Join the Nassau County Chamber of Commerce for Hot Topics: 'Business Benefits of Diversity - How Human Rights Ordinances Help' on Tuesday, October 22, 2019 from 8:30-9:30 A.M. at the Nassau County Chamber of Commerce, 961687 Gateway Blvd., Suite 101-G, Fernandina Beach, Florida. 

Guest speakers Genece Minshew and Dr. Theresa Sparks, President and Vice President of Fernandina Beach Pride, Inc., will give a presentation about the Human Rights/Relation Ordinance that was recently adopted by the City of Fernandina Beach and how it will impact local business owners. 

Genece and her partner, Sue Simpson, have called Fernandina Beach home for the past 20 years. Today, Genece spends her time volunteering for several groups. She is the site coordinator for the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program in Fernandina Beach, serves as the chair of the Economic Vitality Council of Fernandina Beach Main Street, founded and became the first President of Fernandina Pride, Inc., and most recently, was appointed to the Fernandina Beach Planning Advisory Board as a full member. 

Dr. Theresa Sparks grew up "across the river" in Kingsland, Georgia. She and her spouse, Dr. Meighan Johnson, have lived in Amelia Island for 10 years and both are proud members of this community. Dr. Sparks has been an LGBTQIA+ activist and advocate for over 30 years. 

​Hot Topics workshops are free for Chamber members and $25.00 for prospective members. Advanced payment and registration are always preferred. For more information, CLICK HERE or call (904) 261-3248.

"Sending Joys of Christmas to Our Troops Overseas"

Donation Days:
Thursday & Friday, November 7 & 8 / 9am-6pm
Saturday, November 9th / 9am-1pm

Location:
Maxwell Hall, Memorial United Methodist Church
601 Centre Street, Downtown Fernandina Beach

Drive Thru Drop Off and Free Pick Up of Donations by calling (904) 206-3938

Donation Suggestions 

• Monetary Donations for shipping & supplies (tax deductible) 
• 24" pre-lit, decorated Christmas trees (break-resistant ornaments)
• Extension cords, 6' and 12'
• Christmas/Holiday Cards, signed with a note of support (cards are sent without envelopes) 
• Individual serving sizes of nuts & sunflower seeds, dried fruit
• Peanut butter in a cup, tuna packets (in foil), hard candy, coffee, tea, cocoa packets, cookies and crackers
• Cheese or bean dip, chips, Crystal Light, chewing gum, Cracker Jacks
• Microwave popcorn, moisturizer wipes, lens cleaners, Chapstick, q-tips, puzzle books, playing cards 

As per Customs regulations, please NO jerky or other meat products or homemade food

For more information, call Judi Mixon at (904) 206-3938, John Scherer at (912) 320-7840 or email info@treesforamericastroops.org.

​Learn more about Trees for America's Troops at www.TreesForAmericasTroops.org.

Last week, the U.S. Department of Labor issued its Final Rule regarding the salary thresholds that apply to certain exempt white-collar employees. The new salary thresholds will take effect on January 1. The DOL received more than 116,000 comments about its proposed regulations, which were issued in March. However, many of the comments were “form” comments with the same content.

KEY PROVISIONS
Standard salary levels (Executive, Administrative, and some Professional exemptions)
The salary threshold levels for these exemptions were set at the 20th percentile of earnings of full-time salaried workers in the lowest-wage region (the South) or in the retail industry nationally.

For workers to be exempt from the overtime requirements of the Fair Labor Standards Act based on the executive, administrative, or some professional exemptions, they must be paid at least the amounts indicated below as of January 1:

• $684 per week, or $35,568 per year. (The current threshold level is $455 per week, or $23,660 per year.)

Because the DOL used the most recent salary data available at the time it drafted the Final Rule (from June 2019), there will be no updating in January 2020 to adjust for inflation.

Employers may count non-discretionary bonuses, incentives, and commissions toward up to 10 percent of the standard salary level as long as the employer pays those amounts at least annually.

Highly compensated employees
The total annual compensation level for the “highly compensated employee” exemption will be set at the 80th percentile of earnings of full-time salaried workers nationally. Under the proposed rule, the exemption would have been set at the 90th percentile.
For workers to be exempt from the FLSA overtime requirements based on their status as highly compensated employees, they must be paid at least the amounts indicated below as of January 1:

• $107,432 per year, of which at least $684 per week must be paid on a salary or fee basis. The remaining minimum annual compensation may include commissions, non-discretionary bonuses and other non-discretionary compensation. (The current threshold for highly compensated employees is $100,000 a year.)

Special threshold rates
The final regulations also include special rates that apply in certain circumstances:

• $455 per week for workers in Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.
• $380 per week for workers in American Samoa.
• $1043 per week for workers in the motion picture industry.

The final regulations do not make any changes to the “duties tests,” nor do they include any provision for automatic “adjustment” of the salary thresholds in the future. Regarding the latter, the DOL has said that it will periodically revisit the minimum salary and compensation levels through future notice-and-comment rulemaking.

According to DOL estimates, 1.2 million employees who are currently exempt under the executive, administrative, and professional exemptions will, without some intervening action by their employers, become eligible in 2020 for overtime under these new salary levels. Absent employer action, approximately 101,800 employees who are currently exempt as highly compensated employees are expected to become eligible for overtime in 2020.

ANALYSIS
The most significant differences between the new final regulations and the version issued in 2016 by the Obama Administration (which was invalidated by a court ruling), are that the current increases are more modest, and that there is no mechanism included for automatic adjustments in the future.

Some employee advocacy groups have publicly said that they plan to challenge the new regulations in the courts. Even if their challenges are successful, the effect would almost surely be to leave in place the current (significantly lower) threshold levels, which were set in 2004. Thus, the logic behind a legal challenge by worker advocates is not readily apparent.

Assuming, as we must, that the new regulations will take effect on January 1, employers will need to quickly reassess the exempt classifications of employees who are paid less than the levels mandated in the new regulations. Employers will have to evaluate whether to increase the salaries of those employees to retain the exempt classification, or whether to reclassify the employees as non-exempt (eligible for overtime).
While that reassessment is taking place, it is also an excellent time for employers to evaluate compliance with the job duties requirements applicable to the white-collar exemptions. Although the new regulations did not change the “duties tests,” job duties nonetheless remain requirements that must be satisfied in addition to the salary and compensation requirements.

Constangy, Brooks, Smith & Prophete, LLP
Constangy, Brooks, Smith & Prophete offers a wider lens on workplace law. We have counseled employers exclusively since 1946. With offices in 15 states, we are one of the largest labor and employment law practices in the U.S. Constangy has been named as a top firm for women and minorities by organizations including Law360, the National Law Journal and Vault.com. Many of our more than 190 attorneys have been recognized by leading authorities such as Chambers & Partners, Best Lawyers in America® and Martindale Hubbell. Find out more about us online at www.constangy.com or follow us on Twitter @ConstangyLaw. 

Day 1: Residential Collection Contract Begins​

Meridian Waste, an integrated, non-hazardous solid waste services company, began residential solid waste and recycling collection services on September 30 for the Town of Callahan. The new service is the company’s first Florida exclusive solid waste franchise. 
 
Meridian Waste is providing once a week garbage collection utilizing a 95-gallon cart, once a week yard waste collection, once a week bulk waste collection (limit two items per collection), and every other week recycling collection starting Thursday, October 10. The Company purchased a new rear load collection vehicle, a knuckle boom truck, and all new garbage and recycling carts to service the Town and its citizens. 
 
Specific guidelines regarding what residents may or may not place curbside for correct solid waste and recycling collection can be found here:  www.MeridianWaste.com/Callahan and can be printed from here: https://www.meridianwaste.com/media/159683/callahan-information-flyer-collection-guidelines.pdf.  Important changes include the elimination of glass from the recycling stream due to it being a common contaminant in single stream recycling processes and the change to every other week collection of recyclables to keep costs low and fewer trucks on the road.
 
Residential Collection Schedule:
            Garbage = Monday
            Bulk Waste = Monday
            Yard Waste = Thursday
            Recycling = Every Other Thursday (starting October 10) 
            Recycling Collection Calendar: CLICK HERE

Commercial collection becomes an open market effective October 1, allowing businesses the opportunity to choose their waste hauler for the first time in more than a decade.  The commercial hauler must hold a Nassau County solid waste permit in order to provide service.  Meridian Waste is one of the approved Nassau County solid waste haulers.

“As a business owner who first started his company in Nassau County just outside of Callahan, I am proud to be able to provide vital environmental services to the residents of Callahan,” said Dave Shepler, district manager of Meridian Waste and the founder of Partner Disposal (acquired by Meridian Waste in 2018).  “The Town of Callahan has been an incredible partner as we transition the service from the incumbent hauler to Meridian Waste.  It is our goal to ensure that this partnership strengthens and thrives through quality service, open communication, and a clean environment for the benefit of the Town, its citizens and Meridian Waste.” 

If Town residents or commercial entities need to reach out to Meridian Waste to request a cart or dumpster, please call 904.849.5122 or email CustomerCareNassauCoFL@MeridianWaste.com.
 
Sign Up for Service Alerts: Stay in the know about your service—sign up for email and/or text alert notifications so we can update you in the event of inclement weather, holidays or other factors that might interrupt your service. Sign up at: www.MeridianWaste.com/Service-Alert-Signup.