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February 8, 2023
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 Inside this issue
A Message From Your Association
  A Message From Your Association  
  A Message From Your Association  
 

Check Your Mailboxes: Winter On the Road Newsletter

Is Your Security System Up to Date?

New Employment Laws to Note 

New Survey Finds Support for Full Tobacco Ban

State of the Union Address

New Webinar

Turkey/Syria Earthquake Donations

On the Road

Check your mailboxes! If you haven’t already, you should soon be receiving the latest edition of our On the Road newsmagazine very soon. This edition looks back on the year past and forward to the year ahead. You can get a head start reading it online HERE. For those of you with gas stations, pay special attention to page 38 on air permits, as we have already gotten calls to the office regarding some compliance issues the DEP is enforcing. If you have any questions regarding your air permit, email or call Nick De Palma at 732-256-9646 or nick@njgca.org.

Security

We continue to read news headlines around the state regarding crime at gas stations and convenience stores. The latest includes a robbery and assault against an employee at a gas station in Fair Lawn, a robbery and shooting at a station in Lindenwold, and a one-man crime spree that included holding up gas stations and 7-Elevens throughout Bergen County. Car thefts have also been increasing, and we know some customers tend to leave their vehicle with the keys in it while they run in and out of the store. With this wave of crime, now may be the time to increase and/or update your security system if you haven’t done so recently. Our MBP Able-Tech specializes in information management services and can help you get started with a video security system. Additionally, these video systems can help local police solve crimes and accidents in your area, or even a customer or employee issue that may arise at your business (such as a lawsuit). Contact Dan Goff 800-231-9969 or abletech@verizon.net

New Employment Laws

At the end of 2022, the 2023 Consolidated Appropriations Act (aka the federal omnibus spending bill) was signed into law by the President and enacts some employment law changes that may or may not apply to you, but are still important to be aware of in case they do:

  1. The Pregnant Workers Fairness Act: Requires covered employers to provide reasonable accommodations for pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions the same way that they would for other disabilities. The provisions will go into effect on June 27, 2023 and apply to all private employers with 15 or more employees.
  2. Pump for Nursing Mothers Act: Expands employers’ obligation to provide employees with time and space for lactation. The newly expanded law requires that employers provide employees with reasonable lactation breaks for up to a year after their child’s birth and that the employer designate a private place that is not a bathroom where that the employee may use to take these breaks free from intrusion from their coworkers or others. The law does not require that employees be paid for these breaks. Businesses with less than fifty employees do not have to comply with the break requirements if they can establish that the obligations would “impose an undue hardship causing the employer significant difficulty or expense, when considered in relation to the size, financial resources, nature or structure of the employer’s business.” The major provisions of the new law went into effect at the time the legislation was signed into law.

Tobacco Ban

Though the source of the survey is questionable, it does provide some evidence of what we have been afraid of for a while, that a majority of Americans support a widespread ban on tobacco products and limits to use. Regulations and bans on tobacco products are only going to get more extreme as more studies are released on tobacco products. It may be time to face facts that there may actually come a day when the government tries to ban cigarettes entirely, which is something to think about in the long-term when evaluating the future of your business. Some politicians will be pushing these bans despite the fact that they are often the first to say government prohibition failed with alcohol and marijuana. We shall see if history repeats itself with tobacco. 

State of the Union

You may have watched President Biden gave his State of the Union speech this week. The only topic he spoke on that might be relevant to your businesses is the complaint that oil companies are not investing in drilling or building more refineries in the US. Oil companies say they don’t want to invest because his government is prioritizing the elimination of fossil fuels, however, Biden said “we’re going to need oil for another decade”. This notion was openly laughed at by Republicans, finding the idea of needing fossil fuels only for the next 10 years and not far beyond that to be naïve. First, the data on car purchases clearly does not speak to this claim, with 99% of vehicles on the road currently running on petroleum and last year, 94% of new vehicles in the US running on gas or diesel. If the President thinks we will only need oil for 10 more years, then that’s another reason companies won’t invest in fuel infrastructure or development if they believe it to be temporary. Additionally, there seems to be a lack of understanding from the President about how refineries work, that investments today in drilling and new refineries take many years if not a decade just to start paying them off. 

New Webinar

On Tuesday, February 21st at 12PM, NJGCA will be hosting a free webinar with PriceEasy to introduce our members to our newest MBP and the service they provide, which could make the life of a gas station operator a little easier (even at just one location).

PriceEasy™ is a fuel pricing software solution for gas station owners who want to stay ahead of their competitors. They provide the most accurate competitors’ fuel pricing with 98% coverage of all gas stations in the US. PriceEasy™ is an all-inclusive software which helps fuel retailers to identify key opportunities in their market. Their software not only identifies the key competitors but also provides you with a suggested fuel price to maximize your fuel sales. They offer highly valuable business insights including fuel to non-fuel AI modeling to show you how your fuel prices affect your c-store sales. Their software company includes 4 billion external data sets to help you determine your consumer price elasticity; factoring in the weather, traffic, time of the day, day of the week, etc. and can integrate with your POS. Simply sign up for a subscription and add your site locations. Their software will map for you your site location and the top competitors in your market showing you who you are taking business from and who is taking business from you, and why?

They are the leading fuel pricing solution trusted by supermajors to help with price predictability. With their software, you can manage your fuel pricing and push pricing updates directly to your POS, pump, and digital signboard. PriceEasy™ is easily the best fuel pricing software available. 

Register for the free webinar to find out more about this low-cost subscription.

Earthquake Donations

We are devastated by the news in Turkey and Syria and the catastrophic loss of so many lives. Some estimate that over 20,000 have been killed. One of our members, Levent Sertbas, has brought to our attention a reputable organization, the Turkish Philanthropy Fund, that is raising relief money. If you can, please consider donating to help provide relief to the people affected by the earthquake. TPF will post reports about how funds have been used and will email these reports to donors.:

https://donate.tpfund.org/campaign/tpf-turkiye-earthquake/c465112 

Be Well-

Your Association Staff

 

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  Training Class Schedule  
 

All classes held at NJGCA HQ -- 615 Hope Road, Building 2, 1st Floor, Eatontown, NJ 07724

ASE Training Course - Reach Out Today!

Are you (or an employee) getting ready to take your A6, A8, or L1 in preparation to recertifying your Emission Repair Technician (ERT) credentials through the State's Emission Technician Education Program (ETEP)?  

We can help --- but we need to hear from you, first! 
NJGCA wants to hear from students interested in our ASE-prep training program, so we can gauge demand and schedule our next session series. 

As you know, the NJ Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) has always maintained a "dual-track" system to allow technicians to earn their Emission Repair Technician (ERT) credentials through New Jersey's Emission Technician Education Program (ETEP). In doing so, technicians were allowed to certify as ERTs through either an ASE-test track or an ETEP-educational class track. Starting on January 1, 2020, NJDEP amended the ETEP criteria, and the ETEP-educational class track was abolished.  

Today, only the ASE-test track remains, and all ERTs must certify or re-certify their credentials though ASE to remain in the Program. 

NJGCA has recently offered an ASE-prep class to help you get ready for the A6, A8, and L1. In doing so, students were welcome to participate in a ten-session preparatory class that covered material for all three ASE exams. We also had a handful of students who joined us only for the A8 or L1 sections.  

Once completed, students took their ASE exams with a local ASE-approved test proctor (NJGCA can train you to prepare for the ASE exams, but are not permitted to offer the actual exam - students must make these arrangements individually themselves). 

Building on that success, we are now seeking student participation in our next training series session. To make arrangements and organize a session, we need to hear from you! 

If you are interested, please email us at training@njgca.org ASAP. 

We'll record your interest, inquire on your availability, and schedule a class once we have a full complement of students.   

Only with your feedback can we gauge student headcount and participation.  

Please reach out to us today, and thank you for your interest! 
 

Contact Nick De Palma at Nick@njgca.org to inquire about potential trainings and class dates

 

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  News Around The State  
 

2/3/23

As Temperatures Plummet, Here’s What You Can Do To Keep Your Car Going

The weather forecast in New Jersey for Friday night into Saturday has the kind of words that anyone who has to be outside doesn’t want to hear – arctic, frigid and sub-zero cold. But what about your car? The motor vehicle waiting in the driveway or at the curb will be more frozen than a microwave entree. Unlike the frosty dinner, we expect our vehicle to be ready to go, until they aren’t. Low temperatures can make a seemingly strong battery weak. Experts at AAA are preaching prevention to avoid getting stuck with a car that won’t start or a flat. They’re also preparing for a greater call volume for help with this weekend’s predicted cold snap.

2/6/23

Temp Workers To Receive More Rights In New Jersey

Gov. Phil Murphy on Monday signed legislation that aims to increase the rights, and likely the pay, of temporary workers in the Garden State. The Murphy Administration says the law bolsters support for a workforce predominantly comprised of immigrants and people of color. With the new law, temp workers must be paid at least the same average rate of pay as permanent employees performing similar work. They must also receive equivalent benefits. At the same time, entities will be prohibited from charging fees to transport temps to their work sites, and pay deductions for meals and equipment would be prohibited if they bring a worker's pay below minimum wage.

2/6/23

Immigration Rebound Eases Shortage of Workers, Up to a Point

The flow of immigrants and refugees into the United States has ramped up over the past year, helping to replenish the American labor force after a decline that began with restrictions imposed under the Trump administration and that was compounded by the pandemic. The Biden administration has been accelerating visa processing and broadly using humanitarian parole programs for migrants fleeing war and economic instability. Those efforts have driven a rebound in the foreign-born population — welcome news for the Federal Reserve, which has been concerned that a persistent shortage of workers could send wages higher and lead inflation to become entrenched. Friday’s employment report for January, showing a blockbuster gain of 517,000 jobs, confirms that the economy continues to demand more labor. Moderating wage growth, however, suggests that enough workers are arriving to keep costs in check.

2/6/23

U.S. Economy Adds a Robust 517,000 Jobs

The U.S. economy added 517,000 jobs in January, crushing estimates, while unemployment hit a 53-year low, reports The Wall Street Journal and CNBC. Dow Jones estimated 187,000 jobs would be added, and January’s number is far higher than the revised 260,000 jobs added in December. The unemployment rate dropped to 3.4% last month, which is the lowest reading since May 1969. The labor force participation rate increased to 62.4%. January’s jobs increase was the largest since July 2022, ending a five-month trend of lagging payroll growth. The last three months of job gains have averaged 356,000, which is much higher than the 2019 pre-pandemic average of 163,000. The jobs report also showed slowing wage growth. Average hourly earnings were up 4.4% in January year over year, down from a revised 4.8% in December.

2/7/23

Are Robots the Solution to a Tight Labor Market?

Robots could soon outnumber human workers at some of the world’s biggest companies, including Amazon, reports CNBC. Cathie Wood, portfolio manager at Ark Invest, told CNBC that Amazon’s use of automated robots will dramatically change the company’s workforce in the coming years. “Amazon is adding about a thousand robots a day. ... If you compare the number of robots Amazon has to the number of employees, it’s about a third. And we believe that by the year 2030 Amazon can have more robots than employees,” Wood told CNBC. “We are just at the dawn of the robotics age. And I would say artificial intelligence and battery technology are all a part of that movement as well,” she added. Wood said that the use of robots will seep into other industries as well, including manufacturing, as improving technology and falling costs speed up the transition.

2/8/23

Merchants Urge Congress to Pass the Credit Card Competition Act

The Merchants Payments Coalition (MPC) told a House committee holding a hearing on economic threats from China that passage of the Credit Card Competition Act is needed to keep China from “infiltrating” the U.S. payments processing market. NACS is a founding member of the MPC. “MPC has grave concerns over the level of involvement that China has in our nation’s payment system,” MPC said in a letter to the House Financial Services Committee. “Preventing China from infiltrating the U.S. payments system is one of our top priorities.” “Currently, there is no federal law that prevents any financial institution from doing business with China UnionPay to process payments on its credit cards,” the letter said. “If enacted, the Credit Card Competition Act would explicitly forbid card networks that present a national security threat to the United States (including China UnionPay) from entering the U.S. market. This is a vital provision of the legislation that would significantly serve our national security interests.”

 

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  Energy Information Agency Weekly Retail Gasoline Prices  
 

Each week, the Energy Information Administration publishes a list of average gasoline prices for the previous three weeks. NJGCA will begin including this list with the Weekly Road Warrior. Remember, these prices are reflective of self-serve everywhere except NJ.

 

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  Member Benefit Partner Message Board  
 

    

 

 

 

 

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  Classifieds: For Sale and Help Wanted Ads  
 

Dispensers & Kiosk For Sale: Dispensers (2) are Dresser Wayne and EMV compliant & updated.  

Address: 

924 Stuyvesant Ave

Union, NJ 07083

P: (908) 688-4480

Contact:

Fran Metta

C: (908) 416-4303

E: franmetta@cs.com

 

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