Question: Please warn people about a notice going around that looks like it could be from the state but isn’t. You have to read the fine print. Even business owners could fall for it.
Answer: The mailed solicitation about annual business-report filings has generated dozens of calls to the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs (DCCA), which is warning Hawaii businesses and the general public that the form is not from the state. It’s from a private firm that makes money by charging businesses to file reports they could file themselves online.
“The solicitations sent out by Workplace Compliance Services regarding annual business report filings are unofficial. DCCA’s Business Registration Division does not endorse or utilize the services of Workplace Compliance Services or any other third-party company to collect or file annual business reports,” said DCCA spokesman William Nhieu.
The department has “received dozens of phone calls from the public and referrals from other agencies about this in the past week,” he added.
The form does say, about a third of the way down the page, that Workplace Compliance Services isn’t a government agency and doesn’t hold a government contract. However, DCCA officials are concerned that people might overlook that disclaimer and instead focus on larger, bolder print that declares, “2018 — Annual Report Instruction Form (Hawaii Businesses),” with a “respond by” date of Aug. 10.
We called the toll-free phone number listed on the form and heard a recording saying that “Workplace Compliance Services is a private company that will assist, for a fee, in your annual business filings.” The office was closed for the day — keeping East Coast hours — and there was no option to leave a message. It appears to use a mail drop for a Hawaii address and is not registered with the DCCA to conduct business in the state, according to the department.
As for the cost, the form calls for a $100 payment to be submitted to the company, $25 of which is described as a “state fee” and $75 as a “processing fee.”
DCCA’s Business Registration Division emphasizes that any business registered in Hawaii can file its annual reports online, directly to the division. Any business unsure whether a form it receives about annual business filings is legitimate is encouraged to email breg@dcca.hawaii.gov or call 586-2727 before responding to the notice.
Business owners can look up their annual report information at hbe.ehawaii.gov/annuals. For general information about business registration and to answer common filing-related questions, see business registrations.com.
Q: How much did the new roof at the Waianae gym cost?
A: The final cost of the Waianae District Park gym project was $581,000, but that includes more than fixing the leaky roof, according to the city. That total includes re-roofing, repairing water damage to the gym’s second floor, replacing the power-roof ventilators and upgrading repaired light fixtures to LED.
Mahalo
I would like to thank a nice customer at Pali Longs who helped me Thursday morning. I went to the pharmacy to pick up a prescription. I didn’t expect to get my shingles shot, so I didn’t bring enough money for that — only enough for the prescription that I had expected to pick up.
But then the pharmacist said my shingles shot was ready, and I hated to pass it up but I didn’t have enough money for the copay. So I told the pharmacist I would have to come back another time. But then this nice customer spoke up and said she would cover the copay for me! It was $40, so I was a little embarrassed, but she said, “Don’t worry, I’m working, I am happy to help.” What a nice lady! I am so grateful. — Mahalo, Betsey
Write to Kokua Line at Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 7 Waterfront Plaza, Suite 210, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., Honolulu 96813; call 529-4773; fax 529-4750; or email kokualine@staradvertiser.com.
