| COBRA
Subsidies Begin March 1
The economic stimulus package includes a significant subsidy
towards COBRA premium payments for employees who
were laid off from September 1, 2008 through December 31,
2009. These individuals will be eligible for a 65% federal
subsidy of their COBRA premiums for up to nine months, or
until they qualify to enroll in a new employer's
health care plan or Medicare. This is a major change from
non-subsidized COBRA coverage, in which COBRA eligibility
ends only when beneficiaries actually enroll in a new employer's
health plan or after 18 months of receiving the coverage.
Employers will have to notify eligible beneficiaries of the
change in what they have to pay for COBRA, and send out new
premium statements. If an employee overpays their premium,
employers can either provide a refund or give a credit against
future payments. Employers will also have to contact former
employees laid off since September 1 who declined COBRA coverage
at the time of lay off, and notify them that they now have
60 days to opt for subsidized COBRA coverage. COBRA affects
employers with 20 or more employees, but is also available
to State extension plans such as the one in Maryland that
covers individuals working for companies with less than 20
employees. Read
more about the COBRA subsidy in the Members Only section
of pgama.com. (Member
login and password required.)
Digital
Mail Survivability in the USPS
"Digital Printing Survivability in the U.S. Postal
System" is a Printing Industries of America study that
evaluates how well a digitally produced postcard would survive
the USPS. The study was conducted in July and August of 2008,
and also reveals how the same
postcard produced using lithography would fair and where
most marking of the postcard tends to occur.
Results show that both
the press used, as well as the postal center through which
the piece was processed, significantly affect the amount
of scuffing. PGAMA members can download the study for FREE
at www.printing.org/postalsystemstudy.
For more digital insights, members can also get guidance
from expert Frank Kanonik, who
has just joined the staff of Printing Industries of America
as a non-resident consultant.
May
11 Postage Increase Update
As announced last week in eNews, postage rates will increase
on May 11. However, mailers may use the current prices for
plant-verified drop shipment (PVDS) mailings verified and
paid before May 11 up to May 26 when presented with appropriate
verification and payment documentation. Get tools to prepare
for the May 11 pricing change at usps.com/prices/pricechanges.htm.
HR
Law Changes
President Obama signed the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act
into law on January 29, which changes the statute
of limitations on wage discrimination cases. The law will
now allow the statute of limitations to begin each time a
paycheck (or other form of payment) that
reflects an alleged discrimination is awarded. Among other
provisions, it removes the cap on punitive and compensatory
damages in claims made under the Equal Pay Act. This legislation
will have far reaching effects on employers. Since the language
in the act does not strictly define any sort of statute of
limitations for how long pay-related employment decisions
are subject to legal challenges, employers should assume
there is NO end to how long they should retain records pertaining
to such decisions. Future legal challenges to the law and/or
federal regulations may more clearly define employer responsibilities
in the future, but for the time being, be sure to retain
copies of the following: payroll registers and quarterly
tax filings; offer letters to employees; performance reviews
and disciplinary notices; payroll change forms; incentive
and bonus plan documents and reports; sales commission reports;
and employee and employer retirement plan contributions.
The information in these documents may be requested in the
event of an investigation into possible discriminatory practices.
In addition, if management at your company suspects that
a past discrimination issue may exist or simply feels it
prudent to have an audit of all pay records performed, please
seek the services of local legal counsel to perform a complete
evaluation.
New
Apple Lease Offer
No risk. Lots of rewards. Apple has a great offer for our
members to take advantage of for their businesses. Get a
0% lease for 24 months on new Mac systems and software. $5,000
minimum lease. Check out the latest equipment online at www.apple.com/mac,
and order in the Members Only section of pgama.com.
Conformance
to G7
In order to print in accordance to the G7 process or the
ISO 12647 standard for print quality, the inks that our members
use must conform to the ISO 2846 standard for color and transparency.
As both a resource to printers and a method of validation
for ink suppliers around the world, Printing Industries of
America's Center for Technology and Research provides conformance
verification testing and publishes online a complete list
of all the inks that have been verified. Check out the list
to see if your ink manufacturer is on it at www.printing.org/iso2846.
If not listed, insist that your suppliers have their inks
tested for conformance.
Member
News
Congrats
to member
firms MOSAIC,
Indigo Ink, LLC,
and Goetz
Printing Company
who
were recognized
by the EPA for their 100%
Green
Power Purchases by the Green
Power Partnership. The
Green Power Partnership
works with a wide variety
of leading organizations — from
Fortune 500 companies
to local, state and federal
governments, to
reduce the environmental
impacts of electricity
use and support the development
of new renewable
generation capacity nationwide. Read
the complete
list of
Top Green Power Purchasers here.
Upcoming Events
| March 2 |
Webinar: 10 Tips to Cut Production
Costs, 2:00-3:00pm.
Ken Rizzo, Director of Consulting at Printing Industries
of America, will help you attack the "hidden factory
of waste" lurking in your plant with Lean manufacturing
tools to slash wasted time and materials, and in turn,
cut the cost of producing goods. Cost is $69 for members
OR sign up for the March 23 and 26 broadcasts too and
pay just $150 for all three sessions! Register at www.printing.org under
Events & Training. |
| March 3 |
Seminar: Get a Grip on Energy
Costs with EnerNOC,
9:00-10:30am at PGAMA. Learn more about EnerNOC's Demand
Response program, which PAYS
YOU to cut down on electricity
usage when demand is high. Features a Q&A with PGAMA
members already enrolled in the program. NO
COST TO ATTEND! Limited seating--register at pgama.com or call
the office, 410-319-0900. |
| March 4 |
DEADLINE TO RECEIVE ENTRIES FOR PGAMA'S MEMBERSHIP
FOLDER DESIGN CONTEST!
PGAMA has extended the deadline for the re-design contest
of our Membership Folders. These pocket folders are
used to recruit new members, and contain inserts that
explain the history and benefits of joining PGAMA.
They are often the first impression
a business has of the Association. New glossy white
folders have been donated by member firm Ris, but the
Association would like to give the folder covers a
fresh look. Entries must be
submitted by March 4, 2009 and winner will be announced at the Excellence in Print
Awards banquet on March 12.
For rules and other info contact Rusty
Coolidge, 301-249-5266.
|
| March 9-11 |
Sales Academy: Playbook for
Selling Success at Printing Industries
of America. PGAMA member T.J.
Tedesco leads this workshop, designed to develop
essential skills for sales personnel. Cost is $995
for members. More info and register at www.printing.org. |
| March 10 |
Webinar: Pulling It All Together,
2:00-3:00pm. Xerox continues it's FREE Webinar
Series with this presentation that will help print
providers assess their company's operations, and use
the information to make informed purchasing decisions
to better meet customer needs and increase their capacity
to take on more jobs. Led by Gina Testa, VP of Business
Development for Xerox. ****Registration
link was already sent in an email from PGAMA. We will
re-send the link next week. |
March 12
Be A Sponsor for this Event!
|
Special Event: Excellence in
Print Awards Banquet,
5:30-10:00pm at Martin's West Ballroom in Baltimore.
Be sure to attend the Association's biggest event of
the year, a night to celebrate print and salute the
best of our industry. Evening opens with networking
while guests enjoy cocktails and very heavy hors'douerves.
Brief awards ceremony follows, then the celebration
continues at Casino Night with plenty of great prizes
for participants. All Casino Night proceeds benefit
the PGAMA Education Trust Fund. Tickets are $55 each
or $525 for a party of 10. Call PGAMA to make reservations,
410-319-0900. ***Contact Carol at
the office for info on sponsorship opportunities. |
| March 16-18 |
Special Event: National Environmental
Health & Safety (NEHS) Conference,
Indianapolis, IN. If you are looking to become
a more sustainable, green printer, plan to attend
this conference--the only one addressing this issue
for the printing industry! PGAMA members receive
a special registration rate! Learn more and register
at www.nehsconference.org. |
| March 23 |
Webinar: 10 Tips to Improve
Your Finances, 2:00-3:00pm.
Stuart Margolis, of member firm Margolis Beck leads
this session, and will help you discover
the proper principles to follow to take advantage of
the opportunities available in the current economy.
Save countless hours of agony later by learning
from the mistakes and triumphs of others. Cost is
$69 for members OR sign up for the March 2 and 26
broadcasts too and pay just $150 for all three sessions!
Register at www.printing.org under
Events & Training. |
| March 26 |
Webinar: 10 Tips to Improve Your Sales, 2:00-3:00pm.
PGAMA member T.J. Tedesco leads this webinar, and
will share practical ways to capitalize on simple
strategies that not only require fewer resources, but
also yield quicker results.
Cost is $69 for members OR sign up for the March 2
and 23 broadcasts too and pay just $150 for all three
sessions! Register at www.printing.org under
Events & Training. |
| March 26 |
Special Event: Production Club of Baltimore
Paper Show, 5:30-8:30pm
at Martin's West in Baltimore. Where food, fun, and
paper meet! Cost is $25. Register online through
March 25 at productionclubofbaltimore.org. |
| March 30-April 2 |
Special Event: ON DEMAND Conference &
Expo, Pennsylvania Convention Center
in Philadelphia, PA. Whether you come from the
commercial or in-plant side of the printing industry,
this conference can help you make connections with
peers, competitors, vendors, and business opportunities.
Register by February 23 and save $200! More info
and sign up at www.ondemandexpo.com. |
| March 31-April 2 |
Member Education: Introduction to Printing
Workshop. If you have employees who
are new to the industry, this two-and-a-half day
class is a must. Attendees will gain an understanding
of the entire printing process, from start to finish.
Cost is $295 per person for members; $495 for non-members
and includes all instructional materials, lunch
every day, and transportation for the field trip. Register
by March 23 at www.pgama.com or
call the office, 410-319-0900. |
| April 7 |
Members Only Seminar: How to Survive
the Economic Downturn, 8:30-12:30pm
at PGAMA.
Renowned consultant Tom Crouser developed this program
especially for small printing businesses (those with
less than $1.5 million annual sales.) In the half-day
session he explains why a tough economy can be the
best time for growth, and how expansion can be achieved.
All attendees receive a copy of Tom's book, "Prospering,"
and a personal consultation with him. Cost is $85 per
person/$125 for husband-wife owners. ***Money
Back Guarantee!*** If you attend and do not
find value in the presentation, ask for a refund. Limited
Seating-register early! Sign up at www.pgama.com or
call the office, 410-319-0900. |
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