Would Mexico be better if the USA and Mexico become one nation?
Improvement of the Mexican people lives, Employment, Environment. Freedom of choice in Politics. More guarantees of education, security, more drug laws, less crime, less corruption.
Oh heck no if that was to happen it would be the ghetto of the USA. I read in an artitical a few week back where Vincente Fox of Mexico was talking to some people of Columbia saying that the Mexicans were going to over rule our government. Don't know how true the source really was but as daddy says talk is cheap.
Anti-discrimination law reviewed in Haverford
HAVERFORD — A proposed anti-discrimination ordinance that would add provisions for sexual orientation and gender identity/expression sparked lively discussion at Monday’s work session, when it was reviewed in preparation for the Nov. 8 commissioners meeting. Discrimination on the grounds of age, race, religion, sexual orientation
Privacy laws in Canada protecting employees personal information?
My T4 slip was given to an individual to give to me from my former place of employment. Although I trust this person, it was done without my consent. It contains my full name, address, postal code, and social security number. What are my rights as an ex-employee? Aren't there privacy laws against my information being shared? What can be done about it?
Yes there are laws. But in your case since you claim you "trust" that person so you can't really say you suffered any damage. At most your employer could be given some small fine but not a big deal.
It would be a better case if the information would have been given to strangers or people you don't trust.
Still what your employer did was wrong and technically you could take legal actions against them. Also you can put a formal complain on your local labor bureau.
Arizona law meant to provoke government action
Where did Arizona's new immigration enforcement statute Senate Bill 1070 come from, and where is this fast-developing trend of state activism in immigration law enforcement headed now? Employment Law: Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA)
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Nebraska May 'Ban the Box' on Employment Applications
Nebraska may become the fourth state to 'Ban the Box,' removing the criminal history box from initial application forms for public employment. 'Ban the Box' is a slogan for a nationwide initiative, launched independently in various states and cities, to enact legislation that would prohibit public employers from disqualifying ex-offenders based solely on their criminal history. Pillsbury Law Partner Michelle Hallsten Speaks at SARTA.org Liquidity Event
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Alabama Debt Relief
With the ever larger debt loads faced by Alabaman borrowers, it’s no wonder that so many of the citizens of our fair state have begun to examine the various alternatives to paying back their mortgages and credit card bills through more than traditional means. After all, considering that our current national financial struggles show no signs of improving over the coming years and more and more consumers find themselves out of work, there are increasing levels of desperation felt from all sectors of the economy, and borrowers are drawn to all aspects of debt relief. This modern world, it’s the easiest thing possible to wake up and realize you’ve somehow accumulated financial burdens nearly impossible to repay through traditional measures. With credit cards now so freely available to nearly every Alabaman that can sign their name and a topsy turvy financial structure that effectively enables spending more than our citizens’ earn as a cornerstone of expansionary economic periods, buying absent regret has become almost an instinct for our countrymen, and so many consumers land themselves in a revolving continuum of paycheck to paycheck cycles propelled by the very lenders they’re so desperate to pay that they fall prey to the most predatory of schemes.
Within this sort of economy, even the smallest life change can lead to grave repercussions. From marital problems to illness to a change of employment, any number of the seemingly inevitable consequences of modern life may impact your household budget beyond capacity, and this style of plate spinning domestic finance engenders desperate foolhardy solutions patched together at the last minute and fueled by purposeful ignorance on the behalf of the borrowers. Jumping from check to check with no room for error, unable to pay anything toward savings, ever harried by ceaseless payment due dates and expanding minimum obligations, the Alabama debtor attempting to carve out a life upon the turn of the twenty first century too often finds him or herself without hope and tragically susceptible to confidence schemes that, however technically legitimate the business and glossy the surrounding spiel, inevitably scavenge the debt relief wishes of those that can least afford false promises. Five years ago, for example, the Alabama legislature legalized the so-called payday loan services, but, even though this usurious practice has been made lawful throughout the state, this could only be considered debt relief in the most tragic sense. Ever since Alabama representatives passed that 2003 law distinguishing payday loans as a justifiable practice, people from all corners of Alabama have been misled into (searching from some short term assistance with minimum payments or sudden household needs) believing that the service may be some sort of debt relief when, in actuality, it only worsens the existing debt problems. Actual management of debts will be a long and difficult process that, while it may indeed require the help of external authorities such as debt settlement companies, demands exploration on the part of the borrower and a general understanding about the unspoken rules of debt relief.
Among these companies, probably the most well known sort of debt relief business for Alabama and the rest of the United States of America would be the Consumer Credit Counseling alternative. As most Alabama borrowers likely know by now, thanks to the industry’s seemingly never ending stream of commercials and advertisements, the Consumer Credit Counseling companies consolidate all unsecured debt (that is; debts not already attached to collateral liable for repossession or foreclosure or similar fates) in order to attempt to lower the accumulated interest rates toward something far lower. Alongside this clear benefit, which (for reasons we shall soon explain) can almost be guaranteed for near every Alabama borrower, the Consumer Credit Counseling professionals are also likely to clear away the former fees charged by the credit card companies for payments that arrived past their due date (twenty five bucks for a days’ postal delay) or accounts that were charged past their limit (thirty dollars for a few cents’ miscalculation), and, in what has become the Consumer Credit Counseling companies’ greatest motivating sales gambit, the new payments shall be far below the combined minimums of what the debtors had previously been striving to eke together each month. It’s an attractive debt relief presentation that the Consumer Credit Counseling specialists have put together, no small wonder that the industry has gained so much momentum through the last few years, but there are any number of drawbacks that their television commercials do not even dare to mention.
When entering one of the Consumer Credit Counseling storefronts – which, by this point, have popped up near every Alabama town and city of any size – you will be explicitly told about all of the benefits this service may indeed have to offer. One could hardly complain about lower interest rates or waived fees, after all; this is debt relief in its most superficial sense. However, the lowered payments end up for too many borrowers resembling a bittersweet privilege. For all of the temporary assistance recalculated payment schedules may bring Alabama households, the smart borrower should also realize that the lower the payment, the longer the eventual term of the overall loan and the more that they shall inevitably pay in compound interest. What use halving the actual rates when you’ll just up spending even more through terms that last twice as long? Further, the negative impact upon your FICO score and credit report is almost as bad as what you would see following declaration of a Chapter 7 debt elimination bankruptcy even though the debts remain with the Consumer Credit Counseling decision, and you’ll end up spending a pretty penny for the companies’ services before everything’s said and done. Actually, not only will you pay through the nose for the assistance of Consumer Credit Counseling professionals, but the debt relief specialists you work with will also request payment from the credit card companies as well. Remember, the conglomerates behind your credit card bills live in fear that the ordinary consumer might try their hand at bankruptcy protection – however disruptive recent congressional fiat has rendered that debt relief choice; any Alabama head of household that earns more the forty thousand a year probably would no longer even qualify for Chapter 7 debt elimination – and they want to make sure that their clients are locked in to an achingly slow system of debt relief that effectively forces the continual repayment of interest until the consumer’s death.
Now, debt settlement companies – superficially quite similar to the Consumer Credit Counseling debt relief alternative; both, after all, consolidate all unsecured revolving credit card accounts with an eye to eventual reduction of debt burdens – also maintain their own set of disadvantages. While less destructive to credit ratings, Alabama debtors that go through the program shall still see their FICO scores take a slight dip, and, once they are part of the debt settlement program, borrowers shall no longer be able to use past accounts nor take advantage of any new credit card opportunities sent in the mail or telemarketed or even offered from a trusted lending institution. Alas, much like the Consumer Credit Counseling option, debt settlement professionals do not work pro bono. They have their own fees that you’ll have to worry about – though, as with Consumer Credit Counseling, the brunt of the expense shall be extended over the course of the consolidation – but debt settlement companies do not ask additional money from the credit card companies that they have expressly pretended to be working against. Instead, the debt settlement professionals assume a combative posture from their first talks with representatives of the credit card companies and do whatever’s necessary to ensure that your credit account balances are reduced. Alabama consumers that we have spoken with in the past year have reported that experienced debt settlement negotiators have eliminated as much as fifty percent of their overall balances through a mixture of carrot (sped up payment schedules that typically last less than five years) and stick (the still effective threat of personal bankruptcy which reps of the credit card companies are taught to avoid at all costs).
Now, much as we thoroughly recommend every Alabama borrower at least takes a close look at the debt settlement alternative, we cannot promise it shall be the right fit for each family. So much, after all, depends upon what your family can and cannot pay each month. Income, household expenses, the type and the complete amount of debts held (and even the specific corporation that holds each debt; some still refuse to negotiate debt settlement regardless of technique) mean so much when deciding upon a particular debt relief plan. After all, debt settlement does mean you will still have to repay the majority of your current credit obligations within a limited time period, and, we understand, that’s just not possible for all Alabama families. Furthermore, you will still have those secured debts, like car loans and home mortgages (not to mention tax liens or any governmentally assessed bills like alimony or child support) to deal with. The responsibility for effective debt relief still lands with the original consumer, and you must start taking charge of their finances before presuming any other company can just make things right. Talk to the lender representatives yourself before involving debt relief companies, and, even after you’ve chosen a debt settlement or alternative approach, make sure that you continue to talk with the creditors to ensure that the bills are being paid as originally agreed and that all fees and debts that were purportedly waived have, in fact, been erased.
In order to ensure that you will have the funds necessary to meet the debt settlement stipend each month as well as taking care of all additional burdens such as payments for the aforementioned secured loan, insurance, and all of the day to day expenses households require to run smoothly. Budgeting should be of primary importance for every Alabama borrower in need of debt relief (which, realistically, should be every Alabama borrower that finds themselves unable to easily pay their outstanding debts – home mortgage or investment excepted – within a few months). Proper management of income and expenses remains the backbone of effective debt relief. Alabama’s shown a steady increase in per capita income growth, hovering just under three percent per annum for around the past decade which lands us comfortably in the top echelon of states, and, even during this period of economic unrest, many borrowers and other members of their households should be able to find additional work or begin home based business to increase earnings. Greater income combined with an end to foolish spending – a serious and reasoned program of debt relief, in other words – should prevent this sort of thing from ever happening again in the future regardless of how much Alabama and the American culture at large accentuates and indulges our worst impulses toward shopping without remorse.
While the worst tendencies of the American economy over the past few decades, propelling our countrymen into ever greater debts so that such artificially spurred bouts of purchasing buoys otherwise shaky financial underpinnings, have led consumers into such dire financial straits, our system of commerce also encourages new markets and industries to develop which help unfortunate borrowers navigate their way amidst debt relief predicaments. Throughout Alabama and the rest of North America, Consumer Credit Counseling and debt settlement and the similarly motivated firms have proven that they can effectively diminish the stresses that accompany debt loads, alleviating borrower tensions while facilitating communication between the clients and the lenders, while taking the debt burdens upon themselves as the debt relief specialists negotiate more advantageous terms and force leniency towards the payment schedules. This alternative could not guarantee debt relief for every borrower, if needs be said, but a wide swath of Alabamans insist that the process has prevented their households from being swamped by out of control debts. No consumer should enter the professional debt relief arena without quite reasonable apprehensions regarding the potentially troublesome repercussions, but experienced and educated debt relief counselors may still effectively aid their clients whenever the need for such assistance arises.
Though social services continue to be cut during the national financial crises that currently plague the American economy, resources yet exist for every citizen, and, while these programs (whether subsidized by the state or through non profit charities) may certainly be of some use to the right borrower, the best sort of companies – even if they are technically non profit or organized by the state or federal government – do request at least some small stipend for the first discussion. Within Alabama, for example, the various counties have originated debt relief affiliations with some of the more established community banks to provide assistance for those borrowers suffering from out of control debts. Within such ventures, social workers and enlightened volunteers have been trained by debt relief specialists typically employed by the banks or debt consolidation firms to advise unlucky debtors that recognize their essential helplessness in relation to existing burdens and larger spending habits. Considering Alabama’s continual troubles with problem debtors – for the past decade, Alabama has been found near the top of per capita Chapter 7 bankruptcy declarations, sharing that unfortunate distinction with Georgia, Mississippi, Louisiana, and, in recent years, Utah – state officials have taken special care to help aid Alabamans understand and master debt relief from a blend of public and private counseling.
For most borrowers whose financial obligations have risen to the degree that they can no longer easily satisfy the minimum payments demanded by their creditors, involvement with one of the professional debt relief companies will sadly still be necessary. It certainly wouldn’t harm any Alabama household’s chances to avail themselves of the free (or, again, virtually free) state resources before choosing any specific course of action, but they will likely suggest eventual partnership with one of these specialists – consolidation with a debt settlement negotiation firm, say – for true and lasting relief from debts. This should not still be an easy decision for any Alabama family, and they should not feel that they are being rushed into any one approach. If bill collectors will not stop telephone or direct mail harassment, contact the consumer affairs section of the Alabama attorney general’s office (11 S Union, 3rd Fl, Montgomery, AL 36130; toll free phone number 1-800-392-5658) to report particular misdeeds. Alabama – along with thirty some other states – allows the consumers within the state to record phone conversations with all such collection agencies regardless of the bill collector’s notification or prior approval under statutes outlined by the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, and proof of harassment should provide more than enough leverage to guarantee the agency not only will leave you and your family alone but also close up shop to prevent them from ruining the lives of other Alabama households.
There’s no reason for any family to suffer through this sort of barely lawful aggravation, and Alabama has done as much as any state in the south to protect their citizens from collection agency persecution. Though the process of debt relief demands swift and serious attention from all applicable consumers and all debtors facing consumer debt burdens should begin analyzing their predicament immediately, no Alabama borrower should allow him or herself to feel pressured into any course of action they do not thoroughly understand nor whose underlying foundations and eventual disadvantages they do not feel they will be able to comply with beyond question. So much of the relationship between a debtor and his or her debts remains impossible for an article such as this to accurately comment upon. Alabama, like all states, maintains special privileges for its consumers that should be fully investigated before consolidating past obligations.
Even the best debt settlement companies and associated professionals often ignore the less attractive debt relief practicalities with an eye toward ensuring the best potential credit reports and FICO scores. To take one of the more vibrant examples, Alabama features a statute of limitations (still ultimately dependant upon the lender’s initial written contract) upon consumer debts that can last no longer than six years and, for revolving accounts, may be as little as three years. Much depends upon the borrower’s state of residence when they took out the original loan and when the first delinquency was officially recorded, but this effective loophole should have obvious benefits. Many debt relief specialists, ever aiming to perfect their debtor clients’ overall situation (and, for some, pad the balances upon which they’ll draw a percentage of the total for their commission) will still urge complete repayment of all outstanding loans to better the borrowers’ credit ratings. Still, it may well be in the best interest of the more cash poor debtors to indulge the grace of Alabama’s statute of limitations upon such burdens.
All of which is not to say that debt settlement should be avoided or that debt settlement counselors are not to be trusted. The grand majority of such debt relief companies in the Alabama area or around the nation have earned sparkling reputations from a uniquely successful technique that genuinely can diminish payments and settle debts by as much as half of what the borrowers are currently bound to owe while eliminating all financial liabilities in only a matter of years and safeguarding home and hearth from seizure. Furthermore, in conjunction with Alabama law and the best wishes of the state to protect its citizens from future troubles with monetary burdens, these debt relief companies will also counsel borrowers on purchasing habits, budgeting, and organization of all consumer related difficulties involving the most beneficial payments to be made and how best to avoid succumbing to similar problems down the road. Curious borrowers should make sure to ask the Alabama chapter of the Better Business Bureau about any specific company that they are thinking about meeting with as well as contacting the federal Fair Trade Commission to ensure that there were no existing complaints upon record, but, still and all, for any Alabamans serious about debt relief programs, there’s nothing to lose by a process of discovery. It may take a while, it may be difficult for you and your family to suffer through the various deprivations that the program requires, but, with little more than will and effort and the desire to succeed, debt relief can be a reality for every Alabama household.
About the Author
My name is Cole I am a professional in the financial fields of bankruptcy and debt settlement.
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Study in University of Queen Mary of London
Queen Mary, University of London is one of the U.K‘s leading research focused higher education institution. Queen Mary University of London is one of the oldest, largest and most diverse Universities in U.K. Study in University of Queen Mary London delivers world class degree programmes & research across wide range of subjects such as humanities, social sciences, law, medicine & dentistry, science & engineering. University was ranked 13th in U.K in 2008 Research Assessment Exercise(RAE).
Queen Mary University of UK offers completely integrated residential campus ,with 2,000 bed award winning student village on its Mile End Site. University of Queen Marry provides best possible educational, cultural & social experience to its students. It provides wide range of educational & social facilities to its students. These facilities include Senate House Library. This Library contains more then 1.4 million volumes & university of London union (ULU) which is very active & lively in U.K. Queen Mary University has student support office, this office help students by providing them comprehensive information, support & guidance on academic issues. There are also computer terminals with full internet access available for students use. Study in Queen Mary University provides opportunity to its students to participate in decision making process of university. This opportunity is provided through student representation. This union is recognized by the college’s royal charter as the student cooperate body. Members of Student Representative body sit in the decision making committee of University.
Post graduate study in Queen Mary University of England also provides opportunity to develop skills through student community action projects or volunteering opportunities run through accredited volunteering programme called PROVIDE. Students who graduate from Queen Mary University earn second highest salaries in U.K .QMUL school of law is among the most highly rated law schools in U.K .It was ranked 5th in 2001 by Research Assessment Exercise. Qmul offers advance teaching in all major fields of law. Queen Mary, University is very well known for its Mathematics Research Centre (MRC), school of Mathematics is one other largest school of mathematics in U.K. School of mathematics Science of University is centre of excellence, learning, scholarship and research. Arts and Humanities of Queen Mary University of London is ranked 4th and ranked 6th best for students employability in U.K. Department of Economics of University is ranked 6th by RAE exercises. Department of Physics of Queen Mary University of London is ranked number one in country. This University also known for its teaching quality and provides modular system of teaching. This system makes degree courses very flexible.
Queen Mary University, UK tries its best to provide them practical work experience to its students so that they can meet requirements of employers. University provides counseling services to its students. There counselors are fully trained. If students are facing any academic or personal problem then they can go and consult counselors. Counselors try there best to solve the problems of students. Consultations are kept confidential. Queen Mary University of London helps its students to integrate according to British society and British educational system. Medical School of Queen Mary University is one of the oldest medical schools in Europe.
About the Author
Siddharth Gupta of Global Opportunities is a well known consultant for graduate and postgraduate study in UK. He has written several articles on topics like, Why Study in UK and Australia etc. His company provides active assistance for graduate and postgraduate study in Queen Mary University of London among others.
Being an employer is a daunting task. Hundreds of employment regulations, insurance guidelines, Senate bills and Federal Acts (such as FMLA, FLSA, HIPAA, TEFRA and FEHA, to name a few) distract business owners from focusing on their core operations and profitability. In particular, California employers need to be aware that California Labor Law differs from federal law in significant ways that can make life even more difficult, if not downright treacherous, for businesses with limited human resources expertise.
Although the Fair Labor Standards Act sets a minimum standard of protection for employees working in the USA, individual states are permitted to extend the Act to provide a higher degree of protection to employees in that state. California has taken full advantage of that facility, and there are many aspects of this act that California has applied more liberally than practically any other state.
Take overtime law for example. California law requires an employer to pay an employee overtime after 8 hours work in one day at 1.5 times the normal rate, and after 12 hours work in any one day at twice the standard rate. However, this does not apply to 'exempt' employees, such as those involved in managerial or intellectual work. Federal law only requires time and a half to be paid for any time worked over 40 hours in a week.
The California Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA) differs profoundly from the federal law, particularly in employment discrimination law where it is much wider reaching and more rigorous than federal law. A case in point occurred recently, where an employee of a prestigious California hotel filed a discrimination lawsuit against his employer on the basis of sex, and also for retaliation, in violation of the FEHA.
The act forbids discrimination against an employee on the basis of sex, race, color, age, religion and other grounds, and illegalizes retaliation by the employer against an employee carrying out a 'protected' activity such as filing a charge of discrimination. There are a number of defined protected activities, and this act is likely beyond the capability of the average human resources department of most companies to handle. This is the sort of case best passed on to a human resources (HR) consulting firm.
The case, Jones v. The Lodge at Torrey Pines Partnership, had originally been heard in front of a jury, and debated whether or not an individual could be held personally responsible for proceedings relating to retaliation against an employee. The jury decided for the plaintiff and awarded compensation against the Lodge and the supervisor accused of the retaliation. However, their verdict was overruled by the judge who stated that there was insufficient evidence to prove the case against the supervisor that an adverse reaction had been carried out for reasons of discrimination or retaliation for the sexual orientation of the plaintiff.
The judge stated that individuals (the supervisor) cannot be held liable for retaliation in the same way that they can be for harassment. The case went to the Court of Appeal, which disagreed with the judge, and stated that individuals can be held responsible for retaliation. The case ultimately reached the California Supreme Court which disagreed, stating that the individual cannot be held responsible..
What chance does company human resource personnel have in correctly interpreting law if even the law courts disagree? It is next to impossible for a company in California to apply company policy when the law itself is so difficult to interpret that judges, Courts of Appeal, and the Supreme Court disagree. The labor laws of California are too difficult to understand for a company to rely on non-specialized personnel to manage their labor relations policies. The consequences of getting it wrong could be catastrophic. Many employers are feeling frustrated with this lack of clarity and constant risk of violating the law, and are turning to experts in the Human Resources Outsourcing industry for help.
While many businesses employ highly educated staff, most do not have the experience to understand the finer points of law. It is not just the understanding that matters here, it is knowing the right course of action to take in such circumstances. Perhaps things could have been done differently in the Jones v. The Lodge case to prevent it from reaching court, or perhaps the supervisor could have been better trained by the company.
Whatever the answer, you are more likely to come to the right solution with the help of professionals who manage these complex issues on a daily basis. California labor law is sufficiently complex for your company to turn to the professionalism and expertise of a Human Resources Outsourcing firm to keep you out of trouble. HR outsourcing is not as expensive as you might believe, especially when you consider the alternative.
Suggested resource:
California labor law is very complex, and ignorance can cost you plenty. If you are considering Human Resources Outsourcing as part of your HR satrategy, and want to reduce your California employment risks, check out http://www.cpehr.com for a free HR analysis. It costs nothing to investigate.
About the Author
Ari Rosenstein is the Director of Marketing at CPEhr, a Human Resources Outsourcing and Professional Employer Organization company. With 15,000 serviced employees and hundreds of clients in 26 states, CPEhr is one of the largest, independently owned PEOs in the nation. CPEhr provides an array of HR services including labor law compliance, employment administration, employee health insurance, safety consulting, payroll and tax services. Learn more about HR Outsourcing and Professional Employer Organizations at http://www.cpehr.com.
McClure McClure Davis & Henn - Greenwood, IN
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Life Insurance and the Law. A layman's introduction.
There are no laws in the UK that require a person to have life insurance. It's an entirely voluntary insurance. About 40% of the UK's working population are covered by life insurance either through their own policy or via an arrangement through their employer.
So the simple things first. You have to be a UK resident in order to buy a life insurance policy from a UK based insurance company. This is not a requirement laid down in UK law, but UK laws and tax arrangements make it impossible for a UK based insurance company to offer insurance to anyone other than a UK resident. But be aware that if, having taken out life insurance, you later live abroad, your policy will be invalidated. Naturally, invalidation does not apply if you are on holiday but if you have a short-term work assignment abroad you are well advised to inform your insurance company before you go.
All UK Insurance Companies are subject to UK Corporate Laws. However, there are special regulations that only apply to insurance companies. These control the value of the risks the companies take on in relation to their financial reserves. These regulations are designed to ensure that your insurance company will be in a position to pay if you claim.
The Data Protection Act 1998 is concerned with way all UK businesses store, safeguard and use the data they collect about people. This is particularly important within the life insurance industry as the companies store significant amounts of very personal information about you - including your age, health record and life style. One of the key provisions of the Data Protection Act says that if a business wishes to pass on your information for marketing purposes, the business collecting the data must tell you of its intention and give you the opportunity of refusing permission for your data be used in that way. Incidentally, all reputable web sites selling life insurance will have a "Privacy Statement" which tells you how they handle your information and how it is used.
The Financial Services and Markets Act (2000) is the most important piece of legislation affecting the promotion of financial services in the UK including life insurance. The Act is highly complex but is primarily concerned with protecting you the customer. The implementations of the Act is overseen by the Financial Services Authority (FSA). The FSA regulates all forms of the promotion of financial products and services including the activities of financial and mortgage advisors in the UK. Their aim is to ensure you receive clear professional advice that reflects your personal circumstances. They also ensure you have a route to compensation should it be proved that you received inadequate or poor advice.
For the layman, the FSA's biggest impact is reflected in the advisors they talk to. The FSA seeks to ensure that all financial advisors are trustworthy and competent which includes being well supervised and well trained, and that any advice is given in your best interests. The FSA also ensures that you are given full and accurate information about the products you are being advised to buy both before and after you have bought them. They also closely oversee the organisations that actually create the financial products.
In fact everyone and every organisation giving financial advice in the UK must be authorised by the Financial Services Authority.
However, the Act makes a distinction between financial products bought as a result of a recommendation from a Financial Adviser and "Execution Only" business. Execution Only is where a customer is wholly responsible for the selection of the investment and therefore the financial advisers' sole responsibility is to process the purchase efficiently. Under Execution Only, the Adviser bears no responsibility for the products suitability for the clients needs.
You should be aware that many of the web sites promoting life insurance operate on this Execution Only basis. However, most web site operators provide extensive information to enable the client to make an informed choice. Sometimes the information is published on the web site and sometimes provided during a follow-up telephone call. Either way, within their Terms of Business the web site will have to tell you on what basis they provide financial services and as part of your application, you will normally be required to confirm that you have read those Terms.
Those Terms of Business will always include details of a complaints procedure. In outline, if a customer wishes to complain, then the customer must detail the complaint in writing and send it to the Compliance Officer for the business employing the advisor. That business then has to investigate the complaint and reply to the customer in writing. If the Compliance Officer upholds the complaint, and the customer has suffered a financial loss as a result, then the business must agree a financial settlement with the customer. Ultimately, if the customer has suffered financial loss and cannot accept either the organisations' conclusions or their proposed financial settlement, then the situation can be referred to the Financial Ombudsman. The Financial Ombudsman's service is free to the customer and they are wholly independent. The Financial Ombudsman's decision is usually binding on both parties.
The other central piece of protection for the customer is the Financial Services Compensation Scheme. This provides the customer with a level of protection if a financial organisation regulated by the FSA becomes insolvent and cannot properly meet its financial responsibilities to its clients.
Postscript The above information represents the legal aspects we think you will have found most useful. The information is neither definitive nor exhaustive but is simply an introduction for the layman.
If you would like more detailed information relating to the regulation of life insurance companies, insurance brokers, or financial advisers you should visit the Financial Services Authority's web site at: www.fsa.gov.uk
About the Author
Michael Challiner has 15 years experience in financial services marketing at senior level. Michael now works as the editor of Brokers Online Life Insurance
will sex offender go underground if this law get passed?
Under current Georgia law, registered sex offenders can't live within 1,000 feet of child care centers, schools and places where children congregate. The new law goes much further, with employment and loitering restrictions and a broader definition of areas where children congregate, including school bus stops.
what do you think do you think we sex offender will disappear if there too much pressure on us?
yes I m on the list
If offenders have addresses no matter where they are at least this way, those of you that are hate mongers, believe everything the media and the politicians say, (which is mostly 99% wrong), and those of you that think you have to have a registry to babysit your children rather than you supervising them on your own (you do enjoy that false sense of security the registries give you), you will know where these rehabilitated former offenders are.
Now, if you would rather here the facts instead of the propaganda: 90 to 95% of sexual offenses occur by someone known to the child - a relative, close family friend, close neighbor, teachers, coaches, scout leaders and after school activity persons. The re offense rate, however, is 3.5% reconviction rate for sex offenders. 1.2% of that rate are reoffenses on child molestation.
Now that you have those figures, how about this: Your child has a MUCH higher chance of being harmed by a drug dealer/user, drunk driver, gang related incident, playground accident, drowning, and struck by lightening, than they have of being molested by a rehabilitated sex offender. So you just enjoy that little false sense of security you love so much. While you are enjoying that, pay attention to the registries and see how they are growing compared to second charges on offenders!
Rockefeller Hosts Forum on Kids and Online Safety
Technology has advanced rapidly since the Children's Online Protection Privacy Act was passed more than ten years ago. StephaneLequeux28-10-06Part1
who can decided in the us system of employment or law?
wh
o is authorized in the us system to decided a employee has committed embezzlement can the HRO director or a division head decided in 72 hours the employee has committed and accuse him and terminated the person for embezzlement what is the dignity and fair play for the worker please answer i feel this his basic violation of human rights
If the company feels you are guilty of embezzlement they dont have to wait even 72 hours to terminate you. Any company official with proper authority can do the actual termination. Your recourse is to hire an attorney and file a wrongful termination lawsuit. Look for an employment law attorney.
Allison Taylor - Human Rights Law Update News from the Front
At will employment: Does this mean you have to tolerate excessive bullying and non-sexual harassment? ?
I work in North and South Carolina which are both At Will Employment States. There are no protections for employees who are being harassed and bullied by their employer because of outdated employment laws dating back to cotton picking workers. I have been harassed to the point of termination and there was absolutely nothing I could do about it. The Human Resources Department could not do anything to help because that would be seen legally as admission of guilt on the part of the employer so I was not able to do anything. This group of managers has gotten away with this type of treatment for years and there seems to be no way of stopping them. Is Anyone in North Carolina or South Carolina ever going to stand up for the workers?
You need to get a lawyer asap. Tell them your problem and I am sure they will have some solutions for you. If what your saying can be proven then you have a lawsuit against these people. Also, at will employment just means they can fire you or get rid of you for any reason or no reason at all.
Event to raise funds for battle against sex trafficking
According to the U.S. Department of State, 200,000 U.S. citizens are trafficked inside America's borders each year. A local fundraiser with special guest speakers will raise money for safe houses for victims of trafficking. Gordon Jackson - Keynote Speaker
Reporter's Notebook: Bill Conroy
A law enforcement task force in New Mexico that is supposed to target drug-trafficking criminals is instead awash in charges that it is using its nearly $600,000 taxpayer-subsidized budget to fund its own corrupt practices. WorkersCompensation.com's NewsLine Report for 4/24/2007
[mage lang="" source="flickr"]employment law mn[/mage] Has anyone ever been coveted you to the point of aggravation?
I have someone who likes to copy me and wants the things I have, especially any new men I have in my life. I divorced my husband due to a bad situation, she did the same (for no justifiable reasons). I enrolled and graduated from college, she did the same (went to the same school). At one time I had decided to go to law school, she decided if she graduated, she would do the same. I got engaged and she investigated to find out who I was engaged to? I met my fiance at the time at my place of employment (he still works there and he's my new husband). Guess what? She now works there, too. She also has tried to talk to him. Am I just being a little paranoid? Should I be aggravated, or should I just be flattered that I am considered so d@mn good that somebody wants to imitate/covet me? What do you guys think?
Just ignore this person and get on with your life. She might be some kind of a wacko person.
Employment Attorney, Employment Lawyer in Roseville MN 55113
Wonkbook: Barney Frank pushes financial reform; EPA was unprepared for oil spill
Some Congressional Democrats are opposing key spending bills that they say drive the country deeper in debt. Meanwhile, Barney Frank is pushing for the financial reform conference committee to be televised on C-SPAN; would public opinion toughen the bill even further? And all evidence suggests the EPA was unprepared for an oil spill of the scale of the BP incident. RALPH NADER IS IN THE RACE! (MEET THE PRESS PT 2 OF 2)
Labour and Employment
The vast scope of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and the related Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act enacted in March 2010 (collectively, "PPACA") has captured widespread attention with an array of new obligations and opportunities. HR 3017, Employment Non-Discrimination Act of 2009: Vandy Beth Glenn
[affmage source="amazon" results="5"]employment law act 2009[/affmage]
[affmage source="cj" results="5"]employment law act 2009[/affmage]
[mage lang="" source="flickr"]labor and employment law dc[/mage]
Corporate Social Responsibility
Meaning of CSR: - Social responsibility is fundamentally a philosophy or a vision about the relationship of business and society. It is treated as an investment and not a cost. It is a process of continuous improvement, not a fad, which begins small & grows and expands overtime. It is inextricably linked to profitability, as there can be no social responsibility without profits.
Importance of CSR: - This is a time of more Turbulence for a business & accelerating change. The challenges faced by today’s business include the following.
Globalization of markets, consumer preferences, financial flows. Globalization is having momentous effects on the economies of all countries and on corporation in most sectors.
Increasing intensity of competition: - The Global completion today has created more challenges and instability
Technology: - Rapid technological changes are transferring the markets, enabling greater customization of production, & contributing to high labor displacement.
Shift from Industrial Economy to a knowledge & information based economy. Human capital has become more important resource.
Environmental challenges caused by pollution & resources depletion, Business are called upon to play an important role in meeting these challenges.
Life style changes, expectation on the part of employees, customers and communication as a whole changing
Hence as the world business environment changes, so do the requirements for success & complititiveness. Because of the forces at work, building deeper and more strategic relationship with customers, supplies, employees, communities and other stakeholders can become central to competitiveness & survival. Building these relationships can form the foundation of new, progressive & people centered corporate strategy. This brings us to the increased importance of CSR.
Now having understood the meaning & importance of CSR let us understand the responsibility of corporations towards its stakeholders. Hence CSR is all about how to manage these responsibilities.
Stakeholders
Internal External
- Shareholders - Consumers
- Employees - Suppliers
- Management - Creditors
- Competitors
- Environment
INTERNAL STAKEHOLDERS:
(i) Shareholders: - Share holders are the members of the company who help to achieve the company’s goals by investing in the business. They are entitled to the share in the profits of the company. This share of the profits is given to the shareholders in return for their investments in the form of shares. Hence the organization must honor the trust of the shareholders, therefore the responsibilities of the organization towards shareholders are:-
Managing company effectively in order to secure fair & competitive return on the owners’ investment.
Disclosing relevant information to shareholders.
Conserving, Protecting & increasing the shareholders asset.
Respecting the shareholders requests, suggestion, complaints & formal resolution.
Also, shareholders, also have certain obligation towards the organization which include.
Maintaining good relationship with management.
Exercising their voting rights.
(ii) Employees: - The relationship between employee and organization is considered to be important by society, because employees contribute their efforts and time towards the development of organization, which in turn improver society. In return of their work employees’ not only expect wages, but also security. Most Japanese firms provide security to their employees by offering lifetime employment.
Both business & employees have certain responsibilities towards each other. To foster a sense of belonging among all employees, organization should maintain a healthy work environment, where the employees & employee fulfill their responsibilities.
Some specific responsibilities of organization toward their employees are
To provide adequate compensation
To provide working conditions, that respect each employee’s health & dignity.
Encourage & assist employees in developing skills & knowledge that are required for accomplishing the task.
(ii) Management: - Any decision taken by the managementhas an impact on the stakeholders. On the one hand, management’s stakes are like that of employees, with some explicit & implicit employment contract. But, on the other hand, management are entrusted with the duty of safeguarding the welfare of the corporation. In short, the role of the management involves in balancing the multiple claims of different stakeholders.
EXTERNAL STAKEHOLDERS:
(i) Consumers: - Consumers / customers exchange resources for the products of the firm and in return receive the benefits of the products. Customers help in survival of the company. By paying attention to the customers needs, management automatically addresses the needs of suppliers & owners.
The responsibilities of corporations towards their consumers are supplying right quality, right quantity product / service at right time, at right place and at right price.
Few responsibilities of organizations towards the consumers are
Producing goods / service according the needs.
Improving standard of living by producing goods & services of high quality.
Treating customers fairly in all aspect of business transactions.
Customers’ satisfaction in essential for the success of a corporation. Customers increase sales of a product by spreading positive “word of mouth” about the company product or brand.
(ii) Suppliers: - Often, suppliers are not included in the list of a firm’s stakeholders. But suppliers play a pivotal role in the success of any business since raw material they supply will determine the final products quality & price.
In this era of global competition, ability to control costs rather than the ability to increase sales in the key to profitability. Good relationship with suppliers can reduce costs.
In many instances, major companies have refused to use certain suppliers because of unethical act. Levi Strauss, the famous clothing firm refused to use suppliers from china because of allegations covering the use of forced child labor by Chinese suppliers.
A company’s relationship with suppliers and subcontractors must be based on mutual respect. When dealing with suppliers, organization must.
Seek fairness & truthfulness in all activities, including pricing & licensing.
Ensure that business & activities are free from coercion & unnecessary litigation.
Foster long-term stability in the suppliers’ relationship in return for value, quality, competition & reliability.
Share information with suppliers & integrate them in the planning processes.
Pay suppliers on time & in accordance with agreed terms & trade.
(iii) Creditors: - Creditors play an important role in organization. Usually organization buy goods on credit from suppliers, organization often delay in repaying credit to the creditors. The late payment of creditors has become a common problem all over the world. In Aug 1992, trade indemnity conducted a quarterly survey of 700 UK firms. The survey revealed that large firms with a turnover of 50 million pounds were paid on an average, 15 days late, while small business firms with a turnover under 25 million pounds were paid, on an average, 29 days late. It is the responsibility of the organization to make timely payment for goods that have already been delivered.
(iv) Competitors: - Business Corporations are equally obliged to other business firms as they are towards stakeholders. In this era of competition the firms compete with each other to grab a major share on all possible fronts. In this connection, the competitive practices adopted by firms can sometimes be questionable.
Therefore the responsibilities of the organization towards the competition are
Refrain from either seeking or participating in questionable payments or favors to secure competitive advantage.
Respect both tangible & intellectual property right.
Refuse to acquire commercial information by dishonest & unethical means.
(iv) Community: - The community gives the business the right to build or rent facilities, benefit from the tax revenues raised in the form of local services; infrastructure etc. In return for these services, the firm should act in a responsible way. The firm can’t expose the community to unreasonable hazards in the form of pollution and toxic waste. A firm’s responsibility towards the society includes.
Respecting human rights.
Supporting public policies and practices that promote human development through harmonious relation between businesses.
Collaborating with such activities that aim at improving the standard of health, education, workplace safety and economic well being.
Promoting and stimulating sustainable development and playing a leading role in preserving and enhancing the physical environment and conserving the earth’s resources.
Encouraging charitable donations, educational and cultural contribution and employee participation in community & civic affairs.
Role of Business in society:
Critics of the role of business in society argue that,
Corporation care little for the welfare of the workers, and given the opportunity will move production to sweatshops in less regulated countries.
Unchecked, companies will squander scarce resources.
Companies don’t pay the full cost of their impact. For example, cost of cleaning pollution often fall on society in general. As a result profits of the corporations are enhanced at the expense of social or ecological welfare.
Regulations in the best way to ensure that companies remain socially responsible.
Present day businesses are expected to shoulder much more social responsibility. The effectiveness of the organization now a day depends on its ability to develop itself into a social organization. Corporate responsibility is considered the building block for any organization. As a result, organizations are evolved overtime to perform no of tasks in society. These are
(i) Financial tasks: - Corporationsare required to assure shareholders thatthey are acting in their interest. Thus the organizations need to be transparent in their financial matters, so that investors can invest with confidence.
(ii) Economic & Production tasks: - The tasks related to the creation & maintenance of wealth are referred to as economic & production tasks. All businesses that make up commercial world are associated with economic & production tasks. Companies in trying to maximize returns for shareholders may monopolize markets by buyouts, mergers, & unfair practices like market manipulations. Economically responsible corporations will always refrain from monopolizing the market.
(iii) Maintenance tasks: - The examples of such activities areeducational, religious & health welfare services. These are helpful in transmitting information to society, communicating knowledge & shaping the culture of the society. For example Microsoft Corporation announces donation of more than $1.7 million to software to ten national non profit organizations.
(iv) Adaptive tasks: - It means how organization adopts to the changes in the society. Organizations create products that are useful for society and these products are designed in accordance with changes in consumer preferences.
(v) Management tasks: - Corporations are expected to support and promote human rights, not to suppress basic freedom of speech, association etc. In some countries, businesses encounter problems because of the violation of human right. Since the primary responsibility of any organization is to operate efficiently, respecting the interest of the stakeholders. Companies can achieve this by upholding local laws in which they operate & must frame policies that are towards corporate social responsibility and should be available to all the stakeholders.
(vi) Environmental tasks: - Environmental tasks are necessary to curb certain unethical practices. Most companies have none established regulations to limit pollution by their factories. These all essential to prove a company’s commitment to CSR. Most of the industry associations have also established environmental codes of conduct. Companies have to develop detailed guidelines, policies to govern their activities and behaviors. These standards have to become part of the company’s everyday practice.
The Social Challenge:
A business is viewed as a profitable process of production, distribution & sale of goods & services. The idea of business having certain responsibilities beyond profit making gained importance in 19th century.
Private sector organizations can’t perform effectively in all the corporate responsibility activities like social tasks, economic tasks that include creation of job etc. Not all the organizations can perform effectively in fulfilling their tasks to the community. There are shortages in certain areas & limitations on application elsewhere, but their scope can be expanded by mutually beneficial partnership between companies & non profit organization for improving the community. In fulfilling these social responsibilities companies must select projects carefully & then ensure that sustained involvement & quality management backs them.
Clutterbuck has proposed a systematic approach for managing such activities as follows.
A company should first audit its resources and capacity so that it can add real value to its activities. It means,
Set practical, clear & achievable goals.
Identify primary aim of the program
Clearly identify what not to support.
Have fixed budget for specific program.
Appoint specialist and other staff for organizing and delivering the support.
Install system for report evaluation, feedback & change.
Processed information obtained from these activities have to be updated on a regular basis.
Besides taking up specific projects for fulfilling their social responsibilities, the corporate sector is also expected to create wealth & jobs. Different stakeholders of the company have different expectations of the company.
Table shows the expectation of the major stakeholders of a company.
Stake holders
Expectations
Primary
Secondary
Owners
Financial returns
Added value
Employees
Pay
Work satisfaction
Customers
Supply of goods & services
Quality
Creditors
Credit worthiness
Security
Suppliers
Payment
Long-term relationship
Community
Safety & Security
Contribution to community
Government
Compliance
Improved competitiveness
Fulfilling these expectations is a challenge for the organization. In Britain the success of the organization is based on how well it is accepted by the local community. Sometimes aim of the industry and community doesn’t match. This can result in hostility from the local community. To avoid hostility and to gain the support of the local groups companies can undertake activities that promote the welfare of the local community. The body shop owned by Anita Roddick won the goodwill of customers around the world by convincing them that the products were natural & that no animals have been used for testing their products.
Enterprises also have to face political pressure. Today there are many consumers groups that all building awareness among the general public about the responsibilities of corporation.
Standards & Values:
Business operating with social responsibility should have standard rules & regulations for efficient functioning. There are various examples where organization have undergone ethical dilemmas for e.g. When CFC was introduced for the usage in refrigeration, it had no knowledge of the long-term environmental impact.
Another example is in recent days the coca-cola has been criticised for having pesticides in the bottles, & also it was criticized for on other two major courts, the use of environmentally harmful hydroflurocarbons (HFCS) in Coca-Cola refrigerator & the one of environmentally harm caused by discarded coke bottles. In response to these, Coca-Cola announced it was committed to phasing out HFC refrigerators by 2004. These examples illustrator that, organization may not always be aware of the consequences of using a particular component in manufacturing a product. As implications and consequences of this decision become more evident manager are faced with challenge of ethical dilemmas. By establishing clear value systems organization can internalize responsibility.
To avoid ethical dilemmas manager can follow the approaches and mentioned:
Set a clear example
Publish code of ethics
Use reward and punishment mechanism
Include thick in all activities.
Reinforce policies through training & development
Establish openness & transparency into decision making process
To become a sum full with this, organizations have to liberalize behavior and at the same time ensure that employees behave responsibility
Through leadership at all levels, sustain a culture where ethical conduct is recognized valued and exemplified by all employees.
Example:
GE code of conduct
Obey the applicable law and regulations governing our business conduct worldwide.
Be honest, fair and trustworthy in all yours GE activities and relationships.
Avoid all conflicts of interest between work and personal affairs.
Foster an atmosphere in which fair employment practices extend to every member of the diverse GE community
Strive to create a safe work place and to protect the environment.
The Accountable business: The later 1990s have seen a massive growth of interest in corporate responsibility both among major corporations and across society. Concern about the social and ethical implications of organizations perceived as performing unusually well or badly.
Corporate performance on social and ethical, as well as financial, accounts can’t be hidden at least the large corporations. Demands for transparency, accountability & public reporting are steady increasing. As royal Dutch/ Shell have recognized, business has moved from a “trust me” world to “tell me” and increasingly “show me” world.
For the poor performers, especially the big ones, there is no place to hide, hence accountability looks at how business develop a corporate strategy that responds to stakeholders expectation, while ensuring long term profitability.
A process model for managing corporate responsibility and accountability
Identity company values & aspirations : This involves understanding what the company’s foundation values and missions are, understanding how the vision differs from the current reality, and making top level commitment and leadership visible throughout the organizations
Identifying shareholders & issues on which to focus : There are clearly far too many stakeholders and far too many issues to handle in detail. Hence it is necessary to identify the key stakeholders & the most important issues so that attention can be focused on these. This selection process be clearly identified & it should be documented for selecting a particular issue.
Select indicator & targets: This means select what to measure. Clearly it is also important to select targets so that performance can be measured & improved with time.
Data collections & analysis: For the purpose of an external report, it is helpful to balance quantitative data and stakeholder’s testimony. Existing information can be combined into a suitable audit framework & methods from other fields, such as environmental assessment, can be used to gather information on social issues.
Disclosure, performance appraisal & reporting: If a report is to make impact, it is important to be prepared to address controversial topics and to discuss the “undiscussable” – It is possible to take outside stakeholder by surprise by the honesty & openness of the published report.
Verification & review : External verification adds considerable value to a request & ultimately might be combined with a verification of financial environmental report. It provides and opportunity for comparison with external good practice and helps to give assurance to stakeholders that consultation procedures & other process are reliable. In addition to enhancing external credibility it allows recommendation on strength and weakness and areas for management action to be identified and appropriate changes put in place so that performance can be improved next time around.
Examples:
CSR initiative at INTEL
Overview: - Intel, challenge the status quo in everything they do. Over the past years Intel has worked to be more clear about what corporate responsibility means to them, By being clear about their priorities and the way they communicate them.
2005 highlights
Towards Education
Trained more than 800,000 teachers as part of INTEL teach to the future development program - for a total of more than 3 million trained worldwide since 2000.
Strengthened professional developments with several new Intel teach to the future program offerings.
Reached 1, 35,000 learners through Intel learn program. Intel’s after school program in government funded community technology centers.
Opened the 100th Intel computer clubhouse in Washington DC
Celebrated achievement of more than 1,400 young scientists from record 45 countries the ninth annual Intel International Science engineering fair.
Towards Environment:
Began to publish quarterly environmental health & safety (EHS) performance indicator
Announced that, energy efficiency will be key focus in product development. For Ex. The INTEL core Due processor is 35% more energy efficient that Pentium M Processor
Worked with industry peers to reduce energy consumption of note book LCD screens by approx 40%.
Reduced energy consumptions by 15% per production unit from 2004.
Further reduced hazardous materials such as lead in products, and recycled 57% of chemical waste & 75% of solid waste.
Towards Community:
Set new records for employee volunteerism and coordinated more than 35 projects involving thousands of Intel employees to support global earth day at INTEL sites around the world.
Launched the Digital transformation initiative for the Middle East. A comprehensive multi years program expanding economic education & technology related support throughout the region
Piloted the community PC & farmer PC, which are designed to meet the specific needs of rural remote & agrarian based communities in developing geographies.
Provides digital health care technology to village resource centers and mobile clinics in India & china
Provided substantial financial, employee & technology support for disaster relief
Intel comments:
As a part of our effort to be leader in corporate responsibilities, we believe in providing our stakeholders with accurate and thorough information regarding our performance on key social & environment issues. We are proud of the work we do in support of the environment, education & our communities. Our goal is to be an open & transparent company.
ITC’s E-Choupal Initiative:
ITC has come-up with a path breaking e-choupal intervention to provide information power to millions of farmer & rural folks in their vernacular languages. Information on weather forecasts, expert knowledge on best farming practices, agricultural input etc, are provided to the farmers. ITC’s e-choupal initiative has recently won the first world business award instituted by the international chamber of commerce at UNDP & HRH prince of Wales international business leaders forum.
ITC has also invested in rain water harvesting to bring the much required irrigation to the parched dry lands.
ITC has been empowering rural women & helping them to evolve as entrepreneurs.
ITC has also invested money for improving condition of village schools & make them more interesting for rural kids.
Hence, ITC has been able to create a major impact in terms of its image among rural folks, which is slowly building the faith of rural consumers in its products & services.
Conclusion:
As the world business environment is changing, the requirement for staying & succeeding in business is also changing. As a result large corporations are emphasizing the maintenance of strategic relationship with different section of the society. Hence the corporate social responsibility embraces multiple stakeholders. In today’s world corporations can’t isolate themselves from society in which they are operating, rather they are linked to the social, ecological & human fabric & therefore they are responsible in varying degree to all stakeholders. Companies with good social & environmental records perform better in the long run than those that don’t behave responsibility.
The article discussed about the various tasks of the organization. The social challenges of the organization have been discussed also the stanadard & values that an organization have to follow have been discussed.
Finally it is discussed about how to measure the social responsibility. What are the different steps which can be used to measure performance.Lastly the paper discussed the 2 success stories.
The Trial Of Mpiani And Wereko Brobey Is A Travesty Of Justice.
NPP-USA Press Statement. The 2007 year-long celebration of the country’s 50th year of independence, under the auspices of the then National Planning Committee (“Committee”), chaired by Kwadwo Mpiani (“Chairman”), continues to stir controversy. 8-30-2007, USA Govt. Sends FED To Silence Reporter / FDIC Bank Examiner
Should political orientation be added to the list of discrimination no-nos in employment, tenancy, etc.?
From what I can understand, some liberal and conservative civilians hate each other so much because of current events, each side believes the other wants to destroy the US. Personally, I don't think it's impossible for a scuffle, an employment/service discrimination, or even a murder to arise between a liberal and a conservative who are both civilians. Therefore, it may be necessary to add political beliefs to the list of grounds businesses and law enforcement are forbidden to discriminate on for the same reason we have sexual orientation and ethnicity.
You can change or conceal your politics pretty easily if you start running into trouble. And no one can tell how you vote.
I'd think ordinary protection under the law should be sufficient. If someone beats you up for being a registered member of the Libertarian National Socialist Green party, for instance, it should be enough that he beat you up.
Atheists Want Leadership in Christian Organizations
Are any changes coming in UK law regarding limiting working hours?
In my job I have to work 12 hour rotating shifts average working hours are around 60 per week, though some weeks can be 90 hours or more to cover other workers holidays or sickness. My wage is £7 per hour worked so the less hours I work the less I get paid,
My 12 hour shift starts at either at 6AM (day shift) or 6PM (night shift) and at interview I was asked to sign the exemption clause agreeing to work over 48 hours per week which I
signed as otherwise I may not have got the job which I badly needed. At present I believe this is all perfectly legal for
security worker employment but I recall hearing that the UK might have to change its laws and introduce same protections that currently apply to workers in other EU countries. Anybody have any better information on this?
No i understand no changes are envisaged. The current law under the Working Time Regulations states
"unless his employer has first obtained the worker's agreement in writing to perform such work, a worker's working time including overtime in any reference period which is applicable to his case shall not exceed an average of 48 hours for each seven days".
That is the exact wording of the Clause so that lumbers you because you state you have signed your agreement! That was your big mistake! So legally your employer can now work you for as long hours as he wants. There is virtually nothing you can do about it apart from resigning and finding another job. Because even if you took them to a Tribunal to complain that signature of yours on that bit of paper will mean your case would be thrown out and you would probably also get stung with employers legal costs for the Hearing!
Your only possible way out is to demand your right for "a free health assessment" which you are entitled to yearly because you work nights as well as days. If the doctor there decides your health is adversely affected by your working hours, such in that you are not getting adequate sleep, then your employer has to take you off nights and find alternative day work for you?
But apart from this, because like me you are a security worker, as I understand it we and only we are explicitly exempted from protections against fatigue that other workers benefit from under English law as "security service" is also so exclusively stated as being non applicable.
If you or I were employed in such a job as Health worker they probably could not make you work such long shifts as you are required to have 11 hours rest between your shifts and so if it takes you more than 30 minutes to get from your home to workplace then you are not getting that. But again "security work" is explicitltly exempted from such workers rights.
No I understand there is no likelihood of the New Labour UK government agreeing to come into line on working hours with the rest of the EU because they believe thatwould harm UK competitiveness and definitely not if the Conservatives win power. But even if the UK goverrnment was somehow compelled by the EU Commission to get rid of opt out clauses that apply only to UK workers within the "Working Time regulations" the explicit exemption stated for "security workers" would not be changed.
Sorry, mate, that is the way it is.
Teamwork Revolution Power System Launch Night! [Part 1]
Top Ten Trends in the Pre-employment Background Screening Industry for 2009
Employment Screening Resources (ESR), a leading national employment screening background firm, released its "Second Annual Top Ten Trends in the Pre-Employment Background Screening Industry" for 2009 today. Although issues from 2008 remain on the list, the 2009 trends reflect increasing concerns over the use of Facebook and similar sites, lawsuits looming over inaccurate Background Screening reports, increasing government scrutiny of the screening industry and privacy and security issues.
"In the current legal environment, businesses want to make sure they are not only exercising due diligence but are also ahead of the curve on legal issues," said Lester S. Rosen, attorney at law and founder of ESR and author of two books on background screening. "The quickest way to get sued is to not understand the legal environment and latest trends surrounding background checks and employment."
Rosen believes that the federal and state governments will require more background screening in 2009, especially in sensitive jobs, and that more businesses will make Pre-Employment Background Screening a requirement for the job. The increased use of Applicant Tracking Systems will lead to "one button" clicks for background checks, he says.
"At the same time, consumers are worried about their privacy. That’s why data protection and accuracy have become so critical. The use of social networking sites like Facebook and MySpace are another minefield for employers," says Rosen. "We have identified 10 Trends to help alert employers on what to expect in 2009."
Hot topics for 2009 include tighter government regulation, privacy concerns, and controversy over sending sensitive data offshore for processing, increasing demand for accurate criminal record reporting, and the probability of more lawsuits against both employers and background screening firms. Not that the 2008 trends outlined in January 2008 are no longer relevant, but a shifting world has reshuffled the challenges facing employers, job applicants and screening firms.
1. More Government Regulation: Likely to increase in 2009 are the requirements by federal and state governments for more background checks in sensitive industries – such as child care workers and certain health workers. Another area where the government requires checks is verification of the eligibility of a new hire to work by using the E-verify program. Although litigation has been filed, the announced rules require employers with certain federal government contracts to utilize the E-verily program starting in 2009. Along with the federal government, the states are becoming increasingly involved in regulating screening.
2. Privacy and Accuracy: The subjects of privacy, accuracy, and fairness will also be major issues for 2009. Privacy Times newsletter, for example, led off its December 2008 issue with an article criticizing the screening industry. The letter noted that a coalition of legal aid groups has called on the Federal Trade Commission to take enforcement actions against background screening companies for “widespread noncompliance with the Fair Credit Reporting Act’s requirements for accuracy and dispute investigations.”
The report was especially critical of the use of criminal databases that can falsely accuse an innocent person of being a criminal, and the failure of some screening firms “to take into account the fact that criminal identity theft is unfairly tarring thousands of job applicants.” A leading cause of inaccuracies is matching innocent job applicants to criminal records based upon the same or similar name in a database, without re-verification of the record at the courthouse. A new organization called Concerned CRA’s has taken a stance against utilizing such databases without taking proper measures to ensure accuracy of criminal records.
3. Second chance for ex-offenders: Unless as a society, we want to build more prisons than schools or hospitals, something must be done to reduce recidivism and find employment for applicants with criminal records. At the same time, placing the wrong person in the wrong job can be a disaster and cause untold grief. As a result of Title VII and notice from the EEOC, employers are well advised to review their hiring practices to ensure that they are not discriminating against members of protected classes by automatically denying employment without considering whether there is a business justification for disqualification based upon the crime and the job. This will continue to be a developing area in 2009. One example are the new laws passed by the State of New York that become effective this year that place a greater emphasis on employers analyzing a past criminal record to determine whether there is a business justification not to hire a person. The New York law also requires that notice of various rights be provided to job applicants (See an explanation of the New York laws in the December, 2008 ESR Newsletter.
4. Consumer Protection Litigation: As the screening industry matures, and applicants and their lawyers become much more informed about their consumer rights, it is likely that there will be an increase in litigation. The may include class action lawsuits against screening firms, particularly when it comes to various notices required under the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act, and accuracy requirements in the federal law. Since database searches can result in false negatives (meaning a criminal is missed) as well as false positives (meaning an innocent person is labeled a criminal), it is probable that employers and screening firms that rely upon databases may be the subject of litigation where a database search failed to locate a dangerous person.
5. Impact of the recession: As a result of the recession and higher unemployment, it is likely that employers will need to scrutinize applications even more carefully, to be on the watch for fraudulent credentials, such as inflated or fictional employment history or educational degrees. Another recession related trend may be the increase in applicants who are willing to perform their own background checks in order to present to employers a self-certification that their credentials are for real. Since more temporary employees and Independent Contractors are hired during a recession, the issue of screening non-employees will continue to be important.
6. Data security and data breaches and Offshoring Data: Since identity theft continues to be a national and international problem, expect even more emphasis in 2009 on data security and protection. Closely related is the continuing issue of employers and screening firms offshoring consumer data to India or other similar places for cost savings. Once data leaves the United States., it is beyond U.S. privacy protections. A new organization called Concerned CRA’s has taken a stance against offshoring such data without notification to consumers. The use of home-operator networks also presents an unnecessary risk to privacy as well. There is no justification for personal information to be spread across kitchen tables and dorm rooms across America.
7. Accreditation by the NAPBS: The non-profit trade organization for the screening Industry, the National Association of Professional Background Screeners has announced the introduction of an accreditation program. NAPBS has gone through an exhaustive process to develop “Best Practices” for the industry, and it is anticipated that firms will start going through the process this year.
8. Social network sites: The use of social networking sites as a pre-employment screening device will continue to be a hot topic in 2009, as more recruiters and HR professionals go online to satisfy their curiosity about candidates. The problem: contrary to popular belief, just because it is online does not mean that it’s a good idea to utilize it without developing policies and procedures. Online material can be inaccurate, discriminatory, and under certain circumstances, its use can be an invasion of privacy. Stay tuned as more courts give their opinions on this issue.
9. Integration of services: With the advent of “Web 2.0,” it is likely that technology will play an even bigger role in the coming years. Seamless integrations with Applicant Tracking Systems allow paperless background screening systems at the click of a mouse.
10. International background checks: In 2008, we observed that, “With mobility of workers across international borders, due diligence is no longer limited to just what an applicant has done in the United States. Although there are numerous practical and legal challenges as well as data and privacy concerns, international background checks are becoming very accessible to employers.” That will continue to be the trend in 2009 as well.
About the Author
Lester Rosen runs http://www.esrcheck.com and has authored two books: "The Safe Hiring Manual: The complete guide to keeping criminals, terrorists, and imposters out of your workplace" and "The Safe Hiring Audit: The employer’s guide to implementing a safe hiring program." He is a frequent presenter nationwide at human resources, fraud and security conferences, and was the chair of the steering committee that founded the National Association of Professional Background Screeners (NAPBS) and served as its first co-chair. He has testified as an expert in negligent hiring cases in California, Florida and Arkansas.
West Covina is a city that lies at the eastern end of the San Gabriel Valley and is about 20 miles east of the city centre of Los Angeles.
Substantial commercial enterprises had been in operation in the city. The city has variety of businesses, ranging from large corporations, retail merchandising, popular restaurant chains, big-box retailers, auto dealers and large shopping malls and supermarkets.
These were considerably due to the urbanization of the Los Angeles metropolitan area as well as the pro-active redevelopment efforts of the city’s business district. Added from these facts were the immediate accessibility of the city to the major transportation routes and freeways and the availability of skilled labor force.
The City of West Covina is indeed, an exceptional environment and stands out as one of the region’s premiere retail opportunities.
On the other hand, with the considerable growth of business enterprises within the city and with the vast populace of labor force, it can readily be anticipated that employment issues stand.
On this score, the city government has been enforcing various employment laws and regulations in all workplaces within the area. They have devised measures addressing the concerns of both the employers and employees sector.
The local government of West Covina has been seriously implementing employment safety and health measure in the workplaces. They have also standardized some labor relation matters. These were just a glimpse of the broad line of pro-active endeavor that the local government has waged all for equalizing the player’s respective rights.
Along this line, several law firms cater labor and employment concerns have established within the city. Their offices were conspicuously located along the major commercial center and public functionaries and are readily available for their legal services.
Most of these law firms are composed of brilliant lawyers specializing with labor and employment laws. Some of these lawyers are local and a product of West Covina City, while a few numbers are migrants. However, some of the huge law firms in the whole area of California and Los Angeles have established a branch office within the city.
All these leave the impression that employment law practice in the city is a lucrative business.
The growing commercial enterprise has met several employment issues and like any other jurisdictions, the issues were varied. Issues’ ranging from age and disability discrimination, sexual harassment, unemployment compensation, overtime law and wrongful termination is the common of all these issues.
Having these varied employment issues would not pose a real problem in the city considering that many qualified West Covina employment lawyers are in place.
Numerous West Covina employment lawyers have been advocating this broad area of law since time immemorial and have seriously devoted all their legal practice in helping both players in the employment arena.
These legal advocates have mastered this area of law and continuously updated themselves with the recent court pronouncement or precedents. They also are well versed on new legislation involving labor and employment laws both federal and local.
On the other hand, these legal professionals have vast knowledge of the complex procedures in various courts and administrative employment tribunals. They have constantly appeared in all of these venues.
These obvious facts are the portrait of the Law practice in West Covina city.
For credible representations and positive solutions on your employment law concerns, seek the aid of our expert West Covina lawyers. To contact our legal staff, do log on to our website.
About the Author
Before becoming an online writer, Claysphere worked as a legal researcher, data analyst, and lyricist in a local band in his hometown. He has a degree in law, and worked for several law offices as a paralegal, office staff and as a researcher. He has continued to write topics relating to his learning in law.
IS IT HAPPENING TO YOU? "I WANT A JOB" - SINGING FOR EMPLOYMENT
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The Feldman Law Center’s Code of Ethics and Practices - Feldman Law Center
Feldman Law Center - In a recent interview, Steve Feldman of The Feldman Law Center said “Only by holding ourselves to extraordinarily high standards will we be able to deliver the best results possible to our collective clients.” Standing behind that statement is The Feldman Law Center’s Code of Ethics and Practices which sets the standard that all Feldman employees adhere to every day.
The Code: 1) In our negotiations with lenders on behalf of our clients, The Feldman Law Center will employ all its resources to get the best results possible in each case every time. 2) We understand that every client has unique circumstances which shape their current situation. To that end, we analyze their total financial picture to determine which course of action will provide the best outcome. 3) Regardless of our opinion on the optimal course of action, each client always has the final say on their goals and objectives. Once determined, we will pursue those goals with passion and diligence. 4) We are obligated to work with urgency and efficiency for every client. 5) A flat fee for services will be charged regardless of additional work, time, and effort spent above and beyond the normal loan modification process. 6) The entire team at The Feldman Law Center owes each client its best efforts throughout the entire process. This includes regular updates and correspondence until the process is completed. 7) During all interactions with clients, proper expectations should be set and communicated. Standard procedure is to always provide accurate and straight forward information.
The Feldman Law Center prides itself on providing optimal results specific to the circumstances of each of their clients. If you are struggling with your mortgage payments you need a dedicated team of professionals to get the results you need, now. Call The Feldman Law Center today at (800) 527 8497.
About the Author
The Feldman Law Center was founded for the purpose of negotiating loan modifications on behalf of their clients. These negotiations have two major goals; to reduce monthly mortgage payments to a level of affordability for the homeowner and to either stop or avoid foreclosure proceedings. The mission at The Feldman Law Center is to provide the highest level of professional service while delivering the best possible result on each loan modification we negotiate on the behalf of the families we represent.
Law, work experience, which subject of the following would prove more financially lucrative in the future?
I may be receiving some volunteer experience working within a community advice bureau.
I may have the chance to specialise in various issues such as Housing, debt, welfare benefits, employment and family problems with relationships.
I am studying Law, in the early stages but roughly would like to know which of the subjects mentioned above would see me more financially favourable to my bank balance in the future when I am licensed to practice Law, as not all lawyers are rich.
geordie coach you have totally misconsruted my question. If you look at the sectoors i'm talking about, they are concerned with helping people. You fail to analyse this.
The reason I brought up money is that the Law will be changing within the next 2 years, which could see some areas of law redundant, so just like an office worker, sales assistant, teacher I have to live, pay rent etc and just like the other jobs i may not be rich but want,hopefully, sufficent wages to survive.
If you are going into law for the financial rewards you will most likely be disappointed and perhaps are making the wrong career choice.
If you are going into law because you believe in representing people to ensure they get fair hearing (whatever side of the case the are on) and the interests of justice are preserved, then your choice of career is great.
Law can be a job for life but it is not just about money, if that is what you're looking for then it may be a short career.
2/2 - NO ON ONE - The Campaign to Protect Marriage Equality in Maine - Part Two
Legal Aid Justice Center Expands Services in Northern Virginia
FALLS CHURCH, Va.----Low-income individuals in need of legal assistance with housing, consumer law and employment matters have an additional resource in Northern Virginia as a result of the Legal Aid Justice Center’s recent expansion. Washington DC Employment Law Attorney Passman & Kaplan
recently got " pulled " by management at work and was given a formal warning . my union are livid because the mistake was caused by someone else before me not closing a valve behind them and it was my fault because i never saw it, seems im being punished for someone else not doing their job ???
needless to say im totally appealling this one however management never took minutes of the meeting or volunteered to do so .
I think that this may be against employment law ???
Anyone know more about this ???
In addition, my union rep was present but havent been able to get hold off him as he is on holiday . like i said no minutes taken , so as far as im concerned no record as to what was really said. how can this be fair ???
I personally would appeal against this warning on the grounds that you feel you have been discriminated against. State that you feel a full investigation has not been completed and that you feel you are being punished for the failing of others. State also that you feel if the management team had done a full investigation that they would have found the root cause of the problem and therefore adjusted their policies and procedures management systems, to prevent this happening again.
Check the job description, training documents of the task you were doing at the time this happened and if neither of them mention "check the valve has been closed" then you have not failed and cannot be held accountable.
The fact that no minutes were taken could be in your favour you can always argue this at a later date if need be and again it will show as a management failing. Professional companies do take minutes. Always take a witness in with you and get them to make notes for you to keep.
Ask for the letter to be held on your personnel file which will balance any information they keep about the warning. Contact your union regional office just because your union rep is on holiday doesn't mean you can't have advice when you need it.
Employment rights, trade union freedoms & Morning Star 1/3
