Michelle Singletary: With credit interest hikes, say ‘No Deal.’ 2D
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S U N D A Y , O C T O B E R 4 , 2009
WWW.TUSCALOOSANEWS.COM
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TICKER Friend turned boss You have lunch together every day, grab an occasional drink after work, and have gotten each other through work-related crises. So wouldn’t it be strange if your office buddy became your new boss? It’s more likely to happen in the current economic environment as hiring freezes force companies to promote from within, says Stephen Viscusi, a New York-based author and career consultant. Meanwhile, employees are more willing to accept a new title even if it means doing two jobs for the price of one. Becoming your friend’s subordinate may not be easy, but chances are he or she will be counting on your loyalty, Viscusi said. Still, the dynamic of your friendship at work will inevitably change. “You may not want peers in the same department to even know you have a personal relationship,” Viscusi said. “It can get very sticky.” Viscusi gives these rules for dealing with a friend you are now reporting to: ■ Remember this is now your boss, and he has his own job on the line. Don’t flaunt your friendship or ask for special favors. ■ Congratulate them first, then ask what you can do to make the job easier and transition faster. ■ Let your friend, now your superior, take the lead on what his priorities are: your friendship, or the role of being boss. ■ Hand over a copy of your resume. This would, of course, apply if the person is not your friend. But, often we are at a company for a long time, and even friends may not remember our experience. ■ If you notice a change in your friendship and still need and like your job, accept the change. New friends are far easier to come by today than new jobs.
Local businesses using social media tools to advertise, engage customers
I STAFF ILLUSTRATION | ANTHONY BRATINA
Nutrition facts When dining out, 65 percent of Americans say they prefer to see nutritional information on a restaurant menu rather than calories alone, according to a recent survey. Nearly 40 percent said they’d like to see a Nutrition Facts panel, while 27 percent preferred an at-a-glance program with credits or a ratings system, according to the random telephone survey conducted by Kelton Research. “Cities across the country are considering the public health impact of menu labeling, but our research shows that Americans are looking for more than just calorie-counts,” said John Eldredge, director of brand and business development at Guiding Stars Licensing Co., which makes nutrition navigation systems and commissioned the poll. The survey of 1,000 adults using random digital dialing was conducted between June 23 and June 30. The poll has a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 3.1 percentage points.
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Major job search It’s just the beginning of the school year, but many students may likely fret over their college-to-career transition and question the validity of some academic paths. The key is to choose an academic major connected to stable jobs, or those considered necessary despite fluctuations in the economic climate, says one occupational expert and author. “Jobs with a high average of annual openings or percent growth can be easier to obtain, particularly when you first enter the job market after completing your degree,” said Laurence Shatkin, author of the recently published book “50 Best College Majors for a Secure Future.” “Though a few of the majors lead to jobs with a moderate level of pay, most lead to jobs that pay quite well and can provide good long-term career opportunities or the ability to move up to more responsible roles.”
Medical premiums could still burden many By Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar The Associated Press
WASHINGTON | Many middle-class Americans would still struggle to pay for health insurance despite efforts by President Barack Obama and Democrats to make coverage more affordable. The legislation advancing in Congress would require all Americans to get insurance — through an employer, a government program or by buying it themselves. But new tax credits to help with premiums won’t go far enough for everyone. Some middle-class families purchasing their own coverage through new insurance exchanges could find it out of reach.
The issue of affordability “has been lurking in the background and is nowhere near resolved yet.” Drew Altman, president of the Kaiser Family Foundation Lawmakers recognize the problem. “For some people it’s going to be a heavy lift,” said Sen. Tom Carper, D-Del. “We’re doing our best to make sure it’s not an impossible lift.” Added Sen. Olympia Snowe, R-Maine: “We have no certainty as to whether or not these plans are going to be affordable.” Both are on the Sen-
ate Finance Committee, which finished writing a health-care bill on Friday. A new online tool from the Kaiser Family Foundation illustrates the predicament. The Health Reform Subsidy Calculator provides ballpark estimates of what households of varying incomes and ages would pay under the different Democratic health-care bills. The legislation is still a work in progress and the calculator only a rough guide. Nonetheless, the results are revealing. A family of four headed by a 45-yearold making $63,000 a year is in the middle of the middle class. But that family would pay $7,110 to buy its own health insurance under the plan from the committee chairman, Sen. Max
Baucus, D-Mont. The family would get a tax credit of $3,970 to help pay for a policy worth $11,080. But the balance due — $7,110 — is real money. Maybe it’s less than the rent, but it’s probably more than a car loan payment. Kaiser’s calculator doesn’t take into account co-payments and deductibles that could add hundreds of dollars, even several thousand, to a family’s total medical expenses. A Congressional Budget Office analysis estimates total expenses could average 20 percent of income for some families by 2016. The issue of affordability “has been lurking in the background and is nowhere near resolved yet,” said Kaiser’s SEE MEDICAL | 3D