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WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Reps. Mike Thompson (D-CA) and Kevin Brady (R-TX), senior members of the House Committee on Ways and Means, have introduced bipartisan legislation that will help reduce burdens faced by small businesses and ensure better compliance with complex federal employment tax responsibilities.
H.R. 3581, the Small Business Efficiency Act of 2013, would provide clear rules for Professional Employer Organizations (PEOs) that are voluntarily certified by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to collect and pay federal employment taxes for their small business clients.
The legislation will provide certainty for small businesses that use certified PEO services and allow employers to focus on their business operations, not government paperwork.
“Small businesses are the backbone of our economy and they shouldn’t be held back because of Washington regulations and piles of government paperwork,” said Thompson. “By passing this bill and removing bureaucratic burdens, we can let small businesses focus on what they do best – growing their business, producing quality products and creating good-paying jobs.”
PEOs provide human resources services to small business clients. One of the most important tasks that PEOs perform for small businesses is the collection and payment of employment taxes, reducing the amount of burdensome paperwork for small businesses.
Currently there is ambiguity about a certified PEO’s (CPEO) ability to assume employment tax responsibility. The Small Business Efficiency Act eliminates this ambiguity by implementing safeguards for the CPEO’s small business clients.
To become a certified PEO (CPEO) Thompson and Brady’s legislation requires a PEO to meet certain basic financial conditions, satisfy reporting obligations, and maintain ongoing certification with the IRS.
After meeting certification requirements, the CPEO would assume full and sole responsibility and liability for employment taxes due as long as they are certified.
The Small Business Efficiency Act creates a voluntary IRS certification process to help PEOs become certified so they can take on small business clients and accept liability for filing payroll taxes for their clients’ employees.
Not only will small businesses benefit from the legislation, the federal government directly benefits as well.
The IRS has stated that CPEOs would improve compliance with employment tax requirements, reduce the number of returns the IRS has to process, and reduce errors in calculating and paying employment taxes. Presidents Bush and Obama have included very similar proposals in their budget submissions.
Thompson represents California’s Fifth Congressional District, which includes all or part of Contra Costa, Lake, Napa, Solano and Sonoma counties.
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WASHINGTON, DC – Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack has announced the availability of nearly $10.5 million in U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development grants to help agricultural producers enter into value-added activities designed to give them a competitive business edge.
“U.S. agriculture is responsible for millions of American jobs – both directly and indirectly,” Vilsack said. “Supporting farmers and related businesses strengthens rural economies and helps fuel innovation and product development. It's also an important part of USDA programs that link farmers to their communities, and it underscores the many benefits of local and regional food systems.”
The funding is being made available through USDA's Value-Added Producer Grant (VAPG) program. Grants are available to help agricultural producers create new products, expand marketing opportunities, support further processing of existing products or goods, or to develop specialty and niche products. They may be used for working capital and planning activities. The maximum working capital grant is $200,000; the maximum planning grant is $75,000.
“This program is just one of many that USDA Rural Development offers to support rural communities and help develop strong local and regional food systems,” said USDA Rural Development California State Director Glenda Humiston. “We look forward to assisting agriculture producers create new value-added business opportunities with their California-grown foods.”
Eligible applicants include independent producers, farmer and rancher cooperatives, and agricultural producer groups. Funding priority is given to socially disadvantaged and beginning farmers or ranchers, and to small- to medium-size family farms, or farmer/rancher cooperatives.
Rural Development is encouraging applications from Tribal organizations as well as applications that support regional food hubs. Applications supporting value-added activities related to bio-based products are also encouraged.
Last year, seven successful applicants in California received grants through the program. Recipients ranged from dairy cooperative Challenge Dairy Products in Dublin, Calif., who used funds to help market a new light, spreadable butter, to Pacific Farms and Orchards in Tehama, Calif. who studied ways to utilize byproducts from olive oil production.
Additional examples of how VAPGs assist local and regional food producers are available on the USDA Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food Compass, which is searchable by zip code and key word.
Grant applications are due by Feb. 24, 2014. More information about how to apply is available on page 70260 of the Nov. 25 Federal Register, http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2013-11-25/pdf/2013-28175.pdf .
Questions can be directed to Karen Firestein at 530-792-5829 or
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NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – The Northern California Dungeness crab season will open on Sunday, Dec. 1,
north of the Mendocino County line.
The director of the California Department of Fish and Game has established a 64-hour gear setting period for the season when crab trap gear can be set no earlier than 8 a.m. on Thursday, Nov. 28.
Quality tests conducted in the Northern California region in October and November indicate that California Dungeness crabs are ready for harvest.
Despite incomplete testing data from the Eureka port area, data collected on Nov. 9 from this area indicated a high degree of probability that the crab would be ready for harvest by Dec. 1 and no data suggests low quality or soft-shell conditions.
Fish and Game Code Section 8276.2 requires the director to open the season on Dec. 1 unless the crab are soft-shelled or of low quality.
Oregon and Washington Dungeness crab seasons are delayed pending future testing results.
In addition, FGC Section 8279.1 prohibits anyone who fishes for crab in California, prior to the delayed openings in Oregon and Washington, from participating in those crab fisheries for 30 days following the opening of the crab fisheries in those states.
For the results from the preseason quality tests, visit www.psmfc.org/crab/ .
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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – MPIC Inc., A Working Connection! is excited to announce new training opportunities for businesses and job seekers that address customer service skills in the hospitality and tourism industry.
Excellent customer service is a skill necessary for all employees and one that will make your business more consumer friendly.
There are many job seekers with extensive experience in serving people in a variety of venues such as food service and retail. Local businesses, however, continually report that they are having difficulty in finding applicants with great customer service skills. No matter what type of job we have, customer service is a cornerstone of successful businesses.
A Working Connection! is offering a venue of training that will address practical skills to increase the sales and customer retention for our local businesses.
These interactive classes will provide practical strategies and training for employees already employed, job seekers looking for new opportunities and also those workers new to the workforce.
Participants will learn how to greet customers, deal with difficult people, and gain skills that promote a friendly and helpful atmosphere.
Working in collaboration with Mendocino College, Lake County Winegrape Commission, county of Lake, city of Lakeport and the city of Clearlake, courses to be offered include: Market Lake County – Tourism and Hospitality; Increase your Customer Service; Fine Dining – Fine Wine and Food service; Dealing with Difficult Customers; Effective Strategies for Returning Customers and Increasing Sales; Food Handlers Class and Certification, and more.
Special workshops also will be included to teach skills to promote a positive view of Lake County; promoting the county is a large part of customer service.
This training will be tailored to meet the specific needs of Lake County, providing information not just about customer service but also how to inform visitors of the wonders of the county to increase returning and new visitors.
Job seekers who have been laid off and are looking for work may qualify for special funding for the classes as well as job development services.
Attendees will receive certificates that can be added to their resume as employers will appreciate the skills attained in these valuable classes.
Employers interested in participating in these training opportunities or hiring successful candidates are encouraged to contact Pam or Christy at 707-263-0630 or 707-994-9007.
The first class will be held at Mendocino College on Dec. 11 at 3 p.m.
To sign up, please inquire at WorkforceLake at 55 First St., Lakeport, telephone 707-263-0630, or WorkforceLake at 14092 Lakeshore Drive, Clearlake.
Pam Harpster is program director and business services coordinator of MPIC Inc.
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