helene. The North Carolina Department of Commerce’s Division of Workforce Solutions (DWS) requested the funds.

The eligible counties covered by this grant include Alexander, Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Buncombe, Burke, Cabarrus, Caldwell, Catawba, Cherokee, Clay, Cleveland, Forsyth, Gaston, Graham, Haywood, Henderson, Iredell, Jackson, Lee, Lincoln, Macon, Madison, McDowell, Mecklenburg, Mitchell, Nash, Polk, Rowan, Rutherford, Stanly, Surry, Swain, Transylvania, Union, Watauga, Wilkes, Yadkin and Yancey counties.

“Recovering from the devastating impact of Hurricane Helene is North Carolina’s top priority, and that includes helping people find work and rebuild their careers,” said Secretary Lee Lilley. “Through this grant program, we are already placing workers in jobs that address storm damage and serve their communities, thanks to strong collaboration by employers, local workforce development boards, and NCWorks Career Centers.”

Playbook for 2025: 10 High-Stakes Factors That Could Affect Your Business

Article by Charlotte Business Journal

1.12.2025

The more things change, the more they stay the same. The adage certainly comes to mind as another new year dawns and many employers are still grappling with the same challenges they’ve been battling since the start of the pandemic.

The tight labor market, the harsh realities of remote work and inflation are still among the top questions facing businesses, the answers are evolving as the calendar turns to 2025.

Yes, the looming workforce cliff and the nation’s shifting demographics give employees more leverage than they had before the pandemic. But a softening job market has the pendulum swinging back toward employers.

Companies are already using that regained power to clamp down on —or even eliminate — hybrid work. That’s a change with implications not just for hiring and employee relations, but for office leasing decisions, economic development and the financial sector.

Speaking of finance, elevated interest rates have been a thorn in the side of businesses since the pandemic recovery kicked into high gear. Even 2024’s rate cuts hasn’t fully unlocked loan demand, leaving yet another lingering issue for businesses heading into the new year.

And, while overall inflation has been eclipsed as the top challenge for small businesses, a deeper look at the data shows the new top concern is rapidly rising employee and benefit costs.

Of course, plenty of new questions are entering the fray — most notably the explosive growth of artificial intelligence and the impact of a new administration in Washington, D.C.