Daily Business Report: Dec. 28, 2023
New law for Californians: Workers
get more paid sick days
By Sameea Kamal | CalMatters
California workers will be guaranteed five paid sick days a year starting Jan. 1, up from the three days that employers are currently required to provide, thanks to Senate Bill 616. The bill, authored by Long Beach Democratic Sen. Lena Gonzalez, also extends protections against retaliation to workers who are in a union, but excludes provisions that would have granted railroad employees access to unpaid sick leave.
It was a significant, but partial victory for proponents, including advocacy groups for families and women and dozens of unions. They originally sought seven days, but the final version was reduced in negotiations during the legislative process.
The California Work & Family Coalition hailed the law — one of several measures last session aimed at improving work-life balance — as “a commonsense change.”
But trade associations representing various industries such as the California Grocers Association and California Hotel & Lodging Association, as well as chamber of commerce groups throughout the state, argued that the law would hurt small businesses that have not recovered from the pandemic, are now dealing with inflation and can’t afford the additional cost of covering for sick workers.
Photo: Alexis Reyna works at Chalio Mexican Restaurant in East Los Angeles on May 26, 2021. (Photo by Lucy Nicholson, Reuters)
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Qualcomm Institute Institute internship
trains students for careers in Sonic Arts
By Xochitl Rojas-Rocha | UC San Diego
There’s a unique space for bringing together music and technology at the UC San Diego Qualcomm Institute. Called the Sonic Arts Research and Development Group, the laboratory designs new tools for immersive music and 3D soundscapes in extended reality.
This year, Sonic Arts Director Shahrokh Yadegari, QI associate director and faculty member in the UC San Diego Department of Music, launched an internship, part of the QI California Workforce Development Program, that exposes UC San Diego students to cutting-edge techniques and prepares them for careers in music technology. The program’s first cohort recently showcased their projects in QI’s Atkinson Hall.
Researcher awarded $4.3 million to study protective
role of SORLA against Alzheimer’s disease
Tim Huang has been awarded a new grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to continue his work on understanding the protective role of SORLA—a genetic risk factor for Alzheimer’s Disease (AD). The five-year, $4.3 million project will further advance the study of SORLA as a potential therapeutic target for AD and related dementias.
“We’re helping to piece together how SORLA affects a protein called tau, which is found abundantly in the brain and nervous system,” says Huang, an assistant professor in the Degenerative Diseases Program at Sanford Burnham Prebys. “An abnormal buildup of tau likely contributes to neurodegeneration and cognitive decline in Alzheimer’s disease and other neurodegenerative conditions.”
WOWorks chooses SOCi as platform of record
SOCi Inc., the leading CoMarketing Cloud Platform for multi-location enterprises, announced it is the new Platform of Record for WOWorks, the holding company of better-for-you restaurant brands, including Saladworks, Frutta Bowls, Garbanzo Mediterranean Fresh, The Simple Greek, Barberitos Southwestern Grille and Cantina, and Zoup! Eatery. With the goal of being a leader in customer service, WOWorks has enabled its franchisees with the SOCi platform to better manage guest relations through social media, online business listings, and reviews, the trifecta of local visibility.
Classic Dental Smiles expands services
Classic Dental Smiles of Rancho Bernardo, under the leadership of Dr. Brian Chan, is thrilled to announce a significant expansion of its comprehensive dental office, doubling its facility size to better serve the community and surrounding areas. This expansion not only accommodates more patients but also introduces cutting-edge technology and advanced services, including dental implant procedures.
Taiwan FDA approves Senhwa Biosciences drug
Senhwa Biosciences Inc, a drug development company with an operational base in San Diego, announced that Taiwan Food and Drug Administration has approved its Phase II IND application of Silmitasertib (CX-4945) to treat patients with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) caused by viral infection. The trial is a phase II multi-center, randomized-controlled interventional prospective study.
Navigate Stays poised to grow after launch in San Diego
Navigate Stays, a seasoned titan in property management with over six years of industry leadership, is set to amplify its success story into 2024. After a dynamic launch in the San Diego market, where they now manage 35 rooms within several esteemed neighborhoods, Navigate Stays has proven its merit. With its existing operations spread across numerous cities in Florida, Illinois, and California, the company is on a trajectory of exponential growth.
SpaceX returns vital life science research payloads
Dozens of science and technology development payloads returned to Earth from the International Space Station (ISS) on Dec. 22 as SpaceX’s 29th Commercial Resupply Services (CRS) mission, contracted by NASA, successfully concluded. More than 30 payloads sponsored by the ISS National Laboratory returned on this mission, many of which were life science investigations aimed at benefiting humanity by improving care for patients on Earth.
Cetera announces close of equity reinvestment
Cetera Financial Group, owned by Cetera Holdings, the premier financial advisor Wealth Hub, announced the close of the reinvestment by Genstar Capital, a leading private equity firm focused on investments in targeted segments of the financial services, software, industrials, and health care industries. Originally announced in October 2023, the reinvestment transaction has closed following the receipt of regulatory approvals and the satisfaction of other closing conditions.
DSD Business Systems now a Sage Tech partner
DSD Business Systems, a renowned provider of business management software solutions, nnounced that all DSD Multi-Currency Enhancements for Sage 100 are now Sage Certified and listed on the Sage Marketplace. This certification marks a significant milestone for DSD, adding Sage Tech Partner to the list of designations awarded to the firm. DSD’s Sage 100 Multi-Currency Enhancements empower Sage 100 users seeking global business capabilities through optimized multi-currency transactions.
