Feds Accept Governors Sandy Disaster Recovery Action Plan

Stronger New Jersey Business Grants Available Soon!

Today, Governor Chris Christie and U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Shaun Donovan announced HUD's approval of New Jersey's Disaster Recovery Action Plan. The Action Plan outlines how the State will utilize $1.8 billion in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding to help homeowners, renters, businesses and communities impacted by Superstorm Sandy. 

Governor Christie has called on the EDA to advance the CDBG-funded programs that will support the recovery of New Jersey's storm-impacted businesses and communities. As a result of today's HUD approval, in the coming days EDA will be launching the first of its CDBG-funded business recovery programs - the Stronger New Jersey Business Grant Program. This program will provide up to $50,000 to small businesses and not-for-profit organizations that sustained physical damage from Superstorm Sandy.  

For more information regarding this grant program, please visit

http://application.njeda.com/strongernjbusiness. 

Help spreading the word about these programs will be instrumental to business recovery in New Jersey, Please share this information with your membership and encourage them to register for program updates so they can be the first to know as these programs launch. More Info Here  The EDA Office of Recovery can be reached at 1-855-SANDY-BZ (1-855-726-3929).

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Contracting and Tax Accountability Act Heads To Senate

113TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION H. R. 882

"To prohibit the awarding of a contract or grant in excess of the simplified acquisition threshold unless the prospective contractor or grantee certifies in writing to the agency awarding the contract or grant that the contractor or grantee has no seriously delinquent tax debts, and for other purposes".

The U.S. House of Representatives unanimously passed House Resolution 882, Titled the Contracting and Tax Accountability Act of 2013.” The bill would ban the government from awarding contracts and grants unless the bidder certifies in writing that the individual or company does not have “seriously delinquent tax debts.” Rather than focusing on any tax debt of the company, the certification also focuses on the tax debt(s) of the individuals running the company.

The Legislation would ban the award of a contract to a “person with a seriously delinquent tax debt.” A corporation violates this standard if an officer or shareholder with a controlling interest in the company has an outstanding tax debt for which a notice of lien has been filed. A tax debt will not be considered “seriously delinquent” if it is being paid in through a payment agreement with the IRS or if there is a hearing request pending. 

The full text of the Legislation can be found here.

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Insurers Warn of Obamacare-Induced Sticker Shock

Health Actuaries: Obamacare Rates Expected To Soar

Few aspects of the Affordable Care Act are more critical to its success than affordability, but in recent weeks experts have predicted costs for some health plans could soar next year.

Health law supporters are pushing back noting close ties between the actuaries making the forecasts and an insurance industry that has been complaining about taxes and other factors it says will lead to rate shock for consumers. The laws supporters ignore one elementary and simple fact. When costs rise for insurers those costs are passed along to consumers in the form of higher premiums. Read More

There is some good news for Electrical Contractors and some Businesses

Electrical Contractors and Businesses that are partnered with them have an opportunity for significant savings on their health care benefits. NJECPAC Partner Association New Jersey IEC has joined Association Master Trust (AMT). AMT is an unique not for profit multi-Association Health Benefits Plan offering a multitude of Medical and Dental plans at group rates. 

Even one person Companies that would not otherwise qualify for group rates under NJ Law are eligible for Group Rates on their Health Insurance through AMT. AMT utilizes the Blue Cross Provider Network and includes 'Blue Card' which includes the Blue Cross World Wide Network of Service Providers. 

AMT for Electrical Contractors is available exclusively through New Jersey IEC. Participants in AMT have seen Group plan savings in the hundreds and even thousands of dollars.  

For more information visit www.NJ-IEC.org or contact New Jersey Independent Electrical Contractors by phone at (973) 467-0027, fax: (973) 467-4066, email: executivedirector@nj-iec.org

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Tell Governor Chris Christie To Veto Expansion If Project Labor Agreements

Urge Gov. Christie to Oppose Project Labor Agreements (PLA's) on Hurricane Sandy Relief Projects. PLA's mandate union only labor on public and private projects reducing fair market competition by 80%. A bill currently on Governor Christie’s desk would expand project labor agreements (PLAs) to bridges, roads, and water and sewer treatment plants that were damaged in the wake of Hurricane Sandy.

PLA's have been proven to add an additional 30% to the cost of Public and private construction. This is particularly troubling with the limited amount of funding to go around to make the repairs caused by Super Storm Sandy. PLA's will cause a funding shortfall that could leave some areas in ruins or at the very least cause long delays in repairs until an increase in taxpayer funding can be secured. 

The Independent Electrical Contractors (IEC) National Association (www.ieci.org) and New Jersey-IEC (www.nj-iec.org) have established a quick and easy way for you to voice your opposition to this Legislation to the Governor. Please personalize the email to your company. For example, where you are located, how many employees, how long you have been in business, etc. 

Special thanks to IEC VP of Government Affairs Alexis Moch for facilitating this easy way for anyone to make their voice heard. 

Click Here to log in and send your message: 

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CDW RESPONDS TO OBAMA NLRB NOMINATIONS

National Coalition Disappointed In President’s NLRB Selections

The Coalition for a Democratic Workplace has issued the following statement on behalf of Chairman Geoffrey Burr in response to reports that President Obama will add nominations that would create a National Labor Relations Board that includes Mark Pearce, Richard Griffin, Sharon Block:

“Today, the President failed workers and employers alike with his insincere proposal to reconstitute the National Labor Relations Board, an important workplace-related federal agency. If the President actually was serious about establishing a functioning NLRB for workers and employers, he would not have nominated Richard Griffin and Sharon Block, who accepted unconstitutional appointments and then chose to remain in those illegal appointments after a federal court vacated their tenure. Ms. Block and Mr. Griffin’s actions have caused unnecessary uncertainty in labor relations and our economy and, as a result, they are not suitable candidates. Read More

Make Your Voice Heard, Write Your Legislators Here

The Coalition for a Democratic Workplace is a coalition of workers, employers, associations and organizations who are fighting to protect the right to a federally supervised private ballot when workers are deciding whether or not to join a union. We are opposed to the so-called Employee Free Choice Act because it would strip Americans of that right and replace it with a system where your vote is no longer private, and it is made public to your employer, the union organizers and your co-workers.

More recently, appointees on the National Labor Relations Board have pushed Big Labor’s agenda to enact key portions of EFCA and EFCA-lite replacements through executive action and regulation. The aim of these efforts is to decrease the ability for employers to speak to employees, to decrease the ability of employees to access information from both sides and make an informed choice, and thereby increase the number of dues-paying union members. 

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Small Businesses Misunderstand Health Care Mandate

Survey: Small businesses misunderstand health care mandate 

A new survey shows that many small businesses misunderstand the employer mandate of the Affordable Care Act, which affects only businesses with the equivalent of at least 50 full-time workers. More than half of the 259 survey respondents -- all of whom do not meet the mandate threshold -- mistakenly thought they would be subject to the mandate. Read More On Bloomberg Businessweek | Read More At Entrepreneur online

The mandate is just the beginning of what is ahead for small businesses. Just one repercussion is every business will have to pay $63 per year for each employee and employee dependent on their company health care plan for each of the next three years. This is to pay for preexisting conditions that are now mandated to be covered under the law. 

The question remains how could these businesses not know how this law will effect them. One reason is many small business owners could not be bothered to belong to a credible Business Association within their field that would have provided them with National Regulatory and Legislative info important to them and their businesses. That is really the only viable explanation how these business owners could possibly be unaware of what Obamacare would mean to them and their businesses. 

They chose not to belong to save a few bucks on Association Dues, or perhaps because they believe they don't have the time or they believe that they do not need to belong to a National Association and prefer to belong to their local social club. They are full of Excuses, we have heard them all but now, they will pay for their isolation. Unlike Business Associations, Government laws and regulations offer NO Return on Investment. 

In addition to offering Association Group Healthcare for Electrical Contractors, The only Electrical Contractors Association in New Jersey offering State and National Regulatory and Legislative Affairs exclusively for Merit Shop Electrical Contractors is New Jersey IEC. 

New Jersey IEC has retained a Lobbyist in New Jersey and is represented by IEC's Vice President of Government Affairs on Staff at the IEC National Office in Alexandria Virginia. 

NJECPAC has partnered with New Jersey IEC to provide the most important of the myriad of Regulations and Legislative mandates effecting Electrical Contractors to NJECPAC member Organizations. 

Find more information on New Jersey IEC and Association Group Health Benefits for Electrical Contractors Here

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NJECPAC Member Organization Named Legislative Chapter of the Year

NJECPAC Member Organization New Jersey IEC Awarded the Coveted IEC National Legislative Chapter of the Year Award for The Fourth Consecutive Year

2012 National President Bobby Tutor
NJ-IEC VP Joseph Hovanec Jr.
IEC Board Member Janet Martin  

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – The Independent Electrical Contractors, Inc. (IEC) is pleased to announce that New Jersey IEC (NJ-IEC) received the Legislative Chapter of the Year Award during the 55^th Annual IEC National Convention & Electric Expo in Fort Worth, Texas. 

NJ-IEC was recognized for its work with the Department of Community Affairs and the New Jersey Licensing Board to affirm that solar installations qualify as electrical work that requires proper licensing and permits. In addition, legislative bills providing much needed tax relief to New Jersey businesses were passed and the Chapter, working with the Governor’s office, is looking ahead for additional tax relief bills to be passed.

“I congratulate New Jersey IEC for its prestigious IEC Legislative Chapter of the Year Award,” said Thayer Long, IEC National Executive Vice President/CEO. “Their strong and diligent presence in the legislative arena work to keep IEC contractors competitive and strong in the marketplace.”

The Legislative Chapter of the Year Award is presented each year during the IEC National Convention & Electric Expo to recognize an IEC chapter that has made significant strides in achieving IEC’s legislative goals by pursuing legislative and regulatory initiatives that seek to promote and support the merit shop philosophy.  For more information, please visit www.ieci.org.

Established in 1957, IEC is a trade association representing nearly 3,000 members with 60 chapters nationwide. Headquartered in Alexandria, Va., IEC is the nation’s premier trade association representing America’s independent electrical and systems contractors. IEC National aggressively works with the industry to establish a competitive environment for the merit shop – a philosophy that promotes the concept of free enterprise, open competition and economic opportunity for all. 

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House GOP Leaders Urge President to Fix Broken NLRB

House Republican Leaders Urge President Obama to Fix a Broken National Labor Relations Board House Republicans leaders this week urged President Obama to work with the U.S. Senate to confirm four qualified individuals to the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). The letter is in response to a unanimous decision by a federal appeals court that ruled President Obama’s controversial recess appointments to the board unconstitutional. The Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions held a hearing Wednesday on the NLRB appointments, during which witnesses described how the president’s action has tainted the board’s work.  Read More. The Republican leaders also sent a letter to NLRB Chairman Mark Pearce, insisting the board cease all activity until members sufficient to meet a quorum are confirmed by the U.S. Senate or the U.S. Supreme Court rules on the constitutionality of the appointments. The letters from Republican leaders are part of a broad effort to mend a dysfunctional federal labor board. To read the full letters, click here and here. Kline: Unconstitutional NLRB Appointment Scheme Creates Uncertainty for All Americans BACKGROUND: In January 2012, President Obama installed three recess appointments to the board while Congress was regularly meeting in pro forma session. The president’s appointments were unprecedented and legal challenges were filed in federal court questioning whether they were constitutionally valid. In January, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia determined that intrasession recess appointments – including the president’s NLRB appointments – are unconstitutional. Actions by the board are now under a cloud of legal uncertainty that will negatively affect America’s workers and job creators. More from E&W Republicans: Kline Op-Ed: Obama's tactics taint labor board

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IEC Presence on DOL’s Advisory on Apprenticeship Sways PLA Discussion

During a recent Working Group conference call with the Department of Labor’s (DOL) Advisory on Apprenticeship, a discussion emerged on the use of Project Labor Agreements (PLA) and Community Labor Agreements (CLA).

The proposal was issued during the call, stating that language should be included in communications between the DOL and Housing and Urban Development that would favorably mention the use of PLAs and CLAs as the best way to promote job growth in Job Corps related programs and their ties with apprenticeship programs.

IEC’s Vice President of Training & Education Bob Baird was on the call and was able to voice his concerns on this proposal, stating that the biased perspective would not benefit apprentices of merit shop contractors, thus hurting job growth. After this discussion, it was agreed upon to consider incorporating more balanced language to benefit both union and non-union apprenticeship programs and their support for pre-apprenticeship programs such as Job Corps.

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Governor Christie Opts For Federally Administered Health Exchange For NJ

Governor Christie Outlines Path Forward to Best Maintain New Jersey's Delivery of Excellent Healthcare to Residents

Federally Administered Health Exchange Is Most Responsible Choice

Trenton, NJ – Continuing with his commitment to comply with the mandates of the Affordable Care Act in a manner that protects the best interests of New Jersey and its Citizens, Governor Christie has given formal notice to the federal Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) that New Jersey is opting to put in place a federally administered Exchange for Plan Year 2014.

Read Letter to Kathleen Sebelius Here

Under the Christie Administration, New Jersey has already taken numerous significant steps to comply with the federal mandates under the Affordable Care Act, 

· In December of 2012, New Jersey selected an Essential Health Benefits Benchmark plan, as required under the Affordable Care Act.

· New Jersey has successfully implemented NJ Protect, a federally subsidized health insurance program for individuals with pre-existing health conditions. 

· New Jersey is in the final stages of modernizing our Medicaid and social service eligibility information systems, which will work with the federal exchange, through the Consolidated Assistance Support System (CASS). 

· In 2011, New Jersey was certified as operating an “Effective Rate Review Program” in all insurance markets. The certification meets a requirement of the Affordable Care Act and confirms that consumers are paying reasonable rates.

·The State of New Jersey worked with the Obama Administration to protect access to the state’s most affordable insurance coverage, “Basic and Essential” coverage utilized by approximately two-thirds of the 145,000 New Jerseyans covered by individual insurance in New Jersey, a coverage option threatened under the provisions of the Affordable Care Act.

· In October of 2012, New Jersey secured approval of our Comprehensive Medicaid Waiver in order to preserve New Jersey’s Medicaid program for the most vulnerable. The waiver allows the Christie Administration to move forward with bold, innovative reforms to decrease the cost of care, improve quality and delivery through integrated, managed care, and offer premium payment assistance for needy families. Read More Here

         

·       Previously, Governor Christie declined to establish a state run exchange citing the many critical, open policy questions before states – even as federally imposed deadlines loomed to make far-reaching and significant decisions with respect to implementation of provision of the Affordable Care Act. View The Governors concerns detailed in his S-2135 Veto Message Here. 

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