Public Policy
Berwick Businesses Asked for Input on Signage
The committee for Berwick, The Next Step continues to meet twice a month to enhance the downtown for the benefit of the entire community. The committee is working on a number of recommendations in the Building a Better Berwick report, which is available online. One of the recommendations is updating the Borough’s signage ordinance, to allow…
Read MorePA Chamber Ready to Hit the Ground Running as 2019-20 Legislative Session Gets Underway
From PA Chamber of Business & Industry The New Year has begun and with it, a new legislative session. On Jan. 1, the entire House and Senate took the oath of office, marking the official start of the 2019-20 legislative session. The rest of the month will be dominated by the necessary legislative housekeeping measures required to…
Read MoreState Legislators Discuss Business Issues with Chamber Committee
Elected officials representing Columbia and Montour counties discussed issues of interest to the business community with members of the Chamber and Visitors Bureau recently. Senator John Gordner, Representative David Millard, and Harold Hurst with Representative Kurt Masser’s office met with the Joint Government Affairs Committee in early January. Topics included tourism funding, energy policy, group…
Read MoreReference-Based Pricing: A Unique Self-Insured Option for Employers
From ChamberChoice and Smart Business Pittsburgh It’s no secret that health care pricing varies widely and has a direct impact to the bottom line for employers of all types and sizes. As health care costs continue to increase, employers have sought innovative and creative strategies to lower expenses. One strategy, which has gained momentum, is referenced-based pricing (RBP).…
Read MoreInsurance Department Approves Workers’ Comp Filings That Reflect Protz Fix, Previous Data Error
From PA Chamber of Business & Industry The state Insurance Department recently announced its approval of “loss cost” filings that may result in workers’ compensation savings to Pennsylvania employers, effective Jan. 1, 2019. The first of these filings from the PA Compensation Rating Bureau reflects the enactment of Act 111 of 2018, in which the…
Read MoreAre You an Applicable Large Employer?
From ChamberChoice An employer who employed an average of at least 50 full-time employees per month during the prior calendar year is an applicable large employer (ALE) for Affordable Care Act (ACA) purposes. ALE status must be determined each year, and ALEs are subject to the ACA employer shared responsibility and information reporting provisions for offers of minimum…
Read MoreWhat’s Driving Stock Volatility and What to Expect Next
From North Branch Group/Thrivent Financial Mark Simenstad, CFA Chief Investment Strategist, Thrivent Asset Management David Francis, CFA Vice President, Investment Equities, Thrivent Asset Management Darren Bagwell, CFA Chief Equity Strategist, Thrivent Asset Management Steve Lowe, CFA Head of Fixed-Income, Thrivent Asset Management In the past year, the S&P 500 has gone through two corrections of…
Read MoreNew Year, New Session: PA Chamber Ready to Fight for Our Members in 2019
From PA Chamber of Business & Industry Happy Holidays! With December now nearly over, the PA Chamber is geared up to start 2019 with an aggressive pro-growth agenda. As we work to ensure that the legislature is aware of our members’ major advocacy goals before lawmakers are sworn in on New Year’s Day, we’re taking…
Read MoreMid-Year Budget Report Strikes Optimistic Tone; Budget Secretary Albright Announces Resignation
From PA Chamber of Business & Industry Despite recent projections from the state’s Independent Fiscal Office that the Commonwealth faces an up to $1.7 billion deficit headed into 2019-20 budget discussions, the tone from the state’s outgoing Budget Secretary is one of optimism for Pennsylvania’s fiscal health. At a mid-year budget report press event last…
Read MoreSeeking Long-Term Flooding Solutions for Businesses
Among the areas that experienced flash flooding this summer was a portion of South Centre Township, Columbia County, which impacted homes and several major employers. Among them, Chamber members SEKISUI SPI and J.M. Smucker were forced to shut down for days to deal with unprecedented flooding. Efforts are underway to reduce or eliminate the future…
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