According to the federal government, consultations held over the past two years revealed that employers were exploiting some live-in caregivers because the system made them vulnerable. To address this, the federal government is tightening the regulations affecting live-in caregivers and temporary foreign workers, as well as the people who hire them. “The government is taking action to protect temporary foreign workers, including live-in caregivers, from potential abuse and exploitation,” said Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism Jason Kenney.

Employers found to have violated worker rights may also be refused authorization to hire a foreign worker under the changes to the Temporary Foreign Worker Program that will come into effect on April 1, 2011.

Highlights of the changes include:

·         a more rigorous assessment of the genuineness of the job offer which must now specify wages, benefits, accommodation, duties, hours of work, and holiday and sick leave entitlements.

·         a two-year prohibition from hiring temporary foreign workers for employers who fail to meet their commitments to workers with respect to wages, working conditions and occupation; and

·         a limit on the length of time a temporary foreign worker may work in Canada before returning home.

For further information visit the Citizenship & Immigration Canada Website at:

http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/index.asp

Below is a list of some common myths you may have heard and even lived by for a short period of your lives, along with some extra information explaining the truth or myth behind it.

You can tell what the sex of a baby will be based on how the mother is carrying – This is completely false and comes from Old English Folklore. It was once believed that a woman was carrying a girl if she was carrying the baby up high and a boy if she was carrying the baby down low. It was believed that girls needed more protection so they carried higher than the boys. There is no scientific basis to back this up. It is, simply put, an old wives tale. http://kidshealth.org/parent/pregnancy_newborn/pregnancy/myths_tales.html

If you don’t eat your carrots when you are a child you will go blind as an adult – Yup, we all heard this one when mom wanted us to finish those carrots! While there is some basis in truth for this, it is very little. Those who have a healthy diet in both childhood and adulthood are not going to have their vision affected simply because they failed to eat carrots. Those who live in countries where they might not get enough Vitamin A are in danger of going night blind. However, if their diet is supplemented with foods rich in Vitamin A, such as carrots, their vision can be improved.

http://blogs.nlb.gov.sg/ask/health-fitness/792

Feed a cold but starve a fever – This is another old wives tale that has no basis in reality. Anyone who has a cold and or fever needs a certain amount of nutrients and fluids to get better. Without them, the body has a more difficult time fighting off the cold and or fever.

http://www.cnn.com/2006/HEALTH/parenting/12/07/par.sick.myths/index.html

When you shave, the hair grows back thicker and faster – A study that was done 80 years ago actually proved that this was not true, but many people still believe it today. Hair is dead. So shaving it is not going to make it grow faster. What make hair grow are the follicles beneath the surface of the skin, and what comes out is dead by the time it reaches the skin’s surface. It appears to be darker and thicker because it hasn’t been exposed to the sun or any chemicals for very long.

If you eat turkey, it’s going to make you sleepy – Well, we’ve all thought this around the holidays. But, in reality, the sleepiness we feel is from eating a large meal, not from eating the turkey itself. It used to be thought that the tryptophan in turkey is what made us sleepy, but it has recently been discovered that ground beef and even pork have more tryptophan than turkey.

Colds and flu are at their most contagious before any symptoms appear – This is untrue. Colds are at their most contagious when the symptoms are at their worst. This is the timeframe when you are most contagious. While you should wash your hands often and take other preventative measures throughout the life of a cold, you should be especially diligent when the symptoms are at their worst.

http://www.cnn.com/2006/HEALTH/parenting/12/07/par.sick.myths/index.html

For more health and wellness myths, visit our resource at:

http://health.thefuntimesguide.com/2008/12/health_myths.php

Sure you will be toured around your office. You will meet a lot of people whose names you will forget the minute you leave their desk. You will be told who you report to, where your desk is, and most importantly, where the lunch room and washrooms are.

But then what? No problem they say. You are in sales – go out and sell. You will figure it out if you are any good. And why wouldn’t you be good, you sold them on giving you the job right?

That is when many sales people freeze up. Yes I know I have to sell, but what does that mean? Although “sales is sales” is accurate in terms of the general process, achieving success in sales goes beyond the general definition.

However, with so much excitement, it is easy to go “brain dead” – so much happening that you lose focus on your primary function and what you have to do.

A job description, with current KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) can help with some guidance of specific tasks and your role in relation to the rest of the organization. That can get you on the road to success that much faster.

Unfortunately, many office jobs require that we perform repetitive motions to fulfill our duties. For this reason, Repetitive Strain Injuries (RSI’s) are the most common injuries occurring in the office. Positioning the body in unnatural positions can put strain on areas such as the wrist and spine.

Our physical differences are endless, yet many of our workstations look exactly alike. We spend several hours a day sitting at them; why not make them fit us?  Avoiding discomfort and possible injury could be as easy as making a few simple adjustments to your work environment. 

Work Surfaces

Generally, the work surface should be about the height of the elbows when the arms are hanging straight down while seated. When customizing your work surface:

·         Keep frequently used items close at hand. Move the telephone closer to you or place frequently-used binders on your desk rather than on an overhead shelf.

·         Free your work area from clutter by removing unnecessary files and office supplies, have only what you need. Your legs should be allowed to move freely underneath the desk.

Chairs

·         Adjust the height of your chair so your knees are at right angles when you are seated.

·         The space between the front edge of the seat and the back of your knee should be the span of two or three fingers. This will minimize pressure on the underside of your leg.

·         Adjust the lumbar support so it rests in the small of your back.

·         While seated, bend your elbows to 90 degrees and relax the shoulders. If your armrests do not allow for this position, do not use them while keying or using the mouse. If armrests are too high or too low, have them removed or get a new chair without armrests.

·         Avoid sitting for long periods of time by alternating between sitting and standing, or simply get up and stretch. Aim to move your back, neck and shoulders at least every 10 minutes.

·         Keep your feet flat on the floor and lean into the backrest at all times. Consider using a footrest if necessary.

Monitors

·         Monitors should be directly in front of you at about arms length.

·         The top line of text on the screen should be at eye level, most of the text will be slightly below eye level.

·         To avoid eyestrain, focus on something farther away (e.g. a clock 20 ft. away) for a few seconds every hour. Tilt your monitor down if glare is noted on the screen.

Keyboards

·         Position your keyboard so your wrists are straight when elbows are at 90 degrees. Adjust your chair height or your keyboard platform to do this.

·         Elbows should be kept as close to the body as possible with wrists relaxed and straight.  

·         Use the keyboard instead of the mouse to perform computer commands whenever possible and learn the shortcuts for your operating system so you minimize wrist strain.

Mouse

·         Position the mouse at the same height as the keyboard. Keep it within easy reach.

·         Keep a light grip on the mouse, moving it with the whole arm, and initiating movements from the shoulder.

Telephones

·         Do not cradle the telephone between your ear and shoulder. Consider using a headset that can easily plug into your telephone.  If you do not use a headset, hold the receiver with one hand.

Documents

·         If you need to look back and forth from the screen to the documents, place your hard copy on a document holder, close to and at the same height and viewing distance as the monitor.

Your workstation can be made to fit you and the type of work you do.  Remember to:   

1.       Check that you are using good posture to reduce the stress on your body.

2.       Adjust your chair to support your back and minimize awkward postures that can lead to muscle   tension, fatigue, and soreness.

3.       Rearrange your workstation layout to avoid repetitive, prolonged, and awkward movements when you use the monitor, keyboard, mouse, documents, and other items.

4.       Take frequent breaks to avoid prolonged sitting and eyestrain.

Practicing good work habits and applying ergonomics at work can go a long way in helping you work safer.

*Information obtained from WCB Alberta and Work Safe BC websites.

If an otherwise valuable member of your team has become less productive, late or absent more frequently, it could be that something at home is causing the problem.

It is in the best interest of any organization to be able to recognize the signs of domestic violence. The following is a list of some signs that may be noticed in the workplace.

The victim may:

·    Try to cover bruises;

·    Be sad, lonely, withdrawn, and afraid;

·    Have trouble concentrating on a task;

·    Apologize for the abuser’s behaviour;

·    Be nervous when/if the abuser is in the workplace;

·    Make last-minute excuses or cancellations;

·    Use drugs or alcohol to cope; or

·    Miss work frequently or more often than usual

The abuser may interfere with the victim while at work by:

·    Repeatedly phoning or e-mailing the victim;

·    Stalking and/or watching the victim;

·    Showing up at the workplace and pestering co-workers with questions about the victim;

·    Displaying jealous and controlling behaviours;

·    Lying to co-workers;

·    Threatening co-workers;

·    Verbally abusing the victim or co-workers;

·    Destroying the victim’s or the organizations’ property; or

·    Physically harming the victim and/or co-workers

The abuser may attempt to prevent the victim from getting to work by:

·    Interfering with transportation by hiding or stealing the victim’s car keys or transportation money;

·    Hiding or stealing the victim’s identification cards;

·    Threatening deportation in a situation where the victim is sponsored;

·    Failing to show up to care for the children; or

·    Physically restraining the victim

If you believe that one of your co-workers or employees is a victim of domestic violence, you should contact your Employee Assistance Program (EAP) for further information on how you can best assist the individual. Follow this link for an informative brochure from the Government of Alberta: Family Violence Brochure.

·         1 in 9 women will develop breast cancer

·         1 in 21 women & 1 in 11 men will develop lung cancer

·         1 in 8 men will develop prostate cancer

·         1 in 3 will develop a form of life threatening cancer

·         3 of 4 families will be affected by cancer

·         30% of those with cancer are completely cured

·         1 in 2 will contract some form of heart disease

·         95% of heart attack victims survive the first attack

·         1 in 20 run the risk of having a stroke before 70

·         75% of stroke victims survive the first stroke

Thanks to medical advances and greater self-awareness, many people are now surviving these serious illnesses, but few are recovering from the financial burden. That is where critical illness coverage can help.

No one plans to get sick, but when something unexpected happens, you can help your employees and their families as well as your business by being financially prepared. Critical illness insurance is designed to financially help support patients before, during and after treatment by providing a lump-sum benefit when a critical illness is diagnosed.

By including Critical Illness coverage in your benefits package, you are providing your employees with a way to collect a tax-free lump sum benefit. They are then free to use this money anyway they wish.

Employees can use the benefit for anything they wish, such as:

·         Financial needs – income replacement, paying down debts or to help preserve personal savings, retirement funds or other investments

·         Health care costs – alternative treatment options, medical equipment or expenses not covered under provincial or group benefits plans

·         Lifestyle choices – home repairs or renovations, vehicle upgrades, personal or family pursuits, vacation

Employers can see positive aspects too, including:

·         An excellent addition to employee benefits packages, helping in recruiting and retaining the best staff

·         Support employee health and inspire loyalty in the workplace

·         Help lessen the pressure on the employer regarding financial support for those employees absent from work after suffering a critical illness.

This can be one of the best strategies to help lower stress, provide extra financial support, and in turn, help your employee have the chance for a quick and complete recovery.

Why is that?

Because, what makes a great sales professional is also what drives their spouses, friends, relatives and everyone else around them crazy. They are independent, passionate, focused, assertive, and confident. And they have one of the most difficult (yet not complex) jobs to do.

If being a salesperson is one of the most difficult jobs to do, what is harder? Effectively managing a team of these great (and sometimes not so great) people can be the next rung on the list of difficult jobs.

If you have ten sales professionals in your group, let’s be honest, are all of them going to be the superstars that everyone likes and will they always reach the numbers they are aiming for? No, you are probably going to have 2-3 that are doing a great job, 4-6 that are doing ok, and 2-3 that are not reaching their sales targets and worse may be culturally the wrong fit for your company.

If too many are not reaching their targets on a regular basis, how do you know if you, as a sales manager, are doing your job? You can set out effective KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) that you know will get the company to success. These KPIs cannot just be for sales closes as it is a process. You must set out KPIs that are also working in nature (i.e. number of calls, number of appointments, etc.) and have an expectation that they will work to reach those numbers.

Then, you can measure your success on the percentage of your team that is achieving the goals set out. IF you can get seventy-five or eighty percent achieving their KPIs, you will find the sales numbers will increase naturally and you will be considered successful.

But, remember, set out KPIs for success and not for minimum achievement. If you set the bar too low they will reach for that bar thinking they have achieved enough. You will have done yourself and them a disservice as they will never reach for their true potential as great sales professionals.

According to a 2008 survey: 

·         1 in 6 Canadians have been victims of Identity Theft.

·         6.5% of Canadian adults, or almost 1.7 million people were victims of identity fraud in 2007 alone.

·         The victims spent over 20 million hours and more than $150 million to resolve problems associated with these frauds.

What is Identity Theft? 

Identity Theft refers to all types of crime in which someone steals or misuses personal or financial identifiers of someone else by using their credit card, driver’s licence, social insurance number or other personal identification numbers to commit fraud or other criminal activity.

In the words of Frank Abagnale, the fraudster depicted in the film Catch Me If You Can, “I have never seen a crime as simplistic as stealing one’s identification. It’s as easy as 1, 2, 3.” Throughout his career of identity theft, Mr. Abagnale posed as an airline pilot, an attorney, a college professor, and a paediatrician. Mr. Abagnale is now a secure document consultant working with government agencies, law enforcement, and corporations.

What kind of information do identity thieves target? 

·         Name

·         Address

·         Date of Birth

·         Social Insurance Number

·         Driver’s Licence Number

·         Mother’s Maiden Name

·         Bank Account Numbers

·         Credit Card Numbers

·         PIN Numbers

·         Passwords

How does Identity Theft occur?

·         Shoulder Surfing– Thieves may look over a person’s shoulder when they enter their PIN Number at an ATM or during an Interac transaction.

·         Skimming – Thieves can use an electronic device known as a “skimmer” that copies information directly from the magnetic strip on a credit card.

·         Dumpster Diving – Thieves may rifle through a person’s garbage looking for personal information.  Anything thrown in the garbage can end up in the wrong hands.

·         Postal Theft– Credit card bills, tax statements, pre-approved credit card applications, etc. can be stolen directly from a person’s mailbox to obtain personal information.

·         Phishing -   This includes the use of email messages, Web pages and pop-up messages that are replicas of existing, legitimate websites and businesses. These are used to trick users into submitting personal, financial, or password data. These emails often ask for information such as credit card numbers, bank account information, social insurance numbers, and passwords that will be used to commit fraud.

Five ways you can protect yourself:

1.       Shred all your personal documents including things such as pre-approved credit card applications, bank statements, and credit card receipts in a cross-cut shredder.

2.       Be aware of your surroundings and protect your PIN Number at ATMs and during Interac transactions.

3.       Carefully review your monthly credit card and bank statements. Report improper entries as soon as possible.

4.       Do not carry your Social Insurance Number, your passport, or your birth certificate with you unless absolutely necessary.

5.       Obtain and review your credit report annually. Report any incorrect information immediately.

To find out how to further protect yourself against Identity Theft contact Rogers Insurance Group Services, one of the PEO Partners, at 403-296-2700 or toll free at 1-866-335-7325.

So what are you waiting for?! You’ve traded in your long sleeve sweaters and snow pants for sleeveless shirts and shorts to keep cool during the hot summer days; and hopefully add a little colour to your skin to erase the pasty effects of the long cold winter months. But we also need to remember that while we’re shedding our clothes in summer celebration, we need to protect our skin from the sun too. 

Just like we added layers on layers to keep the cold out only a few months ago, now we need to trade in the flannel long-underwear for creamy sun tan lotions and wide brimmed hats.                            

Why you ask?… remember that tanned skin is really damaged skin from ultraviolet (UV) radiation; radiation that comes from our sun, and even from tanning beds. 

The more we tan our skin, the more damage we are inflicting. 

Really?… Tanning beds too?  YES! 

OMG-Facts.com says people who use a tanning bed prior to vacationing in hot countries to develop a base tan to protect themselves from UV rays are only adding more radiation to their skin.

“Your risk of melanoma more than doubles if you began using tanning beds before the age of 35. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends banning the use of tanning beds by children under the age of 18.”

 http://www.omg-facts.com/view/facts/3647

Currently 32 States in the US have regulations for the use of tanning beds by minors including minimum age restrictions and parental consent. http://www.ncsl.org/default.aspx?tabid=14394 

For information on the use of tanning beds in Canada, visit http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/hl-vs/iyh-vsv/life-vie/lamp-eng.php .

Protecting yourself from the sun can be done in a few single steps:

·         Check the daily UV index – available from local radio and TV stations.

·         Apply sunscreen before heading out and wear protective clothing which include wide brimmed hats and loose long sleeve shirts/pants.

·         Limit the amount of time you’re going to be in the sun.

Visit http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/hl-vs/sun-sol/protect-protegez/sun-solaire-eng.php for more great information.

2011 - $1.88

2012 - $2.03

2013 - $2.18

2014 - $2.33

Currently, the maximum allowable EI premium rate is $1.73 per year and will increase to $2.33 (per $100 of insurable earnings) by 2014. That’s only a $0.60 increase over the next 4 years. Just to put these figures into perspective, on average, the projected annual contribution increase per worker would be $535. The employee would pay $223 and the employer would pay $312.

Since the EI premium rate will be increasing over the next 4 years, so will employees maximum insurable earnings. The Parliamentary Budget Officer projects employee maximum insurable earnings will be:

2011 - $44,650

2012 - $45,675

2013 - $46,775

2014 - $47,925

Even though the actual EI premium rates will be set for the next four 4 years by the Canada Employment Insurance Financing Board (CEIFB), employers should still be conscious of these projected figures when planning and budgeting.

If you would like to see the full report on these projected figures, please click on the following link:

http://www2.parl.gc.ca/Sites/PBO-DPB/documents/Projecting_EI.pdf