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In This Issue
Tami Mullins Joins
Free Employer Benefits Survey
Lattimore Honored
Avoiding Obesity Discrimination
Employers Optimistic
Tami Mullins Joins Marketplace
Tami Mullins of MPS
Tami Mullins has joined Marketplace as branch manager of the Fountain Inn office. A native of St. Joseph, Michigan, Tami previously served as an operations and recruiting professional with a major national staffing organization. She will provide staffing and human capital solutions to client organizations across the Upstate, while directing operations of the Fountain Inn office.

 

Tami has also held corporate positions in HR, accounting and purchasing with such organizations as BI-LO, Hitachi Electronics and LECO Corp., and is active with the Greenville Chamber, March of Dimes, American Cancer Society, AID Upstate, and ASPCA.

Benefits Survey Offers Free Insight to Employers

Benefits Survey
The 2012 Carolinas Employer Benefits Survey is now open and provides valuable, customized benchmark data on employer benefit plans at no charge to participating companies. Participants receive:
  • Benchmarking - compare your plan to other state and national groups
  • Easy online data entry
  • Timely - get data in time to plan upcoming benefits programs
  • Absolute confidentiality
  • Individually customized reports
  • June seminar - invitation to an in-depth presentation

To enter your data, click on this link and follow the instructions. Deadline is May 25, 2012.

Lattimore Honored By Greenville Tech Charter High School
Ray new photo

Marketplace CEO Ray Lattimore has been honored by Greenville Tech Charter High for "exemplary contributors" to the award winning public high school. Four honorees were recognized for contributing gifts of time and resources to our school, and for serving as role models for students in terms of work ethic, character and integrity in community and professional endeavors.

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Investigating Workplace Accidents

AccidentsProper investigation and recordkeeping of accidents helps uncover useful information to make your workplace safer in the future. When investigating, get all the details:

 

1. Question the injured employee and witnesses as soon as possible. Don't accept simple responses like "it was faulty equipment."

 

2. Ask "What" not "Why" questions -- they are more objective and don't imply fault. For example, "What caused the equipment to fail?"

 

3. Keep all records required by federal and state regulations

 

4. Involve staff in investigations -- they can help make your workplace safer. Conduct confidential interviews and take suggestions seriously to eliminate accidents

 

5. Compare findings with other accidents -- look for patterns such in location, type of job, time of day, type of injury and equipment usage. Detecting patterns can help you reduce or eliminate accidents, saving you in fines, workers' compensation insurance and other injury-related costs.

 

For every $1 invested in safety and health programs, you can save as much as $4 to $6 in costs related to workplace injuries and illnesses. It's an investment that makes sense. Care to know more?  C
all or email us today.
Avoiding Obesity Discrimination
ObesityObesity in the U.S. is growing. Approximately one-third of adults are obese, and obesity accounts for almost 21 percent of U.S. health care costs -- including higher workers compensation and absenteeism costs. And in the workplace, claims of weight discrimination are surging.

 

While obesity does not automatically afford legal protection, lawsuits alleging weight discrimination have been initiated in these situations:

  • Employees have medical conditions such as diabetes, heart disease or hypertension
  • A company imposes a weight standard based on gender
  • An employer uses assumptions or stereotypes to make decisions.

To help reverse obesity trends, consider a weight reduction program and encourage a healthier work environment. Provide nutritional information, and offer healthy snacks and bottled water. Consider:

 

- Discourage eating at desks

- Support physical activity breaks during the day

- Encourage staff to use stairs

- Encourage employees to take walks

- Sponsor weight loss contests

- Set up a wellness program

 

Be sensitive to employees when addressing issues related to weight, and show you care. Your staff, and your bottom line, will both benefit.
SC Employers
Cautiously Optimistic

MPS survey outlook bright206 business leaders across the region weighed in on the recent Marketplace 2012 Upstate & National Economic Outlook Survey, with 67.9% voicing confidence that the recession is waning and the economy strengthening.

 

In addition, 51.4% said they were "optimistic for the outlook of the region's and nation's economies."

 

Asked to identify the action that would most benefit the economic recovery, 32.1% called for a change in the Democratic-led administration, while 17.1% called on the Fed to keep interest rates low.

 

Asked to note indicators that have had the greatest impact on the economy in the last 24 months, survey participants offered:

 

- the housing slowdown: 94.2%

- rising unemployment: 87.5%

- the credit crunch: 81.2%

- rising national debt: 78.2%

- rising fuel and energy prices: 76.7%

 

On the employment front, 26.6% expect to increase staffing in their organizations during 2012 by an average of 5%.

 

Business leaders expect revenues to rise in 2012, driven by improved customer demand, increasing productivity and growing employee bases. Of respondents, 41.6% expect revenues to increase more than 6% this year, and 75.9% expect at least some revenue growth.

 

Want more details? Email us for a free copy of the results.

Please Contact Us

If your company is looking for top quality talent to add to or supplement your existing staff, we hope you'll give us a call. From light industrial to IT, office administrative to accounting, we have the people you need to succeed. Please email us or call 864.286.3900.