February 9, 2015

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Pioneer Midwest owner Adam Johnson introduced MnRA president
Bruce Nustad to his Osseo outdoor sports specialty store this past Friday.
Workplace
Can Employers Require That Their Employees Be Vaccinated?


From Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal, Mike Arnold, February 5, 2015

 

"If it can happen in the "Happiest Place on Earth", then why can't it happen at my office? That is a question many employers are asking themselves after a recent multi-state measles outbreak was linked to Disneyland in California.

Combined with the Ebola scare that saturated the 24-hour news cycle last fall and another nasty flu season in full swing, issues related to preventing the spread of infectious diseases in the workplace have started to gain increasing attention among HR departments across the nation. And in particular, with highly infectious diseases like measles and the flu, some employers are wondering whether employee-required vaccinations are the answer.

But whether you can require your employees to be vaccinated and whether you should are two different questions. This article will briefly explore both these questions.

Can I Require My Employees to Get Vaccinated?

In short, the answer is generally yes, you can condition employment on vaccination. Even the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission - the agency responsible for enforcing the nation's Federal anti-discrimination laws - concedes this.

But there are limitations: The anti-discrimination laws prohibit you from requiring vaccinations of those employees objecting on religious grounds or because of a disability (and some state laws even permit employee refusal on "philosophical" grounds).
"

 




Social Media
How Much For That Facebook Fan?


From Fortune, Anne VanderMey, February 3, 2015

 

"Facebook's advertising platform, where the company makes almost all of its nearly $8 billion in annual revenue, is dictated by a mind-bogglingly complex auction system. But the gist is simple enough: the more desirable a demographic is for advertisers, the more it costs to target ads to that group. 

 

It's not just small fluctuations, either. If you're reading this in the United States-and especially if you're a woman-it's likely that advertisers are spending many times more to target you than they would for other groups around the globe."

 


Retail Pharmacy
Role Of Community Pharmacy In HIV Prevention Takes Spotlight  

 

From Drug Store News, Antoniette Alexander, February 4, 2015

 

"Are community-based pharmacists underused in the care of persons living with HIV? That's one key question explored in research and experience articles published in the January/February 2015 issue of the Journal of the American Pharmacists Association.

The CDC estimates that more than 1.1 million people older than age 13 years are living with HIV infection in the United States, and almost 16% of those are currently unaware of their infection. Over the past decade, the number of new HIV infections in the United States has remained relatively stable at about 50,000 per year. Unfortunately, for patients in some rural communities easy access to physicians, hospitals and community health centers prevents testing and treatment. However, more than 85% of Americans live within a 10-mile radius of a community pharmacy. The accessibility of local pharmacists is an untapped resource for the delivery of effective and confidential HIV education, testing and care services.

The roles that community pharmacists play HIV prevention, testing and care are explored in several research and experience articles in the January/February 2015 issue of the Journal of the American Pharmacists Association."

 




Presenting sponsor:

West Coast Ports
RILA Advocates For Port Resolution

 

From Retail Industry Leaders Association, February 4, 2015   

 

"Due to uncertainty surrounding negotiations between the Pacific Maritime Association (PMA) and the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU), sea ports on America's west coast are in crisis. 

Cargo shipped through the west coast ports represents approximately 12.5 percent of the US GDP. Already straining under record cargo volumes, port congestion issues have steadily intensified since the expiration of the port labor contract, in June of 2014. During this time, RILA has been working diligently to address not only the acute issue of west coast labor uncertainty, but also the more long-term, systemic issues of port congestion nationwide. 

The ultimatum delivered in PMA's press conference Wednesday afternoon was the latest development in a drawn-out negotiation that is approaching ten months. Work slowdowns, related fees and expenses, and lost business have already cost retailers millions of dollars, and without an agreement, experts have suggested that nearly 30 west coast ports could be shut down within a week. A complete shutdown would be catastrophic, with hundreds of thousands of jobs at risk if America's supply chain grinds to a halt. The last prolonged port shutdown of the West Coast ports was the 10-day lockout in 2002, which was estimated to cost the U.S. economy close to $1 billion a day. 

Independently and as part of a coalition of industry groups in Washington, RILA has been advocating for greater attention and action on the negotiations by both Congress and the White House. " 

 




Am RETAIL Day At The Capitol
Retailers From Across The State To Meet Legislative Leaders March 19 


Your story meets your legislators at the Minnesota Retailers Association's I am RETAIL Day at the Capitol. Our half-day begins with a breakfast reception featuring legislative leaders at the Minnesota History Center followed by conversations with legislators at the State Capitol. 


With one in four jobs in Minnesota directly connected to retail, our elected officials now more than ever need to understand the impact of their decisions on retail businesses.

 

I Am RETAIL Day At The Capitol
Thursday, March 19
7:30 a.m. - noon 


No cost to attend. Continental breakfast served. RSVP requested by March 11. Non-members welcome.

  

Sponsors  

Presenting:
 
Supporting:
     


Transportation:

Upcoming Event 
Alliance For Women In Media Hosts "Retail Therapy" Event February 19  

 

The Alliance for Women In Media-Minnesota Affiliate hosts a chance to network with marketing colleagues and learn how retailers invest their resources to reach multi-generational audiences February 19. This lunch event in St. Louis Park features representatives from Olson, Bibelot, Mall of America, and Bachman's. MnRA members welcome!

 


Consumer Behavior 
Using Smartphones And Apps To Enhance Loyalty Programs


From The New York Time, Jim Gorssman, January 28, 2015

 

"Nearly as long as there have been coffee shops and carwashes, all manner of businesses have handed out buy-10-get-one-free punch cards and hoped to reap the rewards of this simplest of loyalty marketing campaigns. But a new day is dawning.

Smartphones and loyalty apps have begun offering small businesses enhanced program features and automated administration capabilities once affordable only to large companies like airlines and hotel chains. These capabilities also offer the equivalent of a real-world psychology lab for easily evaluating the effects of offerings and incentives on customer loyalty.

"All organisms, in different ways, are drawn to goals," said Oleg Urminsky, who teaches marketing research at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. "The closer we are to achieving our goals, the more motivated we are to keep doing something. As mice on a runway get closer to a food pellet, they run faster." Similarly, he said, "as people get closer to having a completed card, the time between visits gets smaller."

 


Member Service
MnRA's RetailPlus+ Buying Group

The Minnesota Retailers Association (MnRA) has leveraged the collective clout of our members to offer increased savings on the products and services essential to retailers. These vital products and services help Minnesota retailers navigate the often complicated terrain of operating as a retailer.

Thank you for your patience as we redesign the web presence of the RetailPlus+ Buying Group in the coming weeks.

Question on the program? Contact the MnRA staff at (651) 227-6631.  

 
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Minnesota Retailers Associaiton
400 Robert Street North, suite 1540
St. Paul, MN 55101
Tel. (651) 227-6631 - mnretail.org - [email protected]