April 8, 2025

Resources for businesses and employees

We encourage you to monitor these resources for the latest business and safety updates.

We encourage you to monitor these resources for the latest business and safety updates.

1. Business & Community Assistance Resources
   1. AI Tools Small Businesses Need for Competitive Analysis
   2. Disaster Assistance
   3. FEMA National Risk Index (NRI) for Natural Hazards – shows which communities are most at risk
   4. Feeding America
   5. Los Angeles Fires (2025) – Help and info – Free debris removal deadline March 31, 2025
2. Food Safety
   1. California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment – Proposition 65 List
   2. Conference for Food Protection Biennial Meeting March 24-28, 2025 – Denver
   3. FDA 2022 Food Code
   4. FDA Authorized Uses of PFAS in Food Contact Applications
   5. USDA Food and Nutrition Service
3. Human Resources
   1. Community Assistance Programs (Illinois job placement)
   2. DOL Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) – DOL-Timesheet App
   3. DOL Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) – FMLA Poster
   4. EEOC: What You Should Know About the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act and the ADA, the Rehabilitation Act, and Other EEO Laws
   5. OSHA Heat Injury and Illness Prevention in Outdoor and Indoor Work Settings Fact Sheet
   6. International Economic Development Council (Workforce Reports) – Artificial Intelligence Impact on Labor Markets
   7. National Safety Council – Safety Training, Workplace Safety and Roadway Safety
   8. World Health Organization (WHO)
4. Energy Resources & Rebates
   1. Appliance Standards Awareness Project (State Adoption of Energy Efficiency Standards)
   2. Blue Flame Alliance
   3. California Energy Wise
   4. Database of State Incentives for Renewables & Efficiency^®
   5. Electric Foodservice Council
   6. ENERGY STAR^® Commercial Foodservice Equipment
   7. SoCalGas Food Service Equipment Center – Webinars, Rebates, Safe Food Handling Guidelines
5. Environment Related Regulation and Requirements
   1. California Assembly Bill 1200 – Hazardous Chemicals in Food Packaging and Cookware
   2. Compliance Monitoring Strategy for the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA)
   3. Deloitte – Executive Summary of SEC’s Landmark Climate Disclosure Rule
   4. EPA Instructions for Reporting per-or poly-fluoroalkyl substance (PFAS) Under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA)
   5. EPA’s PFAS Strategic Roadmap
   6. PFAS Overview – International Federal State –3.3.25.xlsx
   7. Per- and Polyfluoralkyl Substances (PFAS) Federal Research and Development Strategic Plan
   8. PFAS National Primary Drinking Water Regulation
   9. Prop 65 FAQs for Businesses
   10. Prop 65 – Sample Warnings and Translations For Businesses
   11. Safer States Legislation Tracker Website
   12. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Adoption of Rules to Standardize Climate-Related Disclosures Fact Sheet

6. Taxes and Tariffs

U.S. steel and aluminum tariffs

• Steel and aluminum products – regardless of country of origin – are subject to a uniform 25% Section 232 (national security) tariff. No extensions or exclusions apply, effective March 12.
• For steel and aluminum imports from China, tariffs are cumulative, including the above 25% from March 12 + International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) tariffs of 10% from March 4, 2025 and 10% from Feb. 1, 2025 (see below).
• Following are useful documents addressing steel imports:
  • Federal Register notice re: steel imports effective March 12U.S. Customs and Border Protection Guidelines
  • Summary of all Section 232 tariffs
• Following are useful documents addressing aluminum imports:
  • Federal Register notice re: aluminum imports
  • U.S. Customs and Border Protection Guidelines Customs

U.S. covered steel and aluminum derivative products (part of the Section 232 national security tariffs)

• Covered steel derivative productsandGuidance on determining valuation of steel and steel derivative products
• Covered aluminum products and Guidance on determining valuation of aluminum and aluminum derivative products

Additional U.S. tariffs:

• Effective April 5, imports from all countries are subject to a minimum 10% tariff.
• Imports from China are subject to a 125% tariff.
  • Customs and Border Protection (CBP) posted a message exempting certain electronic products, items and components from the IEEPA reciprocal tariffs. The exemptions are applied based on HTS codes included in the link.
• Imports from Canada and Mexico
  • 25% tariff on imports of all products of Canada and Mexico.
  • Energy products, which includes aluminum, are reduced to a 10% tariff.
  • Automobile production and products qualifying under the USMCA are exempt.
  • Items that qualify for US-Mexico-Canada Agreement duty-free treatment are exempt from the 25% tariff.

• Countries listed in Annex 1  with the largest trade deficits are subject to adjusted reciprocal tariffs, effective April 9.
  • Steel and aluminum imports already subject to Section 232 tariffs are not subject to the reciprocal tariff.

Additional U.S. investigations

• Despite possessing ample copper reserves, America’s smelting and refining capacity lags far behind global competitors. President Trump initiated a Section 232 investigation to assess U.S. national security risks arising from the country’s increasing dependence on imported smelted and refined copper. Findings are due Nov. 22. 
• A similar Section 232 investigation is underway for imports of timber, lumber and their derivative products. According to the White House, “current United States softwood lumber industry has the practical production capacity to supply 95% of the United States’ 2024 softwood consumption. Yet, since 2016 the United States has been a net importer of lumber.” Findings are due Nov. 26. 
• Following a Section 301 investigation of China’s targeting dominance in the maritime, logistics and shipbuilding sectors, the U.S. Trade Representative proposed significant service fees on China-bult vessels upon entrance to U.S. ports. NAFEM, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and 100+ others advocated against the proposal that would increase shipping costs, raise prices and decrease exports and imports.

Canada’s response

• Canada’s Government Website on Engagement with the U.S. on Tariffs and Trade
• Canada World Trade Organization dispute complaint regarding U.S. tariff measures
• Canada’s Retaliatory Tariffs for U.S. Steel and Aluminum Tariffs (March 13)

China’s response

• China’s Ministry of Commerce Announcement of Tariffs on Metals (Feb. 4)

The E.U. response

• European Union Response to US Steel & Aluminum Tariffs (March 11)

7. Trade

1. Canada Forced Labor Law
2. Customs and Border Protection Trade Outreach Webinars
3. Department of Commerce (DOC)
4. Department of Commerce – Human Trafficking: Forced Labor Training for Global Supply Chains
5. European Chemicals Agency – 40 Hazardous Chemicals Added to EU’s Prior Informed Consent (PIC)Regulation
6. International Trade Administration  – Consolidated Screening List (CSL)  – UFLPA Entity List – FTA Tariff Tool
7. ITA – Industry Import Monitoring & Analysis – Aluminum – New Country of Smelt Dashboard – Aluminum
8. ITA – U.S. Imports of Steel Mill Products (for Domestic Consumption)
9. NAFEM Global Market Access and Conformity Guide
10. National Association of Manufacturers Fact Sheet on USMCA Boost to North American Supply Chains
11. Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA) Data Dictionary
12. Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA) Statistics
13. USMCA Origin Certification – Informational Fact Sheet
14. U.S. Trade Representative
15. White House website
16. Section 301 Four Year Review

8. Travel

1. Department of Homeland Security – Trusted Traveler Programs
2. U.S. Department of State – Travel Advisories
3. U.S. Department of State – Travel Resources

NAFEM has not confirmed the accuracy of or endorsed the information available through the links.