Wishing you a safe and happy Labor Day Weekend from the SC Chamber!
SC Chamber Releases 2016 Legislative Scorecard…. Each legislative session, the Chamber tracks votes on key business issues and tallies them to determine an overall score for each member of the General Assembly. In 2016, the Chamber tracked key votes on infrastructure, workforce development, an attempt to repeal our Right to Work laws, military retirement benefits, tort reform and aid for our farmers following October’s historic flood. Click below to read the Scorecard and see if your legislator made our list of 2016 Business Advocates.
Joint Committee on Pension Systems Review Holds First Meeting... A joint committee of Senators and House members met to address the growing unfunded liability of the state retirement system Tuesday. Due to increasing obligations, shrinking state employee rolls, and a sluggish bond market, the fund’s liability is nearing a point where the state’s bond rating could be reexamined by the rating agencies.
Chamber President & CEO Ted Pitts addressed the issue in the Index-Journal Friday, stating, "While the changes made to the state's pension systems in 2012 were a step in the right direction, there is a reason the private sector has moved away from defined benefit retirement plans to defined contribution plans. Like with Social Security on the federal level, today's math doesn't work using yesterday's variables. Our state's leaders have to act and we have to work together to finish making the changes needed to fix the system. Anything that could affect South Carolina's AAA credit rating is a huge issue for the state's business community." Click here to read the full article.
Take Advantage of Our Labor Day Savings on LeadSC Summit Registrations… This two day Young Professionals Summit will cover topics like: networking the way to your next promotion, personal cash flow management, how millennials affect politics and more. Enter promo code “YPLABOR16” when registering from now until Wednesday, September 7th and save $20!
Deadline for Diversity Award Applications Extended… The deadline to submit your nomination for our Excellence in Workplace Diversity Award has been moved to next Friday, September 9th. This award recognizes companies for their significant contributions to the advancement of South Carolina through diversity initiatives and inclusion efforts. Submit your nominations here.