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Essential HR Compliance Tools

Owners of small businesses generally go into business because they are passionate about a certain kind of product or service. This is very true for restauranteurs and retailers, as well as for providers of services like landscaping, marketing, website development, printers, and others that work in very specific fields. But often reality sets in and a small business owner is then faced with also being the accountant, HR Director, marketing director, and analyst. But rest assured, the CHQ Chamber can help with some HR needs and essential compliance tools. In partnership with the ...

Corporate Citizenship is for All Businesses

“Do well by doing good.” That was the key message delivered during the most recent CHQ Chamber Business Builder Workshop on Corporate Citizenship and Engagement. John Felton, CEO of Southern Chautauqua Federal Credit Union pointed out that’s the driving motivation behind his entire business model. “We work with a lot of ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) families throughout Chautauqua County. We focus on financial literacy and often help people get the loans they need even if they don’t have an outstanding credit history,” Felton noted. “For example, we ...

Partnerships Mean Progress

The CHQ Chamber was delighted to work in concert with the Warren County Chamber of Business and Industry and the Audubon Community Nature Center in Jamestown this week to co-host Business After Hours. We routinely run Business After Hours events throughout Chautauqua County – with several more planned in 2025 – and they are well-attended networking events designed to connect businesspeople in a social setting that can lead to productive relationships. To say the Audubon event was a tremendous success is an understatement. With over 100 people attending from businesses all over ...

Childcare is an economic issue, and addressing it requires a multi-faceted approach. That’s the crux of the new Business Navigator program in New York State, aimed at helping employers recruit and retain employees who have childcare needs. Nationwide, infant and toddler childcare cost $122 billion in lost earnings, productivity, and revenue in 2023 according to a survey by ReadyNation. Families lost $78 billion in earnings because they could not find childcare. Locally, we know there are numerous businesses looking to hire workers, and childcare may be a barrier for many potential ...

Business Doesn’t End at a Line on a Map

Business does not begin and end at a line on a map. We noted that recently in a joint announcement with the Warren County Chamber of Business and Industry about an event we are co-hosting at Audubon Community Nature Center. But it’s also true more broadly, among municipalities, counties, states, and countries. Tariffs are likely to cause significant harm to our local economy. Business organizations almost across the board are opposed to tariffs. The US Chamber of Commerce has specifically urged a “swift end” to 25% tariffs on goods from Canada and Mexico. These tariffs will ...

Mason Industrial Park Expansion Moving Forward

A proposal to further develop an industrial park in the town of Ellicott is moving ahead. During the Chautauqua County Industrial Development Agency meeting, board members approved a negative declaration for the State Environmental Quality Review at the Mason Industrial Park. By issuing ...