|
Server : Apache/2.4.62 System : FreeBSD fbsdweb2.web.rcn.net 14.1-RELEASE FreeBSD 14.1-RELEASE releng/14.1-n267679-10e31f0946d8 GENERIC amd64 User : www ( 80) PHP Version : 8.3.8 Disable Function : NONE Directory : /domains/highlandlabs/cqi-bin/ALFA_DATA/alfasymlink/root/domains/hrahg/hru/otj/ |
Upload File : |
<html xmlns:v="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40">
<head>
<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=windows-1252">
<meta name="GENERATOR" content="Microsoft FrontPage 6.0">
<meta name="ProgId" content="FrontPage.Editor.Document">
<title>HR - On the Job</title>
<style>
<!--
li.MsoNormal
{mso-style-parent:"";
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; margin-top:0in}
h1
{margin-bottom:.0001pt;
page-break-after:avoid;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
font-weight:normal;
text-decoration:underline;
text-underline:single; margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; margin-top:0in}
h5
{margin:6.0pt 0in; text-align:justify;
text-indent:.25in;
page-break-after:avoid;
font-size:14.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
font-weight:normal}
div.Section1
{page:Section1;}
span.SpellE
{}
span.GramE
{}
span.MsoCommentReference
{}
-->
</style>
</head>
<body bgcolor="#FFFFFF">
<p align="center"> <img border="0" src="../graphics/hronthejob.jpg" width="504" height="54"></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<h2 class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b> <font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">How
To Win That Argument</font></b></h2>
<h3 class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">And
Then Wish You Hadn�t</font></b></h3>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">Few
companies can truly say they have a problem free environment. Many say
that solving problems is what business is all about. But the problems that are
the most difficult to face and to deal with are usually people conflict problems.
People are the problem. But People are also the solution. </font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">Sometimes
it due to bad management, sometimes it�s about differing personality clashes
and sometimes it�s just one person. Infamous writer and critic Alexander
Woolcott once said, �My doctor told me not to play unless I win� and maybe some
of us are like that. But personal conflicts occurring on the job aren�t very
funny and conflicts are almost always the result of poor communications.
</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">While
we know that good communications can improve relationships, increase trust and
cooperative support it can also boost efficiency and productivity. Poor
communications can cause conflict, create disunity and mistrust and it can also
lower efficiency and productivity. That makes for a bad environment and
people leave jobs where the environment is bad. But if these concerns
do not present a problem for you, here are some ideas on how to win your arguments
and afterwards wish you hadn�t.</font></p>
<font size="-1"><ol>
<li><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><b>Avoid Conflicts
Altogether</b>: Rather than bringing issues out in the open for discussion
in a calm respectful manner just avoid them until they�re ready to explode
and then blurt them out in an angry demeaning way. <b>But consider this</b>-
Although avoiding a disagreement altogether may seem like the least stressful
route at the time, it will usually cause more tension and more drastic results
in the end.<br>
<br>
</font></li>
<li><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span><b>Be Defensive</b>: Rather than addressing a complaint with an
open mind and a willingness to understand the other person�s point of view,
be defensive and deny any wrongdoing and certainly don�t consider that you
may be contributing to, or be the cause of the problem. Losing this
argument makes you a loser! <b>But consider this-</b> Denying responsibility
may seem to relieve stress in the short run but it creates long term problems
when others feel that they are not listened to and that unresolved conflicts
continue to fester.<br>
<br>
</font></li>
<li><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><b>Over-Generalize</b>:
It can help you to win your argument if you overstate the issue, blow it out
of proportion and make sweeping generalizations such as �you always..�, �you
never�� as in �You always come in late� or �You never do what you say
you�ll do�. Sometimes you can even stretch the truth by claiming facts
you don�t have or can exaggerating the consequences in order to strengthen
your position. <b> But consider this</b>- Stop and think about whether
or not any of these statements are really true and how it will look if others
know they aren�t. And don�t bring up past conflicts or ancient history
that throws the discussion off topic and stirs up more conflict. Such tactics
prolong and worsen the conflict.<br>
<br>
</font></li>
<li><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span><b>Be Right:</b> It�s a good argument-winning tactic to know that there�s
only one right way and one wrong way to look at things and yours is the right
way. When someone doesn�t see things your way, it clear that they�re
just not too bright. Refusing to recognize your knowledge is an attack
on you personally. Compromise is for politicians. <b>But consider
this</b>-If you listen and consider their view, you not only show and gain
respect, but you just might learn something new. Look for compromise
or how to obtain mutual agreement by accepting the most important parts of
each position. You don�t have to be the only smart one in the group.
As one woman remarked to her friend that she thought she had found �Mr. Right�
until she found out that his first name was �Always�.<br>
<br>
</font></li>
<li><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><b>Read Their
Minds:</b> You already know what their thinking and it�s wrong.
When someone doesn�t agree with you it�s because they have an ulterior motive
or they remember that you were wrong once before. Your intuition is better
than their rhetoric. <b>But consider this</b>- Assuming the worse usually
results in just that. It�s a clear form of prejudice that closes your
mind to new information. It�s an old saying that still applies, �When
you ASSUME you make an ASS of U and ME�.<br>
<br>
</font></li>
<li><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span><b>Forget About Listening: </b> Feel free to<b> </b>interrupt, roll
your eyes and mentally rehearse what you�re going to say back. You don�t
need to listen. You don�t need to hear what they have to say because you already
know what you want to know. <b>But consider this</b>- Failing to listen keeps
you from seeing their point of view and it often keeps them from listening
to yours. They may be wrong, but you may be also and they might have
some new insight. You have two ears and only one mouth, that�s a message.<br>
<br>
</font></li>
<li><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><b>Play The
Blame Game: </b>Try to make the situation �their fault� by criticizing what
they�ve done or said. �We wouldn�t have this problem if you hadn�t ��,
�I�m not the one who��. This is the time to raise the energy level and
attack first. <b>But consider this</b>- Don�t lower the issue down to
this level. It�s not about blame. It�s first about coming together
with a solution. Try to view conflict as an opportunity to analyze the
situation objectively. You do that by assessing the needs of both parties
and come up with a solution that helps you both.<br>
<br>
</font></li>
<li><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><b>Attack Their
Character:</b> If you�re sharp you can find a way to turn this person�s statements
into his or her personality flaw. �You�re problem is that you ��, �Your
such a demanding��, �You�ve never been able to��. Making it personal might
just cause them to get emotional and look week, �zing� you got that one in.
You can make this look like they are the problem and you are the solution.
<b>But consider this</b>- If you destroy this person�s image to others or
himself, you�ve may have done serious damage to him, you and your company.
Don�t kill the horse by trying to win the race.<br>
<br>
</font></li>
<li><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><b>Go Behind
Their Back: </b>Let other people know what a jerk that girl is. Tearing your
opponent down to others will build you up. Isolate her from the group
and get them on your side by turning them against her. <b>But consider
this</b>- Many people will feel more negatively against you than her.
Even if she wasn�t right in her position, you�re the one slinking through
the alley. Keep this all above board. Allow each person to discuss
issues openly and with a true concern for finding solutions.<br>
<br>
</font></li>
<li><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><b>Win This
Argument:</b> Winners don�t lose. Your first purpose here is to
win this argument. You can lose it if you seem to be weak especially
if others are watching. It�s not about finding a solution, oh no, we�re
way past that stage. Look for a weak spot and slip in the knife! <b>But
consider this-</b> Nothing good is likely to come from this encounter. Winning
this argument causes a much greater and possibly permanent loss. When you
embarrass your partner or cause them to shrink away, you may have lost them
forever. They may never truly join with you in anything again.
You have probably lost the value of that person�s knowledge from that point
on. If you�re trying to make a case for how wrong the other person is, you�re
not focused on the right target.</font></li>
</ol></font>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.25in"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">Let�s
leave this subject with a quote from the master of business consultants Peter
Drucker: <i>�So much of what we call management consists of making it difficult
for people to work.�</i></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.25in"> </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 2008</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="2454">
<tr valign="top">
<td width="100%" height="2438" align="left">
<blockquote>
<div align="center">
<div align="left">
<h2 class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b>
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">EMPLOYERS</font></b></h2>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><b>
<span style="font-size:16.0pt">Four More Changes Expected From New
Washington Leaders</span></b></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">In
last month�s �Hitchhiking� column we reported on the top four legislative
items that are expected to impact employers after the newly elected
leaders in Washington take seat.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">Those
four items were:</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: -.25in; margin-left: .5in">
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><span style="font-family: Symbol">�<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span>Eliminating the secret ballot and eliminating the
company�s right to speak when unions attempt to unionize employees.
(Called the �Employee Free Choice Act�)</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: -.25in; margin-left: .5in">
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><span style="font-family: Symbol">�<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span>Requiring all employers to provide a minimum medical
insurance coverage or pay into a newly created federal fund (similar
to Social Security).</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: -.25in; margin-left: .5in">
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><span style="font-family: Symbol">�<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span>Increase the federal minimum wage to a targeted $9.14
and add an automatic cost of living (COLA) increase.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: -.25in; margin-left: .5in">
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><span style="font-family: Symbol">�<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span>Expand the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) to
include employers with as little as 25 employees.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">Those
changes are already written and their passage has been promised.
In addition to these, the following new laws are currently supported
and promised:</font></p>
<h3><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><b><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Expanding
the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)</span></b><span style="font-size:14.0pt">
</span> </font></h3>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><u><font size="-1">Called
the �ADA Restoration Act�</font></u><font size="-1"> </font></font>
</div>
</div>
</blockquote>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">Under
the existing ADA an employee must be given special consideration and �reasonable
accommodation� if he or she has an impairment that �<i>substantially limits
a major life activity</i>�. Under the intended expansion of ADA,
that requirement would be eliminated. <i>Any</i> impairment
would require special consideration and reasonable accommodation.
</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">In
addition, the existing regulations do not consider an impairment that
is already accommodated to be eligible for special consideration.
Under the intended changes, such mitigating circumstances are no longer
allowed. For example; under existing law, if an employee (or applicant
for employment) is visually impaired but that impairment is corrected
by wearing his/her glasses, no disability rights are granted. But
under the intended changes that person is still considered disabled and
must be allowed special consideration and accommodation. </font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">In
addition, under the existing law, it is the responsibility of the <i>employee</i>
to establish his/her ability to perform the job. Under the intended
changes it becomes the <i>employer�s</i> responsibility to prove that
the individual cannot perform the job. </font></p>
<blockquote>
<div align="center">
<div align="left">
<h3 class="MsoNormal"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><b>Unionizing
Supervisors</b></font></h3>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><u><font size="-1">Called
the �Re-empowerment of Skilled Professional Employees and Construction
Tradeworkers Act (RESPECT�</font></u><font size="-1">) </font></font>
</div>
</div>
</blockquote>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">Under
the existing laws, your supervisors and managers are considered your front
line management. They represent your company and act on your behalf and
in your interest. They may not be unionized. Under the new RESPECT law,
those who �assign� or �responsibly direct� the work of others would no
longer be considered supervisors or managers and they may be unionized.
</font></p>
<blockquote>
<div align="center">
<div align="left">
<h3 class="MsoNormal"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><b>Expansion
of the Civil Rights Act</b></font></h3>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><u><font size="-1">Called
�The Civil Rights Act of 2008</font></u><font size="-1">�</font></font>
</div>
</div>
</blockquote>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">Under
the existing civil rights act, there are caps and limits to the amount
that can be awarded in EEOC and ADA cases. Under the intended changes
there will no longer be any limits to the amount for which a company may
be sued in civil rights cases. </font></p>
<blockquote>
<div align="center">
<div align="left">
<h3 class="MsoNormal"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><b>Extending
the Time Limits on Filing Charges</b></font></h3>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><u><font size="-1">Called
�The Fair Pay Act�</font></u></font>
</div>
</div>
</blockquote>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Under
the existing laws, if you pay an employee in a discriminating manner,
the employee has (within the �Equal Pay Act�) two years from the date
the individual became aware of the difference in pay to file a charge.
Under the intended changes, the employee has two years from the last paycheck
they received. </font></p>
<blockquote>
<div align="center">
<div align="left">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Whether
you�re a Republican, Democrat or Independent, if you�re a business
owner you may not be too happy with the changes coming up.
And don�t you just love the neat names given to some of these laws?</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.25in"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> <font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">
</font></p>
</div>
<table border="4" width="50%" id="table17" cellpadding="2" height="102" bordercolor="#000000">
<tr>
<td valign="top" height="85">
<h3 class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center">
<b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; font-style: italic"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">�The
able industrial leader who creates wealth and employment is
more worthy of historical notice than politicians or soldiers.�</font></span></b></h3>
<h3 class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center">
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><b><i><span style="font-size:14.0pt">-
J. Paul Getty</span></i></b></font></h3>
</td>
</tr>
</table>
<h1 align="center" style="text-align:center"> </h1>
</div>
<blockquote>
<hr width="75%">
<p></p>
</blockquote>
</blockquote>
<span style="text-decoration: none"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">
<table border="0" width="47%">
<tr>
<td width="37%" 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>Federal Minimum Wage:</b></font></p>
</div>
</td>
<center>
<td width="61%" valign="top">
<h3 align="left"><font
face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">$6.55/hr. </font></h3>
<p align="left"><i><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">Increases
to $7.25 on 7/24/09</font></i>
</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"><b>November</b></font></u><b><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><u>
2007</u></font></b><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><br>
$17.</font><font size="-1">64</font></td>
<td width="25%" height="50">
<p align="center">
<b><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">
<span style="text-decoration: none"><u>
November
200</u></span></font></b><u><font size="-1"><b>8</b></font></u><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><u><br>
</u>$18.</font><font size="-1">30</font>
</td>
<td width="25%" height="50">
<p align="center">
<span style="text-decoration: none">
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><b><u>
November
2007</u></b><br>
</font>
</span> <font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">
$596.23</font>
</td>
<td width="25%" height="50">
<p align="center">
<span style="text-decoration: none"><b>
<u>
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">
November
</font>
</u></b>
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">
<b><u>
2008</u></b></font></span><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><u><br>
</u>$613.05</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">$10,400</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>
$21,200</font>
</td>
</tr>
</table>
</td>
</tr>
</table>
<hr noshade color="#000000">
<hr noshade color="#000000">
</font>
<table border="0" width="100%">
<tr> <b><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">
<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>
</font></b>
<center>
<td width="63%" style="border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1">
<div align="left"><b> <font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><u>January
1, 2008, IRS mileage allowance:</u></font></b></div>
<div align="left"> </div>
<div align="left"><b> <font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">
Business Purposes: 58.5 cents per mile<br>
Medical or Moving Purposes: 27 cents per mile<br>
Charitable Purposes: 14 cents per mile</font></b></div>
<div align="left"> </div>
<div align="left"><b>
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">
<u>IRS will lower the mileage allowances as shown below on
January 1, 2009:</u><br>
<br>
Business Purposes: 55 cents per mile<br>
Medical or Moving Purposes: 24 cents per mile<br>
Charitable Purposes: 14 cents per mile</font></b></div>
</td>
</center>
</tr>
</table>
<table border="0" width="100%" bgcolor="#C0C0C0">
<tr>
<td width="37%" 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>
</center>
<td width="63%" style="border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1">
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="37%" style="border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"
size="-1">1 oz.</font></td>
<td width="63%"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">.42</font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="37%"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"
size="-1">Each additional ounce</font></td>
<td width="63%"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">2
oz. .27</font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="37%"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"
size="-1"><i>Postcards</i></font></td>
<td width="63%"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">.27</font></td>
</tr>
</table>
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">
<hr noshade color="#000000">
<b>
<p>
<table border="0" width="38%" bgcolor="#FFFFFF" style="border-collapse: collapse" bordercolor="#111111" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0">
</table>
<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">6.5 Billion</font>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="34%" valign="top"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"
size="-1"><b>U.S.</b></font></td>
<td width="82%" valign="top">
<p align="left"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">305
Million</font>
<p align="left"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><i>One
birth every 7 seconds<br>
One death every 13 seconds<br>
One new immigrant every 29 seconds<br>
Net gain = 1 person every 9 seconds</i></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
2007</font></u></b></font></td>
<b>
<td width="12%" align="center">
<u><span style="font-weight:700"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">
November
</font></span> </u><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><u>
<b> 2008</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">
153,828,000</font></td>
<td width="12%" align="center"><font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">154,616,000</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">145,819,000</font></td>
<td width="12%" align="center"> <font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">
144,285,000</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">8,784,000</font></td>
<td width="12%" align="center"> <font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">
10,331,000</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">5.7%</font></p>
</td>
<td width="12%" align="center">
<p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">6.7%</font></p>
</td>
</tr>
</table>
<hr noshade color="#000000">
<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"><b>2004</b></font></td>
<td width="68%"><font size="-1">4.0%</font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="32%"> <span style="text-decoration: none"> <font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><b>2005</b></font></span></td>
<td width="68%"> <span style="text-decoration: none"> <font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">2.6%</font></span></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="32%"> <span style="text-decoration: none"> <font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><b>2006</b></font></span></td>
<td width="68%"> <span style="text-decoration: none"> <font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">3.0%</font></span></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="32%">
<span style="text-decoration: none"> <font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><b>2007</b></font></span></td>
<td width="68%">
<span style="text-decoration: none">
<font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">1.9%</font></span></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="32%"> <span style="text-decoration: none"> <font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><b>
200</b></font></span><font size="-1"><b>8 1st Quarter</b></font></td>
<td width="68%">
<span style="text-decoration: none">
<font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">+2.6%</font></span></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="32%">
<span style="text-decoration: none">
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">
<b>
200</b><font size="-1"><b>8 2nd Quarter</b></font></font></span></td>
<td width="68%">
<span style="text-decoration: none">
<font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">+3.6%</font></span></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="32%"> <span style="text-decoration: none"> <font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><b>
200</b></font></span><font size="-1"><b>8 3rd Quarter</b></font></td>
<td width="68%">
<span style="text-decoration: none">
<font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">+1.3%</font></span></td>
</tr>
</table>
</font></span></td>
</tr>
</table>
<p><font face="Verdana" size="2">� William J. Cook</font></p>
</body>
</html>