Proposed Overtime Changes Will Hurt Employers and Full-Time Workers

The PA Chamber is asking employers to weigh in on a proposal being pushed by the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry that would significantly redefine overtime eligibility for "white collar" employees, potentially forcing many businesses to curtail work hours and limit job growth. 

Unveiled in June, the proposal would dramatically change overtime eligibility rules imposed on Pennsylvania employers by requiring a wage threshold for "exempt status" that is more than double the current rate set by the federal government. The proposed changes further include significant revisions to the so-called "duties test," which are also used to determine eligibility. Finally, the rule establishes an automatic update to the salary threshold every year beginning in 2023. 

Click here to read more.  

Event Re-Cap

On Thursday, August 16 we hosted our Annual "State of the Chamber" Membership Luncheon at Westminster Woods. We celebrated with a French theme this year. Our Committee Chairs/Members gave an update on the accomplishments from our last fiscal year and shared our goals for the upcoming year. We had Ken Holtzinger from Seven Mountains Media give a brief explanation of an exciting new membership benefit. We give a huge thank you to our sponsors who made this event possible!

Presenting Sponsor - Terrace Mountain & Hawn's Bridge Recreation Area

Centerpiece Sponsor - Fairfield Inn & Suites

Outstanding New Member Award Sponsor - FirstEnergy Corporation

Premier Member of the Year Award Sponsor - Keller Engineers

Supporting Sponsors - Westminster Woods

Juniata College

F & M Trust

SPE Federal Credit Union

John R. Wald Company

Mutual Benefit Group

Stiffler, McGraw & Associates

First National Bank

Patron Sponsors - Home Nursing Agency

Huntingdon County Career & Technology Center

MDB Drafting & Design

Tuscarora Rigging, Inc. 

Juniata Valley Bank

Northwest Bank

Law Offices of Roberta Binder Heath

We Invite Your Nominations

The Huntingdon County Chamber of Commerce is seeking nominations for the 2018 Annual Community and Business Awards. Please take a few minutes to submit the names of businesses and individuals that you feel qualify to be nominated for this year's awards. Self-nominations are encouraged. 

Nominations may be submitted on the designated forms by September 10, 2018. Nominations may also be submitted by email to [email protected]. You must tell us why the nominee deserves the award. The Nominees will be judged by a group of individuals, who have been selected for their expertise and experience and who are not themselves eligible for the awards. The awards will be presented at the Chamber's Annual Awards Gala on October 4, 2018. 

The David K. Goodman Jr. Community Service Award recognizes an individual or organization who has demonstrated exemplary dedication of time or resources for the betterment of the community. This award is sponsored by Huntingdon Elks Lodge #976. 

The Customer Service Award's purpose is to recognize a business for their excellence in providing quality customer service. This award is sponsored by Bonney Forge Corporation. 

The Business of the Year Award's purpose is to recognize a business which has contributed to the economic growth of the community and has helped to develop Huntingdon County. This award is sponsored by Valley Rural Electric Cooperative, Inc. You must describe how the business has contributed to the economic growth and development of Huntingdon County through the product or service the business provides in the market place. Also describe how the business and its employees contribute to community activities and organizations. 

The Educator of the Year Award's purpose is to recognize an active educator in the county who has demonstrated "above and beyond" commitment and service in the field of education. This award is sponsored by Juniata College. 

The Entrepreneurial Success Award's purpose is to recognize a community member who has been in business for a minimum of three years, who individually owns and operates a business initially launched as a small business who has shown innovation and aided in the advancement of the community. This award is sponsored by Highmark Blue Cross & Blue Shield. 

The Volunteer of the Year Award recognizes a Chamber member for "above and beyond" service to the Chamber. This individual must be a Chamber member or work for a Chamber business and demonstrate support of the mission and goals of the Chamber. This award is sponsored by Fairfield Inn & Suites. 

Click here for the nomination form. 

Click here for the list of past award recipients. 

ATHENA Award Nominations Sought

During the October 4, 2018 Annual Awards Gala, the Huntingdon County Chamber of Commerce will present the prestigious ATHENA® Award to an individual in our community. The Award is presented to a woman or man who is recognized for professional excellence, community service, and for actively assisting women in their attainment of professional excellence and leadership skills. 

The ATHENA Leadership Award celebrates exemplary leadership and is reflective of a quote by Plato: "What is honored in a country will be cultivated there." Over 7,000 recipients have been honored with the ATHENA Leadership Award since the program's inception in 1982. Presented to leaders across professional sectors, the ATHENA Leadership Award's rich history, international scope and focus on mentorship distinguish it as one of the most prestigious leadership awards one can receive. 

The ATHENA Award is being sponsored by Bonney Forge Corp, Bumgardner & Flasher Oil, FirstEnergy Corporation, Grier School, Juniata College, Lincoln Caverns, Inc. and Whisper Rocks, MDB Drafting & Design, TEAM Chevrolet, Buick, GMC and Westminster Woods. 

The ATHENA® Award recipient will be selected for nominations. Please take a moment to nominate someone deserving of this prestigious award. Visit www.huntingdonchamber.com or 500 Allegheny Street, Huntingdon for the nomination form. To request a form be emailed, contact [email protected]. The nomination deadline is August 28. 

FREE Dale Carnegie 2-Day Program

The Chamber has once again partnered with Dale Carnegie to provide a FREE Program opportunity. To enter this drawing, please email MacKenzie at [email protected] no later than September 4 at 2:00 p.m. 

Administrative Professionals Luncheon

Blues Save The Date

On The Job Training Program

• Cuts the cost of wages for employers by a minimum of 50% during the training time.
• Reduces the employer's costs for advertising and recruitment.
• Allows employers to make all hiring and firing decisions.
• Guarantees a quick referral process.
• Requires minimal paperwork.
• May involve a single placement, a number of people for one type of job, or a variety of jobs. 

• Post the job on the CareerLink system.
• A search is then conducted of the eligible applicant pool for people who match the characteristics set by the employer. The employer is then provided the information about potential candidates in the manner in which they have requested. 
• The employer decides whom they want to hire and a possible start date. The Business Services staff is notified about the circumstances of the hire. 
• The employer and the Business Services Representative negotiate a contract, which includes a training plan, length of training and costs to be reimbursed to the employer for providing the training. It is important to note that this contract MUST be in place BEFORE an eligible client begins working or the opportunity to secure funding will be lost. 

The Chamber is now offering use of our Bulk Mail Permit for FREE to our members. Bulk Mail Permits cost $250.00 per year. If you are interested in using the Bulk Mailing Stamp, we will walk you through the process to make it easy for you. You will still have to pay postage. 

If you are interested in saving money on your electric bill, please contact [email protected] or 814-643-1110 to get connected with the program endorsed by 120 chambers of commerce in PA and 80 Harrisburg based associations. OnDemand Energy manages 6 billion kWh in PA. There is no cost or obligation involved with seeing how much money your business or organization can save. In many cases it has been quite a significant savings. OnDemand Energy can also review your gas savings options with you. 

You are now able to be the exclusive sponsor of our weekly e-newsletter. The cost is $200 a quarter and includes your name in the email heading as the sponsor and an ad (2 in. wide and 3 in. tall) at the top of the left column of the newsletter. 

If you only want to have an ad (2 in. wide and 2 1/2 in. tall) in the left column, the cost is $100 per quarter or $300 per year. Please continue to share your events and special news and we will include that information for free. Contact [email protected] if you would like to include your ad in our e-newsletter or be the exclusive sponsor. 

Many of you have been asking about more opportunities to send email blasts to our database of nearly 1,000. Currently individual blasts are $50 for for-profit businesses and $25 for non-profits. You can now purchase one blast a week for a quarter for $200 or one blast a week for a year for $500. Non-profits pay $100 for the quarter or $250 for the year. Contact [email protected] if you are interested in taking advantage of this special opportunity. 

This group is being brought to you at the request of HCCC members during the most recent survey. The HCCC Member to Member group is a closed group for Chamber members only to post questions and important information that other members will find valuable. Please invite other Chamber members to join our group and share in discussions. 

If you have any business news and updates, achievements, awards or recognitions that you would like to be included, it can be done for FREE! If you have an event that is free or all the proceeds are being donated to a non-profit as a fundraiser, we'll include it for FREE! If you'd like to include a promotion or a money making event or non-profit fundraiser where proceeds will benefit the organization's operations, we charge a small fee. (Profit - $25 and Non-Profit - $10) Contact MacKenzie Locke at 814-643-1110 or [email protected] if you're interested in including an article.