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<h2 class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b> <font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">DELEGATION,
LAZY BOSS OR GOOD MANAGER?</font></b></h2>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">Delegating
authority, projects and activities is one of the more significant criteria in
the development and evaluation of managers. Whether on a �once�in-a-while�
basis or as a regular procedure, delegating is one of those �Flashpoint� issues
that can make or break a successful operation or a managers career. �</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">Some
managers only delegate the work that they hate to do. Others delegate
only what they don�t have the time to do. But there�s a lot more to delegating
than �dumping�.</font></p>
<h3 class="MsoNormal"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><b>Why
Delegate?</b></font></h3>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">Delegating
can be the most efficient and productive way to get things done. It can
also be the best way to develop and train the �Delegator� and the �Delegatee�.
</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">At
it�s base, delegating means multiplying the effectiveness and productivity of
one person to many persons.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">To
delegate means to send someone to represent <i>you. </i> You are entrusting
that person with the power and authority to act on your behalf! How well
they do, may actually mean how well <i>you</i> did!</font></p>
<h3><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Select The Right Person</font></h3>
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">This will require
a little thought. There may be an obvious choice. But when its not
so obvious, there are potential political and offending issues. Consideration
should also be given to the opportunity to develop staff members who may gain
valuable experience through this assignment. Be sure that they have the skills,
tools and time to accomplish the end result. If they don�t, provide it to
them, or delegate it to someone else. </font>
<h1> </h1>
<h3><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Assign The Task</font>
</h3>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">Set
realistic deadlines. But ask them to complete it a few days earlier to
allow for unexpected or last minute problems. Be sure that the person
you are delegating to, knows the end results you are expecting. Take a
little time to orient them to the bigger picture and their place in it.
Encourage questions and provide guidance.</font></p>
<h3><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Be Available</font> </h3>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">Offer
help as needed. Assure them that you welcome questions or assistance,
�we�re in this together�. Overview, check up and evaluate progress.
Remember, you�re not �dumping� the assignment, you�re delegating it.</font></p>
<h3><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Outsource It? </font></h3>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">Some
projects are best delegated to an outside vendor. Often less expensive
and more productive, it also prevents your team from being sidetracked with
�one-time� projects that interfere with their real goals.</font></p>
<h3><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">When The Assignment Is
Done</font> </h3>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">Don�t
just take it off your mind, take it off your list, physically. And do
it with the person to whom it was assigned. Spend a little time reviewing
it. Recognize their accomplishment and effort with a note or a small gift.
Be appreciative and you�ll motivate people to want to do more.</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: December 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="67">
<tr>
<td width="100%" height="370">
<span style="text-decoration: none"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"></font></span>
<h3 align="left"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Some
Advancement In Immigration Laws</font></h3>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="left"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">While
many U.S. industries, associations and companies are urging congress to
expand the H-2B visa cap allowing more immigrant workers to fill job vacancies,
there has at least been some progress in the H-1B program. H-1B
allows workers with specialty occupations, primarily hi-tech, to obtain
U.S. employment. The recently passed legislation will allow up to
an <u>additional </u>20,000 guest workers for those H-1B jobs. </font></span>
</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="left"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">The
employer must establish that no American workers are being displaced and
there are additional fees required under the new regulations. </font></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText2" align="left"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">While
technology companies such as Microsoft and Intel are supporters of the
bill, labor unions are fighting against all immigration employment programs.</font></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText2"> </p>
<center><table border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse" bordercolor="#111111" width="49%" id="AutoNumber7">
<tr>
<td width="100%" height="106">
<h4><b><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">�<span style="font-size:14.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt">A
leader is one who knows the way, goes the way and shows the way�</span></font></b>
</h4>
<blockquote>
<blockquote>
<blockquote>
<blockquote>
<blockquote>
<blockquote>
<h4> <font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">
<i> John C. Maxwell</i></font></h4>
</blockquote>
</blockquote>
</blockquote>
</blockquote>
</blockquote>
</blockquote>
</td>
</tr>
</table></center>
<p> </p>
<h3><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Government Goofs
On Definition Of �Dependent�</font></h3>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">Mark
Twain once said that no citizen is safe when the legislator is in session.
Every now and then lawmakers make a real effort to prove �ole Mark� was
right. When Congress recently passed the �Working Families Relief
Act of 2004�, they defined for the purpose of the act, just what a dependent
was. They were very specific about what was and wasn�t a dependent.
But they weren�t as specific about how many other laws their definition
applied to. </font></span> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">The
act was worded in such a way that it included other regulations beyond
tax relief. </font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">So
when companies who provided employee benefits to their employees found
that the Health Savings Accounts (HSA) no longer allowed the employees
to claim their dependents as before, a national emergency was declared.
While benefit administrators and investment consultants were advising
their clients to comply with the new changes, the IRS was sending out
disclaimers saying to ignore the changes. Several employer groups,
The U.S. Chamber Of Commerce and even other government representatives
formed a committee to address the Congress on this issue; Congressmen
are frantically writing a new definition correcting all the earlier mistakes.
Stay tuned for the outcome.</font></p>
<div align="center">
<center>
<table border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse" bordercolor="#111111" width="48%" id="AutoNumber8" height="96">
<tr>
<td width="100%" height="96">
<h4><b><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">�<span style="font-size:14.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt">I�ve
suffered through a great many catastrophes in my life. <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Most
of them never happened�</span></font></b> </h4>
<blockquote>
<blockquote>
<blockquote>
<blockquote>
<blockquote>
<blockquote>
<h4><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt"> Mark Twain</span></i></font><i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal"><o:p></o:p></i></h4>
</blockquote>
</blockquote>
</blockquote>
</blockquote>
</blockquote>
</blockquote>
</td>
</tr>
</table>
</center>
</div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt"> </span></p>
<![if !mso]><![endif]>
<h3><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Are American Workers
Overworked?</font> </h3>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">A
regular message from the national media is that we Americans are overworked
to the point of exhaustion. Many of us truly feel that way and some
of us are being convinced of it. It is now almost a universal badge
of honor to complain about how overworked and stressed we all are.
But is it really true? </font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">Well
maybe. American workers have for more than 70 years been the single
most productive work force in the world. That�s why our standard
of living is the envy of the world. But over the last few years we have
been reminded often that other counties get more vacation time and more
time off and they do not have to work as hard. They practically
close down the country of France for vacations during the month of August.
</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">As
a result, we in the U.S. are now seeking and getting shorter work weeks
and more time off. We are becoming much more family friendly in
the workplace. Legislation is expected in 2005 that will expand
this concept. That certainly seems like a good thing. But
we have also slipped out of first place. Australia is now the most
productive country in the world. We are number 2. </font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">There
has been a lot of study on this subject. Are we truly working more
or are we more stretching our entire lives too thin? The American
Psychological Association recently published the results of their study
on the �Overworked Workforce�. There were a lot of surprises.
</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: -.25in; margin-left: .5in"> <font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">1.<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span>The number of hours worked by the average American worker (men
and women) has remained relatively the same since 1970. </font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: -.25in; margin-left: .5in"> <font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">2.<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span>When you forget about the �averages� and focus on the difference
between higher paid �exempt Jobs� and the lower paid �non-exempt jobs�,
the difference stands out. </font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">Higher
paid exempt jobs are actually working fewer hours than they were in 1970.
While lower paid non-exempt jobs are working more hours than in 1970.
Further, when looking at the families of the two groups, The greatest
number of single wage earner families are in the higher paid exempt workers,
while the greatest number of multiple wage earner families are among the
lower paid non-exempt workers. </font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">In
other words, lower paid workers tend to put more family members to work,
and they put in more hours individually than average. Higher paid
workers tend more to be the single bread winner for the family when compared
to lower paid workers and are working fewer hours. </font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">So
the number of work hours Americans are putting in is about the same as
it has been for over 30 years. But lower paid non-exempt workers
are putting in more hours while higher paid exempt workers are actually
working fewer hours. </font> </p>
<div align="center">
<center>
<table border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse" bordercolor="#111111" width="57%" id="AutoNumber9">
<tr>
<td width="100%">
<h4><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><b>�Call
it a clan, call it a network, call it a tribe or call it a family.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes">
</span>Whatever you call it, whoever you are, you need one�</b></font>
</h4>
<blockquote>
<blockquote>
<blockquote>
<blockquote>
<blockquote>
<blockquote>
<h4><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><i>Jane
Howard<o:p></o:p></i></font><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><i><o:p></o:p></i></font></h4>
</blockquote>
</blockquote>
</blockquote>
</blockquote>
</blockquote>
</blockquote>
</td>
</tr>
</table>
<p> </p></center>
</div>
<div align="center">
<center>
<table border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse" bordercolor="#111111" width="38%" id="AutoNumber10">
<tr>
<td width="100%">
<h4><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><b>�Never
eat more than you can lift�</b></font></h4>
<blockquote>
<blockquote>
<blockquote>
<blockquote>
<blockquote>
<blockquote>
<h4><i><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Miss
Piggy<o:p></o:p></font><o:p></o:p></i></h4>
</blockquote>
</blockquote>
</blockquote>
</blockquote>
</blockquote>
</blockquote>
</td>
</tr>
</table>
</center>
</div>
<![if !mso]><![endif]>
<![if !mso]><![endif]>
<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"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><u>
November 2003</u><br>
$15.46</font>
</td>
<td width="25%" height="50">
<p align="center"><u>
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">
November</font></u><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><u>
2004<br>
</u>$15.83</font>
</td>
<td width="25%" height="50">
<p align="center"> <span style="text-decoration: none"><u>
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">
November</font></u><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><u>
2003</u><br>
</font></span>
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">
$519.65</font>
</td>
<td width="25%" height="50">
<p align="center"><u>
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">
November 2004</font></u><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><u><br>
</u>$535.39</font>
</td>
</tr>
</table>
</td>
</tr>
</table>
</td>
<td width="20%" bgcolor="#C0C0C0">
<table border="0" width="99%" height="96">
<tr>
<td width="100%" height="40" colspan="2">
<h3 align="center"><span style="text-decoration: none"><font
face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><b>Federal<br>
Poverty Level:</b></font></span></h3>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="50%" height="48">
<p align="center"><b><u><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">One
(1) Person<br>
</font></u></b><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">$8,980</font>
</td>
<td width="50%" height="48">
<p align="center"><u><b><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">Family
of Four</font></b></u><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><br>
$18,400</font>
</td>
</tr>
</table>
</td>
</tr>
</table>
<hr noshade color="#000000">
<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">
November 2003</font></u></b></font></td>
<b>
<td width="12%" align="center"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><u><b>
November 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">147,187,000</font></td>
<td width="12%" align="center"><font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">148,289,000</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">138,533,000</font></td>
<td width="12%" align="center"> <font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">
140,261,000</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">8,653,000</font></td>
<td width="12%" align="center"> <font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">
8,027,000</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 size="-1">5.9</font><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">%</font></p>
</td>
<td width="12%" align="center">
<p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">5.4%</font></p>
</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%"><font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><b>
2nd Quarter 2004</b></font></td>
<td width="68%"><font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">UP
2.5% Increase</font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="32%"><font size="-1"><b>3r</b></font><font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><b>d Quarter 2004</b></font></td>
<td width="68%"><font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">UP
1.9% Increase</font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="32%"> </td>
<td width="68%"> </td>
</tr>
</table>
</font></span>
<h3 align="center"> </h3>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="100%" height="61"> </td>
</tr>
</table>
<p><font face="Verdana" size="2">� 2004 William J. Cook</font></p>
</body>
</html>