Education, Information and Training

“ASCCA On Tour Training” for 2006 is under way in Northern California! Creating and Communicating Expectations Using Key Numbers, by Cecil Bullard and Larry Moore, is a management course designed to help give you the tools necessary to improve communication with your employees and to help create more profits as a shop owner. This course is worth AMI credit for an additional $10 fee. Please contact Elizabeth Hicks at the ASCCA headquarters office at (916) 924-9054 or elizabeth@ascca.com if you are interested in attending!

May 23, 2006 – Chapter 23 Peninsula area

Seminar Location: The Van’s Restaurant 815 Belmont Ave., Belmont, CA 94002

Cost: ASCCA Members: $65.00/student - $45.00 for additional students from same shop.
Non – ASCCA Members: $95.00/student.

***Dinner will be provided for all Chapter 23 members. Additional cost for dinner will be $30 if you are not a member of Chapter 23. You are not required to eat dinner to attend the course.

May 24, 2006 – Chapter 16 East Bay area

Seminar Location: Doral’s Auto Repair—2000 Merced Street, San Leandro, CA 94577

Cost: ASCCA Members: $65.00/student - $45.00 for additional students from same shop.
Non – ASCCA Members: $95.00/student.

***Dinner Provided.

May 25, 2006 – Chapter 25 Fresno area

Seminar Location: Decker Auto Supply - 2545 N. Blackstone Ave., Fresno, CA 93703 
Cost: ASCCA Members: $65.00/student - $45.00 for additional students from same shop.
Non – ASCCA Members: $95.00/student.

***Dinner Provided.

Membership

Your Membership Committee is currently working on ramping up our membership marketing plans for the coming year and working on transferring current State Only members to Chapter memberships.

Governance Task Force

The Governance Task Force report presented to the ASCCA Board of Directors on March 19, 2006 is currently being mailed to all members. We encourage each of you to read it in it’s entirety as it contains background information that you may find helpful as you learn more about the proposed changes to the governance structure currently under discussion. The Bylaws, Policies and Procedures Committee, chaired by Stuart Terry, is in the process of drafting the bylaws changes necessary to implement the new structure. Those bylaws will be presented to the ASCCA Board of Directors for their approval and upon approval will be submitted to the entire ASCCA membership for a vote. 

Endorsements

No updates at this time.

Bylaws, Policies and Procedures

No updates at this time.

Certification Task Force

Our Certification Task Force, chaired by ASCCA Past President, Dan Biggs, is holding a one day face-to-face planning session with our consultant MaryAnne Bobrow in Fresno on May 20, 2006. A big THANK-YOU to staff and to our volunteers for giving up a Saturday in order to meet and lay the foundation for this groundbreaking effort. Please stay tuned for more information as it becomes available.

Back to top
 

ASC EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION

No updates at this time.

Back to top

OTHER INFORMATION

The Pollution Prevention Toolkit

The Department of Toxic Substances Control: Office of Pollution Prevention and Technology Development has developed a Pollution Prevention Toolkit, targeted to help auto repair shop owners comply with environmental regulations and save shops money in the process!

More than 31,000 vehicle service and repair shops exist in California. Individually, these businesses do not generate a lot of hazardous waste, but collectively they represent a significant source of pollution. Auto repair shop or fleet maintenance facility owners have an opportunity to save money, conserve resources, reduce emissions, possibly reduce permitting fees, and help meet compliance with environmental rules by making simple changes in shop practices.

For information on how YOU can start helping the environment and potentially save your shop some money, visit http://www.dtsc.ca.gov/PollutionPrevention/VSR/index.cfm. There you will find: fact sheets about typical hazardous wastes you may generate and training modules on how to use alternatives to reduce waste and pollution, a directory of products and services, a list of local assistance contacts, a list of program partners and information about special programs.

Automotive Training Institute:

Upcoming One-day Workshop ~ Taking Control: Car Count and Cash Profits

· June 25, 2006: Sheraton Hotel Los Angeles Airport

· July 30, 2006: Hilton Orange County Costa Mesa

· July 30, 2006: Hilton Orange County Costa Mesa

For more information, please contact Dan Schaefer at (866) 389-7999 or dan@atiwest.com.

Back to top

BUSINESS ARTICLE

Two Important Insurance Articles
~ Jan Beaver, Vice President Safety & Health, Preferred Employers Insurance Co.
To contact the author call (619) 471-2120 or email JBeaver@preferredworkcomp.com.

Two Convicted of Premium Fraud

Workers' compensation laws were created as a "no-fault" system to expedite benefits to injured workers and prevent costly legal disputes. Unfortunately, there are people who seek to undermine the system for personal gain at the expense of law abiding businesses and employees. Filing a false injury claim is the most publicized fraud, but equally as damaging is premium fraud. This is when employers lower their insurance premiums by fraudulently misstating employee payroll or the nature of their work.

Losing your business and serving time in prison are two serious, potential consequences of premium fraud. Recently, Wade and Gigi Peebles, owners of Castle Rock Industries, also known as Sequoia Construction Company, were convicted of workers' compensation insurance premium fraud, payroll tax fraud and conspiracy.

The Department of Insurance investigation found that between July 2000 and November 2004, Castle Rock Industries intentionally underreported over $4 million in payroll to its workers' compensation insurance carriers. The underreporting defrauded insurance carriers of $1.8 million in premium.

Seized evidence showed that Castle Rock Industries paid employees cash, and that the company paid medical providers directly for treatment of employee injuries. During this time Castle Rock Industries was able to successfully outbid competitors for several public works projects. This short-term competitive advantage carries long-term consequences.

If you suspect workers' compensation fraud, it can be reported to the California Department of Insurance Fraud Division at: 9342 Tech Center Drive, Suite 100, Sacramento, CA 95826, Phone: (916) 854-5760, Fax: (916) 255-3302.
 

As Summer Approaches, Teens Look for Jobs

Hiring teens to work in your business can be gratifying and challenging at the same time. Each summer in the U.S., more than 1 million teens enter the workplace for the first time. Over 3 million teens are employed year round. Unfortunately, each year about 100,000 teens are injured seriously enough to require emergency room treatment.

If you currently have teens on the payroll, or will be hiring them this summer, make sure you are complying with state and federal laws.

• Know the Law - California's child labor laws prohibit teens from working late and/or long hours, and working with certain types of machinery and equipment. Specific rules apply to workers under 18 and 16 years of age. For example, workers under 16 years old cannot work from a ladder or scaffold.
   

• Make Sure Teens Have Work Permits - Workers under 18 must have work permits from their school or school district office before beginning a new job, even when school is not in session.
   

• Check Your Compliance - Make sure teens are not assigned work schedules that violate the law, or given prohibited tasks like operating power driven equipment or using power tools.
   

• Stress Safety to Frontline Supervisors - Make sure frontline supervisors know the laws about teen workers. Encourage supervisors to set a good example since they are in a position to influence teens' attitudes and work habits.
   

• Evaluate the Safety Program - By law every workplace must have an Injury and Illness Prevention Program. Involve teens in the program to initiate them to workplace safety policies and rules.
   

• Train Teens to Put Safety First - Give teens clear instruction and hands-on training on correct use of equipment. Show them what safety precautions to take, don't just tell them. Most of what they are experiencing is new to them.

Back to top

CORPORATE SPONSOR OF THE MONTH

Please support ConocoPhillips brand Kendall Oil, an ASCCA Endorsed Vendor!

Contact Bill Curry with ConocoPhillips at (310) 376-0179 or bill.curry@conocophillips.com for information on ConocoPhillips products.

Back to top

To unsubscribe and remove your e-mail address Click Here!