05/13/2008
Upcoming NFIB Events
2008 Small-Business Summit
NFIB National Small-Business Summit will be held June 8-11 at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Washington, D.C. Sen. John McCain will be the keynote speaker on Tuesday, June 10. Sens. Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton have been invited. More information about the Summit is available online.
"Employment Law 101" a success
Beth Milito of the NFIB Small Business Legal Center completed a three-city tour through eastern North Carolina at the end of April. Beth presented "Employment Law 101" in Rocky Mount, Fayetteville and Wilmington. NFIB/North Carolina partnered with SCORE, the Rocky Mount Chamber of Commerce and the Cumberland County Business Council. Members and non-members asked Beth specific questions about the new Form I-9, hiring practices and acceptable questions to ask in an interview. Claudia Stack, who attended the Wilmington Area Action Council, asked, "Can an employer ask an applicant if they can perform certain job tasks?" Beth responded that an excellent practice is to hand anyone interviewing for a job a list of job requirements. The employer can then ask if the person interviewing can fulfill the list of required tasks. If they respond yes and then later complain that they are unable to meet the requirements, the employer has the right to terminate. Beth explained a wide variety of employment law issues. She focused on recruiting and interviewing guidelines, wage and hour violations and performance management. The NFIB Small Business Legal Center is a resource open to all members. NFIB has also established an employment hotline for members. There is no time restriction on the hotline, but members are limited to one call a month. If you would like additional information on the tour or to receive a copy of Beth Milito's presentation, please contact Maeve Goff at 919-833-9480.
General Assembly convenes
The 2009 session of the General Assembly convened today to begin the budget adjustment session. Gov. Mike Easley released his proposed $20.5 billion budget, representing a 4.2 percent increase over last year's spending plan. Most of the increase -- created by reductions of $400 million from state agencies and an increase in beer, liquor and cigarette taxes -- would be earmarked for increasing teacher pay, mental health reforms, pre-school programs and aid to the community colleges and universities. The House and Senate will review the governor's budget and begin working on their budget priorities for 2008. Issues that NFIB/North Carolina will monitor include, paid/unpaid leave legislation, extension of the sunset on the small business health insurance tax credit, workers' compensation issues, tax increases and issues pertaining to taxpayer incentives and the merchant's discount tax.
Leadership Council officers elected
During the spring NFIB/North Carolina Leadership Council meeting, Claude Pope of Half & Half Inc. in Raleigh was elected chairman for 2008-2009 by his fellow council members. He replaces Bill Whiteheart of Whiteheart Outdoor Advertising Co, in Winston-Salem, who served as LC chairman for eight years. Mary Wells of One Hour Koretizing in Rocky Mount was elected vice chairman. We have had great guidance and direction from our Leadership Council officers for many years. There are 19 small business owners from all over North Carolina on our Leadership Council, advising our organization. We are fortunate to have such dedication from these members in assisting me in representing NFIB's 7,500 members in North Carolina.
Transfer taxes still unpopular
Four counties presented their citizens with the ballot question of whether or not to charge a transfer tax when residential, commercial or raw land is sold in their counties. The ballot proposals were soundly defeated in all four counties. This brings the total number of counties to twenty who have placed this proposal on their local ballots only to be soundly defeated in all twenty counties. NFIB is opposed to this tax and has assisted in the defeat of the new tax, saving small business owners millions of dollars should they sell their business or property.
Federal wage and hour labor law posters
NFIB has established a partnership with the Federal Wage and Labor Law Institute (FWLLI) to offer our members one complimentary All-In-One Federal Labor Law poster per calendar year.
As part of this service, FWLLI will update us whenever these all-in-one posters have changed.
A few quick reference points about the poster program:
- NFIB members may request one complimentary federal all-in-one labor law poster by visiting www.NFIB.com/federalposter. (Limit one per calendar year)
- NFIB members can order additional federal and labor law posters at 50 percent off by visiting www.fwlli.com/NFIB.
- If you have any questions about the labor law posters, you may contact FWLLI directly. Please call Bob Cameron, account rep, at 800-767-9243 ext 226, or e-mail at bob@fwlli.com.
Please remember that all required posters by the North Carolina Department of Labor are free and are available through the department. To obtain the workplace poster, call 800-NCLABOR or visit www.nclabor.com.
Federal update
Special 50 percent depreciation allowance
The Economic Stimulus Act of 2008 provided a significant tax incentive for businesses to make capital investments by adding a special 50 percent depreciation allowance for qualifying purchases. This special bonus depreciation allowance is available to all businesses and applies to most types of tangible personal property and computer software acquired and placed in service in 2008. It allows taxpayers to deduct 50 percent of the cost of qualifying property in addition to the regular depreciation allowance that is normally available. A detailed description of the business provisions contained in the Economic Stimulus Act of 2008 is available in IRS Publication 553, "Highlights of 2007 Tax Changes." Businesses may e-mail the IRS at Notice.Comments@irscounsel.treas.gov regarding issues related to the business provisions of the Economic Stimulus Act of 2008 that they would like addressed in the upcoming guidance. Please include IR-2008-58 in the subject line of the email.
New OSHA rule takes effect
Under a new Occupational Safety and Health Administration rule that takes effect May 15, businesses will be responsible for providing most required personal protective equipment at no cost to their employees. At NFIB's urging, OSHA has excluded several common items from this requirement. The new PPE rule contains exceptions for ordinary safety-toed footwear, ordinary prescription safety eyewear, logging boots and ordinary clothing and weather-related gear. For more information, visit www.osha.gov.
Sincerely,
Gregg Thompson
NFIB State Director/North Carolina
gregg.thompson@NFIB.org
