Your monthly news & updates |
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Upcoming Events, Industry News, and more! |
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January Events:
Paid Sick Leave for the Construction Industry
January 18th, 2024
10:00 AM
Learn about the specifics on new and existing paid sick leave requirements from L&I specialist on Employment Standards Program. Register now!
Are you Ready to Start a Business?
January 18th, 2024
11:00 AM
Are you looking to start up a business but have no experience running one? Join Washington SBDC to hear about the basics of starting a business. To register click here.
Bookkeeping Made Easy-
Contabilidad Simplificada SCDC
January 24th, 2024
4:00 PM-5:00 PM
Register for a Bilingual presentation on simple steps and easy skills to handle bookkeeping.
Presenatcion bilingue sobre pasos secillos y habilidades faciles para llevar la contabilidad.
Unveiling the Second Edition of the ORR Rural Economic Development Toolkit
January 24th, 2024
11:00 AM
The Outdoor Recreation Roundtable is pleased to unveil the second edition of its widely-acclaimed rural economic development toolkit, designed to help communities build better outdoor recreation economies. This will include many resources like funding 101, housing 101, upholding tribal leadership, and many more! Register by clicking here!
Resources for your Small Business
January 30, 2024
1:00 PM-2:00 PM
Are you interested in learning about the programs and services that are available to assist your small business in Okanogan County? Hear from the Economic Alliance and Worksource Okanogan who have many exciting programs and services that are offered at no cost to the business that can help you as you start, grow or expand your small business. Contact Martha to register. |
Washington laws taking effect in 2024 that will impact employers.
- Minimum wage increase from $15.74 per hour to $16.28 per hour. Workers who are 14 or 15 years old must be paid $13.84 per hour, 85% of the adult minimum wage.
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Overtime exempt employees went up on January 1st. Both small and large employers must pay overtime exempt employees at least $67,724.80 per year, or $1,302.40 per week, two times what a full-time minimum wage worker earns.
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Agricultural operators must now pay workers overtime pay if they work more than 40 hours in a week.
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Pre-employment testing. This law prohibits employers from testing prospective employees for cannabis when hiring. However, employers can still test for other drugs before hiring, and can test an employee for cannabis after an accident or if they have suspicions a worker is impaired on the job.
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Looking for health insurance on the Exchange?
Get the health insurance you need for 2024!
Washington residents have until January 15th to sign up for a health and dental plan on Washington Healthplanfinder for the 2024 plan year.
Federal and state subsidies are available to lower an eligible customer’s monthly cost of insurance. Visit wahealthplanfinder.org to learn more about available savings and find the right plan.
New! This open enrollment, everyone who lives in Washington state can buy health and dental insurance through Washington Healthplanfinder, regardless of immigration status.
Need help? We have assisters throughout the state available to help at no cost answer questions, understand tax credits, and sign up for coverage. Find a Washington Healthplanfinder assister.
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In partnership with NCW Tech Alliance, the Economic Alliance now has available a limited number of Chromebooks to give to local businesses who need computers to get their business online, or to help them operate their business more efficiently. Please contact Martha if you are interested!
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Attention Owners
of Commercial Buildings or Lots!
The Economic Alliance is compiling a list of vacant properties that are for sale, lease or rent throughout Okanogan County. We receive several inquires throughout the year from individuals who are looking for a locations to start/move their business to. We would love to add yours to our list!
- Location-Physical Address
- Lot/Building size
- Utility- Information-electrical load capacity, AC/Heat pump etc.
- Ceiling Height
- Rooms, Restrooms, amenities etc
- Asking price
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DID YOU KNOW??
You can now watch all of the Economic Alliance Workshops and Training Videos on demand on our YouTube channel.
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We would like to welcome
Mason Duke to the Economic Alliance Team!
Mason was born and raised in the Okanogan Valley and is pleased to once again call the region home after a six-year absence.
He received a bachelor’s degree from the University of Washington, studying political science and history. His professional experience spans bars, restaurants, retail, and real estate. Coupled with insight gained from his family, who own and operate a local business as well as a small cattle ranch, this has allowed him to experience business from multiple viewpoints and across a variety of industries.
He looks forward to working with the Economic Alliance as an Economic Development Specialist to assist the community he loves in the struggle to utilize its untapped potential and overcome its traditional obstacles.
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Grants for Covid Impacted Businesses
The Economic Alliance has limited grant funding for businesses in the hospitality, retail and restaurant industries who are still recovering from the COVID 19 pandemic, and/or who have recently been impacted by the recent Covid resurgence and it has impacted your business operations.
These funds are made available through the Counties ARPA funding for Covid impacted businesses that the Economic Alliance facilitates.
If you have previously been awarded funding through this program you will not be eligible to apply again.
Contact Roni at for more information, including the application and grant guidelines.
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Washington’s sustainable business accelerator seeks next round of projects NextCycle Washington provides consulting and technical support to help businesses expand recycling, waste reduction, reuse, and organics
NextCycle Washington is seeking applicants for the second cohort of its Circular Accelerator Program. The application period starts December 1, 2023, and extends through January 26, 2024. The program is seeking projects in two areas:
- Upstream Projects: businesses and projects that prevent waste or improve and expand reuse and repair of materials.
- Downstream Projects: businesses and projects that improve, innovate, or expand material and organic recycling, recovery and end uses.
Applicants selected will participate in a six-month program (Mar 2024 – Sep 2024) where they will attend a 2-day Accelerator Academy and receive one-on-one consulting to develop their business plan, refine their project pitch, identify partners and potential funding, and other business and technical support. These efforts culminate in a showcase event where teams pitch their projects and compete for monetary awards in front of a judging panel and an audience of business leaders, public sector, and non-profit representatives, as well as potential investors.
NextCycle Washington welcomes applications from businesses, entrepreneurs, universities, non-profits, community-based organizations, or tribal governments that have project ideas with the potential to contribute towards zero waste goals, greenhouse gas reductions, and equitable outcomes while stimulating the circular economy.
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OMWBE Waives Certification
Fees until 2024
The Washington State Office of Minority and Women's Business Enterprises (OMWBE) is celebrating 40 years of service by waiving certification fees until June 2024. Small businesses throughout the state of Washington are invited to get certified for FREE!
Renewal fees have also been waived for businesses that are already certified.
Why should YOU certify your business?
- Be visible to prime and general contractors
- Gain access to valuable government contracts
- Network with contractors and governments agencies
To learn more about certification click here. Contact OMWBE today at 360-664-9750 or technicalassistance@omwbe.wa.gov to start your certification process today.
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Are you interested in making a difference in Okanogan County??
The Economic Alliance is now recruiting for new Board Members! We recently added new positions to our board, and we would love to have additional small business representatives join us from throughout the county! Please email Roni or call 509-826-5107 to learn more!
We have also facilitated the CCT and Okanogan County Broadband Action Team since 2019! If you are interested in participating in this great group of people who are committed to bringing broadband infrastructure to all the residents in Okanogan County, please email Roni today!
If you are interested in participating or learning more about these committees, give us a call at 509-826-5107
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Building Permit Reports
View a report of the most recent applied and granted Building Permits in the region.
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Do you need help starting, growing, or funding sources for your business?
Our SBDC Advisor is here to help entrepreneurs or small business owners start, grow or buy/sell a business.
The Economic Alliance’s SBDC advisor Lew Blakeney provides one-on-one, confidential, no-cost advising on all phases of small business development throughout Okanogan County and Colville Reservation.
To schedule an appointment, give us a call at: (509) 826 5107
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Employers, we want to hear from you!
Today’s careers require better skills. We help you build them. SkillSource leads workforce development activities throughout North Central Washington to help residents of all ages build new careers and help businesses develop strong teams. As we plan for the next four years of serving North Central Washington, we would like to hear from you. Your honest feedback will help us understand how best to grow and build our efforts.
This survey should take about five to ten minutes to complete. Please forward this email with the survey link to anyone you know (friends, family, coworkers, etc.) who would be interested in providing feedback about the regional workforce system.
Thank you!
Worksource can help! Give them a call at 509-826-7310 or stop by and see them at their office located at 126 S. Main in Omak.
To learn more about their small business services and programs offered go to:
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January 1st will see changes to minimum wage, overtime standards for agricultural workers, per-trip pay for rideshare drivers, and more.
The salary threshold used to determine if certain workers are exempt from overtime pay will be $1,302.40 a week ($67,724.80 a year). The rate affects executive, administrative, and professional workers, plus computer professionals and outside salespeople to be exempt from overtime requirements. The hourly wage for exempt computer professionals will be $56.98, or 3.5 times the minimum wage.
Starting in January, agriculture employees will be eligible for overtime after working 40 hours in a workweek. That’s down from 48 hours in 2023. This will be the last step of a multi-year adjustment that began when the legislature extended overtime pay rights to agricultural workers. It started at 55 hours in 2022 then dropped to 48 last year.
In 2024, for trips within Seattle, drivers for rideshare companies like Lyft and Uber will earn at least 66 cents per passenger platform minute and $1.55 per passenger platform mile, or $5.81, whichever is greater.
For trips outside of Seattle, drivers will earn 38 cents per passenger platform minute and $1.31 per passenger platform mile, or $3.37, whichever is greater. Food delivery drivers are not covered by this law.
Know your rights as a worker
L&I enforces the state’s wage-and-hour laws and investigates all wage-payment complaints. A worker rights complaint can be filed online, downloaded and mailed to the agency, or at a local L&I office.
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