Today is: February 4,
2010
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 Legislative News
Week Four: Anti-Business Proposals Abound
Workers'
Compensation
Expansions
SSB 3175/HSB 686 would expand awards
to include overtime pay and include a cost of
living adjustment for permanent total
disabilities. A
similar bill was passed in 2008 which factored
in shift differential pay. In the
past three years, over eight pieces of workers'
compensation legislation has passed-each one ABI
has been opposed to and the Trial Lawyers in
favor. Continue
reading>>>
Governor Issues Executive Order
Requiring
PLAs On
Wednesday, at a labor convention, Governor
Culver issued Executive Order 22. The order
requires all state departments to consider using
project labor agreements (PLAs) on all
construction projects. Studies show that PLAs
increase the cost of construction and
discriminate against non-union workers, which is
almost 90% of the construction workforce in
Iowa. Continue
reading>>>
HR
Bills Advance
Another
bill negative for employers was approved Tuesday
by the Senate Labor Committee. It would place
additional burdens on employers with regard to
providing notice and access to employment
policies and manuals. ABI was
able to work with Senators involved in the bill
to have the bill amended to provide electronic
options for employers. Look for a new bill
number here next week. Continue
reading>>>
Taxpayers Rights
Threatened On Monday night, the Senate
debated and passed SF
2088
- the state government
reorganization legislation. The bill
contains many sections affecting various
divisions of government. One item
sought to be stricken was the Property Tax
Assessment Appeal Board created in 2005 to give
property taxpayers a state level appeal option
less costly and more accessible than district
court. Continue
reading>>>
Week four has proved to be the
week of subcommittees. Several
of the subcommittees held earlier this week
dealt with the environment and proposed the
formation of new taskforces. As the
Senate passed a Government Reorganization bill
streamlining boards and commissions, the House
proposed several new ones. One
taskforce would allow a citizen group to submit
recommendations for air quality testing, another
would be part of a "green certification
program", yet another would essentially make
permanent the Water Resources Coordinating
Council formed a few years ago. Continue
reading>>>
OSHA
Solicits Comments
The
U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety
and Health Administration (OSHA) is holding a
public meeting to solicit comments and
suggestions from OSHA stakeholders on key issues
facing the agency. The meeting is scheduled for
Feb. 10 in Washington, D.C. Continue
reading>>> |
When
I was a freshman in high school, I started
working at the local grocery store as a
carry-out boy. I
"retired" from the grocery business ten years
later as the manager of the place. I
learned a ton, worked for a great boss (the
owner), and was able to pay my way through
school because of this job.
When
I say I learned a ton, I mean it. Working
with the public, controlling inventory, managing
resources, and staying on top of things are
applicable to every job. One of
the things I think of often is a comment my boss
made frequently, "If you are not moving forward,
you are falling behind." I know
now that he didn't coin this phrase, of course,
but he was the first person to say it to me and
it sure made an impression. The
point is that if an organization isn't growing
in some way, it is indeed falling behind. Things
aren't static and there is no middle ground. Continue
reading>>>
Did you miss the Monday Memo
from ABI President Mike Ralston? For this week's
memo click
here. |
5
Ways to Recognize
Success... Here
are five ways to reward employees that will cost
you next to nothing - AND - will communicate,
on a personal level, that their hard work
has not gone unnoticed.
1. Pleasure call.
Have your company's leadership call an employee
into their office just to congratulate him or
her.
2. Add a note.
Add a line to a letter received, a reportee's
paycheck or bonus, or just all on its own to
recognizing their accomplishment. Continue
reading>>> | |
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