es NECA Legislative Top Three 12/13/19: NECA Contractor Helps Secure Win for Small Businesses By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Fri, 13 Dec 2019 02:12:49 Z This week in government affairs: NECA opposes bill to raise top tax rate for pass-throughs, NECA member testifies before the house small business committee and NECA Wins in NDAA. Full Article Advocacy Issues Home Page Advocacy
es NECA Legislative Top Three 12/20/19: NECA Secures Major Wins: Cadillac Tax Repeal, 529s and more! By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Thu, 19 Dec 2019 23:42:28 Z 1. NECA Wins in Year-End Funding Bills On December 17, 2019, Congress passed two funding bills, H.R. 1158, FY2020 Consolidated National Security Appropriations Package and H.R. 1865, FY2020 Consolidated Domestic and International Assistance Package, both resulting in big wins for NECA contractors. NECA’s Look Ahead: In addition to ensuring the full operation of the federal government for the remainder of Fiscal Year 2020, several of NECA’s top legislative priorities were included: Full repeal of the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA’s) 40 percent “Cadillac Tax” Allowing 529 savings accounts to be used for costs associated with Department of Labor (DOL) registered apprenticeship programs Seven-year reauthorization of the Terrorism Risk Insurance Program Extension of the National Flood Insurance Program Full repeal of health insurance tax (HIT) and the medical device excise tax Seven-year authorization of the U.S. Export-Import Bank An extension of 179D energy efficiency tax deduction retrospectively from 2017 and prospectively through 2020 $1 billion for Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development (BUILD) grants Summaries of the package can be found below: Full Package Summary – H.R. 1158 Full Package Summary – H.R. 1865 Division Q – Summary (Revenue Provision Amendment) 2. USMCA Passes the House On December 19, 2019, the House passed, in a 385 to 41 vote, the NECA-supported United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), H.R. 5430, to replace the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). NECA’s Look Ahead: Now that the USMCA has passed the House, it will move to the Senate. Under the Trade Promotion Authority (TPA), the bill procedurally spends up to 15 legislative session days in the Senate Finance Committee. Then, there are up to 15 session days for the Senate to vote on the floor. With Impeachment Articles passed from the House taking precedent, USMCA is unlikely to see a Senate vote any time before late February. 3. Impeachment Update On December 18, 2019, the House of Representatives took up impeachment procedure and passed H. Res. 755 – “Impeaching Donald John Trump, President of the United States, for high crimes and misdemeanors” by a vote of 230 – 197, 1 for Article I and by a vote of 229 – 197, 1 for Article II. NECA’s Look Ahead: It remains unclear when the two articles of impeachment will reach the Senate. When they do arrive to the Senate, it is expected that the Senate will begin the trail immediately. Full Article Advocacy Issues Home Page Advocacy
es NECA Legislative Top Three 1/10/20: NECA Supports ESIC and Passing Reverse Auction Reform By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Fri, 10 Jan 2020 14:03:40 Z NECA's top three legislative items for the week of January 6, 2020. Full Article Advocacy
es NECA Legislative Top Three 1/24/20: It's Time: Addressing the United States' Aging Infrastructure By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Fri, 24 Jan 2020 13:55:01 Z This week in NECA Government Affairs we spotlight infrastructure legislation, the new SBA Administrator and the newly signed US/China Trade Agreement. Full Article Home Page Advocacy Issues Advocacy
es NECA Announces 2020 Legislative Conference Keynote: Amy Walter By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Fri, 24 Jan 2020 16:57:51 Z Amy Walter, National Editor of the Cook Political Report and former Political Director of ABC News, will be returning to speak at the NECA 2020 National Legislative Conference. Full Article Home Page Advocacy
es NECA Legislative Top Three 1/31/20: EPA Announces WOTUS Rule Change By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Fri, 31 Jan 2020 09:05:00 Z Top three in Government Affairs for the week of January 31. Full Article Advocacy Issues Advocacy
es Chairman’s Challenge: East Tennessee Chapter Meets Rep. Tim Burchett By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Thu, 20 Feb 2020 19:47:59 Z On February 16, 2020, members of NECA’s East Tennessee Chapter met with Rep. Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.) Full Article Advocacy Issues Advocacy
es NECA Legislative Top Three 2/28/20: House Unanimously Votes to Help Veteran-Owned Business Opportunities By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Thu, 27 Feb 2020 16:50:23 Z 1. New Joint Employer Rule Issued by the NLRB On February 25, 2020, the National Labor Relations Board released the details of a new joint-employer liability rule. This new rule, which began the regulatory process almost two years ago, reverts the regulatory language back to its pre-2007 form, requiring companies to exercise direct control over workers to be considered their employer. The new joint-employer rule creates a much higher threshold for the employers to be held jointly liable for violations; benefiting organizations and corporations structured around franchising and third-party hiring. NECA’s Look Ahead: This rule takes effect April 27, 2020. NECA will continue to monitor this rule change, assessing its impacts on jobsites. 2. The Protecting Business Opportunities for Veterans Act Passes the House On February 25, 2020, H.R. 561, the Protecting Business Opportunities for Veterans Act, passed the House by unanimous voice vote. This legislation will aid veteran-owned small businesses by directing the Department of Defense and Department of Veterans Affairs to contract with those businesses. Veteran-owed small businesses will be required to perform a majority of the work they are awarded on these government contracts with large subcontractors and will be restricted from performing the work set aside for these types of small businesses. NECA’s Look Ahead: NECA applauds the House on the unanimous passage of this legislation and expects it to be received favorably in the Senate. We will continue to monitor this issue as it moves to the Senate and are confident in a positive outcome. 3. The Committee on Small Business Held Hearing to Discuss FY2021 Budget On February 26, 2020, the House Committee on Small Business held a hearing to discuss the 2021 Budget with the Small Business Administrator. Recently appointed Administrator, Jovita Carranza, gave an overview of the administration’s budget requests and the committee was able to examine the potential opportunities and challenges that small businesses participating in the SBA’s programs will face. NECA’s Look Ahead: NECA looks forward to working with Administrator Carranza to ensure our contractors are protected and advocated for throughout the appropriations process. Full Article Advocacy Issues Advocacy
es NECA Legislative Top Three 3/6/20: Congress Looks to Modernize National Apprenticeship Act By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Thu, 05 Mar 2020 20:03:18 Z 1. Hearing Held to Reauthorize the National Apprenticeship Act On Wednesday, March 4, 2020, the Higher Education and Workforce investment Subcommittee held a hearing to discuss reauthorizing the National Apprenticeship Act. The National Apprenticeship Act, originally passed in 1937, will be amended to expand the apprenticeship system to include broader forms of apprenticeship programs. This discussion is centered around how to modernize the Act and bring apprenticeships into the 21st century. NECA’s Look Ahead: Preserving these valued apprenticeship programs is a priority. NECA continues to work closely with legislators while this bill is being shaped. 2. NLRB Chairman and General Counsel to Testify Regarding Funding Next week, the Chairman and General Counsel of the National Labor Relations Board are scheduled to testify before the House Appropriations committee. This hearing is anticipated to be contentious with lawmakers inquiring as to the reasons behind the Trump Administration’s request to lower the board’s funding by 10%. At the same time, the NLRB’s regional offices are plagued with under-employment and the board itself is dogged with hearings and legal challenges over ethical conflicts of interest. NECA’s Look Ahead: While historically the National Labor Relations Board has been a contentious and often politicized place, this hearing is expected to highlight the new level of dysfunction that now riddles the Board. NECA believes that lawmakers should continue to fully fund the NLRB and encourage their leadership to expedite the hiring of their regional offices. 3. Congress Passes Coronavirus Funding Bill On Wednesday, March 4, 2020, Congress passed a NECA-supported bill, H.R. 6074, the Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act. NECA’s Look Ahead: This bill addresses the critical funding issues surrounding the U.S. response to the Coronavirus outbreak. The bill includes the following: $4 billion to make diagnostic tests more broadly available $2.2 billion for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for a robust response, including: $1 billion exclusively for state and local response efforts $300 million for CDC’s Infectious Diseases Rapid Response Reserve Fund $20 million to administer disaster assistance loans for small businesses impacted by the virus. $1.25 billion for the State Department and (USAID) $264 million to evacuate Americans and maintain consular operations overseas Full Article Advocacy Issues Advocacy
es NECA Legislative Top Three 3/13/20: USDOL Preserves Gold Standard Construction Apprenticeships By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Fri, 13 Mar 2020 12:26:07 Z 1. NECA Helps Secure Construction Industry Exemption in Final IRAP Rule On March 10, 2020, the Department of Labor released the final rule of the Industry-Recognized Apprenticeship Programs (IRAP) regulation. The final rule contains a permanent construction industry exemption, thereby protecting our industry from participation in IRAPs. NECA released a statement thanking the Administration for recognizing that the construction industry has longstanding expertise in the creation and execution of apprenticeships. NECA’s Look Ahead: NECA strongly advocated for the construction industry’s exemption, with thousands of NECA contractors sending comments to the Department of Labor. By securing this exemption, the long-established, gold standard apprenticeship model that NECA Contractors utilize will remain intact and not be subjected to these parallel programs which will operate with less scrutiny and limited educational requirements. 2. The House Introduces Legislation to Address COVID-19 Outbreak Washington D.C., like the rest of the nation and world, is responding to the outbreak of the COVID-19 (Coronavirus). On the evening of March 11, President Trump addressed the nation live from the Oval Office. On Capitol Hill, negotiators continue to work to find a compromise between competing coronavirus response bills. NECA’s Look Ahead: In response to the crisis, the Senate plans to cancel a previously scheduled recess week. The House will gavel out today and will return to Washington D.C. on March 23, 2020 to finish the negotiations on a final response package. NECA CEO, David Long, released the following statement in response to the legislative and regulatory negotiations: “ NECA government affairs remains fully engaged with Members of Congress, the Department of Labor, and OSHA on how to best handle the COVID-19 outbreak with safety being a top concern for our contractors and their employees. We continue to monitor legislation coming out of Congress to address the economic impact of this outbreak and will inform our contractors on how to best work with the new regulations when they are finalized.” 3. NLRB Chairman Testifies Regarding Funding On March 11, 2020, the House Committee on Appropriations held a hearing on the National Labor Relations Board Budget Request for FY 2021. Testifying on behalf of the NLRB was the Honorable John Ring, Chairman of the National Labor Relations Board. The NLRB budget request and justification documents can be found here. NECA’s Look Ahead: The NLRB’s FY 2021 budget request funds their mission to protect the rights of employees, unions, and employers under the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA). NECA believes that lawmakers should continue to fully fund the NLRB and encourage their leadership to expedite the hiring of their regional offices. Full Article Advocacy Issues Advocacy
es NECA Legislative Top Story 3/27/20: CARES Act Phase III Provisions Bring Benefits to NECA Contractors By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Fri, 27 Mar 2020 17:22:26 Z On March 26, 2020, the Senate passed “Phase III” of the Coronavirus Response Package, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act in a 96-0 vote. Full Article Advocacy Advocacy Issues
es NECA Legislative Top Three 4/10/20: NECA Secures Paycheck Protection Program Qualifications and Additional Funding By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Thu, 09 Apr 2020 20:32:44 Z 1. Administration Calls for Additional Funding for PPP One of the most popular programs created in the CARES Act, the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), has released over $70 billion to small businesses to help them remain viable during this pandemic. Due to the large demand, the Administration has requested additional funding for that program in a letter to Congressional leaders. NECA’s look Ahead: Senate Democrats requested an additional $250 billion for hospitals and local governments in addition to funding for the PPP while Republican leaders argued that funding for the PPP is the only account that requires additional immediate funding at this time. The Senate adjourned on April 9, 2020 unable to pass additional funding for the PPP under unanimous consent. 2. Treasury Guidance Clarifies Qualifications for PPP Borrowers With the passage of the CARES Act, many agencies have been scrambling to enact the reforms and programs developed in rapid time. One such program, the Paycheck Protection Program, which allows substantial loans to be granted under favorable terms by the Small Business Administration, came under scrutiny for potentially requiring businesses to meet both size and revenue requirements instead of just the size requirements (under 500 employees) originally required. While this scrutiny came from an over-cautious interpretation of an earlier guidance, the Treasury Department offered additional guidance to make it clear to borrowers that they may meet either the revenue standards listed under a given NAICS code or qualify by having less than 500 employees. NECA’s Look Ahead: NECA worked with key leaders once the CARES Act was signed into law to attain greater clarity on this issue for our contractors. This new change will give NECA contractors the predictability they need to move forward with the new SBA loan program. We will continue to monitor the implementation of the CARES Act and continue to maintain in constant conversation with Congressional staff and agency officials to communicate the needs of our members. 3. DOD Releases Rule on Payment to Small Business Contractors Earlier this week the Department of Defense (DOD) released a final rule on the defining and implementation of accelerated payments to classified small businesses under DOD contracts. The rule (DFARS Case 2018–D068) which finalizes the implementation of a section from 2019’s National Defense Authorization Act urges the federal government to pay small business contractors within 15 days of the receipt of a proper invoice. While this is only a goal for the federal government and not a direct mandate, which NECA advocated for in the past, we view this final rule and its upcoming full implementation as a positive step forward. NECA’s Look Ahead: We encourage NECA contractors to read the final rule and monitor its implementation on DOD contracts. With your feedback and on-the-ground experiences, we will be better able to make lawmakers and agency officials aware of its progress. Full Article Advocacy Issues Advocacy
es NECA Legislative Top Three 4/24/20: Congress Shores up PPP Funding, Phase IV Next Up By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Fri, 24 Apr 2020 14:21:20 Z 1. Congress Passes Legislation to Increase Funding for PPP On April 23, 2020, the House passed, in a 388 to 5 vote, the Senate Amendment to H.R. 266 – Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act. This legislation reauthorizes the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), which was passed in the Senate by unanimous consent on April 21, 2020. NECA advocated for additional funding and are confident that this amendment will continue to help NECA contractors keep their employees on payroll during this crisis. NECA’s Look Ahead: The NECA-supported bill is expected to be signed into law by the President immediately. A detailed section by section summary can be found here. NECA has also compiled some FAQs on this loan program. NECA is continuing to work with congressional leaders on upcoming Phases of COVID-19 response bills. A major Phase IV bill is expected sometime in May. 2. NECA Weighs in on Main Street Lending Program A group of congressional allies sent a letter to Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Vice Chairman for Supervision of Federal Reserve Board of Governors, Randal Quarles, requesting the inclusion of S corporations, LLCs, and partnerships in utilizing the Main Street lending facilities announced by Treasury and the Federal Reserve. NECA’s Look Ahead: The letter was organized in response to a coalition letter, which NECA supported, to Rep. Warren Davidson (R-Texas) on the issue. NECA will update its members once we have received a formal response from the Department of the Treasury. 3. Register Today for the Upcoming Government Affairs Webinar On May 5, 2020 at 2PM ET, NECA’s Government Affairs team will brief participants on NECA’s requests for Congress in the Phase IV coronavirus response legislation, then participants can take action and send a letter to their Member of Congress requesting help for the electrical construction industry to remain viable during this crisis. Participants will also hear messages from key Members of Congress on the current legislative response to the coronavirus pandemic. Register Today! Full Article Advocacy Issues Advocacy
es NECA Legislative Top Three 5/8/20: NECA Makes Additional COVID-19 Advances By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Fri, 08 May 2020 12:47:39 Z 1. PPP Safe Harbor Deadline Extended On May 5, 2020, the U.S. Treasury Department extended the safe harbor date for those that applied for a PPP loan prior to April 24, 2020. The original date, May 7, 2020, has been pushed back to May 14, 2020. Borrowers will not need to apply for the extension and additional guidance on how the SBA will review the certification will be provided shortly. NECA released the following alert pertaining to the extension and forthcoming guidance. NECA’s Look Ahead: NECA is pleased by this extension after sending a letter to the Treasury department last week. We continue to advocate for NECA contractors as we move forward during this time. 2. Bill Introduced to Make 501(c)(6) organizations Eligible for PPP Loans On May 5, 2020, Representatives Chris Papas (D-NH), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), and Greg Steube (R-FL) introduced H.R.6697 – “Local Chamber, Tourism, and 501(c)(6) Protection Act of 2020”. This NECA supported legislation would expand the Paycheck Protection Program by allowing 501(c)(6) organizations, such as NECA Chapters, to access the Paycheck Protection Program to meet payroll and other necessary expenses during this crisis. NECA’s Look Ahead: NECA will encourage the inclusion of this bill in any future COVID-19 relief package along with additional PPP reforms such as: Extending the PPP to more than eight weeks or allow companies to apply again after the first eight-week period ends. Increasing the qualified expenses covered under the Paycheck Protection Program to include nonpayroll expenses. 3. NECA Requests Infrastructure Support in Next COVID-19 Bill NECA joined 71 trade associations and labor unions in a coalition letter to President Trump to encourage continued support for infrastructure in the next Phase of COVID-19 legislation. NECA’s Look Ahead: NECA continues to advocate before the Administration and Congressional leaders for the inclusions of major infrastructure investment as a corner stone for the next phase of COVID-19 legislation, often referred to as Phase IV. Full Article Advocacy Issues Advocacy
es Blue Frog Robotics Launches Buddy Robot on Indiegogo By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Sun, 19 Jul 2015 18:19:00 EST Blue Frog Robotics has launched its adorable companion Buddy robot on Indiegogo. The robot has many features. It can be a personal assistant, playmate or security robot. Read more on howtoweb.com Full Article buddy-robot blue-frog-robotics
es Yahoo Launches Livetext, a Video Texting App By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Sat, 1 Aug 2015 17:31:00 EST Yahoo has announced the launch of Yahoo Livetext, a video texting app with no audio. Read more on howtoweb.com Full Article livetext
es Microsoft Changes OneDrive Storage Plans, Removes Unlimited Option By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Tue, 3 Nov 2015 15:55:00 EST Microsoft is changing its OneDrive storage plan. The changes include the removal of the unlimited storage plan. Read more on howtoweb.com Full Article microsoft
es AOL to End AOL Instant Messenger (AIM) on December 15, 2017 By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Fri, 6 Oct 2017 15:36:00 EST AOL Instant Messenger will come to an end on December 15, 2017. It had a long run. It first arrived in 1997. Read more on howtoweb.com Full Article aol aol-instant-messenger
es Dropbox Files for IPO on Nasdaq By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Sat, 24 Feb 2018 21:47:00 EST Dropbox has filed for an IPO. They will trade under the Nasdaq ticker symbol DBX. Read more on howtoweb.com Full Article dropbox ipo
es Hooda Math Provides Educational Math Games By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Thu, 31 May 2018 11:52:00 EST Hooda Math is a provider of free educational math games.The games include Day Trader, Transformation Golf 2 and many more. It is free with ads or you can purchase a membership. Read more on howtoweb.com Full Article math games
es Reddit Disables Start Chatting Shortly After Launch By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Fri, 1 May 2020 17:22:00 EST Reddit has disabled its Start Chatting features shortly after launching the new chat product. Read more on howtoweb.com Full Article reddit chat
es Capybara Games co-founder Nathan Vella is now at Annapurna Interactive By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Thu, 7 May 2020 13:14:00 -0400 Nathan Vella has joined up with Annapurna Interactive, taking an unmentioned seat on its executive team and lending his expertise to the company's work with independent game developers. ... Full Article
es Fortnite surpasses 350 million registered players By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Thu, 7 May 2020 16:24:00 -0400 The milestone comes as Epic doubles down on the social elements of Fortnite with additions like the combat-free Party Royale mode and last month's in-game Travis Scott concert. ... Full Article
es Sales down, profits up at Capcom By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Fri, 8 May 2020 12:10:00 -0400 Monster Hunter publisher Capcom reported Friday a year on year decline in annual sales, but a jump in profits for its full fiscal year. ... Full Article
es Blog: Understanding open world level design - Part 1 By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Fri, 8 May 2020 12:48:00 -0400 In open world games, level design is the central feature, not the game system. Discover key issues designers must address when planning their open world. ... Full Article
es Nintendo files lawsuit barrage to take down Super Mario 64 PC port By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Fri, 8 May 2020 13:54:00 -0400 Nintendo is making sure that a fan-made Super Mario 64 PC port cannot in fact, be found in another castle ... Full Article
es Anders CARES Act Team Answers Viewer Questions on KSDK By anderscpa.com Published On :: Wed, 15 Apr 2020 18:30:34 +0000 The Anders CARES Act Team, made up of Anders advisors across different departments of the firm, has teamed up with KSDK 5 on Your Side to answer questions from viewers about CARES Act benefits. From stimulus check updates to SBA… Read More The post Anders CARES Act Team Answers Viewer Questions on KSDK appeared first on Anders CPAs. Full Article Anders COVID-19 Featured covid
es Using PPP Loan Proceeds to Maximize Loan Forgiveness By anderscpa.com Published On :: Thu, 16 Apr 2020 20:40:33 +0000 One of the biggest areas of CARES Act that benefits businesses is the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). With big benefits, comes many questions around one detail specifically: loan forgiveness. Which loan expenses are forgivable? According to the CARES Act, if… Read More The post Using PPP Loan Proceeds to Maximize Loan Forgiveness appeared first on Anders CPAs. Full Article Anders COVID-19 Featured covid
es COVID-19 Resource Center Offers Insights and Guidance for Individuals and Businesses By anderscpa.com Published On :: Fri, 17 Apr 2020 11:00:30 +0000 As a source of information and guidance for businesses and individuals since 1965, Anders is here for you during this time of uncertainty. We’re researching and dissecting the latest legislation, local news and relevant updates around COVID-19 and sharing them… Read More The post COVID-19 Resource Center Offers Insights and Guidance for Individuals and Businesses appeared first on Anders CPAs. Full Article Anders COVID-19 Featured News covid
es Sales and Use Tax Reviews Provide Opportunity for Businesses to Recover Overpaid Taxes By anderscpa.com Published On :: Thu, 23 Apr 2020 19:13:54 +0000 With the COVID-19 pandemic impacting businesses across industries, this is an ideal time to look for other ways to find funds to be able to recover quickly and get business back to normal. One way to do that is through… Read More The post Sales and Use Tax Reviews Provide Opportunity for Businesses to Recover Overpaid Taxes appeared first on Anders CPAs. Full Article Anders COVID-19 Featured SALT covid
es New $484 Billion Stimulus Package Replenishes PPP and Offers Relief for Hospitals and Businesses By anderscpa.com Published On :: Fri, 24 Apr 2020 17:55:12 +0000 President Trump recently signed a new coronavirus relief bill into law that will help replenish the depleted Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), among other initiatives. Below are the details of the relief package. Details of the New Bill The new relief… Read More The post New $484 Billion Stimulus Package Replenishes PPP and Offers Relief for Hospitals and Businesses appeared first on Anders CPAs. Full Article Anders COVID-19 Featured covid
es Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) Loan Forgiveness Calculator By anderscpa.com Published On :: Mon, 27 Apr 2020 14:49:46 +0000 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… Read More The post Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) Loan Forgiveness Calculator appeared first on Anders CPAs. Full Article Anders COVID-19 Featured News covid
es Senior Designer: Moon Studios By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: 2020-05-05 Moon Studios - award-winning creators of Ori and the Blind Forest and Ori and the Will of the Wisps - are looking for Senior Game Designers. After redefining the Metroidvania genre with the Ori series, our next goal is to revolutionize the ARPG genre. Join our family, help us create some of the best games the industry has ever seen and work with some of the most talented individuals in the world! Please note that Moon Studios is a distributed development studio: Everyone at Moon works remotely and we accept job applications from participants all over the world! We're looking for: Individuals who can work autonomously - We don't count your hours, we won't babysit you. Your job is to enchant us with your raw talent and professionalism! Individuals who want to have a voice - Unhappy with the current state of the industry? Every person at Moon Studios has a voice and can help shape the games we're making. Individuals who believe in collaboration - We work together as a team, as a family, to challenge the status quo and raise the bar! Individuals who want to grow - Contrary to other AAA studios, our goal is to remain a comparatively small studio made of elite talent. We strive to only hire the absolute best talent in the industry and encourage them to further grow their skills with us. Tired of being the smartest gal or guy in the room? Join our community, inspire us, and be inspired! Since Moon Studios is a distributed game development studio, we work with talent from all around the world. To keep things personal and foster communication, we hold annual Team Retreats to touch base and figure out what challenges we want to tackle next. Drinks, dinners, flights, accommodations, and an overall swell time all included! We want you to be: A Designer by heart: While playing games, you just intuitively know how to improve upon the weaker aspects of a title. You indulge in analyzing things that don’t quite work and love to think about how this or that aspect could have been perfected. Experienced: You've worked in the industry before and know the ropes. You're looking for a no-bullshit studio to call home where you can voice your opinions and work with the best talent this industry has to offer! Passionate: You’ve played and studied RPGs your whole life and you still can’t get enough of them. You have a love for all things Diablo, Zelda, Dark Souls and other games in the genre. You’d love the opportunity to work on an RPG that dares to innovate and go far beyond what the genre has offered players thus far. Open to new challenges: We're constantly striving to raise the bar here at Moon Studios. We're not looking for specialists in one field or genre, we want you to be open to help wherever help is needed and be the well-rounded multi-talented creative genius you are. A cool dude / dudette: Life is too short to deal with Prima Donnas: You're cool, open-minded and always willing to learn new things. Simply send your Resume + Portfolio to jobs@moongamestudios.com Moon Studios is an independent video game development studio, founded in 2010 by Thomas Mahler (former Cinematic Artist at Blizzard Entertainment) and Gennadiy Korol (former Senior Graphics Engineer at Animation Lab). The company focuses on highly refined gameplay mechanics and prides itself on an excessive ‘iterative polish’ process. Moon Studios is a distributed development house: Our team members are spread throughout the world, allowing Moon to work with the best and most talented people in the games industry. In 2014, Moon announced it was working on Ori and the Blind Forest, which was released on March 11th, 2015 for Xbox One and PC via Steam, quickly followed up by the Ori and the Blind Forest Definitive Edition a year later. Ori and the Blind Forest received overwhelmingly high praise, a fantastic debut for Moon Studios. Ori and the Will of the Wisps is slated to be released on March 11th, 2020. Moon Studios is simultaneously also working on a yet uannounced title. Full Article
es Senior Combat Designer: Visual Concepts By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: 2020-05-05 Who We Are: At Visual Concepts, we believe great games are made by diverse and empowered teams with a shared passion for play. As one of the world’s top game development studios, we have shipped over 100 mullti-sku titles to critical acclaim and commercial success. Our teams are independent and entrepreneurial. Our studios in Agoura Hills, Novato, Orange County, Budapest, Shanghai, and Seoul are committed to artistry and technical innovation, offering top candidates the opportunity to learn and grow with some of the smartest and most creative minds in the industry. What We Need: Do you live and breathe combat design? Do you decode games into strikes, blocks, reversals, range, damage and combos the moment you pick up the controller? Do you love designing archetypes, inventing amazing signature moves and infusing combat with personality and spectacle? If so, we’d love to have you join us to help deliver amazing experiences for our players. Our Agoura Hills studio is looking for a Senior Combat Designer for the next iteration of the WWE 2K franchise. In this role, you’ll help define core combat philosophy as we translate the amazing spectacle of the WWE into the arsenal of moves our players will take into the ring. You’ll script movement trees, architecting advantage and vulnerability into range, combinations, setups, baits and throws. You’ll dream up signatures and spectacular finishers, differentiate archetypes, and balance a massive roster of Superstars to help deliver accessible, deep, spectacular combat. You’ll work in a creative environment with a diverse team of designers, artists and engineers, touching everything from combat to camera to the emotion and spectacle of one of the greatest shows on Earth. What You Will Do: Develop a combat vision integrating intuitive control, kinetic move sets, meaningful differentiation and strategic depth Work with design, animation and engineering teams to conceive, implement and polish character vs. character combat Play and reference both classics and contemporaries to build on what works while driving new innovations in combat design Design and implement systems for combat depth, strategy and spectacle Identify and document tools and systems that make creating character vs. character combat more efficient Who We Think Will Be A Great Fit: 4 or more years of game design experience, 2 or more in a combat designer role Experience implementing and tuning animation and timing windows for attacks, blocks, branching actions, hit reactions and other related combat actions Experience scripting combat in LUA or similar framework Experience conceiving and differentiating characters, developing signature moves, and balancing asymmetrical fighter types Experience working across disciplines, including animation, art, VFX, audio and engineering to produce a great result Outstanding written and verbal communication and collaboration skills Advanced Qualifications: Experience and love of combat driven by character stats and role-playing elements Experience designing and improving gameplay editing tools Direct experience and understanding of key distinctions of wrestling games Programming/technical experience Full Article
es Senior Systems Designer: Visual Concepts By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: 2020-05-07 Who We Are: Visual Concepts is one of the world’s top game development studios with a flat, entrepreneurial, and non-corporate work environment. We have a proven track record having shipped over 100 multi-SKU titles to great critical acclaim. Our studio in Foothill Ranch, CA is committed to gaming and technical innovation and offers top candidates the opportunity to learn and grow with some of the smartest and most creative minds in the industry. What We Need: We are seeking a Senior Systems Designer to join our development efforts on an exciting new game! Within this role, you’ll be focused on creating, maintaining, and balancing engaging gameplay systems. You’ll work with engineers, artists, and other designers to build innovative mechanics and economies that form the backbone of our new project. What You Will Do: Document, build, implement, bug-fix and “own” your ideas, overseeing them from concept through to final release Design, write, and prototype new systems and some of the meta-game such as player progression, character creation, game balance, economies, and other related systems Evangelize core gameplay features to the rest of the team and help develop best practices Collaborate with game and world designers, gameplay engineers, artists, and animators to implement, tune and balance gameplay systems Prototype and pitch your own design ideas to the team Analyze, validate, and incorporate feedback from the team, as well as from external user testing, as needed Who We Think Will Be A Great Fit: 5+ years’ experience within the video game industry Shipped at least 1 AAA game within a Game Designer role Experience in system design for console or online games, such as player progression and advancement, social mechanics, rewards, economy, or customization/in-game editors Experience with scripting (proprietary or third party) Strong understanding of development processes, workflows, and tools Experience working in-engine, either prototyping or implementing your ideas Comfortable with a development that is playtest-driven and focused on iteration and polish Ability to find new opportunities for improvements and additions within a game Ability to work in a team and collaborate with engineers, artists, and other designers Good communication and presentation skills Self-motivated and proactive What Will Help You Shine: Experience working with analytical data sets for balancing and fine-tuning Experience with Unreal Engine 4 (UE4) and working knowledge of UE4’s Blueprint system Experience with programming (C++, Python) Full Article
es Sr. Brand Manager, Adult Swim Games: WarnerMedia By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: 2020-05-08 The Team Cartoon Network, Adult Swim and Boomerang deliver original, acquired and classic animated and live action entertainment. With digital and gaming businesses, in-house animation production facilities, and studios on both coasts, the division is both grassroots and cutting edge. The combination draws talented people to our doors and audiences to our channels. Check it. The Job Adult Swim Games is looking for an experienced Senior Brand Manager to join our game publishing team. As a Senior Brand Manager, you will be in charge of leading all marketing initiatives for an exciting upcoming video game. The unannounced game will be a close extension of one of the best-known television shows in the universe. This is an incredible opportunity to become immersed in the creation of innovative and fun PC, Console and Mobile games, as a key member of one of the greatest entertainment companies in the world. Perhaps you're also a marketing pro by day, and a gamer at night? Awesome! We'd love to hear about your gaming experience and familiarity with Adult Swim. The Daily Serve as brand lead across global markets, working closely with key stakeholders within WarnerMedia to drive awareness and conversions for current and upcoming games. Lead the full marketing life cycle for games, including market analysis, acquisition campaigns, and retention programs. Manage the marketing KPI's for our games to identify and react to opportunities and challenges. Collaborate across multiple disciplines and departments, including external studios, to inform and coordinate integrated marketing campaigns. Represent marketing initiatives with senior leadership, to help guide long-term corporate strategies. Work closely with production teams to help define and refine features to improve marketability of games. Partner with business development to identify and grow co-marketing and partnership opportunities. Work with internal and external creative, media and digital agencies to produce key art, screenshots, trailers, websites and other creative work. Travel approximately 30% of the time in conjunction with promotion of games Who You Are You have 5+ years of experience in consumer and product marketing, preferably in either entertainment or technology. You have a track record in launching and sustaining digital products or services. You're results oriented and understand how to apply demonstrable ROI and KPI's for marketing campaigns. You're skilled in data analysis and reporting, particularly for launch marketing campaigns. You have strong product management experience, with a solid understanding of live services product life cycle. You have proven experience in strategic marketing and creative production, leading cross-functional teams to successful execution. It's a plus if you have video game industry experience! You have excellent organizational and time management skills with the ability to manage multiple assignments at once. You're a polished professional who is comfortable serving as the main contact for executives, internal stakeholders, partners, and third-party agencies You are a self-starter and strong team player who can work independently and responsibly. You are a strong spoken/written communicator with the ability to develop creative, clear, and concise storytelling for a variety of audiences You're just as nutty and passionate about gaming and our beloved Adult Swim brand as we are! The Perks! Full-time position (40+ hours/week) Eligible for full benefits package (medical, vision, dental) + retirement benefits (401k matching!) Fantastic paid time off package (includes vacation, sick and personal days, plus holidays) Competitive compensation package Paid time off every year to volunteer 2018 Best Company for Working Mothers AND Dads An industry leading in-house learning and development team to help shape and grow your career Working for incredible WarnerMedia brands like HBO, CNN, WB, TBS, TNT, Turner Sports, Cartoon Network, Adult Swim and more! The WarnerMedia Story WarnerMedia is a leading media and entertainment company that creates and distributes premium and popular content from a diverse array of talented storytellers and journalists to global audiences through its consumer brands including: HBO, Warner Bros., TNT, TBS, truTV, CNN, Turner Sports, DC Entertainment, New Line, Cartoon Network, Adult Swim, Turner Classic Movies and others. Warner Media, LLC and its subsidiaries are equal opportunity employers. Qualified candidates will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, mental or physical disability, and genetic information, marital status, citizenship status, military status, protected veteran status or any other category protected by law. Full Article
es The Single Best Employee Benefit Your Small Business Can Offer By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Thu, 07 May 2020 14:30:36 +0000 Sponsored Post With so many companies trying to one-up each other on desirable employment packages, what's the best employee benefit? Here's our choice. Full Article Startup Dreamforce Salesforce Sponsored
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es In the News: Small Business Protections in Place for New PPP Loans By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Fri, 08 May 2020 18:00:36 +0000 Small businesses should have better access to PPP funding after new protections put in place by Treasury Sec. Steve Mnuchin. Full Article Small Business News
es Laurie McCabe of SMB Group: Will the 43% of Closed Small Businesses Come Back? By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Fri, 08 May 2020 21:00:05 +0000 Brent Leary chats with SMB Group's Laurie McCabe to talk about how small businesses are using technology during the pandemic response not just to survive but in some cases, thrive. Full Article Interviews
es Vimeo “Stories in Place” Shows Small Businesses Adapting to Pandemic By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Sat, 09 May 2020 13:00:49 +0000 A new series called Stories in Place on Vimeo shares the stories of small businesses across the US dealing with the coronavirus pandemic. Full Article Small Business News Coronavirus Biz Advice
es 10 Expert Tips for Transforming Your Business This Year By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Sat, 09 May 2020 16:00:42 +0000 Members of our small business community have tips for transforming your business in 2020. Full Article Small Business Operations
es Search, data, and presentation management: Untangling the web of enterprise PowerPoints By www.kmworld.com Published On :: Tue, 27 Aug 2019 09:00:00 EST Presentation management puts a strategic workflow process around presentation files, such as: PowerPoint, video, images, PDFs, and any other file types you use in business Full Article
es How smartphones are transforming customer experience By www.kmworld.com Published On :: Mon, 02 Dec 2019 09:00:00 EST Support organizations that can leverage the power of the smartphone in order to transform their contact center can not only gain key insights to help streamline support operations but can also make agents more effective Full Article
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