News Briefs

Every year the California pest control industry gathers together in what is the largest annual convention and trade show for our industry in the country, outside of NPMA's PestWorld. This year our convention is in magical Disneyland at the Disneyland Hotel, June 23 - 25. The Happiest Place on Earth!

Our convention program format is designed to provide interesting and informative speakers, an exhibit hall where PCOs can learn about new products, and also to provide some recreation opportunities. We have negotiated discount prices to the theme park which you can't get anywhere else! This year's golf tournament is at the Pelican Hill Golf Resort and is being sponsored by the Orange County District.

Our two keynote speakers this year will be terrific! Steve Sax, former second baseman for the Los Angeles Dodgers, is one of the hottest motivational speakers on the scene today. Don Brady, the director of the Environmental Fate & Effects Division at EPA will give us the latest updates on endangered species regulations and surface water quality issues.

The most important function, however, of this premier event is in the networking that takes place among the attendees: PCOC companies, manufacturers and suppliers. Several manufacturers and suppliers, for instance, take this time to roll out new products because of the high value placed on the exhibit hall.

The installation banquet is a time when we can all be proud of our association: celebrating the dedication and commitment of individuals who provide the leadership in PCOC, and, by the same token, celebrating what PCOC is all about.

Paraphrased from the original Articles of Incorporation of PCOC filed October 28, 1942:

The official purpose of the association is to unite any and all individuals, firms, corporations and other association of persons using insecticides, fumigation or allied chemicals for the purpose of pest control;

to foster the business in profession of said individuals to refute abuses thereof and to secure for ourselves and our business, freedom from unjust and unlawful actions;

to produce uniformity and certainty in the commercial use of the business, to settle differences among members and create a spirit of mutual cooperation and friendly feeling among its members.

I look forward to seeing you all in Disneyland.

NOTICE

PCOC ASSOCIATION ANNUAL MEETING

The following positions are up for election:

Executive Committee: President President-Elect Treasurer 2^nd Vice President 3^rd Vice President

Peacock Directors: Three positions. All candidates must be insured by PCOC Insurance.

PAPCO Trustees: Two positions

PCOC Scholarship Foundation: Two positions

PCOC Cares Foundation: Two positions

"As to Disney photos, logos, and properties: ©Disney"

JOIN US AT THE DISNEYLAND® RESORT FOR

PCOC'S 68^TH ANNUAL CONVENTION & TRADESHOW

You can book your rooms and purchase tickets for the theme parks now. Just click on the appropriate link below:

Room Reservations: https://resweb.passkey.com/go/pestcontrol2011

Theme Park Tickets: http://www.disneyconventionear.com/GDPF11A

Exhibitor Registration

Attendee Registration

Please note: These special theme park ticket prices are not available once you arrive at the resort. Our ticket store closes at 9 p.m. PST on 6/19/2011 so don't delay.

Tamara Tibbett-Arendt of American Pest Control Company is still in the lead with five new members. In second place are Baron McDonald of Clark Pest Control-Lodi and Janet Thrasher of Thrasher Termite & Pest Control with two new members each. The contest runs through May 31, 2011. $1,000 will be awarded to the winner and there will be an additional drawing for another $1,000.  Click here for contest rules.

2011 PCOC FUMIGATION BANNER BONANZA CONTEST

Dow AgroSciences is again sponsoring the 2011 Fumigation Banner Contest. The rules are the same as last year and we have provided a link to view the complete set of rules here. This contest will also end on May 31, 2011. The will be four winners again this year. I have only received three contest submissions at this time. Please mail all submissions to:

Electronic submissions may be made at: billgaither@pcoc.org

Simply defined, a job description is a definition of the responsibilities, tasks, and requirements for a particular position. A job description can help you:

• Clarify expectations: use job descriptions in interviews, new employee orientations, job coaching, performance appraisals, corrective action discussions, etc. Don't assume that an employee knows your expectations – spell it out.
• Train employees: Use job descriptions to train employees in how to do their jobs – or to re-train them when corrective action is needed.
• Maintain accountability: Use job descriptions to help maintain accountability. If someone says "I was never trained in that," you can refer him/her back to the signed personnel file copy of the job description. In conjunction with a copy of training records, you remind the employee of their responsibilities.

It is recommended having a job description for each position in the company (for example, office manager, customer service representative, dispatcher, pest control technician, termite inspector, account representative, etc.). Each of these requires its own job description. Specifically, any job description includes the following elements.

• Summary: Brief position summary.
• Primary job responsibilities: Eight to 10 tasks that the employee would regularly perform.
• Minimum qualifications: A list of the degrees, certifications, licenses, etc. that a candidate must have to be hired for this job. List what is really required and a bona fide occupational requirement.
• Physical requirements: A list of physical requirements you have for the job, including lifting requirements, use of computer, ability to crawl in tight spaces, or drive a commercial vehicle. These criteria must be listed in the job description.

AFRICANIZED HONEYBEE CERTIFICATION RENEWAL

Attention: All PCOs Certified to Control Africanized Honeybees

The board of directors of the Pest Control Operators of California has approved a program for the renewal of the Africanized Honeybee Certification program/course.

Effective immediately all persons who have previously completed the AHB course must comply with the following conditions:

(1) All certified licensees must perform a check in with PCOC to update their status, i.e., employer, mailing address and license status with either or both the SPCB and DPR. This check-in process will be done through the PCOC website online and will begin May 1, 2010 and must be completed by June 30, 2011. Anyone who does not complete the check-in process will be dropped from the AHB database maintained by PCOC. Staff will have the flexibility to accommodate licensees who fail to check in during this time period because of extenuating circumstances such as active duty overseas or other similar situations.

(2) After the initial check in, certified licensees will be sent an email annually to the email address they have established in the system (the licensee will be able to go online at any time and update their profile and contact information, including their email address) reminding them to check in to confirm their contact information and status as an active (or inactive) certified licensee.

(3) Thereafter every six years certified licensees would be required to retake the full certification course.

(4) Thereafter every three years (in between the six-year renewal) every certified licensee will be required to take a one-hour online class on the PCOC website. The AHB subcommittee will create and post a one-hour class annually, which will be available to all AHB certified licensees to take each year. Some classes will focus on updates on a particular nuance of AHB management; other classes may focus on updates on the AHB movement, stinging incidents, new technologies and other timely issues.

(5) AHB licensees who last took the full AHB Certification course prior to 2009 will have to take the full AHB Certification class by the end of 2014. This allows a full four years to accommodate these licensees to get into the system of retaking the full AHB Certification course every six years.

(6) AHB certified licensees who last took the full AHB Certification course in 2009 or later will have to take the full AHB Certification class with six years of when they last completed the class.

• Lack of compliance with standards. Hopefully this is due to length of time since some have taken the course rather than a desire to purposefully violate the standards.
• Desire to maintain highest levels of integrity and professionalism within this industry/statutory certification.
• No system by which to maintain an up-to-date database of certified licensees. Counties, state agencies and the public have all complained that our database is all but useless because it contains licensees who are no longer in the industry, or who are certified, but longer desire to control honeybees.

All AHB licensees (PCOC members and all non-members) must contact PCOC staff for login and password information. The AHB licensee then must go to the PCOC website: http://www.pcoc.org/. Click on the Find/Hire a Pest Control Company button, then click on the add/update your listing line. Click on the update your listing box.

ALL AHB LICENSEES MUST UPDATE THEIR LISTING TO INCLUDE CURRENT EMPLOYER, ADDRESS AND CONTACT INFORMATION.

The update will be automatically forwarded to the PCOC staff.

It is the responsibility of the AHB licensee to complete the update before June 30, 2011 or you will be dropped from the AHB database.

Visit http://www.naylornetwork.com/cpc-nwl/assets/endorsed%20programs2.pdf to view the full article online.

TIPS FOR A SUCCESSFUL RETURN-TO-WORK PROGRAM

Did you know that an injured worker who remains off the job for more than six months has only a 25 percent chance of ever returning to work? Getting workers back on the job as quickly as medically feasible makes them less likely to become a long-term disability statistic ... and saves you money.

A return-to-work program can reduce lost-time payments, along with indirect costs of a disability, such as lost productivity, overtime, job retraining and hiring replacements. Experts estimate indirect expenses can cost up to five times more than an injured employee's benefits.

Early return-to-work programs can include modified-duty jobs, on-site rehabilitation and full-time pay incentives to stimulate worker recovery and return. Injured workers need not be 100 percent healed to return to work, as long as they are supervised by a practical medical and rehabilitation plan.

Beware the Pitfalls

To avoid legal problems, we recommend your return-to-work program include the following:

1. Written guidelines. Your guidelines should state who is eligible for early return-to-work (i.e., workers expected to make a full recovery or to need only "reasonable accommodations"). Having written guidelines that reflect current workers' compensation and employment law and applying them consistently can help you avoid discrimination lawsuits.

2. Job descriptions for every employee. Often an injured employee can return to his/her usual job with modifications. A job description identifies the essential tasks of the job and helps you and the employee's physician determine whether return-to-work is possible.

3. A catalog of light-duty jobs. A "busy work" job is of no value to the company or the employee. Having a list of temporary jobs that could be performed by workers with a variety of injuries can give injured workers productive work and avoid wasting money.

4. Training. Employees returning to modified or light-duty work will likely need training on new equipment or procedures. Training helps ensure they know how to do their job without aggravating their injury.

5. Evaluation. Regularly evaluate employees in modified-duty or light-duty jobs. Is the job appropriate for their level of disability? Are they ready to return to their regular occupation? Do they need further modifications?

6. Termination. The goal of a return-to-work program is to return employees to their regular job. If it becomes clear a worker's disability precludes this, you need to ensure your termination procedures comply with discrimination and other employment laws.

7. Updating. Regularly review your policies and procedures to ensure they comply with state workers' compensation and employment laws, and federal laws such as the ADAAA and FMLA. **

For assistance in setting up an early return-to-work program or other workers' compensation questions, please call the PCOC Insurance Program department at Jenkins Insurance Services at (800) 234-6363.

** Federal and state employment laws may affect your return-to-work program. Federal laws include the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act (ADAAA), which increased protections for disabled workers to include workers with a perceived disability.

The Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) requires employers of 50 or more employees to give up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave to eligible employees for the birth or adoption of a child or for the serious illness of the employee or a spouse, child or parent. If the FMLA applies, you should coordinate any leave available under the FMLA with disability leave. The FMLA does not require employees to be paid during leave; however, an employee may opt to take up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave due to disability.

San Diego District Chair Rick Arendt (left), presents San Diego Agricultural Commissioner Bob Atkins with a certificate honoring Bob upon his retirement. Bob has attended almost every PCOC district meeting during the last four years. Congratulations Bob!!!

TEMPORARY NPMA LOGIN FOR JOINT MEMBERSHIP

LOGIN: 313501

PASSWORD: PCOC

PCOC Website password for 2010–2011: "termite"

Please remember, the password changes every July 1!

Department of Fish & Game
www.dfg.ca.gov

Department of Food & Agriculture
www.cdfa.ca.gov

Department of Pesticide Regulation
www.cdpr.ca.gov

Find Your Legislator
www.leginfo.ca.gov/yourleg.html

Healthy Schools Act
www.schoolipm.info

Structural Pest Control Board
www.pestboard.ca.gov

For an additional charge, you may access a 24-hour hotline providing consultation by qualified medical doctors on pesticide-related medical emergencies. This service is provided free of charge to Peacock Group insureds.