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