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December 19, 2019
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 Inside this issue
  Executive Directors Message  
 

FINAL REMINDER: EMPLOYMENT LAW CHANGES JANUARY 1ST
FINAL REMINDER: IMPORTANT NOTICE FOR UST REGISTRATIONS
HIRING LAW CHANGE
WEIGHTS AND MEASURES DEVICE REGISTRATION RENEWALS
MAGNUSON-MOSS FINAL STRETCH
HAPPY HANUKKAH MERRY CHRISTMAS HAPPY NEW YEAR

 
AS OF JANUARY 1ST
Very Important Reminder: Two important labor regulations go into effect on January 1st. Minimum wage will increase to $11 per hour and $10.30 per hour if your business has fewer than six employees. Overtime regulations also change as of January 1st. The "standard salary level" threshold for white-collar exempt employees will increase to $684 per week (or $35,568 per year), meaning, employers will need to pay overtime to employees who earn less than $684 per week. You can read more about that HEREYOU are responsible to notify your payroll service of pay rate changes for your employees. DO NOT ASSUME THAT THEY MAKE CHANGES BECAUSE MINIMUM WAGE IS GOING UP
 
SERVICE STATIONS
I fear it may be too late to have the entire registration process complete by December 31st and I have to again warn you, even if you mailed in your check and it was cashed, if you have not received a confirmation and your updated UST registration it is likely your supplier will not deliver to you on January 1st. 
 
Service stations in Bergen, Gloucester, and Monmouth were batch-noticed in October that their UST Registration renewals expire on December 31, 2019. A number of reminders have been sent by NJDEP as well as NJGCA over the past year notifying UST owners/operators that new registrations would be tied to their station's A/B Operator certification. If a station owner or operator has not completed and passed the A/B Operator training by the time their registration expires on 12/31/2019 (or, alternatively, designated an outside/hired operator) then that station's UST Registration will not be renewed until it is complete. What does this mean? It means that if you do not have a designated A/B Operator at your facility, your UST Registration will not be renewed, and you will not be able to receive gasoline at your facility as of January 1. DEP has informed me that these batch-notifications went out in October to allow affected stations a 90-day lead time to meet this requirement. Keep in mind, if your check was cashed, it does NOT mean that your UST Registration will automatically be renewed. Rather, if you haven't heard back within a month of submission, and as DEP has limited staff processing renewals, there could potentially be a paperwork or administrative matter holding up the issuance of the renewal. It is imperative that you stop what you are doing and complete the UST registration forms and mail them in immediately with a check for the fee. Suppliers are aware of the deadline and will not deliver to any location that does not have a valid UST registration on January 1, or they will be fined $15,000 per delivery. Your registration must be in your hand on January 1.
 
If you operate a station in one of these counties and have NOT designated an A/B Operator (or completed the training yourself) it is imperative that you act now.  Please click HERE and HERE to learn more about these requirements.
 
HIRING LAW CHANGE-SALARY HISTORY
There is another change to employment law which takes effect January 1st that you should be aware of. In July the Governor signed into law a bill that prohibits employers from asking potential new employees about their salary history, including prior wages and benefits. The information can only be used if the applicant volunteers it without any prompting. If an employer finds out about the applicant's salary history some other way, it cannot be used in determining what their compensation should be. If conducting a background check, the employer must specify that any salary information is not to be disclosed.
 
WEIGHTS AND MEASURES DEVICE REGISTRATION RENEWALS
It has come to my attention that Weights and Measures device registration renewals for 2020 were sent out with printing errors on the forms. The 2020 form mistakenly shows 2019. Simply cross out 2019 and write in 2020 when you mail in the check and completed form. New forms with the proper year are expected to be re-sent so be certain not to send your renewal in twice when it arrives.
 
MAGNUSON-MOSS
Eric and I will be meeting with governor's counsel tomorrow to ask him to please sign the Magnuson-Moss legislation that was recently passed by both the Assembly and Senate. As you should know, we have been working on this for four years and the light at the end of the tunnel is finally within sight. Once the governor signs it, then we will use this law to be more proactive to make your customers understand they can bring their car to you for repairs without voiding their warranty. 
 
HAPPY HANUKKAH MERRY CHRISTMAS HAPPY NEW YEAR FROM NJGCA
NJGCA would like to wish you a Happy Hanukkah, a Very Blessed Christmas, and a Very Happy and Prosperous New Year. This is a time of the year that relies heavily on family, spending time with our loved ones, and catching up with friends. I am hoping that each of you get to spend that kind of time with your family to reflect on the true meaning of the season. Unless there is any urgent information that I need to share with you, there will not be a Road Warrior for the next two weeks, our weekly newsletter will continue on January 9th. Please be safe and enjoy your holiday, see you next year!  
 
That's all for this week -  
Sal Risalvato
Executive Director

 


 
 

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  Training Class Schedule  
 

All classes held at NJGCA HQ -- 4900 Route 33 West, Wall Township, NJ 07753
 

FUTURE CLASSES WILL BE ADDED UPON REQUEST AND ACCORDING TO DEMAND. CONTACT NICK at 732-256-9646 or NICK@NJGCA.ORG TO LET HIM KNOW YOU ARE INTERESTED IN TAKING A SPECIFIC CLASS. THIS WILL ALLOW US TO GAUGE YOUR NEEDS AND KEEP TRACK OF THOSE WISHING TO PARTICIPATE!

 

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  News Around The State  
 

12/18/19
Regional Group Seeks Input on Plan to Cut Transportation Emissions
A consortium created nearly a decade ago by Northeast and Middle Atlantic states to devise regional strategies for the reduction of greenhouse gases issued a draft plan Tuesday that would impose a cap on emissions stemming from fossil fuels used by the transportation sector. Incorporated in a memorandum of understanding, the plan announced by the Transportation and Climate Initiative aims to slash tailpipe emissions by 25% over 10 years. It would set a regional emissions cap, then require large gasoline and on-road diesel distributors, such as fuel terminals, to pay the states millions of dollars for carbon credits if that cap is exceeded.

12/16/19
Plastic, Styrofoam Ban Uncertain Before Lame Duck's Close, Lawmakers Say
Lawmakers are anxious about whether they can actually approve a bill during lame duck that would phase in a ban on Styrofoam and single-use plastics, with many still unsure about how the measure should handle paper bags. Senate Bill 2776 garnered committee approval earlier this month - its first in over a year - but it was pulled last minute from the agenda for the Dec. 9 Assembly Environment and Solid Waste Committee meeting. . .S2776 would prohibit businesses from selling or giving out plastic bags a year after its enactment, followed by paper bags the next year. Additionally, a year after the bill is signed, businesses would only be allowed to give out plastic straws at the request of the customer, instead of automatically providing them with purchases. The bill also requires large supermarkets to provide free, reusable bags to customers for two months.

12/13/19
House Democrats Push Flavored Tobacco Ban Vote to 2020
The House of Representatives will not vote on a bill this year that would yank all flavored tobacco products off the shelf,  including menthol cigarettes, flavored smokeless tobacco, flavored cigars, and flavored electronic cigarettes, The Hill reports. The measure would also bump the federal tobacco buying age to 21 and prohibit online sales of e-cigs. Rep Donna Shalala (D-FL) said she has a "promise" that the bill would see a floor vote early in 2020. Shalala sponsored the bill along with Rep. Frank Pallone Jr. (D-NJ), who chairs the House Energy and Commerce Committee.
 
 
 

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  Energy Information Agency Weekly Retail Gasoline Prices  
 
Each week, the Energy Information Administration publishes a list of average gasoline prices for the previous three weeks. NJGCA will begin including this list with the Weekly Road Warrior. Remember, these prices are reflective of self-serve everywhere except NJ.
 
 

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  Member Benefit Partner Message Board  
 
 
    









 

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  Classifieds: For Sale and Help Wanted Ads  
 



NEW!


FOR SALE:

New! Business For Sale: Business for sale and lease: 6 lifts, 10 spaces, plenty of parking, fleet accounts, loyal customer base. 50 years in business. Turn key operation, busy corner highway. All stock and equipment, tools included. Used car dealer license, transmission shop equipment also included. Email: viener@outlook.com for more details.


Business For Sale: Monmouth County gas station and repair shop in business since 2001 is for sale. Owner is relocating out of state and is interested in selling business and equipment. Owner is open to limited financing. Business has a strong 10 year lease. The building has two repair bays and the gas pumps are leased to a large independent tenant. Repair shop business currently employs a Manager and two full-time Technicians. For inquiries and more info, please call Mark at 908-670-7798.


New! Parts For Sale: Incon TS-1000 tank monitor works well just taken out of service. Printer is aprox 2 months old. Also, Incon 8, tank probes. System replaced because on an Exxon upgrade. Call John Twin Towers Exxon (201) 224-8444



 

 

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