How to Accommodate Nursing Mothers

How to Accommodate Nursing MothersHow to Accommodate Nursing MothersHealthcare legislation, effective on March 23, 2010, amended the ritterlich Labor Standards Act to require employers to accommodate nursing mothers with a lactation area for expressing milk during their childs first year of life. Legislation Legislation for nursing mothers that is currently in place in24 states, Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia, will supersede the Federal legislation if their requirements for employer accommodation of nursing mothers offer more stringent accommodation. Forty-five states, the District of Columbia, and the Virgin Islands have laws that specifically allow women to breastfeed in any public or private location. While exact details will be worked out by the Department of Labor, employers might want to look to the policy for nursing mothers already adopted in Oregon, since this was the model for the adoption of the workplace accommodation for nursing mothers portion of the legis lation. Earlier, we also recommended a lactation or breastfeeding policy that closely approximates the provisions of this law. If you had adopted this lactation policy, you are, for the most part, covered under this new nursing mothers legislation. According to Alston Birds labor and employment practice group, the new legislation, amends the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) to require employers to provide time for nursing mothers to express breast milk. Specifically, Section 4207 of the new law, Reasonable Break Time for Nursing Mothers, provides that, for a period of up to one year following a childs birth, employers must give an employee reasonable break time each time she needs to express milk. The law also requires employers to provide a location, other than a bathroom, shielded from view and free from intrusion where the employee can express milk. Employers that are exempt from the legislation are those with 50 or fewer employees who can prove that accommodation of nursing moth ers will, according to Alston Bird, create undue hardship by causing significant expense or difficulty in relation to the size, financial resources, nature or structure of the business. While the legislation states that the time provided is unpaid, the definition of reasonable break time and other details such as the exemption of a small employer because of undue hardship are undefined. The interpretation of the legislation for employers will be decided by the DOL. In the meantime, labor attorneys at Alston Bird suggest that you work with nursing mothers to accommodate their needs by providing time, a private space, and a supportive work climate. Nursing Mother Space Needs Employers will experience the most difficulty with providing a space that meets requirements. In one business currently, as an example, a private, handicapped-accessible restroom that accommodated one employee at a time was designated for nursing mothers. Accommodating only one employee and having a locking door, a shower, a sink, a toilet, a comfortable chair, and fresh towels, the employer considered the space more than adequate for the needs of a nursing mother. Under the new legislation, this space may no longer qualify as it is a restroom. One hopes the Department of Labor will recognize the difference between a public, multiple employee-accommodating restrooms and a private, well-appointed space, also a restroom, which accommodates nursing mothers well. The United States Breastfeeding Committee provides creative solutions about options for space accommodation. These suggested solutions include spaces as diverse as a work vehicle with privacy panels to block outside view and a space in a mall store shared by several neighboring businesses. Like all aspects of health legislation, time, governmental agency guidelines and directives, and court decisions as a result of lawsuits will establish the final determinations for employers. Get ahead of the curve on workplace accommodation for nursing mothers.

Taking Showers in Air Force Basic Training

Taking Showers in Air Force Basic TrainingTaking Showers in Air Force Basic TrainingThe skills obtained from just a few short months at basic military training in any branch of service is astonishing. One that you will immediately notice is how quickly you learn how to take a shower. Daily hygiene is required when attending any military training program. You will be required to clean yourself each day as you tend to get ratzu sich dirty and sweaty throughout the day during the constant movement that is Basic Military Training (Air Force), Boot Camp (Navy and USMC), or Basic Combat Training (Army). The military is a cross section of society of people from all over the nation, different socioeconomic groups, different ages and races. Many have different customs, traditions, and habits when it comes to cleanliness. One thing is for certain, the military takes this diverse group and turns them into a unit of military members with new but the same habits, discipline, and common challenges that unite the group into a team. One of the many things that conform to military standards of hygiene is taking daily showers. You will shower every night (including the first night ) at Air Force Basic Military Training (AFBMT). For the first couple of weeks, your shower will be very short (about two minutes). You will learn to wash quickly, and not waste time. You will find that the cool shower will be refreshing during the heat and humidity of the summer and a warm shower will be equally as nice during the colder months of the winter. In Air Force basic training, there is no privacy for the showers. At the end of the day, you will be tired. Too tired to worry about being naked in a shower with 20 other people who are equally focused on cleaning themselves in a quick 1-2 minute shower time. The shower is one large room, with several shower-heads. Everyone showers together. Dont let this worry you, however. Most recruits Ive talked to worried about this *before* basic training, b ut they all tell me *after* basic training, that it turned out not to be such a big deal. For the first couple of weeks, youre being yelled at, even in the shower, so you dont worry about anything other than getting the shower finished as fast as you can. After the first couple of weeks, when you get more timeand less yelling, its no longer a big deal. You will quickly become more efficient with your time. Here is an amusing story from a father of Air Force daughters.Before basic training, it would take my daughters a minimum of two hours to get ready to go anywhere. They used to get up two hours before they had to leave for school, each and every morning. If we traveled on the road, I would always have to wake them up in the motel a full two hours before I wanted to get on the road again. Getting ready for the world for a teenager can be challenging if the perfect hair, makeup, and breakfast are required before leaving the house. My daughter Christina was the first one to come ho me on her first leave (vacation) afterbasic trainingand technical school. The next morning, I wanted to take her out to breakfast. She woke up (on her own) at 0600 (600 AM), and was ready to go 30 minutes later. When Jeanie returned home three weeks later, it was the same thing. I never thought I would see the day where they could prepare for the day in less than 30 minutes. Not only were they ready to go and quite presentable, but their beds were also made before we went out the door something else I never thought Id see. Serving in the military will change you in many ways. You may find that waking up early is much easier than before Basic Military Training. You may find that eating a full meal can occur in a few minutes as well as daily showers. And you will have the uncanny ability to sleep anywhere. You will also react in crisis situations a much calmer thinker. Want to Know More About Air Force Basic Training? Surviving Air Force Basic Training

Downloadable Job Offer Proposition Letter Sample

Downloadable Job Offer Proposition Letter SampleDownloadable Job Offer Proposition Letter SampleA job offer lettercan bean effective means of detailing the terms of employment for a job that is being offered toanapplicant. By putting the offer in writing and asking the applicant to sign the letter when accepting the position, there should be no questions or miscommunications about what is being offered or what is expected of the job candidate.A job offer letter can become a legally binding employment contract of sorts if an employee later disputes what you offered vs. what he or she actually received on the job. So, make sureyou can deliver what you offer in writing. Consult legal counselif you have any doubts about writing a job offer letter. Include as many details as practical in yur job offer letter or as attachments or enclosures so that your applicanthas enough information to make an informed decision. Remember, candidates might receive other job offers. Consequently, you might be competing for their attention.This sample can be used as a template and as a source for ideas. Your own lettershould be specific to the job you are offering.Job Offer Letter SampleAcme Technical EnterprisesP.O. Box 123 Any City Any State 00000Phone 555-555-0000March 1, 20xxJohn Q. Public123 Any StreetAny City, 00000Dear John Q. PublicAcme Technical EnterprisesInc. is pleased to offer you a job as a senior engineer. We trust that your knowledge, skills, and experience will be among our most valuable assets. Should you accept this job offer, youll be eligible to receive the following beginning on your hire date.Salary Annual gross starting salary of $63,500, paid in biweekly installments by your choice of check or direct depositPerformance Bonuses Up to 3% of your annual gross salary, paid quarterly by your choice of check or direct depositStock Options 500 Acme stock options in your first year, fully vested in four years at the rate of 125 shares per yearBenefits Standard, Acm e-provided benefits for salaried-exempt employees, include the following401(k) retirement accountAnnual stock optionsChild day care assistanceEducation assistanceHealth, dental, life, and disability insuranceProfit sharingSick leaveVacation and personal daysTo accept this job offerSign and date this job offer letter where indicated below.Sign and date the enclosed Noncompete Agreement where indicated.Sign and date the enclosed Confidentiality Agreement where indicated.Sign and date the enclosed At-Will Employment Confirmation where indicated.Mail all pages of the signed and dated documents listed above back to us in the enclosed business-reply envelope, to arrive by Thursday, March 17, 20xx. A copy of each document is enclosed for your records.Attend new-hire orientation on Monday, March 21, 20xx, beginning at 8 a.m.To decline this job offerSign and date this job offer letter where indicated below.Mail all pages of this job offer letter back to us in the enclosed business-reply enve lope, to arrive by Thursday, March 17, 20xx.If you accept this job offer, your hire date will be on the day that you attend new-hire orientation. Plan to work for the remainder of the business day after new-hire orientation ends. Please read the enclosed new-hire package for complete, new-hire instructions and more information about the benefits that Acme offers.We at Acme hope that youll accept this job offer and look forward to welcoming you aboard. Your immediate supervisor will be Jane Doe, engineering department manager. Feel free to call Jane or me if you have questions or concerns. Call the main number in the letterhead above during normal business hours and ask to speak to either of us.Sincerely,SignatureJohn SmithHiring Coordinator, menschenfreundlich ResourcesEnclosures 8Accept Job OfferBy signing and dating this letter below, I, John Q. Public, accept this job offer of senior engineer by Acme Technical Enterprises.Signature_________________________________ Date___________ __Decline Job OfferBy signing and dating this letter below, I, John Q. Public, decline this job offer of senior engineer by Acme Technical Enterprises.Signature_________________________________ Date_____________