Chamber members gathered for our Annual Holiday Kickoff After Hours last month the Norwood Space Center. Delicious food and drink was served by Little Bird Events.

Many thanks to all who so generously donated toys to our annual collection for needy children.

Partner with the Neponset River Regional Chamber by taking advantage of our unique sponsorship opportunities. These packages serve small, medium and large businesses alike and a strategic sponsorship plan can be created for any budget and for any business size. These programs will allow you to raise your company’s visibility and credibility while ensuring the Chamber has the financial capacity to carry out its mission on behalf of local business

On January 1, 2022, the MA minimum wage increased. Members are reminded to take note of the following changes:

• Minimum wage increase to $14.25 per hour (currently $13.50)

• Tipped wage increase to $6.15 per hour (currently $5.55)

• Retail Premium Pay mandate reduces to 1.1 times the employee’s regular hourly rate for work

For additional information you may also visit:

• Minimum wage and overtime information – MA Department of Labor Standards

• Working on Sundays and Holidays ("Blue Laws") – MA Attorney General

Please be aware that the Massachusetts’s Paid Family Medical Leave (PFML) rates will be reduced for the 2022 tax year. Below is a comprehensive breakdown of rate reductions:

The program’s maximum weekly benefit will also increase from $850 to $1084.31 per week starting in 2022.

For more information on PFML, please read the Employer’s Guide to Paid Family and Medical Leave. 

Last month, the United States Court of Appeals granted the Department of Justice’s request to lift the stay that had been entered against OSHA’s Emergency Temporary COVID-19 standard. A number of trade associations have appealed this decision to the Supreme Court. At present, it is unknown whether the Supreme Court will issue its own administrative stay while it considers the case.

After the court’s decision, OSHA announced that the agency will not issue citations for noncompliance before January 10 for the assessment of employees. As for the weekly testing, that obligation will now commence February 9 “so long as an employer is exercising reasonable, good faith efforts to come into compliance.”

The Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) requires businesses with at least 100 employees to ensure vaccination of their workers or, for those workers who are unvaccinated, masking policies and weekly testing.

The Department of Labor has provided several fact sheets and FAQs, and while these documents provide useful information, there is much more detail in the full regulatory text. Also, the U.S. Chamber has created an easy-to-digest document detailing the facts on the ETS for COVID-19 vaccinations, which can be found here.

The Town of Norwood is celebrating its 150th Anniversary in 2022! To kick things off they held a "First Night" on New Year's Eve. Norwood Center was transformed into a winter wonderland with ice sculptures, skating, music, train rides and firepits for making s'mores. There are a number of other activities planned throughout the course of the year.

As you know, the Chamber has implemented a 401(k) program to bring Chamber businesses and their employees a full suite of retirement plan solutions that save time and money. Businesses of all sizes are eligible.

To learn more about the program you can watch our brief introductory video below from Brian Williams of Northshire Consulting or click here.