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Could you land an airplane on a river?
Greetings!
Remember the story from a few months ago about the US Airways plane that was heroically and safely landed on the Hudson River by the now iconic Capt. Chesley Sullenberger III? Would you believe that there is a business management lesson to be learned from that story? I give credit to John Hollon at Workforce Management magazine for laying out the "Lessons from Flight 1549." In Mr. Hollon's article, he asserts that Lesson Number 1 is "Don't ever discount the value of experience."
Here is a brief excerpt that really helps put "experience" into perspective:
LESSON No. 1: Don't ever discount the value of experience. Experience can bring smart, time-tested thinking to difficult business problems - the kind of thinking that can help organizations perform better during difficult times. US Airways Capt. Chesley B. Sullenberger III safely landed a jetliner in the Hudson River under the most difficult of circumstances. His ability to rapidly size up the situation, weigh the various options and safely execute a seldom-tried emergency plan is testament to his many years of flight experience. "In many ways, as it turned out, my entire life up to that moment has been a preparation to handle that particular moment," Sullenberger told Katie Couric on CBS' 60 Minutes.
Sullenberger's experience made the difference in this situation, and this speaks to a larger issue: Experience matters in every organization. There's great value in people who have solid and relevant experience; they can represent the difference between success and failure. I'm sure the passengers on Flight 1549 appreciate the experience Sullenberger brought to bear when he landed in the Hudson. Would all have ended so well if he had been downsized in a corporate cost-cutting move and replaced with a much cheaper, less experienced pilot? Who knows, but who wants to take that chance?
Advantage Employment brings HR experience to bear on your organization. Day to day, we help you fly your plane. But, if an emergency situation comes up, we can help you navigate a difficult situation, provide expertise, develop solutions, and help insure that future risks are minimized.
Sandra
Sandra Teague, SPHR
President
Advantage Employment, Inc. |
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COBRA premiums reduced under the ARRA
If you have certain eligible employees, you may have some COBRA work to do based on recent changes to the law. According to the United States Department of Labor web site:
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) provides for premium reductions and additional election opportunities for health benefits under the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985, commonly called COBRA. Eligible individuals pay only 35 percent of their COBRA premiums and the remaining 65 percent is reimbursed to the coverage provider through a tax credit. The premium reduction applies to periods of health coverage beginning on or after February 17, 2009 and lasts for up to nine months for those eligible for COBRA during the period beginning September 1, 2008 and ending December 31, 2009 due to an involuntary termination of employment that occurred during that period. The TAA Health Coverage Improvement Act of 2009, enacted as part of ARRA, also made changes with regard to COBRA continuation coverage.
The United States Department of Labor website has been regularly updated over the past few weeks with information, FAQ's, sample employee notices, and flyers that can be posted. Here is a link which may be helpful: http://www.dol.gov/ebsa/COBRA.html For further information, or to discuss options for your organization, please e-mail Sandra Teague. |
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Job Bias Claims Soar says EEOC
With unemployment at record highs, it should not be surprising that employees who lose their jobs are looking under every rock and trying every avenue to replace lost income. Unfortunately for employers, that is leading to a surge in claims of discrimination.
According to Workforce.com:
Employment discrimination claims soared 15 percent to a record high in the fiscal year that ended September 30 and will probably surge again this year, propelled by the recession, said a spokesman for Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. "Historically, whenever there's been a severe economic downturn, charges have usually spiked the next year," spokesman David Grinberg said in an interview. The most dramatic surges in employee claims occurred for those alleging age discrimination and retaliation for complaints of bias. Age discrimination claims rose 29 percent to 24,582, and retaliation claims increased 23 percent to 32,690, according to EEOC data released Wednesday, March 11.
What does this mean to the average small employer? Be smart about your layoffs and terminations. Communicate with your employees about business conditions, and the reasons behind necessary layoffs. Solve employee relations problems and address concerns head on. Document all disciplinary actions. Get help from an HR professional BEFORE a layoff or termination to help avoid a claim in the first place.
To discuss options for your organization, please e-mail Sandra Teague. |
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Contact Us
Advantage Employment, Inc.
205 E. Butterfield Road, #445
Elmhurst, IL 60126
630.530.4882
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