Issuu

PULSE BEAT

Paramount Chamber of Commerce (paramountchamber.com) • Serving the community since 1947 • November 2021

Seniors Thanksgiving Luncheon: November 18

his year’s Seniors Thanksgiving Luncheon will return to being an in-person event on Thursday, November 18, at the Paramount Park Gym, 14400 Paramount Blvd.

Scene from the pre-COVID Seniors Thanksgiving Luncheon in 2019.

Doors will open at 9 a.m., and meals will be served beginning at noon, with everything wrapping up by 1 p.m. While the luncheon is free, guests must make reservations in person at the Paramount Park Community Center, Monday through Friday, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. You must be 60 years of age or older and present proof of Paramount residency, as well as proof of full vaccination against the COVID-19 virus. Be sure to reserve your spot! For additional information, please call the City at (562) 220-2090.

Annual Tree Lighting Ceremony: December 1 The City of Paramount will kick off the yuletide season with its annual Holiday Tree Lighting Ceremony, which will once again be a live, in-person event after being canceled last year because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

he City of Paramount is excited to announce the 23rd Holiday Tree Lighting Ceremony, which will be live and in-person again! The Tree Lighting will kick off the holiday season at the intersection of Paramount Boulevard and Jackson Street on Wednesday, December 1, starting at 6 p.m. The big event will start with an annual lineup of entertainment featuring our local dancers and musicians. Immediately after the ceremony, there will be a concert by Grupo Neblina (shown at the right) from 7:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. There will also be a special visit from Santa Claus with plenty of cookies and hot chocolate available for everyone!

The Santa Train is coming December 6-9! For more than a half-century, Paramount’s unique Santa Train has been bringing holiday joy to families in the neighborhoods of our city, and that tradition will resume this year on Monday, December 6, through Thursday, December 9, starting at 3 p.m. each day. Santa will pass out treats and visit with kids at each stop. For a full schedule of stops, turn to CityScape on page 13, and you can also find all the details at paramountcity.com.

PULSE BEAT

Paramount Chamber of Commerce 15357 Paramount Boulevard Paramount, California 90723 Telephone: 562-634-3980 paramountchamber.com

A L S O

I N

T H I S

I S S U E

From the Mayor’s Desk..........................................................................................................................................................................................3 Public Safety: Tough actions taken on street racing (part 2)...................................................................................................................4 Breakfast With Santa.............................................................................................................................................................................................4 Paramount City Council report..........................................................................................................................................................................5 Paramount Road Runners seniors complete their first race..................................................................................................................7 Chamber Holiday Mixer December 3..............................................................................................................................................................7 Business Corner: Why you need HR for your small business.................................................................................................................11 CityScape..................................................................................................................................................................................................................13

Paramount Pulse Beat • paramountchamber.com

Vicky Uisprapassorn

November 2021

Paramount Pulse Beat • paramountchamber.com

November 2021

From the

Mayor’s Desk Desk

Mayor Brenda Olmos

Latinas Art Foundation receives Mayor’s Award of Excellence

ourdes Perez created the non-profit Latinas Art Foundation in 2016 to support arts education and encourage the study, appreciation, and recognition of excellence in Latino arts. The foundation also focuses on empowering women and young girls. At the October 5 City Council meeting, it was my pleasure to present the Latinas Art Foundation the Mayor’s Award of Excellence, which honors Paramount residents, businesses, and non-profits that have had a significant impact on the lives of folks in town. Lourdes and her daughters, Danaly Leon and Daileen Perez, run the foundation, which has had a profound and positive effect on thousands of people. LAT offers dance classes, holds special events, and takes part in arts activities throughout Southeast Los Angeles County. The group can always be counted on to provide entertainment at City events and now runs the yearly art contest for Paramount students. They partnered with Paramount/Tepic Sister Cities to produce a Día de los Muertos event at Progress Park in late October and early November. The Foundation is an inspirational resource for the Paramount community, and their reputation is growing; they were recently featured on FanNation, a show on LATV, a bilingual television network. They were an exemplary recipient for this award while we celebrated National Hispanic Heritage Month. Congratulations!

Holiday trash and street sweeping and City facilities schedule

here will be no street sweeping on Veterans Day, November 11, and no make-up day. Trash pickup will remain on its regular schedule. For Thanksgiving, there will be no street sweeping on Thursday, November 25, or Friday, November 26, and no make-up day. Thanksgiving will alter the garbage collection schedule slightly. There will be no pick-up on Thanksgiving, Thursday, November 25. If that is your normal collection day, your trash will be picked up on Friday, November 26, along with Friday’s normal service. If your Friday trash does not get picked up, it will be collected on Saturday. If you have any questions about trash collection, please call CalMet Services at (562) 634-5420. Also, on Veterans Day and the two days of Thanksgiving, City Hall and the City Yard will be closed, while the Paramount Sheriff ’s Station will be open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Please become a sponsor for the Seniors Thanksgiving Luncheon

lease see the story on page 1 about the annual Seniors Thanksgiving Luncheon scheduled for Thursday, November 18. This year, the luncheon will once again become an in-person event after being canceled last year because of the pandemic (meals were delivered to homes instead). Is your business interested in honoring Paramount’s seniors? There’s a perfect opportunity to do so by becoming a sponsor for the annual Seniors Thanksgiving Luncheon. If you would like to be part of this tradition, just call (562) 220-2090.

Swap your crops!

o you have a green thumb when it comes to growing fruits and vegetables in your home garden? Is your homegrown bounty so plentiful that you can’t eat all that you produce? Or would you like to sample different types of foods grown by other resident gardeners? Then take part in the City’s Crop Swap! The next one is scheduled for Saturday, November 20, at 10 a.m. in Progress Park, 15500 Downey Ave. Register to participate by calling (562) 220-2121.

Young LAT Folklorico dancers

The City will honor Paramount residents who are veterans or active military, or family members of veterans who have passed, with a free dinner and evening of entertainment on November 13 from 4 to 7 p.m. in the Paramount Park Gym. To make a reservation, please call (562) 220-2121. In addition, Paramount residents without a military background who would like to attend to pay respects to our veterans and their families are invited to join the festivities for a $20 entry fee per person. Call the number listed above to reserve. We sincerely thank all our veterans!

Images: Adobe Stock.

Calling all veterans!

Paramount Pulse Beat • paramountchamber.com

November 2021

Public Safety Quick action by deputies stops intersection takeover attempt

Buy your meal tickets for Breakfast With Santa

aramount Park will transform once again into a snowy winter wonderland as Mr. Claus returns to town for breakfast on Saturday, December 11, from 8 a.m. until 12 noon.

lthough illegal street racing and intersection takeovers are still occurring throughout our region, Sheriff ’s deputies in Paramount continue to respond actively to calls for service related to these reckless crimes. Here are results of two recent actions last month. On a Wednesday evening at 8 p.m., deputies working street racing enforcement stopped a vehicle for reckless driving on Garfield Avenue. The driver was cited and the vehicle was impounded with a 30-day hold. Later that evening, at 10:49 p.m., deputies responded to a possible intersection takeover call. The caller reported 50 There will be music, raffle prizes, snow sledding, a snow play vehicles at the intersection of Paramount Blvd. and 70th St. area for those eight years old and younger, shopping at Santa’s Deputies from the street racing enforcement team arrived Village, do-it-yourself holiday crafts, and a chance to take a selfie at the location at 10:51 p.m.—in just two minutes! The crowd with Santa (see page 12). dispersed, but several people were issued administrative The event is free—but breakfast, served in the Gym until 11 citations for spectating. Spectators had actually been in the a.m., will cost $6 per person pre-sale, which gives you access to process of setting up cones at the intersection for a race. the fast-pass lane, or $7 at the door on a first-come, first-served Because a call for service was quickly placed and followed by basis with no fast-pass access. such a rapid response, deputies were able to stop the takeover Get your meal tickets early. They are on sale through from occurring. December 10 at STAR After School sites between 2:30 p.m. and Whenever you see or hear of a takeover, please call the 6 p.m.; at the Recreation Office at 15300 Downey Ave. from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.; and at the Paramount Park Community Center at Sheriff ’s Department as soon as possible at (562) 623-3500. 14400 Paramount Blvd., Monday through Thursday, from 5 p.m. Vacation home checks available to 9 p.m. If you can’t get enough of the snow sledding from 8 a.m. to If you’re a Paramount resident and have plans to be out of noon, head back to Paramount Park and enjoy an additional two town during Thanksgiving or any part of the upcoming holidays, hours under the stars from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. you can contact the Sheriff ’s Station for a free vacation home For more details, visit CityScape on page 13 of this Pulse Beat. check. Call (562) 220-2002. Please try and let them know at least two weeks ahead of time. The shopping season is upon us, so remember that if you’re selling or buying items online or with a phone app, you can meet at the Safe Internet Purchase Exchange Zone at the Paramount Sheriff ’s Station (15001 Paramount Blvd.) to conduct such transactions. There is a designated parking space in the public parking lot open from 7:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Sunday, and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on holidays. Though deputies will not validate transactions, the space is directly in front of the station in a well-lit area with surveillance cameras in place, making exchanges safer for residents. Call (562) 220-2002 if you have questions.

Images: Adobe Stock.

Exchange online sales at Sheriff’s station

Paramount Pulse Beat • paramountchamber.com

November 2021

National Crime Prevention Month

City Council Latinas Art Foundation given Mayor’s Award of Excellence

T L

atinas Art Foundation received the Mayor’s Award of Excellence at the October 5 Paramount City Council meeting. For more on this, see this issue’s From the Mayor’s Desk column. From left: Councilmember Laurie Guillen, Vice Mayor Vilma Cuellar Stallings, Danaly Leon, Lourdes Perez, Mayor Brenda Olmos, Councilmember Isabel Aguayo, and Councilmember Peggy Lemons.

he Paramount City Council proclaimed October as National Crime Prevention Month at its October 5 meeting, and thanked the City’s public safety partnership, which includes members of Neighborhood Watch, Volunteers on Patrol, Community Service Officers, and Code Enforcement Officers. Joining the City Council were Lt. Omar Camacho and members of the Special Assignment Officers team. Thanks to this teamwork, Paramount has experienced a continual decline in serious crime for decades. Statistics are at levels not seen since the mid-1970s, when almost half as many residents lived here as do today.

National Community Planning Month

Breast Cancer Awareness Month

he City Council proclaimed October as National Breast Cancer Awareness Month at its October 5 meeting. Councilmembers wore pink sweaters to show their support for the cause. In the U.S., one in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer, the most common form of cancer among females. But thanks to the work being done by organizations like Susan G. Komen and the American Cancer Society, advances have been made and related deaths have steadily declined – survivors alive today in this country make up the largest group of all cancer survivors. Regular screenings save lives. From left: Vice Mayor Vilma Cuellar Stallings, Councilmember Laurie Guillen, Mark Pilon (executive director of Susan G. Komen’s Los Angeles County affiliate), Mayor Brenda Olmos, Councilmember Isabel Aguayo, and Councilmember Peggy Lemons.

he City Council proclaimed October as National Community Planning Month at its October 5 meeting. This highlights the contributions that community members and professional planners play in the make-up of a City, and their roles in improving the quality of life in neighborhoods and the environment. Paramount has a history of proactive, creative urban planning. Since the 1980s, leaders and professional planners have made the City a model of revitalization. Accepting the proclamation was Gordon Weisenburger, Chair of the City’s Planning Commission. From left: Vice Mayor Vilma Cuellar Stallings, Councilmember Laurie Guillen, Weisenburger, Mayor Brenda Olmos, Councilmember Isabel Aguayo, and Councilmember Peggy Lemons.

Good Corporate Citizens Awards

Domestic Violence Awareness Month

he City Council proclaimed October as National Domestic Violence Awareness Month at its October 5 meeting. Su Casa – Ending Domestic Violence, which has done important work in Paramount since 1979, accepted the proclamation. The non-profit’s mission is to enable individuals and families to live free from domestic abuse and build partnerships with communities to help reach that goal. From left: Vice Mayor Vilma Cuellar Stallings, Councilmember Laurie Guillen, Dean Lockwood (Director of Development and Community Outreach for Su Casa), Mayor Brenda Olmos, Councilmember Isabel Aguayo, and Councilmember Peggy Lemons.

ood Corporate Citizen Awards are given each year by the Sanitation Districts of Los Angeles County to companies that properly discharge their industrial wastewater. This keeps pollution off of beaches and out of the ocean. Nearly 1,000 companies in the County were eligible for this award in 2020, but only 449 qualified. Six of them are in Paramount. They were recognized at the October 5 City Council meeting: Ace Clearwater Enterprises (with a representative to the left of Mayor Olmos), Braun Linen Service, Inc., Carlton Forge Works, Marukan Vinegar (USA), Inc. (representative to the right of the Mayor), and Paramount Dairy, Inc. The City of Paramount was also named for its efforts in this area.

Paramount Pulse Beat • paramountchamber.com

November 2021

There is a high demand for blood in hospitals in part because of deferred care caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Due to these blood shortages, some hospitals are being forced to delay elective surgeries. Please schedule an appointment to give blood or platelets by using the Red Cross Blood Donor App, visiting RedCrossBlood.org or calling toll-free 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767). The Red Cross will be very grateful for your help. All blood types are needed!

Image: Pixabay

Severe U.S. blood shortage!

Paramount Pulse Beat • paramountchamber.com

November 2021

Paramount Chamber of Commerce invites members & associates to:

Friday, December 3 Progress Park Plaza

• Prizes • Music • Karoke

Holiday Mixer

• Food

Refreshments and dinner provided by our local restaurants.

Adults only, please! For more information, please call:

562-634-3980 Happy Holidays from the Paramount Chamber!

• Networking

Paramount Road Runners finish their first race!

he ‘Super Seniors’ of the Paramount Road Runners Walking Club completed their first 5K (3.1-mile) race on the morning of October 30 at the annual Wrigley River Run in Long Beach, a popular local event. Coaches Ken and Patricia Winiecki commented: “We had a fantastic race! We overcame fear and pain and gained confidence, new friends and beautiful smiles!” Both Ken and Patricia—avid marathon runners—are certified by the Road Runners Club of America (RRCA). You may recall that we introduced you to this group of stalwart senior walkers in our September Pulse Beat. They spent about four months getting in shape to take on their first 5K, and they did an outstanding job. The Paramount club’s mission is to encourage senior citizens of all backgrounds and abilities to get active, get moving, get healthy and have fun. Club meetings are from 9 to 10 a.m. every Tuesday at the Paramount Community Center. Members range in age from 50s through 80s, and abilities range from walkers using canes to runners. Everyone is welcome! For more about Paramount Road Runners, email pwinieck@ sbcglobal.net and visit patquests.com. (Patricia is also very active in the 261 Fearless Club Los Angeles, a runners’ organization.) The annual Wrigley River Run includes 10-mile ,10K and 5K races, as well as special events for children and parents.

Image: Pixabay

15500 Downey Ave. Paramount, CA

From 5 until 7 p.m.

Paramount Pulse Beat • paramountchamber.com

November 2021

Paramount Chamber of Commerce

member-to-member discounts As a Paramount Chamber of Commerce member, these discounts are extended to you by your fellow members. Visit the following businesses to receive the discounts listed below. But remember, these offers are available only to Paramount Chamber members! Attorney & Legal Services

Hotels & Motels

Lerma Law Office (562-272-4353): 15% discount on initial retainer fee or flat-rate service.

Embassy Suites Hotel (562-861-1900): 15% off best available room rate (subject to availability). Ask for “Chamber rate.”

Automotive

Insurance

Herald’s Garage (562-633-2136): 15% discount on labor and a free engine light reset.

2000 Insurance Service (562-602-0001): 25% off new business.

Beauty

Clínica Médica Hispana (562-630-1991): 25% discount.

Marali Beauty Salon (562-964-1126): Free haircut & treatment with purchase of any chemicals. Communications Transcom Telecommunications (562-630-1200, ext. 221): 10% off equipment (business phone services). Contractors H1 Floor Covering (424/785-5551): 15% off first visit. Jones Scaffold Co. (800-266-3864): 10% off net rental of scaffold equipment. Financial Services SG Tax Services (562-630-4004): $25 off tax preparation for Chamber members and their employees. Vicky Professional Services (562-634-1178): 20% off bookkeeping and accounting service. Flowers Diana’s Flowers (562-529-5045): Free local delivery and free balloons.

Medical

Plumbing & Heating Downey Plumbing, Heating & Air Conditioning (562-861-1234): 10% off HydroJet service and/or 10% off material.

Delfin Seafood & Market (562-630-1928): 10% off any order. El Compa Restaurant (562-630-1068): 10% discount on all food purchases. Gus’s Deli, BBQ & Grill (562-630-2802): 10% off all food purchases. Mariscos Alas (562-633-1348): 10% Chamber member discount. 15% discount for law enforcement & City employees. Mariscos El Perihuete (562-408-1661): 10% off on food purchases over $10.

Production (Events)

Mariscos Mi Lindo Sinaloa #1 (562-529-5110): 10% discount on all food purchases.

YSL Production (323-490-6315): 20% any event services: Sound, lighting, stage, LED video, wall & truss equipment.

Pika Tortas Ahogadas (562-529-5787): 10% discount on all regular-priced food items (excludes combo deals).

Printers

El Sinaloense Restaurant (562-363-3011): 10% off on food purchases.

Source Graphics, Inc. (562-408-2734): 10% discount on all printing. Real Estate GM Properties (562-696-0200): 5% of gross commissions on closed deals will be sent to the charity of our choice in your name. Ask for Matt. Penta Pacific Properties (562-699-1922): Free market value opinions on commercial and industrial properties. Restaurants Café Corleone (562-408-6100): 10% discount on all food purchases.

Funeral Services

Casa Adelita (562-408-2360): 10% off (may not be combined with other specials).

Palacios Funeral Home (562-972-5429): 5% off services.

Casa Gamino (562-634-6225): 10% discount on food purchases.

Pulse Beat available only online until further notice In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Board of Directors of the Paramount Chamber of Commerce has decided to suspend hard-copy printing and distribution of the Paramount Pulse Beat until further notice. However, the full text of each new Pulse Beat will be available online each month on the Paramount Chamber of Commerce website at paramountchamber.com. If you would like to have a printed copy of the Pulse Beat, contact us and we can mail it to you, or you can pick it up at the Chamber office. If you have questions, please call the Chamber of Commerce at 562-634-3980. We at the Chamber thank you for your continued support and understanding during these difficult times for our community, and we will keep you informed about our future plans for the publication.

Roofing One Coat Roof Seal LLC (833-232-8121): 20% off each can. Wellness & Health Enagic (562-833-3823): Free ionized alkaline water. Wholesalers & Distributors Rayvern Lighting Supply, Inc. (562-634-7020): 5% off fixtures and ballast orders (commercial distributor of lighting and fixtures).

To add your business to this section, please call the Paramount Chamber of Commerce for information:

562-634-3980

PULSE BEAT A monthly publication of the

Paramount Chamber of Commerce 15357 Paramount Boulevard Paramount, CA 90273 562-634-3980 • Fax: 562-634-0891 paramountchamber.com Executive Director: Barbara Crowson Executive Assistant: Dora Sanchez

Distributed to and read by more than 20,000 residents and business owners in Paramount. Layout & design: Danmark Associates Copyright 2021 by Paramount Chamber of Commerce. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. Pulse Beat and Paramount Chamber of Commerce are not responsible or liable for any claims or offerings made herein or responsible for product availability that may be advertised.

Paramount Pulse Beat • paramountchamber.com

Run your card for as little as $31 per month. Call the Chamber at 562-634-3980.

November 2021

B U S I N E S S

C A R D

DIRECTORY

General Dentistry General Dentistry Hablamos Español Hablamos Español

Max B. Martinez, DDS, FAGD, FACD Max B.un Martinez Chia-l tsao, DDS

ERALD’S GARAGE

Complete Automotive Repair FormCollision Center & Body Shop 95

City directory - Proof Paramount Chamber of Commerce DDS, FAGD, FACD For the maximum touchdirectory of care City -29 ProofSmog Form Check Paramount Chamber of Commerce Chia-Lun Tsao General Contactor (License # 506020) Total-Western, Inc.

Dedicated people focused on customer expectations

8049 Somerset Blvd. Paramount, CA 90723

Call: 562-220-1450 total-western.com

Sammy T Kotob Insurance Agency 147 S Beach Blvd La Habra, CA 90631 CA License 0L68077

Plus Certificate & ETF

16299 Paramount Blvd., Paramount, CA 90723Foreign & Domestic • Autos & Trucks • Complete Engine DDS Check Engine Light • A/C • Electronic • Transmission Rebuilding Phone: 562-531-4740 • drmaxmartinez.com

16299 Paramount Blvd., Paramount, CA 90723

562-531-4740 • drmaxmartinez.com

cmh

Suspension • Brake Service • Specializing in Fleet Service

Fernando Kim: likeautobody@gmail.com 8124 E. Alondra Blvd., Paramount, CA 90723

562-633-2136

CA Lic. #731172

Joseph Keays Vice President

Clínica Médica Hispana

Cell: 714-932-9656 Fax: 562-691-9113

866-204-4068 • 562-861-1234 11829 Downey Ave., Downey, Ca 90241 • joe@downeyplumbing.com

skotob@farmersagent.com • 562-691-9100

Sanchez Professional Services

Income Tax, Real Estate & Immigration Services

Peticiones Familiares • Residencia Cuidadania • Permisos de Trabajo Veronica Sanchez

7300 Alondra Blvd., Suite 201A Paramount, California 90723 562-372-1382 • 562-633-6588

FENICO

PRECISION CASTINGS

562-634-5000 • 800-634-5000

Madame 57 Years In57Business Years In Business

Pompador

13516 13516Paramount ParamountBlvd. Blvd.

We Llve Animals We Llve Animals

Dog CatCatGrooming • Dog&and Grooming •

WARD PROPERTIES

(CornerofofParamount ParamountBlvd. Blvd.&& 105 105 Freeway) (Corner Freeway) 13516 Paramount Blvd. Local Pick-Up and Delivery • Dog and Cat Grooming 16311•Garfield Ave., Paramount, CA 90723 www.madamepompador.com Local Pick-up & Delivery madamepompador.com (Corner of Paramount Blvd. & 105 Freeway)

All Breeds and SizesPick-Up and Delivery Local (562) 408-6145 Rose C. Towe All Breeds and Sizes (562) 408-6145 (562) 408-6145 All Breeds & Sizes 562.633.2300 • Fax: 562.633.2345 www.madamepompador.com

wardprop.com • Rose@wardprop.com

PARAMOUNT

Chamber of Commerce Barbara Crowson, Executive Director

fenicocastings.com • stran@fenicoinc.com

Please check off15357 the below listedBlvd. items• carefully, and fax to 562-634-0891 Paramount Paramount,sign CA 90723 ❏ Company Name ❏ Phone ❏ Approved ❏ Company Name ❏ Phone ❏ Approved ❏ Approved with Changes ❏ Logo ❏ Fax ❏ Approved with Changes ❏ Logo ❏ Fax ❏ Second Proof Required with Changes ❏ Second Proof Required with Changes ❏ Address ❏ Spelling Signature Required __________________________ ❏ Address ❏ Spelling Signature Required __________________________

7805 Madison St., Paramount, CAPlease 90723-4220 check off the below listed items carefully, sign and fax to 562-634-0891 paramountchamber.com • 562-634-0891

Contact: Brad Pollak

Trusted janitorial services for nearly 60 years • Complete janitorial services • Post-construction cleanup • Safe, effective disinfecting services

Small Business Development Center

CLEANTIME

4900 E. Conant St., Bldg. O-2, Suite 108 Long Beach, California 90808

562-421-2010

562-938-5100 longbeachsbdc.org

Building Maintenance Co.

3450 E. Spring St., Ste.101 • Long Beach, CA 90806

cleantimejanitorialservices.com

The pandemic has really taken a toll on many of our local Paramount businesses—which is why it’s so important that you do your 2021 holiday shopping and dining in our City during this special season. By spending in Paramount, you’ll not only be helping our local economy to recover, you’ll also be supporting the very life of our City. That’s because local businesses support local events, charities and sports teams 250% more than big corporations do. So please give Paramount businesses the gift of your patronage this holiday season!

Image: Adobe Stock.

By CheCkiNg the ABove LiSted itemS, heLPS uS to eNSuRe No eRRoRS ARe mAde. By CheCkiNg the ABove LiSted itemS, heLPS uS to eNSuRe No eRRoRS ARe mAde.

Paramount Pulse Beat • paramountchamber.com

November 2021

EMPLOYMENT

Adobe Stock image

OPPORTUNITIES

Membership RENEWALS We’re very grateful that the businesses below have renewed their Paramount Chamber of Commerce memberships, making our valuable services possible. Romberg Milling Co...................................................54 years 16433 Illinois Ave., Paramount CA 90723

McDonald’s Restaurant..............................................46 years 16208 Lakewood Blvd., Bellflower CA 90706

Teacher’s Association of Paramount...............................45 years 17434 Studebaker Rd., Cerritos CA 90706

R & S Processing........................................................45 years 15712 Illinois Ave., Paramount CA 90723

Lifegate Church.........................................................36 years 13376 Downey Ave., Paramount CA 90723

Rotary Club of Paramount........................................33 years P. O. Box 1988, Paramount CA 90723

State Farm (Galli Agency)..........................................15 years 8421 Adams Street, Suite 35, Paramount CA 90723

Madame Pompador Dog & Cat Grooming.................13 years 13516 Paramount Blvd., South Gate CA 90280

Medical Waste Services..............................................12 years 7321 Quimby St., Paramount CA 90723

Roberto’s Concrete.......................................................7 years 12233 Waldorf Dr., Lynwood CA 90262

CA Theta Unit ...............................................................4 years 5221 E. Vista Hermosa St., Long Beach CA 90815

EPOXY COATING LABORER—Long-term, full-time (40+ hours per week). Will train. Install various flooring systems for commercial and industrial projects. Perform tasks involving physical labor; must be able to lift up to 50 pounds and stand for long periods. Operate equipment (as instructed). Techcoat Contractors, 15720 Garfield Avenue, Paramount, CA 90723. Contact: Brenda or Jessica at 562-529-5700. Apply Monday– Friday, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. WAREHOUSE MAINTENANCE WORKER—Longterm, part-time (20 to 25 hours per week). Will train. Staging equipment and materials for daily projects. Receive and process warehouse stock products. Maintain inventory. Operate and maintain warehouse vehicles and equipment. Run errands (as needed). Techcoat Contractors, 15720 Garfield Avenue, Paramount, CA 90723. Contact: Brenda or Jessica at 562-529-5700. Apply Monday–Friday, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. PHARMACY TECHNICIAN—Full-time. Experience helpful, but willing to consider an excellent new graduate who can learn quickly. Call Martha at Fobi Pharmacy: 562-630-5700. BARTENDER—Part-time, including evenings and weekends. Call Leroy: 562-634-9001. SKILLED LABOR OPPORTUNITIES—SkillsetGroup currently has these positions available for first, second and third shifts: Machine operator, sanitation, loading & unloading, forklift drivers, production line, and order pulling. Come in and apply today! SkillsetGroup actualmente tiene aperturas para puestos disponibles para Primer, Segundo y Tercer turno. ¡Ven y aplica hoy! Call us at 866-375-3094 or use Instagram (@ skillsetgroup) or Facebook for weekly updates. 7300 Alondra Blvd., Suite 202, Paramount, California 90723. STATE FARM AGENT—State Farm Agents help their customers protect what’s important to them, all the while making time to give back to their neighborhoods. Improve your career! Call David Maciel: 562-305-2111. FULL-TIME SEAMSTRESS—5-Star Interior Services, Inc., needs a full-time seamstress with drapery-making experience. Contact Leroy at 818-845-4518. CREW WORKER—Specialty construction. Will train. Installation of epoxy coatings, including preparation of concrete floors and other structures using various equipment. Long-term, 30+ hours, including some weekends. Report in person to TECHCOAT, 15720 Garfield Ave., Paramount, California 90723; M-Th 8:30 a.m.–3 p.m.

8009 Alondra Blvd., Suite B, Paramount CA 90723

CLEANING SERVICE JOB (Persona para limpiesa)— A&R Cleaning Multiservices. Please contact Yolanda Monday-Friday at 562-500-2284.

SLAHP WIC Program..................................................3 years

To place an ad, call the Chamber at 562-634-3980.

Stinkin Crawfish .........................................................4 years

2930 Imperial Hwy. Suite 601, Inglewood CA 90303

Paramount Pulse Beat • paramountchamber.com

November 2021

BUSINESS CORNER

Why you need HR for your small business

ike most small business owners, you’re used to handling all business activities yourself. This includes all human resources (HR) tasks. In fact, 54% of small businesses handle HR in house. But owners usually give HR work to staff with little practice managing employees. According to one survey, 81% of those employees aren’t confident in their HR skills. And only 20% trust themselves not to make costly mistakes. If you have over 20 staff members, it’s not enough for you to give HR work to someone in finance or operations. Creating your own HR team can improve employee experience and free you to focus on your business.

Improve your firm with HR for small business HR personnel are experts in handling HR issues, including employee relations and motivation. Your own HR team not only helps you follow employment law, it ensures the health and safety of your staff. Your HR team can develop policies that lead to employee wellbeing and engagement, too. The employee satisfaction that HR managers help you create is vital for small business success.

What is the role of HR personnel, exactly? Your HR team helps with far more than just dealing with difficult employees and handling employee complaints. They can help you create conditions where staff members thrive. That can make your employer brand strong. Here are some typical roles your HR department will play:

Ensuring compliance with employment law HR makes sure your business obeys all local, state and federal employment laws. That includes handling I-9 documents that prove U.S. citizenship for each employee. But HR also tackles labor laws. Those include the Family and Medical Leave Act, Americans with Disabilities Act, and the Fair Labor Standards Act. They maintain employee files, too, making sure all paperwork is always in order. Some paperwork you’ll need on your staff includes resumes, proof of education and training, work reviews, and tax and medical records. You’ll need more documentation if your employees have disabilities or other special needs. Letting your HR team handle these and similar issues will help your small business avoid costly legal problems.

Hiring and retaining new employees

Great employee experiences begin with the hiring process. HR works with you to manage hiring new employees. They create methods to attract and recruit the best talent for your business. This includes writing job descriptions, ad placement, resume and application gathering, interviewing and reference checking, and making job offers. The role also includes managing layoffs and terminations. These procedures have employer regulation implications that HR staff know how to meet. They also know when to hire others skilled in areas like hiring temps or technical labor.

Employee training and development A positive employee experience goes beyond hiring. How your company onboards, trains and develops employees are key to employee retention. These activities also build your brand reputation as an exceptional employer. HR implements practices and procedures and develops employer-specific resources. They put the best orientation, education and training, and career planning tools in place. They also bring in the right professionals to help. This ensures employees get what they need to stay happy and productive at work.

Compensation and benefits This is another area that, if not done professionally, can lead to regulatory woes for small business owners. HR personnel are experts in handling employee compensation and federally mandated employee handbooks. These also include fringe benefits, like gym memberships and tuition reimbursement. HR manages all-important tasks related to paying employees. This includes employment taxes, Unemployment insurance and Workers’ Compensation insurance. HR works with outside specialists on different aspects of employee compensation and benefits. This can include timekeeping, payroll, life, health and disability insurance, and retirement planning. They also manage the costs of payroll and benefits, taking those tasks off your busy hands.

Creating and updating employee handbooks Your employee handbook is critical to managing staff and avoiding costly litigation. It’s where you share your firm policies, practices and procedures in writing. Besides your code of conduct, the handbook should also cover important rules. Some examples are diversity and antidiscrimination, sexual harassment, hiring, discipline and complaint-reporting methods. This worker’s handbook answers staff questions and helps prevent misunderstandings. It’s also a tool to communicate your company’s mission, vision and core values. HR can manage your employee handbook if you have one or help you develop the all-important tool if you don’t.

Handling performance reviews One stressor that small business owners experience is conducting performance reviews. HR helps remove barriers to positive employee relations by overseeing this function. That includes employee evaluations, annual reviews and exit interviews. The extent to which they handle this depends on the size of your business. But HR personnel are authorities in determining what those measures should be. They can conduct this process in a way that preserves a positive employee experience, too.

For example, HR can give employees tools and training to improve performance and productivity. HR also helps you track staff ’s professional advancement, so your employees grow. This helps with retaining the best talent.

What are some other HR activities? There are a few other duties you’ll want your HR department to handle. Here are three important areas you should allow an experienced professional to manage. 1. Employee experience and culture—A positive employee experience includes a focus on employee engagement and wellbeing. It comes from creating a positive culture that tackles each employee’s unique professional needs and personal challenges. Studies show that today’s employees care about people over profits. They expect organizations to promote values they can follow. They also care for how organizations treat employees. That’s why HR professionals often get made “chief culture officers” in small enterprises. If they do this work effectively, you have the foundations for a winning workplace. 2. Diversity, equity, inclusion and accommodation— While “diversity” (or DEIA: Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Accessibility) is a hot topic in business, few employers make it a strategic priority. But there are major benefits to adding authentic DEIA to all aspects of your business. Businesses with aboveaverage diversity in their management can see revenues increase by 19%. That’s because their products are more innovative than less diverse competitors. HR professionals help enterprises confront issues small business owners often find daunting. That includes dealing with five generations of staff and addressing the historical injustices faced by Black people in employment. They also confront issues faced by other racial and ethnic groups and women. It also means making your business accessible to disabled employees and addressing issues that LGBTQ employees face. Your HR team should be experts in creating a diverse, fair, inclusive and accommodating culture. That’s how you foster an empowering environment focused on employee belonging. Remember, this only works when you embed DEIA into your culture—and HR can help you ensure that. 3. Onboarding and exit interviews—Hiring talented people into a firm where the focus is employee happiness and DEIA is only the beginning. Bringing them into your company with structured onboarding is a key retention strategy. Great onboarding leads 68% of employees to stay at companies for over three years. Businesses with standardized onboarding experience 50% higher employee productivity. New employees who feel welcome and have the tools they need to succeed are more productive. HR should focus on four elements, listed from least to most effective: • Compliance—informing new employees about your legal and company policy. • Clarification—making sure new hires understand their job duties and manager expectations in their roles. • Culture—sharing company values and norms to help new employees adapt. • Connection—introducing new hires into information networks and helping them make friends with others at work. Engaging employees in strong onboarding programs leads to less employee attrition. But when employees leave your firm, HR should conduct exit interviews. That helps to determine what retention strategies your firm might have used to keep them. Conduct these meetings faceto-face, using surveys, questionnaires or some combination of the three.

How do I set up HR for a small company? It’s essential you build your HR team based on the needs of your business and industry. This guarantees your HR professionals have the right skills to manage your staff and unique business issues. You also want your HR staff to have exceptional people skills. Whether you put HR on your payroll or outsource the function, here are tips for getting it right: 1. Hire an HR professional—Depending on the size of your firm, having in-house HR might be ideal—if you have the budget. This way, you can maintain control over hiring, retention, benefits, firm culture and internal communications. Keep in mind, it’s often hard to find all the skills you need in one person. You may need to hire a team of experts. But, if you have 50 or fewer employees, consider hiring an HR generalist to save costs. This person can hire vendors for tasks that can get automated. That includes compliance, payroll, benefits and onboarding. There is no standard number of HR professionals to have on staff based on how many employees you have. A restaurant has different needs than a tech firm. So a consultant can best help you find the HR experts your business needs. 2. Outsource your human resource management—When you need some help, but not full-time, outsourcing is a solid option. It also may cost less than hiring full-time employees and still give you the expertise you need. You only hire the help you need for a specific task, like recruitment or benefits management. Consultants give you access to a larger talent pool, too. But you don’t always get full control over your HR with this option. Offsite HR management could be unavailable to handle urgent employee issues. Your employees could experience delays in getting important questions answered, too. Take care when choosing this option, particularly to get compliance needs met. 3. Use an HR software—HR software can automate tasks to keep small business owners organized and efficient. Some HR apps for small business can make you feel you have a full staff of HR management. Many HR software programs and apps help you hire, onboard, train, pay, document and dismiss employees. Remember, as you grow, you’ll have an increasing number of employees to manage. Using software and apps alone becomes trickier. So, use some strategies above to get the help you need at that point.

Images: Adobe Stock.

By Dahna M. Chandler (This article was published on www.sba.thehartford.com on October 18, 2021)

Paramount Pulse Beat • paramountchamber.com

November 2021

Selfies with Santa! Call (562) 220-2121 or visit Paramountcity.com for more information

Image: Pixabay

December 11 • 8 a.m. to Noon at PARAMOUNT PARK

Paramount Pulse Beat • paramountchamber.com

November 2021

Paramount Pulse Beat • paramountchamber.com

November 2021

Families grow healthy with WIC! Familias crecen sanas con WIC! WIC is a nutrition program for women, infants and children. WIC es un programa de nutricion para mujeres, bebes y niños. South Los Angeles Health Projects WIC Program

You may qualify if you:

WIC provides:

• Are pregnant, breastfeeding or just had a baby • Have a child under age 5 • Have a low to medium income* • Receive Medi-Cal, CalWORKs (TANF) or CalFresh (Food Stamps) benefits • Live in California

• Nutrition education and health information • Breastfeeding support • Food benefits • Referrals to medical providers and community services

Usted puede calificar si:

• Educación sobre nutrición e información de salud • Apoyo con la lactancia • Beneficios de comida • Referencias a proveedores de servicios medicos y servicios

• Está embarazada, está dando pecho o acaba de tener un bebe • Tiene un niño menor de 5 años • Tiene un ingreso bajo a mediano • Recibe beneficios de Medi-Cal, CalWORKs (TANF) o CalFresh (Estampillas de Comida) • Vive en California

WIC proporciona:

*Income levels change annually. Niveles de ingreso cambian anualmente. This institution is an equal opportunity provider. Está institución es un proveedor que ofrece igualdad de oportunidades.

310-661-3080

Call WIC today to see if you qualify. Llama a WIC hoy para ver si calificas.

@WICSouthLosAngeles • wicforyou.org