Unemployment by City for April '08
3.2 - Chesapeake
3.9 - Hampton
3.8 - Newport News
4.5 - Norfolk
4.5 - Portsmouth
3.6 - Suffolk
3.1 - Virginia Beach
Source - Virginia Workforce Connection
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| Reliance Offers Pay Card Alternative
Reliance Staffing Services began using Global Pay Card as an efficient alternative to payroll checks in May 2008. Direct Deposit and paper checks continue to be available, the choice is the employees to make! The Global Cash Card Payroll Card is an innovative way to distribute wages to our employees and a smart alternative to issuing payroll checks.
Reliance is now able to provide a form of immediate payment to our employees, eliminate the time it takes for our associates to pick up their check and then cash their paychecks, we now save our clients time in distributing paychecks at their work site, eliminate any opportunity for check fraud, and reduce the high costs of paper-based check processing and distribution.
With the new pay card provided by Reliance, we are able to enhance employee convenience, security and control by the providing the following additional benefits:
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Immediate employee access to payroll funds on payday, with no need to have a checking account or any banking relationship.
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Purchasing capability up to the balance available in the account at millions of MasterCard or Visa merchant locations worldwide.
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MasterCard or Visa's Zero Liability policy ensures lost or stolen payroll card replacement, with full remaining stored value.
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Employees can access cash at over 900,000 ATMs and bank branches as well as at millions of POS terminals.
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Online and paper statements help employees track their spending and manage their finances.
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Round the clock customer service support.
Contact Tom Sarach at our Virginia Beach office of Reliance @ 490-1700 or Lynn Connor in Port Warwick in our Newport News location @ 873-6644 for further details and information about our new employee pay card. |
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The Hampton Roads economy has an impact on all who work and live in the region. With the United States and world market in a constant state of change, it's nice to keep a pulse on the local market. This monthly newsletter should prove to be helpful and informative regarding employment in the Hampton Roads area. |
April Unemployment Numbers - Virginia / United States
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FMLA - Make Sure You Qualify
The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) grants family and medical leave for up to 12 weeks under certain circumstances. This act can cause headaches for many companies because it isn't always easy to administer. However, before you get hit with an FMLA situation, make sure you know what is actually covered under the act!
STEP 1: AM I AN ELIGIBLE EMPLOYER?
Before you go any further, be sure that your company even qualifies as an eligible employer. You must comply with the act if the following applies:
- An eligible employer employs 50 or more employees for each working day during each of 20 or more calendar workweeks in the current or preceding calendar year.
- You must count all employees on your payroll, even if they perform their primary duties at a different worksite - (staffing companies must include all field employees as well as full time staff in the count).
STEP 2: IS THIS AN ELIGIBLE EMPLOYEE?
Once you've determined that you must comply with FMLA as an eligible employer in STEP 1, the next step is determining which employees are covered under the act. An eligible employee:
- Is covered by an eligible employer.
- Has been employed by the employer for at least 12 months.
- Has been employed for at least 1250 hours within the year prior to FMLA leave.
- Is employed at a worksite where 50 or more employees are employed by the employer within 75 miles of that worksite.
STEP 3: IS THIS SITUATION CONSIDERED QUALIFIED FMLA LEAVE?
FMLA covers leave for the following circumstances:
- The birth of an employee's child and time to care for that newborn child.
- The adoption of a child and time to care for the newly placed child.
- To care for the employee's spouse, child or parent with a serious health condition.
- Because of a serious health condition that makes the employee unable to perform the essential functions of his or her job.
Before you try to decide on your own which health conditions are serious enough to qualify, get an expert opinion. Under the act, an employer is entitled to obtain information from the treating physician. If you use the government form, the doctor is specifically asked to give his or her opinion regarding FMLA qualification. You can find Form WH 380 on the Department of Labor website, click here -> WH380 Form.
Be aware that some states have their own FMLA policies as well, so you should look into your specific state's FMLA Act to be sure you're in full compliance.
For more information on the act, visit the US Department of Labor website, click here -> US Department of Labor.
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How to Solve Personnel Problems
In every company I have consulted or coached, there exists personnel problems. Natural, you may say, and assume nothing can be done about it. But I have found a pattern behind these personnel issues, and an easy, effortless, and effective way to shift employees who are seen as "problems" to become employees with whom it is a delight to work. It is not necessary to "write off" problem employees when solutions are available that will benefit them personally and the company for whom they work.
The process of taking an employee who challenges the company or leadership of the company, and creating an employee who becomes a dedicated and committed team member, doesn't involve re-training of tasks or job, or threatening the employee, or doing a write-up and counseling session of employee behavior. However, the practice I see most frequently in organizations is to bring the employee in, talk to them about what they are doing wrong and what isn't working, and sometimes, to scare them or threaten them with further action, or instill in them the fear of losing their job. This doesn't achieve anything positive, and in fact, makes matters worse.
What typically happens is the person feels poorly about themselves, the company, their employer or manager, and promptly begins to have more negative feelings about work, and usually, doesn't even want to show up for work. The process results in negative energy and emotions and takes the employee to a low level of morale, performance, and productivity, which in turn, can adversely affect the morale and productivity of everybody who has to work with them.
When I teach organizations to ask new questions of employees and to teach employees a process of asking new questions of themselves, the employees begin to feel more positive energy. They think better of themselves and begin to think better thoughts about the company, their leaders, and co-workers. When the energy shifts and becomes more positive, the employee feels happier and is in a more positive frame of mind to do their work and be a viable team member.
Here are some tips for creating an organizational culture that is more positive and has less employee/personnel problems:
- Ask the question "What is working?" or "What is going RIGHT?" frequently, and teach employees to use this question as their own self-talk.
- Give employees and leaders new questions to ask to get new answers. If we ask ourselves the same questions, we get the same answers. Instead of asking the same questions of employees or of ourselves, we need to broaden the questions to let in more creative ideas and solutions. We want to stop asking what is going wrong and asking other questions that make us feel bad and deplete our energy.
- Co-creation. When something is a problem or a challenge, and isn't going quite right yet, we want to speak with employees to co-create new ideas and solutions. We want employees to give input and be part of the process by finding out what ideas, resources, or solutions THEY have to make things more right.
Continue Reading ->
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Hazardous Substance Labeling
Have you ever heard the saying "You can't judge a book by its cover?" There is wisdom in these words, but when it comes to working with chemicals, a good label on the cover can go a long way towards evaluating the hazard.
Hazard Communication is the most frequently cited OSHA standard. One reason is the presence of chemicals in nearly every workplace. It is no secret that working with chemicals can be dangerous. Working with chemical substances and not taking the proper precautions can put employees at risk for serious health problems such as kidney or lung damage, allergic reactions, burns, sterility, or cancer.
One element of a good labeling system that can help to identify chemical hazards is the use of pictograms. Even with the variety of languages in today's workplace, these universal warnings are helpful to alert employees to potential hazards. MSDS sheets are very important, but it takes time to find the right MSDS and then additional time to read the material to get the information. Pictograms are not a replacement for MSDS, but they provide quick and easy-to-understand warnings to anyone that is working with or around chemical substances.
Here are some common hazard warning pictograms. Do you know what they mean? (Answers are in the coupon block.)
Your clients should be encouraged to use pictograms to supplement the labeling system. Persons who evaluate worksite safety should be familiar with the meaning of these and other such pictograms. Clear information is critical to workplace safety, and in this case, a picture can truly be worth a thousand words.
- Source RCS eConsultant.
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| Need Help Hiring?
Reliance Staffing provides a highly selective matching of qualified temporary, temp-to-hire and permanent employees to businesses throughout the Hampton Roads area. Contact Reliance Staffing Services today.
- 873-6644 Newport News
- 490-1700 Virginia Beach
- 382-7222 Chesapeake
- 925-0400 Suffolk
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