A special thank you also goes out to the staff at the Pine Barn Inn, which has hosted this event for about the last decade or so. The sales, kitchen and hospitality staff at the Pine Barn Inn routinely goes above and beyond with their service and without their help (not to mention great-tasting food), this event wouldn’t be nearly as successful. Also, special thanks to them for once again donating a menu selection as an Angel Sponsor. Finally, thanks to two special volunteers – Mary Ann Rizzo from the Columbia-Montour Visitors Bureau, who helped at the registration table with the more than 350 name tags to give out, and Tim Wagner of Wagner’s Trophies & Engraveables, who once again served as one of the bartenders at the event. Their valuable time spent helping this event go smoothly is greatly appreciated. Also, thanks to the Chamber and Chamber Foundation staff — Matt Beltz, Phyllis Jones, Deb Sokol and Jeff Emanuel — for their efforts on the day of the event in making sure that it went off without any major issues. This is the third in a series of posts recognizing and thanking all of the valuable contributors that helped make the 2017 Chamber Holiday Open House a successful event once again. It is the continued support of these businesses, organizations and individuals that helps the Chamber fulfill its mission of offering programs, benefits and events to its members, giving them a stronger voice and advocacy and being involved in more activities and initiatives in our communities.
Thanks to the eight member organization that donated a door prize. These included four members that were also Angel Sponsors, as well as the our first-time floral arrangement provider and our newest member, Pretty Petals & Gifts by Susan. Door prizes provide a nice additional touch to the Holiday Open House and donations from members enable the Chamber to spend less on prizes, ensuring that even more funds to toward supporting its mission. Thanks again to these organizations for their donations.
Columbia-Montour Visitors Bureau
Just a Drop Essential Oil
The Nickle Plate Bar & Grill at Knoebels Three Ponds Golf Course
Pretty Petals & Gifts by Susan
From ChamberChoice
As the year begins to wind down, employers should remember to have on their “to do” list a review of any benefits which need to be reported as imputed income. In general, the benefits that an employer provides to its employees are excluded from an employee’s taxable income. However, for employer-sponsored group term life insurance, there are some exceptions to this taxability exclusion.
The Internal Revenue Code (IRC) details the tax implications for employer-sponsored group term life insurance, excluding the cost of the first $50,000 in employer provided coverage. The cost of any excess coverage is subject to federal income and FICA (Social Security and Medicare) taxes. “Cost” as referred to here does not mean the premium paid by the employer but the cost determined under the IRC’s Table I rates [at right]. The “cost” of the coverage added to an employee’s gross income is commonly referred to as “imputed income.” The “cost” is usually included in one of the employee’s last paychecks for the year. The employer withholds the employee’s portion of FICA taxes and pays its FICA share. This information is also reported on the employee’s W-2.
There are several other instances, besides the employer provided coverage exceeding a benefit in the amount of $50,000, which would require additional taxable income to the employee.
Employer-sponsored voluntary life coverage. If an employee is paying the entire cost of the life coverage on an after-tax basis, the coverage may still be considered partly-employer provided. This would occur if an employee’s post-tax contributions are less than the value of the excess coverage calculated using the IRS’ table of rates.
Employer-sponsored voluntary life insurance paid for with pre-tax dollars under a Section 125 plan. If an employee pays for coverage using pre-tax dollars, the coverage is treated, for tax purposes, as if the employer paid those premiums. Thus, the costs for any amounts that exceed $50,000 must be included as income.
Employers must include in their employees’ wages the cost of group-term life insurance beyond $50,000 worth of coverage, reduced by the amount the employee paid toward the insurance on an after-tax basis. The $50,000 includes any employer provided group term life benefit and any pre-tax life coverage for which the employee pays.
Also, remember to review any dependent life insurance coverage offered. Many employers are under the assumption that life insurance provided for dependents is taxed in the same manner as employee life insurance. It is not. Employer-provided dependent life insurance is taxable unless the amount of the insurance is less than $2,000. For coverage exceeding $2,000 the full amount of the dependent life insurance is taxable, including the first $2,000.
As employers begin to review information for its employees’ W-2s it should remember to consider imputed income for excess life insurance. An employer should address any concerns regarding group-term life insurance and imputed income with its tax advisor.
This is the second in a series of posts recognizing and thanking all of the valuable contributors that helped make the 2017 Chamber Holiday Open House a successful event once again. It is the continued support of these businesses, organizations and individuals that helps the Chamber fulfill its mission of offering programs, benefits and events to its members, giving them a stronger voice and advocacy and being involved in more activities and initiatives in our communities.
Thank you to the Angel Sponsors at this year’s event. Angel Sponsors are Chamber members in the food, beverage or catering businesses that serve samples of their own products at the Holiday Open House. Angel Sponsors always add a nice element to the event with their tasty food and drink, and we hope that all of the attendees that had a chance to sample their offerings and liked them will patronize these businesses over the next year. For those that may have enjoyed a particular food sample but can’t remember what it was or which Angel Sponsor it might have been from, each sponsor’s menu from the Holiday Open House is also listed.
Special thanks also goes out to the five first-time Angel Sponsors (noted below), including four of which that joined the Chamber over the last 12 months since last year’s Holiday Open House.
Freas Farm Winery (first-time Angel Sponsor)
1752 (Pinot Grigio), One Year In (Chardonnay), Vida’s New Blend (Vidal), Three Turns (Dry Red), Joy (Semi-Sweet Red), Queen of Tarts (Cranberry))
Frosty Valley Country Club
Buffalo chicken dip, pork carnitas with pita break for dipping, chicken scapula
(Note: these menu offerings will be served at Frosty Valley’s new restaurant, the Iron Fork, which will open in the spring)
The Farmhouse & Brewing Co. at Turkey Hill
Pumpkin ravioli with amaretto cream, buffalo chicken dip, samples of beer
Just a Drop Essential Oil (first-time Angel Sponsor and 2017 new member)
Pumpkin, lemon cream cheese, hot chocolate peppermint and spearmint chocolate chip cookies
Mountainside Coffee/Tulpehocken Mountain Spring Water (first-time Angel Sponsor and 2017 new member)
Samples of Mountainside coffee and tea K-cups and bottled Tulpehocken Mountain Spring Water
The Nickle Plate Bar & Grill at Knoebels Three Ponds Golf Course (first-time Angel Sponsor and 2017 new member)
Beef n’ cheddar sliders, pulled pork sliders, mini crab cakes, mini salmon cakes
Steph’s Subs
Assorted cold subs
T.K. Witch (first-time Angel Sponsor and 2017 new member)
Assorted dessert bites
This is the first in a series of posts recognizing and thanking all of the valuable contributors that helped make the 2017 Chamber Holiday Open House a successful event once again. It is the continued support of these businesses, organizations and individuals that helps the Chamber fulfill its mission of offering programs, benefits and events to its members, giving them a stronger voice and advocacy and being involved in more activities and initiatives in our communities.
Thanks to the major sponsors of this year’s Holiday Open House.
Event Sponsor
Geisinger Bloomsburg Hospital
Hospitality Sponsors
M&T Bank
Gold Star Sponsors
Bodnar Sales & Service
Red Reindeer Sponsors
BIDA
Service 1st Federal Credit Union
Green Tree Sponsors
ChamberChoice/On Demand Energy
Derr, Pursel, Luschas & Naparsteck, LLP
The Chamber’s Board of Directors is recommending a slate of candidates to serve on the Board beginning April, 2018. Members will vote on nominations at the Annual Meeting, sponsored by PPL Electric Utilities, which is scheduled for Thursday, Feb. 8 at Rolling Pines Golf Course. Nominated to serve are:
Three-year term:
Dan Knorr, II, Bloomsburg University
Mary Radle, Key Partners Realty
Denise Stone, Geisinger
Jeff Whitenight, First Columbia Bank
One-year term:
Donna Coombs, GordnerCoombs Insurance
Sam Haulman, Service Electric
Chris Stamatedes, PPL Electric Utilities
Following the election of Board members, the Board will elect officers. Nominated to serve are:
Board Chair (two-year term) – Karen Wood, Service 1st Federal Credit Union
Vice Chair – Dan Knorr, II, Bloomsburg University
Treasurer – Denise Stone, Geisinger
Immediate Past Chair – Mark Gardner, M&T Bank
President – Fred Gaffney
The Board Chair also has three, one-year appointments. Being recommended are:
Jim Micklow, Press Enterprise
Holly Morrison, Central Susquehanna Community Foundation
Tom Neal, Berwick Hospital Center
In accordance with the By-Laws, any 15 members may nominate an alternate ticket, or tickets, by posting the same, over their signatures, at the Chamber office not later than five days prior to the Annual Meeting.
From PA Chamber of Business & Industry
Last week, the House failed to pass legislation that would have prevented public employers from using taxpayer-funded payroll systems to automatically deduct money for campaign contributions or other political activity from employees’ paychecks.
Senate Bill 166 – which was defeated in a 90-102 vote on final passage – earned the support of the PA Chamber as a ‘good government’ measure, especially in light of the arrests and convictions of elected officials in recent history which have shown that a clear line needs to exist to avoid any use of taxpayer resources for political activity. Under current law, state and local governments can collect political campaign funds from the paychecks of government employees on behalf of public sector unions, which blurs the line between official government business and political activity. By removing the government from serving as the official collector of money for political purposes, S.B. 166 would have helped brighten that line and brought clarity to the process. While the legislation faced headwinds from some organized labor groups that are intent on keeping the status quo, it passed the Senate earlier this year.
Following the failed vote, PA Chamber President Gene Barr issued a statement expressing disappointment that the General Assembly didn’t get the bill to the governor’s desk (although the Wolf administration had already said the bill would be vetoed if it reached that point). “For far too long, newspaper headlines across the Commonwealth have highlighted criminal corruption cases against state and local officials for misusing government resources for political gain,” Barr said. “It is disheartening that this sorely needed good government bill didn’t cross the finish line.”
A final tax reform package is expected to be on President Trump’s desk as early as Wednesday, Dec. 20. Following the passage of differing bills in the House and Senate, a conference committee with leaders from both chambers was formed to come to reach a compromise. A representative of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce told local chambers that the final legislation provides additional benefits to small businesses and middle class taxpayers.
The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act conference report was filed on Friday evening, Dec. 15. A few technical changes had to be made prior to the Senate vote, which then needed to be confirmed in the House. Here is an executive summary prepared by the House Ways and Means and Senate Finance Committees.
A group of engaged individuals from Chamber member organizations enjoyed a presentation from Tina Welch of Welch Performance Consulting on different generations in the workplace last Tuesday, Dec. 12, at Wesley United Methodist Church. Chamber Learn at Lunches are sponsored by PPL Electric Utilities and this specific Learn at Lunch was also co-sponsored by PA CareerLink Columbia/Montour Counties.
Welch, a former HR executive who now runs her own consulting business, began the presentation by noting that she did not have any magic bullets that would automatically solve generational problems in the workplace. However, her presentation was done with the hope that making organizational leaders and others aware of the various differences in generations and what each is able to offer in terms of strengths can provide opportunities for HR and other leaders to implement strategies that can overcome generational barriers.
Why is this important for any organization that has multiple generations of individuals working for it? Take these statistics for instance.
– The proportion of working 65-69 year-olds in the U.S. has risen from nearly 18% in 1985 to 32% in 2011.
– During each quarter of 2016, over a quarter million Americans turned 65.
– Millennials will make up the majority of the workforce by 2025.
– Millennials have passed Baby Boomers as the largest generational group in the workplace.
– Fewer than 1 in 3 American workers are committed to the success of their organization and are engaged in their work
– 74% of Americans expect to work even after “retirement.”
– 68% of corporate recruiters say that it is difficult for their organizations to manage millennials
With those statistics in mind, and with turnover costing any employer, large or small, approximately 6-9 months of the lost employee’s salary, it is more critical than ever that organizational leaders understand the benefits, values and needs that each generation and individual brings to the workplace and be able to apply specific strategies to encourage communication and collaboration across the generations as well as to diffuse conflicts.
Attendees were given a handout that in general terms, defines the characteristics and stereotypes as well as the workplace needs of all four generations — Traditionalists (born 1922-45), Baby Boomers (born 1946-64), Generation X (born 1965-1979) and Millennials (born 1980-2010), as well as those of “cuspers,” which are those born near the end or beginning of a specific generation. This is especially important for Xennials, a micro generation born during the cusp years of Generation X and Millennials (1977-1983). This group often shows characteristics and stereotypes of and has similar workplace needs as those usually attributed to one or both of Generation X and Millennials.
At the end of the workshop, Welch asked the attendees to name one thing they could do immediately when they returned to their workplaces to help facilitate better inter-generational understanding and cooperation, while allowing for the fact that some workplace policies obviously can’t be changed immediately or at all. Some of the responses included taking a look at the standard employee orientation presentation, keeping notes on individuals such as board members and organizational volunteers in order to be able to best communicate and/or facilitate activities with them, as well as taking a look at a company cell phone policy.
From PA Chamber of Business & Industry
The House passed in a nearly unanimous (183-4) vote last week legislation that many lawmakers called a “necessary compromise” to help address the state Unemployment Compensation benefit system costs for operational and system upgrades.
House Bill 1915 was crafted with bipartisan support following the misappropriation of UC system funds over several years as it related to the Service and Infrastructure Improvement Fund, which resulted in the governor’s furlough last year of UC center call workers while debate continued over the future funding of SIIF and the UC system generally.
The bill, which now awaits consideration in the Senate, would provide $115.2 million in additional funding to the UC benefits system over the next four years. It would transfer to SIIF $30 million in 2018, $25 million in 2019, $20 million in 2020 and $10 million in 2021; with additional monies being transferred from SIIF to the UC benefit modernization project through 2020.
The legislation also stipulates expected outcomes from the modernization project, which are all focused on eventually ending the Department of Labor and Industry’s reliance on SIIF dollars for the operations of the UC benefits system. It is noteworthy that many involved in the creation of SIIF contend it was never intended to be a permanent program, and was established to temporarily supplement federal funding through 2016 to upgrade technology infrastructure for the UC system.
While most House Democrats voted for H.B. 1915, the four members of that caucus who voted against the bill did so on the grounds that it didn’t provide enough money. According to a story in Capitolwire¸ Rep. Pete Schweyer, D-Lehigh, argued that the funding supplied by the bill wouldn’t be enough to reopen the UC call center in Allentown, which the governor closed last December.
House Bill 1915 heads to the state Senate for consideration.