NJGCA Scholarship Winners
What’s Going On With The Gas Tax? Horror Highlight: Don’t Touch Customers Property! New Unemployment Law & Owner Obligation Scholarship Thanks to the generous donations from our members, as well as Utica insurance, we were able to award six students scholarship money to aid in their studies. Utica is the insurance company that insures NJGCA members through the Amato Agency and contributed to the funds given for students entering a trade school program. We are pleased to award scholarship money to those students who have demonstrated hard work and determination and hope the award help students continue in their outstanding educational efforts: Isaias Colon Caraballo, Automotive Technician, Universal Technical Institute Alexandra Loucopoulos, Sports Management/Psychology, Emory University Elias Loucopoulos, Financial Planning, Virginia Tech Olivia Powers, Communications, University of Delaware Ella Suchora, Social Work, Ramapo College Lawrence Valenzano, Immunology, Penn State University We hope to continue awarding students scholarships in the future. Be on the lookout for an announcement on next year and how you can contribute to the scholarship and instruct students to apply. Gas Tax Typically, August is a quiet month in politics and policy work as most legislators and government workers are on vacation. One policy decision we always look out for this time of year however, is what will happen with the gas tax. Every August in Trenton, gas tax revenue from the previous year and consumption data are analyzed to determine if enough funding is coming in under the current tax rate to fund different infrastructure projects. Currently, the gas tax sits at 41.4 cents per gallon and diesel is at 48.4 cents per gallon. While the average price of gasoline in New Jersey has decreased by more than 50 cents from last year, the entire legislature is also up for election in the fall, during a time where taxes, inflation and affordability are at the forefront of resident’s minds. If a rate adjustment is required, it will be announced by the end of the month and go into effect on October 1st. As soon as we know something, we will be sure to report that to you. Horror Highlight We recently heard this story from a member and wanted to pass along as a warning to your employees. A gas station attendant thought he was being helpful when he took the customers phone who was using Apple Pay to get closer to the dispenser so the payment would take. When he went to take the phone from the customer, it fell out of his hand, damaging the phone. The customer is now demanding the business to cover the cost of a new phone. The moral of the story? Instruct your employees to never touch a customer’s personal property under any circumstances! The employee can always ask the customer for a different form of payment, or the customer should get out of the car and scan the Apple Pay themselves to avoid liability should a scenario like this happen again (which of course, is very likely). You can watch the video of the incident HERE. New Unemployment Law & Owner Obligation A new change in the unemployment law will create an additional reporting requirement when you separate from an employee. The new law, which was passed in 2022 and went into effect on July 31, 2023, mandates that employers must submit two online forms when a worker’s employment ends. Presently, employers are only required to submit one form (Form BC-10, which outlines instructions for claiming jobless benefits) to the NJ Department of Labor & Workforce Development (NJDOL) when a separation occurs. Now, however, a new form will accompany the BC-10, and will contain added information to help NJDOL make a benefit claim determination. Both forms must be submitted simultaneously through the online “Employer Access” portal. If an employer fails to make the appropriate submissions, a fine of $500 per day will be levied against your business. Please note, the manner of separation (e.g. they were fired, resigned, move to seasonal work, etc) does not change the obligation. An employer must fill out the report regardless of reason; even if the employee does not plan on applying for unemployment benefits. Earlier this week NJGCA participated in a employment law workshop and ironically learned that NJDOL is still working to create “guidance” for the new form submission. Meaning that, even though the submission of both forms was mandated to begin on July 31, 2023, it is likely that the full fines will not be imputed toward employers until it becomes available. You can learn more about the change in law by CLICKING HERE, or read NJDOL FAQs on the change by CLICKING HERE. Be Well- Your Association Staff |
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