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    <title>MBA News</title>
    <link>http://www.mbahro.com/News/tabid/110/blogid/1/Default.aspx</link>
    <ttl>60</ttl>
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    <pubDate>Fri, 10 Feb 2012 12:47:48 GMT</pubDate>
    <lastBuildDate>Fri, 10 Feb 2012 12:47:48 GMT</lastBuildDate>
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      <title>Changes Ahead for Federal Workers’ Compensation Program</title>
      <category domain="http://www.mbahro.com/news/tabid/110/categoryid/20/default.aspx">Risk Management</category>
      <link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/mbahro/~3/E7qs0cWBlvY/Changes-Ahead-for-Federal-Workers-Compensation-Program.aspx</link>
      <description><![CDATA[A bipartisan bill meant to strengthen the workers’ compensation program for federal employees has been approved by the U.S. House of Representatives. Named H.R. 2465 (the Federal Workers' Compensation Modernization and Improvement Act), the bill would make the claims process easier for workers who suffer traumatic injuries in armed conflict zones. It would also allow physician assistants and nurse practitioners to certify disability for traumatic injuries. In addition, it would ensure reimbursements for their services. 
John Kline (R-Minnesota), chairman of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce said, “Reform of the federal workers’ compensation program is long overdue. I hope this represents not only a first step toward modernizing the Federal Employees’ Compensation Act, but also a renewed effort to work together in pursuit of meaningful solutions that better serve both workers and taxpayers.”
A workers’ comp program has provided benefits to federal workers  ...]]></description>
      <dc:creator>MBAHRO</dc:creator>
      <comments>http://www.mbahro.comhttp://mbahro.com/News/tabid/110/entryid/531/Changes-Ahead-for-Federal-Workers-Compensation-Program.aspx#Comments</comments>
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      <pubDate>Tue, 07 Feb 2012 00:10:00 GMT</pubDate>
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    <item>
      <title>Initial salaries rise, but they aren’t the only factors in recruiting.</title>
      <category domain="http://www.mbahro.com/news/tabid/110/categoryid/18/default.aspx">Benefits</category>
      <category domain="http://www.mbahro.com/news/tabid/110/categoryid/8/default.aspx">HR Outsourcing</category>
      <link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/mbahro/~3/wLdALmyhzds/Initial-salaries-rise-but-they-aren-t-the-only-factors-in-recruiting.aspx</link>
      <description><![CDATA[According to a survey published by the National Association of Colleges and Employers, the average starting salary for people earning bachelor’s degrees from the class of 2011 was just over $41,000. This is up 2.3 percent from 2010.
As a business owner, understanding what kinds of compensation packages keeps your business competitive in the marketplace is a key to recruiting, and also to retention. Compensation is one big factor, but don’t forget about benefits and the company culture as major recruiting elements. 
If an employee can realize a significant value from the benefits program, it can be the tipping point for their decision to come onboard. Knowing they will save hundreds, or thousands, of dollars because of a better healthcare plan if a big deal when thinking about what it best for their families.
In addition, the company culture can help the recruit feel welcomed into an environment that resonates with their personal lives. Many family focused employees cherish flexible time schedul ...]]></description>
      <dc:creator>MBAHRO</dc:creator>
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      <pubDate>Mon, 06 Feb 2012 23:01:00 GMT</pubDate>
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    <item>
      <title>Employees Beware of Texting and Talking while Driving </title>
      <category domain="http://www.mbahro.com/news/tabid/110/categoryid/8/default.aspx">HR Outsourcing</category>
      <link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/mbahro/~3/MhvQ9UOh4Wc/Employees-Beware-of-Texting-and-Talking-while-Driving.aspx</link>
      <description><![CDATA[It’s something most of us have been guilty of…texting or talking on our cell phones while driving. The National Transportation Safety Board recently stated that texting, e-mailing or talking while driving is just too dangerous to be allowed anywhere in the United States. The board is encouraging all states to put in place total bans, except for emergencies. This comes after several recent deadly crashes—including one in Missouri after a teenager sent and received 11 text messages within 11 minutes. 
The recommendation from the five-member board was unanimous and would even be applicable to hands-free devices. This is a much stricter rule than any state law currently in place. 
NTSB chairwoman Deborah Hersman says that complying with this would include changing what has become normal behavior for many Americans. She said, "We're not here to win a popularity contest. No email, no text, no update, no call is worth a human life."
Right now, 35 states and the District of Columbia have a ban o ...]]></description>
      <dc:creator>MBAHRO</dc:creator>
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      <pubDate>Thu, 02 Feb 2012 23:18:00 GMT</pubDate>
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    <item>
      <title>Workers’ Comp Scandal Could Force Small Businesses to Close </title>
      <category domain="http://www.mbahro.com/news/tabid/110/categoryid/20/default.aspx">Risk Management</category>
      <link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/mbahro/~3/ztA9415jExs/Workers-Comp-Scandal-Could-Force-Small-Businesses-to-Close.aspx</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Many small businesses in New York could be forced to cease operations, receive liens on their property or have their income docked by the state after an effort to lower premiums for workers’ compensation insurance went terribly wrong. A state agency will try to collect hundreds of millions of dollars from the companies who participated. 
For many years, the state has said it will go after businesses they say owe money to the fund that pays workers who are injured on the job. But the companies say they are victims of a fraud—one that now totals almost $1 billion. 
The action by the state Workers’ Compensation Board comes after 18 months of negotiations that have failed to get the businesses to cover part of the deficit caused by the bankruptcy of 17 group self-insured trusts. Close to 4,500 small companies around the state participated in the 17 trusts. The funds were formed by businesses in similar industries such as health care, government, manufacturing, transportation, retail and cemete ...]]></description>
      <dc:creator>MBAHRO</dc:creator>
      <comments>http://www.mbahro.comhttp://mbahro.com/News/tabid/110/entryid/532/Workers-Comp-Scandal-Could-Force-Small-Businesses-to-Close.aspx#Comments</comments>
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      <pubDate>Thu, 02 Feb 2012 23:13:00 GMT</pubDate>
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    <item>
      <title>Doing your Homework on Executive Compensation Practices</title>
      <category domain="http://www.mbahro.com/news/tabid/110/categoryid/18/default.aspx">Benefits</category>
      <link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/mbahro/~3/bAy1n1WS9As/Doing-your-Homework-on-Executive-Compensation-Practices.aspx</link>
      <description><![CDATA[To get ready for the first “say on pay” vote, many companies are restructuring their executive pay-for-performance programs. This year is expected to bring about an even tougher shareholder vote. As a result, consulting firm PricewaterhouseCoopers shares advice for companies looking to change their executive compensation practices. 
Shareholders gained new perspective on the workings of executive compensation programs at companies (especially the pay for performance relationship) when the Securities and Exchange Commission enhanced disclosures from the 2010 Dodd-Frank Act. The “say on pay” vote provision shed much light in this area and whether or not executive compensation programs are pay for performance oriented. 
Because of the “say on pay” requirements, many companies made changes to their compensation programs before filing their 2011 proxies. 
PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) reports the following changes in compensation:

    Decreases in executive benefits and per ...]]></description>
      <dc:creator>MBAHRO</dc:creator>
      <comments>http://www.mbahro.comhttp://mbahro.com/News/tabid/110/entryid/530/Doing-your-Homework-on-Executive-Compensation-Practices.aspx#Comments</comments>
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      <pubDate>Wed, 01 Feb 2012 23:05:00 GMT</pubDate>
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    <item>
      <title>Payroll tax deductions – mistakes to avoid.</title>
      <category domain="http://www.mbahro.com/news/tabid/110/categoryid/9/default.aspx">Payroll Outsourcing</category>
      <link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/mbahro/~3/Kymg0AmFhkM/Payroll-tax-deductions-mistakes-to-avoid.aspx</link>
      <description><![CDATA[
Don’t pay less than minimum wage

Don’t make so many deductions that the final paycheck amount is so low that it makes the ex-employee earn less than minimum wage for the timeframe. Complicating the matter is that the calculation is based on applying the deductions to only the first forty hours of work in a week. You generally can’t include overtime hours in the calculation.
Don’t delay the payment

It’s usually okay for an employer to sue your company if their last paycheck is delayed for longer than 30 days. In most states, it is recommended that the last paycheck be distributed according to the normal paycheck cycle.
Don’t ignore state-level laws

Many times, state laws can affect your decisions about what is included in the last paycheck.

As a business owner, ask your HR and payroll people if they know how to handle situations like:

    Should we hold onto the last paycheck until the employee returns their company phone?
    Can we make the employee sig ...]]></description>
      <dc:creator>MBAHRO</dc:creator>
      <comments>http://www.mbahro.comhttp://mbahro.com/News/tabid/110/entryid/528/Payroll-tax-deductions-mistakes-to-avoid.aspx#Comments</comments>
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      <pubDate>Tue, 31 Jan 2012 23:33:00 GMT</pubDate>
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    <item>
      <title>Diversity in the workplace – Training Ideas</title>
      <category domain="http://www.mbahro.com/news/tabid/110/categoryid/8/default.aspx">HR Outsourcing</category>
      <link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/mbahro/~3/DYgYceQ79zs/Diversity-in-the-workplace-Training-Ideas.aspx</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Diversity in the Workplace is a current, and growing, topic of conversation for HR departments. Providing training for staff has many potential benefits for your company:

    Increasing productivity by lowering intra-staff tensions.
    Potentially increasing the company’s creative ability to solve issues through the increasing variety of employees and their varying backgrounds.
    Providing documentation of diversity training to help prevent potential discrimination claims.

No matter what kinds of training you bring in-house, the follow-up is very important. Trainees of any kind of training typically forget over 80% of the lessons within 30 days. Here are a couple tips for what the follow-up should look like after the training to add diversity in the workplace:
Leadership must help to illustrate how important diversity is to  the company. 

When subordinates return from training, leadership should make it a point to ask them about the training and how it could apply to their daily routines. ...]]></description>
      <dc:creator>MBAHRO</dc:creator>
      <comments>http://www.mbahro.comhttp://mbahro.com/News/tabid/110/entryid/524/Diversity-in-the-workplace-Training-Ideas.aspx#Comments</comments>
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      <pubDate>Mon, 30 Jan 2012 21:21:00 GMT</pubDate>
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    <item>
      <title>Cell Phones and Privacy Matters</title>
      <category domain="http://www.mbahro.com/news/tabid/110/categoryid/20/default.aspx">Risk Management</category>
      <link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/mbahro/~3/GIaSgkP_86c/Cell-Phones-and-Privacy-Matters.aspx</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Back in 2008, Verizon New England, Inc. (VNE) started requiring its field technicians to carry company-provided cell phones while they were working. The phones contained global positioning systems (GPS). Before this time, VNE provided its technicians with pagers for communication. 
VNE employees work in Massachusetts and Rhode Island. The company said it issued cell phones and GPS’s to send driving directions. Employees were also required to keep track of their work hours on the phones, which were connected to their payroll system.
As members of an International Brotherhood of Electric Workers (IBEW), the installers filed a charge with the National Labor Relations Board. The unionized installers claimed an invasion of privacy. The board sent the charge to arbitration, so the installers took the company to court. A federal district court judge ruled that their suit against VNE was preempted by the Labor Relations Act. This meant since the issue was involved with the collective bargaining agreement betw ...]]></description>
      <dc:creator>MBAHRO</dc:creator>
      <comments>http://www.mbahro.comhttp://mbahro.com/News/tabid/110/entryid/533/Cell-Phones-and-Privacy-Matters.aspx#Comments</comments>
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      <pubDate>Sat, 28 Jan 2012 23:16:00 GMT</pubDate>
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    <item>
      <title>Here’s a short new-hire training checklist.</title>
      <category domain="http://www.mbahro.com/news/tabid/110/categoryid/8/default.aspx">HR Outsourcing</category>
      <link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/mbahro/~3/qKgIoqysREc/Here-s-a-short-new-hire-training-checklist.aspx</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Your new-hire training is a great opportunity to help save time and confusion down the road. It’s a chance to systematically layout all most of the aspects of being an employee at your company. The new hire training is the first important step to retaining your employees and all the experience and skills they will acquire during their time with you. As the marketplace improves, the rates of employee retentions are projected to trend downward. 
Most new hire training programs will include:

    Opening remarks from a company leader – This helps to establish that the newly hired employees are seen as a valuable part of the company.
    Personal introductions by all meeting attendees, to help with making friends at the company. Having friends at the company is one of the most powerful aspects to retention.
    Pay Policies and Procedures
    Benefits Overview with lists of resources for more information.
    Safety Briefing. Instructions on what to do in safety emergencies, like exit ...]]></description>
      <dc:creator>MBAHRO</dc:creator>
      <comments>http://www.mbahro.comhttp://mbahro.com/News/tabid/110/entryid/527/Here-s-a-short-new-hire-training-checklist.aspx#Comments</comments>
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      <pubDate>Fri, 27 Jan 2012 22:57:00 GMT</pubDate>
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    <item>
      <title>Workers Compensation expenses don’t necessarily rise with aging employees</title>
      <category domain="http://www.mbahro.com/news/tabid/110/categoryid/20/default.aspx">Risk Management</category>
      <link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/mbahro/~3/2W5ARYV4gR8/Workers-Compensation-expenses-don-t-necessarily-rise-with-aging-employees.aspx</link>
      <description><![CDATA[According to recent research by NCCI Holdings Inc, a research agency, the compensation loss costs associated with younger, versus older, workers are similar. This flies in the face of the assumption sometimes made, that older workers cause more loss expenses.
NCCI states that compensation loss costs across age groups 35 to 64 are similar. 
In addition, the frequency of claims has declined as workplaces have become safer.
Other parts of the research state that the claim severity wasn’t statistically different between the ages 35-64. Though, this range compared to the 20-34 age band, experiences a higher rate of severity claims due to more frequent injuries like torn cartilage in knees, lumbar displacement and sprained rotator cuffs.
A higher rate of indemnity costs is associated with the 35-64 range, but that is less due to the severity of injuries, than the higher compensation rates normally associated with the older workforce.
As a business owner, it’s your responsibility to make the best de ...]]></description>
      <dc:creator>MBAHRO</dc:creator>
      <comments>http://www.mbahro.comhttp://mbahro.com/News/tabid/110/entryid/525/Workers-Compensation-expenses-don-t-necessarily-rise-with-aging-employees.aspx#Comments</comments>
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      <pubDate>Fri, 27 Jan 2012 22:06:00 GMT</pubDate>
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    <item>
      <title>How can you be Prepared for a Workplace Emergency? </title>
      <category domain="http://www.mbahro.com/news/tabid/110/categoryid/8/default.aspx">HR Outsourcing</category>
      <category domain="http://www.mbahro.com/news/tabid/110/categoryid/20/default.aspx">Risk Management</category>
      <link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/mbahro/~3/ghoRWJxxt0I/How-can-you-be-Prepared-for-a-Workplace-Emergency.aspx</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Make no mistake…no matter what kind of business you have and no matter what kind of emergency you think you could imagine encountering…you should always have an emergency plan in place way before any type of emergency actually occurs.

An emergency plan provides peace of mind to all employees both prior to and during an emergency. Here are some things to keep in mind should you need to close your facility:

    What type of circumstances could lead to you needing to close your business?
    Who are the people capable of making the decision to close?
    Should you need to close for any reason, how will that decision be communicated to employees and the public (if need be)? Make sure this is included in your policy. 
    How will you handle employee compensation if your business is closed? 
    Can employees still do their job from home? 

Determining the answers to these questions and more ahead of time will make an emergency situation as smooth as possible. In case you& ...]]></description>
      <dc:creator>MBAHRO</dc:creator>
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      <pubDate>Thu, 26 Jan 2012 23:20:00 GMT</pubDate>
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      <title>Are your Finance and Human Resource departments working together? They might be soon.</title>
      <category domain="http://www.mbahro.com/news/tabid/110/categoryid/18/default.aspx">Benefits</category>
      <link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/mbahro/~3/9Y421wjWLLM/Are-your-Finance-and-Human-Resource-departments-working-together-They-might-be-soon.aspx</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Traditionally, the HR department is seen as a necessary expense, but recently finance departments are taking a more active role in areas traditionally exclusive to HR. A recent survey by Towers Watson and Forbes Insights offers some data points on why this is happening. Over 300 HR and financial executives were surveyed during the research.
Though finance executive agreed that setting the strategy for reward program was usually handled by the HR department, most of the financial executives indicated that they have become more involved in the budgeting of those programs.
The survey also polled the future expectations of the financial executives. These questions indicated that a full one-third of the financial executives thought their role in the reward program strategy development will continue to expand and half now expect to have primary responsibility for the rewards programs in the near future.
The majority of both the HR and finance executives felt their companies are lagging behind their competitors i ...]]></description>
      <dc:creator>MBAHRO</dc:creator>
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      <pubDate>Wed, 25 Jan 2012 00:09:00 GMT</pubDate>
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    <item>
      <title>Risk Management – An example of needing the right risk management resources available to your company.</title>
      <category domain="http://www.mbahro.com/news/tabid/110/categoryid/20/default.aspx">Risk Management</category>
      <link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/mbahro/~3/vM1sehmpZXE/Risk-Management-An-example-of-needing-the-right-risk-management-resources-available-to-your-company.aspx</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Here’s a question: If one of your employees, known to smoke pot, accidently set himself on fire, do you have to prove he was high to avoid the worker’s compensation claims?
The answer may depend on what state your business resides in. In a recent workers compensation lawsuit, understanding the subtleties of the state workers comp laws helped the panel to arrive at the claim’s ruling.
An employee of a marina in Lake Shoals, Arkansas tested positive for drug use after accidently setting himself on fire while using a risky technique to open a barrel of oil. The employee was previously instructed to use a pneumatic air chisel, but he elected to routinely use an acetylene torch instead. The barrel erupted and burned himself and a co-worker.
The Arkansas appellate court ruled that the positive drug test following the incident, placed the burden of  proof on the employee to show that drugs had nothing to do with the accident. The court said Arkansas law presumes that illegal substances caused a  ...]]></description>
      <dc:creator>MBAHRO</dc:creator>
      <comments>http://www.mbahro.comhttp://mbahro.com/News/tabid/110/entryid/526/Risk-Management-An-example-of-needing-the-right-risk-management-resources-available-to-your-company.aspx#Comments</comments>
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      <pubDate>Tue, 24 Jan 2012 22:31:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
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    <item>
      <title>California sees no improvement in worker fatality rate after 20 years of a state-wide safety program.</title>
      <category domain="http://www.mbahro.com/news/tabid/110/categoryid/20/default.aspx">Risk Management</category>
      <link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/mbahro/~3/1XgEb9vKz1g/California-sees-no-improvement-in-worker-fatality-rate-after-20-years-of-a-state-wide-safety-program.aspx</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The California Commission for Health, Safety and Workers’ Compensation recently released a study that determined that mandating safety standards under the state Injury and Illness Prevention Program (IIPP Program), did not change the safety rate of companies more than ones that voluntarily implement similar safety practices. 
In 1991, the IIPP program began requiring California companies to construct a written safety plan that focuses on safe work practices, employee safety training, along with many other areas of safety.
The study presents data that describes an unexpected situation. Two-thirds of the companies that had IIPP violations in California consisted of companies that did not implement a written safety play, as mandated by the IIPP. But, those companies also tended to have better safety records than the companies that had no IIPP violations.
Since the IIPP Program inception in 1991, California has see no improvement in its worker fatality rates. 
It seems companies are driven more by the f ...]]></description>
      <dc:creator>MBAHRO</dc:creator>
      <comments>http://www.mbahro.comhttp://mbahro.com/News/tabid/110/entryid/536/California-sees-no-improvement-in-worker-fatality-rate-after-20-years-of-a-state-wide-safety-program.aspx#Comments</comments>
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      <pubDate>Tue, 24 Jan 2012 00:02:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
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    <item>
      <title>Tuition reimbursement programs should be communicated as an important benefit.</title>
      <category domain="http://www.mbahro.com/news/tabid/110/categoryid/18/default.aspx">Benefits</category>
      <link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/mbahro/~3/GMJFvgwyNPg/Tuition-reimbursement-programs-should-be-communicated-as-an-important-benefit.aspx</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Recent research published by Bersin and Associates Research illustrates the mismatch between your efforts to develop your employees and their own personal goals. Over  80% of companies offer tuition assistance.
Many of the big companies (over 10,000 employees) spent upwards of $3,700 per year per employee on tuition reimbursements. But, over a quarter of the companies surveyed do not measure the effectiveness of their tuition assistance program in any way, possibly due to the view that tuition reimbursement is sacred and considered a standard benefit. The attitude seems to be, “If we’re going to offer it anyway, what’s the point in measuring it?”
Common participation rates for engaged companies are as high as 10% of the workforce, while other companies hover as low as 1% participation. As more employees utilize the program, the overall visibility and perceived value of the program goes up.
As a business owner, you can help with the participation of the tuition reimbursement programs ...]]></description>
      <dc:creator>MBAHRO</dc:creator>
      <comments>http://www.mbahro.comhttp://mbahro.com/News/tabid/110/entryid/523/Tuition-reimbursement-programs-should-be-communicated-as-an-important-benefit.aspx#Comments</comments>
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      <pubDate>Mon, 23 Jan 2012 00:26:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
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    <item>
      <title>President's Day Observance</title>
      <link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/mbahro/~3/Vf6Vnu4ZrDY/Presidents-Day-Observance.aspx</link>
      <description><![CDATA[<strong>All banks</strong> and <b>U S Post Offices</b> will be closed Monday, February 20 in observance of President's Day.<br />
<br />
If you use our Direct Deposit service, you may need to change your payroll appointment if any of the following apply:<br />
<br />
You normally would report your payroll on:<br />
<strong>February 16, with a February 20, check date<br />
February 17, with a February 21, check date<br />
February 20, with a February 22, check date<br />
</strong><br />
<strong>Reminder:</strong>  The earliest day funds can be available to your employees is the second business day after your payroll appointment due to the federal banking regulations.<br />
<br />
If you have any questions, please contact your Payroll Specialist or Account Manager at your earliest convenience.<br />]]></description>
      <dc:creator>MBAHRO</dc:creator>
      <comments>http://www.mbahro.com/News/tabid/110/entryid/521/Presidents-Day-Observance.aspx#Comments</comments>
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      <pubDate>Thu, 19 Jan 2012 21:58:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
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    <item>
      <title>FMLA leave request leads to lost lawsuit. How to avoid this situation.</title>
      <category domain="http://www.mbahro.com/news/tabid/110/categoryid/8/default.aspx">HR Outsourcing</category>
      <category domain="http://www.mbahro.com/news/tabid/110/categoryid/20/default.aspx">Risk Management</category>
      <link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/mbahro/~3/AdihmwZ_mI0/FMLA-leave-request-leads-to-lost-lawsuit-How-to-avoid-this-situation.aspx</link>
      <description><![CDATA[A recent court decision adds insight to how Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) leave requests should be NOT be handled by your company.
You know those employees that are falling short on the job? A recent lawsuit brought by an employee illustrates the need for documentation about job performance, before terminating an employee. 
The Broward County Sheriff’s office, in Florida, fired an employee after her alleged ongoing poor performance.  The trouble was, the sheriff’s office didn’t document enough of her performance to back up a termination. 
The employee requested FMLA leave to get regular treatments for an ongoing infection. The sheriff’s office didn’t give her the FMLA paperwork. After the sheriff’s office fired her a week later, she filed a complaint with the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) and then immediately sued the sheriff’s office in federal court, claiming interference with her right to FMLA leave. 
The sheriff’s office contested on two fronts. F ...]]></description>
      <dc:creator>MBAHRO</dc:creator>
      <comments>http://www.mbahro.comhttp://mbahro.com/News/tabid/110/entryid/520/FMLA-leave-request-leads-to-lost-lawsuit-How-to-avoid-this-situation.aspx#Comments</comments>
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      <pubDate>Tue, 17 Jan 2012 19:47:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
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    <item>
      <title>Tips for that last paycheck to an employee on the way out.</title>
      <category domain="http://www.mbahro.com/news/tabid/110/categoryid/9/default.aspx">Payroll Outsourcing</category>
      <category domain="http://www.mbahro.com/news/tabid/110/categoryid/20/default.aspx">Risk Management</category>
      <link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/mbahro/~3/64fYAuT5iOM/Tips-for-that-last-paycheck-to-an-employee-on-the-way-out.aspx</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Here's a few "heads up" tips to take into account when issues the last paycheck to a former employee.
Issue quickly

Many times, the last paycheck is associated with a termination or an employee quitting. In either case, tensions can be high and misunderstandings are easy to create. It’s usually best to just cut that last paycheck and get that out of the way, rather than delaying and creating the appearance of “punishing” the former employee. In lawsuits, it’s common practice to assume a jury wants to see that the company acted in a fair manner. Any unnecessary burdens you place on an ex-employee can be a detriment if a lawsuit arises out of the situation.
Keep in mind the deductions applicable

When cutting that last paycheck, try to make sure you are using a legal and appropriate methodology when applied to cashing out saved-up vacation and sick time. Also pay attention to the different levels of law that can affect the paycheck calculation.
Occupational Safety and Health Admi ...]]></description>
      <dc:creator>MBAHRO</dc:creator>
      <comments>http://www.mbahro.comhttp://mbahro.com/News/tabid/110/entryid/517/Tips-for-that-last-paycheck-to-an-employee-on-the-way-out.aspx#Comments</comments>
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      <pubDate>Tue, 10 Jan 2012 20:48:00 GMT</pubDate>
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    <item>
      <title>Global business trends in 2012 can help you on the local level</title>
      <category domain="http://www.mbahro.com/news/tabid/110/categoryid/8/default.aspx">HR Outsourcing</category>
      <link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/mbahro/~3/K26FnjkwbJ8/Global-business-trends-in-2012-can-help-you-on-the-local-level.aspx</link>
      <description><![CDATA[A recent study by Bersin & Associates, an HR research and consulting firm, shed light on some global employer trends.
Social Networking for recruiting

Companies are mining the online social networks to present their brands, spread news about job openings and to target candidates. Candidates are using the social networks to learn about companies and what they are like to work for. They can connect and communicate directly with current, and former, employees to ask questions about your workplace. They see how adept your company is with utilizing social media. They may “follow” your social media news feeds. This effect is dramatically changing the process for recruiting for the best talent.
Performance Management will utilize shorter time cycles
The way of the annual goal review is going away. The report noted a 30% greater impact derived from performance management processes when company goals were reviewed on a quarterly basis. This goes contrary to the traditional practice of creating an ...]]></description>
      <dc:creator>MBAHRO</dc:creator>
      <comments>http://www.mbahro.comhttp://mbahro.com/News/tabid/110/entryid/514/Global-business-trends-in-2012-can-help-you-on-the-local-level.aspx#Comments</comments>
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      <pubDate>Sat, 07 Jan 2012 22:47:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
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    <item>
      <title>FLSA Travel Time Pay for employees. Be aware of the complexities.</title>
      <category domain="http://www.mbahro.com/news/tabid/110/categoryid/8/default.aspx">HR Outsourcing</category>
      <category domain="http://www.mbahro.com/news/tabid/110/categoryid/20/default.aspx">Risk Management</category>
      <link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/mbahro/~3/mKVKG8tJbBI/FLSA-Travel-Time-Pay-for-employees-Be-aware-of-the-complexities.aspx</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Trying to figure out how to pay your employees for travel time is, unfortunately, a complex issue for many companies. The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) travel time pay guidelines have been a popular topic with employers since their inception. Do you know the legal answer the the following?:

    My hourly employee is attending a business convention out of town this weekend. Do I have to pay her for travel time? What about the weekend time that she’s away from her family? If she were an exempt employee, would the answer be the same?
    My employee drives from client to client each day. Do I have to pay him for travel time from his home to the first client? What about the time from one client to another?
    My employee was called in to work over the weekend, do I have to include her travel time to work as part of her overtime pay?
    I have to ask my employee to attend a tradeshow event on a Saturday night, is this overtime pay?

As a business owner, these kinds of questions can be endless. Yo ...]]></description>
      <dc:creator>MBAHRO</dc:creator>
      <comments>http://www.mbahro.comhttp://mbahro.com/News/tabid/110/entryid/518/FLSA-Travel-Time-Pay-for-employees-Be-aware-of-the-complexities.aspx#Comments</comments>
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      <pubDate>Sat, 07 Jan 2012 21:23:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
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    <item>
      <title>Using online tools to screen candidates, be careful about legal complications.</title>
      <category domain="http://www.mbahro.com/news/tabid/110/categoryid/8/default.aspx">HR Outsourcing</category>
      <category domain="http://www.mbahro.com/news/tabid/110/categoryid/20/default.aspx">Risk Management</category>
      <link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/mbahro/~3/5-mBzB81AX0/Using-online-tools-to-screen-candidates-be-careful-about-legal-complications.aspx</link>
      <description><![CDATA[With the proliferation of all kinds of ways to research job candidates available through the Internet, the use of these tool is on the rise. But, it’s not always obvious that these tools can expose you to unnecessary risk to lawsuits from rejected candidates.
eBossWatch.com has recently received some media attention because of the research tools it has on its website. The site, founded in 2010, is used by both job candidates and employers. The website has two main tools:


    A tool for employees to rate their supervisors on communication skill and general “niceness”.
    A look-up screen to a self proclaimed “National Sexual Harassment Registry”.

The website owner states all of the information on the site is either submitted by visitors, or attained through public sources. The site software also utilized a news monitoring tool called Google Alerts to cull information from many sources around the internet.
From the employee point of view, the site proposes to help ident ...]]></description>
      <dc:creator>MBAHRO</dc:creator>
      <comments>http://www.mbahro.comhttp://mbahro.com/News/tabid/110/entryid/513/Using-online-tools-to-screen-candidates-be-careful-about-legal-complications.aspx#Comments</comments>
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      <pubDate>Fri, 06 Jan 2012 22:33:00 GMT</pubDate>
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    <item>
      <title>Workers’ Compensation fraud lands couple in jail.</title>
      <category domain="http://www.mbahro.com/news/tabid/110/categoryid/9/default.aspx">Payroll Outsourcing</category>
      <link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/mbahro/~3/X-P3NmPZIQg/Workers-Compensation-fraud-lands-couple-in-jail.aspx</link>
      <description><![CDATA[A California couple that owned three roofing contractor businesses were arrested in 2010 for fraud. Recently, they were ordered to pay over $2,8 million in restitution. 
In 2006 one of their employees fell from a roof and submitted a payroll stub to California’s State Fund Compensation Insurance. After realizing they did not insure the company indicated on the stub, SCIF notified the authorities.
During the investigation, it was revelaed that the couple, Devon Lynn Kile and Michael Vincent Petronella, submitted 42 claims that turned out to be fraudulent. In addition, they underreported over $10 million in payroll expenses to avoid paying workers’ compensation insurance premiums. This totaled to over $30 million in workers comp insurance premium fraud.
In addition, during raids on several properties owned by the couple, the authorities found over $50,000 in cash, $500,000 in jewelry and three luxury cars worth over $100,000 apiece. They also found over $2.1 million in credit card debt used on ev ...]]></description>
      <dc:creator>MBAHRO</dc:creator>
      <comments>http://www.mbahro.comhttp://mbahro.com/News/tabid/110/entryid/512/Workers-Compensation-fraud-lands-couple-in-jail.aspx#Comments</comments>
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      <pubDate>Thu, 05 Jan 2012 21:47:00 GMT</pubDate>
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    <item>
      <title>New Media tool are invading Corporate Communications. The end of the employee newsletter?</title>
      <category domain="http://www.mbahro.com/news/tabid/110/categoryid/8/default.aspx">HR Outsourcing</category>
      <link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/mbahro/~3/cYnhX_vqGco/New-Media-tool-are-invading-Corporate-Communications-The-end-of-the-employee-newsletter.aspx</link>
      <description><![CDATA[A recent survey, conducted by Towers Watson, indicates that the majority of companies around the world are becoming savvier with the use of social media tools to communicate with their own employees. Over half of the companies responding to the survey indicated they will use more social media tools over 2012.
These tools are being used extensively by both communication and change professionals to meet the demands of the workforce, which is anticipating the use of new media tools as they form a more diverse and globalized workforce.
As a business owner, it’s important to understand that the survey notes that the largest communication programs in companies result in improving the ability of leadership and managers to effectively get their ideas across. And, the best communication programs use the same tools to gather feedback from the employees. That kind of feedback is used to monitor the effectiveness of the communications program.
Yet, finding the return on the investment (ROI) in these tools can be ...]]></description>
      <dc:creator>MBAHRO</dc:creator>
      <comments>http://www.mbahro.comhttp://mbahro.com/News/tabid/110/entryid/510/New-Media-tool-are-invading-Corporate-Communications-The-end-of-the-employee-newsletter.aspx#Comments</comments>
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      <pubDate>Wed, 04 Jan 2012 20:38:00 GMT</pubDate>
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    <item>
      <title>Is your lean company having trouble getting injured employees back to work? </title>
      <category domain="http://www.mbahro.com/news/tabid/110/categoryid/8/default.aspx">HR Outsourcing</category>
      <category domain="http://www.mbahro.com/news/tabid/110/categoryid/20/default.aspx">Risk Management</category>
      <link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/mbahro/~3/di_PoJPhINA/Is-your-lean-company-having-trouble-getting-injured-employees-back-to-work.aspx</link>
      <description><![CDATA[As the economy recovers, it doesn’t mean business won’t want to keep lean. With companies trying to hold down expenses, in many cases it has become harder to help injured workers get back to work.
The Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) recently offered the results of a survey that indicated a number of factors affecting injured employees trying to get back to work.
Cost associated with creating a position entailing light-duty, transitional or modified duties
Many companies used to create special positions with duties customized to help an injured employee return to the workforce. Many times, the positions required some investment to create, and were not designed for the company to get the normal return based on the salary. For an employee with limitations due to a physical injury, companies by have moved the employee’s workspace to a non-optimal location on a lower floor, or in another building. Companies may have installed accessibility hardware, or purchased special office f ...]]></description>
      <dc:creator>MBAHRO</dc:creator>
      <comments>http://www.mbahro.comhttp://mbahro.com/News/tabid/110/entryid/511/Is-your-lean-company-having-trouble-getting-injured-employees-back-to-work.aspx#Comments</comments>
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      <pubDate>Tue, 03 Jan 2012 21:19:00 GMT</pubDate>
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    <item>
      <title>Tips for surrounding yourself with the correct HR people to succeed</title>
      <category domain="http://www.mbahro.com/news/tabid/110/categoryid/8/default.aspx">HR Outsourcing</category>
      <link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/mbahro/~3/eINGPICIqXM/Tips-for-surrounding-yourself-with-the-correct-HR-people-to-succeed.aspx</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Whether you hire in-house staff, or utilize outsources to handle your HR needs, having the right resources at your disposal is key to succeeding and hitting your company goals.
Business Savvy, well rounded
Today’s HR departments, from top to bottom, need to understand the company’s business model and the needs of the hiring managers. They need to be able to work with your leadership staff to draw out the criteria needed in ideal candidates.
They should be great communicators
Working with hiring supervisors and management can be a communication challenge. The HR employee should be able to listen and ask questions in a way to have a back-and-forth conversation with other staff. This comes as a very valuable asset when a tricky employee situation arises. The HR employee should already have a working relationship with the manager.
They need to be educators
Working with employees and supervisors usually entails a significant amount of education. The HR personnel should be able to share tactics ab ...]]></description>
      <dc:creator>MBAHRO</dc:creator>
      <comments>http://www.mbahro.comhttp://mbahro.com/News/tabid/110/entryid/515/Tips-for-surrounding-yourself-with-the-correct-HR-people-to-succeed.aspx#Comments</comments>
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      <pubDate>Mon, 02 Jan 2012 23:31:00 GMT</pubDate>
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    <item>
      <title>Preventative Wellness Programs can save you big bucks</title>
      <category domain="http://www.mbahro.com/news/tabid/110/categoryid/18/default.aspx">Benefits</category>
      <link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/mbahro/~3/d9f_kg1e_lc/Preventative-Wellness-Programs-can-save-you-big-bucks.aspx</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Recently, the wave of support for preventative wellness programs has begun to change the conversation about whether its financially beneficial to offer them.
Financial executives in companies have traditionally been wary of supporting preventative wellness program due to the lack of data and information explaining the return on their investment in those kinds of benefits. 
In recent years, the data is now coming together to help gather support for wellness programs as a good investment.
Traditional healthcare is frequently seen as a reactionary process to healing ailments. Whereas wellness programs emphasize elements that prevent illness, like specific diets, weight loss programs, and health screenings to identify trouble before it gets worse.
Proponents for wellness programs frequently focus on heart health, stating lower levels of blood pressure and cholesterol. This, they say, helps to prevent hospital stays, work loss, and prescriptions.
The wellness program screenings help employees become informed  ...]]></description>
      <dc:creator>MBAHRO</dc:creator>
      <comments>http://www.mbahro.comhttp://mbahro.com/News/tabid/110/entryid/508/Preventative-Wellness-Programs-can-save-you-big-bucks.aspx#Comments</comments>
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      <pubDate>Thu, 29 Dec 2011 23:15:00 GMT</pubDate>
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    <item>
      <title>Connect the dots for employees to achieve your company strategy</title>
      <category domain="http://www.mbahro.com/news/tabid/110/categoryid/8/default.aspx">HR Outsourcing</category>
      <link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/mbahro/~3/Q_P58Qhu4W4/Connect-the-dots-for-employees-to-achieve-your-company-strategy.aspx</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Recent research reports indicate world-wide employee satisfaction remains at a four-year low point. Employees feel the organization hasn’t effectively demonstrated how the individual worker’s effort contributes to the organization goals.
There’s a strong correlation between the level of employee engagement and the company’s financial performance. 
From the employee’s point of view, what have your leadership and HR departments done in the last twelve months to exemplify how their work ties to the bottom line and overall company success in the marketplace?
Here are a few ideas you might use at your company:

    Train your supervisors to engage their direct reports and talk about how the work relates to the “bigger picture”.  Arm your supervisors with talking points and handouts to help the conversation.
    Take the time to develop communication plans that help explain the company strategy. It’s often best to explain the value of an employee’s work wh ...]]></description>
      <dc:creator>MBAHRO</dc:creator>
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      <pubDate>Thu, 29 Dec 2011 00:55:00 GMT</pubDate>
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    <item>
      <title>Florida farmers nervous about threats to their labor force</title>
      <category domain="http://www.mbahro.com/news/tabid/110/categoryid/8/default.aspx">HR Outsourcing</category>
      <category domain="http://www.mbahro.com/news/tabid/110/categoryid/20/default.aspx">Risk Management</category>
      <link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/mbahro/~3/g5AtZzHn1yE/Florida-farmers-nervous-about-threats-to-their-labor-force.aspx</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Florida farmers are nervous about multiple legislative attempts to keep them from maintaining a workforce. Farmers claim recent proposed legislation threatens to take their ability away to hire undocumented workers, which account for up to 75 percent of their workforce.
It’s not uncommon for undocumented workers to purchase false Social Security cards and use them upon being hired. There is currently no legal requirement for farmers to check that the cards are legitimate. Most farms file the numbers away and start paying the new employees for their work.
Up on Capitol Hill, the proposed Legal Workforce Act (H.R. 2885) would require all farmers (indeed, all employers) to use a federal database to confirm the numbers. This system is the E-Verify database. Farmers would then be mandated to not hire undocumented workers. The proposed law is sponsored by House Judiciary Committee Chairman Lamar Smith, R-Texas.
Proponents of the bill talk about how these jobs should be given to legal workers, like American ...]]></description>
      <dc:creator>MBAHRO</dc:creator>
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      <pubDate>Tue, 27 Dec 2011 01:20:00 GMT</pubDate>
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    <item>
      <title>Two possible major changes to how 401(k) plans operate</title>
      <category domain="http://www.mbahro.com/news/tabid/110/categoryid/18/default.aspx">Benefits</category>
      <link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/mbahro/~3/NP6j3AjbRWo/Two-possible-major-changes-to-how-401-k-plans-operate.aspx</link>
      <description><![CDATA[In an effort cut federal the deficit, 401(k) plans are being targeted for changes.
Historically, the employers’ and employees’ contributions to 401(k) plans have been sheltered from taxation. Then, down the road, as employees take withdraws from their accounts during retirement, they are taxed on the withdraws.
The first proposal has assumed the nickname of the “20/20 cap”. This would limit employer and employee contributions to 401(k) plans to $20,000 or 20 percent of an employee’s salary, on an annual basis. The plan creates the cap at whichever limit is reached first. Currently, under law, the limits are $49,000 or 100 percent of a worker’s salary.
Supporters of this plan direct attention to the concept of limited high-income employees from gaining a much larger tax advantage than lower income employees that never get near the $49,000 limit. Supporters emphasize “leveling the playing field”.
The other concept aims at ending the tax decoctions for 401(k) p ...]]></description>
      <dc:creator>MBAHRO</dc:creator>
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      <pubDate>Mon, 26 Dec 2011 00:50:00 GMT</pubDate>
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    <item>
      <title>Holiday management tips</title>
      <category domain="http://www.mbahro.com/news/tabid/110/categoryid/20/default.aspx">Risk Management</category>
      <link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/mbahro/~3/_PVD54VDj0w/Holiday-management-tips.aspx</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Holiday times can be a confusing part of the year for managers. Help guide their activity with some advice to keep them out of trouble and to let them benefit from these times.
First, no alcohol
Managers must realize they are always representing the company at all corporate events both formal and informal. They may feel more leeway with their actions and statements at informal holiday events, but any comments and actions at these events can easily make it back to the workplace via water cooler talk and camera pictures. Alcohol almost always raises the risk for mistakes to happen. It’s much better to recommend avoiding any alcohol. Better yet, if you have some control over the event, don’t offer alcohol at all.
Second, use the holiday time to offer messages and notes of thanks to employees.
In today’s environment of emails and voicemail, a hand-written note is very appreciated. A few comments thanking employees for their efforts can go a long way during the rest of the year. Try to mentio ...]]></description>
      <dc:creator>MBAHRO</dc:creator>
      <comments>http://www.mbahro.comhttp://mbahro.com/News/tabid/110/entryid/509/Holiday-management-tips.aspx#Comments</comments>
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      <pubDate>Sat, 24 Dec 2011 23:57:00 GMT</pubDate>
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