The Penn-Del-Jersey Chapter, NECA has donated to 20 health care facilities, systems, or foundations throughout Pennsylvania and Delaware to fight the COVID-19 pandemic.

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) today announced an interim enforcement response plan for the coronavirus pandemic. The response plan provides instructions and guidance to OSHA Area Offices and compliance safety and health officers (CSHOs) for handling coronavirus-related complaints, referrals, and severe illness reports.

The Chief Executive Officer of the National Electrical Contractors Association, David Long, issued a statement on being named to the Great American Economic Revival Industry Group for Construction/Labor/Workforce.

The recipients of the 2020 Recognition of Achievement in Safety Excellence and Recognition of Achievement in Zero Injury programs will be posted on the NECA Recognition of Safety Achievement Program website in the near future. There were 159 Recognition of Achievement in Safety Excellence and 90 Recognition of Achievement in Zero Injury winners for 2020. These recipients will each receive plaques commemorating their accomplishment and be recognized during a session at the 10th Annual NSPC in Chicago, IL later this year. Thank you to all the companies that submitted their applications and continue to strive for Safety Excellence and Zero Injuries in the Electrical Industry.

NECA and NECA Safety have been monitoring federal, state, and local information relating to the nationwide COVID-19 pandemic. In addition to working with the IBEW on a National Disease Emergency Response Agreement (NDERA), NECA Safety has developed numerous safety talks, resources, and safety program templates to assist members in overall safety responsibilities during this time of emergency.

Visit online for resources and more information from international and federal agencies responding to this crisis.

Now October 5-7, 2020 in Chicago, IL

NECA has made the difficult decision based on the nationwide COVID-19 pandemic to postpone the 10th Annual NECA Safety Professionals Conference (NSPC), originally scheduled to take place in May in Scottsdale, AZ. Instead, the conference will run concurrent with the NECA Convention and Trade Show in Chicago, IL, on October 5-7, 2020. Much of the original lineup and all the general sessions remains on the agenda. Please make plans to attend this 10th Annual Celebration of the NSPC. Visit https://www.necasafetyconference.com/ for up to date information. 

In light of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, OSHA understands that some employers may face difficulties complying with OSHA standards due to the ongoing health emergency. Business closures and other restrictions and limitations may also preclude employee participation in training even when trainers are available. In other situations, access to medical testing facilities may be limited or suspended.

The U.S. Department of Labor announced that the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has released a new video and poster for employers and workers on how to properly wear and remove a respirator. The video and poster – in English and Spanish – demonstrate and describe seven steps every worker should follow when putting on and taking off a respirator.

The Treasury Department issued additional guidance (#43 on FAQ) on the Paycheck Protection Program. The Treasury department postponed the Safe Harbor repayment deadline to May 14, 2020, as requested by NECA.

The National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA) has given its full endorsement to the 2020 edition of the Mechanical Contractors Association of America’s (MCAA) publication Change Orders, Productivity, Overtime—A Primer for the Construction Industry.

The NBA recently submitted a formal proposal to its Player’s Association to lower the draft eligibility age from 19 to 18. This move to end the “one and done” era, requiring that players spend at least one season in college… Read More

The post The End of the One and Done Age Limit for the NBA appeared first on Anders CPAs.

The St. Louis Blues are in the midst of a historic run toward Lord Stanley’s Cup. This is especially exciting for St. Louisans as the Blues were in dead last in the NHL as 2018 turned to 2019 with talk… Read More

The post Banking on the Blues: How the St. Louis Economy Could Benefit from the Stanley Cup Finals appeared first on Anders CPAs.

California passed legislation to allow college athletes to be compensated for their likeness. Under this new legislation, schools would not compensate student athletes, but athletes would be allowed to profit off their likeness via third party businesses. This law would… Read More

The post NCAA Passes Initial Steps for Student Athletes to Benefit from their Likeness appeared first on Anders CPAs.

To fill a void of relevant benchmarking data, Anders and our accounting association, the Leading Edge Alliance (LEA), have launched the third annual National Manufacturing Outlook Survey, and we are requesting participation. Created specifically for privately-held manufacturers, this is the… Read More

The post Anders and LEA Launch National Benchmarking Survey for Manufacturers appeared first on Anders CPAs.

The new revenue recognition standard includes important provisions that manufacturers need to be aware of. Effective 1/1/2019 for private companies with calendar year ends, the new standards will change the way manufacturing companies recognize revenue.
Variable Consideration
Manufacturing companies will… Read More

The post How the New Revenue Recognition Standard Will Impact Manufacturers appeared first on Anders CPAs.

Manufacturing companies that sell equipment to the federal government or government contractors could be eligible for a tremendous tax benefit. The opportunity can help reduce sales/use taxes paid for consumables purchased in support of such government contracts.
The federal government… Read More

The post How Manufacturers Can Save on Sales/Use Tax for Government Contracts appeared first on Anders CPAs.

EA is taking its usual E3-adjacent festivities online through EA Play Live, set to be held during the gap in mid-June left by E3†™s COVID-19-driven cancellation. ...

EA credits its live game portfolio for an overall strong year, with COO and CFO Blake Jorgensen saying this latest report "[proves] the value of the live services path we†™ve been on." ...

Activision Blizzard had a solid Q1, so much so that the company has raised its forecasts for the full year as a result. ...

In this GDC 2020 virtual talk NetEase's Renjie Li discusses the application of reinforcement learning in NetEase games, including problems encountered and how the solutions impacted the final product. ...

No matter the size of the organization, if you’re serving on the board you want to feel confident that the organization has the right governance policies and practices in place. Those pesky Form 990 questions actually offer a fantastic checklist… Read More

The post Not-for-Profit Board Governance Best Practices to Implement appeared first on Anders CPAs.

The Situation
Where service goes, Meg Stagina will follow. After all, as Executive Director of the Greater St. Louis Dental Society, the recognized professional resource for dentists in both their business and in their patients’ care, she knows a thing… Read More

The post Following Top-Tier Service to Navigate Change for the Greater St. Louis Dental Society appeared first on Anders CPAs.

Many not-for-profits organizations have been concerned about the taxability of parking and transportation benefits as a result of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. Fortunately, the IRS recently issued interim guidance around the treatment of these benefits incurred after December… Read More

The post How Not-for-Profits Can Take Advantage of New Guidance on Taxable Parking Benefits by March 31, 2019 appeared first on Anders CPAs.

As we continue to navigate unchartered waters, we know the impact this pandemic is having on the not-for-profit community. All of us in public accounting are passionate advocates for our clients. We genuinely want to help you create successful, thriving… Read More

The post A Message To Our Valued Not-for-Profit Friends in Response to the COVID-19 Crisis appeared first on Anders CPAs.

Zynga reports a big loss in Q1 despite "historic" revenues, in part because it has to pay out millions in contingency payments to recent acquisitions whose games have been strong performers. ...

Switch hardware and software continues to deliver the goods for Nintendo, which reported an increase in both sales and profits during the fiscal year ended March 31, 2020. ...

The Anthropocene is the current geological age, in which human activity has profoundly shaped the planet and its biodiversity. On The Anthropocene Reviewed, John Green rates different facets of the human-centered planet on a five-star scale. This week 99% Invisible is featuring two episodes of The Anthropocene Reviewed in which John Green dissects: pennies, the Piggly Wiggly grocery store chain, a 17,000-year-old cave painting, and the Taco Bell breakfast menu. Plus, Roman talks with John about the show, sports, and all the things we love now, but hated as teenagers.

The Anthropocene Reviewed

Subscribe to The Anthropocene Reviewed on Apple Podcasts or RadioPublic

Men are often the default subjects of design, which can have a huge impact on big and critical aspects of everyday life. Caroline Criado Perez is the author of Invisible Women: Data Bias in a World Designed for Men, a book about how data from women is ignored and how this bakes in bias and discrimination in the things we design.

Invisible Women

Donald Trump took office 977 days ago, and it has been exhausting. Independent of where you are politically, I think we can all agree that the news cycle coming out of Washington DC has been very intense for anyone who has been paying attention at all. One of the reasons for the fervor is Trump’s role as a very norm breaking president. If you like him, that’s why you like him, if you hate him, that’s why you hate him. But my reaction to all this, was that I realized I didn’t really know what all the norms and rules are, so I wanted to create for myself a Constitutional Law class and the syllabus would be determined by Trump’s tweets. This is where my friend, neighbor and brains behind this operation, Elizabeth Joh, comes in. She is a professor at the UC  Davis school of law and she teaches Con Law. And since June of 2017, she has been kind enough to hang out with me and teach me lessons about the US Constitution, that I then record and release as the podcast What Trump Can Teach us About Con Law. We call it Trump Con Law for short.

After a long hiatus, we’re back with monthly episodes, so I wanted to reintroduce it to the 99pi audience because you may not know about it and because people often comment that the nature of the calm historically grounded, educational discussion is a soothing salve amidst the chaotic and unnerving political news of the day.

We’re presenting two classic episodes on Impeachment and Prosecuting a President.

Subscribe to What Trump Can Teach Us About Con Law on Apple Podcasts and RadioPublic

Here in the US, we're not used to needing to cover half of our faces in public, but if you look at the other side of the world, it's a different story. In parts of Asia, wearing a mask in response to the coronavirus pandemic was a totally easy and normal adjustment. Rebecca Kanthor is a reporter based in Shanghai who has lived in China for the past 17 years, and she tells us why the culture behind masks developed so differently there, and the doctor who started it all.

Plus, we look at the manufacturers who pivoted to make products that are in short supply because of the pandemic.

Masking for a Friend

We have a book coming out!!! Check out The 99% Invisible City here.

In general, the coronavirus shutdowns have been terrible for academic research. Trips have been canceled, labs have shut down, and long-running experiments have been interrupted. But there are some researchers for whom the shutdowns have provided a unique opportunity—a whole new data set, a chance to gather new information, or to look at information in a new way. And so, this week, we’re bringing you stories very different academic fields, about researchers who are using this bizarre, tragic moment to learn something new about the world.

The Natural Experiment

Tracking expenses is an important part of maximizing PPP loan forgiveness. Once you identify which expenses are eligible for PPP forgiveness, it’s time to start keeping track of these expenses and calculate your potential forgiveness amount. The Anders CARES Act Research and Response Team put together tracking tools you can use to make it easier...

The post Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) Loan Forgiveness Calculators appeared first on Anders CPA.

Download our recorded webinar to hear from the Anders CARES Act Research and Response Team on the details of PPP loan forgiveness and the newest stimulus package update, including: Loan forgiveness calculations based on current guidelines How to maximize your loan forgiveness Loan forgiveness for self employed individuals Updates on the various stimulus programs based...

The post RECORDED WEBINAR: PPP Loan Forgiveness and Stimulus Updates appeared first on Anders CPA.

On April 30, 2020, the IRS issued guidance to change one of the key benefits related to the tax treatment of the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan program. This benefit is that loan proceeds which are forgiven under the program are nontaxable income to the business. With other types of loans, loan forgiveness results in taxable...

The post IRS Provides Guidance on Expenses Funded by PPP Loan Proceeds appeared first on Anders CPA.

Some small business owners are finding themselves in yet another predicament as they try find new ways to keep their businesses open and comply with Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan forgiveness – workers are taking unemployment over returning to work. In some cases, employers are offering to match or even exceed the unemployment amounts to...

The post Businesses Get a Break on Employees Taking Unemployment Over Returning to Work appeared first on Anders CPA.

What does returning to business look like in a post COVID-19 world? Join us on Thursday, May 14 at 10:00am CDT for a webinar discussing the state of the world after we reach the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic. You’ll learn about: Economic impact from COVID-19 Best practices for moving your business forward How to...

The post WEBINAR – The Great Viral Recession: Light at the End of the Tunnel? appeared first on Anders CPA.

As the COVID-19 pandemic spread, it was apparent that there would be more assistance needed to help our nation’s small and medium sized businesses. Although the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) was in full swing, it seemed to be a temporary fix for a much longer-term challenge. On April 9th, the Board of Governors of the...

The post Main Street Lending Program: Is it Right for My Business? appeared first on Anders CPA.

On November 8, 2019, Sen. Deb Fischer visited the NECA Nebraska Chapter to discuss NECA’s priority issues. Pictured from left to right are Todd Becker of Thompson Electric, Barry Mayfield of IBEW Local 22, Craig Langfeldt of Miller Electric, Anthony Varbaro of the NECA Nebraska Chapter, Dan Smith of Electric Company of Omaha, Sen. Deb Fischer, Rick Milota of National Electric, Neil Davidson of Commonwealth Electric, and NECA Nebraska Chapter Executive Allan Hale.

NECA Legislative Update for the week of November 22, 2019

On November 25, 2019, members of NECA’s Penn-Del-Jersey Chapter met with Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.). The group discussed small business issues, composite plans, and the importance of infrastructure investment. Pictured from left to right are PDJ Chapter’s Aaron Kelley, Dan Hahn of Furness Electric, Christine Meyer of Battaglia Electric, Rep. Blunt Rochester, and PDJ Chapter Executive Jeff Scarpello. 

1. Multiemployer Pension Reform Update

Senators Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) and Charles E. Grassley (R-Iowa), Chairmen of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions committee and the Senate Finance Committee, respectively, published a white paper on November 20 with their initial proposals for solving the crisis and challenges facing the multiemployer pension system. This document is the first proposal of weight coming from Republican Senate leaders but is not a legislative text, or a declared bill. The white paper is intended to begin a more in-depth discussion on potential fixes and should be understood as the starting point of negotiations.

NECA’s Look Ahead: NECA will submit comments and continue working with Members of Congress and meeting with congressional leaders and staff on this matter before final legislation is introduced to make sure the industry’s needs are met. While the white paper includes composite plan design and other beneficial aspects, there are revisions that should ultimately be made. To that end, NECA will focus its advocacy on the following topics:

• Maintaining Responsible Employer Premiums
• Limiting the Damages of Withdrawal Liability
• Passing Innovative Composite Plan Design

As this is the initial proposal in a multifaceted negotiation, we continue to urge restraint from our membership. Your government affairs team will tirelessly work on your behalf to represent your companies and our industry to insure we achieve a positive result.

More information can be found here

2. 2020 Legislative Conference Dates Announced

The NECA 2020 National Legislative Conference will be held April 27-30, 2020 in Washington, DC.

NECA’s Look Ahead: NECA looks forward to welcoming our contractors to the nation’s capital for another year of advocating for our industry.

3. Take Action on Nuclear Powers America Act

Tell Congress to support the bipartisan Nuclear Powers America Act (H.R. 2314/S. 1134). This legislation will help NECA contractors by extending the ITC to include nuclear work by creating a 30 percent tax credit for refueling costs and qualified nuclear power plant capital expenditures for each taxable year through 2023. Thereafter, the credit rate would be reduced until it reached 10 percent in 2026. Nuclear power accounts for 20% of the nation’s electrical supply, produces more than 60% of the emissions-free generation in America, supporting 475,000 jobs.

NECA’s Look Ahead: Rep. Darin LaHood (R-Ill.) introduced the NECA-supported bipartisan Nuclear Powers America Act (H.R.2314 / S.1134). NECA has long advocated for a diverse portfolio of energy sources especially, clean and renewable energy sources such as nuclear power.

This week in Government Affairs, Federal Government consolidates platforms for federal work, NECA urges Congress to pass appropriations bills before deadline and 2019 NECAPAC contributions deadline announced.

On December 19, 2019, Peter Butler of NECA’s Northern California Chapter met with Rep. Jerry McNerney (D-Calif.) in the district.

On December 19, 2019, members of NECA’s Penn-Del-Jersey chapter attended a holiday event in Philadelphia with Rep. Madeleine Dean (D-Pa.). Pictured with Penn-Del-Jersey Chapter’s Aaron Kelley with Rep. Dean.  

On December 23, 2019, members of NECA’s Penn-Del-Jersey Chapter met with Rep. Fred Keller (R-Pa.) in the district. The group discussed NECA’s priority issues and the electrical contracting industry. Pictured from left to right are Matt Green of Appellation Construction, Rep. Fred Keller, and Penn-Del-Jersey Chapter’s Aaron Kelley.