Update! NLRB’s new posting requirement

Yesterday, I sent an email about NLRB’s new posting requirement. About an hour after I sent this I learned that Cal OSHA is stepping up enforcement of its policy to require businesses to have emergency preparedness plans. Quite honestly, I did not know this was a requirement. According to Fred Walter, an employer attorney, he stated that

“In general Cal OSHA is more concerned with written documents taking more care to ensure that employer plans are completely documented “says Fred Walter adding “in the past the inspector would say your plan is weak beef it up” . He goes on to say “Now they are more likely to say you failed to include items six and nine therefore I’m issuing this citation”

The money collected from these citations goes into the general fund. On Bill Financing, which Hank Ryan and Small Business California brought to California small businesses, has been very successful in San Diego due to the work of Frank Spasaro and Southern California Gas/San Diego Gas and Electric. As you will recall this is a financing mechanism for small businesses that allows them to do energy retrofits and pay it back on their energy bill over three to five years at 0% financing. The cost of the retrofit is covered by the savings on their energy bill. To date, San Diego Gas has made almost 900 loans ($20 million) and there have been only 7 defaults. $6.8 million has been paid back and the cost of the defaults is $99,000. Unfortunately, PG&E and Southern California Edison have made very few loans even though they are required by the CPUC to do so.

This morning I received the Coleman report and it appears small business job creation in the US has slipped from 40,000 new jobs in July to 35,000 in August. Mr. Coleman said “Small Business Hiring Slows in August Wages have dipped and employers have reduced hours”. This is certainly disappointing results.

Scott Hauge
President
Small Business California
2311 Taraval Street
San Francisco, CA 94116
shauge@cal-insure.com
415-680-2188