Utah Health Exchange from Salt Lake Chamber on Vimeo.

The Salt Lake Chamber, one of Utah’s most prominent health reform champions, will be among hundreds of businesses enrolling in the enhanced Utah Health Exchange. Business leaders support the Utah Health Exchange because of its cost-reducing features.

“We were the first organization to sign up last year and we continue to support the Utah Health Exchange,” said Lane Beattie, president and CEO of the Salt Lake Chamber. “The Exchange allows businesses to control costs while increasing the level of choice for employees.”

One year after its initial launch, the Exchange has been streamlined to require less information from enrolling organizations, provide a higher level of customer service and has controls to ensure competitive rates.

“The State of Utah has made great strides in improving the overall experience for companies wanting to use the exchange to build choice and flexibility into the health benefits they offer their employees,” stated Steve Neeleman, M.D. and CEO of HealthEquity, Inc. “An important step in improving the experience was to add a call center solution staffed with our own knowledgeable HealthEquity Specialists based right here in Utah to help producers, employers and employees understand the exchange process and navigate the complexities of the health insurance purchasing decision.”

The Exchange will put money into the hands of health consumers, encouraging them to make smart choices about how to spend their health care dollars. Consumers will benefit from a clear web interface that will offer side-by-side comparisons of cost and quality data. Insurance providers will also be able to create plans that better fit consumers’ needs.

The Affordable Care Act (ACA) requires all states to establish a health exchange by 2014 or they will be required to join a regional or national exchange. Thanks to the leadership and dedication of House Speaker David Clark and other elected officials, Utah is poised to benefit from lower health care costs and increased choice.

The Exchange is open to all businesses with 2-50 employees. The employer registration period that opens today runs through September 15 for benefits effective January 1, 2011. Registration is available online at exchange.utah.gov. Enrollment continues beyond the initial deadline for benefits effective in subsequent months.

The certification is significant, because it means 222 Main is not just aesthetically pleasing and a great addition to the downtown skyline, but also sets the standard of environmental awareness and efficiency for many other buildings being completed in the Downtown Rising project!

From the windows to the electrical system to the high-efficiency HVAC system and water system. Simply put 222 Main is a model of efficiency.

The LEED Gold Certification recognizes Hamilton’s commitment to doing things the right way from the inside out.  222 should make us all a little prouder to be associated with Downtown Salt Lake City.

Congratulations to Hamilton Partners for setting the LEED standard for Downtown Salt Lake City!

Senator Hatch addresses Capitol Club from Salt Lake Chamber on Vimeo.

During the Salt Lake Chamber Capitol Club meeting this morning, special guest U.S. Senator Orrin Hatch announced that legislation he is sponsoring has added four influential endorsements. The American Job Protection Act, a proposed repeal of the employer mandate portions of the recently-passed $2.6 trillion health law is supported by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB), the National Association of Wholesalers (NAW), and the National Retail Federation (NRF).

“Our economy remains fragile and our job creators won’t start hiring, because of the Obama Administration’s costly, job-killing agenda,” said Hatch. “Business owners in Utah and across the country have told me that the $2.6 trillion health law and its punitive employer mandate is a significant reason they aren’t putting more Americans back to work. That’s exactly why the employer mandate needs to be repealed. I’m glad these groups are joining me in this fight.”

Sen. Hatch discussed the legislation and took questions from members of the Capitol Club. Following the meeting he sat down to discuss a number of topics including immigration, exports and predictions for the upcoming midterm elections.

To the Nation’s Capital from Salt Lake Chamber on Vimeo.

As Utah’s business leader, the Salt Lake Chamber stands as the voice of business, and next month a group of business will visit the Nation’s Capital to make their voice heard on issues that affect the business community.

Utah’s federal delegation and other appointed officials want to understand the opinions of Utah business leaders and this trip is your opportunity to weigh in on the key issues.

Wesley Smith, director of public policy for the Salt Lake Chamber joins us to discuss the trip and what we hope to accomplish.

E-Verify for business from Salt Lake Chamber on Vimeo.

As of July 1^st 2010 state law requires that all businesses with 15 or more full time employees utilize an employment verification system like E-Verify. Before the law went into effect, the Salt Lake Chamber held a series of trainings from St. George to Logan to help our members understand and utilize this valuable new tool for employers.

A recent survey of the Chamber membership showed nearly half feel they need additional training to be in compliance with the law.

Tim Wheelwright, partner at Durham, Jones & Pinegar who also chairs the Salt Lake Chamber Immigration Committee sat down to give us the inside scoop on the E-Verify system.

For more information on implementing the E-Verify system click here.

Immigration has been a hot topic recently and it’s a topic you’ll hear a lot about over the next few months. The Salt Lake Chamber has proposed an innovative state immigration policy… combining the need for federal action with supportive state action that protects the public and sustains the economy.

Utah is not a border state. Immigration affects us differently than other states, particularly those with an international border. The Chamber supports a solution that is unique to Utah and reflects our culture as a welcoming, friendly and international community.

Ultimately, immigration and border security are federal issues that require federal policy and enforcement. We encourage Congress to enact comprehensive reform and we expect our federal delegation to address the issue in a manner than reflects the values of our state.

The manner in which Utah resolves the immigration issue will have far-reaching effects on our state economy—for better or worse. Carefully crafted immigration policy can strengthen our state economy. For two years the Chamber has supported an employer-sponsored worker program that addresses many of the issues of concern. A summary of the program is available at slchamber.com.

We applaud Governor Herbert for bringing together interested groups to discuss the future of immigration policy in Utah. The parties that participated passionately seek a solution and each emphasizes an important element of future state policy. As the debate progresses, we urge a civil and constructive discourse.

AUDIO: Salt Lake Chamber Business Minute

The Salt Lake Chamber proposed an innovative state immigration policy combining the need for federal action with supportive state action that protects the public and sustains the economy. Chamber President and CEO Lane Beattie presented the program today at the governor’s immigration roundtable at the State Capitol.

The Chamber’s proposal includes a redoubling of advocacy efforts with the federal government to increase visas and secure borders, crack down on serious crime and other abuses, and the enactment of an employer-sponsored work program.

Utah is not a border state. Immigration affects us differently than other states, particularly those with an international border. The Chamber supports a solution that is unique to Utah and reflects our culture as a welcoming, friendly and international community.

Ultimately, immigration and border security are federal issues that require federal policy and enforcement. We encourage Congress to enact comprehensive reform and we expect our federal delegation to address the issue in a manner than reflects the values of our state.

The manner in which Utah resolves the immigration issue will have far-reaching effects on our state economy—for better or worse. Carefully crafted immigration policy can strengthen our state economy. For two years the Chamber has supported an employer-sponsored worker program that addresses many of the issues of concern. A summary of the program is available at www.slchamber.com.

The Chamber applauds Governor Gary Herbert for bringing together interested groups to discuss the future of immigration policy in Utah. The parties that participated passionately seek a solution and each emphasizes an important element of future state policy. As the debate progresses, we urge a civil and constructive discourse.

The Chamber Proposal

Summary

Our federal government has failed to secure our national borders and support our economy through comprehensive immigration reform. In the absence of federal action, leading states are forced to enact policies that serve the public interest. Until we have a federal solution, we recommend a three-pronged strategy that will advantage Utah:

1.)   Demand federal action – Insist upon urgent federal action to increase the number of employment-based visas and secure our national borders.

2.)   Crack down on serious crime and other abuses – Deport individuals who commit serious crimes, pose a threat to public health or fail to contribute to a better community.

3.)   Protect economic interests – Enact an employer-sponsored work program with protective requirements.

Our vision

Utah has a long-standing reputation as a welcoming, family-oriented and international state. We hosted the world in 2002 and showed the greatness of our people and our ability to excel. Today we face an economic and civic imperative to pass immigration legislation that builds upon this legacy of internationalism, good will, strong families and human progress. We support innovative state immigration reform legislation that responds to public concerns about our public safety and welcomes well-intentioned, hard-working, community-enhancing immigrants who contribute to our economy.

Our strategy

We support a three-pronged strategy:

#1 Demand federal action

The U.S. Congress has let us down. We must redouble our advocacy efforts to achieve an increase in the number of employment-based visas and secure our national borders. We support efforts to substantially increase the number of border patrol personnel, to enhance border surveillance, and to enact security safeguards vital to our homeland security. We will actively lobby and speak out on the need for comprehensive federal immigration reform.

#2 Crack down on serious crime and other abuses

We support enforcement efforts to deport undocumented individuals who commit serious crimes, pose a threat to public health or fail to contribute to a better community. We favor provisions that impose strict criminal penalties on illegal immigrants who participate in gang activities and felony crimes. Provisions should include increased penalties, increased bond amounts, and expedited deportation.

#3 Protect our economic interests

We support enactment of an employer-sponsored work program. This program will provide a two-year, renewable guest worker authorization for undocumented workers currently residing in Utah who agree to abide by the requirements of the program.  Residency requirements and vigorous enforcement will prevent undocumented individuals from outside the state from being attracted to Utah.  The program includes these protective requirements:

Qualified positions

Whenever feasible, Utah’s law will utilize the existing federal framework to avoid unnecessary duplication and additional costs.  We propose that current federal notice requirements and regulations be applied to the Utah Employer-Sponsored Work Program.  Enrolled workers can only fill jobs that cannot be filled by citizens. Immigrant students attending institutions of higher education in Utah who find gainful employment in Utah in qualified positions would also be eligible as guest workers under this program.

Qualified individuals

The Utah Employer-Sponsored Work Program would require that potential workers meet the following criteria as administered by the State of Utah, under the oversight of the governor’s office.

• Registration as a worker: Applicants must register by providing relevant contact data to the State of Utah.  This data must be updated if any changes are made.  Failure to properly update this information will be grounds for revocation of worker status.
• Background check: Applicants must submit to a criminal background check. If individuals have a criminal history that includes any felony or other serious criminal behavior, that individual will not be eligible for this program.
• Medical exam/health check: Applicants must undergo a health examination to screen for communicable diseases. This is the same examination currently required for federal permanent residence status.
• 10% withholding: Applicant must agree to have 10% of their earnings withheld as a guarantee to uphold their contract with the state. This withholding will be taken out by the Utah State Tax Commission and invested in an interest bearing trust fund. This withholding will be available to guest workers after they complete their permit.
• Health insurance: All guest workers must be enrolled in a health insurance program that provides essential and basic health care.  Employers may facilitate an applicant’s meeting this requirement by providing insurance for the employee.
• Auto insurance: Applicants must show proof of valid, no-fault auto insurance.  Expired insurance will be grounds for revocation of guest worker status.

Utah Back to Work from Salt Lake Chamber on Vimeo.

This past legislative session the Salt Lake Chamber supported a program designed to get unemployed Utahns back to work and to help Utah businesses expand.

The Utah Back to Work program is now being implemented by the Utah Department of Workforce Services and Bill Starks, the unemployment insurance director with the Utah Department of Workforce Services sat down to give us some insight.

For more information on the Utah Back to Work program click here.

Utah small businesses are looking to take full advantage of recently reformed health system regulations and the Chamber teamed-up with SelectHealth to help them understand the potential benefits.

Over 100 small business owners and human resource professionals came armed with questions for Greg Matis, senior counsel for SelectHealth and Intermountain Healthcare who presented at the event this morning. Matis gave a detailed overview and fielded a wide range of questions.

For several years health system reform has been one of the top policy focuses of the Chamber. As federal health reform is implemented over the next few years, the Chamber is committed to educating Utah businesses to drive down health care costs.

Clear the Air Challenge from Salt Lake Chamber on Vimeo.

The Clear the Air Challenge is underway and the Salt Lake Chamber is working to Drive Down Your Miles. Kate Lilja sat down with us to discuss the Challenge, how every little bit makes a big difference and how you can still get in on the competition.