I usually don’t send you information on technology, but what better way to improve employee productivity but with free and reliable tools at your fingertips! 
There are many great software products out there, but one of my favorite “one-stop shop” resources is Google, particularly if you use Google Chrome as your browser… through the Google chrome Web store (https://chrome.google.com/webstore), you can literally lose your self in a sea of productivity tools. The majority are free and will make your work not only easier to accomplish, but a lot more fun!
Below are some of my favorites, the write up courtesy of mashable.com.
The VOW to Hire Heroes Act of 2011 was passed in November 2011 to help the approximately one million unemployed veterans find employment. The Act includes a number of new
programs and improvements to current programs.
Improved Transition Services
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.
As more and more employees use social media to connect with friends and families, it should come as no surprise that social media would also be used by employees to complain
about their working conditions. In some situations, employees may rant about their supervisors, their pay or even the company, in general. So what course of action does an employer have to protect its supervisors and the company’s reputation?
Payroll Tax Cut Extension
On December 23, 2011, President Obama signed into law The Temporary Payroll Tax Cut Continuation Act of 2011. This Act extends the two percentage point payroll tax cut for
employees, continuing the reduction of employee Social Security tax withholding rates from 6.2 percent to 4.2 percent of wages paid through February 29, 2012. Employers are advised to implement the new payroll tax cuts no later than January 31, 2012 and to make any adjustments no later than March 31, 2012, for any Social Security tax over-withheld during January.
The Act also extended unemployment benefits and postponed cuts in Medicare reimbursement to doctors.
As of January 1, 2012, the federal minimum wage set by the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) is set at $7.25 per hour for covered non-exempt employees with some exceptions for
certain types of workers. States may, of course, enforce higher pay rates.
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
