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<h2 align="center" style="text-align: center"><b> <span style="font-size: 16.0pt"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">IS
YOUR NEW EMPLOYEE NOT FITTING IN?</font></span></b></h2>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Many
years ago, GE published the results of their study on thousands of employee
over several years. One of the more interesting findings in their final
report concerned the many employees who quit or were terminated during their
first 90 days of employment. </font> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">The
study found that such employees never felt connected to the company, employees,
the job or the work. They were never �assimilated� into the new environment.
They felt that their surroundings were strange, they never established relationships
with the other employees and they were never involved in activities. They
always felt like an outsider.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">More
recently, The Gallup Organization (re. the Gallup Poll) created a feedback system
that would help employers deal with this problem by identifying and measuring
the extent (or lack of) of employee engagement. They also discovered that
this early dropout problem has a direct effect on company costs, sales growth
and customer loyalty. </font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">After
hundreds of focus groups and thousands of interviews, they created a 12 question
survey that identified just how engaged, or connected, an employee was in the
organization. They found that a high score on this quiz was closely associated
to superior job performance. A low score helped them identify those areas
upon which to concentrate if they wanted to save this employee.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><b>The
12 questions of employee engagement:</b></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: -.25in; margin-left: .5in"> <font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">1.<span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-family: Verdana">
</span>Do you know what is expected of you at work?</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: -.25in; margin-left: .5in"> <font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">2.<span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-family: Verdana">
</span>Do you have the materials and equipment you need to do your work right?</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: -.25in; margin-left: .5in"> <font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">3.<span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-family: Verdana">
</span>At work, do you have the opportunity to do what you do best every day?</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: -.25in; margin-left: .5in"> <font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">4.<span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-family: Verdana">
</span>In the last seven days, have you been recognized or commended for your
work?</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: -.25in; margin-left: .5in"> <font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">5.<span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-family: Verdana">
</span>Does your supervisor, or someone at work, seem to care about you as a
person?</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: -.25in; margin-left: .5in"> <font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">6.<span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-family: Verdana">
</span>Is there someone at work who encourages your development?</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: -.25in; margin-left: .5in"> <font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">7.<span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-family: Verdana">
</span>At work, do your opinions seem to count?</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: -.25in; margin-left: .5in"> <font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">8.<span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-family: Verdana">
</span>Does the mission/purpose of the company make you feel that your job is
important?</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: -.25in; margin-left: .5in"> <font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">9.<span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-family: Verdana">
</span>Are your associates (fellow employees) committed to doing quality work?</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: -.25in; margin-left: .5in"> <font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">10.<span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-family: Verdana">
</span>Do you have a best friend at work?</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: -.25in; margin-left: .5in"> <font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">11.<span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-family: Verdana">
</span>In the last 3 months, has someone at work talked to you about your progress?</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: -.25in; margin-left: .5in"> <font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">12.<span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-family: Verdana">
</span>In the last year, have you had an opportunity at work, to learn and grow?</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Aren�t
you more likely to stay with an organization if you feel that you�re a part
of it?</font></p>
<hr>
<h2 style="margin-left:.75in" align="center">
<font face="Verdana" color="#008000">Have an employment question?</font></h2>
<h3 style="margin-left:.75in" align="center"><font face="Verdana">Send it to
<a href="mailto:[email protected]?subject=From HR On The Job">
[email protected]</a></font></h3>
<p style="margin-left:.75in" align="center"><b><font face="Verdana" size="2">
Please include Company Name and Association in your e-mail. Company
identification will be kept confidential.</font></b></p>
<hr>
<h2 align="left"><b><u><font
face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Hitchhiking on the Information
Highway</font></u></b></h2>
<p align="left"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><b><font
size="4" color="#FF0000">Dateline: June 2004</font></b></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"
size="-1">Note. Although we attempt to provide the HRU update on the first
of each month, we are normally delayed awaiting the release of several
monthly government statistical reports. We will hereafter update the information
as each report becomes available without waiting for all of them to be
released.</font></i></p>
<p> </p>
<table border="0" width="100%" height="376">
<tr>
<td width="100%" height="370">
<h3 class="MsoNormal"><b><u><span style="font-size: 14.0pt"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Does
Your Brain Crave Work?</font></span></u></b></h3>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">Researchers
at Emory University recently published the results of a new and interesting
experiment. Two groups of volunteers were assigned tasks requiring
them to play computer games. </font></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText2"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">Those
in group A were paid only if they won the games. Those in group
B were paid whether they won or lost and whether they even made any effort
to succeed. </font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">Both
groups were being brain-scanned by MRI to monitor their brain functions
as they played the games. The results were interesting. Those
in group A, who were being paid only if they succeeded, had brain scans
that showed greater stimulation than those who were paid for nothing.
</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">The
Scientist, George Berns, who conducted the experiment, commented that
it appears to be �more important for your brain when you have to do things
(earn) for your reward.� �People who won the lottery are not happier
a year after they win. It�s also fairly clear that people get a
lot of satisfaction from the work they do.�</font></p>
<h3 class="MsoNormal"><b><u><span style="font-size: 14.0pt"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Top
10 HR Trends for 2004-2005</font></span></u></b></h3>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">The
Society For Human Resource Management (SHRM) has issued their �SHRM Workplace
Forecast 2004-2005; A Strategic Outlook�. The forecast reported
the following list of issues as the top 10 HR trends for the next few
years.</font></span></p>
<blockquote>
<blockquote>
<p> <font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">1.
Continuing rise in health care costs</font></p>
<p> <font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">2.<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span>Focus on domestic safety and security</font></p>
<p> <font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">3.<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span>Expanded use of technology to communicate with employees</font></p>
<p> <font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">4.<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span>Growing complexity of employment regulations </font></p>
<p> <font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">5.<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span>Use of technology to perform more HR functions</font></p>
<p> <font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">6.<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span>Focus on global security</font></p>
<p> <font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">7.<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span>Preparing for the large wave of retirement and the resulting
labor shortages</font></p>
<p> <font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">8.<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span>Use and development of e-learning</font></p>
<p> <font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">9.<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span>Exporting of manufacturing jobs to developing countries</font></p>
<p> <font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">10.<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span>Changing the definition of �family�</font></p>
</blockquote>
</blockquote>
<h3><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><u>Paid FMLA Starts
Now In California</u></font></h3>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">Starting
July 1<sup>st</sup>, employees in California will be paid 55% of their
time off for FMLA (Family and Medical Leave Act) usage. Initially
the funds to pay for this enormous cost will come from a state pool created
from employee paychecks, basically a new tax on employees. But industry
leaders expect that this is the tip of the iceberg. They expect
to see the costs to companies being expanded and the amount of time allowed
and the conditions that will be covered to expand as well. California
(And Washington D.C.) already requires 16 weeks leave compared to the
normal 12 weeks. </font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">At
least 12 other states are now proposing paid FMLA. </font></p>
<h3><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><u>Still Trying To
Lower Your Health Care Costs?</u></font></h3>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">Employers
all over the country are trying to bring down the skyrocketing health
care costs. Here are some of the new trends that are meeting with
some success:</font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: -.5in; margin-left: .75in"> <font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">1.<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span>Contracting directly with hospitals and Doctors</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: -.5in; margin-left: .75in"> <font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">2.<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span>Base employee deductibles on rates of pay</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: -.5in; margin-left: .75in"> <font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">3.<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span>OPT-out incentives (rewards for surrendering coverage)</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: -.5in; margin-left: .75in"> <font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">4.<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span>Disease and recovery management (including preventive maintenance)
</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: -.5in; margin-left: .75in"> <font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">5.<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span>Clinically auditing <u>all</u> medical and hospital bills.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Question:</font></span></b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt">
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">One of my
employees is pregnant and claims that this makes her disabled under the
ADA (Americans With Disabilities Act). She wants seven months off.
Am I required to comply with this?</font></span></p>
<b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Answer:</font>
</span> </b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">No.
Pregnancy is neither a disabling condition under the ADA nor the FMLA.
However, if there are disabling conditions that arise <u>from</u> that pregnancy,
her Doctor may restrict her work activities. You may request a Doctors
statement regarding her ability/disability to perform her duties.</font></span>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">Be
sure that you are not discriminating against her <u>because</u> she is
pregnant. But the pregnancy itself is not considered a disability.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<h2 class="MsoNormal"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="text-decoration: none"><b><u>QUOTES
OF THE MONTH</u></b></span></font></h2>
<span style="text-decoration: none"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>�If you knew how much work went into it, you wouldn�t
call it genius�</b></p>
</font></span>
<blockquote>
<blockquote>
<blockquote>
<blockquote>
<blockquote>
<blockquote>
<blockquote>
<blockquote>
<p><span style="text-decoration: none"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">
Michelangelo</font></span></p>
</blockquote>
</blockquote>
</blockquote>
</blockquote>
</blockquote>
</blockquote>
</blockquote>
</blockquote>
<span style="text-decoration: none"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>�If we did the things we are capable of, we would
astound ourselves�</b></p>
</font></span>
<blockquote>
<blockquote>
<blockquote>
<blockquote>
<blockquote>
<blockquote>
<blockquote>
<blockquote>
<p><span style="text-decoration: none"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">
Thomas Edison</font></span></p>
</blockquote>
</blockquote>
</blockquote>
</blockquote>
</blockquote>
</blockquote>
</blockquote>
</blockquote>
<span style="text-decoration: none"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>�You have to be awfully smart to believe something
that stupid�</b></p>
</font></span>
<blockquote>
<blockquote>
<blockquote>
<blockquote>
<blockquote>
<blockquote>
<blockquote>
<blockquote>
<p><span style="text-decoration: none"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">
George Orwell</font></span></p>
</blockquote>
</blockquote>
</blockquote>
</blockquote>
</blockquote>
</blockquote>
</blockquote>
</blockquote>
<span style="text-decoration: none"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>�Government�s view of the economy could be summed
up in a few short phrases�:</b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>If it moves, tax it.</b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>If it keeps moving, regulate it.</b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>If it stops, subsidize it.</b></p>
</font></span>
<blockquote>
<blockquote>
<blockquote>
<blockquote>
<blockquote>
<blockquote>
<blockquote>
<blockquote>
<p><span style="text-decoration: none"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">
Ronald Reagan</font></span></p>
</blockquote>
</blockquote>
</blockquote>
</blockquote>
</blockquote>
</blockquote>
</blockquote>
</blockquote>
<span style="text-decoration: none"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">
<hr width="75%">
<table border="0" width="33%">
<tr>
<td width="64%" valign="top">
<div style="border-style: solid; border-width: 1; padding-left: 4; padding-right: 4; padding-top: 1; padding-bottom: 1">
<p align="left"><font size="-1"
face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><b>Minimum Wage:</b></font></p>
</div>
</td>
<center>
<td width="100%" valign="top"><font size="-1"
face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">$5.15/hr.</font></td>
</center>
</tr>
</table>
<table border="0" width="99%">
<tr>
<td width="13%" valign="middle" style="border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1; border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1; border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1"><font
face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><b>Average
Income:</b></font></td>
<td width="67%" style="border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1">
<table border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse" bordercolor="#111111" width="100%" id="AutoNumber4" height="76">
<tr>
<td width="100%" height="76">
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse" bordercolor="#111111" width="100%" id="AutoNumber5">
<tr>
<td width="50%" align="center"><b><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">Hourly</font></b></td>
<td width="50%" align="center"><b><font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Weekly</font></b></td>
</tr>
</table>
<table border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse" bordercolor="#111111" width="100%" id="AutoNumber6" height="50">
<tr>
<td width="25%" height="50">
<p align="center"><u><font size="-1">June</font></u><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><u>
2003</u><br>
$15.34</font>
</td>
<td width="25%" height="50">
<p align="center"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><u>
June 2004<br>
</u>$15.65</font>
</td>
<td width="25%" height="50">
<p align="center"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">
<u>June 2003</u><br>
$516.58</font>
</td>
<td width="25%" height="50">
<p align="center"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">
<u>June 2004</u><br>
$525.84</font>
</td>
</tr>
</table>
</td>
</tr>
</table>
</td>
<td width="20%">
<table border="0" width="99%" height="78">
<tr>
<td width="100%" height="40">
<p align="center"><font size="-1"
face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><b><u>Family of<br>
Four</u></b></font>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="100%" height="30">
<p align="center"><font size="-1"
face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">$64,000 (annual)</font>
</td>
</tr>
</table>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="13%" bgcolor="#C0C0C0" style="border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1; border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1"><font
face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><b>Federal<br>
Poverty Level:</b></font></td>
<td width="67%" bgcolor="#C0C0C0" style="border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1"> </td>
<td width="20%" bgcolor="#C0C0C0">
<p align="center"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"
size="-1">$17,650 (annual)</font>
</td>
</tr>
</table>
<hr noshade color="#000000">
<table border="0" width="99%">
<tr>
<td width="100%" style="border-style: solid; border-width: 1">
<h3><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"
size="-1"><b><u>Benefits <br>
</u></b><i>as a Percentage of Payroll</i></font></h3>
</td>
</tr>
</table>
<table border="0" width="100%" height="275" style="border-collapse: collapse" bordercolor="#111111" cellpadding="2">
<tr>
<td width="31%" height="45" valign="top" bordercolor="#000080" bgcolor="#C0C0C0">
<p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><b>1997</b></font></p>
</td>
<td width="5%" height="45" valign="top" align="left" bordercolor="#000080" bgcolor="#C0C0C0">
<p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><b>24.8%</b></font></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="31%" height="46" valign="top" bordercolor="#000080" bgcolor="#C0C0C0">
<p><font size="-1"><b><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">
1998</font></b></font></p>
</td>
<td width="5%" height="46" valign="top" align="left" bordercolor="#000080" bgcolor="#C0C0C0">
<p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><b>23.4%</b></font></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="31%" height="46" valign="top" bordercolor="#000080" bgcolor="#C0C0C0">
<p><font size="-1"><b><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">
1999</font></b></font></p>
</td>
<td width="5%" height="46" valign="top" align="left" bordercolor="#000080" bgcolor="#C0C0C0">
<p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><b>22.8%</b></font></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="31%" height="46" valign="top" bordercolor="#000080" bgcolor="#C0C0C0">
<p><font size="-1"><b><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">
2000</font></b></font></p>
</td>
<td width="5%" height="46" valign="top" align="left" bordercolor="#000080" bgcolor="#C0C0C0">
<p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><b>26.1%</b></font></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="31%" height="46" valign="top" bordercolor="#000080" bgcolor="#C0C0C0">
<p><font size="-1"><b><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">
2001</font></b></font></p>
</td>
<td width="5%" height="46" valign="top" align="left" bordercolor="#000080" bgcolor="#C0C0C0">
<p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><b>27.1%</b></font></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="31%" height="46" valign="top" bordercolor="#000080" bgcolor="#C0C0C0">
<p><font size="-1"><b><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">
2002</font></b></font></p>
</td>
<td width="5%" height="46" valign="top" align="left" bordercolor="#000080" bgcolor="#C0C0C0">
<p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><b>
30.0%</b></font></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="31%" height="46" valign="top" bordercolor="#000080" bgcolor="#C0C0C0">
<span style="text-decoration: none"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">
<b><i> In 2002, employee benefits represented 30% of the total compensation
an employee received.</i></b>
<p><b><i> Those benefits ranked are:</i></b>
</font></span>
<p>
</td>
<td width="5%" height="46" valign="top" align="left" bordercolor="#000080" bgcolor="#C0C0C0">
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="31%" height="46" valign="top" bordercolor="#000080" bgcolor="#C0C0C0">
<span style="text-decoration: none"><font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">
Health Care Benefits</font></span></td>
<td width="5%" height="46" valign="top" align="left" bordercolor="#000080" bgcolor="#C0C0C0">
<span style="text-decoration: none"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">
11.5%</font></span>
<p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="31%" height="46" valign="top" bordercolor="#000080" bgcolor="#C0C0C0">
<span style="text-decoration: none"><font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">
Paid Time Off</font></span></td>
<td width="5%" height="46" valign="top" align="left" bordercolor="#000080" bgcolor="#C0C0C0">
<span style="text-decoration: none"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">
10.4%</font></span>
<p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="31%" height="46" valign="top" bordercolor="#000080" bgcolor="#C0C0C0">
<span style="text-decoration: none"><font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">
Retirement Savings Plan</font></span></td>
<td width="5%" height="46" valign="top" align="left" bordercolor="#000080" bgcolor="#C0C0C0">
<span style="text-decoration: none"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">
8.1%</font></span>
<p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="31%" height="46" valign="top" bordercolor="#000080" bgcolor="#C0C0C0">
<span style="text-decoration: none"> <font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><b>Total
Benefits (As a percentage of total compensation)</b></font></span></td>
<td width="5%" height="46" valign="top" align="left" bordercolor="#000080" bgcolor="#C0C0C0">
<span style="text-decoration: none"> <font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><b>
30%</b></font></span></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="31%" height="46" valign="top" bordercolor="#000080" bgcolor="#C0C0C0">
</td>
<td width="5%" height="46" valign="top" align="left" bordercolor="#000080" bgcolor="#C0C0C0">
</td>
</tr>
</table>
<hr noshade color="#000000">
<b>
<table border="0" width="100%">
<tr>
<td width="37%" style="border-style: solid; border-width: 1">
<p align="left"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"
size="-1"><b>IRS Mileage Allowance :</b></font></p>
</td>
<center>
<td width="63%" style="border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1">
<div align="left"><font size="-1"><b>37.5</b> </font><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"
size="-1">cents per mile<br>
</font></div>
</td>
</center>
</tr>
</table>
<table border="0" width="100%" bgcolor="#C0C0C0">
<tr>
<td width="32%" style="border-style: solid; border-width: 1">
<p align="left"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"
size="-1"><b>Postage:</b></font></p>
</td>
<center>
<td width="68%" style="border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1"> </td>
</center>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="32%" style="border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"
size="-1">1 oz.</font></td>
<td width="68%"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"
size="-1">.37</font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="32%"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"
size="-1">Each additional ounce</font></td>
<td width="68%"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"
size="-1">.23</font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="32%"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"
size="-1"><i>Postcards</i></font></td>
<td width="68%"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"
size="-1">.23</font></td>
</tr>
</table>
</b>
<hr noshade color="#000000">
<b>
<p>
<table border="0" width="38%" bgcolor="#FFFFFF" style="border-collapse: collapse" bordercolor="#111111" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0">
<tr>
<td width="100%" style="border-style: solid; border-width: 1"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"
size="-1"><b>Where Uncle Sam got his money in 2003:</b></font></td>
</tr>
</table>
<p align="center"> <img border="0" src="../../graphics/2003usrevenue.gif" width="630" height="371"></p>
<hr noshade color="#000000">
<table border="0" width="38%" bgcolor="#C0C0C0" style="border-collapse: collapse" bordercolor="#111111" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0">
<tr>
<td width="100%" style="border-style: solid; border-width: 1"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"
size="-1"><b>Where your federal tax dollar went in 2003:</b></font></td>
</tr>
</table>
<p align="center"> <img border="0" src="../../graphics/2003usbudget.gif" width="632" height="402"></p>
<hr noshade color="#000000">
<table border="0" width="98%">
<tr>
<td width="34%" style="border-style: solid; border-width: 1">
<p align="left"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"
size="-1"><b><u>Population:</u></b></font></p>
</td>
<center>
<td width="82%" style="border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1"> </td>
</center>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="34%" style="border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"
size="-1"><b>World</b></font></td>
<td width="82%">
<p align="left"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"
size="-1">6.3 Billion</font>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="34%"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"
size="-1"><b>U.S.</b></font></td>
<td width="82%">
<p align="left"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"
size="-1">292.3 Million</font>
</td>
</tr>
</table>
</b>
<hr noshade color="#000000">
<table border="1" width="99%" bgcolor="#C0C0C0">
<tr> <b>
<td width="48%" style="border-style: solid; border-width: 1">
<p align="left"><b> <font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">U.S.
Workforce</font></b></p>
</td>
</b>
<center>
<td width="12%" align="center"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><b><u><font size="-1">
June 2003</font></u></b></font></td>
<b>
<td width="12%" align="center"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><u><b>
June 2004 </b></u></font></td>
</b>
</center>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="48%"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"
size="-1">U.S. Civilian Workforce</font></td>
<td width="12%" align="center"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">146,917,000</font></td>
<td width="12%" align="center"><font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">147,279,000</font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="48%"><font size="-1">Number Employed</font></td>
<td width="12%" align="center"> <font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">137,673,000</font></td>
<td width="12%" align="center"> <font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">139,031,000</font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="48%"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"
size="-1">Number Unemployed</font></td>
<td width="12%" align="center"> <font size="-1">9,245,000</font></td>
<td width="12%" align="center"> <font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">
8,248,000</font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="48%"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"
size="-1">Unemployment Rate</font></td>
<td width="12%" align="center">
<p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">6.3%</font></p>
</td>
<td width="12%" align="center">
<p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">5.6%</font></p>
</td>
</tr>
</table>
<hr noshade color="#000000">
<p><b>COMPARATIVE WORLD UNEMPLOYMENT RATE FOR MID-YEAR 2003:</b></p>
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse" bordercolor="#111111" width="100%" id="AutoNumber7">
<tr>
<td width="40%"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">France</font></td>
<td width="60%"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">9.2%</font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="40%"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">Germany</font></td>
<td width="60%"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">9.2%</font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="40%"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">Canada</font></td>
<td width="60%"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">7.0%</font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="40%"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">Sweden</font></td>
<td width="60%"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">6.1%</font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="40%"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">United
States</font></td>
<td width="60%"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">6.1%</font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="40%"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">Japan</font></td>
<td width="60%"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">5.5%</font></td>
</tr>
</table>
<hr noshade color="#000000">
<table border="0" width="98%" bgcolor="#FFFFFF" style="border-collapse: collapse" bordercolor="#111111" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" height="96">
<tr>
<td width="25%" style="border-style: solid; border-width: 1" height="48">
<p align="left"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"
size="-1"><b>Absentee Rates (annualized)</b></font></p>
</td>
<center>
<td width="10%" align="center" valign="top" style="border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1" height="48"><font
face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><b><u>1997</u></b></font></td>
<td width="10%" align="center" valign="top" height="48"><font
face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><b><u>1998</u></b></font></td>
<td width="11%" align="center" valign="top" height="48"><font
face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><b><u>1999</u></b></font></td>
<td width="11%" align="center" valign="top" height="48"><font
face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><b><u>2000</u></b></font></td>
<td width="11%" align="center" valign="top" height="48"><font
face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><b><u>2001</u></b></font></td>
<td width="11%" align="center" valign="top" height="48"><font
face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><b><u>2002</u></b></font></td>
<td width="11%" align="center" valign="top" height="48"><font
face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><b><u>3rd Quarter<br>
2003</u></b></font></td>
</center>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="25%" style="border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1" height="48">
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">Men equal
approximately 1/3 of all absenteeism<br>
Women approximately 2/3</font></td>
<td width="10%" align="center" valign="top" height="48"><font
face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">2.0%</font></td>
<td width="10%" align="center" valign="top" height="48"><font
face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">2.6%</font></td>
<td width="11%" align="center" valign="top" height="48"><font
face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">2.4%</font></td>
<td width="11%" align="center" valign="top" height="48"><font
face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">2.9%</font></td>
<td width="11%" align="center" valign="top" height="48">
<p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">2.1%</font></p>
</td>
<td width="11%" align="center" valign="top" height="48">
<p><font size="-1">3.6</font><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">%</font></p>
</td>
<td width="11%" align="center" valign="top" height="48">
<p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">1.9%</font></p>
</td>
</tr>
</table>
<hr noshade color="#000000">
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse" bordercolor="#111111" width="100%" id="AutoNumber3" bgcolor="#C0C0C0">
<tr>
<td width="100%">
<h4><b><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">PRODUCTIVITY
OF THE AMERICAN WORKFORCE</font></b><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><br>
(The amount of goods produced, divided by the number of work hours
it took to produce it)</font></h4>
</td>
</tr>
</table>
<p>
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse" bordercolor="#111111" width="100%" id="AutoNumber2" bgcolor="#C0C0C0">
<tr>
<td width="32%">
<p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><b>1992</b></font></p>
</td>
<td width="68%">
<p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">3.7%</font></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="32%">
<p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><b>1993</b></font></p>
</td>
<td width="68%">
<p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">0.5%</font></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="32%">
<p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><b>1994</b></font></p>
</td>
<td width="68%">
<p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">1.3%</font></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="32%">
<p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><b>1995</b></font></p>
</td>
<td width="68%">
<p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">0.9%</font></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="32%">
<p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><b>1996</b></font></p>
</td>
<td width="68%">
<p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">2.5%</font></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="32%">
<p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><b>1997</b></font></p>
</td>
<td width="68%">
<p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">2.0%</font></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="32%">
<p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><b>1998</b></font></p>
</td>
<td width="68%">
<p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">2.6%</font></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="32%">
<p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><b>1999</b></font></p>
</td>
<td width="68%">
<p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">2.4%</font></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="32%">
<p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><b>2000</b></font></p>
</td>
<td width="68%">
<p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">2.9%</font></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="32%">
<p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><b>2001</b></font></p>
</td>
<td width="68%">
<p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">1.1%</font></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="32%">
<p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><b>2002</b></font></p>
</td>
<td width="68%">
<p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">4.7%</font></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="32%"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><b>2003</b></font></td>
<td width="68%"><font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">4.5%</font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="32%"><font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><b>1st
Quarter 2004</b></font></td>
<td width="68%"><font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">UP
3.8% Increase</font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="32%"> </td>
<td width="68%"> </td>
</tr>
</table>
</font></span>
<h3 align="center"> </h3>
</td>
</tr>
</table>
<p><font face="Verdana" size="2">� 2004 William J. Cook</font></p>
</body>
</html>