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Personal Reflections for Today

June 12th, 2009 by denny
Some of today’s news we are hearing, really can get you down as a business owner. As a small business owner myself, we need to take some time and voice our opinions to our elected officials. After all, isn’t that why we elected them, to be our voice on Capitol Hill?  The following web site is the complete listing of our State House of Representatives and their separate web sites:  http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/legis/home/member_information/representatives_alpha.cfm This is for the Pa Senate:  http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/legis/home/member_information/senators_alpha.cfm This one is for the US Senate:  http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm And this one for the US House of Representatives:  http://www.house.gov/house/MemberWWW_by_State.shtml

Sometimes I just don’t want to take the time to look these people up, so I hope this helps. As a business owner, I have sacrificed a great deal to own my business, I need to spend a little time keeping it from being taxed to death.

“all evil has to do to triumph, is for a few good people to do nothing”

I love reading the beginning of our great Constitution, what men of wisdom and valor they were.  Again I have included the link for you:  http://www.earlyamerica.com/earlyamerica/freedom/constitution/text.html

“We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.”

Follow this link to the Bill of Rights:  http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/charters/bill_of_rights_transcript.html if you have not read them lately, take some time, it doesn’t take much. These rights are who we are as a nation, a lot of good men and women died protecting these rights for US.

This is the America I want back! Maybe it is time to go back to the basics our government was founded on. Or maybe I am just a dreamer.

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Employers Turn To Tech

June 11th, 2009 by denny

Came across this interesting article in one of my publications. What is your company doing or you doing?

“The International Association of Business Communicators, San Francisco, and Buck Consultants, New York, a unit of Affiliated Computer Services Inc., Dallas, have published that finding in a summary of results from a survey of 1,500 staffers at large and mid-size employers.

About 52% of the survey participants said their companies’ internal communications budgets have fallen in the past 12 months, and 35% said their internal communications staffs have been reduced.

But 79% of the participants said their companies are using “social media” to engage employees. Company blogs are the most popular social media tool, with 47% of the participating employers already involved in corporate blogging. Discussion boards also are popular, and more participating employers are planning to add discussion boards than any other social media: 33% of the participating employers could be adding discussion boards.

Twitter is part of the communications effort at 21% of the participating employers, and Facebook is a component at 18%.”

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Tax on Health Benefits Weighed

June 11th, 2009 by denny

Wednesday June 10,09 in a Washington Post article, “the Senate plan to overhaul the nation’s health system is likely to include a new tax on some employer-provided health benefits that exceed the value of the basic plan offered to federal employees, curently about $13,000 a year for a family of four, the chairman of the Senate Finance Committee stated”

Sen. Max Baucus (D-Mont.) is the chairman of the Senate Finance Committee he can be reached at the following address: baucus.senate.gov/contact/emailForm.cfm?subj=issue and then GOP Minority leader Chuch Grassley and he can be reached at: grassley.senate.gov/contact.cfm

Let’s reach out to both of these gentlemen and let them know they still represent US, and not themselves. As a business owner myself, I have had enough taxation! It would be nice for awhile to think my government has my best interest at heart.

More to come on this subject. If you find some interesting articles be sure to let us know.

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Congressional Democrats release healthcare reform plans

June 10th, 2009 by denny

It looks like Senator Edward Kennedy (D-MA) has released, with the help of others a proposal for reforming health care. As reported by ABC World News, “The key provision here is a requirement that every person in America have health insurance or pay a fine. Now the biggest, most controversial part of this bill is the creation of a government-run insurance program that would compete directly with private insurance companies. “

What are your feelings first that every American have health insurance or pay a fine? and secondly that our governement is going to compete against the free enterprice system we have in America today?

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Cobra Laws

June 9th, 2009 by denny

Did you know that PA could have our own “mini COBRA plans” here are some of the details taken from HRS/TND Associates newsletter. Look for information regarding a seminar coming up in July regarding HR issues sponsored by ARS Solutions and HRS/TND Associates. Below are some of the highlights of the new bill.

  • Requires employers who employ 2-19 employees and offers health insurance to offerOnly applies to Medical Plans (does not include HRAs, FSAs, dental, or vision)
  • To be eligible, an employee must have been on the employer’s insurance for at
  • COBRA qualifying events remain the same as those under Federal regulations
  • Eligible for COBRA coverage lasting up to 9 months
  • Employers (or their designated administrator) are responsible for notification to eligible
  • Assistance Eligible Individuals are included in State COBRA
  • Employers may charge up to 105% of the medical premium
  • Timeline for getting out notices differs from federal COBRA
  • So are you ready? If not what are you as an employer or HR person going to do?
  • Share with us some of your ideas or frustrations over this intrusion into our business.

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