Under the Act, improvements to transition assistance programs for separating service members allow service members to apply for federal employment before they leave the military.  Service members also have the opportunity to take apprenticeships or enroll in on-the-job training programs with military or defense contractors while on leave.  These opportunities allow veterans to have a head start on finding employment. 

Training and Education Services

A joint program between the Department of Labor and the Department of Veteran Affairs, the Veterans Retraining Assistance Program (VRAP) provides eligible unemployed veterans with 12 months of training assistance.  To qualify, a veteran must:
• Be at least 35 but no more than 60 years old
• Be unemployed (as determined by DOL) with special consideration given to Veterans who have been unemployed for more than 26 weeks
• Have an other than dishonorable discharge
• Not be eligible for any other VA education benefit program
• Not be in receipt of VA compensation due to unemployability
• Not be enrolled in a federal or state job training program

The program, which is scheduled for a July 1, 2012 implementation date, offers 12 months of training assistance to unemployed veterans, but is limited to 45,000 participants during fiscal year 2012, and then to 54,000 participants from October 1, 2012, through March 31, 2014.  VRAP participants may receive up to 12 months of retraining assistance at the full-time payment rate under the Montgomery GI Bill – Active Duty program.

Employer Benefits

The Act also provides tax credits to employers who hire veterans.  For example, employers may receive a tax credit of up to $5,600 for hiring veterans who have been looking for a job for more than six months.   A tax credit of up to $9,600 is also available for hiring veterans with service-connected disabilities who have been looking for a job for more than six months.

This article should not be construed as legal advice.

Be warned.  If your course of action is to discipline or terminate the employee who posts a negative work-related comment on a social media site, you may be opening yourself up to a lawsuit.  A number of employees, union and non-union alike, are turning to the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) to help them file civil complaints against their employers.  
The National Labor Relations Board enforces the National Labor Relations Act of 1935 (NLRA), or Wagner’s Law.  The National Labor Relations Act was enacted to protect employee collective-bargaining rights and gives employees the right to engage in “protected-concerted activity.”  Protected-concerted activity includes, but is not limited to, the right to discuss workplace conditions, safety and pay.  While protected-concerted activity has traditionally applied to face-to-face discussions, with the increased usage of social media sites such as Face Book and LinkedIn, employees are looking to expand the protection of the National Labor Relations Act to online discussions.  And, this protection is being sought not only by union employees, but also by non-union employees.

At this time, the NLRB has not issued specific guidance on what is and is not considered online protected-concerted activity.  As such, employers should use caution in taking adverse employment action against employees who post negative workplace comments online.

Pending further guidance, employers should review their social media policies to make sure they do not restrict an employee’s ability to engage in “protected-concerted activity.”  Employers should also consult with human resources and/or legal counsel prior to taking adverse action against an employee who posts negative comments online.

This article should not be construed as legal advice

Transit Benefit
Effective January 1, 2012, the amount of income commuters may shelter from taxes to pay for mass transit dropped from $230 per month to $125 per month.  This reduction is the result of Congress’ failure to extend the temporary higher limit in the Commuter Benefits Equity Act. 
In general, employers can exclude the value of transportation benefits from the employee’s wages up to the limits set by the Internal Revenue Service.  Employers can also offer subsidized commuter benefits as an employee benefit.

Parking Benefit
Beginning January 1, 2012, the tax-free parking benefit increased from $230 per month to $240 per month.  Any amount over the taxable amount should be included in gross income.  The tax-free parking benefit limit is adjusted annually by the Internal Revenue Service to keep up with inflation.  To qualify for the parking benefit, parking must be on or near the employer’s premises or at a mass transit facility (e.g., a train station or car pooling location).

This article should not be construed as legal advice.

In some cases, states adjust their minimum wages to account for inflation.  Below are the states whose minimum wage rates were increased as of January 1, 2012 in order to adjust for inflation: 

 Arizona $7.65 per hour
 Colorado $7.64 per hour
 Florida  $7.67 per hour
 Montana $7.65 per hour
 Ohio  $7.70 per hour
 Oregon $8.80 per hour
 Vermont $8.46 per hour
 Washington $9.04 per hour

Other states, such as Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina and Tennessee do not set minimum wages.  Instead, employees in these states receive the federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour. 
Other states have their minimum wages raised according to the Fair Minimum Wage Act of 2007.  This Fair Minimum Wage Act of 2007 (FMWA) was signed into law on May 25, 2007 and amended the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938.  It gradually raised the federal minimum wage from $5.15 per hour to $7.25 per hour in three increments: to $5.85 per hour 60 days after enactment, to $6.55 per hour 12 months after that, and finally to $7.25 per hour 12 months after that.
If an employee is subject to both the federal and state minimum wage laws, the employee is entitled to the higher of the two minimum wages. 

The Wage and Hour Division of the Department of Labor (DOL) enforces the Fair Labor Standards Act.  Employers should audit their payroll records to ensure compliance with the new rates.

This article should not be construed as legal advice.

1.  Set Your Own Standards. Don’t be influenced by others around you who are negative. If you fail to wear safety glasses because others don’t, remember the blindness you may suffer will be yours alone to live with.
2.  Operate Equipment Only if Qualified. Your supervisor may not realize you have never done the job before. You have the responsibility to let your supervisor know, so the necessary training can be provided.
3.  Respect Machinery. If you put something in a machine’s way, it will crush it, pinch it or cut it. Make sure all guards are in place. Never hurry beyond your ability to think and act safely. Remember to de-energize the power first before placing your hands in a point of operation.
4.  Use Your Own Initiative for Safety Protection. You are in the best position to see problems when they arise. Ask for the personal protective equipment or additional guidance you need.
5.  Ask Questions. If you are uncertain, ask. Do not accept answers that contain, “I think, I assume, I guess.” Be sure.
6.  Use Care and Caution When Lifting. Most muscle and spinal injuries are from overstrain. Know your limits. Do not attempt to exceed them. The few minutes it takes to get help will prevent weeks of being off work and in pain.
7.  Practice Good Housekeeping. Disorganized work areas are the breeding grounds for accidents. You may not be the only victim. Don’t be a cause.
8.  Wear Proper and Sensible Work Clothes. Wear sturdy and appropriate footwear. These should enclose the foot fully. Avoid 1oose clothing, dangling jewelry, and be sure that long hair is tied back and cannot become entangled in the machinery.
9.  Practice Good Personal Cleanliness. Avoid touching eyes, face, and mouth with gloves or hands that are dirty. Wash well and use barrier creams when necessary. Most industrial rashes are the result of poor hygiene practices.
10  Be a Positive Part of the Safety Team. Willingly accept and follow safety rules. Encourage others to do so. Your attitude can play a major role in the prevention of accidents and injuries.

1. If it doesn’t go too long, many employees like it. It gives them a forced break from work, something that most of us won’t allow ourselves to do. Obviously, for those employees working paycheck to paycheck it can really hurt, however most see it as a better alternative than being let go.

2. For those employees who like their job, It keeps the employee connected to the company and can be done in a way that may even keep benefits intact.

3. Done properly, it can lead to team building. Hard times can be a time to bond employees together.

4. In this economy, finding a new job for most employees does not happen overnight. For most employees, a shortened work week may be the best alternative out there for them.
 
THERE IS A DOWNSIDE; BE AWARE OF THE DANGERS

1. You may send some of your employees into a tailspin and productivity worsens. Communicate to those who seem more affected. Let them know your plans and when and how you can bring them back to full-time work.

2. It may send a message that the company is in trouble. To get beyond this, explain your strategy for survival in a way that gives them hope, assuming there is some.

3. Furloughs generally affect more people than layoffs do. Since more will be affected you run the risk that you may lose good employees who under a layoff would not have been affected. Some will start looking for other jobs and find one!

4. The other matter to handle is the salaried staff. The rules for furlough are more complicated for this group.  Feel free to give us a call to discuss how to handle the salaried group.

Every business goes through tough times and in this economy, most businesses are considering ways to handle their reduction in revenue. There are many ways to attack this problem.

“This information should not be construed as legal advice”

To avoid the lurking dangers associated with the above situations, managers should implement active listening skills.  Active listening skills involve focusing on what the speaker is saying and the behavior of the speaker.  Active listening skills also involve paraphrasing what the speaker said to ensure understanding.  Paraphrasing also shows the speaker that you were listening to what was being communicated.

When practicing active listening skills, managers should make a concerted effort to focus on what the speaker is saying.  Managers should minimize or eliminate, wherever possible, any and all types of distractions.  Even a slight glance at a ringing telephone or a computer beep indicating the arrival of a new email can cause a speaker to feel disrespected and the conversation to get off track.  Managers should also maintain eye contact with the employee, and use words of acknowledgement that indicate understanding and listening is occurring.  Managers can use such phrases and words as “I understand” and “I see” so the speaker will realize that they are being heard, understood and respected. 

Another area managers can focus on is the speaker’s behavior.  Managers should be alert to nonverbal behaviors that may indicate there are unspoken issues that have not been verbally communicated.  However, managers should also realize that some individuals are not effective communicators, and therefore, signs of nervousness, agitation, etc. may not mean the individual is lying or otherwise not communicating all of the information.

Finally, managers should feel comfortable asking questions of the speaker.  Not only can questions help clarify information and the message being communicated, but asking questions is yet another way managers can show they are listening and interested in what the speaker is saying.

By practicing active listening skills, managers contribute to a workplace that encourages communication and respect. 

“This article should not be construed as legal advice”

“There are many benefits of company wellness programs including that: employees tend to be more productive, have lower health care costs, lower rates of absenteeism, and have fewer workers’ compensation claims (http://www.infinitehealthcoach.com/benefits-of-corporate-wellness-programs.html).  Unfortunately, employee wellness programs can be inaccessible to many companies because of cost, time constraints or a combination of both.

Company meetings can become monotonous, tiresome and plain boring.  We have all been there, heads nodding, bleary eyed stares, hands under the table texting, and thoughts of piles of paperwork continuing to stack up while the meeting drags on.  Time to consider a “walking meeting”.  A walking meeting provides benefits which not only help with employee wellness but, idea generation as well.  Walking meetings offer:
•   A chance to fit some physical fitness into your day
•   Different environments to inspire new ideas
•   A chance to get some fresh air and natural light
•   A shift in group dynamics
•   Improve the group’s physical and mental well-being
•   An opportunity to re-energize

(http://www.tfl.gov.uk/assets/downloads/walking-meeting.pdf)

Next time you schedule a meeting… try a walking meeting (the link above provides some great suggestions to making it productive)!  If nothing else, you’ll break up the monotony and keep your staff guessing a little… I also find it fun to see reactions of people taken out of their normal routines!  Even in a cold environment if it’s a dry day, bundle everyone up and enjoy the crisp air… if the are too cold, the ideas just might come more quickly.

Happy Walking!

As an employer, you may be thinking that you can’t afford to spend money on customer service training or expensive customer satisfaction surveys.  No problem.  The following are no-cost, effective techniques that go above and beyond simply giving the customer what they want:

• Have an actual person answer the main phone line by the second or third ring.  Calls that are answered by an automated system can seem impersonal to the customer.  Make sure that when callers call the main line during business hours, the call does not go into voice mail.
• When speaking with the customer, use the customer’s name.  Of course, clarify the correct pronunciation of the customer’s name and always ask permission to use the customer’s first name.
• If you make a mistake when dealing with a customer, immediately admit the mistake upon discovery and apologize.  But don’t stop there.  You must also immediately fix the mistake and communicate to the customer how you will make certain it does not happen again.  If appropriate, consider providing the customer with an added benefit to make up for the inconvenience caused by the mistake.
• Provide the customer with a direct number to call should they have specific questions and give them the name of a specific person.  The one-on-one communication is a great way to build relationships and ensure open communication.
• Ask the customer if you can put them on hold while you research the answer instead of just putting them on hold to wonder what you are doing.
• Educate your customer service staff as to their level of authority when it comes to resolving customer complaints.  Do they always need to obtain manager approval or can the customer service representative immediately take action within specific guidelines?
• Before ending the call with a customer, ask the customer if you have fully addressed their needs and whether there is anything else that can be done. 
• Remember to thank the customer for their business.

By implementing one or more of the above customer service techniques, you’ll be one step closer to achieving exceptional customer service. 

“This article should not be construed as legal advice.”

1.      The sick day.  Call in sick when you’re really not sick and chances are you’ll run into someone who knows you’re supposed to be working.   If you need a day off for personal reasons, just say you need a day off.  Most employers provide paid-time off and don’t require the employee to give a reason for taking the time off.

2.      Please don’t tell anyone.  How many times have you had what you thought was a “private” conversation with a coworker only to have what you said shared with others throughout the organization?  Whether it’s because the person you spoke to can’t be trusted, or the information was shared by accident, or someone overheard it, the bottom line is if you don’t want anyone to know, don’t say anything to anyone. 

3.      Follow your gut instinct.  How many times did you ignore a “nagging feeling” that something was wrong or heard something that you didn’t think was “quite right” but you chose to ignore it only for the matter to come up a few hours or days later?  Take the time to listen to your instincts and follow up on the little things.

4.      Think about how you leave your mark in the organization.  If you think that your email is only being read by the intended recipient and that is will only be used for its intended purpose, think again.  Chances are, your email is being distributed to others throughout the organization either intentionally or accidentally, or alternatively, it is being verbally discussed by others both in and out of the organization.  As such, use discretion in what you write.  Don’t send emails when you are emotional or without having proofread the contents or re-checked the accuracy of the distribution list.

5.      I don’t need any help.  One of the easiest ways to set yourself up for failure is to assume that you don’t need anyone’s help to get the job done.  As such, you take on more than you can handle with the assumption that you will be viewed as a leader and will have job security.  But what generally happens is you take on more than you can handle and end up making mistakes, missing deadlines and feeling burnt out and frustrated.  Learn to delegate and prioritize and the recognition is likely to follow.

“This article should not be construed as legal advice.”