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ACA/NE News | January 2016
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Legislative Update
Below please find a summary of bills that ACA/NE is monitoring. You can also click here to read the CQ New England Legislative Report. The password for the ACA/NE Members Only website page is sheetmetal.
Massachusetts
H.167 - An Act relative to refrigeration technicians
This bill will require HVAC contractors to obtain a refrigeration license.
Currently HVAC technicians are already required to obtain numerous licenses including those for Plumbers and Gas Fitters, Oil Burner, Sheet Metal, Electricians, and Pipe Fitters. The members are not opposed to licensing and might even support a proposal that would consolidate current licenses or enhance the industry's level of professionalism.
ACA/NE is concerned that if H.167 passes, HVAC contractors will no longer be able to do what they presently do every day and have done for many years without a license. Most residential and small commercial systems are limited to 5 tons or less and an exemption exists for work under 10 tons.
Contractors will also have to pay for all the renewals and the continuing education for the new license, which is considerable. For example, a technician that wants to obtain a sheet metal license must complete 8,000 hours of sheet metal experience, over no less than five years; and complete 750 hours of Board-approved education. This industry like many other trades is suffering from a shortage of workers. This legislation would add to the labor crises.
ACA/NE will work to amend this legislation that would further restrict the industry with this licensing requirement. This requirement seems overly burdensome and outside the intent of Governor Baker's Executive Order # 562 to reduce unnecessary regulatory burdens.
H.3656 - An Act relative to sheet metal work
This bill would amend Section 44F of chapter 149 of the General Laws by adding the words sheet metal work. If passed sheet metal work would be included in the filed sub bid system.
S.161 - An Act further defining gas fitting under the regulation of plumbing
This legislation could be an attempt to redefine the definition of gas fitting. If it passes it could do immeasurable damage to the HVAC industry.
Maine
ME [R] LD 103 - An Act To Recruit New Businesses to Maine by Providing Energy Efficiency Assistance
This bill proposes to create a program using a $5,000,000 fund to help employers lower their energy costs through energy efficiency and weatherization initiatives.
New Hampshire
NH [R] HB 191 - relative to projects which are privately financed in energy efficiency and clean energy districts.
This bill excepts projects which are privately financed in energy efficiency and clean energy districts from dollar amount caps and requirements for a loan loss reserve.
NH [R] HB 205 Relative to lending practices of energy efficiency and clean energy districts.
This bill makes changes in the financing of loans by energy efficiency and clean energy districts.
NH [R] HB 238 - Relative to the energy efficiency implementation plan.
This bill requires the office of energy and planning to include consideration of certain factors when developing the energy efficiency implementation plan.
NH [R] HB 382 - Establishing a committee to study facilitating private investment in energy efficiency and renewable energy.
This bill establishes a committee to study facilitating private investment in energy efficiency and renewable energy
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Meet Chris Morin - New Board Member
The Board of Directors recently welcomed Chris Morin to the ACA/NE leadership team.
Christopher Morin is currently the Eastern MA and RI Area Sales Manager for America's leading ductless manufacturer, Mitsubishi Electric Cooling & Heating. An ACCA approved Residential System Design Instructor, Chris' experience includes instructing contractors and technicians on proper system design and duct testing, both in the classroom and in the field.
Christopher holds a B.S. in Business Management from the University of Phoenix, MA Master Sheet Metal License, BPI Building Analyst & IDL and NATE Certifications in Installation and Service for Heat Pumps, Air-Conditioning, and Gas Furnaces. Chris also serves on the ACA/NE Programming Committee.
Chris took over for Rick Nortz, also from Mitsubishi. Rick retired from board service after serving for several years.
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Legal Update
ACA/NE has retained the services of the law firm Kenney & Sams, P.C. to address an issue relating to the Board of Plumbers and Gas Fitters.
Kenney & Sams has sent a demand letter
to the Board of Plumbers and Gas Fitters to clarify its apparent requirement that certain gas appliance manufacturers include a statement on their product literature that appliances sold in Massachusetts have to be installed by licensed plumbers or gas fitters.
Kenney & Sams will request that any such requirement imposed by the Board be changed to reflect the revised policy negotiated in 2013 between ACA/NE and the Board. Kenney & Sams will work to have the Board of Plumbers and Gas Fitters recognize that their requirement for gas appliance manufacturers is not in keeping with the revised policy ACA/NE had agreed to in 2013.
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The following are three articles provided by
Federated Insurance intended for member education:
Risk Management: A Peek Inside Your Company Culture
Risk management is often thought of as something to do, but just as importantly, it's also something to believe. It's a state of mind that, when shared by everyone in an organization, can enrich the company culture and become a valuable asset to customers.
What impact does a strong culture have?
When that risk management state of mind takes hold, every transaction outside the organization reinforces what the business is all about. Culture impacts business operations such as recruiting, retaining, motivating, reinventing, and continuous improvement. It is a visible representation of your company. Read More....
Is fitness for duty certification legal after FMLA maternity leave?
Question: One of our employees went on maternity leave and wants to return to work a few weeks earlier than planned. Is it required or legal to ask her to bring Fitness for Duty Certification?
Answer: If the employee's leave was taken as baby bonding leave under the protection of the federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), then such leave was not taken in connection with a serious health condition, and as such the employer would not need or necessarily be entitled to a release to return to work, which is by definition inconsistent with a leave that was not taken due to the employee's inability to work. Read More....
What is "virtual estate" planning?
There's a piece of the overall estate planning process that few think about or may even be aware of: planning the handling of their "virtual estate."
If you're part of the majority of Americans who use the Internet for everything from banking to shopping to socializing, you have virtual estate, because these activities require digital accounts complete with a user name and password.
If something should happen to you, what happens to your digital accounts? Who has access? If your family wants to preserve or download the content, will they be able to? Would you want them to? Even with your user IDs and passwords, accessing a deceased person's online accounts may violate service agreements or state or federal law. Today, only seven states have passed laws related to digital assets. Read More....
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Technical Training Conference
February 23, 2016
Sheraton Tara Hotel | Framingham, MA | 8:00 am - 6:30 pm
ACA/NE and Mass Save Heating & Cooling will conduct the third annual HVAC Technical Conference on Tuesday, February 23, 2016.
This conference will include workshops for technicians, office and sales staff, a Sales Marketing Seminar for owners and operators, and the chance for vendors to promote their products and services and network with industry leaders.
Technical Training
This is a great opportunity for technicians to receive refresher training and get ready for the spring and summer busy season.
The Mass Save Heating & Cooling classes will include:
- QIV/AC Check Refresher Class (2 classes)
- QIV/AC Check Online Air Flow Training Video
- MSHP Best Practices for Installation and Charge Verification
- Duct Leakage Testing and Proper Sizing
Management Sales Seminar
What's Hot...and What's Not: 10 Best Practices
of Multi-Million Dollar HVAC Sales Professionals
HVAC sales training guru Tom Piscitelli has coached over 10,000 HVAC owners, comfort advisors and selling technicians on the most effective in-home sales practices. His training philosophy is best described as "soft sell with high skill" where the long-term customer relationship is most important. His workshop will include detailed discussion on these points:
- Setting the Sales Appointment
- Lead Tracking and Follow Up Management
- TRUST® In-Home Sales Process
- How to Manage the Comfort Advisor
- Customer Engagement Skills
- Looking at the House as a System
- Identifying Problems as Opportunities
- Creating BEST BETTER GOOD Choices
- Using Financing to Make the Sale* Closing Techniques
- Objection Handling
- Follow Up to Make the Sale
- Creating Clients for Life
Even one idea, implemented and practiced, can produce hundreds of thousands of increased sales in 2016. Don't miss out!
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Welcome New Members
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M.J. Williams Heating and Air Conditioning Inc.
386 Dugg Hill Rd.
Woodstock, CT 06281
Phone: (508) 949-0035
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Faze1, Inc.
125 Western Ave
Boston, MA 02134
Phone: (617) 520-4508
Chris Williams, Chief Marketing Officer
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Prevett Heating & Cooling
71 Elm Street
Foxboro, MA 02035
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JRD Heating Air Service LLC
22 Spring Street #1
Milford, MA 01757
Phone: (774) 201-1510
Melvin Diaz, Owner
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TCA Distribution
2 Faranas Drive
Salisbury, MA 01952
Phone: (978) 225-2045
Tom Campbell, Sales
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MacFarlane Energy, Inc.
95 Bridge St.
Dedham, MA 02026
Scott MacFarlane, Vice President
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The Fuel Company, Inc.
111 East Falmouth Highway
E. Falmouth, MA 02536
Phone: (508) 548-3030
Rick Swain, General Manager
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