Member Information, Events and Industry News |
|
SBA Releases Guidance on PPP Loan Forgiveness
The Small Business Administration (SBA), in consultation with the Treasury Department, recently issued guidance to address frequently asked borrower and lender questions concerning forgiveness of Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans. The FAQ guidance document can be accessed here.
Borrowers may rely on the guidance provided in this document as the SBA’s and Treasury Department’s interpretation of the CARES Act, the PPP Flexibility Act, and the PPP Interim Final Rules.
|
|
Featured MLA Program: OECS
By Lindsay Grady
Mid-America Lumbermens Association has been working with OECS over the past year to bring its members valuable OSHA, safety information and resources. OECS offers services and guidance to members of all sizes and business types. OECS will work with your organization to create a tailored program that fulfills your needs. You can expect in-person visits, manuals and other written materials, audits and more from our endorsed partner!
As a partner of MLA, OECS is also offering a FREE webinar to prepare businesses if OSHA dropped by for an inspection and what to expect during this “New Normal”.
OSHA at Your Door in the “New Normal” of COVID-19
Tuesday, September 15th, 2020 – 11:00 am to 12:00 pm
Decades in the safety business have shown us that most companies are NOT PREPARED for a regulatory agency visit. Amidst the challenges of keeping workers safe during normal times, COVID-19 has added another layer of complexity with managing safety in the workplace. Due to the pandemic, OSHA is increasing in-person inspections at all types of workplaces and will continue to prioritize COVID-19 inspections while utilizing all enforcement tools as it has historically done. What if an inspector turns up at your door? It can happen any time with no advance warning. This free webinar will help you better protect your employees and make a huge difference in how your company fares with an OSHA inspector visit.
You will learn how to:
- Be prepared! We’ll cover why having a Safety Plan that includes COVID-19 measures is so important.
- Train your leadership team and key employees on how to seamlessly handle an OSHA visit.
- Utilize best practices, avoid costly fines, and handle the follow-up visit successfully.
- Q & A with the panel.
Join us for the inside track from OSHA and workplace safety experts!
|
|
Thank You to Summer Shindig Supporters!
MLA was so disappointed to have to cancel the August event in Osage Beach. Unfortunately, many factors are out of everyone's control during the COVID crisis. Thank you to all the parties who wanted to participate. A special thank-you to our Associate members who still sponsored, allowing MLA to apply the funds to much-needed events and upcoming offerings to the membership:
|
|
NLBMDA Pro Dealer Industry Summit Going Virtual – October 7-9, 2020
Last month, the National Lumber & Building Material Dealers Association (NLBMDA) and its meeting partner, HBS Dealer Magazine announced that the 2020 Pro Dealer Industry Summit will be going virtual on October 7-9, 2020. This 3-day event brings dealers and industry suppliers from around the country together for professional development, product information and industry networking. Although the in-person event – originally scheduled to be held in San Antonio, TX – has been cancelled, dealers and suppliers are encouraged to attend this industry-leading event virtually.
For more information and to review the keynote(s) and seminar line up, please click here.
Registration is now open to all MLA members here.
|
|
Federated Insurance: HR Question of the Month
Question:
We have many employees who have figured out that some doctors will write 14-day quarantine notes, even after they test negative for COVID. The employee goes to the provider, tells them they've been exposed to COVID, the doctor tests them, they come back negative, but then the doctor writes a 14-day quarantine order anyway and the employee submits that for FFCRA sick time. I don't see a way around this due to how the law is written, but it is getting very over-abused. Are we correct that we must provide the FFCRA leave whenever a doctor note advises it even in negative cases?
|
|
Please Welcome New MLA Members!
MLA would like to thank all the members who have renewed their membership for 2020. We are pleased to welcome the following new members to the association:
America Building Products - Jefferson City, MO
FrontLine Building Products - Green Bay, WI
Miami Lumber - Paola, KS
Midwest Lumber - Butler, MO
Please join us in welcoming these members to MLA! We hope to see new faces at upcoming events!
|
|
NLBMDA Sends Letter to White House on High Lumber Prices
Last week, NLBMDA sent a letter to President Trump urging him to address the critical issue of skyrocketing lumber prices. The price of lumber has been increasing significantly especially over the past several months and NLBMDA urged the Administration to take steps and alleviate the problem for both dealers and the residential construction industry.
In the letter, NLBMDA identifies the 80% increase in lumber prices and while the COVID-19 pandemic played a role, these prices and the rate of increase is not sustainable.
NLBMDA urged the Administration to work with domestic producers to ensure production is at capacity to meet demand, along with a re-emphasis on negotiating a renewed Softwood Lumber Agreement (SLA) with Canada. Staff will be working to meet with officials at the Department of Commerce to reemphasize the urgency of resolving these unsustainable prices.
On a related issue, a World Trade Organization (WTO) dispute-resolution panel ruled recently that the United States Department of Commerce and Industrial Trade Commission improperly levied countervailing duties on Canadian softwood lumber exports in 2017.
The panel sided with Canadian lumber producers in their argument that the U.S. government made a series of errors when they concluded that Canada's regulated forestry industry resulted in an unfair subsidy for Canadian producers.
While the WTO’s decision is non-binding, the panel has requested that the U.S. Department of Commerce reevaluate its duties imposed on Canadian softwood lumber in a manner which aligns with WTO trade agreement obligations.
NLBMDA recognizes that softwood lumber pricing and availability are critical and will continue to pressure the federal government to do its part to provide relief for America’s lumber and building material dealers.
|
|
Why LBM Dealers Are Prospering Amid a Pandemic
By Craig Webb
It just doesn’t feel right. Here we are, seemingly stuck in a pandemic that has closed shops, filled hospitals, and killed more than 150,000 Americans, and yet, building material dealers are reporting some of their most robust sales ever. How can this be?
Increasing evidence suggests we’re reading this tale of two countries because the national economy is fracturing into two groups: the majority haves, who still have jobs and/or reserve funds and are spending more on home comforts, and the minority have-nots, consisting mainly of people in desperate straits because their employers closed.
|
|
Firekeeper Golf Course Mayetta, KS
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
