Excellence in Print 2022

Dear PGAMA Member

2022 Excellence in Print……Now More Than Ever

You have heard it before but 2020 was truly a year that was unprecedented and the challenges are still being felt within our country, world and certainly within our industry.  The continued economic and health ambiguity were the compelling reasons behind our decision to present our next Excellence in Print on Thursday, May 11, 2022 at Martin’s West in Baltimore.

Although our virtual presentation on December 9, 2020 was met with great success, the committee believed that, more than the award presentations, EIP was the best opportunity of the year to network, meet with colleagues and friends, and celebrate our industry. The committee recognized that it was not possible to have a live 2021 event due to the still active economic and health crisis as well as the fact that it would have been tone deaf, in our opinion, to ask you to stop from your focus and have you review projects for entry into a 2021 Excellence in Print.  The committee would like to congratulate, one more time, the 2020 EIP winners, The Xerox Grand Q- HBP, The Canon Solutions America Digital Q- Westland Printers, and The Standard Graphics Mid Atlantic -Printers and Binding and Finishing Q- Raff Embossing and Foilcraft

By the time our awards banquet is presented in the spring of 2022, we will be more than ready to celebrate print, meet and greet our friends and colleagues and show the world that print industry is on the road to recovery. 

Now is the time to begin putting aside projects that you wish to enter for next year’s awards.

Remember all projects produced between January 1, 2020 and November 30, 2021 are eligible and we urge you to support your industry, your company, and your employees by participating in 2022!

 In the coming months, more details will follow in e-newsletters, e-blast and mailed material.

Wishing you great success.

The PGAMA Excellence in Print Committee

MD Relief Act Summary

Maryland RELIEF Act Summary

*sources: Comptroller’s Office, Governor’s Office, DLS

• Sales and Use Tax Credit – Authorizes eligible vendors to retain an increased vendor tax credit for the three consecutive months following the enactment of the law. The amount of the vendor credit allowed is equal to the lesser of the amount of sales and use tax collected during the month the vendor qualifies for the increased credit or $3,000, not to exceed $9,000 in three months.
  • Eligibility: a vendor must file a timely sales and use tax return or consolidated return, and; the gross amount of sales and use tax remitted with the return may not exceed $6,000, and; a vendor must choose to forgo the standard vendor credit in order to claim the enhanced vendor credit.
  • When? Credits will be granted during the months of March, April, and May 2021. If you file returns quarterly, claim the March credit on the return you file in April, and claim the April and May credits on the return you file in July.
  • Amount: Eligible vendors may claim a credit against their sales and use tax for either the amount of the sales and use tax collected during the month for which the vendor claims the credit or $3,000, whichever is less.
• Business Tax Relief
  • Unemployment Tax Relief for Small Businesses
    • An employer’s 2021 unemployment tax rate will be calculated based on their non-pandemic experience by excluding the 2020 fiscal year, and instead by using the last three fiscal years of 2017, 2018, and 2019. This was already in effect via executive order but a change in law was necessary for it to remain in play beyond the state of emergency.
    • Small businesses and nonprofits with fewer than 50 employees will be allowed to defer unemployment insurance tax payments in calendar year 2021 to January 2022
  • The RELIEF Act’s loan and forgiveness plan safeguard Maryland business owners against any tax increase triggered by the use of state loan or grant funds.
• Unemployment Assistance - $1,000 one-time grant payments to certain individuals whose unemployment claims have been in adjudication for 30 days
  • Eligibility: The Department of Labor determines the recipients of the grants and will submit to the Comptroller a list of individuals who will receive payment
  • When? Payments will be sent to qualified individuals from March-July, dependent upon when the eligibility is determined by the Department of Labor
• Unemployment Insurance Income Tax Subtraction - The RELIEF Act provides a State Income Tax Exemption for Unemployment Insurance (UI) Benefits for qualifying filers. UI payments are currently subject to federal and state income taxation. Beginning with Tax Year 2020 and including Tax Year 2021, the Act exempts from the state income tax the UI benefits received by an individual earning less than $75,000, and couples filing jointly or individual heads of households earning less than $100,000.
• Grant and Loan Programs – New grant and loan programs for businesses and nonprofits to be administered by several state agencies, and local governments (see attached for local programs)

• Maryland Economic Development Assistance Authority and Fun
  • Grant program for businesses in distressed communities to assist the businesses in setting up an online sales framework and offering employees telework opportunities

Other provisions:

• Authorizes the Department of Commerce to forgive up to $50,000 of a loan, if the loan was made to a small business under the Equity Participation Investment Program with the Maryland Small Business Development Financing Authority. This provision applies only to fiscal 2021 and 2022 loans provided to relieve the adverse effects of the coronavirus pandemic.
• Creates a $420 million fund within the Department of Budget & Management to be used for:
  • Financial assistance to individuals, businesses, and nonprofit organizations
  • Funding for the Department of Health and UI program
  • The restoration of Department of Transportation transit services and highway maintenance funding.

Joint Letter to the Postmaster General

February 19, 2021

The Honorable Louis DeJoy

Postmaster General

United States Postal Service

475 L’Enfant Plaza SW

Washington DC 20260

Dear Postmaster General:

As representatives of your customers, the undersigned are writing to you in an effort to clearly convey the fragility of customer confidence in the Postal Service, given the recent collapse in service, and the danger of increasing prices under such circumstances.

We understand the impact of the pandemic – our member companies and nonprofit organizations, and their customers, are experiencing it as well – and of other factors that have impaired USPS operations and delivery. As the Postal Service has acknowledged, that impairment was worsened by internal failures to maintain control over inventory and follow established procedures and operating plans.

As a result, customers have experienced delays of not just a few days but weeks – even months – in getting their personal correspondence, greeting cards, statements, advertising mail, newspapers, magazines, and packages to their recipients. In turn, many customers, from the clients of commercial mailers to everyday users of retail services, now question whether they can depend on the Postal Service in the future. The collapse of service experienced in recent months has the potential to significantly accelerate the abandonment of mail; it has already resulted in messages to consumers encouraging them to “go paperless.”

In this context, increasing prices for substandard service should not even be considered. Any action that would drive away already skeptical customers would worsen the Postal Service’s challenges. Any short-term increase in revenue from an over-CPI price change would be outweighed by its long-term business impact. We believe there are better measures that could be undertaken to restore financial equilibrium.

As you have noted, the burdens imposed by Congress could be alleviated through successful discussions with legislators; reform legislation could remove unnecessary retirement prefunding obligations; USPS employee costs could be reduced through more disciplined negotiations; and operational efficiencies can be implemented that do not require diminishing service standards. Yes, those would be more difficult than simply raising prices, but also would yield greater and more long-lasting benefits – without imperiling mail volume.

The Postal Regulatory Commission has provided greater pricing authority to the Postal Service. When the commissioners concluded the USPS was not financially stable, the tool they used to remedy that condition was alteration of the rate-setting mechanism to enable greater price increases. The challenges facing our industry require a more thoughtful and comprehensive approach than for the Postal Service to mechanically maximize its rate authority, separately or as part of a broader plan, simply because it was provided with the opportunity to do so. Moreover, the availability of $10 billion in funding under recent legislation, and the ongoing positive income derived from increased parcel volume, lessen the urgency to seek additional revenue from ratepayers.

The Postal Service’s financial condition did not develop overnight and is not simply due to inadequate revenue – nor can it be remedied simply by raising prices, particularly through an unanticipated increase at a time when customer allegiance has been so severely compromised by poor service. Customers already prepared to walk out the door should not be asked to pay more – now or in the future – for something whose value they concurrently have reason to doubt.

We look forward to working with you to strengthen the Postal Service and ensure its future. We are also prepared to collaborate on an integrated and comprehensive approach to the challenges we face together. We stand ready to discuss these and other issues at your convenience.

MD Dept of Labor Detected Over 156,000 Potentially Fraudulent Unemployment Claims Since January

**FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE** Maryland Department of Labor Detected Over 156,000 Potentially Fraudulent Unemployment Claims Filed Since January States Across the Nation Experiencing Significant Spike in Fraud Over 87% of Claims Investigated in Maryland Confirmed as Fraudulent BALTIMORE, MD (February 11, 2021) - The Maryland Department of Labor (Labor) today provided an update about the department’s ongoing unemployment insurance fraud detection, prevention, and investigation efforts. Over 156,000 Potentially Fraudulent Claims Detected Since Beginning of January With the record number of unemployment insurance claims filed and the additional federal benefits available during the COVID-19 pandemic, states across the nation have continued to see bad actors and fraudsters using illegally obtained data to file fraudulent unemployment insurance claims.  However, since the passage of the Continued Assistance for Unemployed Workers Act (CAA), which expanded the federal CARES Act programs and most notably offered an additional $300 a week to eligible claimants through the Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC) program, states have seen a significant spike in fraudulent activity.  Of the 243,186 new claims filed in Maryland since January 1, 2021, 156,403 claims (64.31%) have been flagged as being potentially fraudulent due to new and existing aggressive security measures in place to protect taxpayers and the integrity of the state’s program. As fraudsters are becoming more brazen and adapting their tactics, Maryland continues to add new technology and safeguards to prevent and detect fraud.  Over 87% of Claims Flagged and Investigated Confirmed as Fraudulent With aggressive security measures in place, Labor continues to investigate potentially fraudulent in-state and out-of-state claims. With over 87% of claims flagged and investigated being confirmed as fraudulent, it is critical that the department reviews and verifies documentation manually.* Of the 161,897 out-of-state claims that have been identified as potentially fraudulent, 147,305 (90.99%) have either not uploaded the verification documentation requested or their documentation has been reviewed and denied. Of the 226,933 in-state claims that have been identified as potentially fraudulent, 191,358 (84.32%) have either not uploaded the verification documentation requested or their documentation has been reviewed and denied. Of the 388,830 claims flagged, there are currently 14,348 (3.69%) in-state and out-of-state potentially fraudulent claims pending manual review and verification by a team of specialists. *Note that these numbers are subject to change as the department continues to flag potentially fraudulent claims. Labor continues to coordinate its investigation with the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of the Inspector General (OIG) and the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Report Unemployment Insurance Fraud on Quarterly Employer Statements The department recently emailed all employers about potentially fraudulent charges appearing on their fourth quarter benefit charge statement because of an increase in the number of claims fraudulently filed in the names of people who are actively working.  This means that claims may be fraudulently filed for an employer’s employee, even though the employee is still working and is not unemployed. Please note that employers will not be charged for any fraudulent benefits associated with their account. All employers should carefully review their current and previous benefit charge statements to ensure that all claimant benefits charged to their account are accurate.  If an employer believes a fraudulent claim has been charged to their account, they should immediately file a benefit charge protest throughtheir BEACON employer portal located atemployer.beacon.labor.md.gov. The department will investigate their protest and will remove charges that are deemed fraudulent. For additional assistance, employers can contact the Employer Call Center by calling 410-949-0033. Report Other Unemployment Insurance Fraud If you believe that your information has been used to fraudulently file an unemployment insurance claim, please contact the Division of Unemployment Insurance’sBenefit Payment Control Unitby completing a “Request for Investigation of Unemployment Insurance Fraud” form and e-mailing it to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. If you received a 1099-G tax form, but did not apply for unemployment insurance benefits in Maryland in 2020, then please complete anAffidavit Formand submit it along with picture ID to the Benefit Payment Control Unit by emailingThis email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. If you are a claimant and believe funds have been fraudulently withdrawn from your Bank of America unemployment insurance debit card, please contact Bank of America directly by calling 1-855-847-2029. If you believe you have been a victim of identity theft, please read the Maryland State Police's Identity Theft Protection Quick Guideto find additional resources and learn more about the next steps you should take to protect your identity. For more information, visitMDunemployment.com.

Excellence in Print 2020

December 9, 2020 12:00 PM EST

The wait has been long, but the work has been excellent.  See who brings home the prizes in the 2020 Excellence in Print Awards.

Click here for the Program

Click here for the Show

FMLA & The Hybrid School Calendar

The DOL has addressed the expanded FMLA and the hybrid school calendar, and related to choosing an all-online option if available. 

• If your child is on a hybrid plan, then expanded intermittent FMLA is available for the days they are learning at home.
• If your employee has opted to go entirely online despite school being open (hybrid or completely), the DOL says you can use expanded FMLA on the days your child would be doing online learning anyway because the school is “closed” to that family on those days of online learning.

The new guidance is below:

·  My child’s school is operating on an alternate day (or other hybrid-attendance) basis. The school is open each day, but students alternate between days attending school in person and days participating in remote learning. They are permitted to attend school only on their allotted in-person attendance days. May I take paid leave under the FFCRA in these circumstances? (added 08/27/2020)

Yes, you are eligible to take paid leave under the FFCRA on days when your child is not permitted to attend school in person and must instead engage in remote learning, as long as you need the leave to actually care for your child during that time and only if no other suitable person is available to do so. For purposes of the FFCRA and its implementing regulations, the school is effectively “closed” to your child on days that he or she cannot attend in person. You may take paid leave under the FFCRA on each of your child’s remote-learning days.

·  My child’s school is giving me a choice between having my child attend in person or participate in a remote learning program for the fall. I signed up for the remote learning alternative because, for example, I worry that my child might contract COVID-19 and bring it home to the family. Since my child will be at home, may I take paid leave under the FFCRA in these circumstances? (added 08/27/2020)

No, you are not eligible to take paid leave under the FFCRA because your child’s school is not “closed” due to COVID–19 related reasons; it is open for your child to attend. FFCRA leave is not available to take care of a child whose school is open for in-person attendance. If your child is home not because his or her school is closed, but because you have chosen for the child to remain home, you are not entitled to FFCRA paid leave. However, if, because of COVID-19, your child is under a quarantine order or has been advised by a health care provider to self-isolate or self-quarantine, you may be eligible to take paid leave to care for him or her. See FAQ 63.

Also, as explained more fully in FAQ 98, if your child’s school is operating on an alternate day (or other hybrid-attendance) basis, you may be eligible to take paid leave under the FFCRA on each of your child’s remote-learning days because the school is effectively “closed” to your child on those days.

·  My child’s school is beginning the school year under a remote learning program out of concern for COVID-19, but has announced it will continue to evaluate local circumstances and make a decision about reopening for in-person attendance later in the school year. May I take paid leave under the FFCRA in these circumstances? (added 08/27/2020)

Yes, you are eligible to take paid leave under the FFCRA while your child’s school remains closed. If your child's school reopens, the availability of paid leave under the FFCRA will depend on the particulars of the school’s operations. See FAQ 98 and 99.

Sanitation Guidelines

Protecting the health and safety of employees during the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak is essential to ensure the spread of the virus is stopped and it does not spread within the workplace. The emergence of the COVID-19 virus has created a situation where every printing operation needs to institute a cleaning and disinfection program that will minimize the possibility of an employee becoming infected. The information presented below is based on the guidelines issued by the Center for Disease Control for businesses.

Sanitation FAQs

Covid19: Resources and Links

Printing Industries of America Covid-19 Resources for Printers

CDC Guidance: 

OSHA Guidance: 

Cares Act Summary

Letters for Essential Businesses

Maryland Resources:

Closure of Non-essential businesses

Small Business Relief Efforts

SBA's Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program

Maryland Small Business COVID-19 Emergency Relief Loan Fund

Virginia Resources:

Virginia Department of Labor Guidance

Virginia Covid-19 Resources

Virginia Department of Health

Letters for Essential Businesses

Below please find two letter templates, one for your employees and one for your suppliers in case they are questioned in regards to whether or not they are involved with an essential business.  Feel free to alter in any way you choose,  this is just suggested copy.

ESSENTIAL BUSINESS ACTIVITY
  
Date
 
To Whom It May Concern:
 
The bearer of this document is an employee of [company name].  The company is a printing and packaging company that supports and/or serves Essential Businesses.  As such [company name] conduct Essential Activities and is critical to the operations of Essential Businesses.  Pursuant to the Governor’s order of March 23, 2020, we are “needed to maintain continuity of operations of the federal critical infrastructure sectors” and thus exempt from closure.
 
[Company Name] applies best practices in its effort to limit the spread of COVID-19.  As possible, employees are required to follow the latest guidelines for social distancing and personal hygiene.  Where possible, employees are working remotely.  Only those employees whose job requires tools, machinery, etc. are working onsite.  In some cases, an employee may be required to work on site temporarily such as to process payroll, administer cash receipts and cash disbursements which are consider Minimum Basic Operations required for the Company to continue operations in support of Essential Businesses.
 
If you have any questions, please contact:
 
Officer Name
Company Address
Telephone Number
 


ESSENTIAL BUSINESS ACTIVITY- supplier
 
 
Date
 
To Whom It May Concern:
 
The bearer of this document (NAME OF SUPPLIER) is a supplier to [company name) and provides us with materials necessary to manufacture our crucial products. It is essential that we continue to receive these materials on a timely basis in order to fulfill our customer’s need in these critical times. Without the products provided by SUPPLIER, we will be hard pressed to meet the needs of our clients who are doing work that is necessary in the fight against COVID-19
 
We have been assured that [Company Name] applies best practices in its effort to limit the spread of COVID-19.  As possible, their employees are required to follow the latest guidelines for social distancing and personal hygiene. 
 
If you have any questions, please contact:
 
Officer Name
Company Address
Telephone Number

Virginia Response FAQ

SOME OF THE FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ADDRESSED BY THE GOVERNOR’S OFFICE REGARDING GOVERNOR NORTHAM’S EXECUTIVE

ORDER 53 ISSUED MARCH 23, 2020

When does this order go into effect? What areas of the state are covered?

The order is in effect from Tuesday, March 24, 2020 at 11:59 PM until Thursday, April 23 at 11:59 PM. It applies to the entire Commonwealth of Virginia.

Will this order be changed?

            Governor Northam, in consultation with State Health Commissioner Oliver, may adjust this order or issue new orders as needed, given the quickly-changing public health situation.

Can I leave my house?

            Yes. However, Governor Northam is urging Virginians to limit all non-essential travel outside the home, if and when possible. If you choose to go to the park, for a walk, or exercise outside, please practice strict social distancing and keep six feet apart from others. All public and private gatherings of more than 10 people [PGAMA Note: Employment settings are not considered gatherings for purposes of Executive Order 53] are banned.

Are you limiting interstate travel:

            No. Our roads and highways will remain open to move essential personnel and critical supplies.

Are there restrictions for any other categories of business?

            All other categories of business [PGAMA NOTE: We believe Virginia printers fall in this classification for purposes of Executive Order 53] should utilize teleworking as much as possible. Where telework is not feasible, such businesses must adhere to social distancing recommendations, enhanced sanitizing practices on common surfaces, and other appropriate workplace guidance from state and federal authorities while in operation.

            The following sources provide workplace guidance for operations that remain open:

• CDC Guidance: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/organizations/business-empoyers.html

• OSHA Guidance: https://www.osha.gov/Publications/OSHA3990.pdf

• Virginia Department of Labor and Industry Guidance:

https://www.doli.virginia.gov/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Coronovirus-Hazard-Alert.pdf

Do I still have to pay taxes?

            Yes. Businesses impacted by COVID-19 can also request to defer the payment of state sales tax due, March 20, 2020, for 30 days. When granted, businesses will be able to file no later than April 20, 2020 with a waiver of any penalties.

            The Virginia Department of Taxation has extended the due date of payment of Virginia individual and corporate income taxes. While filing deadlines remain the same, the due date for individual and corporate income tax will now be June 1, 2020. Please note that interest will still accrue, so taxpayers who are able to pay by the original deadlines should do so.

I have to lay off employees. Will I be penalized when they apply for unemployment benefits?

            Regional workforce teams have been activated to support employers that slow or cease operations. Employers who do slow or cease operations will not be financially penalized for an increase in workers requesting unemployment benefits.

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