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Have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary. – Steve Jobs - 08-24-2008
Have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary. – Steve Jobs

The Noah rule: Predicting rain doesn\'t count; building arks does. – Warren Buffett - 08-17-2008
The Noah rule: Predicting rain doesn\'t count; building arks does. – Warren Buffett

Atlanta Women: Five Signs Of A Happy Employee & Five Signs Of An Unhappy Employee - 08-11-2008
Five Signs Of A Happy Employee & Five Signs Of An Unhappy Employee by Heidi Davlin, Vice President of Einstein HR August 12, 2008 I n today\'s struggling economy, it\'s important to hold on to your greatest asset, your employees. Recruiting and training the right employee can be an expensive and time-consuming task. Retaining that employee during times of economic crisis is an investment in your company\'s future. But how do you know if your current employees are happy? What can you do to make certain that you keep them happy? Here are some indicators to determine who wants stay and who might be on their way out the door. Five Signs of a Happy Employee Productivity Happy employees are able to stay productive, even when the chips are down. Happy employees continue to produce great work and results, allowing your company to continue moving forward even if the rest of the world seems to be standing still. Time Away Happy employees do not take unscheduled vacation days. They do not call in sick unless it is absolutely necessary. Happy employees enjoy coming to work and, more often than not, seem genuinely pleased to be there. Everyone is entitled to an occasional bad day, but happy employees seem to have “sanity days” less often. Willingness to Help Others When an employee feels secure in his/her position at work and is confident in his/her skill set, that employee tends to find the time to reach out to other employees. Take a look around your office. The employees that frequently offer to help with projects or company functions tend to be the people with the most time and energy invested in the company. A good work environment is important to them, and they are willing to roll up their sleeves and pitch in to make it that way. Creativity If your company frequently has brainstorming sessions, over time, it will become obvious who your creative thinkers are. More often than not, those creative thinkers are also your happiest employees. They are challenged in their jobs and are interested in helping the company grow and become more successful. Their frequent input and new ideas show that they are invested in the future of the company. Having their ideas recognized and used ads validates that investment and encourages them to contribute even more. Contagious Attitude In a way that is neither obnoxious nor phony, happy employees seem to radiate a type of positivity that is contagious. Their overall attitude conveys a sense of well-being and contentment to the employees around them. In addition to job performance, this positivity helps employees gain promotions and wins them the support of other employees during tough times. Five Signs of an Unhappy Employee On the other end of the happiness spectrum lives the \"unhappy\" employee. It\'s true that most employees fall somewhere in the middle of the two. Yet, the unhappy employee is relatively easy to spot. Here are some telltale signs to help you spot the unhappy staff members in your organization. Productivity Begins to Slide This is an easy sign to overlook given today\'s tough economic times; this is especially true in a sales organization. However, it is imperative to know who is making the company money and who is not. An employee who was a big time producer and is now dormant may be experiencing some kind of slump - or maybe he/she is just unhappy. Take a look at his/her track record. How long has this person been slacking off? Is this person repeatedly missing deadlines or sales goals? If the answer is yes, it is time for the higher ups to have a closed-door meeting with this employee to evaluate the situation. Missing Work Frequently We\'ve all seen the signs; multiple days out for doctor appointments, several sick days taken at the last minute, taking personal phone calls during the day. Either this person is chronically ill, or he/she is looking for a new job. Document all absences and make sure that each is within company guidelines. You don\'t want to make it impossible for your employees to take care of personal issues. You do, however, want to maintain a strict enough policy so that slackers cannot abuse your generosity. If this situation continues for more than a month, it is time for a closed door meeting with this employee to address his/her frequent time out of work. Poisonous Attitude It is bad enough to watch an employee self-destruct, but it is even worse to watch the same employee use his/her venom to poison the rest of your staff. If you notice that a specific employee or group of employees is frequently negative, gossips about office issues, etc., it\'s time to intervene; one bad apple really does spoil the bunch. Remind this employee of his/her job responsibilities and find out what exactly is making this employee act in a poisonous way. Sometimes personal issues are the root of the problem, but more often than not, this employees issue stems from lack of communication. Clock Watchers Unhappy workers spend as little time at work as possible, to the point of coming in late and leaving early. Additionally, they may stop attending office social functions or start sabotaging friendships and working relationships with co-workers. While an employee is only required to work a specific amount of hours, clock-watching is certainly symptomatic of an employee who is not invested in his/her job. Disengaged Unhappy employees lack enthusiasm for the job. They are often more interested in office politics than their performance objectives, and they often view the job only as a paycheck and nothing more. Last Word Today\'s economic climate is tough for everyone. Company leaders are guarded in their communications with their staff, making employees insecure in their positions. It is easy to mistake this uneasiness with unhappiness, but it is imperative that employers be able to tell the difference. Communicate with your staff on a regular basis. Open, honest dialogue is the best way to secure loyalty and hard work when times are tough. If you see specific employee problems, address them immediately and discreetly. Allow employees an opportunity to share their concerns with you, and be honest about your observations of them. Clearing the air can often help both employers and employees turn a potentially negative situation into an opportunity for personal and professional growth. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Heidi Davlin is the vice president of Einstein HR, a full service HR outsourcing firm in Lawrenceville, Georgia. http://www.atlantawomanmag.com/Articles/2008/Web_August/Happy_Unhappy_Employees.html

Einstein HR Named as the Official HR and Payroll Company for the Gwinnett Gladiators - 06-19-2008
Einstein HR Named as the Official HR and Payroll Company for the Gwinnett Gladiators ATLANTA, GA – June 19, 2008 - Einstein HR, a full-service HR services firm, proudly announces that it has been named as the official human resources and payroll source for the Gwinnett Gladiators. \"We are pleased to have chosen Einstein HR as the official HR and Payroll Service firm of the Gwinnett Gladiators,\" says Steve Chapman, President of the Gwinnett Gladiators organization. \"Einstein HR offers access to comprehensive HR solutions normally only available to companies with a full human resources department. We believe in the ability of Einstein\'s services to save money for local Metro Atlanta businesses\". Layne Davlin, Chairman of the Board for Einstein HR, is thrilled to have been chosen by the Gladiators organization. According to Davlin, \"At Einstein HR, it is our goal to act as a partner for our client companies, helping each client with their specific HR needs. With our easy conversion processes, we make it simple for local businesses to get the HR assistance they need. We are proud that an organization like the Gladiators would choose us as their HR and payroll services firm of choice.\" Einstein HR clients receive some or all of the following benefits: •Lower HR costs •Protection from government non-compliance penalties •Facilitation of one or more components of an employee benefits program •Reduction of Workers Comp rates •Implementation of a comprehensive risk management program, including Workers Comp, OSHA, etc. •Facilitation of a change in HR process providers if client is unsatisfied with current performance •Launch of HR functions and processes, including an HR audit and full needs assessment. To contact Einstein HR, please call (770) 962-1700 or visit our website at www.EinsteinHR.com. About Einstein HR: Einstein HR is a professional services firm that designs and implements human resource outsourcing solutions for clients in the small and mid-sized markets. Our staff has decades of experience working in HR outsourcing, and we are certain that we can provide a solution that will work for you. Einstein HR helps your company save money, reduces risk, and reallocates resources to allow you to concentrate on your core business. We help you stay in compliance with the things you know about and the ones you don\'t. From a la carte services to an all-inclusive HRO strategy, find piece of mind in HR with Einstein HR. For more information, please call 877-687-3622 (EMC2) or visit our website at www.EinsteinHR.com.

Any setback you suffer can be easily overcome if you avoid the common pitfall of overreaction and look at things from a solid perspective. - 06-05-2008
Any setback you suffer can be easily overcome if you avoid the common pitfall of overreaction and look at things from a solid perspective.

Some people are always grumbling because roses have thorns. I am thankful that thorns have roses. – Jean-Baptiste Alphonse Karr - 06-02-2008
Some people are always grumbling because roses have thorns. I am thankful that thorns have roses. – Jean-Baptiste Alphonse Karr

Man never made any material as resilient as the human spirit. -Bern Williams - 05-06-2008
Man never made any material as resilient as the human spirit. -Bern Williams

Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you feel that you, too, can become great. -Mark Twain - 03-20-2008
Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you feel that you, too, can become great. -Mark Twain

The greater danger for most of us lies not in setting our aim too high and falling short; but in setting our aim too low, and achieving our mark. – Michelangelo Buonarroti - 03-14-2008
The greater danger for most of us lies not in setting our aim too high and falling short; but in setting our aim too low, and achieving our mark. – Michelangelo Buonarroti

Forget past mistakes. Forget failures. Forget everything except what you\'re going to do now and do it. – William C. Durant - 03-04-2008
Forget past mistakes. Forget failures. Forget everything except what you\'re going to do now and do it. – William C. Durant

Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not one bit simpler. -Albert Einstein - 02-26-2008
Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not one bit simpler. -Albert Einstein

I never think of the future - it comes soon enough. -Albert Einstein - 02-06-2008
I never think of the future - it comes soon enough. -Albert Einstein

\"Trust your own instinct. Your mistakes might as well be your own instead of someone else\'s.\" – Billy Wilder - 01-26-2008
\"Trust your own instinct. Your mistakes might as well be your own instead of someone else\'s.\" – Billy Wilder

I never think of the future - it comes soon enough. -Albert Einstein - 01-24-2008
I never think of the future - it comes soon enough. -Albert Einstein

\"The search for truth and knowledge is one of the finest attributes of man--though often it is most loudly voiced by those who strive for it the least.\" -Albert Einstein - 01-21-2008
\"The search for truth and knowledge is one of the finest attributes of man--though often it is most loudly voiced by those who strive for it the least.\" -Albert Einstein

Education is what remains after one has forgotten what one has learned in school. -Albert Einstein - 01-08-2008
Education is what remains after one has forgotten what one has learned in school. -Albert Einstein

A person who never made a mistake never tried anything new. -Albert Einstein - 12-26-2007
A person who never made a mistake never tried anything new. -Albert Einstein

\"Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I\'m not sure about the the universe.\" Albert Einstein. - 11-15-2007
\"Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I\'m not sure about the the universe.\" Albert Einstein.

Einstein HR Recruits Atlanta Executive as Director of Payroll Services - 08-24-2007
Einstein HR Recruits Atlanta Executive as Director of Payroll Services ATLANTA, GA -- Einstein Human Resources is pleased to announce that it has hired Brian Conners as its new Director of Payroll Services. Brain has a long history in human resources and has consistently been a successful leader in his career. Mr. Conners had an 11 year career with the Winn Dixie organization, leaving only when Winn Dixie closed its doors. Mr. Conners has spent the last 4 years of his career with the Publix Grocery Store organization, working in customer satisfaction, payroll, employee benefits, and human resources. Layne Davlin, board member of Einstein HR says, “We are thrilled to have Brian Conners come to work with our organization.” “Mr. Conners brings great experience with his payroll background, dedication to customer satisfaction, and great loyalty. With Einstein’s leadership team now firmly in place, we have developed an exciting and well qualified new management team to move Einstein HR forward. I am excited to work with Brian and foresee a bright future for him here.\" About Einstein HR: Einstein HR is a professional services firm that designs and implements human resource outsourcing solutions for clients in the small and mid-sized markets. Our staff has over 30 years of experience in the PEO industry, and we are certain that we can find a solution that will work for you. We have designed and implemented HR strategies and best practices for both large and small companies. We have worked with clients to alleviate legal compliance issues, establish employee benefit plans, and develop employee handbooks. From a la carte services to an all-inclusive HRO strategy, we can help your company, call 770-962-1700 or visit our website at www.EinsteinHR.com.

You do not really understand something unless you can explain it to your grandmother. - Albert Einstein - 07-09-2007
You do not really understand something unless you can explain it to your grandmother. - Albert Einstein

Einstein HR Announces Its Grand Opening in Atlanta & Partnership with NetPEO - 07-03-2007
Einstein HR Announces Its Grand Opening in Atlanta & Partnership with NetPEO Einstein HR, a full-service human resources outsourcing firm, announces its grand opening in Atlanta & partnership with NetPEO. Atlanta, GA (PRWEB) June 29, 2007 -- Einstein HR, a full-service human resources outsourcing firm in Atlanta, proudly announces its grand opening and partnership with PEO brokerage firm NetPEO. Charles Barton Rice, Jr. and his partners decided to launch Einstein after finding a lack of quality PEO services in the Atlanta area. \"Einstein HR was born out of a need in the Atlanta marketplace for a full service HRO company. Through market research and years of experience in the PEO industry, the owners of Einstein were disappointed to discover that PEOs in the Atlanta area were not providing the kind of service that clients deserve,\" said Layne Davlin, President of NetPEO. \"Because of this, Einstein Human Resources was launched with one goal in mind: to help client companies cost-effectively outsource the management of payroll, workers\' compensation, human resources and employee benefits while providing the best customer service possible. We are thrilled to be able to offer quality PEO services to the Atlanta community by adding Einstein HR to our network of providers.\" Einstein HR is a full service Human Resource Outsourcing company, providing the following services: Payroll Administration Employee Benefits Administration Group and Individual Health Insurance Administration Workers Compensation Administration Human Resources Administration and Additional HRO Services To contact Einstein HR, please call 770-962-1700 or 877-687-3622 (EMC2) or visit our website at www.EinsteinHR.com. About Einstein HR: Einstein HR is a professional services firm that designs and implements human resource outsourcing solutions for clients in the small and mid-sized markets. Our staff has over 30 years of experience in the PEO industry, and we are certain that we can find a solution that will work for you. We have designed and implemented HR strategies and best practices for both large and small companies. We have worked with clients to alleviate legal compliance issues, establish employee benefit plans, and develop employee handbooks. From a la carte services to an all-inclusive HRO strategy, we can help your company, call 770-962-1700 or visit our website at www.EinsteinHR.com. About C. Barton Rice, Jr.: C. Barton Rice, Jr. is an executive partner of Einstein Human Resources. He is also the executive director of the Charles and Catherine B. Rice Foundation, which has funded the initial stages of the Early County 2055 project. In addition to EC 2055, Barton is also an active member of Vistage (formerly known as TEC) and consults and collaborates with small business owners all over the U.S. Barton worked at the family business - Barton Protective Services Inc. (BPS) - from 1985 until its sale in August of 2004. While at BPS, Barton held management positions in Human Resources, Operations and Sales among many other roles. In 2002, he became the Chief Strategy Officer at the company\'s corporate offices in Atlanta. He received an MBA from the Goizueta Business School at Emory University in 1999 and graduated from The University of Georgia in 1992 with a BA in Geography. About NetPEO: NetPEO is a national HR outsourcing brokerage firm. NetPEO is not an individual PEO, but a network of highly qualified PEOs. Located in Lawrenceville, Georgia, NetPEO connects clients with HRO companies that provide HR services to meet their business needs. NetPEO offers their clients the kind of knowledge and expertise normally reserved for large corporate HR departments without the inherent expense. CEO Layne Davlin is a recognized expert in HR outsourcing, and the NetPEO team not only has the formal training necessary to help our clients succeed, but they also have the practical experience that it takes to offer their clients the solutions they need to keep their businesses successful and growing. For more information, call 866-463-8736 or visit the NetPEO website at www.NetPEO.com. ###

Fiscal Year Brings Range of New Laws From States - 07-02-2007
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Published: July 1, 2007 But many residents did not hear the alert because they did not have radios equipped to receive it. That will change on Sunday, when Indiana enacts a law requiring mobile homes to have weather radios. “My family would be here had I known that weather radios existed,” said Kathryn Martin, who pushed heavily for the law after the tornado shattered the Eastbrook Mobile Home Park and killed dozens of people, including three of her relatives. The Indiana regulation is one of hundreds of new laws taking effect on July 1, when most states begin their fiscal years. Among them are efforts to encourage alternative energy in Nevada and Minnesota, tougher rules against illegal immigrants in Georgia and Idaho, and higher minimum wages in Illinois, Michigan and Pennsylvania. The Indiana tornado hit before dawn on Nov. 6, 2005, with winds estimated at 200 miles an hour. Twenty of the 25 victims of the storm were in mobile homes on the outskirts of Evansville, where emergency officials said few had radios or access to shelters. The Indiana General Assembly responded last year, passing the weather-radio proposal with overwhelming support. A similar effort is under way on the federal level to make the radios a requirement nationwide. The radios, which cost about $30, operate on frequencies dedicated to the weather service. Officials say they often broadcast warnings before regular radio and television stations. More than 20 million Americans live in mobile homes, according to Census estimates. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has found that the fatality rate for residents of mobile homes is 10 times greater than those in homes with fixed foundations. These are among other laws taking effect on July 1: ¶Virginia will require convicted sex offenders to register e-mail addresses with the state. ¶Nevada will force certain sex offenders to live at least 1,000 feet from schools and other places where children gather. ¶Tennessee will require everyone buying beer at a store to show ID. ¶California will ban sales of soda in schools during school hours and put new limits on sugar and fat content in school food. ¶Colorado will ban abstinence-only sex education in all schools, except for one district, requiring schools to teach sex education based on scientific research and to include information on contraception. In Indiana, people riding in back seats and in S.U.V.’s and pickups will have to wear seat belts. The mandatory belt law had a loophole for vehicles with truck plates.

President Bush signs minimum wage increase into law - 06-29-2007
On May 25, 2007, President Bush signed the first minimum wage bill in 10 years into law, increasing the federal minimum wage from $5.15 per hour to $7.25 per hour. The increase will occur in three stages. The first increase, to $5.85 per hour, will take effect 60 days after law\'s enactment on July 24, 2007. On July 24, 2008, the second increase, to $6.55 per hour, will take effect. The final increase will occur on July 24, 2009.

Genetics Bill - 06-25-2007
Genetics bill. The U.S. House of Representatives passed, 420-3, legislation that would prohibit employers and insurers from discriminating against individuals based on their genetic information. The Genetic Information Non-Discrimination Act will now go to the Senate, where it has 29 co-sponsors. President Bush has said that he is in favor of the bill. If enacted, the bill would amend Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Employee Retirement Income Security Act, and other federal laws, making it unlawful for employers, employment agencies, and labor organizations to discriminate, and for group health insurers to charge higher premiums, based on genetic information. It would also prohibit group health insurers from requiring genetic testing or using genetic information in establishing rates or for underwriting purposes. The employment provisions of the bill protect employees based not only on their own genetic information but also that of their family members, including unborn children. The employment provisions of the bill would be enforced by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Prevailing plaintiffs would be entitled to the remedies available under Title VII, including back pay and benefits, front pay and benefits, compensatory and punitive damages, and attorneys\' fees. The bill would establish a commission to study whether a \"disparate impact\" cause of action should be available. ENDA. The Employment Non-Discrimination Act (\"ENDA\"), which would prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity, was introduced in the House on Tuesday. Previous versions of ENDA did not include protection for gender identity, and it is believed that the inclusion of gender identity in the current version may be an obstacle to enactment.

Einstein Quote for Problem Solving - 05-26-2007
\"We can\'t solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them.\" - Albert Einstein

Employee Handbook - 04-21-2007
A recent federal appeals court decision raises the possibility that an employee handbook creates terms that violate the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA). The decision applies to both non-unionized and unionized employees alike. In Cintas Corp. v NLRB, 2007 U.S. App. Lexis 6075 (D.C. Cir. Mar. 16, 2007), a section of Cintas\'s handbook was titled \"Cintas Culture,\" and described its \"principles and values.\" It included the following discussion of how employees (referred to by Cintas as \"partners\" are expected to treat confidential information: \"We honor confidentiality. We recognize and protect the confidentiality of any information concerning the company and its business plans, partners, new business efforts, customers, and accounting and financial matters.\" The handbook further stated, in another section, titled \"Discipline Policy,\" that employees could be sanctioned for \"violating a confidence or [for the] unauthorized release of confidential information.\" The United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit affirmed a decision of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), which held that the policy violated Section 8 of the NLRA. Section 8 prohibits employers from \"interfere[ing] with, restrain[ing], or coerce[ing] employees,\" 29 U.S.C. § 158(a)(1), in the exercise of their Section 7 rights \"to self-organization, to form, join or assist labor organizations ... and to engage in other concerted activities for ... mutual aid or protection.\" 29 U.S.C. § 157. The court agreed with the NLRB, even though the confidentiality provision did not specifically restrict Section 7 activity (e.g., by instructing employees not to discuss wages or other terms and conditions of employment with each other). Disturbingly, the court held that the provision violated the NLRA because \"employees would reasonably construe the language to prohibit Section 7 activity.\" The court, and the board, based this finding on the breadth of the confidentiality provision - specifically the \"all-encompassing phrase \'any information concerning ... its partners\'\" - which made no effort to distinguish Section 7 activity from violations of company policy. Moreover, the court agreed with the NLRB that whether anyone had actually been disciplined under the policy for sharing wage information was irrelevant, because the \"mere maintenance of a rule likely to chill Section 7 activity, whether explicitly or through reasonable interpretation, can amount to an unfair labor practice.\" In light of this decision, employers - even non-union employers - should review their confidentiality and communication policies, in handbooks and/or employment agreements, and determine whether employees could reasonably construe such policies to restrict them in their discussion of wages or other terms and conditions of employment with other employees (or union representatives). If so, employers should consider revising them as soon as possible and, in doing so, should be guided by the court\'s admonition that \"[a] more narrowly tailored rule that does not interfere with protected employee activity would be sufficient to accomplish the Company\'s presumed interest in protecting confidentiality.\" * Define confidential information as narrowly as possible with respect to information about employees (e.g., wages). Avoid sweeping and broad definitions of confidential information that include \"all information regarding employees\" or \"all information regarding employees\' wages.\" Remove any language that specifically prohibits employees from discussing their wages or other terms and conditions of employment. * Narrowly define those individuals to whom confidential information may not be disclosed. For example, provide that employees may not disclose confidential information to any competitors of the company or to any other employers upon leaving employment with the company. * Add a \"savings\" clause, which makes clear that the confidentiality provision is not meant to restrict employees\' Section 7 rights, such as, \"This policy is not intended, and should not be construed, to limit or prevent an employee from exercising rights under the National Labor Relations Act.\"

State of the American Work Force - 02-02-2007
State of the American Work Force

WASHINGTON, D.C.— America is working, inflation is low, and wages are increasing. 7.4 million jobs have been created in the past 41 months, and this strong growth continues, with more than a half-million new jobs added in the past three months alone. The unemployment rate is at a low 4.6%, and American workers have seen their real after-tax personal income per person increase nearly $2,900 since January 2001.

Labor Secretary Elaine L. Chao

House votes to raise minimum wage to $7.25 - 01-11-2007
A $2.10 increase to the federal minimum wage received overwhelming approval from the House of Representatives on Jan. 10. The lopsided 315-116 vote in favor of the first raise to the minimum wage in 10 years surprised some political analysts who had predicted that the measure (H.R. 2) would pass by a narrower margin.

The legislation would raise the wage rate from $5.15 per hour to $7.25 in three phases over 25 months. Democrats, who now control the House for the first time since 1994, held true to their pledge of passing a minimum wage bill during the first 100 hours of the 110th Congress.

Some Republicans leaders had scoffed at the notion of passing wage legislation so quickly. Rep. Howard “Buck” McKeon, R-Calif., the ranking GOP member of the House Education and Labor Committee, was highly critical of H.R. 2 and called the measure an “unbalanced piece of legislation.” He and some other Republicans claimed that tax breaks for smaller business were needed in the bill to help offset the financial burdens of any wage increase.

McKeon led an attempt to remove the bill from the House floor and have it sent to the Education and Labor Committee for further deliberation. By returning the measure to the committee, the Republicans hoped to attach several tax-related amendments that would benefit small businesses. But in a surprising turn of events, 54 Republicans voted with the Democrats to block McKeon’s motion.

The legislation then passed with 82 Republicans voting to approve it. House Democrats praised the quick passage of the bill, claiming that the strong bipartisan vote sent a clear a message to the White House and the country that there is strong support for their agenda.

“Today we finally release many low wage workers from being frozen in time, stuck at that wage level when their gas prices are higher, their education prices are higher, their medical costs are higher,” said Rep. George Miller, D-Calif., chair of the House Education and Labor Committee and chief sponsor of H.R. 2.

Action expected in the Senate

A Senate version of the minimum wage increase has not yet been introduced. Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, has said that increasing the federal minimum wage is one of his top priorities for the new Congress. Some Senate Democrats have indicated that they would favor adding some tax breaks for smaller businesses to the minimum wage bill.

Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus, D-Mont., announced that his committee plans to complete a package of tax breaks for smaller businesses before the end of January. He indicated that the tax package most likely would part of the Senate’s minimum wage bill. According to sources familiar with the issue, most of the provisions Baucus is considering would extend or make permanent popular tax breaks such as deductions for the hiring of welfare recipients, incentives for business investments and deductions for property leases.

Many Senate Republicans say they want the tax breaks for small businesses to go even further, and sources say they most likely will promote a measure that would allow small businesses to pool together to buy health insurance policies for their workers. Democrats have opposed the health insurance proposal in the past, claiming that it would allow business that participate in such pools to ignore state health insurance mandates.

In December, President Bush announced that he would support an increase to the minimum wage, but only if it included tax breaks and incentives for smaller business—much like the ones the Senate is set to consider later in January. The White House released a written statement on Jan. 10 stating that the president opposed H.R. 2. However, the statement stopped short of threatening a veto if the tax measures are not included in any final legislation passed by Congress.

Bill Leonard is senior writer for HR News.

As More Employees Elect COBRA Coverage, Companies Pay Higher Claim Costs - 01-03-2007
More than one-quarter of eligible employees now elect post-termination health plan coverage under the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA). And claim amounts for COBRA recipients are costing companies about 45 percent more than claim costs paid for active employees, according to a survey of U.S. benefit plan administrators by Spencer's Benefits Reports.

Under COBRA, workers and their families who lose their health benefits because of certain circumstances (such as voluntary or involuntary job loss, reduced work hours, transition between jobs, death or divorce) can choose to continue group health benefits provided by their group health plan for limited periods of time. Qualified individuals may be required to pay the entire premium for coverage, plus up to 2 percent more for administrative costs.

This year's finding that 27 percent of eligible employees elected post-termination health plan coverage was "among the highest percent of eligible employees to participate in COBRA since Spencer's first conducted a COBRA survey in 1989," says Stephen A. Huth, managing editor for Spencer's Benefits Reports. "This means higher costs for employers in terms of claims compared to their overall active employee population."

Specifically, the survey found that:
  • Average annual COBRA costs for employers were $9,914 in 2006, compared to an average annual cost for active employees of $6,831, making coverage for COBRA 45 percent more costly than that for active employees.
  • Compared to Spencer's 2004 survey, employer costs for COBRA and active employees have increased 19 percent and 13 percent, respectively.
  • While administrative costs for COBRA varied significantly, the average cost was approximately $406 annually or about 4 percent of average claims costs.
In addition, the survey examined what employers felt were the primary difficulties with the COBRA law. Employers indicated that:
  • Their top concern is that beneficiaries can't afford the coverage.
  • Their second leading concern is costs for employers, amplified because COBRA claim costs are significantly more than health claim costs employers pay for active employees.
  • Other leading concerns included complexity of rules and laws, and communicating the plan to participants and beneficiaries.
  • Their final top concern was difficulty employers had in collecting premiums.
"One of the leading areas of complexity for plan administrators is understanding the COBRA rules in relation to Medicare," says Huth. "There are specific COBRA rules that have to be followed, and there are additional rules from the IRS to determine Medicare entitlement. A misstep here can leave an employee, spouse or dependent not covered or paying unnecessarily for coverage they don't need."

However, Huth notes that there are positive aspects of COBRA that should not be overlooked.

"Even a voluntary, expensive and complicated system like COBRA has provided substantial benefits, with an estimated 4.7 million individuals annually receiving coverage to which they may not otherwise have access," he says. "It's also provided the bridge in the insurance gap for individuals who want to take early retirement and enabled job mobility to employees who may otherwise not move to a more desirable job for fear of losing health insurance."

By Stephen Miller

Stephen Miller is editor/manager of SHRM (Society for Human Resources Management) Online’s Compensation & Benefits Focus Area.

States consider shift to online employment verification - 12-27-2006
By Rita Zeidner

States are showing interest in laws that would require employers to participate in a controversial federal government system designed to verify the work eligibility of employees.

Legislators in Colorado and Georgia have passed laws requiring government contractors to participate, or attempt to participate, in the federal government's online employment verification system. The program, known as the Basic Pilot, is voluntary in most jurisdictions. It checks information in the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and Social Security Administration databases in an effort to ensure that new hires are eligible to work in the United States.

Legislative proposals that would have required all employers nationwide to do the computerized match never made it to a final vote in Congress during 2006, noted speakers giving an update on the status of immigration policy during a recent Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) webcast. Presenters included Michael Aitken, SHRM's director of governmental affairs; Gerry Ratliff, chief of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Verification Division in the U.S. Department of Homeland Security; Cynthia Lange, an attorney with the law firm of Fragomen, Del Rey, Bernsen and Loewy; and Lynn Shotwell, executive director of the American Council on International Personnel.

The Colorado law requires companies that sign a new contract or renew an existing contract on or after Aug. 9, 2006, to certify that neither they nor their subcontractors knowingly employ illegal aliens. A separate Colorado law requires employers to retain file copies of the documents used to verify legal status for all new hires in Colorado beginning on Jan. 1, 2007.

In Georgia, public employers and their contractors must register and participate in the Basic Pilot. The law has three effective dates: July 1, 2007, for employers with 500 or more employees; July 1, 2008, for those with 100 or more employees; and July 1, 2009, for those with 99 or fewer employees.



Other states cracking down on illegal workers:

Louisiana. Effective June 23, 2006, SB 753 prohibits awarding state contracts to employers who operate a Louisiana business of more than 10 employees if they knowingly employ an undocumented foreign national worker.

Pennsylvania. Effective Aug. 11, 2006, HR 2319 prohibits state contractors from knowingly employing or knowingly permitting their subcontractors to employ undocumented workers.

Tennessee. Effective Jan. 1, 2007, HB 111 prohibits companies from contracting with the state without first attesting in writing that it will not knowingly use the services of illegal immigrants or of any subcontractor who will use illegal immigrants.

Bills are pending in Alabama, Arizona, California, Iowa, Kansas, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, New Hampshire, South Carolina, Utah, West Virginia and Wisconsin, speakers said. In addition, many local jurisdictions are cracking down on illegal hiring, the speakers said.


Speakers said they are confident that when Congress convenes in January, lawmakers again will consider proposals making the Basic Pilot a mandatory national program. Any legislative proposal would likely include provisions spelling out how national verification would be phased in and whether the program will be expanded to include current employees as well as new hires.

According to Ratliff of DHS, the agency is considering adding an individual's photograph to work authorization documents to help employers identify would-be employees who are using fake identities. During raids at several meat processing facilities in December 2006, many workers were arrested for allegedly using fake identities. They likely would have passed muster under the checks performed under the Basic Pilot. But having a photo at the ready would help an employer recognize if an employee is using a stolen identity, said webcast participants.

Rita Zeidner edits the Society for Human Resources (SHRM) Online Technology Focus Area.

Six States Boost Minimum Wage - 12-12-2006
Ballot initiatives raise the minimum wage in six states--Arizona, Colorado, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, and Ohio.

In Arizona, 66 percent of voters approved Proposition 202, raising the minimum wage to $6.75 beginning January 1, 2007, requiring the minimum wage be adjusted for inflation annually.

In Colorado, about 53 percent of voters approved Amendment 42, which raises the minimum wage from $5.15 per hour to $6.85 per hour. The amendment also requires that the minimum wage be adjusted annually for inflation.

In Missouri, about 76 percent of voters approved Proposition B, which raises the minimum wage from $5.15 per hour to $6.50 per hour. The measure also requires that the minimum wage be adjusted annually for changes in the cost of living.

In Montana, 74 percent of voters approved Initiative 151, which raises the minimum from $5.15 per hour to $6.15 per hour and subjects the minimum wage to an annual cost-of-living adjustment. The minimum wage rate for employees of a business whose annual gross sales are $110,000 or less stays at $4 an hour. The new minimum wage is effective January 1, 2007.

In Nevada, about 69 percent of the state voted yes on Question 6, which establishes a higher minimum wage for employers who don't provide health benefits to employees. For employers that provide employees with health benefits, the minimum wage is $5.15 per hour. Under the measure, the minimum wage is $6.15 per hour worked if the employer does not provide health benefits. The ballot initiative also requires that the minimum wage to be adjusted annually for increases in the Consumer Price Index (CPI).

In Ohio, about 56 percent of the state voted yes on Issue 2, which raises the minimum wage from $5.15 to $6.85. The minimum wage for employees under the age of sixteen and employees of businesses with annual gross receipts of $250,000 or less is the same as the federal minimum wage rate, which currently sits at $5.15 per hour. The ballot initiative also requires the state to adjust the minimum wage rate annually for changes in the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers.

With the passing of the six ballot initiatives, more than half of states in the country now have a minimum wage that is higher than the federal minimum wage.

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