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<img border="0" src="../graphics/hronthejob.jpg" width="504" height="54"></p>
<h2 class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b> <span style="font-size: 18.0pt"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">DOES
THAT LAW APPLY TO ME?</font></span></b></h2>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">As
your company grows, you become subject to more federal employment regulations.
An employer with 8 employees has fewer laws with which to comply, than does
an employer with 50 employees. In many cases hiring one more employee,
even for a short time, can put you over the threshold into new employment regulations.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">So,
just what are these laws and thresholds?</font></p>
<h3><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">One Employee</font></h3>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><u>Federal
Labor Standards Act (FLSA):</u> Regulates wages, hours of work and overtime.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><u>National
Labor Relations Act (NLRA):</u> Employers cannot prevent employees from
forming or joining a union.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><u>Drug
Free Workplace Act:</u> You must make an ongoing effort to keep your workplace
free of drugs. Requires training sessions, posters and support referrals.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><u>Employee
Polygraph Act:</u> Forbids most uses of Polygraph tests in employment.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><u>Employment
Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA):</u> regulates employee benefits,
including pension and profit sharing plans. Requires filing federal reports.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><u>Hazard
Communications Standard (HAZCOM):</u> requires employers to inform employees
of all hazardous chemicals and substances in the work place and to provide information
on antidotes and first aid.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><u>Equal
Pay Act (EPA):</u> Forbids discrimination in pay on the basis of gender.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><u>Federal
Tax Withholding:</u> Requires the deduction and payment of Social Security
taxes.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><u>Health
Insurance Portability And Accountability Act (HIPAA):</u> Employers must
accommodate employees in carrying insurance benefits during leaves and on to
next employment, limits the time allowed for pre-existing conditions and requires
privacy of individual�s medical records.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><u>Immigration
And Reform Control Act (IRCA):</u> Requires employers to verify that workers
are legally entitled to work in the U.S.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><u>Occupational
Safety and Health Act (OSHA):</u> Requires employers to maintain a safe
workplace free from recognized hazards.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><u>Veterans
Employment Opportunities Act:</u> For companies that engage in federal
(and most states) contracts, requires special effort to employ veterans. </font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><u>Military
Leave- Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA):</u>
Prohibits discrimination against veterans and employees on military leave.</font></p>
<h3><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">15 Employees</font></h3>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><u>Pregnancy
Discrimination Act (PDA):</u> Forbids discrimination on the basis of pregnancy,
childbirth or related conditions.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><u>Americans
With Disabilities Act (ADA):</u> Forbids discrimination in employment
against disabled individuals, requires accommodation in work and facilities
accessibility. </font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><u>Civil
Rights Act Of 1964 / Title VII:</u> Prohibits discrimination on the basis
of race, color, religion, sex and national origin. (Although such discrimination
is illegal for all employers, carrying out the processes of Tile VII is not
required for employers with less than 15 employees.)</font></p>
<h3><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">20 Employees</font></h3>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><u>Age
Discrimination In Employment Act (ADEA</u>): Forbids discrimination against
those aged 40 or over.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><u>Consolidated
Omnibus Benefits Reconciliation Act (COBRA):</u> Requires employers to offer
employees the opportunity, and to accommodate their desire, to continue group
health plans at their own expense when on leave or when leaving employment.</font></p>
<h3><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">50 Employees</font></h3>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><u>Family
And Medical Leave Act (FMLA):</u> Requires employers to allow employees
12 weeks unpaid leave in any 12-month period for childbirth, adoption and serious
illnesses. </font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><u>Affirmative
Action Plan (AAP):</u> For companies that engage in federal (and most
states) contracts of $50,000 or more, requires a written plan to proactively
provide employment opportunities for women and minorities.</font></p>
<h3><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">100 Employees</font></h3>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><u>Worker
Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act (WARN): </u>Requires employers
to give as much as 6 months advance notice to employees and the community, before
large layoffs, shutdowns or plant closings.</font></p>
<p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">Some states may
have additional laws or may make these laws more stringent. </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: </font></b></font><b>
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="4" color="#FF0000">
February 2005</font></b></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">
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<td width="100%" height="370">
<h3 class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Aren�t
You Retired Yet?</font></span></b></h3>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">In
a recent survey of over 7,000 workers. Employees gave surprising answers
to the question �At what age are you planning to retire? The most
popular answer was �Never�.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">The
results of the survey:</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">At
what age are you planning to retire?</font></p>
<ul style="margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">Never
34%</font></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">Between
61 and 65 20%</font></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">Between
51 and 60 16%</font></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">Between
66 and 75 16%</font></li>
</ul>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">The
most pessimistic group (those who said 51 to 60) said that they are uninspired
by their jobs because:</font></p>
<ul style="margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">Senior
management is not committed to improving employee skills</font></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">They
were dissatisfied with their managers</font></li>
</ul>
<p> </p>
<div align="center">
<center>
<table border="1" cellpadding="2" style="border-collapse: collapse" bordercolor="#111111" width="50%" id="AutoNumber7">
<tr>
<td width="100%">
<h4 class="MsoNormal" align="left"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">�Only
those who risk going too far can possibly find out how far one
can go�</font></h4>
<h4 class="MsoNormal" align="left"> <font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">
T.S. Elliot</i></font> </h4>
</td>
</tr>
</table>
</center>
</div>
<![if !mso]><![endif]>
<h3 class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Just
How Stressed Are You?</font></span></b></h3>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">American
business owners say that they are more stressed out than ever. But
how do they compare to business owners in other countries? The Grant
Thornton International Business Owners Survey set out to find that answer
by talking to over 6,000 business owners in 24 different countries and
ranking the levels of stress in each. </font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">Americans
came in 18<sup>th</sup> of the 24 countries. </font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">The
Ranking:</font></b></p>
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse" bordercolor="#111111" width="34%" id="AutoNumber10">
<tr>
<td width="42%"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">
1 Taiwan </font></td>
<td width="58%"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">69%</font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="42%"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">
2. Hong Kong</font></td>
<td width="58%"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">54%</font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="42%"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">
3. Mexico</font></td>
<td width="58%"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">54%</font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="42%"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">
4.Turkey</font></td>
<td width="58%"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">54%</font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="42%"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">
5. India</font></td>
<td width="58%"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">53%</font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="42%"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">
6. Philippines </font></td>
<td width="58%"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">53%</font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="42%"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">
7. Japan </font></td>
<td width="58%"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">51%</font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="42%"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">
8. Russia </font></td>
<td width="58%"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">51%</font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="42%"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">
9. South Africa</font></td>
<td width="58%"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">50%</font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="42%"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">
10 Singapore</font></td>
<td width="58%"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">46%</font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="42%"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">
11. Ireland </font></td>
<td width="58%"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">41%</font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="42%"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">
12.Greece</font></td>
<td width="58%"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">39%</font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="42%"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">
13. Poland </font></td>
<td width="58%"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">39%</font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="42%"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">
14. Germany </font></td>
<td width="58%"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">37%</font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="42%"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">
15. Spain </font></td>
<td width="58%"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">37%</font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="42%"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">
16 France </font></td>
<td width="58%"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">36%</font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="42%"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">
17 Australia </font></td>
<td width="58%"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">34%</font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="42%"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">
18. United States</font></td>
<td width="58%"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">34%</font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="42%"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">
19.United Kingdom</font></td>
<td width="58%"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">33%</font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="42%"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">
20.New Zealand</font></td>
<td width="58%"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">32%</font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="42%"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">
21.Italy</font></td>
<td width="58%"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">30%</font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="42%"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">
22. Canada </font></td>
<td width="58%"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">26%</font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="42%"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">
23. Netherlands</font></td>
<td width="58%"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">25%</font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="42%"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">
24.Sweden</font></td>
<td width="58%"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">23%</font></td>
</tr>
</table>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<div align="center">
<center>
<table border="1" cellpadding="2" style="border-collapse: collapse" bordercolor="#111111" width="54%" id="AutoNumber8" height="105">
<tr>
<td width="100%" height="101">
<h4 class="MsoNormal"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">�If
you don�t go after what you want, you�ll never have it.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes">
</span>If you don�t ask, the answer is always no.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes">
</span> If you don�t step forward, you always will be in the
same place�</font></h4>
<h4 class="MsoNormal"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="mso-tab-count:6">
</span> <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">Nora Roberts</i></font><br>
</h4>
</td>
</tr>
</table>
</center>
</div>
<![if !mso]><![endif]>
<h3 class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">How
Are Unions Doing?</font></span></b></h3>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">The
Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported that in 2004, union representation
in the U.S. workforce dropped down to a new low of 12.5% compared to 12.9%
in 2003. Union membership is now at the lowest rate since the BLS
began collecting the data in 1983. The current figure is about 1/3
of what it was in 1950. </font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">The
only segment of the American labor market wherein union representation
is growing is among government workers. As the local, state and
federal government continues to expand, the increased hiring results in
the increase in new union membership. </font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">Why
are unions in such decline? That question was asked in a recent
poll in Workforce Management magazine. The results showed:</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">35%
Less need for unions because of greater employee-management cooperation.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">16%
Tough tactics by employers to keep unions out.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">15%
Decline of manufacturing jobs and the shift to a service, information
economy.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">11%
Increase in temp jobs, contractor jobs, self employment and shorter time
workers </font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">
stay on one job makes it harder for unions to organize.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">11%
Unions inability to secure better conditions for their members.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">9%
Problems with union leadership.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">3%
None of the above.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">RecruitMax
the international recruiting group, commented that they believe that the
most pressing problem with unions is that they do not develop the skill
levels of their members. They assume the role of an agent, middleman
or a broker focusing on retaining jobs rather than developing people.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<div align="center">
<center>
<table border="1" cellpadding="2" style="border-collapse: collapse" bordercolor="#111111" width="47%" id="AutoNumber9">
<tr>
<td width="100%">
<h4 class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align: left"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">�Never
go to a Doctor whose office plants have died�</font></h4>
<h4 class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center">
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="mso-tab-count:2">
</span> <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:
normal">Erma Bombeck</i></font> </h4>
</td>
</tr>
</table>
</center>
</div>
<blockquote>
<blockquote>
<span style="text-decoration: none"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">
<hr width="75%">
</font></span><p></p>
</blockquote>
</blockquote>
<span style="text-decoration: none"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">
<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>
Janaury 2004</u><br>
$15.26</font>
</td>
<td width="25%" height="50">
<p align="center"><u> <font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">
January</font></u><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><u>
2005<br>
</u>$15.56</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">
January</font></u><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><u>
2004</u><br>
</font></span> <font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">
$509.68</font>
</td>
<td width="25%" height="50">
<p align="center"><u> <font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">
January 2005</font></u><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><u><br>
</u>$516.59</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">
</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">6.3 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">
January 2004</font></u></b></font></td>
<b>
<td width="12%" align="center"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><u><b>
January 2005 </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">145,875,000</font></td>
<td width="12%" align="center"><font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">146,863,000</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">135,447,000</font></td>
<td width="12%" align="center"> <font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">
138,566,000</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">8,428,000</font></td>
<td width="12%" align="center"> <font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">
8,297,000</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">5.7</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>