Jan Teague

President/CEO

360.943.9198, ext. 19

jteague@retailassociation.org

Mark Johnson

Vice President of Government Affairs

360.943.9198, ext. 15

mark.johnson@retailassociation.org

Tammie Hetrick

Vice President of Retail Services (RASI)

360.943.9198, ext. 13

tammie@retailassociationservices.com  

Jim Szymanski

Report from conference on legislative leadership

By Jan Teague, President/CEO

I'm attended a two-day business conference in Olympia this week where state legislators are talking about how they'll  address the challenges the state faces in the years ahead.

Adopting a budget and paying for the state's mounting education requirements are at the top of the agenda.

Rep. Larry Springer, the deputy Majority Leader for Jobs and Economic Development, estimated that budget discussions would take up three quarters of the time allotted in the 105-day session set to end on April 28. The current working number for a budget revenue shortfall lawmakers face is $2.8 billion, Springer said.

It's also evident that the Senate and House of Representatives disagree on honoring the voters' insistence that any new taxes will require a two-thirds supermajority vote to be approved in the Legislature. The Senate's majority coalition is prepared to honor the voters' wishes while budget leaders in the House aren't going along. Regardless, the Senate's commitment to the two-thirds majority standard bodes well for businesses and others concerned about tempering any drive for new taxes.

Despite party differences, leaders of the Senate's majority coalition said they were committed to engaging Republicans and Democrats in the budget process. Also, those legislators attending the conference said they were committed to working out their differences and completing their political agendas in time for the Legislature to adjourn on time this session.

Though there is disagreement, members of both houses do agree that promoting job growth, deepening investments in education and passing a budget would dominate debate this session.

During one discussion, an audience member who owns a business noted that the state's minimum wage had risen from $8.59 an hour to $9.19 the past three years. This increase, she said, made it impossible for her to hire teens anymore. She urged the Legislature to act upon reining in annual state minimum wage increases.

Sen. Rodney Tom told the businesswoman about the WRA-backed bills in the House and Senate that would allow for a temporary reduced minimum "training wage" for new hires. He urged his colleagues in the House to discuss the proposals, HB 1150 and SB 5275.

Job creation will be important to helping the state economy recover, said House Minority Leader, Rep. Richard DeBolt.

Students finding jobs and adults getting out of unemployment lines boost wealth and encourage spending, the largest single contributor to a healthy economy, DeBolt said.

Gov. Inslee urges cooperation between business and education

In a speech to business leaders today, Gov. Jay Inslee asked for cooperation in his efforts to reform education so that students are better prepared to qualify for the jobs of tomorrow.

Education reform, he said, will be key toward improving the state's economy.

"The best way I can help the economy is through education," Inslee said in a speech at Olympia's Red Lion hotel. "Human capital means everything."

Inslee said he would be revealing specific proposals for education reform in the next few weeks. He said the state's K-12 and higher education institutions these days poorly prepare students for the science and technology jobs of tomorrow. WRA President/CEO Jan Teague and Mark Johnson, VP Government Affairs, attended the meeting where Inslee spoke.

Though Boeing has high demand for engineers, Inslee said, "We can't get kids through engineering school."

Inslee said he would propose performance metrics for teachers to hold the education system accountable for more closely matching the skills of students to the needs of employers in the years ahead.

The state also needs to find more effective ways to pay for health care, which Inslee said currently is draining funds that could go to make gains in education. To start reform in this area, Inslee said Washington should accept federal funds to expand Medicaid coverage instead of having the state bear those expenses.

Inslee also repeated his commitment to "disruptive change" in streamlining state government to make it more efficient and productive. As an example, he said speeding the permitting process on construction projects would reduce costs and strengthen the economy.

Sales tax holiday for back to school has hearing

By Mark Johnson, Vice President of Government Affairs

WRA will work with individual committee members to address any concerns in an effort to have the bill voted out of committee before the March 1 fiscal committee cut-off.

Seven people testified in support of the legislation including Speaker Moeller; Jan Teague, President/CEO of WRA; Rhoa Rafeh, an Olympia mom who lived in Mississippi and experienced the sales tax holiday there; Amber Carter, Tax Policy Specialist for the Association of Washington Business; Patrick Connor, State Director of the National Federation of Independent Business; Paul Montague, President, Identity Clark County; and myself.  To cap off the testimony, a short news report video from Missouri's sales tax holiday in 2012 was shown to highlight the excitement and benefits to families with school age children, retailers and the state.

The Washington Economics Group released a study in December 2011 that showed a sales tax holiday in Washington State could potentially generate $113 million in new economic activity from the sale of non-exempt items, the hiring of employees to work the sales and the advertising that takes place before the sale. 

Retailers in states with sales tax holidays have seen an increase in their overall sales. Customers in these states love these holidays and look forward to them each year.

Isn't it time Washington State joins in with 19 other states and adopts as sales tax holiday for back to school?  Please support HB 1329.

Legislature reaches quarter pole

Today on Day 24 of the 2013 session the Legislature nears the finish of the first quarter of its scheduled 105-day session.

At this point, WRA has its eyes on a couple hundred bills that could have some affect on our membership. A few workers' compensation reforms already have received a favorable Senate vote before moving on to the House.

Here's a brief review of key bills and their status at this point:

**Senate bills 5112, 5128 and 5127 passed the Senate this week, all with WRA support. The cost-saving measures would allow Retro programs to help the state in scheduling medical exams, remove age barriers for case settlements and change compensation for injured workers. The items now head to the House for further debate and action.

**A Senate executive committee has recommended approval of SB 5275, calling for a temporary reduced minimum wage for new hires and trainees. This bill is among WRA's top priorities this session.

**A Senate executive committee has recommended passage of SB 5159, to repeal the state's unfunded paid family leave law.

WRA on KING 5 in support of "flash rob" bill

The crimes involve robbers who organized through social media before showing up at a store to rob it all at once. Teague commented on the need for the bill during a television report last week. In case you missed it, go to KING 5 to watch the report.

Source: KING 5 TV

WRA presents members with new free webinars this year

WRA, in cooperation with the Council of State Retail Associations, will again present a series of free educational webinars this spring and early summer. For the first time this year, the Retail University webinars will be hosted twice the same day to be more convenient for participants.

The webinars are presented free as a benefit of WRA membership. Please click on the links to register.

This year's topics are:

*What retailers must know about health care reform, on March 12 - 6:30 a.m. MT / 5:30 a.m. PT (Webinar 1) or 9:30 a.m. MT / 8:30 a.m. PT (Webinar 2)

*Intro to Social and Mobile Media Marketing, on April 24 - 6:30 a.m. MT / 5:30 a.m. PT (Webinar 1) or 9:30 a.m. MT / 8:30 a.m. PT (Webinar 2)

*How small retailers can recognize and prevent shoplifting, on May 21 - 6:30 a.m. MT / 5:30 a.m. PT (Webinar 1) or 9:30 a.m. MT / 8:30 a.m. PT (Webinar 2)

*Intermediate Mobile and Social Media Marketing, on June 27 - 6:30 a.m. MT / 5:30 a.m. PT (Webinar 1) or  9:30 a.m. MT / 8:30 a.m. PT (Webinar 2).

The format will include 30-45 minute presentations with available time for questions. Participants can listen only by phone, but a computer will be required to see the complete presentation and to ask questions.

Please contact Jan Teague, WRA's President/CEO, if you have questions at 360-943-9198, Ext. 19 or a jteague@retailassociation.org.

WRA urges approval of two workers' comp bills

Besides a trio of workers' comp reform bills passed by the Senate this week, WRA is urging the approval of two others.

SB 5124 would simplify the calculation of wages and benefits. SB 5126 would fix a court decision that restricts reimbursements received by Labor & Industries in third party relief cases.

Both bills are important in enacting 2011 reforms to save time and expenses in the state workers' compensation system. Those savings then can be passed along to retailers and help to stabilize their finances.

"We need the votes on these two good bills," said Tammie Hetrick, WRA's VP of Retail Services. "They would correct some serious problems in the (L&I) department."

NRF website sorts through health care reform requirements

A National Retail Federation website is a good resource for companies large and small working to plan and comply with expected national health care reforms.

The site explains possible penalties, definitions of employee categories and current concerns in the business community. Visit the site at www.retailmeansjobs.com/healthcare.

Federal mediators help reach agreement to avert port strikes

A federal mediator has announced tentative agreement on a labor contract to avert possible strikes at East Coast and Gulf ports.

The issue is crucial so that retailers can continue receiving supplies that originate overseas.

The Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service entered talks last September between the United States Maritime Alliance and the International Longshoremen's Association. A ratification vote by union members is expected sometime in March.

Visit mediator to read more regarding last weekend's update announcement. To date, all sides in the talks have declined to discuss details of an agreement.

Source: Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service

WRA shipping service redesigns, improves websites

Our national partner, PartnerShip, unveiled a new company website and an improved, separate shipping website.

The new company website includes new content, live chat, an employee directory and the ability to buy discounted shipping supplies. The new shipping site has streamlined the enrollment process.

As a WRA member, you could begin saving up to 27 percent on select FedEx shipping services by joining a new shipping service free of charge.

And considering new annual shipping rate increases from major carriers, it's a good time to check out WRA's agreement with PartnerShip, a national freight management company committed to reducing shipping costs particularly for small businesses.

Savings from the new shipping program can, of course, help you to offset the cost of your WRA membership dues.

The program is available to all WRA members with no minimum shipping requirements or obligations. Enrolled customers can save up to 27 percent on select FedEx services and at least 70 percent on less-than-truckload freight shipments arranged through PartnerShip.

"The new WRA Shipping Program makes a great addition to our menu of services designed to save our members money," said WRA President/CEO Jan Teague. "This program is clearly advantageous to all WRA members."

New report explores state school funding

A report released last week by The Washington Research Council shows how Washington compares with nine other states regarding funding for schools.

The 27-page report offers context for the Legislature's debate this year to address the McCleary court decision's finding that the state is not adequately funding schools. It compares Washington's performance to California, Colorado, Connecticut, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, North Carolina, and Virginia.

The report examines how Washington pays for schools, compares outcomes per capita with the other states and examines the part education funding plays in the state budgeting process.

To read the complete report, click here. 

Legislature experiments with online comments on bills

The Legislature this year has added an online comment option for bills under consideration in addition to the traditional telephone hotline it continues to offer the public.

The "e-comments" feature currently is a pilot program, said Gerry Sheehan of the Legislative Information Center. In order to make comments for or against a bill, computer users must first go to www.leg.wa.gov and enter the bill number after clicking on the "bill information" tab. Once on the information page, users have the option of clicking on a link to register a comment. The software requires the user to know a bill number before making a comment.

Users will be required to create an account the first time they use the comment system and provide residential information to determine their legislative district. The software then targets comments to specific representatives. Sheehan said the personal background will not be sold to anyone nor otherwise be made available to third parties for commercial purposes.

This service is in addition to the Legislative hotline, 1.800.562.6000. Because the hotline staff is limited, it often takes too long to receive an answer and some discouraged callers give up, Sheehan said. The web-based feature allows for round the clock availability without waiting.

For more information, contact Sheehan at gerry.sheehan@leg.wa.gov. 

Temporary health exchange website launched

The Washington Health Benefit Exchange this week launched a website to begin answering questions about how health care reform will work in the state. The new site will evolve into the online portal where customers will be able to compare policies available to them.

Washington is one of a dozen states that elected to establish its own health care exchange accessible through the website, www.wahbexchange.org. The site will begin enrolling customers on Oct. 1 for health insurance policies that will take effect on January 1, 2014.

The new temporary site will "re-launch" in the same location later this year.

Any questions or comments about the site or the enrollment process can be directed to info@wahbexchange.org or by calling 360-407-4100.

Workshops scheduled for businesses holding unclaimed property

Revenue will conduct a series of workshops around the state for businesses holding unclaimed property such as paychecks, utility deposits, bank accounts, refunds and contents of safe deposit boxes.

Visit workshops to view the 2013 schedule of seminars and to register online. Businesses are required to report unclaimed property after losing contact with owners for an extended period, generally three years.

There are workshops scheduled this month in Bothell and Seattle before moving around the state through October. Questions may be directed to UCP@dor.gov. Businesses with assets to claim can search at http://claimyourcash.org.

Source: Department of Revenue

Safety tip: (one in a series)

Any retailer involved in food preparation and sale needs to learn state legal requirements designed to protects hands from injury.

Especially in the cutting of meat and preparation of sandwiches, retailers would fall far short of state requirements by simply handing out knives and asking employees to go to work.

The state has specific requirements and directives designed to protect hands from serious injury during the use of a knife or other food cutting tools. A Division of Occupational Safety and Health directive requires retailers to perform a safety assessment before deciding whether an employee performing food preparation needs hand protection. See state code for general hand protection guidelines in the workplace. The codes aim to identify protections against harmful substances, cuts, punctures, burns and temperature extremes.

Also, visit directive to review the state's advice regarding hand protection.

WRA employs Maria Justin as a safety advisor available to members to help in drawing up safety plans, identifying ideas for safety meetings and performing workplace safety visits. Contact her at 360-943-9198, Ext. 21 or at maria@retailassociationservices.com.