Re-activation of Inactive Licenses

There is some good news for contractors with Inactive licenses! The number of continuing education credits that an inactive or delinquent inactive licensee must complete before they can reactivate their license has been reduced. Effective July 1, 2012, an inactive or delinquent inactive licensee will only need to complete the CEUs for the renewal period immediately prior to the reactivation.

 

This means that only one cycle needs to be fulfilled. You no longer have to complete every year that you missed. You will need to complete the continuing education requirements in place at the time of the last renewal for your profession. That includes 14 hours of board-approved continuing education that must include the following:

For CILB Licenses -

·         8 hours general credit

·         1 hour workers’ compensation

·         1 hour workplace safety

·         1 hour business practices

·         1 hour advanced building code

·         1 hour laws and rules

·         1 hour wind mitigation methodologies

For ECLB Licenses -

·         7 hours technical

·         1 hour workers’ compensation

·         1 hour workplace safety

·         1 hour business practices

·         2 hours false alarm prevention (for all certified and registered alarm contractors and certified electrical contractors who perform alarm work)

·         1-3 hours general credit

·         1 hour Florida Building Code advanced module course

What a great change from the previous way of doing things. If you have any questions, as always you can shoot us an email or give us a ring.

Out with the Old, In with New Apps and Enforced Rules

As anyone who has been connected with us for any length of time will know, we are always saying that things could change at any time. Well they did, but thankfully the state has given us time to adjust by allowing us to continue the old way for a while as we (and they!) learn their new system. What are we talking about? New applications. The state has updated their forms and we have scoured them to be able to let you know how they are easier than the old ones and more importantly how they are more difficult.

Let’s start with the easy. For Initial Issuance applications, the state no longer requires someone else to verify (sign off) on experience. Also, none of the new applications require bank letters or financial statements. The form that was streamlined the most, though, is the Qualifying an Additional Business Entity application. They no longer require CPA prepared financials or letter of capitalization, 3-months bank statements, bank verification letter, a list of projects completed by each company, information about who can pull permits or vendors, or a signature from a “responsible party” of each company.

This is sounding pretty good, maybe too good, right? Well, now let’s discuss why they are harder. Old applications only looked at credit reports for open bankruptcies/liens/judgments, but the new applications also look at credit SCORES.  Any applicant with a credit score below 660 is required to get a financial stability bond.  For Division-1 licenses (CRC, CBC and CGC), the bond is $20,000. For Division-2 licenses (everything else), the bond is $10,000.  Bond amounts can be cut in half ($10,000 D-1, $5,000 D-2) by taking a 14-hour financial responsibility course, but we are finding that surety companies are only offering these bonds on a very limited basis. From what we’re hearing right now the bond cost is around 3-5% of the bond amount PLUS collateral equal to the bond amount!

Although experience requirements have not changed, the way that experience is provided on the application has become much more detailed.  Now (for D-1 apps) every month of experience required needs to be accounted for on the paperwork with specific projects.  Also, the main ‘buzz words’ of each license type are listed as check-box items.  Each project must list the specific time period when the work was performed, and the check-boxes that apply to the project must be selected.  The combination of check boxes & months must be calculated to come up with the appropriate amount of experience.  D-2 is a bit more lenient than D-1, but the details are still much more elaborate than on the old forms. In addition to all of that, the name, license number, email address and phone number of the contractor that supervised the experience must be listed for each project.  This is to make sure that only experience gained while under the employ of a licensed contractor is used on the application.

We know this is a lot to take in… trust us… WE KNOW. We have until July 13^th to submit the old forms, which gives us some time to learn the new ins and outs, so to speak. No one likes change, but as always, if you have any questions just give us a call. The one thing that can be counted on, we are here to help you.

Congratulations, February licensees!

Congratulations to the following Licenses, Etc. clients who were approved in February:

• Glenn Babst at Glenn's Plumbing, Inc. of Marco Island, FL
• Keri Croswell at Acts Construction, Inc. of Orlando, FL
• William Samuels, Sr., at Approved Roofing, LLC of Bradenton, FL
• Craig Miles at Miles Custom Builders of Naples, FL
• Rene Suarez at Professional Building Restoration, Inc. of Wellington, FL
• Chris Riendeau at CR Building Services, Inc. of Lake Clarke Shores, FL
• Michael Delia at Home & Property Management Resources, Inc. of Wellington, FL
• James E. Wark at JWARK Construction, Inc. of Clinton Township, MI
• Dustin Dubois at Dubois Construction Services, LLC of Deerfield, FL
• Robert Ainslie at Cambi, Inc. of Jasper, AL
• Michael Brown of Winter Garden, FL
• Matthew O'Brien of Wesley Chapel, FL
• Benjamin King at Ben King Construction, LLC of Lehigh Acres, FL
• Margarita Maria Alvarez at R&A Construction Services LLC of Margate, FL
• Thomas Chad Lane of Winter Springs, FL
• Leslie Hope at Hydra Engineering & Construction, LLC of  Crawfordville, FL
• Joe Hope at Hydra Engineering & Construction, LLC of  Crawfordville, FL
• William Frenzel at Frenzel Services, Inc. of Fort Lauderdale, FL
• Jack Wilburn at Compass Building Services, LLC of Mount Dora, FL
• Richard Haff at Pro-Tech Building Systems, LLC of Bonita Springs, FL
• Jacob Werthem at TJRW, LLC dba Tact Services of Stuart, FL
• Eli Smith of Naples, FL
• Shawn Cook of Punta Gorda, FL

And remember if you would like to be set up on Social Media Networking sites, call Lisa at 239.963.5369 for more information.

Has your license been unexpectedly suspended?

We are always on the lookout for information we believe is share worthy. The article we found in the Construction Industry Licensing Board Newsletter is one such informational piece. You can see the entire newsletter by clicking here. Read on below for what to do if you suddenly find your license suspended.

“Has your Florida contractor’s license been suspended unexpectedly and you aren’t sure why? If so, there is a possibility that the suspension is for failing to comply with disciplinary actions taken against your license by the Construction Industry Licensing Board (CILB) or failure to comply with the terms of probation on your license.  If the CILB has taken disciplinary action against your license or placed your license on a term of probation, you may have items that required your compliance in order to maintain your license in a current active status. For example, you may have outstanding fines and/or investigative costs you owe to the Department; or you may have failed to provide proof of restitution made to a homeowner. If you were given a period of probation, you may not have complied with the terms of that probation. You may have even been ordered to take additional continuing education hours, but haven’t provided proof that they have been completed.

Please feel free to contact the Department to obtain information regarding your license status and to assist you with achieving compliance with the CILB’s requirements.  If you have outstanding fines, investigative costs or other unresolved disciplinary issues, please contact the Department at 850.487.1395 to make payment arrangements or to be put in touch with CILB staff. If you have received a notification letter of your suspension and have already made payment, you must provide proof of such to the Executive Director of the CILB. Please be sure to follow up with Department staff by contacting the CILB office to ensure that your suspension is lifted once you have complied with any outstanding discipline.

~David Spingler, Discipline Coordinator
Construction Industry Licensing Board”

Consumer Alert Concerning Annual Minutes

It appears that there is a scam out there regarding the annual report filing for the Department of State, Division of Corporations. Please be aware that COMPLIANCE SERVICES (not to be confused with the Florida Corporation, Compliance Services, Inc.) is mailing businesses a notice for "Annual Minutes" to be ordered for a fee of $125.

These notices are NOT from the Dept. of State, Division of Corporations. "Annual Minutes" are NOT required to be filed with any agency. Do NOT confuse these notices with the messages sent by the Division of Corporations reminding each business to file its 2012 Annual Report. If you receive this letter from COMPLIANCE SERVICES saying that you need to file your Annual Meeting Minutes--toss it out. 

You DO need to file an annual report with the Department of State, Division of Corporations (AKA Sunbiz), but these are two separate issues. Annual Reports can be filed online directly at www.Sunbiz.org or you can call us for help with the filing.

As always, the gals at Licenses, Etc. are here to help you in any way that we can. If you have any questions or need assistance, give us a call. We can help make sure that you don’t get scammed.

Home Inspection Continuing Education Requirements

So many of you are taking advantage of the home inspection license while the state has ‘re-opened’ the window for grandfathering. This is only for those who currently hold a Division 1 license with the state (Certified General, Building & Residential Contractor License).  There is no testing required, and also no education required. It is definitely the easiest it will ever be to get one, but the license expires on 07/31/2012, so what about the renewal?

We wondered the same thing so we went straight to the source and found out that the first 14 CE credits will not be required until 2014 renewal cycle. Home Inspectors should not start taking CE until after July 1, 2012.   CE credits taken before then will not be counted towards the 2014 renewal cycle. Moving forward, a minimum of fourteen (14) hours of continuing education will need to be completed every two years in order to keep the Home Inspector License active.

Just because there are no CEUs required this round, you’re not totally free.  The license DOES expire on 7/31/12. A renewal notice will be mailed to the address that you have on file with the DBPR office 90 days prior to renewal. Renewal fees are $205 and may be mailed to the department or you may renew your license online at www.MyFloridaLicense.com or with a Customer Contact Center Agent at 850.487.1395.

We will keep you up to date on all requirements as they are made known.  Keep an eye on our blog and e newsletter for the most current information available. If you are interested in obtaining this license or have any questions, just give us a call! We are always here to help.

Congratulations, December licensees!

Congratulations to the following Licenses, Etc. clients who were approved in November:

·         John Zalud Jr. at D&D Painting and Restoration, LLC of Sarasota, FL

·         William, Keith and Doug Daubmann at KDD, Inc. DBA My Shower Door of Fort Myers, FL

·         Andrew Ernst at AC Ernst Building Corp of Oviedo, FL

·         Gerald Reed at Reed & Co DBA Dreammaker Bath & Kitchen of Naples of Naples, FL

·         Anthony Robison of Lake Mary, FL

·         Elmer Edmonson at Pro Tech Plumbing & Insulation, Inc. of Lehigh Acres, FL

·         Dustin Parramore at ServPro of Cape Coral of Cape Coral, FL

·         Matthew Jamison at IRB Services, LLC of Indian Rocks Beach, FL

·         Paul James Yasbeck, JR. at Yasbeck Construction, Inc. of Leesburg, FL

·         Joseph Trufan at Air Care of SW, FL LLC of North Fort Myers, FL

·         Keith Reed at Can Do Construction Services, Inc. of Naples, FL

·         Travis Haehnle at Lazer Built, Inc. of Cincinatti, OH

·         Timothy Webb at Webb Construction Services, LLC of Cutler Bay, FL

·         Frank Herreda at F.M.H. HVAC, Inc. of Key West, FL

·         Andy Colombino at A F J Construction Company, Inc. of Orlando, FL

·         Anthony DiVergilio at Zanotti Divergilio, Inc. of West Bloomfield, MI

·         Robert Davis at Davis Company Homes of Pensacola, FL

·         Michael Greenan of Cocoa, FL

·         James Houser at Advantage Plastering & Finish Carpentry, Inc. of Bonita Springs, FL

·         Mario Maenza at Sticks & Stones Home Services, LLC of Orlando, FL

And remember if you would like to be set up on Social Media Networking sites, call Lisa at 239.963.5369 for more information.

Fictitious Name Renewal

So we all love this time of year.  The ending of another glorious year.  We can start wrapping things up and hope that next year will be even better.  But it is also a time when a lot of renewals come due.  One of those is fictitious name renewal. 

When you file for a fictitious name, it is good for 5 years. Your renewal must be filed by December 31st of the 5^th year since you filed to remain active. This can easily be done online at www.Sunbiz.org. If you fail to file the renewal, the registration will "Expire" and will not be able to simply be renewed or reinstated. You would need to file a new fictitious name registration all over again. This will include another ad in the paper, too.

When you renew your fictitious name, it will be active again for another 5 years. The fee is $50.00 and at this time you can change your mailing address, the county of the principal place of business, the federal identification tax number and the name and/or address of any owner.

Many people have questions regarding if they need a fictitious name or not. This is because most people don’t understand what a fictitious name is. All it means is any name being used to do business other than the legal name of the company. An example would be ABC Contracting, Inc. that would like to advertise themselves using the name ABC.  This usually pertains to franchises like when a local company wants to do business as McDonald’s.

If you have a fictitious name and aren’t sure if you are due this year, go to http://www.sunbiz.org/ficinam.html and type in your name. Click on the link for your name that should appear on the next page and find the expiration date listed under the filing information.  As always, if you need help in filing or would like further clarification, give the gals at Licenses, Etc. a quick call.  We are always here to help.

Elimination of the Qualified Business Organization License

A lot of you are sending in questions regarding the qualified business licenses that will be expiring this August.  Effective October 1, 2009, the Department of Business and Professional Regulation no longer issued Certificates of Authority (qualified business licenses) to companies.  This means that you no longer need to renew this license because they no longer exist.

House Bill 425 eliminated the requirement for a separate business license for construction companies in Florida. Contractors will still be required to qualify construction businesses with their license and provide background information for the business they are seeking to qualify.

If you ever have questions or concerns about your licenses, we are here to help.  Just give us a shout. 

Electrical Rule Changes

Changes have just occurred in the electrical licensing world.  The following rule changes went into effect on Sunday July 17, 2011.  In a nutshell:

·  The Statement of Bonding Limits or Irrevocable Letter of Credit is no longer required.

·  Personal Financial Statements no longer need to be notarized.

·  Forms on the DBPR website have been updated.

Here are the actual statutes now in place at the ECLB.  The crossed-through portions have been removed from the requirements.

61G6-5.003 Requirements for Certification.

 (2) Every applicant must submit:

(a) A comprehensive financial statement reflecting the financial condition of the individual applicant during the previous fiscal year; provided, however, that the statement must have been prepared within 12 months of the date of filing of the application. The financial statement shall include a balance sheet. Unless prepared by a certified public accountant, the financial statement shall be signed in the presence of a notary by the individual applicant.

61G6-5.004 Requirement for Business Organizations.

In order that the Board may carry out its statutory duty to investigate the financial responsibility, credit, and business reputation of an applicant proposing to engage in contracting as a partnership, corporation, business trust, or other legal entity other than a sole proprietorship, an applicant shall be required to forward the following to the Department for review by the Board:

(1) A statement signed and sealed by an officer of a surety company licensed to do business in Florida, certifying that the company would issue a performance or payment bond in an amount of at least $10,000.00 to an applicant for a specialty certification and in an amount of at least $25,000.00 to an applicant for unlimited electrical or alarm certification at the time of application. However, an applicant may substitute an Unexpired Irrevocable Letter of Credit from a responsible financial institution in an amount of at least $10,000.00 or $25,000.00 respectively, in lieu of this requirement.

As always, look to the gals at Licenses, Etc. to help you get through the licensing process quickly and easily.  We are always looking out for what affects you. 

Revised Applications and New License Rules Effective July 1st

Some big things just happened at the state level regarding licensing and there are a couple of changes we need to report to you.  Home Inspection licensing was made more attainable during this year’s legislative session.  As of July 1st, Division 1 license holders can apply for a Home Inspector License via Grandfathering.  There are no additional CEU or experience requirements during Grandfathering, so take advantage of this one-time-only opportunity.  Grandfathering will be allowed until July 1, 2012.   There are also provisions for certain other inspectors to be Grandfathered under this new rule.  If you would like additional information, please let us know.  The fee to the DBPR is $330 and fingerprinting is still required.  As always, the gals at Licenses, Etc. can help you with the application.  Give us a call today to find out more.

A big revelation was that the Glass & Glazing license has lost its status as a specialty license and is now a Division 2 license.  This means that Division 1 licensees will need to hold a separate Glass & Glazing license in order to do work such as install windows, or will need to subcontract this work to a licensed Glass & Glazing Contractor.  We have been told that they will continue to use the same exam for this new license that they have been using for the specialty license.  All existing specialty glass and glazing contractors will be reclassified as Division II licensees.  The next available date to test for a Glass & Glazing license will be in August 16th and 17th.  The deadline to sign up is July 20th. 

And finally a note of caution to remind all that enforcement of unlicensed activity for Mold Assessors and Mold Remediators has now begun.  Please make sure that you are working within the laws.  Any contractor going into a location to assess for mold or to address a mold problem will need to be licensed to do so.  These are individual licenses and a license holder must be on site supervising or performing all work that is performed. 

We know that these are big changes in the licensing world.   If you have any questions as to how you may be affected, turn to the gals at Licenses, Etc. to answer all your licensing questions.  We are here to help you.

CILB

Chrissi and Lisa were able to attend the May Construction Industry Licensing Board meeting which was an eye opening experience.  They were able to hear discussions and comments as well as rulings made during this procedure.  Hopefully you never have to go in front of the board, but if you do then maybe this will help.

The actual statute that exists regarding financial stability reads that any open liens or judgments stop an application.  This will get you sent to the board where you will need to explain what you are doing to rectify these situations.  They can then choose to ask for a certain amount of money in the bank, to ask that the applicant get a separate financially responsible officer or to deny the application immediately.  A rule has been created that an applicant’s credit score be 660 or above, but at this time that rule is not being enforced. 

When you fill out your application, you are asked to answer questions regarding your criminal history and background.  You are also required to submit to a fingerprint scan that the FDLE and FBI cross reference to their databases.  Anything in your past worst than a speeding ticket needs to be disclosed to the DBPR, and may get you sent to the board.  Crimes less than 10 years old—particularly violent crimes or felonies – are most prone to board referral, as well as previous board referrals.  The board has final say over who has good moral character, which is a purely subjective issue.  An applicant that had been convicted of a felony, but had his rights restored, came in front of the board to ask for his license back and was denied because his experience stated a project during the time he was in jail. 

Another major point of contention for the board is the experience verification section.  They discussed in great detail the amount of experience necessary and what makes up the four story requirement for a Certified General Contractor license.  One gentleman in front of the board had experience in a pump station project where one of the stories was underground and housed equipment.  This was deemed unacceptable to be considered a four story project.  The board gave him the option to receive his Certified Building Contractor license instead. 

Qualifying an additional business is a very involved process and is scrutinized heavily by the board.  They want to make sure that a contractor is not selling his or her license, but is actively involved in both companies.  If the license holder owns more than 50% of both businesses, the application should be approved without going to the board (unless background, financial or other areas show instability).  If the license holder does not own more than half of both, then the board will look at two main areas:  Why do you want to qualify this business?  How are you to be paid for this venture?  If you are trying to qualify two companies that compete with each other, the board sees that as a definite sign that you are selling your license.  As for payment, any individual who was not an owner and was paid by 1099 instead of W-2 was denied on the spot.

Reinstatement of a license after it has become Null and Void is also done by a board review.  Several individuals were at the meeting requesting their licenses be reinstated, but only one was granted.  A hardship endured must be proven to the board’s satisfaction for them to reissue their license.  The two who discussed their divorces did not meet that standard, nor did the gentleman who just had no idea how his license was never renewed.  The contractor who had been wrongly imprisoned in Cuba for a period of time before finally being allowed a liaison from the embassy was the only one to receive his license back.

After seeing all of this, we have several points of wisdom to share with you:

·       You have the right to an attorney.  This can help you know your rights and be able to communicate more effectively with the members of the board.

·       You will be drilled about all of your application, not just the part for which you were sent board.  Be sure that you know your application forwards and backwards.

·       If you ever find yourself in front of the board hearing the words “motion to deny”, immediately stand up and either ask for a continuance or completely withdraw the application.  This will save you from having a record of being denied by the board.

The gals at Licenses, Etc. are constantly on top of the newest rules and regulations to help our clients avoid a board referral if at all possible.  Call us today to find out how we can be of assistance with your next application.  www.LicensesEtc.com

Do You Have $400 to Throw Away?

Yeah, neither do we!  So we want to remind you to file your annual report by May 1^st.  Every business formed prior to 2011 must file their annual report by this date.  If a report is filed late, an additional $400 penalty is levied to the standard fees.

In the past, there was a ‘loophole’ that could sometimes allow you to avoid the penalty when filing late.  That loophole was removed last year, so ALL late filings must pay the $400 late fee.  It’s definitely not worth waiting!  The standard fees are $150 for a Corporation and $138.75 for a Limited Liability Company.  If you wait until after May 1^st, that means the fees are $550 and $538.75 respectively. 

When filing your annual report, this is the time to make necessary changes.  Update your company address, registered agent and manager/officer information.  Be sure to check your spelling.  If information is mistyped, an amendment must be filed, which is an additional $35.

To clarify, this is NOT your license renewal.  Your license is up for renewal in August of every EVEN numbered year.  This is to keep your business active and retain your business name with the Department of State. If you don’t file it, the State will eventually dissolve your company. If you have any confusion on this matter, you know who to ask!

Filings are done online at www.sunbiz.org, but as always the gals at Licenses, Etc. would be happy to take this task off your hands!  Give us a call and we will make sure it is done correctly and on time! 

Florida Annual Reports Due May 1st!

Filing your annual report each year keeps your business active with the Department of State, Division of Corporations for another year.  Every business formed prior to 2011 must file their annual report by May 1^st.  If a report is filed late, an additional $400 penalty is levied to the standard fees.

The standard fees are $150 for a Corporation and $138.75 for a Limited Liability Company.  If you wait until after May 1^st, that means the fees are $550 and $538.75 respectively.  In the past, there was a ‘loophole’ that could sometimes allow you to avoid the penalty when filing late.  That loophole was removed last year, so ALL late filings must pay the $400 late fee.  It’s definitely not worth waiting!

When filing your annual report, this is the time to make necessary changes.  Update your company address, registered agent and manager/officer information.  Be sure to check your spelling.  If information is mistyped, an amendment must be filed which is an additional $35.

To clarify, this is NOT your license renewal.  Your license is up for renewal in August of every EVEN numbered year.  This is to keep your business active and retain your business name with the Department of State.  If you have any confusion on this matter you know who to ask!

Filings are done online at www.sunbiz.org, but as always the gals at Licenses, Etc. would be happy to take this task off your hands!  Give us a call and we will make sure it is done correctly and on time! 

Less Than a Week Left to Grandfather

We are down to the final week.  Anyone who wants to apply for the Home Inspection or Mold Remediation or Assessor License has very little time left.

The DBPR requires that they receive your application by the end of the day on Monday, February 28^th. 

If you are looking to submit your application in the Grandfathering timeframe, the gals at Licenses, Etc will take care of you.  Please contact us immediately to get this process started.  This will be a rush situation because we are into the countdown, so for $400 for the first application and $200 for each additional we can assure a thorough job that will ensure you won’t miss out on the chance of a lifetime. 

What You May Not Know About Worker’s Comp.

Have you obtained workers' compensation insurance or filed for an exemption with the Division of Workers' Compensation?

The Facts:

·        An exemption only costs $50 and is good for 2 years. 

·        Up to 3 people per company can be exempt. 

·        A person must own at least 10% of the company to file for an exemption.

·         If the company qualifier is NOT an owner, he or she MUST be covered under the company’s WC policy. 

·        Same holds true for any non-owner employee. 

You may think you’re “legal” because you’re covered under one company’s name, but that may not be the case.  When you license a company, you are required to either have WC insurance or a WC exemption for that company, EVEN IF THAT COMPANY ISN’T ACTIVELY WORKING AT THE PRESENT TIME.  The DBPR requires you to be in compliance with Chapter 489.114 and says, “any person, business organization, or qualifying agent engaged in the business of contracting in this state and certified or registered under this part shall, as a condition precedent to the issuance or renewal of a certificate or registration of the contractor, provide to the Construction Industry Licensing Board, as provided by board rule, evidence of workers’ compensation coverage pursuant to chapter 440.”

What can happen if you are caught without workers’ compensation coverage or an exemption for any and all companies that you qualify?  The department shall notify the persons or entities governed by this section who have been determined to be in noncompliance with chapter 440, and the persons or entities notified shall provide certification of compliance with chapter 440 to the department and pay an administrative fine in the amount of $500. The failure to maintain workers’ compensation coverage as required by law shall be grounds for the board to revoke, suspend, or deny the issuance or renewal of a certificate or registration of the contractor under the provisions of s. 489.129.

You can find the exemption form here: http://www.myfloridacfo.com/wc/pdf/DWC-250.pdf. 

Or call us and we will give you information on how to get coverage. 

Would you like to verify your WC status with the state?  Go here:  https://secure.fldfs.com/WCAPPS/Compliance_poc/wPages/query.asp to access the state’s records for WC coverage and exemptions.  If you’re not listed, you need to resolve this immediately!

These rules may not have been actively enforced in the past, but this is the law.  The Boards are tightening their reins and pursuing prosecution.  You really cannot ignore this.

Please contact us if you have questions about any of the next steps you should be taking after receiving your license.  We are here to help you.

Florida UC Assessment

It appears the Florida Department of Revenue is hitting mailboxes this week with tax assessment notices [bills].

These taxes ARE NOT due to an incorrect filing or underpaid deposit.

In a nutshell, the Florida unemployment ‘piggybank’ has been empty for years.  Because that fund is basically insolvent, Florida continues to borrow from Uncle Sam to meet its unemployment obligations.

All of us as Florida employers must bear the burden of paying the interest on that debt, and that is what these notices pertain to.  It appears the state is examining a look-back period of 7/1/09 through 6/30/10 for the purposes of computing each firm’s obligation.

The formula for calculating the payment is specified by law.  The calculation is based on your taxable wages reported from 7/1/09 through 6/30/10 which is listed as line 1 on your bill.  There will be a flat charge of $25 for any delinquent quarter which is line 2 on your bill.

Call us with any questions.

-    Thanks to Greg Borden at Olde Florida Payroll for this information.

Congratulations, January licensees!

Congratulations to the following Licenses, Etc. clients who were approved in January:

· Khamir Patel at KHP Developers, Inc. of Tampa, FL

· Michael Armstrong at Armstrong Woodworking, Inc. of Indiatlantic, FL

· Isabelo Rodriguez at Accutilities, LLC of Miramar, FL

· Bryan Meklir at BBMK Contracting and Blue Team Restoration, LLC of Fort Lauderdale, FL

· Mino Campobasso at Bell'Aqua Pool Service, Inc. of Naples, FL

· Joy Iurato at Kemo Jama Enterprises, Inc dba Tampa Bay Construction Group of Tampa, FL

· Roger Frakes at Ecoswitch, LLC of Valrico, FL

· Scott Kish at Kish Enterprises, Inc. of Naples, FL

· Matthew Lyons at Expedited Development Services, LLC of Pompano Beach, FL

· Travis Carter at Granite Construction Limited of Naples, FL

· Joe Miceli at Construction Brokers, Inc. of Kansas City, MO

· Kevin Barry at Orion Home Inspections, Inc. of Bonita Springs, FL

· Braddon Cornish at Technology West Group, Inc. of Las Vegas, NV

· Dan Sheffield at J and L Electric Group, LLC of Seville, FL

We're also pleased to share the newly created or revamped Social Media Networking pages for these fine businesses we get to call clients:

· The Lykos Group

o    Facebook:  www.Facebook.com/LykosGroup

o    Twitter:  www.Twitter.com/TheLykosGroup

Be sure to connect with them on Facebook and Twitter.

Would you like to be set up on Social Media Networking sites, too? Call Lisa at 239.963.5369 for more information.