On behalf of the Western Carwash Association Board of Directors and staff, Happy New Year! WCA is here to help your business kick the new year off right, with some exclusive resources only available to our members. We've just released a new Injury and Illness Prevention Program (IIPP) so you can stay compliant with OSHA regulations and avoid increased fees (see below for more information). We're also keeping you updated on the latest labor laws with our upcoming Employment Law Webinar on February 15th. Lastly, we're working hard to make sure The Car Wash Show 2017 is one of the best trade shows to date. We are looking forward to a productive 2017, and we hope the year proves to be prosperous for your car wash businesses! 
2017 EMPLOYMENT LAW UPDATE
With a new year upon us, it's a crucial time to get informed on new labor
laws that may affect your business. Join us on Wednesday, February 15th for our  presented by Gary Bethel of Littler Mendelson. This presentation will focus on federal laws that all WCA members should be aware of. WCA webinars are free of charge and exclusive to WCA members. CLICK HERE to sign up for this informative webinar! 

UPCOMING EVENTS

February 15, 2017 
12 PM (Pacific) 1 PM (Mountain) 
Southern California Annual Meeting
February 22, 2017 
Manhattan Beach, CA 
April 4-6, 2017 
Las Vegas Convention Center
Webinar
April 28, 2017
12 PM (Pacific) 1 PM (Mountain)

NEW SAFETY PROGRAM AVAILABLE TO MEMBERS
In order to stay compliant with labor code regulations, every employer must establish, implement, and maintain an effective Injury and Illness Prevention Program (IIPP). Effective August 1, 2016 the Department of Labor issued a new rule implementing significantly higher penalties upon employers for Occupational Safety and Health Act violations. WCA is pleased to provide an effective NEW Employee Safety and Health program that meets the new regulations and will help reduce OSHA penalties and your Workers' Compensation insurance costs. To access the new safety program, CLICK HERE to log-in to the WCA website. Once you've logged in, the program can be found in the Member Glovebox under the Members-Only tab. From there you will be able to download the OSHA compliant manual, and the CalOSHA compliant manual for our members in California, both available in English and Spanish. If you have any questions or are having issues accessing the program, please contact our office at (800) 344-9274 or info@wcwa.org.

THE CAR WASH SHOW 2017
The biggest car wash event on the planet returns to the Las Vegas Convention Center on April 4th-6th! Not only is The Car Wash Show the largest trade show in the industry, it's the ultimate opportunity to network with industry pros and get educated on the latest industry topics and trends. CLICK HERE to get your tickets today, and CLICK HERE to book your hotel stay. The Car Wash Show 2017 is THE must-attend event for car care professionals. See you in Vegas! 
CALL FOR ARTICLES
Do you have car wash industry related content you'd like to share with other
WCA members? WCA is looking for articles for our upcoming issue of the Express Magazine! Providing an article for the Express is a good way to get your company name in front of our membership. However, please note that articles cannot be a sales pitch and must be pre-approved by WCA. To submit an article, send it to WCA Executive Director Kristy Babb at Kristy@wcwa.org by Friday, January 27th. 


LEGAL UPDATE
Retaliation Claim Dismissed Based On Employer's Legitimate Non-Discriminatory Reason For Termination
Gary Bethel
Attorney 

In today's Legal Update we look at the reasons why a court dismissed an employee's claim that she was retaliated against because of her requesting an accommodation in the form of FMLA leave because of her bipolar disorder. In this case the employee was appealing a district court's entry of summary judgment for her employer on her retaliation claim under the Americans With Disabilities Act, 42 U.S.C. ยง 12203(a) (ADA). The court held that the sole issue in this case was whether the employer's stated reason for terminating the employee's employment were pretextual. CLICK HERE to read this update. 

INDUSTRY UPDATES
Hydra-Flex Welcomes New Director of Sales
January 5, 2017 - Click HERE to read more

Have an industry update to be included in the Mini-Express? Email 


Western Carwash Association  | (800) 344-9274  | www.wcwa.org