From My Benefit Advisor

For a large number of employers, the exceptional economic pressure placed on them during 2020 has only heightened the annual challenge of managing costs relating to their company’s benefit programs.  Although various vaccines and treatments are on the near-term horizon, the long-term impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic remain largely unknown.  Virtually everyone expects health care premiums to increase in the months ahead, but the severity of increase is less known.  Of course, even if health care premiums remained relatively flat, employers may still not be able to comfortably fit them in their budget with revenues mostly down over the past several months. 

With so many uncertainties, many business owners are struggling to come up with a way to prepare for the coming year.  From our perspective, the following three strategies can prove pivotal for employers when developing effective, long term strategies in the current climate:

1. Incorporate a painstakingly thorough approach to employee benefits
2. Take advantage of any available digital healthcare technologies
3. Incorporate new and creative strategies will be best able to manage the predicted volatile trends in health care costs and their impact on insurance premiums.

INCORPORATING A THOROUGH APPROACH TO EMPLOYEE BENEFITS
Begin the process early of investigating and learning about the different approaches to employee benefits.  It is not recommended that you wait until the open enrollment process, so that you have time to educate yourself and your employees on possible options. 

Look into fully insured employer sponsored plans, self and level-funded plans, individual HRA’s and if available group medical captives and PEOs.

A fully insured, employer sponsored plan is the traditional route of insuring employees where a company pays a premium to the insurance carrier.  The carrier then handles healthcare claims based on coverage benefits that have been established by the employer.  The benefit of this type of plan are:

• Fixed monthly premium rate, revisited annually or if there is a change in the number of enrolled employees, whichever comes first.
• Employees and dependents are responsible for paying deductibles and co-pays for healthcare services that are covered under the fully insured policy.
• Employer administration of the plan instead of the insurance company.
• Premiums are collected by the insurance carrier who then pays healthcare claims based on the coverage benefits outlined in the company-purchased insurance policy.

A level-funded plan is a plan that combines cost savings and customization aspect of a self-funding plan with the financial safety and predictability of a fully insured plan. This type of plan is a form of self-insurance because the employer pays a steady fee each month but take on more of the financial risk.   These plans provide cost predictability, little to no risk to the employer, exempt form ACA mandated requirements and flexibility in plan design.

A self-insured plan, the employer is using their own money to cover the employee claims.  Employers contract with an insurance company or third party administrator to administer the plan.   Typically, large employers have interest in this type of plan.

Individual HRA is an individual health reimbursement arrangement offering an alternative to traditional group health plans.   It’s a specific account-based health plan that allows employers to provide defined non-taxed reimbursements to employees for qualified medical expenses, including monthly premiums and out-of-pocket costs, like copayments and deductibles. Employees must be enrolled in individual health insurance coverage to use the funds.

UTILIZING DIGITAL TOOLS IN A WORKPLACE HEALTH STRATEGY
The integration of digital tools in the corporate environment is moving at a rapid pace and changing the way companies implement their wellness strategies.  Employers and many of the insurance carriers they work with have inserted technology into their benefit offerings as a way for individuals not just to monitor their general physical fitness but also to address concrete wellness needs and improve health outcomes.

Through the use of these digital tools, employees are empowered to take greater control over their well-being through the tracking, managing and analysis of critical health data. Digital health tools also increase the efficiencies of healthcare by improving access, reducing costs, increasing quality of care and making medicine more personalized and precise.

Implementing digital health into your wellness strategy will usually include a variety of tools, including:

• Health Information Technology… utilizing a platform or application to manage the exchange of health information between patients and medical personnel in a secure, computerized environment.
• Mobile Health… allowing medicine and care delivery through mobile phones, tablets and other wireless technology.
• Telehealth… providing the remote exchange of data and care between a patient and their medical advisor.
• Wearables… clothing and accessories that integrate advanced electronic technologies to assist in providing more personalized health data.

TRENDS THAT MAY IMPACT FUTURE INSURANCE PREMIUMS
Although the severity and extent of the COVID-19 pandemic has been unprecedented in modern times, there are safeguards built into the structure of the insurance industry that are designed to maintain stability during significant loss events.  Two key elements provide protection against large financial loss for insurance companies and provide some stability in premiums:

• Claim Reserves
  Insurance regulations require carriers to maintain a claim reserve account at specified levels (based on the company’s size and risk profile) that provides a safety net if claim expenses are larger than anticipated.   These reserves are funded through a part of the premiums charged to policy holders.

• Reinsurance
  Reinsurance is coverage purchased by an insurance company from a third-party insurer that is designed to insulate them from major claims events.  If claims, either individually or collectively surpass designated levels, the reinsurance carrier would reimburse the insurance company for a part of the claim cost.

IMPACTS FROM EMPLOYER-RELATED EXPENSES:
Insurance carriers are also employers and as such, have experienced some of the same pandemic-related business costs as any other business.  Added cybersecurity costs, outlays for equipment and software to facilitate their employees alternative work arrangements, etc. will impact their financial bottom line during this event.   Even the downturn in equity markets will affect the expected level of return on their investment portfolio.

POSITIVE IMPACTS:
There is also the potential that some recent virus-related development will positively impact insurance costs, such as the more widespread use of tele-health services.  In addition to providing access to care with lower costs, on a long-term basis this development could allow healthcare providers extend their reach to more remote or less affluent groups of people to expand access to care and improve overall population well-being.

Considering all of these pandemic influences, it is likely that future health insurance premiums will be affected, although the expected range of impact probably won’t be clear until later this year.  Working with your broker to be aware of the trends as well as being forward-thinking towards new and innovative strategies will provide you with the tools to mitigate costs and provide a benefit plan for your employees. 

The Chamber offers a unique insurance platform called ChamberChoice. It offers members access to My Benefit Advisor as a solution for employee benefits. For more information about My Benefit Advisor, contact Jim Pitts at 610-324-6291 or email him at jim.pitts@mybenefitadvisor.com

The Exchange Announces 2021 Schedule

The Exchange has much of its 2021 schedule set, with many open-call shows in which you can display your work. As always, we welcome all media and people of all ages and levels of experience.

“What I Did In Quarantine”
The Exchange Gallery opens 2021 by inviting artists to submit work that they have made since the beginning of the COVID-19 crisis. All media accepted, 2-D and 3-D, including video and installation pieces (please get in touch with us ahead of time about videos and installations). As always, we encourage work by artists of ALL ages and levels of experience. The work may or may not have COVID itself as a theme, but it just has to have gotten made since roughly March of 2020, and if you can tell us the story of how the crisis has informed the work, all the better.  All media accepted, 2-D and 3-D.  As always, we encourage work by artists of ALL ages and levels of experience.

“What I Did In Quarantine” will run at the Exchange Gallery from January 11th through February 19th, 2021.

How to Successfully Start a Business During a Pandemic

Are you interested in opening your own business? Are you wondering how it is possible to do during a time of uncertainty? The pandemic doesn’t mean that you have to postpone starting a business. Join the members of the Wilkes University Small Business Development Center for a free five-week series to learn how you can successfully begin a business and rise to meet the new demands of the market. 

Weis Center for the Performing Arts Announces Weis Center Streams: Five Free Virtual Performance Offerings

The Weis Center for the Performing Arts at Bucknell University will offer five virtual performances in spring 2021. The virtual performances, called Weis Center Streams, are free thanks to the generosity of sponsors, but registration is required by calling the Campus Box Office at 570-577-1000 or online at Bucknell.edu/BoxOffice.

Sponsors for the spring performances include: Gary and Sandy Sojka, Nancy and Sam Craig, Martha and Alan Barrick and Coldwell Banker Penn One Real Estate, Chanin Wendling and Karl Voss and family, Evangelical Community Hospital and Geisinger.

Performances are as follows:

The Snail and the Whale (Family Discovery) will be offered January 22-24 with unlimited access all weekend. The performance is sponsored, in part, by Gary and Sandy Sojka. The performance is suggested for ages 3-7 years or PreK-3rd grade. Runtime: 60 minutes.

Longing to see the world, the tiny sea snail hitches a lift on the tail of a great, grey-blue humpback whale. Together they go on an amazing journey, told through live cello music and singing, storytelling and lots of laughs … but when the whale gets beached, how will the snail save him? Join an adventurous young girl and her sea-faring father as they re-imagine the story of a tiny snail’s incredible trip around the world, inspired by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler’s much-loved picture book.

STONO/Step Afrika (World Music and Dance) will be offered February 8-21 with unlimited access. There will also be a pre-performance talk with the Artistic Director and a post-show talk with members of Bucknell and the central PA community. Pre-performance panelists will explore the Stono Rebellion and its relevance to issues regarding political protest and structural inequities that dominate American conversations today. The performance is sponsored, in part, by Chanin Wendling and Karl Voss and family.

Step Afrika! is a dance company dedicated to the African-American tradition of “stepping”. Their dance style is a fusion of South African gumboot dance and African American stepping. Step Afrika! blends percussive dance styles practiced by historically African American fraternities and sororities; traditional African dances; and an array of contemporary dance and art forms into a cohesive, compelling artistic experience. Performances are much more than dance shows; they integrate songs, storytelling, humor and audience participation. The Company is featured prominently at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African-American History & Culture with the world’s first stepping interactive exhibit.

On September 9, 1739, the largest insurrection of enslaved Africans in North America began in South Carolina on the banks of the Stono River. Twenty Africans marched south toward a promised freedom in Spanish Florida, waving flags, beating drums, and shouting ‘Liberty.’ This extraordinary act of rebellion in colonial America predates the famed Boston Tea Party of 1773, the first significant act of defiance to British rule over American colonists. Although the Stono Rebellion was suppressed, this little-known event in American history forever changed African American life and culture. When Africans lost the right to use their drums through The Negro Act of 1740, they began to use their bodies as percussive instruments in response. This act of survival and activism earned them the name of “Drumfolk,” coined by famed folklorist Bessie Jones. Their percussive movement gave rise to some of the country’s most distinctive art forms, including the ring shout, tap, hambone, and stepping. Stono honors the spirit of resistance and activism that remains a critical part of American freedom.

This is Me: Letters From the Front Lines created by DIAVOLO (Contemporary Dance Film) will be offered from February 24-March 2. There will be a pre-performance panel discussion with Artistic Director, Jacques Heim and community members. The 35 minute performance is sponsored, in part, by Evangelical Community Hospital and Geisinger. The performance is dedicated to the heroism of frontline workers.

DIAVOLO is a creative movement production company that pushes the envelope of innovation by creating unique live & cinematic experiences. Using custom-made architectural structures, DIAVOLO intersects storytelling, movement and architecture with an inventive and visceral approach.

The 2020 premiere of This is Me: Letters From the Front Lines is a dance film exploring how the current climate of isolation has encouraged us to look within ourselves. We follow the paths of military veterans and first responders as they share what it means to be a true warrior – to be on the front lines – and fight the invisible enemy that all humanity is currently battling. At a time when most have been asked to halt and withdraw, others, like soldiers, are charging forward. This is Me: Letters From the Front Lines captures the resilience, determination and hope of the human spirit.

It is dedicated to all the veterans for their service, commitment and sacrifice and to all of our COVID-19 first responders for their dedication, selflessness, and resilience.

Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center Front Row National (Classical) will be offered on March 13 at 7:30 p.m. and April 11 at 2 p.m. The first performance in March will feature Alessio Bax & Lucille Chung (pianos) and is sponsored, in part, by Nancy and Sam Craig. The performance will include: Mozart – Concerto in E-flat major for Piano and String Quintet, K. 449 and Bartók – Sonata for Two Pianos and Percussion.

Then, on April 11 at 2 p.m. Gloria Chien (piano) will be featured and the program will include: Field – Nocturne No. 2 for Piano, Liszt – Grand duo concertant ‘Le Marin’, and Mendelssohn – Quartet in C-minor, Op. 1.

All of the Weis Center’s spring virtual performances are free, but registration is required by calling the Campus Box Office at 570-577-1000 or online at Bucknell.edu/BoxOffice.

In addition to Weis Center Streams, the Weis Center is professionally producing a weekly video performance series called Weis Center Sessions and a snaptalk series called Weis Center Snaps, both featuring members of the Bucknell community. All videos are available for free on the Weis Center’s website and social media channels.

For more information about Weis Center Streams, Sessions and Snaps, go to Bucknell.edu/WeisCenter or search for the Weis Center on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter or YouTube.  

The Chamber of Commerce will recognize outstanding individuals at its Annual Meeting, sponsored by PPL Electric Utilities, on Wednesday, February 10th. Nominees for the awards are as follows:

Small Business of the Year – Sponsored by First Columbia Bank & Trust
Bason Coffee Roasting
Diversified Technology Corp

Large Business of the Year – Sponsored by DRIVE
Bloomsburg University
First Columbia Bank & Trust
McKonly & Asbury
Service 1st Federal Credit Union

Community Progress – Sponsored by Atlantic Broadband
Cats in Bloom
Diversified Technology Corp
PB&J Bar
Quality Inn Bloomsburg
Town of Bloomsburg

Nonprofit of the Year – Sponsored by PNC Bank
Berwick Area YMCA
Bloomsburg Volunteer Ambulance
Bucknell & Wilkes SBDC
Community Giving Foundation
Danville Child Development Center
Good Samaritan

Outstanding Citizen – Sponsored by the Berwick Industrial Development Association
To be announced at Annual Meeting

Mask-up Sponsor: Geisinger
Media Sponsor: Bold Gold Media

Help us to celebrate all of the nominees by attending the Annual Meeting virtually via Zoom. Register online or by calling the Chamber at 570-784-2522 by February 9th.

From McKonly & Asbury, LLP

For most businesses, the Employee Retention Credit has fallen into the category of, “nice idea, but doesn’t really apply.”  The reason for this was that if you took a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan, you were not eligible for the Employee Retention Credit. If you didn’t take a PPP loan, there’s a good chance that’s because you have more than 500 employees and weren’t eligible. At this point, you may have looked at the Employee Retention Credit, but there probably wasn’t much (if anything) there as you would have had to either (a) been shut down by a government mandate or (b) had a revenue drop of 50% AND (c) paid people NOT to work. There aren’t a ton of businesses that fell into this category.

With the latest legislation though, EVERYTHING has changed. First, we’re going to start calling it the ERC, as I’m not sure how much more typing the whole thing out my fingers can take. Second, if you took a PPP loan, you can now take the ERC. At the risk of sounding dramatic, this is HUGE, particularly if you have fewer than 100 employees.

Here’s why – in Pennsylvania, all non-life-sustaining businesses had to close their physical locations on March 19, 2020. Many businesses received waivers to reopen, and the list of life-sustaining businesses was later revised, but if your PA business was, at any point in time, deemed a non-life-sustaining business, there is little argument that your operations were not fully or partially suspended during any calendar quarter in 2020 due to orders from an appropriate governmental authority. Thus, you qualify for Q1 2020. Plus, if you have fewer than 100 employees (measured as an average of 2019), ALL wages paid after March 12, 2020, qualify, and you are eligible for a credit of 50% of up to $10,000 of these qualifying wages.

SO WHAT DO YOU NEED TO DO?
You need to answer these two questions:

1. Is, or at any point in time was, your business deemed to be a non-life-sustaining business and forced to close its physical locations by PA mandate in 2020? Or, did your business’ revenue drop by more than 50% for any quarter in 2020?
2. Do you have fewer than 100 employees? Or, did you pay employees even though they couldn’t work (working from home counts as work)?

If the answer to these two questions is yes, let us help you dig further to see what’s there. Even if you got a PPP loan and received full forgiveness (or plan to), there’s a really, really, really good chance that you still have plenty of payroll costs that would be eligible for the ERC.

You can reach out to Mark Heath, Partner & Director of Tax Services, at McKonly & Asbury at mheath@macpas.com.

The recently approved COVID-19 relief and stimulus package includes $284 billion in forgivable, federally backed loans for hard-hit small businesses, non-profits, and live venues across the nation – including those in Pennsylvania.

The PA Chamber invites businesses statewide to hear directly from U.S. Small Business Administration Administrator Jovita Carranza and U.S. Chamber of Commerce Executive Vice President and Chief Policy Officer Neil Bradley as they share key insights into the latest round of Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans, including important changes to PPP guidelines, eligibility, forgiveness and more.  

Webinar Highlights

• SBA Administrator Jovita Carranza and U.S. Chamber EVP and Chief Policy Officer Neil Bradley provide key guidance for businesses on the latest round of PPP loans, including eligibility, forgiveness, and the application process
• Businesses have an opportunity to engage in Q&A with the guest speakers and PA Chamber President and CEO Gene Barr

This one-hour webinar will be held on Thursday, January 7th from 11 a.m.- noon and is FREE and open to Pennsylvania’s business community at large – including PA Chamber members and non-members – as part of the PA Chamber’s Bringing PA Back initiative.

Relevant to this webinar, on December 30th,  McKonly & Asbury Partners, David Blain and Mark Heath discussed the COVID and tax-related sections, including: stimulus checks, Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans, expansion of the Employee Retention Credit, during their webinar-Latest COVID Relief Bill and What’s in it for Business.  The webinar is available here. 

State Grant Awarded for Construction of HUB at Mills in Bloomsburg

Community Strategies Group (CSG) was awarded a $1,000,000 grant through the Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program (RACP) to assist in the construction of the HUB at Mills, according to Senator John R. Gordner (R-27) and Representative David R. Millard (R-109).

The funds will be used to help construct commercial office space for agencies providing services to neighboring Mulberry Mills Apartments for low-income seniors. This will ultimately include a community park, featuring Bloomsburg’s first dog park, exercise stations for senior citizens and more. The Columbia Montour Chamber of Commerce is also planning on relocating its offices in the building.

“This is a great project that will be an asset to many citizens of downtown Bloomsburg,” said Senator Gordner. “I want to congratulate CSG for its excellent vision and a successful application.”

“This will be a fantastic addition to our town and residents of all ages will benefit from it,” added Representative Millard.

The Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program (RACP) is a Commonwealth grant program administered by the Office of the Budget for the acquisition and construction of regional economic, cultural, civic, recreational, and historical improvement projects. RACP projects are authorized in the Redevelopment Assistance section of a Capital Budget Itemization Act, have a regional or multi-jurisdictional impact, and generate substantial increases or maintain current levels of employment, tax revenues, or other measures of economic activity. RACP projects are state-funded projects that cannot obtain primary funding under other state programs.

How to Successfully Start a Business During a Pandemic

Are you interested in opening your own business? Are you wondering how it is possible to do during a time of uncertainty? The pandemic doesn’t mean that you have to postpone starting a business. Join the members of the Wilkes University Small Business Development Center for a free five-week series to learn how you can successfully begin a business and rise to meet the new demands of the market. 

From PA CareerLink

The PA CareerLink is providing virtual opportunities for businesses all throughout the month of January.  

Weekly Virtual Job Fairs
Register now to secure your spot in our weekly job fairs!

Choose the dates you want to attend!

If you have any questions, please email tkohler@tiu11.org or call Theresa Kohler at 570.337.5474.

New Hire Reporting
Did you know that new hire reporting is required by law within 20 days of the start date?

This seminar will help you understand:

• Why, how, and when you must report new hires
• Reporting of newly hired, rehired, recalled, and temporary employees
• How to utilize the PA CareerLink site to report new hires
• Your impact, and the importance of participation in the PA New Hire Reporting Program

January 12th session, click here!
January 14th session, click here!

Employer Seminar
Learn how to Connect with Your Future Workforce on Wednesday, January 20th, 2021.

Luke Zeigler of the Central PA Workforce Development Corporation, will share information about Path to Careers and how to include your company profile on the website to strengthen your connection with educators and students.

Register for this virtual seminar today!

From McKonly & Asbury

Just in time for the holiday season, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) released the long-awaited addendum to the 2020 Compliance Supplement on December 22, 2020. This addendum provides important updates to COVID-19 related federal funding and the impact to Single Audits. This addendum, along with the original Compliance Supplement issued earlier in the year, is effective for fiscal years beginning after June 30, 2019 (i.e. June 30, 2020 fiscal years and later).

For audited entities whose Single Audits have been delayed, the addendum provides for a 3-month audit submission extension for Single Audits of 2020 year-ends through September 30, 2020. This extension is only available if the recipient entity received COVID-19 funding. There is no approval required for the extension, but documentation must be maintained for the reason of the delay. For those entities with June 30, 2020 year-ends, with COVID-19 funding, the deadline for submission of the Single Audit is now June 30, 2021 (as opposed to March 31, 2021).

Other items addressed in this addendum include:

• An updated matrix of compliance requirements subject to audit
• Updated agency requirements for new COVID-19 programs, existing programs impacted by COVID-19, and some non-COVID-19 additions
• Reporting of provider relief funds (expenditures and lost revenues) on the schedule of expenditures of federal awards (SEFA)
• Treatment of the receipt of donated personal protective equipment on the SEFA

The addendum also clarifies that for existing federal programs that received funding under the CARES Act that are not included in the addendum, auditors should perform reasonable procedures to ensure the compliance procedures included in the 2020 Compliance Supplement are current.

A copy of the full addendum can be found here.

The 2020 Compliance Supplement issued in August 2020 can be found here.

If you have any questions regarding the 2020 OMB Compliance Supplement, or this recent addendum, and how they may impact your nonprofit organization, contact Jim Shellenberger, Principal, at jshellenberger@macpas.com.

Has your organization recently joined the Chamber of Commerce? Or perhaps you have been a member for longer but would like a refresher on what benefits are available to and what the Chamber is doing on a daily basis on behalf of its members? Or maybe you’re not a member and are interested in learning more about what the Chamber can do for your organization?  Whatever the case, anyone is welcome to attend The Columbia Montour Chamber’s Member Orientation, which will be held virtually, Thursday, January 28th from 8:30-9:30 a.m.  This orientation will help you discover the multitude of benefits and marketing opportunities offered through the Chamber, as well as its ongoing initiatives aimed at economic and community development.  

Register today online or by calling 570-784-2522.  A Zoom meeting link will be sent upon registration.

Member Orientations are sponsored by USG, Kawneer, Bloomsburg University, First Columbia Bank & Trust Co., SEKISUI KYDEX, PPL Electric Utilities, Geisinger, and First Keystone Community Bank.

From rabbittransit

rabbittransit offers the following winter weather travel tips:

• Plan Ahead: Extreme winter weather may cause delays in paratransit service, so please plan ahead and allow extra time for travel. This is especially important if you’re making a new trip or one you are not completely familiar with. If you need to update a standing ride or cancel a trip, call 1-800-632-9063.
• Dress Warmly: Remember to dress for winter conditions. Vehicles will become cold during the loading and unloading process.
• Step Carefully: Bus floors and steps become slippery from snow and ice. Kick the snow or other precipitation from your shoes before stepping on board. Use the handrails and take your time. Always maintain three points of contact—one hand and two feet or two hands and one foot—when boarding the bus.
• Stay Informed: In case of inclement weather, rabbittransit may have delays. Sign up for Rider Alerts to receive an email or text message about unexpected service changes. Visit rabbittransit.org to sign up today.

Don’t forget to wear your mask! rabbittransit requires that passengers wear masks on board for the safety of all on the vehicle.