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PPMA OFFICERS
Paul Kutney
President
Orkin
Larksville, PA
Keith Hamilton
President Elect
J.C. Ehrlich Co.
State College, PA
Ed Van Istendal
Past President
Ensystex
Coatesville, PA
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Central Division
Gary Lesher
Governor
Perry Pest Control
Landisburg, PA
Keith Hamilton
J.C. Ehrlich
Pleasant Gap, PA
Keith Jones
Archer Pest Control
Camp Hill, PA
Greg Ten Hoeve
Terminix
Mechanicsburg, PA
Eastern Division
Marty Overline
Governor
Aardvark Pest Mgmnt
Philadelphia, PA
Mike Snyder
Township Pest Control
Warrington, PA
Jim Nase
Moyer Indoor/Outdoor
Souderton, PA
Northeast Division
Jeff King
Governor
The Pest Rangers
Hanover Twp., PA
Paul Kutney
Orkin
Ashley, PA
Diane Lown
Ajax Environmental Solutions
Dalton, PA
Western Division
John Morrison
Governor
D-Bug, Inc.
Latrobe, PA
Adam Witt
Witt Pest Management
Pittsburgh, PA
Eric Herrington
Terminix
Bridgeville, PA
John Besic
Besic Pest Control
Transfer, PA
Technical Advisor
Chad Gore
Rentokil North America
Carnegie, PA
AWDII Chairman
Ed Van Istendal
Coatesville, PA
Legislative Chairman
Keith Hamilton
J.C. Ehrlich
State College, PA
Bed Bug Taskforce Chairman
Marty Overline
Aardvark Pest Management
Philadelphia, PA
Salino Scholarship Chair
Dana Lown
Ajax Environmental Solutions
Dalton, PA
Industry Liaison
Brian Smith
Univar
Sharon Hill, PA
Executive Director
Versant Strategies
Harrisburg, PA
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Dear Friends:
I am honored to begin my service as your next President. I look forward to working with you to institute a plan of activities that will further enhance our organization, our business and our personal professional development. To that end, I have scheduled a planning session with the PPMA Board of Directors on September 1 to review our bylaws, approve operating procedures, appoint committee chairs/members and develop a strategy to carry our organization forward to accomplish our mission and goals.
If you have ideas you wish to be considered during that session (especially ideas for additional services that can benefit the membership), please reach out to the PPMA office staff at 717-635-2320 or dchappell@versantstrategies.net. I am looking forward to serving as your President and welcome your input and ideas as we move forward, together, for the betterment of PPMA.
Thank you for continuing to support the Pennsylvania Pest Management Association!
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Department of Labor Releases New Overtime Regulations
Initial Analysis and Details
On June 30th, new overtime regulations proposed by the Department of Labor (DOL) were released in advance of official publication. The regulations are in response to a 2014 directive by President Obama to update overtime rules under the federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). FLSA guarantees overtime pay at a rate of one and one-half the employee's regular rate of pay for hours worked in excess of 40 in a workweek. The current FLSA has a salary threshold of $23,660 annually ($455 per week), meaning ANY employee making less is eligible for overtime. Employees making over the $23,660 annual threshold are eligible for overtime unless they fall under a specific industry exemption (teachers, doctors, lawyers) or the "white collar exemption." These exemptions include; executive, administrative, professional, outside sales and computer employees.
The DOL proposed rule would raise the minimum threshold to approximately $50,440 annually ($970) per week in 2016. This new proposed level is equal to the 40th percentile of weekly earnings for full-time salaried workers. The threshold will be indexed to maintain the salary threshold at the 40th percentile. The DOL estimated that approximately 4.6 million employees that are currently exempt based on the $23,660 threshold, will become eligible for overtime under the $50,440 threshold. The rule does not propose changes to the current exemptions, including the "white collar exemption," and the duties test used to determine the "white collar exemptions." The rule does invite comment on these exemptions specifically, which raises concerns that the exemptions could be changed in the final rule.
It is anticipated that DOL will publish the rule in the coming days and solicit comments for the following 60 days. DOL will then reevaluate the rule while considering comments and will then presumably publish a final rule in late 2015 or early 2016.
NPMA is continuing to analyze the rule and monitoring further legislative activity that may affect the proposed overtime rule. If you have specific questions about the proposed rule or FSLA overtime guidelines in general please contact Andrew Bray abray@pestworld.org.
The NPMA Policy Team
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Upcoming Meetings
The Eastern Division continues to hold its monthly meetings with varying topics of discussion on the second Thursday of every month at the Crowne Plaze in Trevose. For more information on monthly topics and speakers, contact Sue at (215) 331-1121.
The date for the Eastern Division's fall seminar is September 10. The event will be held at the usual spot, the Crowne Plaza in Trevose. Vendors can sign up now for exhibit space. Registration information is available here. Next month the Central Division will be holding its summer seminar on August 18 at the Park Inn, 5401 Carlisle Pike, Mechanicsburg commencing at 7:00 a.m. with registration. Stay tuned for more information! Mark your calendars now for PPMA's 2015 Annual Conference on November 9 & 10 at the Eden Resort in Lancaster. As noted above, NPMA's Eastern Conference will be held at the Kalahari Resort in Pocono Manor, PA on January 13-15, 2016! Plan to attend.
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The information below represents legislative activity (including bill introductions) that has occurred since the last newsletter. For a full listing of legislation that Versant is tracking for PPMA, please contact us at (717) 635-2320 or dchappell@versantstrategies.net. Activity marked HCO or SCO indicates a co-sponsorship memo which precedes the actual introduction of legislation and is designed to secure the support of other legislators prior to introduction as a bill.
Legislation introduced since last month's newsletter:
HB 223 sponsored by Rep. Curt Sonney
Amends Title 34 (Game), in hunting and furtaking, further providing for unlawful devices and methods to allow the use of semi-automatic rifles with a caliber of .223 or less and a cartridge capacity of not more than six, for the hunting of coyotes, foxes and woodchucks (groundhogs). Effective in 60 days.
6-15-15 Hearing held with House Game and Fisheries Committee - contact PPMA office for testimony
HB 1421 sponsored by Rep. Sue Helm
Act regulating home inspectors; providing for funds, for licensure, for disciplinary actions, for remedies, and for penalties; & repealing provisions relating to home inspections.
6-28-15 Introduced & referred to House Professional Licensure Committee
HCO 2107 sponsored by Rep. Dave Reed
Changes the safety zone distance for trapping within any waterway, watercourse, marsh, pond or dam, from 150 yards to 50 yards, for properly licensed furtakers.
6-23-15 Filed
HR 364 sponsored by Rep. Robert Matzie
Resolution designating the week of June 15 through 21, 2015 as "Pollinator Week" in Pennsylvania
6-15-15 Resolution adopted
SB 737 sponsored by Sen. Scott Hutchinson
Amends Title 34 (Game), in hunting and furtaking, further providing for unlawful devices and methods.
6-24-15 Given third consideration & final passage (49-0)
6-25-15 Received in the House and referred to House Game & Fisheries
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Articles of Interest
| 06-29-2015 | State and poultry industry take precautions against bird flu
Agriculture officials and poultry farmers in Maryland are taking extra precautions against bird flu after outbreaks have devastated flocks in other states. The Maryland Department of Agriculture has banned the entry of waterfowl in fairs and shows in the state, stepped up testing requirements for poultry... - Baltimore Sun |
| 06-24-2015 | Persistent June showers putting a damper on agriculture
Downpours that have been soaking Somerset County may mean trouble for local farmers and their crops. And that trouble may come in the form of diseased crops, decreased hay production and nutrient-depleted soil, according to Penn State Extension commercial horticulture educator Tom Ford.... - Somerset Daily |
| 06-18-2015 | They're weevils, not ticks
Lee Stivers first noticed the little, black bugs Sunday as they clung to her living room window. Concerned that they were ticks, the horticulture extension educator with Penn State Extension, Washington County, went out to investigate. She was relieved by what she found.... - Washington Observer-Reporter |
| 06-18-2015 | Invasive insect
The emerald ash borer is an exotic beetle native to Asia that attacks all species of ash trees. Identified by its oblong, metallic green body that is about half an inch long, it is primarily spread by humans through movement of untreated wood infested with the invasive pest into uninfested areas.... - DuBois Courier-Express |
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