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A fixture in the Lovell business community is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year with a new location that has more than doubled the capacity of the former operation. Gary’ s Auto Body relocated from its longtime location on Road 11 southwest of Lovell to 455 Pennsylvania Ave. in Lovell, the site of the former Woodcraft Cabinets and Fixtures business.

Gary Jolley started Gary’s Auto Body in 1980, having worked for Keith Grant at Midway Motors for a few years. Wife Julie did the books, and all of the kids chipped in over the years. “All of my boys helped me all the way through, the girls, too, for that matter,” Gary said. “They all know how to work, I’ll tell ya.” The sixth of Gary and Julie’s seven kids, Danny Jolley, now runs Gary’s Auto Body, though Gary is still a part of the operation. Though he has run the business since 2003, he said it feels like it’s always been a part of his life. “I always liked to play like I ran the business,” he said. “I would even make estimates. Bryan (brother) and I would mess around painting bikes and tinkering.” “My kids had to build their own vehicles to drive,” Gary added. Danny admitted he was sometimes more “headache than help” as a kid “helping” his dad in the shop, like the time he helped straighten brand new headlight covers for a Corvette — with a hammer. “In my mind they were the old ones,” he said. Danny Jolley, a two-time state wrestling champion, graduated from Lovell High School in 1999. After a year of welding school at Northwest College, he worked a variety of jobs – Carquest, Bentonite Corp., GK Construction – until the opportunity to take over the family business came along. “I was at the point where I had to get out of it,” Gary said. “The paint affected my lungs, and I had asthma.” Danny took the reins of the business on June 1, 2003, and as he took over the shop, Gary and Julie moved to St. George, Utah – briefly. “We stayed there about seven weeks,” Gary said. “Julie had Pryor

Mountain Syndrome (the yearning to come home).” Gary worked for Minchow’s Service, 4N T rucking and for sons Bryan and Gary Lee, moving to Billings to help with Gary Lee’s hydro-excavating business while. Julie worked for TSA at the Billings Logan Airport. Later , Danny asked his dad if he would come in and help him a little, because he had gotten a little behind on some jobs. “He’ s been here ever since, about six years,” Danny said, though he noted that Gary still avoids the paint booth. The original body shop was about 1,200 square feet, a 30 by 40 building. He said the family added on to “try to make it work and have enough room,” and one bay was designated as a paint booth. He installed new lights and a new heat system, but the shop was always limited on space. In the summer, he would even work on cars outside. “I’d been thinking about a new building out there for a while, and I’d also been looking in town. I searched in town up one side and down the other,” Danny said. “Then the hailstorm hit, and we had so much work we couldn’t keep up. We were up until 7, 8 or 9 at night.” Danny said he had talked to Jacob Hatch about the Woodcraft building in 2017 but couldn’t come to an agreement at that time. After the July of 2018 hailstorm, he approached Hatch again in August of that year and after some negotiation the two came to an agreement and Danny purchased the building in December of 2018. Over the next several weeks Danny made a number of upgrades to the building including electrical work, a new heating system, interior paint, a new air compressor and a brand new paint booth that has tremendously reduced the drying time for paint jobs.

“I wanted to go big on the paint booth,” he said. “A standard booth is 26 feet long, and this one is 31 feet. It’s probably the biggest booth in the Big Horn Basin; I almost guarantee it. It has a 1.5 million BTU heater that has sped up our turnaround time by 40 to 50 percent.” Gary’s Auto Body moved to Pennsylvania Avenue in March of 2019, and while he misses being right next door to his home, Danny said the move to the new building has been great for business. The original location on Road 11, even with additions, was around 2,200 square feet, Danny said. The new location is 9,550 square feet Posing in front of the new paint booth at Gary’s Auto Body are (l-r) Alex Nicholson, Brian Crawford, owner Danny Jolley and founder Gary Jolley. CREDIT: David Peck

including 7,700 square feet of shop space. He has more that doubled his capacity and has added two new employees with Brian Crawford and Alex Nicholson. One of the best things about the greater capacity is the ability to simply get more done, he said, and his eventual goal is to become so efficient that he can spend more time with his family. For instance, he used to be able to do about three to five jobs in a week, and now he can do four to eight. And with the extra space, there can be up to 12 vehicles in the shop at a time, if needed, he said, whereas only three vehicles could fit in the former shop at one time. Right now, Gary’s Auto Body is operating Monday through Thursday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Friday 8 to 3, but he would love to operate four days a week. “W e’re grateful to the community for their loyalty,” Danny said. “People have been patient (during the hail repairs). It’s been great. The community has been patient and See Gary’s Auto Body, Page 22

employees to provide two hours of sexual harassment training from January 1, 2020 to January 1, 2021. (SB 778)” Supervisors need at least two hours of training, and nonsupervisors need at least an hour by Jan. 1, 2021. Any new hires must get that training within six months. Everyone trained must repeat the process every two years at least after that.

The training includes: The training may be completed by employees individually or as part of a group presentation, and may be completed in shorter segments, as long as the applicable hourly total requirement is met. An employer who has provided this training and education to an employee in 2019 is not required to provide refresher training and education again until two years thereafter. The training and education required by this section shall include information and practical guidance regarding the federal and state statutory provisions concerning the prohibition against and the prevention and correction of sexual harassment and the remedies available to victims of sexual harassment in employment. The training and education shall also include practical examples aimed at instructing supervisors in the prevention of harassment, discrimination, and retaliation, and shall be presented by trainers or educators with knowledge and expertise in the prevention of harassment, discrimination, and retaliation. The department shall provide a method for employees who have completed the training to save electronically and print a certificate of completion. (b) An employer shall also include prevention of abusive conduct as a component of the training and education specified in subdivision (a). (c) An employer shall also provide training inclusive of harassment based on gender identity, gender expression, and sexual orientation as a component of the training and education specified in subdivision (a). The training and education shall include practical examples inclusive of harassment based on gender identity, gender expression, and sexual orientation, and shall be presented by trainers or educators with knowledge and expertise in those areas.

Are you an employee? CAA: “This new law provides factors of the “ABC” test, as specified, to determine the status of workers as employee or independent contractor. The law also provides an exemption between business-to-business provided that vendor meets the specified independent contractor criteria. (AB 5)” The law generally defines an employee as everyone who doesn’t meet all three of these criteria: (A) The person is free from the control and direction of the hiring entity in connection with the performance of the work, both under the contract for the performance of the work and in fact. (B) The person performs work that is outside the usual course of the hiring entity’s business. (C) The person is customarily engaged in an independently established trade, occupation, or business of the same nature as that involved in the work performed. CAA had concerns, but noted, “The bill was amended to provide an exemption between business to business, which would include automotive repair shops conducting sublet repairs with third party vendors, provided that vendor meets the specified independent contractor criteria.”

More time to file workplace complaints CAA: “This new law extends the deadline to file an allegation of unlawful workplace harassment, discrimination, or civil rights-related retaliation under the Fair Employment and Housing Act from one year to three years. (AB 9)”

No forcing arbitration on employees CAA: “This new law, among other things, prohibits employers from requiring employees or applicants to waive any right, forum, or procedure for a violation of the Fair Employment and Housing Act or the Labor Code as a condition of employment. (AB 51). Also, SB 707 requires the employer (for an employment-related arbitration agreement) to pay for See CAA Highlights, Page 26

the difference other industry associations made in their respective markets. He shared, “I’ve been interested in starting an association for years but couldn’t really get any traction in convincing other shop owners to take action, so I started talking to association directors around the country about what an impact their organizations have made on their local industries.”

Eager to generate the same results in Washington, Butler “took it upon myself to process the legalities and create a structure for the or ganization. I also petitioned legislators regarding the Automobile Insurance Act of 2020. After obtaining support from Representative [Steve] Kirby (D-Tacoma), I took that progress to shop owners, and that became the motivation for our current board of directors to join the association.”

Among the shop owners with analogous values Butler contacted, he sought out Marc Gabbard to serve as WICRA’s Vice President because “his business philosophy had similarities to mine,” Butler said.

Gabbard, who runs the popular Collision Repair Technicians United group on Facebook, is very interested in bringing invaluable educational opportunities to the local industry. “As we bring in new members, we are encouraging them to focus on education,” Gabbard said. “WICRA plans to host training with industry leaders and possibly even web-based classes – we want to bring value and educational opportunities to the shops who join the association as we strive to elevate our local industry.” WICRA will also be engaged with legislative reform and consumer protection advocacy at the state level. According to the group’s website, “The Washington Independent Collision Repairer’s Association (WICRA) is the first Auto Body Trade Association in the state of Washington. We represent the interests of our members — automotive professionals and businesses throughout all of Washington — and aim to support the collision repair industry in our state. Through legislative efforts, we foster the growth and improvement of the automotive collision industry . We strive to create a legal environment in which body shops and consumers can offer and access proper and safe vehicle repairs.”

“The problem is that insurance regulations aren’t enforced,” Butler explained. “The law requires automotive insurance, but there are no consumer protections and standards which puts consumers in a bad position. The collision repair industry is losing economic leverage and lacks regulatory authority for short pay claims, and people can’t fight back because the policy language benefits the insurers, not consumers.”

After expressing his concerns to local legislators, Butler teamed up with Representative Kirby, the chairman of the House Consumer Protection and Business Committee, to draft a bill using language from similar bills across the country. According to documents located on the Legislature’s website, every insurance policy would be required to include language stating, “When an automobile is deemed repairable, the automobile must be restored to its condition prior to the loss. Restoration to pre-loss condition must include repairs that follow the original equipment vehicle manufacturer’s body repair manual instructions.”

“Payment of a claim… must be based upon the reasonable and necessary costs at the claimant’s chosen repair facility,” the bill draft continues. “The burden shall be on the insurance company to prove unreasonableness of vehicle repair charges.” The bill would also require policies to contain an appraisal clause in events where there is a dispute on the value of the loss. Shop choice is also included in the drafted bill, and the burden of proving unreasonableness would fall on the insurer, not the claimant. It specifies, “The following are deemed reasonable: utilization of repair procedures or specifications that conform to the original equipment vehicle manufacturer’s documented procedures, specifications, or allowable tolerances for the vehicle’s make, model, trim level, and year.”

WICRA has already affiliated itself with SCRS. “WICRA is taking steps to protect the rights of the small businesses we represent, and ultimately the consumers in Washington that they serve,” Butler said. “WICRA’s reasoning for joining SCRS is simple; SCRS is THE National Collision Repairer’s organization that represents the best in auto repair and education within the industry.”

WICRA held its first public meeting on December 9, 2019, attracting nearly 50 local industry professionals who were introduced to the association, its vision, and its upcoming plans. Gabbard said, “We’ve gained a few new members since our first meeting, and there’s been some additional interest as well. We are continuing to generate awareness and exposure so that collision repair facilities in Washington know we exist, how we plan to improve the local industry, and how they can get involved.”

On February 3, WICRA will hold its next meeting at Lombardi’s Italian Restaurant in Bothell, WA. In addition to featuring a special educational topic, “Incorporating OEM Procedures Into Your Repair Plan,” the meeting will include Updates on WICRA’s 2020 legislation. Butler said, “We want to push back on insurers who unfairly deny repair procedures, as well as reasonable and necessary costs.” “We want to instill the same types of consumer protections in auto insurance as we see in other areas of the law, such as homeowner’s insurance – the verbiage in the law already exists but just needs to be applied to consumers’ auto insurance policies,” Butler continued.

“This is something we can do to improve our industry , and we invite all collision repair professionals who are interested and willing to take action to better our industry .” The cover char ge of $35 per person includes a buffet dinner service. Dinner begins at 5 p.m. with the meeting scheduled for 6:30 p.m. RSVP is required at info.wicra@ gmail.com.

For more information about WICRA and its upcoming events, visit wicra.or g.

On February 3, the Washington Independent Collision Repairer’s Association (WICRA) held a meeting at Lombardi’ s Mill Creek Italian Restaurant in Bothell, WA featuring the special topic of “Incorporating OEM Procedures Into Your Repair Plan” as well as an Update on WI CRA’s 2020 Legislation. WICRA President Jeff Butler said, “The event went well. Our expectations for how it was run are in line with what we are looking for and were met. We are working to increase awareness of our association and membership. Those who attended were extremely responsive, and many attendees signed up as members and attended our legislative committee hearing the following day.

Following dinner and networking, WICRA provided updates on their ongoing legislation and reiterated the association’s goals for those who were attending their first meeting. Significant contributions to the discussion came from Paul Veillon of Galileo Law as well as Rob Deitz

from Insurance Claims Consulting. After discussing some misnomers within the claims process portion of the industry, they proceeded to present the evening’s featured topic: “Incorporating OEM Procedures Into Your Repair Plan.” Attendees learned how to document and include OEM procedures in the repair process to ensure a safe and proper repair.

The goal of WICRA’s meetings is to ensure that collision repair shops in the area are awareness of the association’ s existence and intent to “be a pillar in the community, offering education and better practices, as well as a center for legislative change,” Butler explained. “These meetings provide a place for like-minded individuals and businesses with similar interests to share ideas and knowledge, plus we help collision repair industry professionals improve their skills and enhance their knowledge by covering topics of interest that impact their businesses and by offering training opportunities.”

Butler added, “Attendance has been open to all shops, and we are looking to spread the invitation to those who may not know about us but are willing to attend the meet ings; we hope to gain members during these open meetings. Join WICRA to protect consumers’ right to shop of their choice and OE repairs.”

WICRA ’s next meeting will be held on Monday, March 30 at 5 p.m. at Lombardi’s Mill Creek Italian Restaurant in Bothell, WA. To attend this upcoming meeting as well as future meetings, shops must be members of WICRA. RSVP to info. wicra@gmail.com. For more information on WICRA and its events, visit wicra.or g/.

www.autobodynews.com

AirPro Diagnostics, LLC the leader in remote diagnostics, scanning, programming and ADAS calibration solutions, announced the company’s official launch of its 24/7/365 service to the automotive aftermarket world-wide.

“Knowing the importance of timely service to the repair community, we want to make sure whenever there is a need, we are there,” stated Josh Mc Farlin, AirPro Diagnostics vice president of strategic business operations. “AirPro has consistently delivered industry leading service and industry-first solutions to the repair community to increase shops’ efficiency and lower their costs while reducing cycle time with OE level repairs.” The launch of the 24/7/365 service is the natural next step in the company’s commitment to providing cutting-edge technology and service to repair facilities throughout the US and Canada. AirPro Diagnostics Launches 24/7/365 Service