Child Labor Law Abstract, Related Employee Information
NJGCA Networking Event: Join Us!
Are Synthetic Fuels the Future?
DEADLINE TODAY!: Scholarship Applications Due
Member Spotlight: A Gorga & Sons LLC
Delta-8 To Be Banned?
If you have a c-store, you may have heard of Delta-8 products. Many reputable distributors have chosen not to carry it. It has been called by some to be a kind of “diet marijuana,” exploiting a loophole created by the federal government in 2018. Though Delta-8 is a legal CBD product, Delta-8 is very chemically similar to marijuana which makes its legality extremely controversial. It has been known to create a similar impact to Delta-9 THC, the chemical component in marijuana that gets you high. Because it’s legal, more stores have been selling it since there is consumer demand for the product, though states and federal government are beginning a crackdown. On Monday, a bill passed unanimously in the Assembly Health Committee to ban all Delta-8 products unless they have been approved by the states Cannabis Regulatory Commission (which none have been or would be for likely several years). This bill may take months to become law, but the sponsor of the bill stated that he is working with the governor on a potential executive order that would ban all the products effective immediately and potentially take away the lottery license of any store caught selling any of these products.
If you are selling these products, here’s a couple things to be aware of: Ensure all of your clerks only sell to customers over 21. You should also be aware that selling these products may be bad for your local brand since they are so similar to marijuana. Many of the products are designed to look like candy, so make sure people know what they’re buying. At the hearing, there was a man who testified in favor of the ban after his 14 year old son almost died after mistaking Delta-8 for a regular candy at his local c-store. He became overly intoxicated and passed out in the woods last winter, almost dying of hypothermia. This opens the store up to potential liability, even if they didn’t technically break the law. Finally, keep in mind that these products are almost completely unregulated and have little to no product standards. Some tests completed on Delta-8 products have found the item to have varying amounts of Delta-9, which is again, illegal under both state and federal law and, more importantly, can open you up to criminal drug charges. If you do keep selling them and a ban goes into effect, you likely won’t be able to return them to the person you bought them from and likely won’t be able to sell through your supply, so keep that in mind to ensure you’re not caught holding the bag.
Know that if a ban passes, we will plan to immediately send you a Wildfire Alert to notify you to remove it from your shelves. For those members that have been with us for a while, you may remember a similar situation that occurred back in 2011 with bath salts, which became very serious and dangerous very quickly.
Child Labor Law Abstract, Related Employee Information
Two week ago, we brought you a timely update on a June 1st working papers rule change for potential teenagers/student employees. That update included a lot of important information and an overview of the new working papers process. If you haven’t read that May 25th edition of the Road Warrior, CLICK HERE to read through it and catch up on this update.
This week NJGCA wanted to follow-up on that message and touch on related child labor-related notices. As the school year winds down, many of you will look to hire teenager/student employees as we head into the summer months. The current labor shortage has been especially harsh for our business. Teenagers can be fantastic employees and are often eager to “learn n’ earn” on their summer vacation. What’s more, when nurtured and educated about our industry, today’s summer help can often become tomorrow’s permanent employee.
However, hiring any minor-employee has to be done properly. Our previous edition on working papers aside, a Child Labor Law Abstract notice from the NJ Department of Labor and Workforce Development must be posted at your business. You can review and print the latest version of the abstract by CLICKING HERE.
We encourage all small business owners to thoroughly read through the rules and guidelines in the abstract. However, as a general overview please note the following:
When school is in session (if you should hire a teenager before the end of the school year)the maximum working hours are: 3 hours per day 18 hours per week.
During summer vacation:
8 hours per day 40 hours per week 6 days per week (potential to exceed hourly limitation, depending on age – see below).
14–15 years old cannot work before 7 a.m. or after 7 p.m., but may work until 9 p.m., with written permission of parent or guardian, from the last day of the minor’s school year until Labor Day.
Also, please note that, according to this notice, the newly enacted increase to 50 hours a week may not apply to your potential employee if under the age of 16.The ability to exceed the 40 hour work week is age-dependent. The above abstract details these limitations and should be reviewed carefully.
If you'd like additional clarification or want guidance on your specific circumstances, our Member Benefit Partner Steven Horowitz from Horowitz Law Group is a great resource, and can be reached at shorowitz@horowitzlawgroup.com or 973-789-8300.
As always, feel free to reach out to Nick@njgca.org with any general questions about this or other regulations.
NJGCA Networking Event – Join Us!
We will be hosting a fun networking event for our members on Thursday, June 22nd from 5 to 7 PM at Tommy’s Tavern and Tap in Clifton for our members to get together, have some drinks and good food and meet some of the MBPs in our program. We would like to make more of an effort post-pandemic to get our members together to socialize, have some fun, and talk with fellow folks in the industry. Bring your employees, spouse, or even a nonmember colleague and show them the value of belonging to an industry association. Are you interested in attending? Register TODAY here! We are also offering opportunities to sponsor the event. If you are interested email Joe@njgca.org.
Are Syntheic Fuels the Future?
Porsche, Ferrari and ExxonMobil are working hard for more research on renewable synthetic fuels that also reduce the amount of new carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere. These “eFuels”, get their name from the large amounts of electricity used in their production, though they are made with recycled carbon dioxide extracted from organic material or the air. Vehicles running on eFuels emit recycled carbon dioxide, so they don’t pollute the air with additional CO2, the way a vehicle running on conventional gasoline/diesel would. Most cars on the road today could run on them without any modifications to the cars or engines, making exploring this option very appealing to automakers who are faced with developing new EV models in time for proposed nationwide bans. One synthetic fuel that is being investigated for future widespread use is hydrogen. Producers create hydrogen using electricity made from solar, wind, hydroelectric and other renewable sources. The hydrogen is combined with carbon captured from the air to produce a synthetic hydrocarbon fuel that can burn like gasoline, and fuels that are made this way do not add additional carbon to the atmosphere, though they don’t lead to a net reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. Looking into synthetic fuels further could be beneficial for other modes of transportation such as aviation and shipping that would require huge batteries that would be difficult to develop.
DEADLINE TODAY! Scholarship Applications
Do you know of an upcoming or current college student that could use some extra money for school? Do not waste any more time! Today is the FINAL DAY to submit a scholarship application. We have been able to award scholarship funds to children of NJGCA members and the children of employees of NJGCA members. Last year, $10,000 was awarded with $5,000 being contributed thanks to the generosity of Utica Insurance. Utica Insurance is the insurance company that insures many NJGCA members. The contribution was arranged by NJGCA MBP World Insurance (Amato Agency). Once again, Utica has contributed $5,000 towards a scholarship that is to be awarded to a student attending an automotive technical school or studying automotive technology. Each NJGCA member will be entitled to submit ONE application that will be reviewed by the scholarship committee. While the Utica donation must go towards automotive training, other funds can be given to a deserving student studying anything. Applicants may be either the child/grandchild of a member, or an employee, or the child of an employee that works for the NJGCA member. You can find both the mail-in application and the online application HERE. Do not forget to include the other documentation required (transcripts, essays, etc) to be considered.
All classes held at NJGCA HQ -- 615 Hope Road, Building 2, 1st Floor, Eatontown, NJ 07724
ASE Training Course - Reach Out Today!
Are you (or an employee) getting ready to take your A6, A8, or L1 in preparation to recertifying your Emission Repair Technician (ERT) credentials through the State's Emission Technician Education Program (ETEP)?
We can help --- but we need to hear from you, first! NJGCA wants to hear from students interested in our ASE-prep training program, so we can gauge demand and schedule our next session series.
As you know, the NJ Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) has always maintained a "dual-track" system to allow technicians to earn their Emission Repair Technician (ERT) credentials through New Jersey's Emission Technician Education Program (ETEP). In doing so, technicians were allowed to certify as ERTs through either an ASE-test track or an ETEP-educational class track. Starting on January 1, 2020, NJDEP amended the ETEP criteria, and the ETEP-educational class track was abolished.
Today, only the ASE-test track remains, and all ERTs must certify or re-certify their credentials though ASE to remain in the Program.
NJGCA has recently offered an ASE-prep class to help you get ready for the A6, A8, and L1. In doing so, students were welcome to participate in a ten-session preparatory class that covered material for all three ASE exams. We also had a handful of students who joined us only for the A8 or L1 sections.
Once completed, students took their ASE exams with a local ASE-approved test proctor (NJGCA can train you to prepare for the ASE exams, but are not permitted to offer the actual exam - students must make these arrangements individually themselves).
Building on that success, we are now seeking student participation in our next training series session. To make arrangements and organize a session, we need to hear from you!
Is The Cigarette Tax In New Jersey Too Low? What Smokers Are Paying Back in 2020, there was a plan to increase New Jersey’s cigarette tax, but it was put on hold when the COVID health emergency began. Now there is renewed discussion about raising the cigarette tax in the Garden State. Bill Sherman, the managing director of advocacy for the American Cancer Society said the tax should be increased for a very simple reason. . .New Jersey's per-pack tax is $2.70. Sherman said the American Cancer Society expects an 8.2% decrease in youth smoking when the tax is raised by $1 in New York. If you want to take a road trip to find cheaper smokes the tax on a pack of cigarettes in Virginia is 60 cents.
6/2/23
Where’s My Car? NJ Chop Shop Operation Taken Down New Jersey law enforcement officials have announced the arrests of more than a dozen people in the takedown of alleged Paterson chop shop operations linked to the theft of more than 35 vehicles throughout the Garden State. A total of 14 individuals are now facing criminal charges in connection with four chop shops that functioned as towing and mechanic businesses during the day but at night were used to alter stolen cars and trucks for resale or parts. The charges are the result of a five-month investigation by the State Police, Passaic County Sheriff’s Office, the Paterson Police Department and other federal and state agencies.
Electric vehicles may be a bit soulless, but they’re wonderful mechanisms: fast, quiet and, until recently, very cheap to run. But increasingly, I feel a little duped. When you start to drill into the facts, electric motoring doesn’t seem to be quite the environmental panacea it is claimed to be. . . If the lithium-ion battery is an imperfect device for electric cars, concerns have been raised over their use in heavy trucks for long distance haulage because of the weight; an alternative is to inject hydrogen into a new kind of piston engine. JCB, the company that makes yellow diggers, has made huge strides with hydrogen engines and hopes to put them into production in the next couple of years. If hydrogen wins the race to power trucks – and as a result every filling station stocks it – it could be a popular and accessible choice for cars.
The West Orange Police Department is asking the public to be extra mindful in protecting their homes and securing cars. The city has seen an increase in vehicle thefts and home burglaries, a problem that is on the rise throughout New Jersey. Within the last six months in West Orange, there’s been at least 10 of these types of incidents. Police say some of the burglaries into resident’s homes is in an effort to steal key fobs for cars in the driveways of those homes. . . Police say it’s presumed that the sole purpose of entering these homes is to locate the key fobs. They say, “entry was gained through one garage door opener located in an unlocked vehicle, three unlocked front or rear doors, four unlocked windows, and one forced entry through rear door of the home.”
Lawmakers reintroduced legislation that would give merchants the power to process many Visa and Mastercard credit cards over different networks. The new bill was introduced Wednesday with two additional co-sponsors, Sen. Peter Welch, a Vermont Democrat, and Sen. J.D. Vance, an Ohio Republican. A nearly identical bill was introduced last summer by Sen. Dick Durbin, an Illinois Democrat, and Sen. Roger Marshall, a Kansas Republican. That bill was referred to the Senate Banking Committee but didn’t get voted on. Vance, who joined the Senate this year, is a junior member of the committee. Currently, when a consumer pays with a credit card that has Visa or Mastercard listed on it, merchants generally have to route the payment through that network. The bill would mandate that merchants in many cases have the right to route payments through an unaffiliated network. That could lower the fees that merchants have to pay.
Each week, the Energy Information Administration publishes a list of average gasoline prices for the previous three weeks. NJGCA will begin including this list with the Weekly Road Warrior. Remember, these prices are reflective of self-serve everywhere except NJ.
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