Please join the California Fuel Cell Partnership for a brown-bag webinar update about hydrogen station network development in California.

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Truck owners and operators; you're invited to attend a 2016-2017 One Stop Truck event for compliance assistance and information/resources on clean technology options for compliance!. Our next event is happening in Sacramento on December 14th.

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Tuesday, January 17 and Wednesday, January 18. Click "learn more" for more information.

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CIOMA's Upcoming Calendar of Events

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The USDA just released the SNAP retailer final rule.  

While there were some significant changes from what was originally proposed, the final rule still goes further than Congressional intent. 

Below is a quick summary:

• To continue to accept SNAP benefits at your store you will need to have at least 84 staple food items (not 168 as was proposed) on your shelves regularly starting one year from the date that this rule becomes effective. This minimum stock of 84 items includes: 7 varieties in each of the 4 staple food categories (1. Veggies/fruits 2. Dairy 3. Meat 4. Bread/cereals, with 3 units of each variety.
• If you don't yet accept SNAP benefits at your store, but want to apply to do so, you will need to have at least 84 staple food items on your shelves regularly starting four months from the date that this rule becomes effective. (Should be published in the Federal Register soon)
• Multiple ingredient foods will continue (proposed rule wouldn't count multiple ingredient foods) to be counted as staple foods in the category of their main ingredient.  This means that a can of cream of mushroom soup with a listed main ingredient of "mushrooms" would be considered a staple food in the vegetables or fruits staple food category.
• Also if more than 50% (not 15% as was proposed) of your business's total gross sales come from prepared foods cooked or heated onsite by the retailer, before or after purchase, you will no longer be eligible to accept SNAP benefits;  
• If you are a store owner who accepts SNAP benefits and your store breaks SNAP rules, then your name, the name of your store, and the nature of your violation will be made public starting on the date that this rule becomes effective.
• The rule does not change what food is eligible for purchase with SNAP benefits.

The tables below show the number of items required under the new requirement, the proposed requirement, and the old requirement.

 

	NUMBER OF STAPLE FOOD CATEGORIES	NUMBER OF STAPLE FOOD VARIETIES PER CATEGORY
New Requirement	4	7
Proposed Requirement	4	7
Old Requirement	4	3

 

	NUMBER OF STOCKING UNITS PER VARIETY	TOTAL NUMBER OF FOOD ITEMS REQUIRED
New Requirement	3	84
Proposed Requirement	6	168
Old Requirement	1	12

Earlier this year, Governor Jerry Brown signed into law Senate Bill 3 by State Senator Mark Leno (D-San Francisco). The bill is now Chapter 4 and it amends Sections 245.5, 246 and 1182.12 of the Labor Code. As a result of the enactment of this bill, California’s minimum wage is going up on January 1, 2017 as it eventually makes its way to $15 per hour.

Visit https://www.naylornetwork.com/cio-nwl/articles/index.asp?aid=415543&issueID=46781 to view the full article online.

The California campaign contribution limits have been revised to account for inflation. The new limits are effective as of January 1, 2017, for elections held in 2017 and 2018.

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Our CPA answers some questions you might never have thought to ask.

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When an employee is injured on the job everyone’s first concern is getting immediate medical treatment. A close second is ensuring the best recovery. How much influence do employers have over the recovery and the associated costs? More than you think.

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Is it illegal for your employees to discuss their wages?

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