Your Employee Matters

The way you sit at your desk affects your health. You could end up with chronic neck or back pain or spinal damage depending on how you sit. Follow these tips as you improve your posture and ergonomics at work.

• Be Aware of Back Pain  Certain back pain is a sign of poor posture. If you experience these symptoms, check the way you sit.
• Sudden back pain that starts when you start a new job or get a new chair.
• Back pain that continues over time.
• Pain that goes away when you switch positions.
• Pain that starts in your neck and moves down into your back.
• Increased pain during certain times of the day or week but not on weekends.

1. Keep Your Body Aligned  When you sit in your chair, make sure your ears, shoulders and hips remain in a straight vertical line. Your feet should be flat on the floor, and your elbows should rest at a 90-degree angle to your desk.Try not to sit with your legs crossed or your shoulders hunched forward. Also, avoid leaning to one side of your chair or tilting your head as you maintain an aligned posture.

1. Invest in Ergonomic Furniture  Your desk, chair and computer should all be ergonomic and encourage you to sit straight. They should adjust to ensure comfort.

1. Sit on a Balance Ball  Because your pelvis rocks gently toward the front of the balance ball and forces your shoulders to slightly arch, this seating option encourages proper posture. Use it at various times during the day to help you align your body.

1. Use Props  Several posture-friendly props reduce strain on your spine and ensure you sit straight. They include a:
   • Footrest to keep your feet flat
   • Small pillow or towel for lumbar support or to prevent you from bending your neck as you talk on the phone
   • A stack of books under your computer monitor so that you can see it clearly without bending your neck

1. Use Good Posture When You Move   Whether you’re standing up from your chair, answering the phone or reaching for a pencil, keep posture in mind. Try not to stretch out of alignment or move in an unnatural way. Stiff movements can actually cause more pain.

1. Stand Up and Move Frequently.   Tired muscles are more likely to slump and slouch. Stand up and move for two minutes  least once every half hour as you keep your body aligned.

Maintaining proper posture in the office reduces shoulder, back and hip pain as well as injuries. Starting today, follow these tips as you ensure proper posture and ergonomics during your workday.

Most companies are required to pay employees overtime. However, there are several jobs that are exempt. If you work in one of these jobs, know the guidelines before you demand overtime pay.

• Salaried employees

  Certain white collar employees who are paid a salary and work as an executive, administrative or computer professional do not receive overtime pay.

• Outside sales workers who are paid on a salary basis

• Volunteers for a government agency or profit or nonprofit charitable, educational or religious organization

• Individuals who reside or sleep at their place of employment

  This category includes people who are on call for significant time periods.

• Agriculture workers

  Employees on a farm, ranch, horticulture or any agriculture business may be exempt from overtime. In general, the business must grade, pack, package, store or deliver products.

  Commercial ag businesses are also exempt if they cultivate, raise, harvest, can, freeze, process or deliver their own products or a mix of their own and someone else’s products.

• Newspaper vendors or carriers

• Casual laborers in private residences

  Babysitters and adults or kids who mow lawns or remove snow do not receive overtime benefits. However, if individuals work for a company that provides these services, they will receive overtime pay.

• Public officials who are elected or appointed to their offices

• Youth camps workers, including YMCA, Scouts and church camps

• Seasonal agriculture fair employees who work less than 14 days a year per fair

• Forest protection and fire prevention personnel

• Inmates, residents or patients of any state or local correctional, detention, rehab or treatment center

• Seaman on American or foreign vessels

• Air carrier employees whose work volunteer hours while shift-trading

• Motion picture projectionists who work under contract or a collective bargaining agreement

• Washington State ferry crews who work on vessels operated by the DOT

In addition to these jobs that do not require overtime pay, four jobs do pay overtime but allow workers to receive an alternative form of overtime payment. They include:

• Firefighters and police officers who work certain tours of duty

• Commissioned salespeople who receive time and one-half of the minimum wage for the hours they work

• Retail or service establishment workers whose commissions equal more than half of their weekly wages

• Truck or bus drivers with a “reasonably equivalent” overtime compensation plan that’s approved by the Department of Labor and Industries

It’s easy to become dissatisfied with your job. Maybe long hours, a personality conflict or burnout make you long for greener pastures elsewhere. Before you spend hours wishing you were elsewhere or checking out the classified ads, look for these signs that indicate you have a great job.

Salary

Are your monthly bills covered with extra for emergencies or fun? Consider your salary, any bonuses and free professional association memberships as perks since some companies do not provide adequate financial earnings for employees.

Benefits

Is health insurance, paid vacation time or dental coverage part of your benefits package? Maybe your company offers tuition reimbursement, direct deposit or on-site childcare. Count these benefits as you consider the perks of your job.

Flexibility

Are you able to take time off, come in late or leave early for doctor appointment, sick kids or occasional home repairs? That flexibility is a perk that’s not available in all jobs.

Autonomy

Does your boss give you freedom to organize your work day and workload? That freedom can increase your creativity, morale and productivity. Be thankful that you are trusted to get the job done rather than micromanaged.

Relationships

How well do you get along with your co-workers and clients or customers? Those relationships can make your work fulfilling, easier and more pleasant.

Opportunities

Do you have opportunities to cross train or learn new skills? Maybe you’re next in line for a promotion or are trusted with training new employees. These perks allow you to broaden your job horizons and can be invaluable if a different position opens up.

Promotions

What positions might open up in the future? Start making contacts in your organization that could eventually help you land those positions. Networking now typically takes less time than finding a new job, and you may already be well on your way to attaining the position of your dreams.

Recognition

Are you praised for a job well done? Whether it’s verbal recognition or a bonus, consider the recognition and appreciation you receive as a job perk.

Work Satisfaction

Is your work satisfying, fulfilling and challenging? If so, it might pay to stick around rather than move somewhere that doesn’t provide work that meets your needs.

Value

Do you feel like you and your contributions are a valued part of the team? Be thankful that you are appreciated.

Every company needs strong leaders. Without them, the business will fail to achieve goals, lose customers and employees, and possibly fail. That’s what makes a passive boss such a disaster for the company and for individual employees like you. Discover several tips that help you deal with a passive boss as you find success at work.

What is a Passive Boss?

Passivity involves sitting on the sidelines and letting employees do whatever they want. It can be extreme, such as ignoring employees and expectations, or simply refusing to get involved in any issue until it becomes serious. You know your boss is passive when you see:

• No-show managers who assign a project and then disappear into their office
• Little employee motivation
• Missed deadlines and unfinished projects
• Increased conflict, stress and disagreement
• Unresolved problems that grow rather than shrink over time
• Lack of feedback for high performing and low performing employees

Take Action

When you figure out that you have a passive boss, understand that nothing you can do will change him or her overnight. However, you can take steps that address the passivity and improve your workplace.

1. Consider personality. Managerial styles develop over the years and can be part of someone’s personality. Your boss may not be trying to be a jerk on purpose, and this fact can help you have compassion as you decide your next step.
2. Focus on helpfulness. Approach your boss with an attitude of helpfulness as you seek to make real change. Deal with your frustrations beforehand so that your attitude isn’t one of accusations or demands, and prepare a list of ways a leadership change will help your boss.
3. Address your needs. While you want to point out how passivity negatively affects your boss, be sure to share how it also helps you do your job, meet deadlines or know what to expect.
4. Nix the witch hunt. Even though you may want to gather your co-workers and confront your boss, that strategy will only put him or her on the defensive, aggravate the situation and harm any positive outcome you hope to achieve.
5. Schedule a one-on-one meeting. Rather than approach your boss during a large meeting, schedule a solo meeting. If your boss is willing to be accountable, set up weekly or bi-weekly meetings that address ongoing concerns.
6. Talk to the higher-ups. Sometimes, you need to take action and talk to your boss’s boss. Take this step if your boss refuses to listen or cannot or won’t make changes.

A passive boss affects the entire company. Address the issue with these tips as you make your workplace better for you, your co-workers and your customers.

Every employer must follow fair work hours. Typically, employees can only work 38 regular hours per week, must receive extra pay for shifts that extend outside the normal 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. hours and receive mandatory meal and rest breaks. The rules are stricter for teens, so understand them before you hire young workers.

Teen Work Hours

Here’s a summary of the hours teens may work.

14-15 year old teens, school weeks:

• 3 hours per day, Monday through Friday
• 8 hours Saturday and Sunday
• Max 16 hours per week, 6 days a week
• Start 7 a.m., quit 7 p.m.

14-15 year old teens, non-school weeks:

• 8 hours per day, Monday through Sunday
• Max 40 hours per week, 6 days a week
• Start 7 a.m., quit 7 p.m. or 9 p.m. June 1 to Labor Day

16-17 year old teens, school weeks:

• 4 hours per day, Monday through Thursday
• 8 hours Friday through Sunday
• Max 20 hours per week, 6 days a week
• Start 7 a.m., quit 10 p.m. Monday through Friday, midnight Saturday and Sunday

16-17 year old teens, school weeks with a special variance that proves the teen can handle school and work:

• 6 hours per day, Monday through Thursday, 8 hours Friday through Sunday
• Max 28 hours per week, 6 days a week
• Start 7 a.m., quit 10 p.m. or midnight Friday and Saturday

16-17 year old teens, non-school weeks:

• 8 hours per day
• Max 48 hours per week, 6 days a week
• Start 5 a.m., quit midnight

Breaks and Meals

Any teen employee under 18 years of age must be provided with regular breaks and meals. Meal breaks must last 30 minutes for individuals who work more than five hours in a day. For every four hours worked, teens must receive at least one 10-minute paid rest break. Additionally, employees who are 14 and 15 years old must receive a separate 30-minute uninterrupted meal at least once per four-hour shift and a paid 10-minute rest break every two hours.

How to Hire a Teen

Now that you understand teen work hours, follow several steps as you hire teen employees.

• Obtain and post a Minor Work Permit that’s available at bls.dor.wa.gov. Reapply for it annually.
• Obtain a signed authorization form from the teen’s parent and school
• Obtain and file a copy of the teen’s birth certificate or other proof of age

Quitting your job might feel like the only way to escape a stressful position or stretch yourself professionally. Before you quit, though, consider asking yourself five questions to ensure you’re quitting for the right reasons.

Am I making an emotional or impulsive decision or one based on facts?

It’s normal to feel like quitting in the middle of a tough project or when you’re passed over for a promotion, but resist the temptation to quit because of emotions or impulse. Instead, practice coping skills like exercise, meditation or self-advocacy and do what you can to change your work environment. Then give yourself a few weeks to discern if your desire to quit is driven by facts rather than impulse or emotions.

What are the perks about my current job?

Your discontent could cause you to see only the negatives about your current job. Nearly every job has perks, though, such as a flexible work schedule, generous benefits or short commute. Weigh these perks and decide if you’re willing to put up with a stressful workload because of the short commute or if you prefer to exchange the benefits for a more relaxed boss.

What’s my track record for time spent at one place?

Some employees establish a pattern of jumping from job to job every year or so. Potential employers will see your track record and assume you’ll leave them quickly, too. It’s one thing if you do that to climb the ladder, but be honest about why you’re job hopping. It might be better to stick it out at a rough job if doing so can helps your resume.

Will it take long to find a new job?

Depending on your skills and the job market in your area, it could take months or even years for you to find a new job after you quit your current one. Your savings and morale will plummet as you wait for another position. That’s why it’s a good idea to have a new job lined up before you quit.

Have you tried to change your current work conditions?

The temptation to complain about your job is normal, but instead of quitting, make sure you’ve done everything you can to change your current work conditions. Write out your complaints, and schedule a time to talk to your boss about them. Your boss may be willing and able to change things up so that you can stay, but if not, you may wish to start looking for something different.

The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) entitles employees to take unpaid time off work for certain family events, including adoption. It protects your job and ensures you receive the same health benefits during your leave as you would be entitled to if you were still at work. Understand your FMLA rights as you welcome a new child into your family.

Adoption is Covered by FMLA

Most people think of FMLA when they think of having a biological child, but it is also available when parents adopt a child. Before the actual adoption or child placement in your home, use FMLA when your presence is needed for the adoption to proceed. Examples include:

• Counseling sessions

• Required physical exams

• Consultations with attorneys, social workers, the adoption agency and/or the child’s birth parent’s representatives

• Court appearances

• Travel for the purpose of completing the adoption

Adoptive dads and moms are also eligible for FMLA after your child is placed in your home. The source of the adoption does not affect your eligibility for FMLA.

How Much FMLA can I Take for an Adoption?

Typically, FMLA provides employees with 12 work weeks of leave in one 12-month period. For traditional childbirth, you can take that time in split increments. For example, you want to be at your child’s doctor appointments, so you can take FMLA and attend the well-child checks even if they’re only an hour once a month.

The rules are slightly different for adoptions. In this case, you are eligible for intermittent FMLA leave before the placement and for the 12 months after your child is placed in your home. Post-placement leave must be taken in a continuous break and may not be split unless the child has a serious medical condition or your employer agrees to let you take intermittent leave.

How to Take FMLA

Your first step toward receiving FMLA is asking for it. Instead of submitting the standard medical certification form, though, you should ask your attorney to write a letter stating that you are in the process of adoption. It should include how much leave you need and how long the process is expected to take. Your employer will then approve the leave or ask for further details.

Throughout the adoption process, you may be asked for updates or recertifications. Employers do this to ensure that the time you take off is indeed for adoption-related tasks.

Held the last week in April, Administrative Professionals Week is celebrated by corporations in several countries. It began during World War II when skilled administrative professionals were in high demand, and its purpose was to recognize the skills, efficiency and loyalty of administrative professionals and entice more people to join the profession. You, too, can celebrate your administrative professionals in several ways.

Entertainment

Treat your staff to a day or night off work when you send them to a concert, sporting event or show. Tickets to an amusement park, zoo or other attraction are also appreciated.

Gift Baskets

Celebrate your staff with personalized gift baskets based on the individual’s interests and likes. Baking, chocolate, movies, wine or fishing are possible themes.

Shopping

Gift cards allow the recipient to buy whatever gift he or she chooses. Consider giving a pre-loaded Visa card or one to a specific restaurants, department stores or ecommerce store.

Spa Treatments

Reward your hard-working staff with a massage, manicure, pedicure or other salon or spa treatment. They will appreciate the time to relax.

Time Off

Everyone can use extra time off. Give your staff a half or full day off with pay to thank them for their hard work.

Custom Coupons

Maybe your assistant enjoys taking long lunches, could use a few hours of flex time or covets the front row parking spot. Reward him or her with a custom coupon that can be cashed in at a later date.

Exclusive Meal

Celebrate Administrative Professionals Day with an exclusive meal. Book a caterer or hire a private chef to prepare a delicious meal for administrative professionals only.

Recognition Awards

Celebrate the unique talents and skills contributed by each administrative professional in your office when you give recognition awards. They can be trophies, plaques or other tangible evidences of a job well done.

Play

Assemble your staff for a play date. Unwind, let your hair down and have fun on the basketball court, in the ball pit or at a paint night.

Invest in Efficiency

Now’s a great time to invest in new technology, tools or automation that makes work easier for your administrative professionals. Ask them what items or technology they want before purchasing anything.

Offer Training

Whether you bring in a specialist or send your staff on a retreat where they’ll learn a new skill, offer training and show that you’re invested in your staff. This gift also assists each individual in boosting his or her skills and marketability.

Whistleblowers are employees who report safety violations or illegal activity that occurs where they work. Several federal and state laws protect individuals who “blow the whistle”, so learn more about whistleblower protection in the workplace in case you face a situation that requires you to decide whether or not to stand up for what is right.

What is a Whistleblower?

Anyone who sees something illegal or hazardous occur at work can choose to stay quiet, especially if fear retaliation from their employer and don’t want to get harassed, threatened, demoted or fired. However, violations like dumping harmful chemicals into public water sources, using questionable accounting practices, allowing safety hazards or discriminating against certain religions is illegal. Individuals who report these activities will be protected by several laws.

Federal Whistleblower Protections

Numerous laws protect employees who speak out against an unlawful or hazardous behavior. Those laws include the Clean Air Act, Solid Waste Disposal Act, Compensation and Liability Act, Comprehensive Environmental Response, Safe Drinking Water Act and Energy Reorganization Act, among others.

In addition to protecting employees who speak up, whistleblowing laws protect employees who refuse to participate in illegal actions and those who assist an investigation. They also encourage future whistleblowers to take action and report illegal activities.

What to do if you see Something Illegal

When you see something that needs to be reported, tell your employer or a federal agency. You will be protected by whistleblower laws if you act in good-faith that your employer is violating the law, whether your claims are proven true or not. If you claim a violation simply to get back at your employer, whistleblower laws will not protect you.

What to do if Your Employer has Retaliated

You can file a complaint against your employer if you face retaliation for being a whistleblower. Visit your local Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) office or file an online claim within 90 days of the retaliatory action. The agency then has 60 days to investigate your claim and decide if your claims of retaliation are true.

State Whistleblower Laws

Federal whistleblower protection applies to government or public employees. Additionally, your state may also have laws that offer whistleblower protection to both public and private sector employees. You will need to report the illegal activity to your supervisor or an outside authority. As with federal cases, you will not be penalized if you made the complaint in good faith and had a good reason to suspect a violation but it turns out to be unfounded.

Being a whistleblower potentially protects thousands of people and is the right thing to do. Know the whistleblower protections that are in place in case you ever need to take action.

Congratulations on your new job! It’s now time to make a good impression on your boss. Here are eight steps you can take to start your new job on the right foot.

Arrive on time. Every boss appreciates an employee who arrives on time and is ready to work. Plus, clocking in on time or even a bit early shows that you’re dependable and take your job seriously.

Ask questions. During your interview, you learned a lot about your new job and responsibilities, but you don’t know everything. Consider asking about your boss’s vision for the team, the company’s overall goals and expectations about your performance or position.

Do more than the minimum. You were hired to do specific tasks, so definitely make sure your job is done right. However, if you go the extra mile, you show your boss that you’re willing to put in the work needed to succeed.

Take notes. The first few days at a new job can be overwhelming as you meet new people and jump into your new responsibilities. Carry a notebook and pen to track any instructions or tips your boss gives you. Your attentiveness shows that you value your boss’s words and time, and you won’t have to ask the same questions multiple times.

Admit mistakes. Everyone messes up occasionally, so admit your mistakes. Don’t hope the boss won’t notice or wait for him or her to point it out. Instead, show that you’re responsible, honest and mature.

Ask to cross train. After you master your job, look for opportunities to cross train. Understanding how the entire office works makes you a more versatile employee and team player.

Ask for regular meetings. A short 10-minute meeting at the end of every work day or once a week gives you the opportunity to make sure you’re on the right track. It also shows your boss that you’re open to feedback and willing to make whatever changes necessary to do the job right.

Play nice with your co-workers. No matter what job you’re hired to do, make an effort to get to know your co-workers and to play nice. Spend time chatting in the lunch room or ask what they like about their jobs as you ride the elevator together. Your effort builds teamwork, makes your boss’s job easier and is better for everyone in the long run.