March 14, 2016

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Retail Day At The Capitol
Retailers From Across The State To Meet Legislative Leaders April 14; Register Now At No Cost  

Your story meets your legislators at the Minnesota Retailers Association's I am RETAIL Day At The Capitol. Our half-day begins with a breakfast featuring legislative leaders at Union Depot in St. Paul followed by conversations with legislators at the State Capitol. (Participants can attend either the breakfast or legislative visits, or both.) 

With one in four jobs in Minnesota directly connected to retail, our elected officials now more than ever need to understand the impact of their decisions on retail businesses.
 
I Am RETAIL Day At The Capitol
Thursday, April 14
7:30 a.m. - noon 

No cost to attend. Hot breakfast served. RSVP requested by April 2. Non-members welcome.
 
Are you a chamber of commerce or association that wants to bring a group? We'd love that. Click here for details. 
 
Interested in sponsoring? Click here for details. 
  
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Local Actions
Will St. Paul Be Pressured To Follow Minneapolis' Lead On Mandatory Paid Leave?

From Minnpost.com, Peter Callaghan, March 11, 2016


"With a work group in Minneapolis just completing its examination of paid leave - and a similar effort in St. Paul just getting underway - it appears both cities could adopt mandatory leave policies for local businesses this year.

But as the state's two largest cities - home to an estimated labor force of 485,000 - move toward requiring employers to provide paid leave, a bigger question is emerging for those who employ people in both cities: will the rules be similar enough to make the administration of the law easier, if not exactly easy? After all, business owners who employ workers in and outside the city of Minneapolis have already complained about the potential headaches of having some employees accruing sick leave under the law while others don't.

There is also an even more complicated possibility. Employers who have workers in Minneapolis, in St. Paul, and elsewhere in the metro could essentially have three categories of workers - those accruing leave under a policy in Minneapolis, those accruing leave under different rules in St. Paul, and those not accruing at all.

Bruce Nustad, the president of the Minnesota Retailers Association, which has members in both cities is an alternate member of the Minneapolis task force, said it is important for the rules to be the same. Doing things differently would lead to confusion for workers and difficulty for employers. But he said he thinks St. Paul will take its own path and that to reconcile the two will require conversations between the two cities. Given the timing, it could require Minneapolis to change some of its rules.

That potential is a reason why Minneapolis should have a longer implementation period for whatever ordinance it adopts - perhaps up to a year, Nustad said."

 
Remembering...
Martin Sabo Was A 'Strong But Civil' Leader Who Led By Example And Built A Legacy

From the StarTribune, Paul Walsh, March 13, 2016   

Martin Olav Sabo, the longtime member of Congress from Minneapolis who championed transportation projects and played a crucial role in one of the hardest-fought budget battles of the past quarter-century, died Sunday.


Sabo died at Abbott Northwestern Hospital in Minneapolis, two weeks after his 78th birthday, said Mike Erlandson, Sabo's former chief of staff in the House.

The son of Norwegian immigrants who grew up in a family of modest means - and proudly included his middle name Olav at every opportunity - represented the state's largest city and nearby western suburbs from 1979 until he retired in January 2007 at the end of his 14th term.

Erlandson said Sabo, who had been ailing with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, had a chance to say goodbye to family before he "died peacefully" around 9 a.m."
 
Warning For Retailers
Department of Revenue Warns Minnesota Businesses Of Phishing Scheme Targeting HR And Payroll Employees

From the Minnesota Department of Revenue, March 10, 2016


"The Minnesota Department of Revenue is warning payroll and human resources professionals to beware of a phishing email scheme appearing to come from company executives requesting personal information on employees. Businesses across the country are being targeted; several companies have already fallen victim to the scheme.

"The stolen W-2 information can be used to file fraudulent tax returns and commit other identify fraud," said Revenue Commissioner Cynthia Bauerly. "Each time a business falls victim to this scheme, personal taxpayer information and tax refunds are put at risk. We want businesses to know that they are being targeted by these criminals."

This scheme is part of a surge in phishing emails seen this year. In several cases, payroll and human resource offices have mistakenly sent payroll data-including W-2 information containing Social Security numbers (SSNs) and other personal information-to cyber-criminals posing as company executives.

Criminals often use fake email addresses to make messages look like they are from real businesses or government agencies. Using a fake email address is a common way for criminals to try to steal personal information. One phishing variation is known as a "spoofing" email. It may contain the actual name of a company executive, such as the chief executive officer. In this scam, the cyber-criminal sends an email posing as the CEO to the company payroll office requesting a list of employees and information including their SSNs."

 


Holiday Spending
St. Patrick's Day Expected To Give Retailers A Spring Boost

From the National Retail Federation, March 8, 2016


"
Americans love to put on their green and celebrate St. Patrick's Day with family and friends, and this year is expected to be no different. According to NRF's annual St. Patrick's Day Spending Survey conducted by Prosper Insight and Analytics, more than 125 million Americans plan to celebrate the Irish holiday and are expected to spend an average of $35.37 per person, down slightly from last year's $36.52.

Total spending for the March 17 holiday is expected to reach $4.4 billion based on U.S. population 18 and older.

"Retailers expect to see a nice boost in sales as consumers head to stores looking for apparel, decorations, food and beverages to help make their St. Patrick's Day celebrations special," NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay said. "With the winter holidays behind us and spring flowers starting to bloom, St. Patrick's Day provides a perfect opportunity for Americans to get together to celebrate with friends and family."

Fans of St. Patrick's Day plan to celebrate in a number of ways. According to the survey, 82.1 percent will wear green to show their Irish pride, 31.3 percent plan to make a special dinner, 28.7 percent will head to a party at a bar or restaurant and 21.1 percent will attend a private party. In addition, 22.8 percent plan to decorate their homes or offices in an Irish theme.

According to the survey, 56.5 percent of those celebrating will purchase food and beverages, 28 percent will buy apparel or accessories, 23.3 percent will buy decorations and 17.2 percent will buy candy.

The survey asked for the first time where consumers will make their St. Patrick's Day purchases. More than a third, 36.2 percent, plan to do so at a grocery store, 30.4 percent at discount stores and 20.8 percent at bars and restaurants."
 
Jobs
Retail Employment Up

From Chain Store Age, Marianne Wilson, March 4, 2016


"TA strong report on Friday from the Labor Department shows that retail employment was up 51,100 jobs in February on the heels of a gain of 52,100 in January. Compared with February 2015, retail jobs were up by 247,300. The numbers exclude gasoline stations, automobiles and restaurants.

 "Weather has a serious impact on the retail industry, and when cold winter weather finally made its appearance shoppers headed to stores and brought shopping patterns to a good level," said National Retail Federation chief economist Jack Kleinhenz said. "This solid report shows that the consumer is confident and continuing to shop."
 
Clothing stores saw significant changes with a gain of 11,100 jobs, reflecting the arrival of sustained winter weather, the NRF noted.  The Labor Department reported that total nonfarm payrolls grew 242,000 in February, and that unemployment was 4.9 %, unchanged from January."

 
Spotlight On Minnesota
Must-Watch Video Series Showcases Retail's Impact In Minnesota

Watch these five videos as a part of the National Retail Federation's Retail Across America series. Feel the pride!

1. Retail In Minnesota Is Connected! 
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2. It's True, There Is A Minnesota Nice 
3. Small Businesses: More Than A Place To Shop
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4. Handcrafted And Only In Minnesota!
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5. Minnesota Innovation: Retail Tech In Real Time
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Minnesota Retailers Associaiton
400 Robert Street North, suite 1540
St. Paul, MN 55101
Tel. (651) 227-6631 - mnretail.org - [email protected]