Business Digest

The Laker/Lutz News to be honored
The Laker/Lutz News has been notified that it will receive honors in 21 categories during the Florida Press Association’s 2021 Weekly Newspaper Contest.

The Laker/Lutz News has received a total of 27 awards, which will be bestowed during a July 16 luncheon in Sarasota. Staff members Matt Mistretta, Kevin Weiss and B.C. Manion will receive recognition, along with newspaper contributors Fred Bellet, Christine Holtzman, Joey Johnston, Doug Sanders and Kathy Steele.

Lillian Cucuzza and Steve Vinik also are being honored, in a category for reader-generated photographs.

The Laker/Lutz News, locally owned and published by Diane Kortus, serves the communities of Odessa, Lutz, Land O’ Lakes, Wesley Chapel, New Tampa, Zephyrhills, Dade City, San Antonio and St. Leo.

Jersey Mike’s supports charities
Jersey Mike’s Subs raised $15 million nationwide to support local charities during is 11th  annual Month-of-Giving campaign. In the Tampa/Saint Petersburg area, its fundraising efforts raised $253,000 for the charity High Risk Hope.

Jersey Mike’s locations nationwide accepted donations throughout the month, building to March 31, Day of Giving, when more than 1,900 restaurants donated 100% of sales, not just profits, to local charities, according to a news release.

This year’s fundraising total is double the amount raised in 2019, when the company donated $7.3 million to local charities.

Last year’s Day of Giving celebrations were canceled because of the pandemic.

Since Month of Giving began in 2011, Jersey Mike’s has raised more than $47 million for local charities, according to the news release.

Tire Kingdom donates tires
Tire Kingdom, which is headquartered in Palm Beach Gardens, recently donated a set of tires for a vehicle owned by a Tampa nonprofit organization called Project 100, according to a news release.

The Tire Kingdom team at Store 217, at 1005 Bruce B. Downs Blvd., in Wesley Chapel, was honored to “play a role and contribute to this worthwhile cause,” Jay Garet, the store manager, said in the release.

Project 100 organizes local events to support the homeless or those in need.

State appointment
Pasco County Clerk & Comptroller Nikki Alvarez-Sowles  has been named to the Florida Clerks of Court Operations Corporation Executive Council by Florida Senate President Wilton Simpson, according to a news release.

The 10-member board, created by the Legislature, sets business policy and makes decisions regarding clerks’ court-related budget matters.

Alvarez-Sowles’ term, which lasts for two years, began April 11.

Team Up: Building A Strong Economy Together
The Pasco Economic Development Council Inc., and Experience Florida’s Sports Coast are co-hosting an event aimed at bringing together representatives of Pasco’s diverse economy, including corporate businesses, entrepreneurs, hoteliers, attraction partners and restauranteurs.

The event, called Team Up: Building A Strong Economy Together, is planned for May 6 at 5 p.m., at AdventHealth Center Ice.

The event includes networking, cocktails, a figure skating showcase, a plated dinner, tourism and economic development presentations, recognition and award celebrations. There also will be a keynote address by Mike Rayburn, who went from playing guitar for seven people in a bar in Virginia to playing in Carnegie Hall.

For more information, call 813-926-0827, or visit PascoEDC.com.

Grand openings/ribbon-cuttings

• Molly’s Hatchet had its grand opening and ribbon-cutting on April 3, at 38444 Fifth Ave., in Zephyrhills.
• Fresh Kitchen New Tampa had its grand opening and ribbon-cutting on March 30, at 8648 Hunter’s Village Road in New Tampa.
• First Watch New Tampa had its official egg-cracking ceremony on April 5 to celebrate its new location at 8646 Hunter’s Village Road in New Tampa.

New offerings at Wiregrass
Some new stores have joined the lineup at The Shops at Wiregrass, at State Road 56 and Bruce B. Downs Blvd., in Wesley Chapel.

The new shops include Sephora, Optimal Wellness, Perfume Palace and Gold Mine Jewelers.

The mall also expects to add Token Ramen, Clean Juice and Coffee Latitudes later this year.

For more information, visit TheShopsAtWiregrass.com.

Free business workshop
April 20, from noon to 1 p.m.: Learn about the Business Model Canvas, which provides an easier way to develop a business plan. This webinar teaches participants how to visualize in a single page all the building blocks of your business plan, and still follow a detailed and rigorous process. This webinar is being presented by Jose Melgar, a Pasco-Hernando SCORE member.

To register or find out about other resources available through Pasco-Hernando SCORE, visit PascoHernando.score.org.

GrowPasco breakout sessions
Kevin Harrington, a Shark Tank original, is the keynote speaker at GrowPasco, a daylong event offering 12 breakout sessions for entrepreneurs and executives. The registration fee for the event is $40 per person, with a $20 per person rate for Pasco businesses and residents. The event will be on May 8, at Hyatt Place Tampa Wesley Chapel, at 26000 Sierra Center Blvd., in Lutz. To register, go to PascoEDC.com.

East Pasco Networking Group
Upcoming speakers for the East Pasco Networking Group include Zephyrhills City Councilwoman Jodi Wilkeson and Zephyrhills City Manager Billy Poe, who will speak at the March 9 meeting, and Pasco Sheriff Chris Nocco, who will speak on March 23. The group meets at 7:30 a.m., at IHOP, at 13100 U.S. 301 in Dade City. For more information, call Nils Lenz at 813-782-9491 or Vicky Jones at 813-431-1149.

Business & Community Expo
Network with 40 Pasco County businesses and community organizations at the first annual Pasco Business & Community Expo at The Concourse on March 20 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. The Concourse is at 11919 Alric Pottberg Road in Shady Hills. Admission is $5 and includes a grand raffle entry ticket. Email for more information.

Women-owned businesses
How resilient are women entrepreneurs feeling during COVID-19?

A study by FreshBooks reveals that women entrepreneurs are being harder hit by the direct and indirect impacts of COVID-19.

Here are some of the key findings of the study:

• On average, women-owned businesses are taking nearly three times longer to recover from the financial setbacks brought on by COVID-19 compared to businesses owned by men.
• Self-employed women in industries that rebounded quickly are still under-indexing and recovering much slower than their male counterparts (for example, the construction industry).
• Nearly 60% of women say it will take them longer than six months to recover their business to previous COVID levels, compared to 47% of men.
• Industries with predominantly women-owned businesses (e.g., education, social assistance, etc.), were among the hardest hit industries during social distancing regulations.
• Women are more likely to be caring for children or the elderly during the pandemic.

The Business Resiliency During COVID-19 study combines survey data from 2,200 FreshBooks U.S. customers with business data from over 10,000 small businesses in the United States. Survey responses were collected online between July and September 2020. The FreshBooks data science team examined a range of metrics (e.g., revenue, expenditures, invoice amounts) to infer the impact(s) of COVID-19 on overall business performance in aggregate, as well as by gender and industry.

FreshBooks is the No. 2 small business accounting software in America, with paying customers in 100+ countries.

Grocery spending
A new data study found that while most Americans are spending more on groceries than ever before, Florida saw no change in grocery spending.

TOP Data analyzed spending at grocery stores across Florida and found that the average annual grocery bill was the same in 2020, with the average person spending $4,580.

The study also revealed that the biggest increase in spending has been on spirits, which was 33% higher in 2020 than in 2019.

Spending on meat jumped by 16%, with the meat alternatives subcategory seeing a 34% spike. The biggest subcategory increase was storage, which saw a huge 605% increase.

Key Findings from TOP Data’s study:

• There was a 9.4% increase in annual grocery spend in 2020.
• 33 states have increased their grocery bill during the pandemic.
• The average American spent $4,442 on groceries in 2020.
• People of Florida spent the same amount on grocery in 2020 compared to 2019.

TOP Data analyzed weekly spending data of 900,000 Americans. This spending was mapped to 55 grocery retailers, including Trader Joes, Whole Foods, Safeway, Kroger, Albertsons, Wegmans and Publix Super Markets, and others.

The data was cross-checked with publicly available information from each organization, and any correction provided was incorporated into the report.

Viewing this information in concert, TOP determined the weekly purchases at each merchant over the last 15 months by state.

16 million meals, and counting
The Florida Department of Elder Affairs distributed more than 16 million home-delivered meals last year following the onset of COVID-19. That number represents an increased distribution of over 200% for nearly five months, compared to the number of meals served during periods of non-emergency, according to a news release from the department.

As the department and the Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs) increased the number of home-delivered meals, the Aging Network simultaneously partnered with the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association to launch Feeding Older Floridians Restaurant Meal Initiative that contributed over 3.5 million meals to Florida seniors during the same time period.

Now, the department is reinforcing the successful home-delivered meal programs. An additional $12.7 million in federal funding has been distributed to the 11 AAAs throughout the state, to address the needs of older Floridians who remain affected by COVID-19.

“Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, our restaurants have stepped up to help fill the critical need for senior meals, and the extension of this program will continue to allow seniors to have increased access to hot, nutritious meals from the safety of their home while simultaneously helping to support Florida’s restaurants,” Carol Dover, President and CEO of the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association, said in the release.

The additional funding will allow extension of various meal delivery projects including the Feeding Older Floridians Restaurant Meal Initiative, drive-through meals, and grab-and-go meals for older adults who remain homebound.

Seven productivity hacks to help small businesses
The Better Business Bureau has published a list of seven tips aimed at helping small businesses succeed. In a nutshell, here are the tips:

• Know when to delegate. You are just one person; you can’t do everything.
• Set goals and track progress. Make lists of tasks you need to complete and keep track of how you are doing. Having a plan for each day and each week reduces the amount of time you waste.
• Work in time blocks. After setting your goals for the day, schedule a time for each task. For instance, if you schedule an hour to answer emails, stop doing that task after an hour and move on to the next thing on your list. Don’t forget to schedule in some 10-minute breaks.
• Avoid multi-tasking. Very few people can do more than one task at a time (Research says just 2.5%). Do one task at a time, and give it your full attention.
• Have short, impactful meetings. Every meeting should have a clear agenda.
• Hire the right people. It’s easier to delegate when you have the right people on the job. When choosing new team members, take your time to make sure the candidate is a good fit.
• Automate processes. Take a good look at your company. Automate, when possible.

For more information, visit BBB.org/smallbusiness.

Most competitive jobs in Florida: Retail
CareerCloud recently released a study that shows that in Florida the No. 1 most common and competitive job is a retail salesperson. That job represents 1,594 jobs for every 100,000 people in the state.

The report is based on the recent data from the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, and the Census Bureau, according to a news release from CareerCloud.

Some key findings:

• The five most competitive jobs in America are: Retail salesperson (1,379 workers per 100,000 people), food preparation and serving (1,132), cashiers (1,115), office clerks (965), registered nurses (935).
• Retail salesperson is among the top three most competitive jobs in 48 states, followed by cashier (26 states), and food prep and service worker (16 states)
• The five fastest-growing jobs through 2028 are: Solar installers (expected to increase by 45%); wind turbine technicians (expected to increase by 39%); home health aides (expected to increase by 21%), person care aides (expected to increase by 21%); and, occupational therapists (expected to increase by 18%).

CareerCloud also offers these tips for job seekers:

• Update Resume to Beat the Bots: Nearly 100% of Fortune 500 companies use a digital ATS platform to weed out resumes before a human sees them. To beat the bots, add keywords from the job description into your resume.
• Remember: Appearance Matters. Up Your Zoom game. Choose a clean background in your home for Zoom interviews, and make sure you dressed and groomed for success, as if it was an in-person interview.
• Be Flexible and Focus on Transferrable Skills: As the economy rebounds, your old job may be gone, or you may choose an industry with less competition. Be sure to highlight your transferrable skills– such as office management or mentoring of new hires.
  For more information from the report, go to CareerCloud.

Borrowing from the bank of Mom & Dad
Nearly one in four young Floridians have loans from their parents since the pandemic, according to a survey by USAWillGuru.com.

Seventy-eight percent of respondents say there is no interest on loans from their parents, and one in five parents admit they are not confident they will be repaid.

The survey included 4,500 people between the ages of 20 and 29.

As Gen Z moves into adulthood and millennials advance into middle age, an overwhelming trend has emerged, revealing that 23% of young Floridians have relied on parents to help pay the bills since the start of the pandemic in March 2020.

The categories most parents are requested to help pay for are: Rent: 52%; Car: 22%; Groceries: 15%; and, Childcare: 11%.

For those borrowing from the Bank of Mom & Dad, 78% say there is no interest on the loans, including 5% who had not even discussed repayment terms.

For those moving back in with their parents, 72% said they are doing so, rent-free.

But, young people aren’t the only ones being affected by the pandemic, as 52% of parents who have given adult children money since the start of the pandemic, admit that they haven’t been able to provide the full amount requested, according to the survey.

Most said they didn’t have the funds available, but one in five said they were not confident their children would pay them back.

Initiative aims to help emerging leaders
The U.S. Small Business Administration announced the launch of the 2021 Emerging Leaders initiative for executives of small businesses poised for growth in underserved markets, according to a news release.

Local area recruitment for the 2021 training cycle is currently underway at designated SBA District Offices. Interested small business owners can learn more regarding eligibility, how to apply, class schedules and locations at SBA.gov/emergingleaders, or by contacting their local SBA District Office.

Recent ribbon-cuttings
The North Tampa Bay Chamber of Commerce has announced a number of recent ribbon-cuttings:

• Geico Wesley Chapel will have a grand opening on Feb. 11 from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., at 1227 Bruce B. Downs Blvd., in Wesley Chapel.
• Kiddie Academy of Wiregrass Ranch, had a ribbon-cutting on Feb. 9, at 2900 Hueland Pond Blvd., in Wesley Chapel.
• HD Real Estate Company had an open house on Feb. 3, at the North Tampa Bay Chamber Office, 1868 Highlands Oaks Blvd., in Lutz.
• Rest Easy Realty hosted a ribbon-cutting and grand opening on Jan. 27, at 32347 State Road 52, Suite B, in San Antonio.

New dentist coming to Odessa
Eduard Pocola, DDS soon will offer dental services to the community of Odessa at Preserve Dental Care, a full-service, family dental practice set to open on March 5.

Services will range from routine cleanings and simple fillings to more in-depth restorative and cosmetic services, according to a news release.

Preserve Dental Care is located at 16030 Preserve Marketplace Blvd., in Odessa. The office is now accepting new patients. Appointments can be made by calling 813-591-3800 or by visiting PreserveDentalCare.com.

Hooters supports Moffitt Cancer Center
Hooters Management Corporation virtually presented a check for $52,905 to Moffitt Cancer Center, in a Zoom event. The donation represented the proceeds from the 2019 “Give a Hoot” program, and supports a grant awarded through the V Foundation for Cancer Research.

The donation will help support the cutting-edge work Moffitt researchers and physicians are doing to ensure patients are receiving the very best cancer care today and leading to new breakthroughs tomorrow, according to a news release.

Realtor breakfast
Union Park Charter Academy, 32775 Oldwoods Ave., in Wesley Chapel, is hosting a Realtor breakfast on Feb. 6 from 8:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. Learn about Union Park Academy and take a tour of the school. Masks will be required and temperatures will be taken upon entry. Breakfast and refreshments will be provided. For questions, call 813-358-7306, ext. 1008. To register, email .

PPP loan program reopened
The U.S. Small Business Administration, in consultation with the U.S. Treasury Department, has reopened the Paycheck Protection Loan Program. Lender forms, guidance and resources are available at SBA.gov/ppp.

If you need additional assistance, you may want to consult with a local business organization — such as your chamber of commerce, your local economic development council or local chapter of SCORE — to point you toward someone who can help you  navigate through the system.

Hotels want to play role in vaccine rollout
American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) is letting the nation’s leadership know that hotels would be a good choice for vaccine administration sites across the country.

In a news release, the association touts many attributes that hotels have to offer. They include:

• Vast geographic reach: Hotel properties are located in cities, suburbs and rural communities.
• Available capacity, 24/7 operations: Hotels have private rooms, meeting rooms, conference and ballrooms, as well as outside areas; hotels are equipped for 24-hour operations to allow for round-the-clock vaccination administration.
• Comprehensive cleanliness protocols.
• Infrastructure: Ample parking, parking that can be used for drive-thru sites; access to transportation networks, refrigeration capabilities

Hillsborough improving services
Hillsborough County has announced improvements in the way it does business for building permits, inspections and contractor licensing.

In changes that began on Jan. 19, the county launched its new online portal, HCFLGov.net/HillsGovHub, which is aimed at providing streamlined services that are faster and customer-friendly, according to a county news release. The portal provides 24/7 access to apply and pay for commercial and residential building permits online, schedule inspections, upload contractor licensing/professional certification information, apply for tree removal permits, and view various records. Anyone can use the portal.

Besides streamlining processes for customers, the digital system will enable staff to perform multiple reviews concurrently, and provide real-time access to permit and inspection information in the field, allowing for faster turnaround time.

If you’d like an orientation on how to use the portal, sign up to attend a webinar. The next one is scheduled on Jan. 27 at 1:30 p.m. To register, go to HCFLGov.net/HillsGovHub.

You can also get updates to additional services that will be available later. Go to the portal to sign up to receive emails on the updates.

Upcoming SCORE webinars

• Health insurance for small business, Feb. 9, 6 p.m. to 7 p.m.
• How to start a business, develop a plan, Feb. 10, 1 p.m. to 2 p.m.

Register at PascoHernando.score.org. Business mentors also are available through the organization.

Business panel discussions
Hillsborough County’s Entrepreneur Collaborative Center (ECC) is turning its free virtual small business panel discussions into a monthly staple, according to a county news release.

The Local Stories Live series lets participants connect with local successful small business owners for lively discussions on what it takes to survive and thrive as a small business.

The panels will be held on the second Friday of each month at 9 a.m. The 30-minute discussions will each feature three different local business leaders and will be followed by a brief question-and-answer period. Established business owners, entrepreneurs and those interested in the local business community are invited to participate.

Learn more about this and other available small business services and resources at HCFLGov.net/ECC.

Recent ribbon cuttings
The North Tampa Bay Chamber recently hosted these ribbon-cuttings:

• Touch Nails, second location, Jan. 14
• Community Victory Family Services, on Jan. 18
• iTrip Vacations Lakes of Central Florida, on Jan. 21

Rent debt is persistent threat
Apartment List’s latest survey shows that 28% began the year with unpaid rent bills from previous months, which were amassed while the economy buckled during the coronavirus pandemic. When federal- and local-level eviction moratoriums expire, rent debt may displace already-vulnerable renters from their homes, a news release from Apartment List says.

And, like many other consequences of the pandemic, rent debt is concentrated among minority renters, the report shows.

Here are some highlights from the new report:

• 53% of Black renters are coming into the new year with unpaid housing bills
• 38% of Hispanic renters have rent debt
• 27% of Asian renters have rent debt
• 21% of white renters have rent debt

These debts are causing concerns about near-term evictions within minority groups, according to the survey.

Over 30% of Black renters are “very” or “extremely” concerned about being evicted, more than double the rate of concern among white renters.

HART welcomes new CEO
The Hillsborough Area Regional Transit (HART) Board welcomed new CEO Adelee Le Grand to the agency at its Jan. 4 meeting, according to a news release.

“I’m super excited to be starting the new year in this capacity,” Adelee Le Grand, HART CEO, said in the release. “I just want to take a moment to say how gracious the residents of Hillsborough County have been. I’ve received so many kind notes from people I’ve never met, including people in City government. Through this exchange, I’ve learned that I am the first Black permanent CEO for HART. I’m excited and honored not only to serve as the CEO but to serve in this historic role. I look forward to moving forward with the team.”

Le Grand was selected for the CEO position at the Nov. 2 board meeting, following a national search that attracted more than 160 applicants.

“The HART Board is confident Ms. Le Grand is the right person to lead the agency and create a long legacy of providing the highest level of service equitably and to openly drive Hillsborough County forward,” Commissioner Mariella Smith, board chairwoman said in the release.

Realtor earns national designation
Linda Nowicke with Inside Tampa Homes has earned the nationally recognized Seniors Real Estate Specialist® designation from the SRES® Council of the National Association of REALTORS, according to a news release.

Nowicke joins more than 15,000 real estate professionals in North America who have earned this designation. Those receiving the designation completed a comprehensive course to understand the needs, considerations, and goals of real estate buyers and sellers, ages 55 and older.

“Working with seniors to meet their housing needs requires an expert understanding of their lifestyle and financial needs, and the SRES® designation means that a REALTOR® has that understanding,” Nowicke said in the release. “Whether they are buying, selling, relocating, or refinancing, seniors can be confident that a REALTOR® with their SRES® designation will be able to help them every step of the way.”

SRES® Council, founded in 2007, is the world’s largest association of real estate professionals focusing specifically on representing senior clients in real estate transactions. There are more than 15,000 active members of the organization worldwide.

For more information, visit SRES.realtor.

Help for women entrepreneurs
The Small Business Administration has announced that it is launching Ascent, a free digital e-learning platform geared to help women entrepreneurs grow and expand their businesses.

To learn more about SBA’s programs and services for women entrepreneurs, visit online at SBA.gov/women, and to find other WBC locations and SBA resources, visit SBA.gov/tools-local-assistance.

Florida ranks No. 3 in growth
Florida is the No. 3 growth state in America, according to U-Haul® data analyzing migration patterns from 2020.

Tennessee edges Texas, the leading growth state from 2016-2018, and Florida, the No. 1 growth state for 2019, for top honors on the new U-Haul chart, according to a news release.

Florida has been among the top four growth states each of the past six years, the release says.

People coming to Florida in one-way U-Haul trucks increased 2% during the past year, while departures rose about 4% from 2019. Despite the larger rise in departures, arrivals still accounted for nearly 50.2% of all one-way U-Haul traffic in Florida during 2020 to make it the No. 3 state for netting do-it-yourself movers, sliding two spots from its previous ranking.

Growth states are calculated by the net gain of one-way U-Haul trucks entering a state versus leaving that state during a calendar year. Migration trends data is compiled from more than 2 million one-way U-Haul truck-sharing transactions that occur annually, according to the release.

F45 Training receives GBAC accreditation
F45 Training at the Grove in Wesley Chapel has received GBAC (Global Biorisk Accreditation Council) accreditation, according to a news release.

To earn the accreditation, the training center had to implement numerous policies and procedures. Those include:

• UV ray lights installed in the ventilation system
• Temperature checks at the door
• A mandatory personal towel and water policy
• Availability of disposable wipes
• Sanitizer at the door
• Wipes and sanitizer at every station
• A social distancing workout layout
• Masks worn by coaches
• Spraying of entire studio after every class

Pasco to conduct business surveys
The Pasco County Commission has approved spending $75,000 to conduct an annual business survey in 2021, 2022 and 2023.

Commissioners voted on Nov. 17 to approve a contract with ETC Institute Inc., to conduct the annual surveys. The contract calls for a not-to-exceed amount of $25,000 in fiscal years 2021, 2022 and 2023, unless canceled in accordance with solicitation documents.

Nine companies responded to the solicitation, including one from Pasco County.

A five-member committee evaluated the submissions, before selecting ETC.

Florida benefits fall short
Money.com did a study of the maximum unemployment benefits paid per state as compared to expenses. The study showed that Florida’s maximum benefits per person was $1.102 as compared to expenses of $2,494, for a difference of $1.302, according to a news release. Florida ranked second only to Arizona, in terms of the size of the gap between unemployment and expenses. The difference in Arizona was $1.322.

AT&T contributes $10,000 for Crisis Center project
AT&T has selected the Crisis Center of Tampa Bay for a $10,000 donation, in support of the  Gateway Contact Center.

AT&T is providing vital communications services for Super Bowl LV in Tampa and is investing in the Tampa Bay community by supporting the Crisis Center of Tampa Bay ahead of the event, according to a news release.

The funding will support the Crisis Center of Tampa Bay’s Gateway Contact Center, which includes the 2-1-1 line, where callers receive immediate information and referrals to local services, as well as emotional support, 24/7.

As the sole provider of these services in Hillsborough County, the Crisis Center anticipates an increase in demand surrounding Super Bowl LV events in Tampa Bay, the release notes.

“The Super Bowl is an incredible opportunity to showcase the Tampa Bay area on a world stage. However, it also means an increased demand on social services in the community due to all of the events surrounding the game, and higher volumes of visitors to our city. We are thankful for the funding from AT&T in support of our contact center during a time when there will be a higher demand on our services,” Clara Reynolds, president & CEO of the Crisis Center of Tampa Bay, said in the release.

“AT&T is committed to our Florida communities, and we are honored to support this worthy organization and its mission to help Floridians in their time of need,” Edwin Narain, vice president, external and legislative affairs, AT&T Florida, added in the release.

Hillsborough seeks damage reports from Eta
Hillsborough County is seeking reports from businesses that sustained damages from Tropical Storm Eta. The county is requesting businesses experiencing damage to complete the Florida Business Damage Assessment Survey at FloridaDisaster.biz. This information helps to make assessments and begin the recovery process., according to a Hillsborough County news release.

Professional business consultants are available at no cost to assist small businesses in identifying assistance that may be available for their individual business needs. Contact the Florida SBDC at Hillsborough County or call (813) 204-9267 to request a virtual or phone appointment.

Also, the county reminds businesses to use due care in selecting contractors to make repairs. Fraudulent and unlicensed contractors often seek to victimize vulnerable business owners and residents looking to repair damage.

Deadline approaching for human trafficking training
Florida lodging employees have until Jan. 1 to comply with human trafficking training requirements, according to a news release from the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association (FRLA).

Legislation was passed in 2019, requiring that human trafficking awareness training be provided and that reporting procedures be established for Florida’s lodging operators and employees.

“Florida’s hospitality industry is committed to stopping human trafficking in our state,” Carol Dover, President & CEO of the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association (FRLA), said in the release. “Properly training our team members on the front lines in lodging is essential to spot and stop this horrific crime. FRLA stands ready to ensure that our people are trained and that our industry is no longer targeted or vulnerable for trafficking.”

State law mandates training for those lodging employees who perform housekeeping duties or work at the front desk or reception areas starts within 60 days of hiring or by Jan. 1, whichever occurs later.

To ensure the utmost vigilance, the FRLA recommends that lodging operators train all guest-interactive staff as well, including concierge, bell staff, valet, and others who have direct guest contact. The Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR), which regulates lodging establishments, released additional details, including:

• Training programs must be approved by the DBPR. The FRLA is an approved trainer and provides online training at no cost in English and Spanish. In-person training is available, too, at a fee.
• Employees must complete training by Jan. 1, or within 60 days of hire, whichever is later. Retraining is required annually.
• Covered lodging properties must implement a procedure to report suspected human trafficking to the National Human Trafficking Hotline, at (888) 373-7888 or local law enforcement. Signage must be posted in employee areas, regarding the hotline.