Winter 2019
TRACKS
Supporting the business community of the greater Truckee area A Publication of the Truckee Chamber of Commerce
Business Speaks Project Teams Work Underway
W
hile all chambers are different in focus, one common thread of successful chambers is that they step up to the greatest challenges in our communities. They act as:
Catalyst for business growth Convener of leaders & influencers to get things done Champion for a thriving community The Truckee Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors recognized the need to identify real business issues as defined by our business community. As a result, Truckee Tomorrow-Phase II (an economic development initiative) was conceived, facilitated by, and is managed by the Truckee Chamber of Commerce in partnership with private investors and the Town of Truckee. This public/private partnership’s overarching goal is to create a diverse economy, while maintaining and growing a diverse, vibrant middle class. Last January, the Chamber launched Business Speaks, convening the business community at quarterly gatherings to identify the greatest challenges facing the local business community and develop creative solutions. Through input of over 625 business members over the course of 32 Business Speaks meetings, three projects were identified to tackle the issue of recruitment and retention, and address the overarching goal. Project Teams have met several times since June 2018, and are now in the process of writing business plans for each project. Truckee Tomorrow is an inclusive initiative. You don’t need to be a Chamber
member to participate, and you can join a Project Team meeting at any time. It doesn’t matter if you have not been to any of the previous meetings. Any and all input is valuable and informative. All Project Team and Business Speaks meeting dates, times, locations are posted on TruckeeTomorrow.org as they become available. READ MORE ABOUT BUSINESS SPEAKS P. 6
The Entrepreneurial Ecosystem Project Team enlisted the services of a graphic recorder to capture their ideas and concepts, to see emerging patterns and the collective wisdom of the group. The appealing visual creates a tool to increase engagement and make the information more visible and accessible.
New Legislation Expands Employer Requirements for Training
E
mployers of over 50 employees should already be familiar with the California legal requirement to provide two hours of sexual harassment training including training on gender identity and gender expression discrimination to all supervisors within six months of their hire date and to repeat that training every two years. New legislation has dramatically expanded employer requirements for sexual harassment training. Beginning January 1, 2019, employers of five or more employees (including seasonal or temporary workers) will be required to provide the same training. This training is not just for supervisors any more, though! The bill specifies at least one hour of sexual
harassment to all employees by the end of 2019, continuing once every two years. California employment law can be tough to navigate if you are a business owner wearing many hats. Kim Pierce, founder and CEO of TruckeeHR, assists businesses by providing comprehensive HR advising, outsourcing and consulting to small and mid-sized businesses. She can be reached at 530-386-3066 or visit TruckeeHR.com. If you need Labor & Employment Law services, contact The Law Office of Brooke Barnum-Roberts at 530-536-0390 or visit truckeelegal.com. See page 7 for more important employment law information
Inside Tracks 7 HR Workshop – Feb. 27 13 Knowledge Bites – March 21 Mountain Town Marketing Strategies 14 FiftyFifty Brewing Co. Named “Brewery Group of the Year” 15 Mountain Lion Sponsors UNR Women’s Athletics Program