A pandemic of respiratory illness caused by a new coronavirus (COVID-19) currently exists in California and beyond. Governor Newsom declared a state of emergency in California on March 4, 2020. Workers and employers should adhere to the latest government guidance on how to reduce transmission of COVID-19 in the workplace, including guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the California Department of Public Health, and the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA). At the same time, employers must adhere to state and federal civil rights laws, including the Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA). For employers with 5 or more employees, the FEHA prohibits employment discrimination and harassment on the basis of race, national origin, disability, age (over 40), and other characteristics. The FEHA also requires employers to reasonably accommodate employees with a disability, unless an employer shows undue hardship after engaging in the interactive process. DFEH is providing this guidance to assist employers and employees with frequently asked questions about how to keep workplaces safe during the COVID-19 pandemic while also upholding civil rights. This guidance is based on current public health information and may be updated from time to time, and replaces previous guidance issued on March 20, 2020 and July 24, 2020. This guidance is for informational purposes only and does not create any rights or obligations separate from those imposed by the FEHA and other laws.

 

NEW THIS WEEK! Episode 20 – On today's episode, Dan Crowley speaks with Dave Dworschak, president of Don's Rentals and secretary of the California Rental Association. Dave discusses what it has been like planning events and participating in rental associations across the West Coast. Thanks for listening. Join us for another episode in the next two weeks! See the complete list of Peer Talk episodes. 

 

CRA’s March “4th Wednesday Rental Workshop” will take place via Zoom on the 24th from 2:30 – 4:00 pm. John Weigel will present: “Dispense Propane Safely.” Training for this FREE MEMBER BENEFIT runs for an hour and is followed by a Q&A session. Participants receive a training certificate and have a chance to win a $50 Amazon Gift Card at the raffle held at the end of the workshop. Thank you to Ted Johnson Propane for sponsoring this workshop!

According to the IRS, no matter how workers’ compensation wage loss payments are paid out — weekly or in a lump sum settlement — workers’ compensation is not taxable. The same applies to lump sum payments to survivors. There are only two minor exceptions to this, which we will cover. According to IRS Publication 907, “The following payments are not taxable … Workers’ compensation for an occupational sickness or injury if paid under a workers’ compensation act or similar law.” Also, employees who receive workers’ compensation will not get a W-2 statement, so it’s not necessary for them to include this information when filing taxes.

We can hardly believe it, but our baby, 360 Payments, turns 10 years old today. It feels just like yesterday that Lisa, Jesse, and I were sitting around a spare bedroom conference table, writing our business plan, and stressing about whether or not this idea of starting a payments company could actually be successful. There were many long days, sleepless nights, highs, and lows. Through it all, the one constant has been our amazing team of people who love this company as much as we do, along with all of you, our amazing customers. Everyone here at 360 will be celebrating all week to commemorate this exciting milestone.

   

If you are able and willing, would you please help us celebrate? You could help us with any of the following—Share a favorite memory, story, or picture of one of your interactions with 360 on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/360Payments. Share your experience with 360 on our Google page: https://bit.ly/3bdgFMl. Let a friend know about 360 by telling us about them here: https://www.360payments.com/merchant-referrals/.

 

On behalf of Lisa, Jesse, and the entire team here at 360 Payments, I just want to say THANK YOU! This company would be nothing without the love and support we received from all of you, and we appreciate you more than you know.

 

With Love, Steve Ciabattoni

Anderson Industrial Engines Co., Inc. (AIE) is announcing an expansion of their Kubota Engine and Generator area of responsibility, adding Oregon, Washington, and Alaska, effective 4/1/2021. AIE, headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, with a branch operation in Kansas City, Kansas, and Modesto, California, is recognized as one of Kubota Engine America’s top distributors. Customer inquiry, support, and ordering for the Pacific Northwest will be fulfilled by AIE’s Modesto, CA, location and supported by the Omaha and Kansas City branch locations. AIE brings a team of well seasoned industry professionals that offer engine sales, engineered systems, technical information, on hand service parts, product training, warranty administration, application engineering, and more. A full featured industrial engine distributor, AIE specializes in providing a value added, engineered product in a turnkey package.

CARB is offering free CARB regulatory training that includes seminars on In-Use Off-Road Diesel Vehicle Regulation (March 25 and May 13), Large Spark Ignition (LSI) Fleet Regulation (April 15 and May 27), Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF) Operation & Maintenance (March 18 and May 6), CARB Diesel Truck Rules - Compliance Options and Reporting Requirements for 2021 and Beyond (March 11 and April 29), Air Regulatory Overview for Public Agencies in California (April 1), and more. Click on "Learn more" for information on how to log in to register for a class.

California Air Resources Board (CARB or Board) staff invites you to participate in a public workshop to learn about potential changes to CARB’s small off-road engine (SORE) exhaust and evaporative emission regulations. Potential changes the Board may consider include: tighter criteria air pollutant emission standards and a transition of the SORE category to zero-emission equipment to achieve additional criteria air pollutant emission reductions, addition of a zero-emission generator credit program, improvements to the test procedures to prevent fuel spillage and leakage, and repeal of the variance provision. The workshop will consist of a presentation by staff lasting approximately 45 minutes, followed by a question-and-answer session.

Actions will affect independent contractors, joint-employer relationships.
The U.S. Department of Labor announced on March 11 plans to rescind two final rules that would significantly weaken protections afforded to American workers under the Fair Labor Standards Act. The first Notice of Proposed Rulemaking proposes the withdrawal of the Independent Contractor Final Rule issued by the department on issued on Jan. 7, 2021. The second Notice of Proposed Rulemaking seeks to rescind a current regulation on joint employer relationships under the Fair Labor Standards Act, published in the Federal Register and which took effect on March 16, 2020.

Toyota, Kenworth, the Port of Los Angeles and the California Air Resources Board (CARB) took a big step toward zero-emission trucking on April 22, 2019 when they unveiled the first of Toyota and Kenworth’s jointly developed fuel cell electric heavy-duty trucks (FCET). California has ranked among the leading states that are helping public and private sector fleets transition to electric and zero emission vehicles. Those efforts include regulations to ensure the vehicles are available and incorporated into fleets, incentives to make the move to cleaner technologies more feasible, and education/outreach activities to raise fleets’ awareness of the benefits of zero-emission vehicles and how to make the switch, said Hannah Goldsmith, the lead advisor in Zero Emission Vehicle Market Development at California Governor's Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz). So far, transit agencies in California have been at the forefront of the transition to zero-emission vehicles. SunLine Transit Agency in Thousand Palms, California, for example, began operating hydrogen fuel cell vehicles in 2000 and has since incorporated many hydrogen fuel-cell and battery-electric buses into its fleet. SunLine has also committed to transition its entire fleet to zero-emission technology by 2035, five years ahead of the requirement in the California Air Resource Board’s Innovative Clean Transit Regulation. With its reputation of being on the forefront of clean and zero-emission vehicles, California’s state fleet and many private companies have been increasing their deployment of zero-emission vehicles as well. Click on "Learn more" to see the complete original article.

 

  

Thank you to all who take time to participate in our surveys. CRA uses the information we gather to better serve you. If you have an idea for a survey for CRA members, please send your request to CRA at Info@CalRental.org. This month, we asked members about their experience with CRA's Virtual Rental Rally Tradeshow. 

Maxx Hermann from SRC Party Rentals & Supplies in Grass Valley, CA is the winner of the March Survey Raffle. Congratulations Maxx!