Comments for At Work

Comment on Making work easier on working parents by working parents

working parents — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 06:13:22 +0000

It’s a good information about three in five companies surveyed have made policy changes in the last five years to accommodate working parents.It’s nice of these kinds of perks — telecommuting, flex time, extended family leave — are fast becoming industry standards as more folks demand a “work-life balance.”.

Comment on Employers, agencies line up for job fair by Department Of Health Services » Employers, agencies line up for job fair

Department Of Health Services » Employers, agencies line up for job fair — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 22:40:23 +0000

[…] Here’s another interesting post I read today by Nate Legue […]

Comment on Job fair coming up by At Work » Employers, agencies line up for job fair

At Work » Employers, agencies line up for job fair — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 20:19:15 +0000

[…] four dozen employers will be looking for workers at the job fair in Belvidere on Wednesday. Another nine employment agencies and 12 education and training […]

Comment on Survey finds positive hiring outlook by Bob Trojan

Bob Trojan — Thu, 03 Jan 2008 18:00:32 +0000

Nate;
To prepare for the upcoming Jan. 23rd Job Fair, a survey was made of local area manufacturers as to their needs…over several hundred openings exist and as of today, 20 companies plan to exhibit at the Fair.

Comment on Students and manufacturing by Bob Trojan

Bob Trojan — Fri, 07 Dec 2007 13:59:31 +0000

Nate;
This program in a continuation of the events that the Chamber has been conducting over the past several years. Yes, it is an important step to convincing more of our youth that careers in manufacturing can be rewarding in many ways.
Another important step is the new ACS high school scheduled to start next August. One of the first career areas will be manufacturing. We also support this initiative as this will begin to produce focused students in this career.
The more positive visibility that we can all highlight on manufacturing, the more interest we will see from students.
As far as I know, manufacturing still pays among the top wages in this area and we are still the #2 county in the US with a high employment in manufacturing.
Kudos to all who support these and other initiatives!

Comment on Getting to work by Charles Worboys Jr.

Charles Worboys Jr. — Mon, 19 Nov 2007 17:45:46 +0000

In a national, the nation’s largest, health equipment corp, the rules are strict and the punishment is swift. My friend and her peers are not allowed any conversation between co-workers, and are immediately reprimanded for non-compliance. They are required to clean their own cafeteria, and purchase their own paper products for the cafeteria. Turnover is obviously huge, but their are always plenty of workers waiting to replace those who have had enough.

Comment on Mathematical proof by Charles Worboys Jr.

Charles Worboys Jr. — Mon, 19 Nov 2007 17:29:14 +0000

Nate,
The idea of making exercise facilities available to older, often underemployed, workers actually makes sense. They can’t afford to get sick-no insurance-and their employers can’t pay for their medical bills-no insurance. So, a couple laps around the gym is the perfect alternative to real health care reform.

Comment on Time to enroll by Phil

Phil — Fri, 09 Nov 2007 01:53:40 +0000

Nate -

Interesting topic. I would really like to hear from employers some reasoning behind the plans they decide to offer. They are, afterall, the ones who determine what kind of benefits you will have.

I have a big gripe with my employer. At least it’s a big gripe in my mind, that is. I aparticipate in an FSA (Flexible Spending Account). I’ve had employer where the process to submit receipts is simple, where I filled out an online form and faxed receipts. My current employer requires I fill out a paper form, and mail it with the original receipts to the FSA administrator. What a combersome pain in the neck! Why did my current employer have to choose the ‘cheap’ FSA administrator where everything is manual and takes time, vs. my previous employer, where everything was simple and easy?

Another question I have for employers is ‘preventative maintenance’. My current employer offers a healt screen. If we choose not to participate in the health screen, we pay a 10% premium on the medical health insurance deduction, and a $10 fee on each paycheck. Good idea, but some people are afraid of what the company does with the health data.

I’ll admin that my current deductions for the health plan is great. Single coverage with a major insurer is only $30 a month. Yet, I hear horror stories of some people having to pay a $100/mo.

Why do some employers eat the health insurance premium cost, and why do others not?

Comment on Mathematical proof by Gary Lundberg

Gary Lundberg — Mon, 05 Nov 2007 16:55:42 +0000

Nate. it’s the same concern for retirees who see all of the CPI directed annual increase for Social Security going to increases for Medicare supplemental insurance and co-pays.

Two major sources of increases in health insurance costs are poor lifestyle choices and growing numbers of elderly consumers of health services. There is an issue of moral hazard in these numbers because those who are healthy are clearly subsidizing very expensive health services of disputable benefit.

Maybe the government would get more bang for the buck spent if all health club or YMCA memberships were free?

Comment on What does it mean to be unemployed? by Laurra

Laurra — Mon, 29 Oct 2007 14:40:08 +0000

Do you think the numbers of unemployed have risen in our area due do to employment practices by local businesses?

Those practices I mention are raising expectations for the skills required. Workers are constantly being asked to do more. Where does that leave the worker who has limited skills? Like the disabled.

I pose to area businesses that the average productivity of today’s worker is lower due to the requirement to master and perform multiple tasks with multiple skills. I would say that the “cost” of labor to area businesses is higher.