Articles

from the CEA Weekly Update, California Employers Association

On December 21, 2009 the President signed the Department of Defense Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2010 (“Defense Act”) extending the COBRA subsidy.

Contributed by Eddie Bernacchi, Politico Group

SACRAMENTO – Year after year construction contractors have watched counties perform an enormous amount of “new” road construction with maintenance crews, while circumventing competitive bidding laws by using what is commonly called the “Road Commissioner” authority. This outdated statute allows counties to self perform road construction projects, ignoring accounting procedures and contracting out requirements.

In 1992, the State of California Department of Water Resources (DWR) adopted a water-efficient landscape ordinance, which was established as a voluntary model for application by local municipal and special-district water agencies (Assembly Bill AB 235). The City of Redding opted not to adopt such an ordinance and made findings, based on climatic and topographical conditions and water availability, that a water-efficient landscape ordinance was unnecessary.

from Kevin Pedrotti, Legislative Advocate, Golden State Builders Exchanges

Raucous CARB Meeting

After six hours of testimony from over 80 witnesses, the state Air Resources Board last week signaled it may delay rules aimed at curbing toxic diesel soot from trucks. Despite that possible delay, a majority of the board stated they still expect truckers to eventually replace older rigs or retrofit the dirtiest engines. That would most likely happen in 2014, when the state must startcomplying with more stringent federal clean-air requirements.

The Internal Revenue Service issued the 2010 optional standard mileage rates used to calculate the deductible costs of operating an automobile for business, charitable, medical or moving purposes.

by Michael Kissinger, Swords to Plowshares, San Francisco

There are many reasons to consider hiring US Military Veterans, including  additional tax credits which may run up to $8,000 for every new hire; per hire, and are a one for one dollar credit against the employer's income taxes payable.
 

By Sam K. Abdulaziz, Abdulaziz, Grossbart & Rudman

Harry Moos, Executive Vice President of PHCC of California, contacted me concerning referral fees and the concerns of other contractors.  We are told that legitimate contractors are being bombarded by others as a result of perceived illegal actions.

Business and Professions Code Section 7157 deals with compensation or reward for referral sales.  It also sets out some exceptions.  The following is a shortened statement of the law:

From HRCaliforniaExtra, California Chamber of Commerce, Oct. 29, 2009

The 2009 legislative agenda was focused on California's budget, economy and water issues. However, there are some new employment laws for 2010, and a large number of cases that may impact your business and your policies, going forward. These changes include: