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Shops Nationwide Need To Understand Federal Overtime Change Slated For December 1
those at the federal level. But speaking at CIC in Anaheim, Calif., this past summer, King said Important changes being made to federal overtime regulations are likely to even California shops must be aware require significant changes for of what a federal overtime some body shop employee change could mean for some pay plans, according to busiof their employee pay plans. The change made by the ness attorney Cory King. U.S. Department of Labor afKing, a California attorfects the salary thresholds ney who regularly addresses that must be met in order for such issues at the Collision some “white-collar” workers Industry Conference (CIC), Attorney Cory King to be exempt from overtime. often prefaces his presentations with the caveat that the changes King said the so-called “executive exwon’t impact California shops be- emption” is most commonly used by cause many state wage-hour laws shops for salaried managers. See Federal Overtime, Page 36 there are already more stringent than by John Yoswick
OSHA Launches New Whistleblower Pilot Program
for a whistleblower’s case to move to the administrative law judge on an expedited basis, the following criteria must be met:
● The claim is filed under a statute that allows for the administrative law judge to newly review, or review de See OSHA Whistleblower, Page 27
P.O. BOX 1516, CARLSBAD, CA 92018
Meeting Criteria to Expedite In announcing the program, OSHA acknowledged that the investigation
process can be lengthy and therefore wants to facilitate complaints receiving a quicker determination, if possible, by electing to expedite. In order
Change Service Requested
OSHA has launched a new pilot program, titled “Expedited Case Processing Pilot,” in its Western region, which covers California, Nevada, Arizona, Hawaii, American Samoa, the Northern Mariana Islands, and Guam. The new program allows a whistleblower who has filed a complaint to ask OSHA to stop its investigation and issue findings in an expedited fashion that can be reviewed by a Department of Labor (DOL) administrative law judge. Here is OSHA’s press release describing the program.
VOL. 34 ISSUE 11 NOVEMBER 2016
CAA Supports Changes to Anti-Steering and Labor Rate Survey Regulations by Ed Attanasio
Before any regulation goes into effect, it has to be carefully reviewed, re-written in many places, edited and tweaked before it becomes more than just text written on pieces of paper. Until regulations are reviewed by all of the parties involved, they are discussed at public hearings while lawyers and other stakeholders go through the fine print word-by-word. After passing through various stages, a regulation is finalized and hopefully on its way to becoming a rule, but obstacles can often impede it from reaching its ultimate goal. Despite its most recent set of changes, the California Auto Body Association (CAA) still supports the new versions of the anti-steering and labor rate survey regulations that they have been working with in conjunction with California Insurance Commissioner
David Jones for the past six years or more. With the enactment of both regulations now in sight, CAA Lobbyist Jack Molodanof is hopeful but wary as well. “The California Department of Insurance (CDI) received a ton of feedback in the form of comments and suggestions, many of which occurred after the DOI’s April hearings about both regulations,” Molodanof said. “Based on these, the department made a series of revisions in reaction to the input. So, a few weeks ago, they released the new regulations to the public and now there is a 15-day period in which people can only comment about the proposed changes that were made.” From his many years as a lobbyist and working in Sacramento, Molodanof has seen this process in action See CAA Supports Regs, Page 28
Portland Body Shop Owner Becomes Homeless Advocate
Steve Spinnett has owned and operated Steve’s Imports in Portland, OR Last month, we ran an article about for the past 40 years, doing car restorations, collision repairs and offering the Steve Spinnett, a Portland body shop full gamut of mechanical repairs. He owner who became an advocate for does $2.5 million in business annually local homeless people. Autobody News reached out to Spinnett to get the full with 20 employees. He works with his son Johnny, who is the shop’s manstory on his advocacy. ager; his other son, Thommy, who is the shop foreman and his daughter Rebecca, who runs the front office. Steve’s Imports is truly a second-generation family business. Whenever Spinnett, 62, sees something that moves him way one or another, he doesn’t just talk about it—he acts. Once a conservative small-town mayor in Damas(l to r) Thommy, Steve and John Spinnett run the show at cus, OR, Steve isn’t afraid to Steve’s Imports in Portland, OR, a business Steve started take on issues that enter his life 40 years ago. When he saw homeless people living in a by Ed Attanasio
camp near his shop, he decided to take action
See Homeless Advocate, Page 30
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