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December 2020
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Chief Executive Officer's Notes
Chris Reardon 
Upcoming Events
Pest Ed Series - VirtualThis year our Pest Ed Series will be a virtual event that will take place from January 12-14, 2021. There will be 9 classes to choose from. Each class will be about 1 hour 20 minutes long and will cost $25. There will be a CEU available for all classes. The schedule and registration can be found HERE Termite Academy - VirtualOur Termite Academy will be a virtual event that will take place Februay 10-11, 2021. The schedule and registration can be found HERE 
Comings & Goings
PCOC Monthly Insurance/Safety Tip
Gig Economy Gets Boost with Proposition 22 Win
With passage of California’s Proposition 22, the gig economy in California, represented by companies like Uber, Lyft, DoorDash and other app-based ride-hailing and delivery services, has secured the right to keep drivers classified as independent contractors. About 58 percent of the more than 11 million Californians who voted in favor of Prop 22 agreed that drivers should be able to maintain their independent status in spite of a labor-friendly Democrat-dominated Legislature that in 2019 passed a law limiting businesses from classifying certain workers as independent contractors. A total of about $225 million was spent by both pro- and anti-Proposition 22 groups, with contributions coming mostly from pro-Proposition 22 sponsors and labor spending only about $20 million. The overall massive amount of money spent on the campaign ended in a critical defeat for labor, which vows to continue to fight to provide drivers with minimum wages, overtime, health insurance and reimbursement for expenses. “The obscene amount of money these multibillion-dollar corporations spent misleading the public doesn’t absolve them of their duty to pay drivers a living wage,” said Art Pulaski of the California Labor Federation in a statement. “The end of this campaign is only the beginning in the fight to ensure gig workers are provided fair wages, sick pay and care when they’re hurt at work.” On the other hand, supporters say the measure allows drivers to maintain their freedom to work hours they choose and provides other benefits. Bill French, 62, a former high school baseball coach who voted for the measure in Huntington Beach, told Insurance Journal, a trade magazine, that he retired early so he could supplement his pay as an Uber driver and work when he wants. “I don’t need them to control me and tell me when I’m going to work and not going to work,” French said. According to language in the bill, drivers will remain independent contractors and the companies that use them will be exempt from having to pay sick leave and expense reimbursement, but it also provides some “alternative benefits,” including a guaranteed minimum wage and subsidies for health insurance if independent contractors average 25 hours of work a week. First California, then NationNow that Proposition 22 has passed in California, efforts are underway to enact similar legislation across the country. “Now, we’re looking ahead and across the country, ready to champion new benefits structures that are portable, proportional, and flexible,” DoorDash Chief Executive Officer Tony Xu said in a statement. In an email to its California customers on Wednesday, Uber said the vote paves the way for a more secure future for app-based workers. “We’ll continue to advocate for drivers everywhere, because we agree that they deserve better,” the email said. In many states it will be an uphill battle to establish a Proposition 22 climate for gig workers. Laws like the California Legislatures’ law limiting businesses from classifying certain workers as independent contractors have already passed in other states, including Illinois, New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Washington and Oregon. In July, Massachusetts sued Uber and Lift over allegedly misclassifying drivers as independent contractors. Although the Department of Labor under the Trump administration has published a rule that would make it easier to classify workers as independent contractors, as President Joe Biden would likely be more sympathetic to Labor. The Reuters News service has calculated that passage of Prop 22 will save Uber and Lyft each more than $392 million per year in California — almost twice what was spent on advocating for passage of the measure. For more information or help, contact the Insurance professionals of the PCOC Insurance Program. Call us at: 877.860.7378. Paul Lindsay
Member News
Did you know that PCOC Safety Committee has a website?We do! It is a great resourse for those looking for answers in regards to Cal/OSHA requirements. Take a look! http://pestmanagementsafety.com PCOC Fundraising Committee has a new look!Check out the new page HERE. You can check out our swag that we have for sale and to make donations to our association. Other Committees that have webpages:Professtional Women in Pest Management (PWIPM) - New pins for sale!!
Advanced Targeting GeoFencing is great because it allows pest management companies to target the areas that mean the most to them. While you may technically offer service to a city, GeoFencing allows you to focus on the residential areas, or the commercial ones (or both!). Pest experts can point to the exact neighborhoods that they want to serve the most. The geo-fence “activates” whenever someone’s wifi-enabled device falls into your target area - prospects don't receive any notice about this automated process. In a world where everyone carries their smart phones along with them, this is how smart business operators grow their operation! Sound creepy yet? Well, it may feel that way. But these days, smart pest control companies are using every tool they can to leverage more relationships and more referrals – you should be doing the same. Logistics If you aren’t already keeping a list of important addresses, now is the time to start. Think about the locations that you would want to leave your business card at, and jot down those addresses, zip codes, etc. With any style of marketing, you get the most out of it when you narrow down your audience and build data on your prospects. While strategies are always changing, the goal of marketing remains the same: get your pest control company’s information in front of the people that need your services. To drive more referrals and business, GeoFencing is the way to go for the modern small business. Give Market Hardware a call to learn more about how we can help you! Contact us today if you’re interested and want more information! You can email PCOC@markethardware.com or call (888) 381-6925. New Members
Help us WELCOME OUR NEW MEMBERS!!!
Frequently Requested Information
Frequently Asked For WebsitesDepartment of Fish & Game Department of Food & Agriculture California Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR) DPR on Facebook DPR on YouTube (see "playlists" for videos pertaining to new surface water regulations) DPR on Twitter DPR LinkedIn Healthy Schools Act Structural Pest Control Board Find Your Legislator NPMA's QualityPro Accrediation Application 
One Thing in Web Marketing
GeoFencing: The Secret to Driving New Pest Control Customer Calls2020 certainly has been the year of curveballs, especially for smaller pest management businesses. And when you pair all of this uncertainty with businesses that primarily work face-to-face with customers, Plan B turns to C turns to…..you get the picture! In today’s world, where in-person interactions are becoming less common, there’s a newer and smarter way to get your pest control company’s information in front of the folks that should see it. GeoFencing is one of the most powerful ways to drive up leads and referrals in an efficient and cost-effective way. In short, GeoFencing is the best way for you to hand over your business card - but digitally, on smartphones, tablets and computers! We know that digital marketing tactics are always changing, and it can be hard to keep up. That’s why we’re going to break GeoFencing down step-by-step! Display Ads Even if you don’t think you are familiar with Display Ads (also known as online banner ads), you likely interact with them on a daily basis. Display ads are digital banners that are aimed at qualified prospects as they navigate the internet. A classic example is when you look up a favorite tool on Google, and you suddenly see ads on different Websites (Facebook, ESPN, your preferred news provider) all about that tool and where you can buy it. Retailers are able to track people that are looking for their products online. By Googling “hammer,” you are highlighted as a possible sales opportunity. Thus, hammer-related ads make their way onto your screen throughout different sites.
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Good Bye 2020, hope to never see a year like this again! I think with this year nearly behind us and the COVID-19 vaccine available, we finally see light at the end of the tunnel. We hope that you all continue to be safe through the next few months and we at PCOC wish all of you a very happy holiday season for you and your families. We’re keeping our fingers crossed that we all will finally see each other sometime in 2021 and once again thank all of you for your help during this challenging year not only for PCOC but all Californians and our great country. 
The California bill won a sizeable yes vote in the elections and its proponents want to take the campaign nationwide. 
