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<p class="MsoTitle" align="center"><b><font size="5" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">HEADS-UP!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</span>WORKPLACE RULES ON THE HORIZON</font></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Many
federal regulations from the last 10 years are being re-examined for
effectiveness and fairness today.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>However,
across the country there are several state laws being prepared or considered.<span style="mso-spacerun:
yes"> </span>Checking them out now and getting your voice or influence
recognized or at least preparing your company for these events is certainly of
value.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><b><u>Family
and Medical Leave Act<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>(FMLA)</u></b></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Fifteen
states are considering the use of unemployment insurance to pay employees on
FMLA leave.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>That�s bad news for
employers, employees and taxpayers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Tapping
employment funds for other social purposes (just as was done to Social Security)
will drain the reserves built up for unemployed workers during bad economic
times.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>What happens when the funds
run out? (They will).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>How do you
prepare for a rainy day?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>By burning
your umbrella?</font></p>
<p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><u><b>Domestic Violence</b></u></font></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Ten
states are considering the use of unemployment funds, Workers� Compensation,
or insurance plans to compensate people for domestic violence incidents.</font></p>
<p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><b><u>Equal Pay</u></b></font></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">If you�re
paying women less than men for the same job and work because they�re women,
then you can and should get caught.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Correcting
these problems now is much better and cheaper than letting the courts do it for
you.<span style="mso-spacerun:
yes"> </span>However, the two dangers you must watch for in the pay equity
issue area are:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>1) The mistaken
concept that many regulators share--that is, that jobs are to be evaluated for
their social value and the amount of education or training they require.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</span>By that standard, Nurse�s Aids should be paid more than Garbage
Collectors.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>But how many people can
be attracted to garbage collection without paying the higher wages (and by
changing the job title to Sanitation Engineer)?</font></p>
<p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><b><u>Gay Rights</u></b></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Sixteen
states are eyeing laws to ban discrimination based on sexual preference.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</span>Although there are religious and social beliefs involved, there are
relatively few people who want to actively discriminate against gays or
lesbians.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The realistic issue that
has yet to be resolved is the fear that it will lead to 25 years of affirmative
action, just as it did for minorities, women, handicapped and veterans.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</span>Does this mean that you are going to have to prove that the people you
recruit and employ <u>are</u> gays and lesbians?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</span>Passively not discriminating is not difficult.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</span>Why would you want to?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>But
after the inevitable lawsuits start there is a real concern that affirmative
action will follow.</font></p>
<p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><b><u>Ergonomics and
Safety</u></b></font></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Check
with your insurance carrier.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Many
new regulations are being prepared everywhere regarding safety, ergonomics and
Workers� Compensation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Many are
quite good.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Some are ineffective
and costly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Particularly, watch for
safety issues for employees working at home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</span>Most of you will be employing at-home workers in the future.<span style="mso-spacerun:
yes"> </span>Check with the National Safety Council at (800) 621-7619 for
a plan on how to examine your work site for repetitive motion risks and safety
issues.</font></p>
<h2 align="center"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">On The
Sunnier Side</font></h2>
<p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><b><u>Long Term Care</u></b></font></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">A
current study is telling us that offering long-term care (LTC) for elderly
dependents is helping employers with turnover problems.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</span>Employees like this!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Initially,
the premiums are paid by the employee.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Later,
the employer starts to pay some of the premium.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</span>More states are examining the need for legislation in this growing area.</font></p>
<p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><b><u>Union Activities</u></b></font></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">With
the recent resignation of the Carpenters Union from the national AFL-CIO and
with two (2) more unions possibly following soon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</span>Changes that may be of advantage to those companies that use union
carpenters is expected to result.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>This
rival alliance means that we will be seeing work rule changes that will have
craft workers being cross-trained in multi-job classifications.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</span>This means that they will be of greater job use, as opposed to those
unions still fighting over job jurisdiction and work rules.</font></p>
<p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><b><u>Disability
Regulations</u></b></font></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Expansion
of the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) is occurring at the federal and
state levels.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>This is really a good
law being used badly.<span style="mso-spacerun:
yes"> </span>Its intent was to help more people with handicaps to gain
employment opportunities.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It doesn�t!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</span>Statistically, it is being used by people who are being terminated and
claiming disabilities in order to sue and keep their jobs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</span>So as the expansion of the ADA occurs, it should not concentrate on how
many new maladies can be added to the ADA list.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</span>We already have stress, high blood pressure and psychological tardiness
(the inability to get to work on time).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>New
regulations should concentrate on helping truly handicapped people find
employment opportunities.</font></p>
<hr width="75%">
<h3><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><b><u>Q & A</u></b></font></h3>
<blockquote>
<p class="MsoBodyText"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><b><u>Q:</u></b>
I�m preparing an employee handbook.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Half
(�) of our employees are union and are referred to us by a Building Trades
hiring hall.<span style="mso-spacerun:
yes"> </span>Other than our employees in the payroll department no one
knows who they are or when they come and go.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</span>Do I have to include these people in our handbook?</font></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><b><u>A:</u></b>
No.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>In fact, you should identify
in your handbook who is and specifically who is not covered.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</span>At the very least you should state that nothing in this handbook is
meant to violate anything in the contract for those who are covered by the
contract.<span style="mso-spacerun:
yes"> </span>It is important that you separate those employees from each
other in your handbook or you could find that you must offer the conditions in
the handbook to the union employees.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span></font></p>
</blockquote>
<hr width="75%">
<div align="center">
<table border="0" width="101%" height="376">
<tr>
<td width="100%" height="370">
<p align="left"><b><u><font size="4">Hitchhiking on the Information
Highway</font></u></b></p>
<p align="left"><b><font size="4" color="#FF0000">Dateline: June 2001</font></b></p>
<table border="0" width="42%">
<tr>
<td width="73%">
<p align="left"><b>Minimum Wage:</b></p>
</td>
<center>
<td width="91%">$5.15/hr.</td>
</center>
</tr>
</table>
<table border="0" width="100%">
<tr>
<td width="33%" valign="top"><b>Average Income:</b></td>
<td width="33%">
<table border="0" width="100%">
<tr>
<td width="100%">
<p align="center"><b>Hourly</b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="100%">
<table border="0" width="100%">
<tr>
<td width="50%">
<p align="center"><b><u>Jan.</u></b><br>
$14.02</td>
<td width="50%">
<p align="center"><b><u>Feb.</u></b><br>
$14.10</td>
<td width="50%">
<p align="center"><b><u>Mar.</u></b><br>
$14.17</td>
<td width="50%">
<p align="center"><u><b>Apr.</b></u><br>
$14.22</td>
</tr>
</table>
</td>
</tr>
</table>
</td>
<td width="34%">
<table border="0" width="100%" height="78">
<tr>
<td width="100%" height="40">
<p align="center"><b><u>Family of<br>
Four</u></b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="100%" height="30">
<p align="center">$59,900 (annual)</td>
</tr>
</table>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="33%" bgcolor="#C0C0C0"><b>Poverty Level:</b></td>
<td width="33%" bgcolor="#C0C0C0"> </td>
<td width="34%" bgcolor="#C0C0C0">
<p align="center">$17,650 (annual)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="33%"></td>
<td width="33%"></td>
<td width="34%"></td>
</tr>
</table>
<table border="0" width="58%" bgcolor="#C0C0C0">
<tr>
<td width="25%" valign="top"><b>Gas Prices:</b></td>
<td width="25%">
<p align="center"><b>National Avg.<br>
<u>May 15</u></b><br>
$1.76/gal.</td>
<td width="25%">
<p align="center"><b>High<br>
<u>Chicago Avg.</u></b><br>
$2.02/gal.</td>
<td width="25%">
<p align="center"><b>Low<br>
<u>Atlanta Avg.</u></b><br>
$1.46/gal</td>
</tr>
</table>
<table border="0" width="79%">
<tr>
<td width="50%">
<p align="left"><b>IRS Mileage Allowance (1-01-01):</b></p>
</td>
<center>
<td width="50%">34.5 cents per mile</td>
</center>
</tr>
</table>
<table border="0" width="60%" bgcolor="#C0C0C0">
<tr>
<td width="16%">
<p align="left"><b>Postage:</b></p>
</td>
<center>
<td width="27%"> </td>
<td width="12%"> </td>
<td width="58%"> </td>
</center>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="16%">1 oz.</td>
<td width="27%">.34</td>
<td width="12%">8 oz.</td>
<td width="58%">1.81</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="16%">2 oz.</td>
<td width="27%">.55</td>
<td width="12%">
<p align="left">9 oz.</p>
</td>
<center>
<td width="58%">2.02</td>
</center>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="16%">3 oz.</td>
<td width="27%">.76</td>
<td width="12%">10 oz.</td>
<td width="58%">2.23</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="16%">4 oz.</td>
<td width="27%">.97</td>
<td width="12%">11 oz.</td>
<td width="58%">2.44</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="16%">5 oz.</td>
<td width="27%">1.18</td>
<td width="12%">12 oz.</td>
<td width="58%">2.65</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="16%">6 oz.</td>
<td width="27%">1.39</td>
<td width="12%">13 oz.</td>
<td width="58%">2.86</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="16%">7 oz.</td>
<td width="27%">1.60</td>
<td width="12%"><i>Postcards</i></td>
<td width="58%"><i>20 cents</i></td>
</tr>
</table>
<table border="0" width="38%">
<tr>
<td width="100%"><b>Where your federal tax dollar goes in 2001:</b></td>
</tr>
</table>
<table border="0" width="38%">
<tr>
<td width="61%">Social Security</td>
<td width="39%">
<p align="right">23%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="61%">Discretionary</td>
<td width="39%">
<p align="right">19%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="61%">Defense</td>
<td width="39%">
<p align="right">16%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="61%">Medicare (over 65 years of age)</td>
<td width="39%">
<p align="right">13%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="61%">Other</td>
<td width="39%">
<p align="right">11%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="61%">Interest on National Debt</td>
<td width="39%">
<p align="right">11%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="61%">Medicaid</td>
<td width="39%">
<p align="right">7%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="61%"></td>
<td width="39%">
<p align="right"><b>100%</b></td>
</tr>
</table>
<table border="0" width="38%" bgcolor="#C0C0C0">
<tr>
<td width="100%"><b>Where Uncle Sam gets his money in 2001:</b></td>
</tr>
</table>
<table border="0" width="38%" bgcolor="#C0C0C0">
<tr>
<td width="61%">Individual income tax</td>
<td width="39%">
<p align="right">50%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="61%">Payroll taxes</td>
<td width="39%">
<p align="right">32%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="61%">Corporate taxes</td>
<td width="39%">
<p align="right">10%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="61%">Other</td>
<td width="39%">
<p align="right">8%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="61%"> </td>
<td width="39%">
<p align="right"><b>100%</b></td>
</tr>
</table>
<table border="0" width="31%">
<tr>
<td width="25%">
<p align="left"><b><u>Population:</u></b></p>
</td>
<center>
<td width="75%"></td>
</center>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="25%"><b>World</b></td>
<td width="75%">
<p align="center">6 billion</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="25%"><b>U.S.</b></td>
<td width="75%">
<p align="center">282 million</td>
</tr>
</table>
<table border="0" width="76%" bgcolor="#C0C0C0">
<tr>
<td width="48%">
<p align="left"> </p>
</td>
<center>
<td width="28%" align="center"><b><u>Jan.</u></b></td>
<td width="24%" align="center"><b><u>Feb.</u></b></td>
<td width="24%" align="center"><b><u>Mar.</u></b></td>
<td width="24%" align="center"><b><u>Apr.</u></b></td>
</center>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="48%">U.S. Civilian Workforce</td>
<td width="28%" align="center">141,955,000</td>
<td width="24%" align="center">141,751,000</td>
<td width="24%" align="center">141,868,000</td>
<td width="24%" align="center">141,757,000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="48%">Number Unemployed</td>
<td width="28%" align="center">5,950,000</td>
<td width="24%" align="center">5,936,000</td>
<td width="24%" align="center">6,088,000</td>
<td width="24%" align="center">6,402,000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="48%">Unemployment Rate</td>
<td width="28%" align="center">4.2%</td>
<td width="24%" align="center">4.2%</td>
<td width="24%" align="center">4.3%</td>
<td width="24%" align="center">4.5%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="48%">Number Placed in Jobs (net)</td>
<td width="28%" align="center">224,000</td>
<td width="24%" align="center">135,000</td>
<td width="24%" align="center"> </td>
<td width="24%" align="center"> </td>
</tr>
</table>
<table border="0" width="76%" bgcolor="#C0C0C0">
<tr>
<td width="50%"><b>Average Cost of replacing one employee:</b></td>
<td width="50%">$36,000</td>
</tr>
</table>
<table border="0" width="86%">
<tr>
<td width="22%">
<p align="left"><b>Productivity Rates (2000)</b></p>
</td>
<center>
<td width="18%" align="center"><b><u>1st Qtr.</u></b></td>
<td width="19%" align="center"><b><u>2nd Qtr.</u></b></td>
<td width="20%" align="center"><b><u>3rd Qtr.</u></b></td>
<td width="21%" align="center"><b><u>4th Qtr.</u></b></td>
<td width="21%" align="center"><b><u>1st Qtr.<br>
2001</u></b></td>
</center>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="22%"></td>
<td width="18%" align="center">2.1%</td>
<td width="19%" align="center">2.6%</td>
<td width="20%" align="center">3.0%</td>
<td width="21%" align="center">2.2%</td>
<td width="21%" align="center">2.1%</td>
</tr>
</table>
<table border="0" width="72%" bgcolor="#C0C0C0">
<tr>
<td width="25%">
<p align="left"><b>Absentee Rates (annualized)</b></p>
</td>
<center>
<td width="25%" align="center"><b><u>1997</u></b></td>
<td width="25%" align="center"><b><u>1998</u></b></td>
<td width="25%" align="center"><b><u>1999</u></b></td>
</center>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="25%"> </td>
<td width="25%" align="center">1.5%</td>
<td width="25%" align="center">1.6%</td>
<td width="25%" align="center">1.7%</td>
</tr>
</table>
</td>
</tr>
</table>
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