ISSA Leg. & Reg. Update – Big Advocacy Win in CA
Welcome to the latest ISSA Legislative & Regulatory Update, a biweekly roundup of the public-policy issues currently impacting the full cleaning supply chain. This update touches on a significant advocacy win in the state of California for the industry and ISSA, ISSA and 19 member companies receiving the 2024 EPA Safer Choice Partner of the Year Award, DOL publishing a menstruation and menopause issue brief, and more.
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ISSA Advocacy
Big Win in CA – Janitorial-Workloading Bill Changed to Study
What it means: California Governor Gavin Newsom signed into law janitorial-workloading legislation as a study bill, marking a major shift from the original legislative proposal.
Why it matters: The original bill would have established an arbitrary and costly 2,000 square-feet per hour production-rate limit for cleaning workers. The enacted legislation will increase the cost of harassment-prevention training required in the state for cleaning-service workers. Nonetheless, this represents a major victory for the cleaning and facility-solutions industry and ISSA. “This issue isn’t going away, and other states and Congress are likely to consider similar legislation,” said ISSA Director of
Government Affairs John Nothdurft.
What ISSA is doing: ISSA is seeking representation on the advisory committee for the study of the janitorial industry that the state of California will conduct to ensure that the study is informed and guided by industry best practices. “ISSA supports efforts to protect worker safety and will continue to monitor and engage stakeholders, labor, and policymakers on workloading issues,” said Nothdurft. Learn more about this legislative victory for the industry and how ISSA advocacy contributed to it.
What you can do: Help ISSA achieve similar legislative victories in your state and across the nation by contributing to the ISSA Advocacy Fund.
ISSA, 19 Member Companies Honored as 2024 Safer Choice Partners of the Year
What it means: ISSA and 19 ISSA member companies were selected as 2024 Safer Choice Partner of the Year recipients by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
Why it matters: This prestigious award recognizes organizations that have significantly contributed to developing and commercializing safer chemicals and products.
What ISSA is doing: The Safer Choice Partner of the Year award highlights the commitment of ISSA and its members to promoting sustainable and environmentally-friendly cleaning practices. The 2024 EPA Safer Choice Partner of the Year Award Ceremony will take place on November 20 as part of ISSA Show North America 2024. Learn more
DOL Publishes Menstruation and Menopause Issue Brief
What it means: The U.S. Department of Labor’s Women’s Bureau published an issue brief on menstruation and menopause in the workplace.
Why it matters: The brief details the impact of menstruation and menopause on workers and what types of policies and supports can be implemented to help improve employee experiences at work, such as providing period products.
What ISSA is doing: ISSA and our members met with bureau staff on several occasions and bureau staff spoke at the 2024 ISSA Clean Advocacy Summit in Washington, DC as part of ISSA’s award-winning campaign to end period poverty. View ISSA’s latest Period Project Update
PRIA Registration Fees Increased October 1
What it means: PRIA registration fees increased 5% as of October 1. Since PRIA was first signed into law in 2004, the law provides the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) with two 5% fee increases over five years to address EPA salary and other cost increases.
Why it matters: Under PRIA 5, those 5% increases are tied to EPA meeting specific milestones. EPA may institute a second 5% fee increase as of October 2026, if the agency begins implementing the appropriate process improvements identified in a required third-party audit. We understand that EPA recently signed a contract with a vendor to conduct such an audit.
What ISSA is doing: ISSA as part of the PRIA Coalition is working to identify relevant and important challenges for industry stakeholders as part of the forthcoming audit. Learn more
Last Chance to Register – Navigating Extended Producer Responsibility in the Cleaning Industry
Why attend: Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) is a regulatory system that holds brands and other entities accountable for the waste that their products produce. EPR-related legislation aims to reduce packaging waste and support a circular economy. In this ISSA webinar on October 22, we’ll explore how EPR is increasingly shaping the cleaning and facility-solutions industry and what it means for your business. Learn more and register
Include Advocacy as Part of Your ISSA Show Experience
Your ISSA Advocacy Team has a myriad of activities for you to engage in as part of your ISSA Show North America 2024 experience at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas, Nevada, November 17-21, including:
November 18
- Keeping It Clean: Regulatory Compliance Review – 8 am-5 pm, Coral ABC, North Convention Center
This regulatory workshop, presented by ISSA and the Household & Commercial Products Association, requires separate registration here. - Stay Compliant with New Labor Laws – 1:45 pm-2:45 pm, Islander A, North Convention Center
This session on the numerous changes to labor laws and regulations that impact cleaning companies requires an All-Access Pass to attend.
November 19
- Women Leading in Advocacy/Advocacy Meet Up – 11:30 am-12:30 pm, CleanMeet Zone – Show Floor, Booth #600
- What the PFAS? What It Means for Cleaning Products – 1:30 pm-2 pm, Business Solutions Theater – Show Floor, Booth #117
- End Period Poverty Service Project – 2 pm-4 pm, ISSA Experience Hub, Booth #2147
The first 50 volunteers to help us fill personal-care bags for those in need in the local community will receive a special thank-you gift from our Donation-Bag Sponsor, HOSPECO Brands Group. - Advocacy Happy Hour – 4 pm-5 pm, ISSA Experience Hub, Booth #2147, sponsored by Products Chemical
Meet the ISSA Advocacy Team, talk politics, network, and enjoy a complimentary drink!
November 20
- Industry Leaders Roundtable – 2:45 pm-1:15 pm, Business Solutions Theater – Show Floor, Booth #117
- 2024 EPA Safer Choice Partner of the Year Award Ceremony – 3:30 pm-5 pm, Sustainability & ESG Hub – Show Floor, Booth #1247
Be sure to stop by our Advocacy Booth in the ISSA Experience Hub and say hello to your Advocacy Team. We look forward to seeing you there! Learn more
Webinar – What the 2024 Elections Mean for the Cleaning and Facility-Solutions Industry
Why attend: No matter the outcome, the 2024 elections will have a major impact on our industry. Join this free ISSA webinar What the 2024 Elections Mean for the Cleaning and Facility-Solutions Industry, 12 pm-1 pm CT on December 11. The webinar will feature Jeff Hanscom, Vice President, State & Local Government Relations & Public Policy for the International Franchise Association, and ISSA’s Director of Government Affairs John Nothdurft. Learn more and register
Thank you to ISSA member-company Integrity Maintenance Solutions, LLC for its recent contribution to the ISSA Advocacy Fund at the Advocate level.
Additional Updates
Legislative
Government Shutdown Averted
Congress approved a short-term spending deal that extends the 2023 fiscal year budget past its October 1 expiration date, but still requires lawmakers to either negotiate a funding deal or pass another extension in December, Forbes reports. Learn more
Warehouse Bill Reintroduced with Bipartisan Support
Senator Ed Markey (D-MA) reintroduced the Warehouse Worker Protection Act in the U.S. Senate with some changes and a Republican cosponsor, Senator Josh Hawley (R-MO). The bill attempts to restrict employers’ use of workplace productivity quotas and would mandate that the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration issue two new rules—one on ergonomics in the workplace and another requiring medical professionals in warehouses. The reintroduced legislation does include a small business “exemption.” Learn more
Regulatory & Judicial
Port Strike Ends as Workers Agree to Tentative Deal
The union that represents tens of thousands of East Coast dockworkers and the shipping industry announced last week that they had reached a tentative agreement on wages and are extending an expired contract through January 15, 2025, Politico reports. Learn more
Fifth Circuit Upholds DOL’s Overtime Authority
A federal appeals court upheld the U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) ability to consider a worker’s salary level when determining whether they should be exempt from federal overtime-pay requirements, a “win” for the Biden administration, according to Bloomberg Law. As a reminder, the second salary threshold of DOL’s overtime-pay regulations will increase to US$58,656 on January 1, 2025, then update every three years. Starting July 1, 2024, U.S. workers making $43,888 or less are now eligible for overtime benefits. Learn more
EPA Considers New PFAS Reporting Requirements
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is considering adding more “forever chemicals” and changing its reporting framework under a new proposal that expands the program for tracking PFAS discharges, E&E News reports. Learn more
Dodge a $37,500 Bullet: How to Avoid the EPA Fine
There are three reasons why you, as a restoration contractor, should get your U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Lead RRP training, according to Doug Hoffman in the September 30, 2024, issue of Clean Fax. Avoiding a US$37,500 fine may be the biggest motivator, but other good reasons exist to receive this training. Learn more
2024 EPA National Pollution Prevention Training and Conference
You’re invited to the free 2024 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) National Pollution Prevention Training and Conference, December 10-11, 2024, in Washington, DC. Learn more
State News
New State Laws Prohibit Employers from ‘Pushing Politics’
Bans on mandatory workplace meetings where managers discuss politics, religion, and unions are close to spreading into California, in a trend that’s driven by labor supporters yet also restricts employers looking to influence how their employees vote in November, Bloomberg Law reports. Learn more
FL Minimum Wage Increases
Florida’s minimum wage increased to US$13 an hour on September 30, as the state continues carrying out a constitutional amendment that eventually will lead to a $15 minimum wage, according to 6 South Florida. Learn more
