1. Sensitive to pollen? Wash your hair before bedtime. Reason: You’ll remove any pollen and keep it from settling on pillows and bedding. Also: Avoid irritants such as tobacco smoke, automobile exhaust, hair spray and perfume; wash your hands frequently; plan outdoor activities when pollen counts are low.

2. The best time to take an antihistamine, which helps block allergic reactions, is before symptoms start. Just remember: some allergy medications can cause sleepiness so never take one when safety requires you to be alert. Suggestion: Ask your health care provider about antihistamines that cause less drowsiness.

3. Dust mites love to nest in area rugs and make you sneeze and itch. If you’re allergic, researchers offer a simple solution: Place area rugs outdoors in direct sunlight for a few hours until they become warm and dry. Result: Mites dry up and die.

4. Moving to another location is no guarantee of allergy relief. Why: People usually develop allergies to their new region’s pollens and molds within a few years of moving. Plus: Most allergy-provoking grasses are widespread throughout the world.

5. As many as 20% of Americans believe they have a food allergy, but true food allergies are actually rare. What most people consider food allergies are usually signs of digestive problems, food poisoning or stress.

Labels: Employees, Employers, ESG republic, Health

Feeling run-down? You’ll turn up the energy in five minutes if you…..

Refuel. Snack on fiber rich munchies such as dried apricots, celery sticks, an apple or a few pistachio nuts. Benefit: The fiber helps control the release of glucose (a sugar) in your bloodstream and may prevent energy dips.

Breathe Deeply: Every 1 – 2 hours, spend 5 minutes inhaling and exhaling deeply. It will help you feel calmer and more mentally focused, with renewed energy.

Take a visual vacation. Close your eyes and mentally escape by imagining a peaceful scene on an island, in a meadow or by the ocean. “Seeing” yourself relaxed can be rejuvenating.

Snap out of it. Splash cold water on your face or pop a breath mint – mint flavors are stimulating.

Take a “good news” inventory. At the end of the day, write down all the good times that happened. You’ll be surprised at how much went right. Plus, you’ll set yourself up for a good night’s sleep…. and energize yourself for tomorrow.

Labels: Benefits, Employees, Employers, Health

Jim, the operations manager for Walton’s Mountain Supplies, noticed John coming to work late for the third time this week. He checked with Mary Ellen, John's supervisor and discovered this had been a regular occurrence for the past two months. Jim then asked Mary Ellen what she had been doing about this. She explained that John was a good worker once he showed up and she didn’t feel that 10 – 15 minutes was worth the confrontation.

A couple of months later, Mary Ellen came to Jim and let him know that Elizabeth was consistently coming in 5 -10 minutes late; she had given Elizabeth three verbal warnings and had written her up twice. Mary Ellen recommended that Jim fire Elizabeth. In talking with Mary Ellen, Jim discovered that Elizabeth was an “adequate” worker and John was still coming in late.

What should Jim do? He decided to call his ESG republic Customer Service Manager for advice. This is what he was told:

• You must enforce your policies equally across the board. If you are not going to hold one employee accountable for the policies then you cannot hold another accountable for the same policy.
• If you terminate Elizabeth, at this point, you are exposing your company to a potential law suit for, Wrongful Termination and Sexual Harassment.
• Write up both employees. Make the write-ups “Final Warnings” and attach all documentation to each write-up; such as time sheets and previous write-ups.
• Explain in the final write-up what your expectations are for each employee, making sure you are consistent.
• Review your Employee Handbook and make sure it is current and contains your policy for tardiness. Also, be sure employees have signed the acknowledgement page stating they have received and read the handbook.
• The CSM also recommended Jim train his supervisors about the importance of keeping updated performance logs.
• Include positive and negative behaviors
• Include the date of the entry
• Write observations not assumptions
• Be specific
• Keep out biased language
• Be brief, but complete
• Track trends
• Be consistent

Labels: Employees, Employers, ESG republic, Human Resource

Are you still dealing with all of your company´s Human Resource, Workers´ Compensation, Employee Benefits and Payroll needs? Are those business necessities your core competency? Are you compliant with local, state and federal regulations governing those important areas of your company? What if you could outsource those functions, provide better benefits to your staff, operate in compliance to protect you and your company, and save money in the process? You can!

A Professional Employer Organization (PEO) is designed to help small to mid-sized companies by providing them the resources to better manage and administer these non-revenue generating but essential business functions. You stay focused on your core business, what you know, and what you got into business to do. The PEO manages much of the rest, benefiting both you and your staff. Here is a quick list of 5 things to look for in a PEO:

1. Combination of Hi-Tech and Hi-Touch Delivery.
   Let´s face it…in today´s business world, many deliverables are made available online and much business is done via phone and email, etc. However, as a "service" business dealing with the complexities of human resources, training, safety, employee benefits, enrollment and orientation, it´s important to deal with a company that will be there when you need them. Likewise, your PEO should be able to deliver hi-tech solutions to help you manage your business in a more efficient and timely manner.
2. Multiple Employee Benefit Options.
   Often times, small and mid-sized businesses struggle to afford and offer attractive and competitive benefit choices to their staff. Benefits that will help you attract and retain the best staff. Many PEO´s will simply work with you to broker a plan for your organization but not offer a competitive group policy option. Look for a PEO that will meet or exceed your employee benefit needs. Large group policies, often with multiple plan options (HMO, PPO, HSA, etc.) or even multiple carriers, can be more attractive to your staff as they can choose the coverage that meets their personal needs. Composite premiums versus age-banded pricing can also have its advantages.
3. Safety Services – Not Just Workers´ Compensation.
   As the employer of record, PEO´s will typically provide all required workers´ compensation insurance for your staff. But insurance without attention to prevention is not enough. Your PEO should be as concerned about preventing claims as they are about managing them should they occur. Training, ergonomics, Injury and Illness Prevention Programs, Personal Protective Equipment, work site audits and inspections, pre-employment drug screening and background checking and hiring best practices are just some of the things to expect.
4. Real Human Resource Services.
   Like the previous tip, human resource services shouldn´t be defined solely by the reaction to events. Make sure your PEO is providing a comprehensive and proactive review of your current business practices, policies and procedures related to employment. Again, expect training, professional employee handbooks, job description review and development, hiring, firing, counseling and disciplinary best practices, among other HR deliverables.
5. Payroll – Options, Ease and Accuracy.
   Let´s face it…payroll doesn´t have to be complicated but it has to be right. Make sure your PEO has available options to track, manage and submit payroll information. Web-based time clocks, swipe clocks, biometrics, and company specific online payroll portals are just some of the ways companies report and manage time and attendance these days. What works for you? Will your PEO work with your current reporting methods? Is it time for a change?

These are just 5 tips for selecting a Professional Employer Organization to meet your needs. Certainly, checking customer references and personally meeting with the PEO to assess their staff expertise, professionalism and responsiveness will go a long ways too. Following these few tips can help tremendously as you explore the many benefits of outsourcing these non-core business functions. Want more information? Click here.

Labels: Benefits, Human Resource, Payroll, Workers Comp.

Here is a great article about Healthcare Reform now that Massachusetts elected a Republican to the Senate.

Healthcare Reform: What Now? Click here to continue reading.

Labels: California, Health, Politics

Three cheers for you if you’ve made a New Year’s resolution to be healthier!! Now comes the hard part – following through. But don’t worry, you’re not alone. We have some tips on how to make health lifestyle changes.

Tips for a healthier you

Set specific wellness targets: Before you start, think about what exactly you want to achieve. You’ll improve your changes of overall success if you focus on well-defined targets, such as losing weight or lowering your cholesterol.

Quantify your goals: You’ll be more successful in making lifestyle changes when you set goals you can measure. For example, a specific goal such as working out for 30 minutes, three times a week, is better than a vague goal like “working out more.”

Set a reasonable timetable: It is essential that you set a timeframe for achieving each goal. Just be sure to avoid the temptation to start too hard, too fast. Success is often a gradual process.

Be realistic: Have reasonable expectations. Set yourself several small, doable goals with short deadlines that build to the big goal. For example, rather than adding five daily fruits and vegetables to your diet all at once, add one more daily fruit or veggie each week until you reach you main goal.

Be accountable: Find a friend or family member who will motivate you and hold you accountable for the steps it takes to achieve your goals.

Don’t have an “all or nothing” mentality: Missed a workout this week? Don’t assume that if you can’t get to the gym to exercise, you might as well just head for the couch. Instead use your breaks or lunchtime to go out for a walk, take the stairs when you are going to a meeting, or lead your family on an evening bike ride. The fitness benefits will add up when you make conscious choices to build activity into your workday routine.

Enjoy yourself: Incorporating physical activity into your life doesn’t have to be an excruciating endeavor. Forcing a routine that you don’t enjoy also may be counterproductive in the long run, because you’ll be less likely to stick with it. So add some fun to your workout by exercising outdoors with friends or family, joining a sports league, or trying an interactive workout such as Nintendo’s Wii fitness games.

Labels: Health

Labels: Holiday

Labels: Holiday

On December 17th, some of our staff participated with Senior Serve of Bakersfield to bring gifts to the elderly. "It was very emotional and touching.", said Mike Lopez, Marketing Manager of ESG republic. "The look on each of the their faces as we knocked on the door with gifts in our hands was priceless."

If you would like more information about Senior Serve please visit SeniorServe.org

Labels: Holiday

Whether its plates of tempting cookies, nonstop parties, or all the extra demands on your time, the holidays can derail anyone’s best attempts at healthy living. But don’t just give up and reach for the eggnog, or think you have to say “bah humbug” to holiday fun. With a little planning, you can be healthy and enjoy the season.

We’ve got some tips to help you keep your healthy habits on track over the holidays.

• Try extra hard to get enough sleep. If you’re overtired, you’re more likely to skip workouts and eat poorly.
• If you’re traveling for the holidays, find out if there are parks or trails near your destination where you can walk or run. If you’re at a hotel, the front desk may be able to help; local running stores or bike shops are also good sources of information.
• If you’re visiting with family, try to organize a group activity, like a long walk around the neighborhood to look at holiday decorations. If your family members aren’t interested, ask if they’d mind if you spent a little time away from them exercising, then enjoy your guilt-free solo workout.
• Going to a holiday potluck? Take a healthy dish, so you’ll be sure to have at least one good food option.
• Never go to a holiday party feeling ravenous. Instead eat a healthy snack beforehand, so starvation won’t force you to overindulge.
• At buffets, check out the whole spread before grabbing a plate. You’ll be able to pinpoint a few dishes you really want, instead of piling on everything. And take a small-size plate instead of a dinner plate, so you’re even less likely to overdo it.
• If you’re standing near tempting platters at a holiday event, hold a drink in your favored hand (meaning your right if you’re right handed), to help keep yourself from grabbing every goody within reach.
• Go ahead and enjoy a favorite holiday dessert. Just watch your portion size and take a small sliver of pecan pie, or split that piece of cheesecake with a friend.
• Beware of the punchbowl – holiday drinks like eggnog and punch may contain a lot more alcohol than you think. Find out what’s in them, so you can enjoy them in moderation.
• Alternate high-calorie alcoholic drinks with water or seltzer. Of course, if you’re driving, stay away from alcohol altogether.

Labels: Health

ESG republic would like to wish all of you a very Happy Thanksgiving. Enjoy your time with family and friends.

Labels: Employees, Employers

PROSTATE CANCER is the second most common cancer in American men. Fortunately, a healthy diet and regular exercise can help you decrease your risk of developing it. And early detection can be valuable in treating it successfully.

What is prostate cancer?

The prostate is a walnut-sized gland that surrounds a man’s urethra. It produces one of the fluids that make up semen. When the prostate gland becomes cancerous, it grows abnormally and can cause problems with urination. Prostate cancer usually develops so slowly that most men don’t have any symptoms for a long time, which is why getting screened as your doctor recommends is so important.

What are the symptoms?

Any trouble with urination can be a sign of either an enlarged prostate or prostate cancer. Contact your doctor if you:

• Feel pain in your stomach, pelvis, lower back, or hip.
• Have painful urination or a burning sensation when you urinate.
• Are unable to urinate
• Notice changes in your urination, such as trouble starting to urinate, a weakened stream, or the feeling that you can’t empty your bladder entirely.
• Need to urinate more often or to wake up to urinate at night.
• Have blood in your urine.

What screening tests are available?

The following two tests for prostate cancer are often used together to improve accuracy:

For a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test, come of your blood will be drawn to see if you have a high level of PSA, which may indicate an enlarged prostate, prostate cancer, or a prostate infection.

For a digital rectal exam, your doctor will manually check your prostate.

The PSA test and digital rectal exam can help detect many prostate cancers early, and abnormal results don’t always mean cancer is present. If your results are abnormal in either exam, your doctor may take a sample of your prostate tissue for testing in a lab. Talk to your doctor about these tests and when you should start getting screened.

What can increase your risk of prostate cancer?

• Age – This is the biggest factor. Prostate cancer is quite common in men over 65 and over, and men 50 and over have a higher risk.
• Diet – Eating red meat and foods high in fat can put you at a higher risk.
• Genetics – Men of African descent are more likely to be diagnosed with prostate cancer.
• Family history – Your risk is higher if your brothers or father has had the disease.

How can you help prevent prostate cancer?

Improve your diet. You don’t have to make huge changes all at once. Building in small, manageable changes can make a big difference. Cut down on red meat and get some of your protein from fish and soybeans. Increase the amount of fresh vegetables you eat, and try to eat many different kinds. Tomatoes in particular seem to have cancer-fighting properties, whether you eat them fresh or in a sauce. Snacking on a handful of walnuts a day will add fiber and beneficial oils to your diet.

Get active. A study has shown that men over 65 who exercise at least three hours a week can reduce their risk of dying from prostate cancer by nearly 70%. Activities like running, biking, and swimming can help lower your chances of being diagnosed with advanced prostate cancer or dying from the disease.

Labels: Health

This is a great article about the power of Tweeting with Twitter to inform employees about health care plans.

Tweeting Health Benefits ... in 140 Characters or Fewer | workforce.com

Labels: Benefits, Employees, Employers

If you smoke, quitting is the single best step you can take to improve your health. You’ll significantly lower your risk for a long list of deadly diseases, including lung cancer, heart disease, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control.

It’s not easy to quit, but the good news is that there is a lot of help available. And the more support you have, the better your chances of success. Check out the suggestions below and the resources listed at the end of the article. You may also want to talk to your doctor about nicotine replacement medication.

Tips to help you quit:

• Keep a picture of your loved ones handy for extra incentive, to remind yourself that you’re not just quitting for your own sake.
• Avoid sugary or spicy foods – for many smokers, these trigger the urge for a cigarette.
• Eat four or five small meals during the day instead of one or two big ones. This will help keep your blood sugar and energy levels steady, and lessen your need to smoke.
• Steer clear of alcohol. A few drinks can seriously weaken your resolve to quit.
• If you feel like you absolutely have to have a cigarette, make yourself wait 10 minutes. Often, once you get past the 10 minutes, you’ll find that the need to smoke has waned.
• If you’re used to having a cigarette in your hand, hold onto something else, like a squeeze ball, a coin, or a pencil.
• If you miss the feeling of a cigarette in your mouth, try toothpicks, cinnamon sticks, straws, or sugarless gum or lollipops instead.
• Keep a supply of edible cigarette substitutes on hand, so you’ll have something to chew on when a cigarette craving strikes. Carrots, apples, oranges, and celery sticks are some healthy, low-calorie choices.
• Avoid temptation and spend your free time in places where smoking is banned, particularly when you’ve just quit. Museums, libraries, malls, theaters, restaurants, and churches are all good options.
• Instead of a cigarette break, take a short exercise break. Walk around the block (avoiding places where smokers gather) or up a few flights of stairs, do some stretches or yoga poses, or knock off a few quick situps or pushups.
• When you’re feeling antsy and need a little moral support, talk to an understanding coworker, or call a friend, family member, or stop-smoking telephone hotline.
• Prepare yourself by thinking of the ways you may rationalize having a cigarette. Then you’ll be ready to resist when that little voice in your head says “One won’t hurt” or “Today is too stressful, I’ll quit tomorrow.”
• Every day, set aside the money you would have spent on cigarettes. Save it for a major goal, or use a little as a weekly treat for not smoking. Quitting is tough – you’ve earned a reward.
• Stay active. Whether you’re walking the dog, learning tai chi, or cleaning your closets, it will help you keep your mind off smoking and burn off the pent-up energy you’re likely to have when quitting.
• When you wake up each morning, take a moment to promise yourself that you won’t smoke that day. Handle the effort one day at a time.
• If you DO slip and have a cigarette, don’t lose faith and give up altogether. Try to figure out why you had a setback, so you don’t repeat it. Then remind yourself of all the good reasons for quitting, and start again right away.

Congratulations on taking a giant step toward living a longer, healthier life. We know quitting can be really hard, and we’re there to support you whenever you need help.

Online and telephonic resources:

The California Smokers' Helpline (1-800-NO-BUTTS) provides free professional and confidential telephone counseling for anyone living in California, whether you are currently addicted to tobacco, have already quit or want information for a friend or relative.

Join the Great American Smokeout today.

Resources to help you quit smoking, from the National Cancer Institute.

Get free educational materials and coaching to help you quit.

Labels: Health

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. employers who tell workers to stay home when they are sick will have to give them paid time off for up to five days under new federal legislation proposed on Tuesday.

The emergency law would cover pandemic H1N1 flu or any other infectious disease, said California Representative George Miller, a Democrat who chairs the House Education and Labor Committee and who introduced the bill.

"Sick workers advised to stay home by their employers shouldn't have to choose between their livelihood, and their co-workers' or customers' health," Miller said.

"This will not only protect employees, but it will save employers money by ensuring that sick employees don't spread infection to co-workers and customers, and will relieve the financial burden on our health system swamped by those suffering from H1N1."

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advises employers to encourage sick workers to stay home so they do not spread H1N1. "But workers have been reporting that many of them are either afraid or cannot afford to take time off," Miller told reporters in a telephone briefing.

Paid sick leave is not required by U.S. laws.

Miller said the committee would hold a hearing the week of November 16 and he would press to have a full vote as soon as possible.

Miller said at least 50 million American workers are not paid for time taken off sick, "many in lower-wage jobs that have direct contact with the public such as the food-service and hospitality industry, schools and health care fields."

MORE VACCINE READY

In a regular briefing, CDC director Dr. Thomas Frieden said 31.8 million doses of flu vaccine have now become available -- still far short of the minimum of 80 million to 100 million that had been projected for the first week of November.

This number includes vaccine already administered. Frieden said CDC hoped 10 million new doses will have been made available by the end of the week.

He said the pandemic may be having an unexpected side-effect -- increasing demand for the seasonal influenza vaccine. "We think this year will be the highest ever uptake on seasonal flu vaccine," Frieden said.

"We anticipate there being around 114 million doses of seasonal flu vaccine available through the market by the end of the year. It may be there is even greater demand than that by the end of the season."

This includes healthcare workers, who are often reluctant to be vaccinated. In recent years, only around 38 to 40 percent of healthcare workers get flu vaccines, but that percentage may be higher this year, Frieden said.

As with the vaccine against H1N1 swine flu, distribution is slow and patchy for seasonal flu vaccine. "We continue to hear that people are unable to get the vaccine," Frieden said.

The United States buys both seasonal and H1N1 vaccine from five makers -- GlaxoSmithKline Plc, AstraZeneca Plc's MedImmune unit, Novartis, Sanofi-Aventis and CSL Limited.

Some members of Congress and media commentators complained that detainees at Guantanamo Bay -- the U.S. base in Cuba -- would receive H1N1 vaccines when Americans were still struggling to find them.

But White House spokesman Robert Gibbs denied this on Tuesday. "There is no vaccine in Guantanamo and there's no vaccine on the way to Guantanamo," he told reporters.

By Maggie Fox, Health and Science Editor

Read Reuters Article Here

Labels: Employees, Employers, Health, law, Politics

Reporting from Los Angeles and Sacramento - Starting Sunday, cash-strapped California will dig deeper into the pocketbooks of wage earners -- holding back 10% more than it already does in state income taxes just as the biggest shopping season of the year kicks into gear.

Technically, it's not a tax increase, even though it may feel like one when your next paycheck arrives. As part of a bundle of budget patches adopted in the summer, the state is taking more money now in withholding, even though workers' annual tax bills won't change.

Continue reading story @ Los Angeles Times - http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-state-tax31-2009oct31,0,2028140.story

Labels: California, Employees, Employers

Having a pregnancy leave policy that permits pregnant employees to take time off for childbirth is only the first step in complying with the law. As one employer recently learned, it’s just as important to have post-leave follow-up policies. We’ll explain what this employer did wrong and the post-pregnancy leave policies the employer should have had.

Acosta Tacos is a small, family-run chain of taquerias in Los Angeles. Acosta Tacos’ employee handbook simply stated that female employees are permitted to take pregnancy disability leave. The company maintained no other pregnancy-related policies and posted none of the required workplace notices.

When Acosta Tacos cashier “Tara” told her supervisor, “Victor,” that she was going into labor a month early, her leave was approved on the spot, as the company’s policy provided. Victor told Tara that he’d find someone to cover her shifts while she was out, and to call him when she was ready to return to work. No one at Acosta Tacos expressed unhappiness over Tara needing to be out, and there was no indication of animosity toward her because of her pregnancy.

Unfortunately, Acosta Tacos dropped the ball by failing to have post-pregnancy leave policies and protocol.

Two Crucial Mistakes

Acosta Tacos’ first mistake was that when Tara called Victor to tell him she was ready to return to work after being out for only a month, she was told that her position had been filled during her leave. While Tara was out, he’d hired two new employees to cover her shifts. Victor explained that he’d try to find her a new position, and in the meantime, assigned her to fill in for an absent employee.

California law requires that an employee who takes pregnancy disability leave be reinstated to her same position on returning from leave. If an employer cannot reinstate the retuning employee to her exact same position—because it was eliminated or because filling the position on a temporary basis during the leave would have created a substantial business hardship—the employee must be returned to a “substantially similar” position (unless none exist because of companywide layoffs or business closure). The employer must be able to provide objective facts demonstrating that it was unable to reinstate the employee to her same position.

The second mistake Acosta Tacos made was that it fired Tara for breastfeeding her newborn baby during her meal period.

While Tara was filling in for the absent employee, her partner brought their infant to the store so that Tara could breastfeed the baby during a meal break. Because no private space was available, Tara fed the baby in the family car in the store’s parking lot. Tara then finished out her shift.

The next day, the manager of another Acosta Tacos location asked Tara to fill in for one of his employees who was out sick. Victor objected, stating that he learned that Tara breastfed her baby on company property the night before. He told her that she couldn’t come back to work until she finished lactation. Tara protested that she needed to be able to breastfeed her baby but also needed to go back to work immediately. Victor replied that he didn’t like her attitude and terminated her.

California employers are required to provide female employees who wish to express breast milk for nursing infants with:

• A reasonable opportunity to take breaks for expressing breast milk or breastfeeding, which can be timed with the employee’s regular break schedule.
• Reasonable access to a private location to express breast milk, other than public restrooms if possible, that is in close proximity to the employee’s regular work area.

Failure to provide the time and facilities required can result in a $100 civil penalty for each violation—as well as damages and other fines if the employee files a complaint or lawsuit.

Employer Pays for Pregnancy Disability, Sex Bias

Tara filed a complaint against Acosta Tacos, as well as Victor and the company’s owner individually, with the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH). Following its investigation, the DFEH found that the company, the manager, and the owner engaged in pregnancy disability discrimination for not reinstating Tara to her previous position and in sex discrimination for terminating Tara for breastfeeding, and for not providing her with the time and private facilities to do so. The DFEH also found that Tara’s termination was retaliation for her objections to Victor’s statement that she couldn’t breastfeed during her breaks.

Tara was awarded $20,000 in back wages and $20,000 in emotional distress damages. In addition, the agency hit Acosta Tacos with a $5,000 administrative fine.

Pregnancy Leave Policy Checklist

Acosta Tacos learned the hard way that simply having a pregnancy disability leave policy is only the first step in fulfilling an employer’s obligations under California law. Post-leave follow-up policies are just as important as having the correct leave policy.

To avoid the mistakes Acosta Tacos made, employers should make sure to have policies that address each of the following:

• Posting the required workplace notices regarding pregnancy disability leave, the California Family Rights Act, and California antidiscrimination laws (workplace posters can be downloaded at the DFEH’s website at www.dfeh.ca.gov).
• Permitting disabled or pregnant employees to take leave as mandated by state and federal law.
• Post-leave reinstatement of employees.
• Lactation time and facilities (allowing employees to express breast milk during scheduled breaks, if possible, or making additional time available to do so on a paid or unpaid basis).
• An inquiry and complaint procedure for employees who have questions or concerns about pregnancy leave and post-leave rights.

Written by BLR, Inc.

Labels: California, Employees, Employers

Exercise is a big part of a healthy lifestyle. Just 30 to 60 minutes a day, five days a week of activities like walking, swimming, and gardening can help you lower your risk for heart disease, prevent and manage high blood pressure, improve your cholesterol levels, handle stress, and more, according to the American Heart Association.

The problem is that although the reasons for exercising are clear, actually sticking with a daily exercise routine can be hard. So we’ve got some tips and tools to make it easier for you to keep moving, whether you’re walking one mile or running 10.

If you have a high risk of heart disease or other chronic condition or have been inactive for a long time, see your doctor before starting a new exercise program.

Exercise Tips:

• Approach exercise as something fun you do for yourself, rather than as drudgery to endure. Find activities you enjoy. If exercising alone bores you, take a group class. If you hate indoor gym workouts, look for outdoor activities.
• Exercise with a buddy. Whether you’re running, walking, or lifting weights, it’s more fun to work out with someone else. Plus, you’ll be more likely to stick to a fitness routine when there’s a little friendly peer pressure to motivate you.
• Mentally plan a spot for exercise in each day’s schedule beforehand. Make the workout as convenient as possible, in terms of both when and where you exercise, and you’ll be more likely to keep at it.
• Get any clothing or equipment you need ready ahead of time. That way you can just grab your gym bag on the way out the door, or get dressed for a morning workout without spending valuable time searching for gear.
• Sign up for a running race, charity walk, or other event and use it as your goal. Having this to focus on will help motivate you to exercise on days when you’d rather stay on the couch.
• Be flexible about your workout. For example, if you can’t fit in a long walk some days, try for two or three short walks instead. Any amount of exercise is better than doing nothing.
• Don’t try to do too much too soon. Start slow, and increase the intensity and duration of your workout as you get more fit.
• Doing the same thing every day is boring, so vary your schedule. Don’t always jog the same route or do the same workout sequence, and try a mix of different activities. Alternate some yoga with your biking, or replace a trip to the gym with a new exercise class, for example. Variety will help keep you fresh mentally and physically.
• When your motivation dips and you don’t feel like exercising, just get yourself out the door for a mini-workout. Chances are that you’ll perk up and feel more inspired once you’ve started.
• Don’t expect to improve each time you exercise -- it’s a gradual process. You’ll have up and down days, so forget the bad workouts and savor the good ones. (Of course, you should see a doctor if you’re sick or injure yourself.)
• Always take a few moments at the end of each workout to silently congratulate yourself on a job well done. You deserve it!

Labels: Health

Emergency rooms have often been mistakenly utilized for urgent care needs. By definition, an emergency is a dangerous situation that occurs suddenly and requires immediate action. Therefore, emergency rooms should be used only for injuries and illness that cannot be dealt with properly in a doctor’s office. Urgent care facilities are equipped to take care of illnesses and injuries that require medical attention but are not life-threatening. Some symptoms that may be treated at an urgent care facility are fever, earache, nausea/vomiting, flu, dizziness, sprains, minor cuts that may or may not require stitches, and fractured bones

Emergency rooms are not always the fastest choice for medical care needs- and certainly NOT the most cost-effective.

Below are some examples of why you might want to select an urgent care rather than the emergency room:

Labels: Health

The flu is much more serious than the common cold and can lead to severe health complications. Getting a flu shot each fall is the single best way to help prevent the flu and protect yourself and those around you during flu season.

Everyone in your household should get a flu shot each year, but it’s especially important for:

• Adults over 50 years old
• Children 6 months to 18 years
• Anyone with on-going health conditions, like diabetes, heart disease or lung disease
• Women who are pregnant during flu season
• Health care workers
• Anyone living with or caring for someone in one of these categories, or who has a child less than 6 months old.

For more information on flu shots, please contact your healthcare provider.

Labels: Health