COBRA
Subsidy Extended AGAIN
Under COBRA
health plans, an employer is required to offer health care continuation
coverage at the employee's expense if coverage is lost due to the employee's
termination of employment. Employees can elect to retain coverage for
up to 18 months by covering 100 percent of the cost of care plus a two
percent administrative fee. However, through the American Recovery and
Reinvestment Act (ARRA) the government is temporarily providing a subsidy
for 65 percent of the premium the employee would otherwise pay. As
a result of the Continuing Extension Act, the COBRA Subsidy is now extended
to May 31, 2010.
PGAMA members with COBRA benefit plans need
to be aware of these changes because although the U.S. government pays the
subsidy, employers, insurers, and plan administrators are responsible for
determining which employees benefit, providing notice and administering
the new provisions.
Since this is such a complex law, the Department
of Labor has created fact sheets and FAQ pages focused on answering COBRA
questions related to the new health care reform laws. For general information
on compliance with COBRA, go to http://www.dol.gov/ebsa/FAQs/faq_compliance_cobra.html
To learn more about the subsidy extension,
go to http://www.dol.gov/ebsa/cobra.html.
New
Awards Program for MD Green Registry Members
Maryland
Governor
Martin O'Malley has announced that the Maryland Green Registry is now
accepting applications for the program's first annual Leadership Awards.
The Maryland Green Registry is a voluntary, self-certification program offering
tips and resources to help organizations set and meet their own goals on
the path to sustainability. In an Earth Day statement, the Governor said "The
annual Maryland Green Registry Leadership Awards will highlight innovative
environmental practices and successes and inspire others to take similar
steps to protect our air and water, while saving money and creating a healthier
workplace."
No long application is required!
To enter, MD Green Registry members need only submit an
essay of 200 words or less that explains how the company's environmental
practices distinguish them as a leader within the industry in terms of commitment
to continuous improvement of environmental performance and results achieved
to date. This is another good public relations opportunity that will draw
attention to the company's profile on the MD Green Registry website, highlighting
the practices that demonstrate commitment and results. (Note: Profiles will
also be considered as part of the application.)
Statements should be submitted
to MarylandGreen@mde.state.md.us and are due May 7, 2010.
Keep
Employee Info Safe or Face Fines
Many small
business owners mistakenly believe that laws about handling personal
data (such as Social Security numbers) apply only to financial institutions.
However, the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act
(FACTA), a federal consumer-rights law enacted to
reduce the risk of identity theft by regulating how consumer
information is handled, says differently. Since
2005, any employer whose action or inaction results in the loss of employee
information, can be fined by federal and state government, and sued in
civil court. Without a written
program in place, your company could face an unlimited liability exposure
from a data breach. Remember that in the case of identity theft, the
loss may not be known for years.
How can you protect your firm? Have
a written privacy policy, train your employees, appoint a security officer,
have a vendor oversight program in effect and have a mitigation plan.
You can learn more about what you should be doing as a company from the
Federal Trade Commission's publication, Protecting Personal Information-A
Guide for Business. Learn more and order the brochures online at www.ftc.gov/infosecurity.
How
Do Your Comp Packages Measure Up?
Find out how your firms wages for management
and administrative positions compare to other graphic communications
companies in Printing Industries of America's 2009-10 Management
and Administrative Compensation and Benefits Report. More
than 600 graphic arts companies across the country were surveyed,
and reported on 6,500 management and administrative wages.
Details inside include projected salary increases over the
next 12 months, and pages organized by certain demographic
classifications, location, company size, union status, market
segment, and printing process. New
to this edition is the inclusion of an Excel file where you
can input your wages and compare them to the industry average. Simply
enter all your employee wages and an average wage per position
is calculated and compared to the industry average. To order
Item No. 1844 or 1844PDF, go to www.printing.org/store. The
price is $125 for PGAMA members, $250 for non-members.
First "100%
Natural" Printer Named
Traditional printing operations use
substances -- heavy metals, cadmium, lead and toxic chemicals
-- that can negatively affect the health of employees,
but Chicago's Consolidated Printing is different. The Northwest
side company has won national awards for its quality and
sustainability and is considered to be 100% natural. Company
owner Marilyn Jones says Consolidated uses household products
like Crisco and vinegar instead of toxic chemicals, and
as a result, the firm enjoys low absenteeism. Jones says
they use all natural inks and pigments, too. The company's
Environmental Director Walter Jones says the green doesn't
stop at the printing. "The
carpet is recycled, we understand from coke bottles. The
lighting--everything was retrofitted to be sustainable."
Excerpted from www.nbcchicago.com. Read more at http://www.nbcchicago.com/news/green/green-printing-91870344.html#ixzz0mEmF7j5r.
Teacher
Seeks Paper Donation
Michael Born, Printing Technologies Instructor
at the Center of Applied Technology North in Severn, MD, is
seeking donations of paper for student use in the printing
education program. If you have an excess of 70# white offset,
size 11 x 17 or larger, and would like to help support the
printers of tomorrow, please contact Michael via email MBORN@AACPS.org or
phone 410-969-3100
Member
News & Activities
Congratulations
to Advantage
Bookbinding.
The company is celebrating 25 years in business
this month.
Patrick
Huyett of Xerox is the latest
winner of a $75 gift certificate to Ruth's Chris Steak
House Restaurant
for referring the newest PGAMA member, Northrop
Grumman, to the Association. You can earn a dinner
out too~contact Membership Director Jan
Keadle to
find out how, 410-319-0900/877-319-0806.
Upcoming
Events
| May 7 |
LAST DAY
TO RECEIVE EARLY BIRD DISCOUNT ON GOLF OUTING! PAY $135 PER GOLFER BEFORE MAY 7 OR
$150 PER GOLFER AFTER. |
| May 12 |
Webinar: Come Alive
with CS5,
1:00-2:00pm. Get the scoop on the newest version
of Adobe Creative Suite 5. Webinar will discuss
and demonstrate the latest productivity-enhancing
features, including how artwork can now be quickly
turned into high-quality interactive content. Attendees
will also find out how to streamline critical processes
like client reviews with CS Review. There are many
new tools that can provide unexpected opportunities
for users. The webinar is
free to PGAMA members; $99 to nonmembers. Learn
more and sign up online at http://www.printing.org/node/6140.
|
May 16-19
Baltimore Show! |
2010
PIFE Spring Conference, Baltimore
Hilton, Baltimore, Maryland. Come meet and
network with other finance professionals, plus
find out about the latest technologies and
keys to profitability to help successfully
manage your company’s
finance and administration functions. PIFE
meetings provide continuing education credits.
Learn more at http://www.printing.org/event-calendar/5642. |
May 17-19
Baltimore Show! |
2010
Offset & Beyond,
Baltimore
Hilton, Baltimore, Maryland. Attend
to get the resources, tools, and connections
you need to succeed. Offset & Beyond
offers topics that cover business opportunities
and trends, comprehensive technology, production,
digital, sales, marketing, and financial sessions
via leadership, operations, and production
tracks. Learn more at http://www.printing.org/offsetandbeyond
**SPECIAL RATE AVAILABLE FOR PGAMA
MEMBERS** |
May 17-19
Baltimore Show! |
2010
BIA Mid Management Conference, Baltimore
Hilton, Baltimore, Maryland. The BIA Mid-Management
Conference brings together mid-managers from
trade binderies, graphic finishing, information
packaging, custom loose-leaf manufacturing,
and the suppliers to those industries. Be prepared
for a blitz of information, new products and
ideas, as well as unparalleled networking with
your peers from around the world. Plant tours
featuring PGAMA members, too! Learn more at http://www.printing.org/event-calendar/5946. |
| May 19- June 23 |
CSR Training Webinar
Series (Part 1), Noon-1:00pm. Tune in to
one or all six broadcasts of Sid Chadwick's CSR Webinar
Series. Part 1 focuses on Foundations
for Managing Information and Perceived Customer Value,
and will address:
*The changing roles of CSR’s with production,
account executives, and customers
*Importance of the
customer profile
*Communication tools, and how to more effectively
use them to create customer preference, improved
sales rep productivity, and
improved productivity of the production team
*How to use prepress to create
stronger customer loyalty
Cost is $75 for individual
sessions or $400 for the complete series. All
you need to participate is a phone and a computer with
Internet connection! Register with PGAMA by
May 17, 410-319-0900/877-319-0906 or www.pgama.com. |
May 24-26
Baltimore Show!
|
PSDA
Print Solutions Conference & Expo, Baltimore
Convention Center, Baltimore, Maryland. The
Print Solutions Conference & Expo is the
only national trade show focused on supporting
printing professionals who buy print and print
services for resale or distribution to an end-user
customer. In the mix of large trade shows held
throughout the year, this is the only show
targeting this specific niche of printing professionals.
The Print Solutions Conference & Expo
is for anyone directly responsible for buying
or influencing the buying of print. EXCLUSIVE
MEMBER BENEFIT: FREE HALL PASS ($65 VALUE)!! Learn more and register to attend at http://www.printsolutionsshow.com/ |
| June 1-3 |
Introduction
to Printing, PGAMA
Boardroom. Give your new-to-the
industry employees an understanding of
how the entire printing process works--from
start to finish. Great for CSRs, Sales, Management
& more! Course schedule is Tues: 8:30am
- 4:30pm; Wed: AM field trip/PM class; Thurs:
8:30am-Noon. Cost
is $295.00/person for members/$495.00/person
for non-members. Fee includes all instructional
materials, lunch every day, & transportation
for field trip. To register contact Debbie at
PGAMA, 410-319-0900/877-319-0906 or online
at www.pgama.com.
**REGISTRATIONS MUST BE RECEIVED BY
MAY 24. |
June 14
|
PGAMA's
5th Annual Golf Outing, at Crofton
Country Club in Crofton,
Maryland. PGAMA’s annual golf outing
is the perfect place to make contacts with
fellow members and other professionals. There’s
also excellent food, awards, and cash prizes*
so recruit a foursome, polish your swing, and
prepare for a challenging game on this Arnold
Palmer course. *Prizes are given for Longest
Drive, Closest to Pin, Hole in One, and Putting.
Register by May 7 and pay $135 per
person for golf, breakfast & lunch. After
5/7 pay $150 per person. (Lunch/awards only
is $45 per person.) To Register: Call the office,
410-319-0900/877-319-0906. Sponsors
Welcome! Call PGAMA for more info, 410-319-0900. |
|
