February 17 Michigan Retailer by Michigan Retailers Association

MRA Selects Legislator of Year

Retail Sales Rose in ’16

Most Michigan retailers boosted their annual sales despite lower than expected holiday results. Page 3

State Senator Jim Stamas of Midland received the 2016 award for his outstanding work on behalf of retailers. Page 4

Selling Diamonds to Millennials

De Beers Group CEO Bruce Cleaver discusses how millennial diamond buyers differ from other generations. Page 10

® February 2017 Vol. 42 No. 1

New rule requiring public reporting of work injuries – nudge or public shaming? Many Michigan businesses will be required as soon as July 1 to start using a new, online system to report their companies’ work-related injury and illness records to the public. Federal safety officials say public disclosure is intended to encourage companies with at least 20 employees to create safer workplaces by giving them a “nudge.” Critics say the system amounts to little more than “public shaming” of employers and doesn’t enable them to provide fuller explanations of the information. The secure website enabling employers to comply with the new reporting requirement had not yet been finalized as Michigan Retailer went to press. It is expected to go live in February. When the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is updated on the federal level, Michigan’s corresponding a g e n c y, M I O SHA, has six months in which to implement the new rules and/or standards. The new OSHA rule became final in January 2017. Worker Safety An OSHA fact sheet states: “We are taking information that employers are already required to collect and using these data to help keep workers safer and make employers, the public, and the government better informed about workplace hazards.” OSHA says public release of the data via website will: 1) Encourage employers to increase their efforts to prevent worker injuries and illnesses, and, “compelled by their competitive spirit, to race to the top in terms of Continued on page 12

The official publication of Michigan Retailers Association

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New legislature faces repeat issues Nearly a third of lawmakers in the new 99th Michigan Legislature are new, as is the House leadership under new Speaker Tom Leonard (R-DeWitt Township). But they all head into 2017 facing a lot of big issues unresolved by the

previous legislature. In an unexpected twist, House Republicans won 63 seats in the November elections, increasing their stronghold in the 110-member chamber by an additional seat. Continued GOP dominance meant last session’s

leaders decided not to wrestle with too much tough legislation in the final days of the 98th legislature. The lack of hot button issues (with the exception of comprehensive energy regulation) in the usually wild “lame duck” weeks between the elections and the end of the legislative session led some to refer to last year’s post-election period as “tame duck.” That has pushed most of the leftover heavy legislative lifts (municipal and school pension reform, no-fault auto insurance reform, election reforms) into this new session. Michigan Retailers Association succeeded on a number of important legislative fronts in 2016, especially in stopping efforts by local governments to impose new and costly regulations on businesses. Continued on page 4

Dr. Ron Riebschleger, D.D.S. and his wife, Tracie, carry on the family popcorn and candy business that began at the turn of the 20th century. Photo by David Trumpie

Saginaw Roots The business traces its roots to either 1906 or 1907 – there’s a family disagreement about the exact

Applications are being accepted until February 24 for the hardware industry’s Young Retailer of the Year competition for 2017. Those eligible include retailers 35 years of age and younger throughout the United States and Canada. Winners will be chosen in three categories: retail outlets with sales under $2 million, retail outlets with sales over $2 million, and multiplestore retailers. Presentation of the awards will take place May 8 in Las Vegas, just before the start of the North American Retail Hardware Association All-Industry Conference and National Hardware Show. Winners are chosen based on career accomplishments, community involvement, hardware industry education and other activities, according to NRHA. “This national recognition program, now in its 21st year, identifies and promotes the next generation of aspiring independent home improvement retailers and recognizes individual achievement in the indus-

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Dentist’s ‘Sweet Tooth’ shop added to list of Centennials by Doug Henze As a dentist who sells popcorn and sweets on the side, Dr. Ron Riebschleger, D.D.S. is familiar with all the cracks. And not just the kind in teeth. “I get teased daily about being a dentist running a popcorn and candy shop,” said Riebschleger, president and owner of The Sweet Tooth of Rockford. But people are looking at the situation in the wrong way, he insists.

Hardware industry seeks young leaders for Retailer of Year

“I’m not making cavities, I’m still fixing the cavities my family created over the past 110 years,” Riebschleger quipped. That’s because the family snack operation goes back three generations – with a fourth in training. The Michigan Retailers Association has named The Sweet Tooth to its honor roll of Michigan Centennial Retailers, earning the business a commemorative brass plaque and certificate for 100-plus years of service.

Michigan Retailer

February musings

www.retailers.com

Board of Directors: Orin Mazzoni, Jr.

Chair Orin Jewelers, Garden City

by James P. Hallan, MRA President and Chief Executive Officer Retailers Insurance Company Our homegrown, Michigan-based company specializing in workers’ compensation insurance just completed a terrific 2016. More policies sold, premium up and claims down has led to a rate cut for new and renewing policyholders for 2017. Thanks to everyone who keeps a safe workplace. Ed Jones I’m sad to report that Ed Jones, Jr., a past chairman of the MRA Board of Directors, passed away on January 17 at the age of 86. Ed, who lived in Okemos, outside Lansing, was a terrific guy who was a bold

leader and brilliant businessman. For many years he owned Jones Gifts, which was one of largest gift stores in the nation, in the Frandor shopping center. During his chairmanship of MRA, 1978-79, Michigan Retailers purchased its headquarters building on Pine Street near downtown and the State Capitol in Lansing. Pine remained our home until 1999, when we relocated our “world headquarters” to our current location. While I never had a chance to work with Ed directly, because his board service ended prior to my joining MRA, he provided good, sound counsel to me in my early days. He was a cham-

Retiring RIC underwriter excited about her future and company’s Looking back at four decades of experience in Michigan’s insurance industry, Patty Zaskowski discusses the past 11+ years with special enthusiasm. With good reason. Zaskowski, director of underwriting for Retailers Insurance Company, was there at the beginning, going to work

bold move to create a new Michigan insurer. “It was a fantastic opportunity and a chance to grow something from the ground up.” Grow, it did. When Zaskowski retired at the end of last month, following another solid year for the

pion for independent retailers, and we are all better for his service and contributions to Michigan Retailers. Real Estate Speaking of buildings … over the years, MRA acquired several buildings surrounding our Pine Street location to house our growing staff and to develop a rental portfolio. At one time, MRA owned eight properties that were rented to small commercial tenants and some residential tenants. Our business model changed over the years, however, and we are happy to report that the last of those buildings has been sold. It was a happy day to ink the papers and put the sold sign up. Director of Underwriting Retires Patty Zaskowski, our long-time director of workers’ compensation underwriting at Retailers Insurance, has retired in order to spend more time with family and on her hobbies. She retired January 31. Patty joined Michigan Retailers in 2005 and played a key role in the conversion of Michigan Retailers’ group self-insurance fund to a mutual insurance company. The company tripled in size during her tenure. We’re not going to let Patty get far away, as she has agreed to consult for a year to help us with the transition. Laura Schilling, previously manager of underwriting, has been promoted to fill Patty’s shoes and will do a terrific job. Another One on the Way In my last column, I announced that our youngest daughter was pregnant with her first child. Not to be left out, our oldest daughter decided to join in the fun and announced that her third child was also on the way. So very soon, the Hallan grandchildren will grow from their current number of five to seven. It will be an active year for the Hallan family.

Patty Zaskowski and MRA President and CEO James P. Hallan display the state legislative tribute she received at her retirement luncheon.

for Michigan Retailers Association in September 2005 to help the organization convert its more than 20-year-old workers’ compensation fund into an insurance company. “I was excited,” she recalls of MRA’s

company that specializes in workers’ compensation insurance and small-group dental insurance, the amount of annual written premium had grown to $8.5 million. Continued on page 6

2017 We’re already through January, and the weather has been surprisingly mild. One has to believe that Mother Nature has a few good storms left to unleash before the forsythia bushes start to bloom. All of us at Michigan Retailers wish you a terrific, safe, healthy and prosperous 2017 and extend our deep appreciation to all those who have sent in their membership dues.

James P. Hallan

President and CEO Michigan Retailers Association

Becky Beauchine Kulka

Vice Chair Becky Beauchine Kulka Diamonds and Fine Jewelry, Okemos

Peter R. Sobelton

Treasurer Mondial Properties, Birmingham

William J. Hallan

Secretary Michigan Retailers Association

Dan Marshall

Past Chair Marshall Music Company, Lansing

Brian Ducharme AT&T Mobility

Ken Hayward

Grand Hotel, Mackinac Island

Joseph McCurry

Credit Card Group

Larry Mullins

Brandon Tire & Auto Service Center, Ortonville

Barb Stein

Great Northern Trading Co., Rockford

Joe Swanson Target Corp.

Thomas Ungrodt

Dayspring Gifts, Chelsea

James Walsh

Meijer, Inc., Grand Rapids

D. Larry Sherman

Board Member Emeritus

Michigan Retailers Services, Inc. Board of Directors: Chad Ayers Allendale True Value, Allendale

Bo Brines

Little Forks Outfitters, Midland

Bill Golden

Golden Shoes, Traverse City

Emily Matthews

Potent Potables Project, Lansing

James P. Hallan Thomas B. Scott Publisher

Editor

Pat Kerwin

Design Manager

Publication Office: 603 South Washington Avenue Lansing, MI 48933 517.372.5656 or 800.366.3699 Fax: 517.372.1303 www.Retailers.com www.RetailersInsurance.com www.BuyNearbyMI.com

Subscriptions:

Michigan Retailer (USPS 345-780, ISSN 0889-0439) is published in February, April, June, August, October and December for $20 per year by Michigan Retailers Association, 603 South Washington Ave., Lansing, MI 48933. Subscription fees are automatically included in the Michigan Retailers Association membership dues. Periodical postage paid at Lansing, Michigan. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to 603 South Washington Ave., Lansing, MI 48933. The Michigan Retailer may be recycled with other white office paper.

February 2017

MICHIGAN RETAIL INDEX

Retail posts annual gain despite holiday season mance index of 52.0, down from 55.7 in November. A year ago December the performance index stood at 48.7. The 100-point index gauges the performance of the state’s overall retail industry, based on monthly surveys conducted by MRA and the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago’s Detroit branch. Index values above 50 generally indicate positive activity; the higher the number, the stronger the activity.

Current

Looking forward, 36 percent of retailers expect sales during First Quarter 2017 to increase over the same period last year, while 20 percent project a decrease and 44 percent no change. That puts the seasonally adjusted outlook index at 65.3, down from 83.5 in November. A year ago December, the outlook index stood at 71. Across the nation, retail sales excluding autos and gasoline were flat

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for December, the U.S. Commerce Department reported. Independently, the National Retail Federation said U.S. holiday sales increased 4 percent over last year. Complete results of this month’s Michigan Retail Index—including data on sales, inventory, prices, promotions and hiring—are available at www. retailers.com/news-events/michiganretail-index.

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Weaker than expected December sales undercut November gains, producing mixed holiday season results for Michigan’s retail industry. That’s according to the Michigan Retail Index, a joint project of Michigan Retailers Association (MRA) and the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago. Despite below-expectations holiday sales, year-over-year sales for all of 2016 were positive. Sales for the year rose an average 0.5 percent, with 51 percent of retailers growing sales and 37 percent experiencing decreases. Retailers’ holiday sales declined an average 0.2 percent from the 2015 holiday season. Forty percent of retailers registered gains, 42 percent declines and 18 percent said sales were flat. Going into the season, 63 percent of MRA members projected their sales would increase, while only 9 percent expected them to slip. Their forecasts averaged +2.1 percent. The Michigan Retail Index survey for December alone found 39 percent of retailers increased sales over the same month last year, while 41 percent recorded declines and 20 percent reported no change. The results create a seasonally adjusted perfor-

Seasonally adjusted diffusion index, calculated by adding the percent of respondents indicating increased sales and half the percent indicating no change, and then seasonally adjusting the result using the U.S. Census Bureau’s X-11 Seasonal Adjustment procedure. Index values above 50 generally indicate an increase in activity, while values below 50 indicate a decrease.

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Stamas Legislator of Year New legislature: repeat issues The state senator who was willing to step up and address the growing problem of local governments overstepping their bounds when they approve taxes and bans on plastic bags and containers was named 2016 Legislator of the Year by the Michigan Retailers Association Board of Directors.

Gladwin and Midland counties. The lawmaker is no stranger to retail. He is the owner and former general manager of Pizza Sam’s, the eatery in Midland that the Stamas family has owned for more than 50 years. Prior to running the family business, Stamas was self-employed

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MRA beat back attempts to impose local taxes and fees on plastic bags and other containers. It also helped prevent efforts by locals to increase the cost and length of property tax appeals in order to slant the process away from taxpayers and toward local assessors. “Assessor overreach legislation” is expected to be back in play this year, along with efforts by cities to force employers to collect city income taxes on all their workers who live in a city with an income tax. Currently, businesses are required to withhold local income taxes only on employees who live in the city where the employer is located.

weighing in on a host of other retailrelated issues. The subjects range from proposed changes to the current prohibition against school districts starting the school year before Labor Day (MRA opposes changing the current law) to changes in collection of electronic waste. A long list of issues related to pharmacies and grocery and convenience stores are also expected to be debated by lawmakers. “2016 was a busy year of challenging and preventing new local regulations on business, monitoring state and federal elections, and studying the 1,413 bills introduced,”

Bo Brines (left), MRA services board member and owner of Little Forks Outfitters in downtown Midland, presents Sen. Jim Stamas with the 2016 Legislator of the Year award at the January MRA board meeting. Photo by David Trumpie

By winning approval of Senate Bill 853, Senator Jim Stamas, a Midland Republican who sponsored and championed the legislation, helped show that these types of public policy are better handled at the state level in order to avoid a costly and confusing patchwork of business regulation across Michigan. Thanks to his tireless efforts, the bill was signed into law by the governor as Public Act 389 of 2016. “In the legislature, Sen. Stamas has been quick to cut through government red tape that harms small businesses,” said MRA President and CEO James P. Hallan. “He checks regularly with MRA about the potential impact specific legislation will have on retailers and small businesses. This year, h e s p o n s o re d t h e s u c c e s s f u l legislation to stop local taxes and bans on plastic bags and auxiliary containers. “Our organization is proud to recognize his pro-business, pro-retail work by naming him our legislator of the year.” Friend of Retail Sen. Stamas served in the Michigan House and is now serving his first term in the Michigan Senate. He represents the 36th Senate District, which hugs Michigan’s northern sunrise coast and reaches south into

as a realtor and was project manager at Case Systems. Representing his family business, he ser ved on the boards of the Midland Downtown Development Authority, Midland Downtown Business Association and Midland County Planning Commission. Stamas also was named one of MRA’s two legislators of the year in 2012 for sponsoring successful legislation to exempt flexible pouches, which are used to package some frozen alcoholic beverages, from the state’s onerous bottle deposit law. He has been designated a “Friend of Retail” since Michigan Retailers began the distinction in 2012. He voted in support of several of MRA’s biggest victories, including the item pricing reforms in 2011, the Organized Retail Crime Act in 2012, Main Street Fairness legislation in 2014, and the preemption of local wage and benefit ordinances in 2015. Jim and his wife, Marsha, have been married for more than 30 years and have a daughter and a son. Stamas served his country honorably in both the U.S. Army and the Michigan National Guard. He holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Northwood University and an associate’s degree in business management from Delta College.

MRA’s government affairs team with Lieutenant Governor Brian Calley after he signed SB 853. The legislation stops local taxes and bans on plastic bags and auxiliary containers.

Lawmakers also expect to take up difficult legislation to change the way local Downtown Development Authorities and Tax Increment Financing Authorities are funded by local property taxes. Beyond tax issues, MRA will be

said MRA’s Amy Drumm, vice president of government affairs. “The legislative dynamics will be similar in 2017, and we have a lot of important work ahead of us as we represent retailers’ interests in the first year of the 99th Michigan Legislature.”

Recap of MRA 2016 legislative achievements • MRA worked for and strongly supported efforts by the state to exert its authority over local governments by prohibiting local bans, taxes or fees on plastic bags and containers. Winning approval of Senate Bill 853, legislation pre-empting local taxes, fees and bans on these items, helped demonstrate that these types of public issues are better handled at the state level. • MRA helped sideline new restrictions on property assessment appeals (“assessor overreach”) as well as more widespread employer withholding of employee city income taxes. • MRA helped push back implementation of a burdensome new telephone regulation requiring phones to pinpoint the exact lo-

cation of an individual who dials 9-1-1. This delay gives state government more time to formulate real guidance on compliance or consider repealing the rule. • MRA won a major victory when Governor Rick Snyder vetoed a bill containing an anti-competition piece on aftermarket auto parts pushed by the Detroit Three (GM, Ford and Chrysler). The veto protected customer choice and the integrity of the aftermarket parts industry. • Thanks to legislation passed in 2016, retailers with appropriate beer, wine and liquor licenses will now be able to fill and sell beer growlers at the grocery store. They also will be able to deliver beer, wine and spirits directly to Continued on page 8

February 2017

‘Sweet Tooth’ added to Michigan Centennial Retailer honor roll Continued from page 1

date – when Riebschleger’s grandfather came to Saginaw from Greece. Back then, George Koinis called his business George’s Popcorn. “He started with the pushcart selling popcorn and built it up to many different popcorn truck trailers,” Riebschleger said. Using a Model T chassis, Koinis fashioned a gas-powered popcorn wagon to make the operation more mobile. Upon Koinis’ death in the 1950s, Riebschleger’s parents – Earl and Mary – took over the business. Earl “Rip” Riebschleger had just completed his service in World War II and was working as a Michigan Bell lineman. In his off hours, he helped his wife run the business then known as Rip’s Popcorn. Riebschleger remembers a childhood of working in his parents’ business, doing everything from making cotton candy to hawking it at local fairs. “He taught us kids how to work, that’s for sure,” Riebschleger said of his father. “We got free room and board as long as we worked every day.” The popcorn business was hard work, but it allowed Rip Riebschleger to send his children to college and professional schools. They launched careers as a lawyer, an engineer, an architect and a dentist. Rockford Move Rip Riebschleger ran the business until the 2000s. After the passing of his parents, Ron Riebschleger moved the business across the state to Rockford, where he had established his dental practice. With his passion for dentistry and history in popcorn/ candy making, he renamed the business The Sweet Tooth, which he now operates with his wife, Tracie, from a 1,200-square-foot downtown storefront. “It was too hard work and they made us promise not to carry on in their footsteps,” Riebschleger recalled. “So, after they passed away, we carried on in their footsteps.” To Riebschleger, the business is about more than the work. “My fondest memories are spending quality time with my family and parents,” he said. “And then sneaking out to play at the festivals.” Riebschleger also met his future wife at the family business, where she was an employee. She now manages the company and handles its books and ordering. “Myself and my kids still make most of the caramel corn and popcorn and treats in the back,” Riebschleger said.

Riebschleger’s eldest, 20-year-old Zak, makes the popcorn. He’s studying to be a dentist, like his father. Running the cash register and learning to make popcorn is 16-yearold Delanie, while 18-year-old Brett fills in when needed. “They’re doing it as being part of a

For Riebschleger, there’s a personal health benefit in making popcorn and candy. It’s therapy after staring at tiny crowns and fillings all day, three days a week. “I actually still love doing it,” said Riebschleger, 53. “It takes me back to my childhood. It’s like a kid in a candy

store – I’m the kid. Once it’s in your blood, you can’t get it out of there.” The best part of the business, he adds, is “seeing the faces of the kids and the smiles when they come in to get a treat, or seeing old people who remember doing the same thing when they were kids.” He said he plans to step down from both the dental and popcorn businesses in the next decade. But he intends to participate in both as long as he can. He continues to resist franchise requests, but is carefully considering those opportunities, he said. It’s not so easy when you’re guarding your heritage. “It takes a lot of trust to put your family’s reputation in someone else’s hands.” Doug Henze is a freelance writer and former business reporter for the Oakland Press in Pontiac.

Presenting the MRA Michigan Centennial Retailer plaque and certificate to the Riebschlegers (left) are MRA board member and fellow Rockford retailer Barb Stein and Burke Sage, MRA business development manager. Photo by David Trumpie

family – which is occasionally against their will. But, in general, they know they are helping out the family cause and keeping the tradition alive,” Riebschleger said. Busy Summers Tourists keep the business going in the summer, when seven or eight workers tend to customers’ needs. The store’s one full-timer, Dawn Nelson, holds down the fort in the winter. “We have to depend on our loyal following of school kids, who show up every day,” Riebschleger said. “This town is old-fashioned and is kind of like Mayberry from TV.” The store sells 25 flavors of candied corn, as well as popcorn, ice cream, shaved ice and retro candies, including Mary Janes and Slo Pokes. As a health professional, the good dentist tries to keep his products as healthy as possible, avoiding artificial ingredients and preaching “moderation.” “Popcorn is one of the better snacks around,” he said. “There’s actually not that much sugar. It’s fairly healthy and filling.” It’s not always tooth-friendly, he acknowledges. People are cautious with hard candy, but not soft popcorn. “It’s the old-maid kernels,” he said. “They break more teeth than anything else.”

Information about gaining recognition as a Michigan Retailers Association Michigan Centennial Retailer is available at: https://www. retailers.com/member-benefits/member-recognition/ .

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Retiring RIC underwriter excited about company’s and her future Continued from page 2

Fate Intervenes Growing up in East Grand Rapids and working part-time in her family’s local pharmacies, Zaskowski never considered a career in insurance. Nor did she as a student at Michigan State University, where she studied political science and planned to go east for law school after graduation. But fate intervened, and she married and remained in the East Lansing area. She was an associate in the children’s section at Jacobson’s department store and managing an apartment building with her husband, Ron Zaskowski, when a tenant told her about an opening at an insurance agency and asked if she wanted to apply. That was in 1973, and for the next 32 years she rose in the industry, moving from agencies to the staff of the Professional Insurance Agents Association to insurance companies. She first became an underwriter at the former Michigan Physicians Mutual Liability Company in East Lansing. It underwent several organizational changes, including transformation into a public company as AP Capital, Inc. Fate intervened again. AP Capital

shed its work comp business in 2005, around the time MRA was looking for underwriting expertise to help create and build Retailers Insurance Company. She was hired quickly. Legislative Tribute At a retirement luncheon MRA held in her honor, Zaskowski received many gifts, well wishes and a legislative tribute signed by Governor Rick Snyder and her local state lawmakers, Rep. Tom Cochran (D-Mason) and Sen. Curtis Hertel (D-East Lansing). The tribute commends her for “exceptional commitment to [MRA’s] members, its board of directors, policyholders, network of independent insurance agents and the retail and insurance industries…. “Ms. Zaskowski’s industry knowledge of insurance and workers’ compensation trends and changes collected over her celebrated career made her a strong asset for Michigan Retailers Association and Retailers Insurance Company.” Not surprisingly, she’s quick to mention the importance of underwriting. “It’s important because you have to look carefully at every request and determine the risk involved to see if it’s a policy the company is willing to

write – and at what price,” she said. “Professional underwriting builds the solid foundation that a company needs in order to prosper and grow.” “It’s challenging,” she adds. “It’s never boring, because there are so many things you must do and there’s so much information you

Proud of Growth Reflecting on her service at RIC, Zaskowski said: “I’m most proud of the fact we’re profitable and growing. Our agency network is growing and our book of business is growing. “I wish great things for this place. I see Retailers Insurance expanding

Schilling named director of underwriting Laura Schilling has been promoted to director of under writing for Retailers Insurance C o m p a n y, succeeding Schilling Patty Zaskowski, who retired January 31. Schilling was named manager of must gather in order to be able to underwrite properly. “You also have to develop strong relationships with the insurance agencies, because it’s really a partnership between the company and the independent agents.”

underwriting in July 2016 and had served as an associate underwriter since 2012. She began her career at MRA in 2006 as a data processing intern. The Michigan State University graduate majored in supply-chain management and was hired full-time in 2007 as a communications assistant. She earned her resident producer license for property and casualty insurance in 2014. into other areas. There are so many possibilities and places in the industry to take this company. “It won’t necessarily be overnight, because good things take time and everything has to be done right, but Continued on page 7

February 2017

RETAIL TECHNOLOGY NEWS

Payment gateway solutions protect against data breach John Mayleben, CPP, is a consultant to Michigan Retailers Association and is MRA’s retired senior vice president technology and new product development. He is a national expert on electronic payment processing and was the first person in Michigan and among the first in the nation to receive the Certified Payments Professional (CPP) designation from the national Electronic Transactions Association. It is very interesting to watch how the credi t c a rd w o r l d changes over the years, especially in making customer data more secure in merchants’ hands. When the industry began, about the only thing we ever worried about was someone stealing the carbon sales slips from the dumpster behind the store. As merchants, we had the card data (on the imprinted slips that the customer signed) and we were tasked with saving and protecting that data. Then came the age of the electronic terminal, but we still had imprinted slips to protect. Shortly after that, terminals were built with printers, but we still had the data on the terminal and the printed receipts. Over the next 10 years we got better at protecting the data, but never really figured out a way to get out of the data warehousing business. That made us a big target for thieves trying to steal the data and sell it to other bad guys looking to cash in by stealing customers’ identities or produce counterfeit cards. As one of the gangsters from the Roaring Twenties explained, when asked why he robbed banks, “Be-

cause it’s where the money is.” Merchants who stored and held card data became the place where the “money” was. New Solutions As we move toward the third decade of this new century, there are solutions being developed to eliminate the storage of card data in merchant locations. This evolution makes it much harder for a business to become a victim of a data breach. Solutions already have been developed that allow the traditional credit card terminal to speak to a payment gateway, which is housed at your credit card processor and not in your building. This removes all card data from your business location, forcing the bad guys to look elsewhere for data to steal. A side benefit to this evolution is that, because the payment gateway is housed elsewhere, it also creates a disaster recovery plan for your payments info. If something goes wrong with your terminal, the transactions already processed during the day are saved and handled for payment. This makes it easier and cheaper to recover from a terminal failure. If you would like more information about this type of solution, reach out to one of our customer service representatives at 800.563.5981, option 2 to learn more.

Retiring RIC underwriter excited Continued from page 6

the company will continue to grow.” She added, “I’m also comfortable leaving at this point because of where the company is and because Laura [Schilling, her successor], is very talented and will do a great job.” Her immediate future will be filled with travel and winter skiing with her husband, she said. They also plan to remodel part of their Okemos home. “In retirement, every day is Saturday, so we get to figure out each day what we want to do.” She also plans to do volunteer work. “I’ve done volunteer work before in hospitals and Habitat for Humanity, so I might get back to that. First, I’ve

got to see what’s out there. I want it to be fun and not a chore.” Memories Zaskowski’s comments also focus on the people she has worked with at MRA. “I have great memories from working here the past 11 years,” she said. “In addition to the exciting and challenging work, it has been a fun place to work because of the people here. “I know we all use the term ‘family’ when we talk about Michigan Retailers, but it is a very supportive environment here. I’ll miss that part of the job the most.”

Recap of MRA’ 2016 legislative achievements

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customers’ homes using a third party or common carrier service. This puts retailers on a level footing with out-of-state wine retailers. • Cigar dealers also will keep their level playing field, thanks to successful legislation keeping a 50-cent cap on cigar taxes through 2019.

last items approved by legislators in 2016 after they came up with a compromise that fairly protects the choice market. • Retailers will no longer need to worry as much about bad faith patent claims, or “patent trolls,” thanks to a new law requiring the patent troll to pick up retailers’ legal fees. • Thanks to legislation approved last spring, franchisees and franchisors now have clearer direction on each one’s responsibilities under various state acts related to MIOSHA violations, minimum wage violations and contributions and benefit laws. MRA’s Amy Drumm testifies before the House • Legislation approved Commerce Committee in September in suplast March ensures that port of SB 853. pharmacies will receive • MRA members utilizing “elecadequate reimbursement for tric choice” in utilizing alternate performing medication synchroenergy suppliers will continue to nization services for patients. be able to do so despite a several Perhaps more important, payear fight over energy reforms tients will be able to pay prorated that threatened elimination of the prescription costs in order to get choice program. all of their prescriptions on the Energy reforms were one of the same pick-up schedule.

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Two outstanding MI retailers remembered for their work Two long-time MRA members, one a former chairman of the MRA Board of Directors and the other a Michigan Centennial Retailer, died in January. Edward E. Jones, Jr., who owned and operated Jones Gifts in Lansing’s Frandor Shopping Center and led the MRA board during 1978-79, passed away on January 17. He was 86. A 1952 graduate of Michigan State University and a U.S. Air Force veteran, Mr. Jones opened Jones Stationers in 1958. In 1962 he changed the business to Jones Gifts and it became one of the largest gift and accessories stores in the nation. He owned it for 29 years. He also owned Hallmark stores in East Lansing and Jackson and in 1964 was founding partner in Ideation, Inc., a nationwide gift catalog business located in Ann Arbor and serving more

than 400 gift stores across the U.S. Donald Winglemire, co-founder and president of Winglemire Furniture in Holly, a business that began in 1865, died January 11. He was 91. Mr. Winglemire was born in the village of Holly in a house across the street from the present Winglemire Furniture. He and his mother operated the furniture business after he returned from service in the U.S. Navy during World War II. He was a retailer for 70 years and was president of Winglemire Furniture, Joseph’s Oak Shop and Holly Gas Company. He was extremely active in his community and was a member of the Holly Village Council for 26 years. He also served on the Holly Township Board of Trustees.

Gov. names Hallan to pay panel Gov. Rick Snyder has appointed MRA President and CEO James P. Hallan to the State Officers Compensation Commission. The seven-member board is responsible for recommending the salaries and expense allowances of the governor, lieutenant governor, attorney

general, secretary of state, members of the state legislature and justices of the Michigan Supreme Court. Snyder also appointed former State Rep. Nancy Jenkins and investment firm founder Joseph Smalley. Appointees will serve four-year terms expiring Jan. 1, 2020.

February 2017

IT’S THE LAW

Workers’ compensation – does my business need it? by William J. Hallan, MRA Executive Vice President, COO and General Counsel Congratulations! Your start-up business is growing and you’re considering expanding your workforce beyond yourself. You may be wondering whether you need to obtain workers’ compensation insurance to cover your new worker or workers. Don’t worry, Retailers Insurance Company is here to help answer your questions! Workers’ compensation insurance was developed to create a remedy for employees that were injured on the job. Prior to 1912, an injured employee would have to sue his or her employer and prove that the employer was negligent – a difficult task. Under the Michigan Worker’s Disability Act (the “Act”), a compromise was achieved: workers gave up the right to sue but earned the right to recover for workplace injuries, no matter who was at fault. Employers benefited because the Act limits damages to certain wage loss benefits, medical treatment and rehabilitation. The “simplest” way for an employer to determine whether it must provide workers’ compensation coverage is to count the number of its employees.

REQUIRED? Employer Must Provide Coverage Coverage Not Required

NUMBERS TEST Employ one employee for Regular employment of or at least 35 hours a week three or more employees. for 13 or more of the preceding 52 weeks. Employer never had two employees at once and had no employees for 40 of the 52 preceding weeks.

Even if coverage is required by the numbers test, the Act does allow for certain exclusions.

ENTITY

EXCURSIONS

Sole Proprietorship

A self-employed person or owner of a sole-proprietorship is not subject to the Act. However, employees of the sole-prop would be covered, assuming the numbers test was met.

Partnership

Partnerships may exclude partners or the spouse or a child of a partner.

LLC

If the LLC has 10 or fewer members, it may exclude manager members that own at least 10 percent of the business.

Corporations

If the corporation has 10 or fewer stockholders, it may exclude officers that own at least 10 percent of the corporation.

It should be noted that appropriate corporate action (e.g., board resolution) is required by the legal entity to properly exclude an individual. Because the numbers test is fairly straightforward, it is not the source of most coverage confusion. More likely, it’s the nature of the employer-employee relationship that raises questions. For instance, is the individual an independent contractor? A volunteer? The procedure for determining whether an individual is an employee changed on January 1, 2013, though the change didn’t necessarily make the process easier. The law now requires the application of a multi-factor test, the purpose of which is to determine whether the employer has the right to control the employee (e.g., ability to control when, where and how the work is done, whether full-time work is required, whether a continuing relationship exists). Employers should examine all of their relationships so they can properly determine which individuals are covered. An employer also may request a determination from the Michigan Administrative Hearing System. Limiting Liability Even if an employer is not covered by the Act or required to provide coverage, an employer may voluntarily choose to provide coverage. Why? Workers’ compensation coverage is a way of limiting liability. When coverage is provided, the insurance benefits become the employee’s exclusive remedy against the employer for injuries or diseases that arise in the course of employment. The only exception to that exclusive rule is a high standard and is triggered only if the employer acted deliberately and intended for an injury to occur

(i.e., the employer had knowledge that the employee was likely to be injured and willfully disregarded that knowledge). If you’ve determined that you need coverage, Retailers Insurance Company can help. We provide workers’ compensation insurance to more than 1,300 businesses of many different types – not just retailers – in Michigan. Included with our coverage are some of the highest limits of employers liability, plus EFT Guard protection (protects against online business banking theft). Contact your independent agent to get a quote or visit www.retailersinsurance.com to find a Retailers Insurance agent near you.

Protect against ice-related falls Winter time in Michigan creates numerous seasonal hazards for individuals, especially the risk of falling due to icy conditions. According to Michigan’s hospital surveillance data, 60 workers were hospitalized in 2014 and 54 in 2015 after falling on the ice at work. These numbers are just the tip of the proverbial iceberg since they do not include people with less serious injuries who were treated in emergency departments, urgent care clinics or a doctor’s office. The numbers also do not include hospitalizations where workers’ compensation was not listed as the expected payer. All but eight of the hospitalizations involved fractures. Most of these hospitalizations required surgery. Individuals were in the hospital for an average of 3.3 days (range 1-12 days). Forty-seven percent of the injured were women and 53% were men. Their average age was 51 and their ages ranged from 18-72 years. They worked in a variety of industries, including health care, manufacturing, public administra-

tion, education, wholesale and retail trade, utilities and transportation, construction, arts and entertainment, professional and financial services, agriculture, and hotel and food services. Safety Tips • Keep all walkways cleared of ice and snow. • Have de-icing products handy for hard-to-remove ice or snow. • Make sure all walkways and passageways are clearly marked and well lighted. • Be careful of slippery surfaces inside buildings. • Wear slip-resistant footwear. • Practice “safe walking” on slippery surfaces by taking slow, small steps. • Step down, not out, from curbs. • Avoid carrying heavy loads that may offset your balance. • Clearly mark or barricade hazardous areas. • Wear sunglasses on sunny days to lessen winter glare. • Take extra precaution when entering and exiting vehicles. (Sources: MSU Occupational & Environmental Medicine and MIOSHA Tips for Winter Workplace Safety.)

Michigan’s choice for workers’ compensation and group dental insurance. Work Comp rates reduced for 2017 Dental rates reduced for 2017

To learn more, ask your Independent Agent, call 800.366.3699 or visit www.RetailersInsurance.com.

1016

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Insider Q&A: De Beers CEO Membership Services Corner talks diamonds, millennials by Ally Nemetz, Director, Customer Service and Data Administration

NEW YORK (AP) — Instead of romantic proposals and engagement rings, the commercials trying to sell a new generation on diamonds show young couples rolling around on a bed, arguing in a car and even questioning whether they’ll ever marry. The ads are one way the diamond industry is trying to reach millennials, the under-35-year-olds who may be more focused on paying off student loan debt than buying diamonds and getting hitched. De Beers, the company that helped pay for the new commercials, says millennials are still purchasing diamonds, even though they are typically less affluent than their parents were at the same age. “They are buying smaller pieces,” says De Beers Group CEO Bruce Cleaver.

De Beers, known for its longtime slogan “A Diamond is Forever,” mines and then sells rough diamonds to dealers, jewelry retailers and manufacturers who cut and polish the stones. Besides that, its Forevermark-branded diamonds are sold at 2,000 jewelry stores around the world. And it partly owns 35 high-end De Beers stores with LVMH, the owner of luxury brands Louis Vuitton and Givenchy. Cleaver spoke with The Associated Press about what younger people are buying and how the company tries to attract them. Questions and answers were edited for clarity and length. Q: How are millennial diamond buyers different than older generations? A: They are not as traditional as their parents. We find that they selfpurchase more than their parents did and that’s quite an interesting opportunity because there was a time when pretty much all diamond purchases were men buying for women. We also find that purchase decisions are much more joint decisions when they’re a couple.

Q: Are you changing your advertising to reach these people? A: Traditionally, diamond advertising was very much a man buying for a woman. We’ve started tailoring some of our adverts. There’s a campaign running called “Ever Us” which we are a part of with Signet (the owner of the Jared and Kay chain of jewelry stores). It’s very much around a more modern couple where the purchasing decision is a joint decision. It’s actually a two-stone ring and the two stones are exactly the same size. That is very important because it symbolizes equality in the relationship. There’s another piece of marketing aimed at millennials. We co-fund and are a principal of the Diamond Producers Association, which has been formed to market diamonds generically. It’s ver y different from a traditional diamond advert. It’s got a couple who don’t know if they’re going to get married.

Quick notes on key services. Call 800.563.5981 for credit card processing assistance or 800.366.3699 for other matters. We v a l u e your membership and trust. Let us know whenever we can help with your question or problem, no matter how large or small.

Retail Health Centers As of January 1, your employees and their dependents with Blue Cross health care plans can visit a retail health center on a walk-in basis, close to where they live or work, for minor illnesses and injuries and to get basic, preventative health care. These centers offer extended hours, which is especially convenient when an employee’s own primary care doctor isn’t available. Employees will be able to search for in-network retail health centers by going to the Blue Cross website at bcbsm.com and clicking on “find a doctor.”

Q: How else do you get diamonds in front of millennials? A: Often around events like Grammys, Emmys, Oscars, we find the celebrity that millennials identify with the most. We’ve had Claire Danes wear them. We’ve had Sophie Turner, who’s in “Game of Thrones.” So there’s a range of celebrities who we’ll dress in diamonds for these kinds of functions and then hopefully they will tweet and blog on their experiences. For example, we opened the new De Beers store on Madison Avenue (in New York) and one of the people we had over was Fan Bingbing, who’s an extremely well-known celebrity and actress in China. She blogs all the time and used all social media while she was in the store. That is tremendously successful marketing. That was deliberate to get her here; even though the store is on Madison Avenue, it’s a business that is very focused on Chinese tourists.

24-Hour Nurse Line Nurses are available to answer health care questions, whether they’re as simple as how to take an infant’s temperature or as complex as learning about a surgical procedure. You can get fast, reliable health information while avoiding long waits at the emergency room or unnecessary trips to your doctor’s office. Nursing staff are available 24/7 by calling 800.775.BLUE (2583).

Q: Did you have to pay Bingbing to come to the opening? A: So in that case we had to pay her. Sometimes we have to pay celebrities. Sometimes they like the product

Af fordable Care Act 1095 Tax Forms The Affordable Care Act (better known as “Obamacare”) requires insurance carriers and employers

Continued om page 11

Blue Cross Mobile App A new mobile app from Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan enables you to manage your health plan via smartphone or tablet. It allows you to manage your deductible and out-of-pocket maximum balances, claims activity and explanation of benefits statements. It’s available for Android OS 5.0 or higher or iPhone iOS 7.1.2 or higher. You must first set up an online account at bcbsm.com before using the app.

with a self-funded health insurance plan to send a tax form called IRS Form 1095 to employees who are full-time employees (work an average of 30 or more hours per week) or were enrolled in a health plan for any month in 2016. In Notice 2016-70, IRS extends the 2017 deadline from January 31 to March 2 for employers and insurers to furnish the 1095s on 2016 health coverage and full-time employee status. In addition, the notice extends 2015 good-faith penalty relief to 2016 for incorrect or incomplete reports that are due in 2017. Although this is the second year of this requirement, there are still many employees who are unfamiliar with the IRS Form 1095. To help your employees understand the form’s purpose, you can distribute a memo or post information about the 1095s. Visit the IRS.gov website (hint: type Form 1095 into the search function) for useful information and Q&As to help you with communication to your employees. Credit Card Processing • Verify your 2016 processing form 1099 for accuracy. Contact Customer Service if you require changes to form 1099 before we submit it to the IRS. • If you haven’t upgraded your processing device to accept/process “chip cards,” we strongly recommend you upgrade soon. • Verifone Vx510 and Vx570 terminals are no longer PCI compliant. Contact Customer Service to obtain upgrade options. • Partial Authorization – if the credit card receipt displays “Amount Due,” you must collect the remaining balance by another form of payment. • Don’t forget to notify customer service of any changes with the authorized signer, tax ID or bank account information on file. • If you currently utilize a dialup connection on your credit card terminal and experience communication errors, you may want to explore utilizing an Ethernet connection to eliminate these errors. • You cannot impose a minimum transaction or a surcharge amount on Debit, Prepaid or Gift Card transactions. • For your protection, please notify us of any larger than normal sales, out-of-the-country sales or requests to wire money. • To keep processing costs low, answer all prompts on the terminal.

February 2017

LOTTERY

Daily 3 and Daily 4 games adding March bonus draws by M. Scott Bowen, Commissioner The Daily 3 and Daily 4 games are among the most popular games offered by the Michigan Lottery, comprising about 25 percent of total sales. We often hear from players who have a special story or reason they have played their numbers for years. That personal link, along with the chance to win cash, keeps players regularly playing the Daily 3 and Daily 4 games. To build on this popularity, the Lottery will conduct Bonus Draws for the Daily 3 and Daily 4 games in March. The promotion is scheduled to start on March 1, and will offer Daily 3 and Daily 4 players the chance to win larger cash prizes. For a limited time in March, Daily 3 and Daily 4 Bonus Draws will be announced during select midday and evening broadcasts of the winning numbers. Every time there is a Bonus Draw, all eligible Daily 3 and Daily 4 prizes will be increased by 20 percent. Daily 4 straight and wheeled bets are not eligible for the Bonus Draws promotion. The promotion is easy for retailers because it requires no additional action during the sale. In addition, retailers will earn higher redemption commissions on all Bonus Draw prizes paid. We expect it to be popular among players because there is no additional cost required for a player to take

part in the Bonus Draw promotion. Historically, Daily 3 and Daily 4 promotions have been very successful. They have proven to boost player awareness and interest in daily games, leading to increased sales and commissions for retailers. We expect player interest in the Bonus Draw promotion to be very high. Retailers will receive more information on the Bonus Draws promotion in the coming days. Closer to March 1, more information will be available online at www.michiganlottery.com. New $4 million Mega Bucks Michigan Lottery players will have another chance to win millions in an instant game when the new $4,000,000 Mega Bucks goes on sale Jan. 31. The Lottery’s newest $30 instant game is expected to be popular among players and offers more than 30 opportunities to win on each ticket. It also features three top prizes of $4 million, matching the largest prizes offered on a Lottery instant game. In total, the game offers more than $150 million in prizes ranging from $30 up to $4 million. Instant games are very popular with players – making up about 35 percent of sales – and the opportunity to win a multi-million dollar prize adds to that excitement. About 97 cents of every dollar spent on Lottery tickets benefits the state in the form of contributions to the state School Aid Fund, prizes to players and commissions to retailers and vendors. Preliminary figures show the Lottery provided a record $888.9 million in the 2016 fiscal year to help support Michigan’s public schools.

MRA member wins $1,000 from FedEx PartnerShip, which powers Michigan Retailers Association’s Shipping Savings program, announced that MRA member Universal Electronics in Shelby won $1,000 in the fall FedEx Sweeps contest. Universal Electronics owner Mike Lukonic entered the sweepstakes by signing up for MRA’s and Partnership’s Shipping Savings program. Partnership also announced a new FedEx contest, the $25,000 Get Ready Sweepstakes, that runs from now through March 3. MRA members that have not yet enrolled in the Shipping Savings program can enter the sweepstakes by

enrolling in the program. MRA members already enrolled in Shipping Savings are automatically entered in the sweepstakes. In March, FedEx will select winners for the following prizes: • $10,000 Grand Prize (1 awarded) • $1,000 First Prizes (10 awarded) • $50 Second Prizes (100 awarded) MRA members save on inbound and outbound shipping all year round through the Shipping Savings program. Additional information about the Shipping Savings program and rules of the current sweepstakes are available from MRA’s Harmony Clouse at 800.366.3699 ext. 377.

NEW MEMBERS Fraternal Order of Eagles Aerie No 2371, Adrian Allegan Internal Medicine, Allegan ContentOro Inc., Ann Arbor Paul’s Photography, Attica Leila Arboretum Society Inc., Battle Creek BCTGM Local 3-G, Battle Creek J M Kusch Inc., Bay City DeDe & Jim Taylor Antiques, Birmingham Charlotte Tax Services LLC, Charlotte Power Supply Equipment Co., Clinton Township 7443 Michigan Ave II Inc., Detroit Metropolitan Detroit Center for Individual Living, Detroit Nemo’s Place, Detroit Tony’s Refrigeration Heating & AC Inc., Fair Haven Shared Commitment Agency LLC, Fraser Northern Bowling Enterprises, Gaylord Summit Laboratory LLC, Grand Rapids Controls Electric Inc., Holland Langeland-Sterenberg Funeral Home, Holland Mechanical Transplanter Co., Holland Home Instead Senior Care, Jackson Southwest Michigan Granite, Kalamazoo African Widow & Orphan Support, Kentwood Great Lakes Banker Magazine, Lansing JRB Financial, Ludington

Cameron Wood Products Inc., Ludington Premier Heating & Cooling, Ludington Ludington Mass Transportation Authority, Ludington Manistee DDA, Manistee Women’s Center Inc., Marquette Smith Maintenance LLC, Mayville Silver Sand Resort Inc., Mears Quality Repair & Sharpening LLC, Michigan Center Yoas Plumbing Heating & Cooling LLC, Monroe Nord-Ride Motorsports Inc., Mount Morris Lakeside District Association, Muskegon Machinery & Equipment Exchange, Inc., Novi Berne Enterprises Inc., Pigeon OEM Company Inc., Port Huron Red Barn Cat Clinic LLC, Richland Limberlost Lounge of Houghton Lake Inc., Rochester Rochester Elevator Inc., Rochester Dewey’s Service Station Inc., Roscommon Larsen’s Landscaping LLC, Scottville Autumn Designs LLC, South Haven South Lanes LLC, Three Rivers Sheren Plumbing & Heating Inc., Traverse City Epic Powersports, Traverse City T.C. Rentals Inc., Traverse City Mr Bela’s School of Cosmetology Inc., Warren RJS Law, Wyoming Ypsilanti Meals on Wheels, Ypsilanti

CEO talks diamonds, millennials Continued from page 10

and just wear it. Although it’s generally not difficult to find people who’d like to wear fancy beautiful diamonds on the red carpet. (A representative for Bingbing did not respond to a request for comment.) Q: What are people in different countries buying? A: China in general consumes better-quality diamonds and is brand conscious. The U.S., being the enormous market that it is, just about consumes anything that gets offered for sale across the whole value chain. India is generally very small diamonds, lots and lots of very small diamonds. In America, repeat purchasing is a big thing. Once people have bought more than one piece of diamond jewelry in America, they on average buy six pieces over their life. Q: What do you tell customers about sourcing your diamonds?

A: We’ve been well ahead of the game in ethical sourcing for a long time. When you buy a De Beers Forevermark diamond, it has a unique inscription number on it. And it comes with a certificate from the De Beers grading facilities where it was sourced and that there was no child labor, no unfair labor conditions and no environmental damage done. Q: Where do you get your diamonds from? A: We mine diamonds in four countries: Botswana -- by far the biggest producer of diamonds for us -- South Africa, Namibia and Canada. Q: What countries buy the most diamonds? A: The biggest market by far is the U.S. About 45 percent of diamond jewelry demand takes place in the U.S. China, including Hong Kong, is about 16 percent. India is about 8 percent and Japan is about 5 percent.

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New rule requiring public reporting of work injuries – nudge or public shaming? Continued from page 1

worker safety.” In addition, “Behavioral science suggests that public disclosure of the data will ‘nudge’ employers to reduce work-related injuries and illnesses in order to demonstrate to investors, job seekers, customers, and the broader public that their workplaces provide safe and healthy work environments for their employees.” 2) Enable researchers to examine these data in innovative ways that may help employers make their workplaces safer and healthier and may also help to identify new workplace safety hazards before they become widespread. In addition, the final rule includes provisions that encourage workers to report work-related injuries or illnesses to their employers and prohibit employers from retaliating against workers for making those reports. Critics counter that OSHA lacks the legal authority to impose the public disclosure rule. They also contend the move could backfire by discouraging some workers from reporting injuries and illnesses because they don’t want neighbors and others to know. Website The new electronic reporting requirement could create some

d u p l i c a t i o n o f re c o rd k e e p i n g requirements, because employers are also required to maintain their hard copy records of the same information. MIOSHA says OSHA will provide a secure website, scheduled to go live in February, that offers businesses three options for data submission. First, users will be able to manually enter data into a webform. Second, users will be able to upload an electronic file to process single or multiple establishments at the same time. Third, users of automated recordkeeping systems will have the ability to transmit data electronically via an application-programming interface. An online publication with Q&A is located at: osha.gov/recordkeeping/ finalrule/index.html. Phased In The new online reporting requirements will be phased in over two years, according to MIOSHA. Establishments with 250 or more employees in industries covered by the recordkeeping regulation must submit information from their 2016 Form 300A by July 1, 2017. These same employers will be required to submit information from all 2017 forms (300A, 300 and 301)

by July 1, 2018. Beginning in 2019 and every year after, the information must be submitted by March 2. Establishments with 20-249 employees in certain high-risk industries must submit information from their 2016 Form 300A by July 1, 2017, and their 2017 Form 300A by July 1, 2018. Beginning in 2019 and every year after, the information must be submitted by March 2. Below is a partial listing of businesses identified in the group of 20-249 employees. The full list from OSHA is located at: osha.gov/ recordkeeping/NAICScodesforelectronicsubmission.pdf. Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting Manufacturing Wholesale trade Automotive parts, accessories, and tire stores

Furniture stores Home furnishings stores Building material and supplies dealers Lawn and garden equipment and supplies stores Grocery stores Specialty food stores Department stores Other general merchandise stores Used merchandise stores Direct selling establishments Warehousing and storage Lessors of real estate Consumer goods rental General rental centers Museums, historical sites, and similar institutions Traveler accommodation Commercial and industrial machinery and equipment (except automotive and electronic) repair and maintenance Dry-cleaning and laundry services.

Hardware: young leaders for ROY Continued from page 1

try,” NRHA says on its website. Scholarship opportunities are available to applicants and others. More information on the awards event is available from Kamille Stokes

at 317.275.9419 or kstokes@nrha.org. In addition to industry recognition, each honoree receives a trophy and a trip for two to the Las Vegas conference and show.