American Drycleaner - June 2024

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Exhibit in Print

Take a walk down the hallways of our own trade show and visit the virtual booths of the manufacturers and service providers who might be the missing piece of your puzzle leading to increased success!

Getting on the Same Page with Employee Handbooks

Make sure your employees know everything they need to know about working with your business by providing them with the rulebook that details what the company expects from them — and what they can expect from the company.

If you need a little help finding this month’s hanger hidden on our cover, here’s a clue. Good luck!

Where To Find It

There’s a quote often attributed to Albert Einstein (although the etymology is more than a bit muddy) that reads, “I don’t need to know everything. I just need to know where to find it when I need it.” Well, this month’s American Drycleaner takes that notion to heart.

This issue features the return of our “Exhibit in Print,” where we offer companies the opportunity to set up virtual “booths” in order to connect with their customers. So, please take some time — you can walk our show floor at your own pace and skip around from aisle to aisle to your heart’s content — and see what these companies can offer your business. Contact information is there to make it easy to reach out and see what they can do for you!

Our second feature, “Getting on the Same Page with Employee Handbooks,” illustrates the need for companies to lay out in writing their policies, procedures and other vital information that can head off problems long before they start. By letting new and experienced employees know what their leaders expect from them — and what they can expect from the company — the time spent developing a comprehensive employee handbook is time well invested in everyone’s interest.

We also have a special report this month, “Natural Gas Water Heaters, Boilers Under Attack in LA.” The South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD), which covers Los Angeles and three surrounding counties, recently put forth their intention of mandating the removal of this type of equipment, and on a short enough timeline where many businesses, including dry cleaners, would be impacted to potentially the point of no longer being able to operate. Thanks to the efforts of local cleaners and the California Cleaners Association (CCA), however, dry cleaners were able to educate the SCAQMD, push back the date and, hopefully, come up with exemptions.

It’s easier than ever today to get the information you need to know, and American Drycleaner will always serve as a source you can count on.

American Drycleaner (ISSN 0002-8258) is published monthly except Nov/Dec combined. Subscription prices, payment in advance: U.S., 1 year $50.00; 2 years $100.00. Single copies $10.00 for U.S. Published by American Trade Magazines LLC, 650 West Lake Street, Suite 320, Chicago, IL 60661. Periodicals postage paid at Chicago, IL and at additional mailing offices.

POSTMASTER, Send changes of address and form 3579 to American Drycleaner, Subscription Dept., 125 Schelter Rd., #350, Lincolnshire, IL 60069-3666. Volume 91, number 3. Editorial, executive and advertising offices are at 650 West Lake Street, Suite 320, Chicago, IL 60661. Charles Thompson, President and Publisher. American Drycleaner is distributed selectively to: qualified dry cleaning plants and distributors in the United States. The publisher reserves the right to reject any advertising for any reason.

© Copyright AMERICAN TRADE MAGAZINES LLC, 2024. Printed in U.S.A. No part of this publication may be transmitted or reproduced in any form, electronic or mechanical, without written permission from the publisher or his representative. American Drycleaner does not endorse, recommend or guarantee any article, product, service or information found within. Opinions expressed are those of the writers and do not necessarily reflect the views of American Drycleaner or its staff. While precautions have been taken to ensure the accuracy of the magazine’s contents at time of publication, neither the editors, publishers nor its agents can accept responsibility for damages or injury which may arise therefrom.

Publisher

Charles Thompson

Editorial Director

Bruce Beggs

312-361-1683

bbeggs@ATMags.com

Editor

Dave Davis

312-361-1685

ddavis@ATMags.com

Digital Media Director

Nathan Frerichs

312-361-1681

nfrerichs@ATMags.com

Production Manager Mathew Pawlak

Advisory Board

Jan Barlow

Mike Bleier

John-Claude Hallak

Monika Manter

Wesley Nelson

Kyle Nesbit

Fred Schwarzmann

Vic Williams

Wayne Wudyka

National

Linda@ATMags.com

Dave Davis

Welcome to the 2024 Exhibit In Print! EXHIBIT IN PRINT 2024

While the world has opened back up and trade shows are again on the schedule, American Drycleaner would like to invite you to our own version of a trade show: our Exhibit in Print!

Come on in, walk down our hallway at your own speed at a time that works for you, and peruse what our exhibitors have to offer your business.

Yamamoto

Beyond the versatility of Yamamoto equipment lays the several competitive advantages that are driving interest from cleaners nationwide.

Yamamoto says the simplicity of its wet-cleaning programs, paired with its exclusive Harmony Cleaning additive, provide a comprehensive system that is virtually plug and play. Coupled with user-friendly touchscreen interface, operators can tailor up to 99 different programs to fit their exact needs. From shirt laundry to matt washing

Sankosha USA

Sankosha USA was incorporated in early 1993 and has been in the Chicago suburb of Elk Grove Village, Ill., since that time.

Currently housed at its newly renovated facility are its sales, parts, and service operations, and a fully functional showroom, the company relates. A full complement of replacement parts, including covers and pads, are stocked. Most part orders are shipped on the same day received.

“All our customers are partners in

Take a look and you just might find the missing piece of equipment or service your cleaning company needs to go to the next level! If you see something you like, visit the exhibitor’s website or give them a call.

We’ll see you again at trade shows coming in the future. Until then, welcome to our 2024 Exhibit in Print.

and flat work to couture wet-cleaning, Yamamoto equipment is ready and capable.

The company says it embraces even the most stringent Japanese manufacturing standards, so its customers can rest easy knowing that each unique component is designed to increase longevity and decrease the overall cost of ownership.

Supported by Yamamoto North

America (based in Bloomington, IL) and a large network of distributors nationwide, the company states it is confident that it has the equipment and infrastructure to provide equipment that is sure to benefit cleaners’ throughput and the bottom line.

yamamoto-na.com

866-653-4408

our business,” Sankosha USA says.

“Because of their ideas and suggestions, they have provided us the ability to develop innovative equipment to help their businesses be more successful and profitable.”

As it celebrates its 31st anniversary, Sankosha USA says thank you for being a part of its family.

www.sankosha-inc.com

888-427-9120

EXHIBIT IN PRINT 2024

Iowa Techniques

Your store closed three minutes ago. Bad news for your customer, and worse news for you!

Owning an Iowa Techniques Drop Box means your drycleaning operation is never truly closed, the company says. If you were your customer, when would you find time to come to your shop?

A convenient, 24-hour drop-off solution for “after-hours” customers enables an operation to keep business rather than driving customers to the

competition.

Be the most convenient business in town with an Iowa Techniques Drop Box — both free-standing (garment bags are easy to remove from the locked lower storage area) and wall (can be mounted through glass windows or through walls up to a foot thick) versions are available.

Iowa Techniques can also provide you with rails to fit your delivery van, no matter what you’re driving — mini, regular, stretch, Transit, or Sprinter.

The company’s rail kits require no welding and are easy to install.

Firbimatic

Firbimatic states it is a world leader in the manufacturing of dry cleaning machines. Founded in the 1970s, The company says it continues to be innovative in the research and development of new models. Efficiency, durability, and ease of operation are the qualities that the company stands by.

Firbimatic has recently released its Touch Screen computer on some of their models. Firbimatic offers a full line of exciting alternative solvent models for all needs and options of drycleaners.

EcoGreen machines boast tri-flow filtration consisting of a Spin disc filter, all-carbon filter, and cartridge filter to maintain the highest solvent clarity. This is used in conjunction with a vacuum still. Saver SM models require no steam and no water to operate. This is accomplished through an advanced refrigeration system that is capable of generating enough heat to dry garments, and an air-cooled refrigeration system.

www.iowatechniques.com

800-727-1592

SMRT Systems

Want to change your business and your life?

Get SMRT, for what the company claims is the most powerful automation software available to dry cleaners and laundries. With SMRT, the company says you’ll reach new heights of efficiency and profitability, with a system that’s easy to use, easy to learn, and personalized to your business.

From day one, SMRT states it will transform your billing, customer communication, routes, reporting, marketing, and inventory management. You’ll be faster, more nimble, and more organized. SMRT’s software also integrates with all major conveyor systems, bringing simplicity to a cleaner’s operations.

The icing on the cake? SMRT states that it runs from a secure cloud-based dashboard, giving customers freedom and flexibility. SMRT also says cleaners will always have access to its best-in-class support team. With 24/7 support, every call is answered, every email is returned, every ticket is handled. SMRT says its response time to support tickets is 10 minutes or less.

The company states there is no limit to what SMRT can do for your business and what your business can do with SMRT. Get in touch today for a no-commitment demo.

415-612-9885

EXHIBIT IN PRINT 2024

Union Drycleaning Products

Since its inception in 1976, Union says it has been the benchmark by which all other drycleaning machines are measured. The company states that it leads the field in high-quality design and construction, incorporating continual advances in technology made possible by its creative and visionary research team.

Union says its ongoing mission is to develop new products and features. “We have continued to make advancements in technology, such as our new Dialog Touch microprocessor. Union also offers UNI-JET spray washing and Solvent heating along with an air cooled all cartridge filtration model. Capacities range from a 25 pound up to 176-pound Industrial machines to fit any cleaners needs,” the company says.

The company also states it continues to work with all the solvent manufacturers to ensure that its drycleaning machines are the most efficient, with traditional solvents and newer solvents, and adds that its machines are environmentally friendly as well.

The company also notes it has a staff of knowledgeable professionals to keep your machine running for years to come.

EzProducts International

EzProducts International, located in Florida, has manufactured heat-seal presses since 1989. With its EzPress® and PopUpPress® models, you can apply permanent heat-seal labels to your customers’ garments for identification and track the history and permanent finishing information. This will eliminate the cost of paper tags and the labor to apply them.

EZProducts’ heat-seal presses have interchangeable lower platens, are lightweight, have a small footprint, are easy to maintain and have advanced features. The company states its presses have the highest safety certification in the world, TUV SUD which covers UL, OSHA, CE and CSA standards.

EzProducts prints sequentially numbered permanent barcode heat-seal labels in several sizes with and without a stripe and can ship them to you in one day if necessary. It now also offers temporary barcode labels. Is EzLabelOff will remove a permanent barcode label, and its EzLabel Dispenser, designed for one across labels, releases one label at a time.

EzProducts manufactures the original Rope-Ties. Eliminate tangled sleeves in shirts in washing machines and save time, labor, water and detergent.

www.ezpi.us 877-906-1818

GreenEarth Cleaning

GreenEarth Cleaning states that it is introducing the future of dry cleaning with its exclusive, environmentally non-toxic liquid silicone technology. Its patented system not only achieves superior cleaning results, the company says, but is also remarkably gentle on fabrics, ensuring that garments are not only clean but also treated with the utmost care.

By transitioning to GreenEarth, the company states, dry cleaners can completely eliminate their hazardous

waste and associated disposal fees, significantly lowering operational costs. Providers benefit from robust

support, including enhanced marketing strategies and detailed technical assistance, enabling your business to excel.

The company invites cleaners to step into a network that operates under a globally recognized trademark, holding a commitment to environmentally responsible dry cleaning solutions. Transform your operation and contribute positively to our planet with GreenEarth Cleaning.

www.GreenEarthCleaning.com 877-926-0895

EXHIBIT IN PRINT 2024

Xplor Spot

Since Xplor Spot’s inception in 1991, the company states that it has consistently set the standard for excellence in the dry cleaning software industry. Over the years, Spot has strived to deliver cutting-edge solutions that cater to the needs of the customer. Rather than simply offering products, Spot provides tailored solutions that address specific pain points to help its customers and their staff succeed. With Spot’s trusted tools, the company says customers will experience simple

Realstar

Realstar states that it is an established company that has earned itself a reputation as one of the highest-quality manufacturers of dry cleaning machines. It boasts a complete range of models for the most demanding of dry cleaners. Realstar machines are versatile, practical, and economical, the company adds.

The KM-C Series is the latest addition to Realstar’s line of machines, available in 40, 60 and 80 pound capacities. This series has self-clean-

and clean interfaces, robust pickup and delivery suites, trigger-based marketing, and efficient production automation tools.

Are you ready to take your drycleaning business to the next level?

Mention this exhibit when you sign-up for Spot and get two months free.

ing, round solvent tanks. These new models feature non-distillation dry cleaning, and an air-cooled refrigeration system that requires no water, designed to save costs of acquisition and operation while at the same time protecting our environment.

North American Bancard

North American Bancard (NAB) states it has been a trusted partner to businesses since 1992, offering comprehensive merchant account and payment processing solutions. NAB says it understands the unique needs of dry cleaners seeking a reliable and efficient service provider, and offers a comprehensive suite of services tailored to help cleaners succeed.

With NAB’s flexible, month-tomonth service agreements, dry cleaners can benefit from a cost-effective

Realstar has also introduced a new touch screen computer that is more user friendly for operators. Realstar states that it continues to be an innovator in dry cleaning machine manufacturing.

The company says that professional dry cleaners know they can count on Realstar to provide support before, during, and after purchase of their machines.

solution without the burden of startup costs, hidden fees, or cancellation penalties. The company states that its extensive range of free equipment, including EMV, NFC, and mobile solutions, empowers businesses to securely accept payments across various touch points, enhancing customer convenience.

NAB’s PCI Plus Program also simplifies PCI compliance, providing

dry cleaners with peace of mind and allowing them to focus on their core business.

The company states that dry cleaners can trust in NAB’s award-winning, round-the-clock customer support, ensuring assistance is always available when needed.

www.nynab.com

EXHIBIT IN PRINT 2024

Lattner Boiler Manufacturing Co.

Headquartered in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and in business since 1918, Lattner Boiler Manufacturing states it has a proven record of quality and innovation. The company offers both fuel-fired and electric boilers that allow dry cleaners to have a constant source of steam available to serve their customers.

Lattner’s line of products includes fuel-fired vertical tubeless steam

CleanCloud

CleanCloud states that it is dedicated to empowering dry cleaners to excel in today’s competitive market. With a decade of industry experience under its belt, the company says it understands the unique challenges dry cleaners face. That’s why it has developed a comprehensive suite of solutions designed to streamline operations and propel your business forward. The company’s website builder, available for free to all CleanCloud users, offers pre-built drag-and-drop templates that require no technical expertise, allowing customers to showcase their services and attract customers with a professional online presence.

CleanCloud connects with industry-leading technologies including Metalprogetti to optimize cleaners’ assisted assembly processes and enhance overall efficiency and use plant mode to help streamline communication and management between the storefront and processing facilities.

With a dedicated US-based support team and a proven track record of serving over 3,000 happy customers worldwide, CleanCloud states customers can trust it to fuel the growth of their business.

boilers, fuel-fired horizontal firetube steam and hot water boilers, electric horizontal steam boilers, electric cabinet style steam and hot water boilers, and steam room boilers. Each of these systems has been designed to provide the user with safe hot water and steam while lowering their operating and maintenance costs.

www.lattner.com

800-345-1527

Garment Management Systems

Garment Management Systems (GMS) states that its flagship product, the QuickSort Assembly System, provided the industry a more cost-effective and reliable solution to production assembly. Now, GMS looks to do it again with its QuickTAG and 247Express systems.

As a growing number of cleaners look to automation to reduce labor cost, many have turned to automatic baggers. QuickTAG provides a cost-efficient and dependable way to integrate an automatic bagger with the assembly and point-of-sale systems, the company says, and attaches the invoice to an assembled order. By using an automatic bagger with QuickTAG and QuickSort, cleaners can realize immediate labor cost savings with a system that is about half the price of a fully automatic system.

Garment Management Systems says that its newest product, 24/7 Express, will meet your customer’s demand for accessibility and service in a clean environment, all while reducing labor cost. This fully automated drop-off and delivery system provides the convenience of a drop store without the expense of an employee, and service is available to the customer 24 hours a day.

EXHIBIT IN PRINT 2024

American Express

Cleaner Business Systems

Cleaner Business Systems is a browser-based software application designed to help dry cleaners get more control over their businesses and become more profitable.

Cleaner Business Systems is used by cleaners of all types and sizes to increase profitability, grow business and save time, the company says. Any size operation will like the software’s detailed reporting, easy-to-use interface, time-saving functionality, and ability to manage their store(s) from almost anywhere with CBS Connected.

Cleaner Business Systems offers specialized procedures for other types of cleaners as well. One-price/ pre-pay cleaners enjoy streamlined payments and a lot manager, the company says, while hotel and valet services can use CBS’ commercial accounts function, which offers structured, commission-based billing statements.

American Express (NYSE: AXP) is a globally integrated payments company that provides customers with access to products, insights and experiences, it states, which enrich lives and build business success. Its integrated payments platform includes card-issuing, merchant-acquiring and card network businesses. American Express states it is a leader in providing payment products and services to a broad range of customers, including consumers, small businesses, mid-sized companies and large corporations worldwide. American Express offers resources to help to support dry cleaning businesses, including discounted supplies, curated discounts and offers, insights, payment solutions and more. The company states that dry cleaning businesses can unlock over $4,400 in total savings by taking advantage of all offers in the Business Savings Suite.* To learn more, visit americanexpress.com/merchantoffers.

*In order to unlock the maximum total savings, merchants must make several purchases of advertising services, accounting services, cybersecurity services and other services, and enroll in multiple automatically renewing subscription plans for the entire length of the respective offer period. Offers and value of offers are subject to change without notice to you. Visit americanexpress.com/merchantoffers to see current offers.

americanexpress.com/merchantoffers 800-445-2639

Royal Basket Trucks

Royal Basket Trucks believes that carts should be made to fit into a variety of environments to improve your workflow and process efficiencies. The company says its innovative product line offers a variety of features and ergonomic benefits to keep your operations running at the highest level. Sorting, collecting, cleaning, organizing, transporting, recycling... Royal Basket Trucks states that its marketplace solutions crafted to meet the needs of many applications.

Located in Darien, Wisconsin, Royal has been manufacturing carts since 1982 and has become a recognized brand in the Industry. Royal Basket Trucks specializes in and is committed to providing high-quality cart solutions

and world-class customer service that you can rely upon. The company states that its service and solutions, along with customization capabilities and modifications set Royal apart from others in the Industry. Every cart is manufactured to order and ships within 7 business days, allowing the customer to receive their product on a short timeline.

You deserve the cart that works for you!

www.royal-basket.com 800-426-6447

Natural Gas Water Heaters, Boilers Under Attack in LA

Industry groups push back against proposed phaseout

By Dave Davis, Editor

Aproposed phaseout of natural gas water heaters and boilers in Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Riverside, and Orange counties in California had local dry cleaners worried about what it would mean for the future of their businesses — or if their business would have a future at all.

However, thanks to the efforts of area dry cleaners, business organizations and the California Cleaners Association (CCA), recommendations were made that would lessen the burden and push back the compliance dates.

The measure, Proposed Amended Rule (PAR) 1146.2 by the South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD), is designed to combat nitrogen oxides (NOx) emissions from large water heaters, small boilers and process heaters. In its proposal, the SCAQMD estimates that more than 1 million units would be impacted, resulting in 5.6 tons of NOx emissions being reduced per day.

As originally written, the proposed rule would apply to all commercial buildings and multifamily units — new and existing. Compliance would be mandatory by 2026 for new buildings, by 2029 for existing buildings.

For such a sweeping proposal, there was a lack of input from those who would be most affected, according to the Los Angeles County Business Federation (BizFed).

“One big concern is that there are just a lot of folks who are unaware this is coming up,” says BizFed Director of Advocacy Sarah Wiltfong. “That’s why we sent out an alert, and that’s why we were trying to raise awareness about it.”

The proposed phaseout’s scope has many businesses — including dry cleaners — worried that such a farreaching measure would put an undue burden on them. They argue that the cost of replacing and running this type of equipment, if it were even possible to do in certain cases, would hurt or destroy their business.

“In order for them to retrofit and install some of these units, it could easily run, at a minimum, $200,000,” says Wiltfong, “and one dry cleaner told me it would be closer to $800,000 to retrofit and install. And then on top of that, that doesn’t even include the monthly utility payments, which will probably be considerably more expensive.”

“One of the things specifically pointed out was that, in many cases, dry cleaners don’t own their property,” says CCA President Toran Brown. “They would have to potentially go hat in hand to their landlord and say, ‘We need these major electrical upgrades made to our space to accommodate this type of equipment.’”

Another dry cleaner had pointed out to Brown that they would be unable to switch from natural gas to electric boilers because the local electric utility did not have the capacity in his area to run enough power to the building.

the SCAQMD is proposing extended timelines, certain exemptions, and potential financial assistance to help ease the burden on these small businesses.

A technology assessment scheduled in 2028 would also help determine if additional adjustments are needed before the requirements would take effect.

While industry and advocacy groups were able to delay consideration of this measure for dry cleaners, Brown says this is an ongoing battle, noting that when such actions are taken in Los Angeles, they tend to trickle down throughout the country over time.

Fortunately, after meeting with the CCA and making drycleaner site visits in March and April, the SCAQMD recommendation was amended to push back the compliance deadline to 2033 for the units typically used by dry cleaners.

So, while the rule if approved would require dry cleaners to eventually transition to zero-emission equipment,

“It’s worth pointing out that whether it’s this issue, the single-use poly ban that continues to come up in different forms, or other items, these are all issues at the municipality level, and that’s where the challenge is,” Toran says. “It would be easier to keep an eye on statewide initiatives, but when you have things that are going on in Los Angeles and Berkeley, where things are happening at a very local level, trying to stay on top of all that is very challenging.”

Because of this, Brown urges dry cleaners across the nation to be aware, get involved and make sure their viewpoints are heard.

“A lobbyist friend of mine said, ‘If you’re not at the table, you’re on the menu,’” Brown says. “We have to find ways to ensure we’re getting representation before these things become law.”

The SCAQMD has called a hearing on this matter for June 7. For more information, search for “Proposed Amended Rule 1146.2” at http://www. aqmd.gov.

(Images licensed by Ingram Image)

Getting on the Same Page with Employee Handbooks

10 essential policies cleaners should communicate to their staff

By Dave Davis, Editor

One of the best methods owners and managers have to communicate what they expect from their staff — and what staff should expect from them — is to create an employee handbook.

During a recent webinar conducted by Beth Milito, executive director of the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB), she detailed steps to making an effective employee handbook, as well as the essential policies that should go into the document.

GETTING STARTED

“Take a look at your existing handbook, and look at some sample handbooks, as well,” Milito says. “There are a lot of sample handbooks that you can find on the web. The big

warning, however, is that you should never just download a handbook, put your business on the cover page and distribute that. The whole intent of the HR employee handbook is to make sure that is customized to your business.”

Milito notes that the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) has many model handbooks on their website, and some larger corporations have their handbooks online that can provide a template.

“Make an outline of policies you’d like to include,” she says, “and then draft the text for each policy. Read and proof it, and ideally have at least one other set of eyes take a look at the handbook. You may want to consider having an attorney or an outside HR expert review the handbook and bless it.”

(Photo:©iqoncept/Depositphotos)

POLICIES TO CONSIDER

So, what should go into an employee handbook? Milito suggests looking at four broad topics when first outlining such a document:

Welcome Message and Introduction to the Company — This can include the company’s mission statement, an equal opportunity statement, contractual disclaimer and at-will statement, the purpose of the handbook and background information about the company.

Policies and Procedures — These include statements about the Americans with Disabilities Act, personal safety, sexual harassment, drug and alcohol policies, violence and weapons policies, attendance, hours of work, meal and rest periods, overtime, timekeeping, personnel records, paydays, payroll deductions, discipline, performance reviews, termination procedures and more.

Benefits — Benefits include holidays, vacation, sick leave, disability leave, personal leave, bereavement leave, family and medical leave, jury duty, paid time off,

health and life insurance, retirement and pension plans, training, educational assistance programs, workers’ compensation and unemployment insurance.

Employee and Employer Responsibility for Safety

Items in this list include emergency procedures, medical services, personal protective equipment, Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) requirements, safety rules and reporting accidents.

“A lot of these are things that you may not need in your business,” Milito says. “For example, years ago, a member called me and said, ‘We put together an employee handbook, but unfortunately, we just cut and pasted one. An employee just came to me and asked about our family and medical leave policy, and I have no idea what that is.’ This was a company that had only about 10 employees, so they were not subject are covered by the Federal Family and Medical Leave Act. So, be careful about what you’re putting in there, because you want to make sure what you put in is something that your business is going to be able to follow and implement.”

No matter the size of the company, Milito suggests making sure that the handbook addresses key areas that set expectations of what’s required of both the staff and the company.

10 ESSENTIAL POLICIES

So, what should go into an employee handbook? Milito suggests looking at 10 topics when first creating such a document to set expectations of what’s required of both the staff and the company.

1. Introduction — “The introduction is a welcome statement to new and existing employees,” Milito says. “It’s telling employees why it is you are issuing this handbook and offers some general information about the business.”

Milito suggests including the following in this section:

• History of the Company — How the company got started and how it has grown. The company’s founder(s) and current executives can be introduced here.

• Values — Provide the company’s core values and explain what each value means to the company and why it has been chosen as a core value.

• Mission statement — Help employees understand the company’s purpose by providing and explaining its mission.

2. At-Will Statement — “You want to follow the ▼

(Image licensed by Ingram Image)

introduction with the employment at-will statement,” Milito says. “In all states except Montana, employment is at will. That means that in the absence of a written employment contract or a collective bargaining agreement — in other words, union business — either the employer or the employee may terminate employment for any reason that is not contrary to law.”

Cases where it would not be legal, Milito says, are terminating someone because they are over 50, pregnant or in some other protected category. Montana’s “good cause” standard means that the employer must demonstrate a valid cause for firing the employee.

“The other category that you may want to define at the start of the handbook in the introduction section, or under the Wage and Hour section, is a discussion or description of whether or not employees or are exempt or non-exempt,” Milito says.

Exempt employees are not entitled to overtime pay and typically hold executive, administrative or professional positions. Non-exempt employees typically hold nonsupervisory positions and are entitled to overtime pay for hours worked over 40 hours a week, or as specified by state law.

Contractors are workers who do work for the company but are not part of the payroll. Milito uses the example of an IT or website designer who comes in occasionally, noting that they are not part of the exempt/non-exempt discussion.

3. Equal Employment Opportunity Policy — The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) is the federal agency that oversees and enforces federal laws that make it illegal to discriminate against a job applicant or employee because of their protected status. Protected categories include race, color, religion, sex, age, disability, national origin, veteran status, citizenship, pregnancy, genetic information and all other categories protected by federal, state and local anti-discrimination laws.

“This is a very important legal policy that should be included in all employee handbooks,” Milito says. “It’s a reminder that employees in your business are protected from discrimination under all applicable federal, state and local anti-discrimination laws. You also want to set forth procedures for reporting violations for EEO infractions. It’s a good place to list the contact for the person responsible at your company for EEO policy.”

4. Policy Against Unlawful Harassment

— “This, along with the at-will policy and the EEO policy, are the three must-have policies in every employee handbook,” Milito says. This section establishes the company’s policy against all forms of unlawful harassment, including sexual harassment.

This section, Milito says, should also outline the reporting procedure, along with the contact information for the individual at the business who will be taking the complaints.

“You hope that individuals are comfortable approaching his or her own manager about any issues,” she says, “but it’s always good to have an alternative person to whom employees can report harassment or unlawful workplace behavior, just in case the manager or direct supervisor is the individual who is engaging in the unlawful conduct.”

Having such a procedure or policy in place for reporting unlawful harassment, Milito says, will go a long way toward protecting the company from liability if a claim is made, and if the company addresses the harassment promptly.

5. Wage and Hour Policy — “Some states have laws that differ from the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), which is the federal law that governs overtime and minimum wage and deciphers between the exempt and non-exempt employees,” Milito says. “But many states have laws that differ from the FLSA, so it’s important to remember that employers must follow both state and federal law. And if the laws conflict, the employer must follow the higher standard. In other words, the law that gives the greatest benefit to the employees. For example, if a state has a minimum wage higher than the federal $7.25 an hour, and many states do, the employer must comply with the state minimum wage.”

“The U.S. Department of Labor (dol.gov) has a very good wage and hour website and a map that very easily lets you click on it to find out what the minimum wage is in your state,” she says. “DOL also has a map where you can click on your state to determine whether or not you have meal and/or rest break laws in your state, which can be a helpful resource.”

6. Attendance and Remote Work Policy — “This is a documented set or rules that puts fourth clear and consistent expectations for employees,” Milito says. “This can be difficult in businesses of all sizes, not just small businesses, to consistently enforce these policies. Make sure you are putting in place a realistic policy and one

that you yourself will be able to follow. If many of your employees have families or young children, for example, they’re likely going to be juggling emergencies. If they are caregivers and you institute a zero-tolerance attendance policy, which was big 15 or 20 years ago, that’s just not realistic.”

To combat the pandemic, many companies allowed workers, if possible, to work remotely. This is something, Milito says, that needs to be discussed in the handbook.

“I recently saw a survey that found one in four employees said they would quit their job if they couldn’t work remotely, at least some of the time,” she says.

One of the greatest concerns for companies in shifting to remote work is making sure productivity stays high, Milito says, and there’s no negative impact on day-today operation. Your remote work policy should explain employee expectations while working from home, covering items such as working hours, availability for inperson meetings, communication and equipment.

When it comes to attendance and punctuality policies, Milito says, “sometimes it’s good to explain why you’re requiring employees to do this.” A sample in a handbook could read “Absenteeism and tardiness put a burden on your co-workers. In rare instances where you cannot avoid being late to work, or if you are unable to work as scheduled, you must notify your supervisor as soon as possible.”

“This gives some flexibility because again, life happens,” Milito says, “and I think a policy that gives employers a bit of wiggle room and takes account of the fact that employees have lives outside of the business is reasonable. You don’t want to have a ‘one-strike’ policy because that sets employees up for failure and you might lose some good workers.”

7. Leave and Time Off Policy — This section, Milito says, should cover rules and procedures regarding timeoff benefits, including vacation, holidays, sick leave, leaves of absence or medical leaves, and leave required by law (such as voting leave, family leave, and do-

Contactless Automation

mestic violence leave).

“This has gotten so much trickier over the last 10 years or so because of the increasing number of state paid sick leave laws,” Milito says. “Check your local and state laws, because you can really be tripped up here. Generally, states do not require any sort of vacation benefits for employees, but most employers do offer this benefit. And more and more employers are moving from vacation and sick leave policies to one comprehensive paid time-off bucket.”

Time-off policies are very important to employees, Milito notes,

so make this section as simple and clear as possible.

8. Discipline Policy — “This is an area where I say vaguer is better,” Milito says. “Less is more. Many employers go through the three stages, starting with a verbal warning, escalating to written warnings for second violations, and then termination. If there’s misconduct — you catch an employee stealing, or there’s a physical altercation on the premises — you’re just going to want to fire the person on the spot.”

When it comes to defining the policy in the employee handbook, Milito believes that it should contain three core elements — definitions of the types of behaviors that are unac-

ceptable, along with examples; an explanation of the consequences of those behaviors, and the process by which the consequences will escalate to termination; and contact information for questions, issues or concerns.

9. Health and Safety Policy — “Many companies and businesses actually have separate health and safety handbooks or policies,” Milito says, “and depending on your industry, it might be required. But in the employee handbook, it’s good to have a section that, at a very high level, describes safety and emergency procedures, and most importantly requires employees to report workrelated injuries immediately.”

Milito also points out that some

OSHA regulations require employers to have specific policies and programs in place if certain workplace hazards exist (such as a hazard communication program if certain chemicals are present in the workplace).

10. Privacy — “This is a very big deal in the age of cellphone and computer usage at the workplace,” Milito says. “If you plan to enforce a privacy policy, and many businesses do, ensure that you’re very explicit about the company’s expectations.”

Details in the privacy policy portion of the handbook may include the employee’s right to inspect and copy their employee records, drug and alcohol testing policies, the company’s rights to search company property, cellphone use expectations and limits, and policies about the use of computers and electronic equipment while at work and how that might reduce a reasonable expectation of privacy.

“Also,” she says, “be aware that privacy laws vary from state to state. There are more states enacting privacy laws that give employees some rights. This is an area that you do want to make sure you’re not stepping afoul of any privacy laws in your state.”

FINAL ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

“You want to make sure that employees acknowledge receipt of the handbook,” Milito says, noting that the employees agree they have received it, as well as they understand they are employed at-will by the company, and that the company may revise the handbook at any time.

“It’s very easy nowadays to make employee handbooks accessible on-

line and via mobile devices,” Milito says. “So, if you have a new employee starting, you can print out a copy and give it to them on their first day. For existing employees, you can just put it online and then have everybody sign an acknowledgement, which can also be done electronically. Just make sure you keep the acknowledgement forms.”

1918-2024

TCATA Names Mack Magnus as New President

President of M&B Hangers installed during annual conference

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The Textile Care Allied Trades Association (TCATA) recently completed its 2024 Annual Management and Educational Conference, and during the event, Mack Magnus of M&B Hangers was installed as the organization’s new president.

Magnus, who is the president of M&B Hangers, has served as TCATA Conference Chair as well as vice president on the board of directors, representing supply manufacturers. Outgoing President John Silverman installed Magnus during the event.

During the conference, which was held April 28-May 1 at The Omni Barton Creek in Austin, Texas, the organization announced its newest board members: Terry Hammond of UNX Christeyns, Jack Heaviside of Sunburst Chemicals, Justin Shamion of Colmac Industries, Wes Nelson of Sankosha, and Robb Vacek of Horwath Laundry Equipment.

TCATA also celebrated the anniversaries of longstanding members, recognizing A-1 Products of Birmingham, Alabama, and Tschopp Supply of Buffalo, New York, for their 50 years of membership, as well as honoring M&B Hangers of Birmingham, Alabama for 75 years of membership.

The inaugural Leslie Schaeffer Member-Driven Award was also presented to Leslie Schaeffer, TCATA CEO, acknowledging her contributions and commitment to the association’s member-driven mission.

The 2025 Annual TCATA Management and Educa-

TCATA President John Silverman (third from left), presented, from left, Mack Magnus, John Thomas and Milton Magnus of M&B Hangers with their 75th anniversary award during TCATA’s 2024 Annual Management and Educational Conference. (Photo: TCATA)

tional Conference will take place on April 27 – 30 at the Ritz Carlton Tiburon in Naples, Florida.

Zengeler Elected Chairman of Round Table of Launderers and Dry Cleaners

Selection made during trade organization’s 83rd annual meeting

NORTHBROOK, Ill. — During its recent 83rd annual meeting, the Round Table of Launderers and Dry Cleaners elected Tom Zengeler as its new chairman. Zengeler is the president of Northbrook, Illinoisheadquartered Zengeler Cleaners.

In addition to selecting Zengeler to lead, The Round Table, an informal group of top executives from laundry, linen, industrial and drycleaning companies, met in Fajardo, Puerto Rico, where the 19 members assembled convened to discuss mutual concerns and exchange ideas.

Responsibilities of the incoming chairman include organizing the following year’s conference, including site selection, activities, entertainment and setting the agenda for the next conference. Zengeler succeeds David Machesney, the owner of Pratt Abbott Cleaners, as chairman.

“I am extremely honored to lead the Round Table in the coming year,” says Zengeler. “Zengeler Cleaners has benefited tremendously from our 20+ year membership in

the Round Table, thanks to the open exchange of strategic initiatives and best practices in the industry. Plans are already underway to continue that path at next year’s conference, which I am proud to announce will be held at the Shima Kano Hotel, Japan. We selected this location because it offers a unique opportunity for Round Table members to also experience best practices in operations and manufacturing in Japan,

as well as those we share about our operations in the United States. We look forward to a very exciting conference next year.”

The Round Table was founded in 1940 when Herb Koch, Lee Workman and Barrett Finn, industry leaders of that era, called a “Sales Managers Pow-Wow” in Allentown, Pennsylvania. In 1950, the name was changed to the Round Table Conference.

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Diving In, Online Learning and Last Requests

10 YEARS AGO. Diving In — Dry cleaners using professional wetcleaning techniques were on the rise, according to the American Drycleaner Your Views survey, with 26.4% of respondents saying they were using the process on as much as 20% of the volume they cleaned. Another 19.4% reported using wet cleaning on more than 40% of their plant’s volume, 15.3% used it on 31 to 40% of their cleaning, and 18.1% said they used it on 21 to 30% of the garments they processed. On the other end, 20.8% reported using wet cleaning less than 10% of the time. “As the state of Illinois has a solvent tax and license fee, using less solvent is essential,” said one cleaner. “Also, water is included in my lease [so] wet cleaning saves my business money.”

25 YEARS AGO. Online Learning — Responding to cleaner’s requests for web-based training, The International Fabricare Institute (IFI) launched its Cyberspace Learning Center. The service debuted in April 2014 with two popular courses and plans were set to introduce new classes every month. The classes operated much like the correspondence courses IFI offered, except that all coursework, quizzes and final exam could be completed from a modem-equipped computer. Courses were $75 each. An interactive Q&A function helped students study each chapter in the course.

50 YEARS AGO. Fighting the Doom

and Gloom — Studies found that spring sales of wearing apparel blossomed for many leading retailers throughout the country in 1974. A spokesman for Montgomery Ward, for instance, reported the season’s clothing sales were better than they were a year earlier. Consumer willingness to spend on clothing and other items of wearing apparel was cheering to retailers. “The prophets have been all gloom and doom, but we haven’t seen it,” said the president of Chicago’s Marshall Field & Co. “People have the money, and they’re buying what they think looks different,” added the president of Loveman’s of Alabama, a department store chain headquartered in Birmingham.

85 YEARS AGO. Last Request — An unnamed cleaner fulfilled the last request of a customer, Vera DeJulio, who committed suicide in Montrose, Colorado. When she left her best dress at the plant, she said, “Do a nice job, please. I want the dress by noon tomorrow because I am going to a funeral at 2:30.” She then returned to the house where she was employed as a housekeeper, took two ounces of a powerful disinfectant, and died two hours later. After learning of her death, the cleaner delivered the dress, cleaned and pressed as DeJulio had ordered it, to the undertaking parlor.

— Compiled by Dave Davis, Editor