Employer Insights - July/August 2008 by MEAinfo

Employer Insights July/August 2008

President’s Message

Highlights of this Issue

What Gets Measured Gets Done

Member Case Study, 4 Telecommuting, 5 The FISH! Spirit, 10 Legal Brief, 13 Environmental & Safety Compliance Deadlines, 17

And what gets done gets rewarded… and recognized?

Upcoming Events Briefings Surveys 101: How to Effectively use Salary Data - KoP Background Checks: The Legal Implications - KoP Internet Litigation - NJ Evaluating the Effectiveness of Your Company’s 401(k) Plan - KoP HSAs, HRAs & FSAs – What are the Differences and What’s Right for Your Company? – KoP PA FMLA/ADA/Workers’ Compensation - KoP NJ Immigration – NJ

7/1 7/9 7/10 7/17 7/31 8/5 8/21

Professional Roundtables Health & Safety - KoP HR & Benefits - Tuesdays - KoP

New Seminars

7/29 8/26

Writing Effective Job Descriptions: A Practical Guide - KoP Lean 101 for Controllers and CFOs – KoP Lean Office for Controllers and CFOs – KoP Value Stream Mapping for Controllers and CFOs- KoP

7/11

Problem Solving & Decision Making - KoP

7/31

How to Lead Effective Meetings – KoP

8/21

FISH! Spirit: The Path to Excellent Customer Service - KoP

7/16 7/22 7/24

8/27

With the Beijing Summer Olympics upon us, I thought it would be appropriate to remind our members of Olympic themes related to rewards and recognition for performance and achievement. Although these themes are firmly rooted in our minds relative to competitive sports (e.g., medals, trophies, ribbons), they really transcend traditional notions we may have as sports fans and apply in many aspects to the workplace. The importance of the award aspect of the competition at hand, or the prize for which individuals or teams compete, is what drives our motivation as players on a playing field, elevates our spirits as fans in a stadium, and engages us as workers, managers and leaders in a workplace environment. In Olympic competition one of the thrills we experience as spectators is rooted in the idea that the glory of winning is about winning itself and the recognition and honor that comes with it, and not about money. It may surprise you to know that when it comes to motivating employees, money is not typically at the top the list of motivators. Workplace studies show that a paycheck alone will not attract, retain or keep employees engaged for a vast majority of professions. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, the number one reason people leave their jobs is because they don’t feel appreciated – or that they have not been appropriately recognized for their achievements.

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Jim Devine, President & CEO jdevine@MEAinfo.org

Quantitative vs. Qualitative How many times have you watched an Olympic event rooting for your favorite athlete, whether out of patriotism or otherwise, and felt badly about a disappointing finish? All that training and hard work, and no gold medal! We may feel disappointed that our favorite athlete didn’t win the gold, however we tend to feel a little better when a silver or bronze medal is awarded. There’s a sense of fairness that comes to mind, particularly when the measurement process is quantitative: that is, when it’s measured by a clock, by a tape measure or by some other precise means. How about when a qualitative process is involved? More often than not we tend to question the judgment calls, don’t we? The most memorable examples I can think of are in Winter Olympic figure skating events where judges’ opinions come into play. There’s almost always some level of controversy, isn’t there? In the workplace when subjective or qualitative measurement is involved, designing equitable rewards systems can be a challenge. Recognition can become difficult as well where achievement is unclear due to a lack of quantitative results. When a qualitative measurement process is involved, employees may become demotivated where their own perceptions are that they’ve done please turn to page 2

We’re all about your workplace!

President’s Message What Gets Measured

the same if say, a PGA money-winner approach was used and athletes were judged like golfers based on how what’s been asked and yet there’s no reward or recognition for their efforts. much money they earned. On the other hand, even Olympic athletes When measurement around a goal can’t succeed without some financial or objective is grey, the employer backing and are often supported may miss the mark thinking that an by sponsorships. There needs to be obligation to reward and recognize balance between financial support achievement has not yet arisen, or and effort in order to sustain that that a goal has not been achieved. effort and maintain satisfaction. On the other hand, where objective There has to be more however, measurement is involved, employers may make the mistake of not including than balance and satisfaction for performance to really accelerate recognition along with a monetary and go beyond the status quo. reward. Goal achieved, money paid, done! However, the simple act of a pat For example, do you think that a on the back or a handshake of sincere financially supported athlete would continue training year after year for thanks that could have accompanied the sake of competition without the the bonus check may have meant as hope of winning or being recognized? much or more than the money itself. In his book The Carrot Principle, bestThe Carrot Principle and Recognition selling co-author Chester Elton It’s hard to imagine the Olympics explains the role of recognition as without medals: it just wouldn’t be that accelerator: the catalyst that continued from page 1

drives exceptional performance and engagement. Chester cites research which shows that truly satisfied employees may feel great about their pay, benefits and environment however, they may be very reluctant to change the status quo and will be very happy to stay in the same role and level of contribution forever. Engaged employees on the other hand demonstrate qualities relating to innovation, creativity and a passion for results. These are the employees that truly take personal responsibility to make things happen and have an emotional bond to the organization and its mission. While every workplace needs the former, it’s the latter group that will enable your organization to grow and achieve sustainable success. The take-away is this: whether it’s an Olympic event or a workplace process or project we’re talking about, the best recognition programs are based on please turn to page 7

Getting to Know the Staff at MEA Henderson. “I like to make sure that they feel at home and have everything Kelly Henderson, that they need to have a positive Training learning experience.” Administrator, Kelly also updates the database with joined MEA in any new programs and assists in August of 2006. She has attended invoicing and accounts receivable for Temple University any of the training program accounts. and Montgomery Kelly resides in New Jersey and County Community College focusing recently became engaged to Tracy on courses in science and biology. Adams with a 2008 wedding planned. She is active in her church community Among her many responsibilities, and enjoys spinning, reading and Kelly manages the registration for taking pictures in her spare time. all of the public seminars. Including briefings and Roundtables, MEA offers over 100 different programs each year. She also prepares all of the materials Janie Oehlert for the public and on-site programs, has been with insures that the facilities are set-up MEA for 7 years for the public programs and and is Manager provides the inventory control and of Employee maintenance of all the training Benefits Services. equipment and supplies. Janie brings “I really enjoy meeting and greeting over 13 years the members that come through our of Benefits and doors each year for training” states 2

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Human Resources experience to the Association. She assists member organizations by providing expertise in the area of employee benefits programs, including effective plan design, cost-sharing and cost-saving methods, as well as in compliance areas such as COBRA, TEFRA/DEFRA, and Cafeteria Plans. Janie is a licensed producer for accident and health, life and fixed annuities in the states of Pennsylvania and New Jersey, and manages MEA’s insurance brokerage subsidiary. Janie offers members expert advice on specific employee benefits issues and assists with claims resolution, carrier billing issues and open enrollment, conducts benefit program reviews and provides the highest levels of customer service possible. Janie also facilitates various MEA seminars on topics such as COBRA administration, Cafeteria Plan administration, and the basics of employee benefits.

Membership

Welcome to the MEA Family! Aegis Technologies Inc. – Wayne, PA - Manufacturer of fire protection pipefittings Longchamp USA Inc. – Yardville, NJ – Wholesaler/retailer of fine leather goods and accessories Goodwill Industries of Southern NJ & Quaker City – Maple Shade, NJ – Non-profit, community based organization providing education, job training and employment services that prepare individuals with disabilities and other disadvantaging conditions for employment Gemalto Inc. – Montgomeryville, PA - Leading provider of smart card solutions & digital security Nolan Painting – Havertown, PA – Residential/Commercial painting The Philadelphia Orchestra/The Kimmel Center Inc. – Philadelphia, PA – Orchestra & Arts Administration Cheltenham Township Library System – Glenside, PA - Public library system John Middleton Company – Limerick, PA - Manufacturer and marketer of pipe tobacco, cigarettes and cigars E F Precision Inc. – Willow Grove, PA - Manufacturer of aerospace, medical, semiconductor, telecommunications, electronic, pharmaceutical & power transmission equipment, precision machined components; assembling & engineering services Global Packaging Inc. - Oaks, PA - Flexographic printing and packaging International Holidays Inc. - North East, MD - Travel agent wholesale company Dr’s. Barron and Sawyer, DMD - Langhorne, PA - Dental practice

MEA On The Move Jim Devine, President & CEO, participated in “Read to Me Fridays” at the Pathway School in Norristown, PA on March 28th. The program was designed to promote literacy among the nonprofit school’s 160 students with learning disabilities and neuropsychiatric disorders. Each week a reader is invited from the business community.

Surveys, Surveys, Surveys! The 2008-2009 MEA Wage & Salary Adjustment Survey is now being conducted. If you participate in this survey, you’ll get the results for free! The results will be published in September 2008, in the 2009 MEA Salary Planning Guide.

Devine also attended the Spring EAG CEO Meeting in Tucson, Arizona on March 30 – April 1, 2008. Topics discussed and presented included: Legal Trends Hitting Your Members; 7 Measures of Association Success as it Relates to EAGs; Workforce Preparedness and Training, and HR Policy Activity Update. Clara Console, Director of Membership, Training and Marketing, spoke on the topic of “Membership in Associations” to a group of junior level association managers at the Delaware Valley Society of Association Executives (DVSAE) on April 8th at the Hyatt in Penn’s Landing.

Beth Ann Mazza, Membership Ambassador, attended the 14th Annual Student Achievers’ Banquet on Sunday, April 27th at the Desmond Hotel in Malvern, PA which is hosted by the students of the Desmond Project of the Great Valley High School. The Desmond Class, in collaboration with the Desmond Hotel and Conference Center, has created a unique educational experience that gives students the opportunity to get a feel for the “real working world.” Over 300 people attended including government representatives, school district officials, corporate sponsors, parents and students.

Membership Facts & Figures According to the recently released MEA National Sales Compensation and Practices Survey, most surveyed employers (77%) reimburse sales personnel the standard IRS mileage allowance (48.5 cents a mile at the time the survey was conducted) for business use of their own vehicle. Just one percent had a reimbursement rate greater than the IRS standard rate, and 18 percent had reimbursements of 36 to 48 cents a mile. This survey provides data on 21 sales-related positions from customer service to executive. The data is based on information submitted by 735 U.S. firms in a wide variety of industries. The report includes data on base pay, variable pay, total compensation and pay strategies. www.MEAinfo.org

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Membership

Member Case Study

ResiliEnt Business Solutions by Beth Ann Mazza, MEA Membership Ambassador When a local manufacturing company found its ongoing operations at risk from events in its IT organization, it turned to ResiliEnt Business Solutions for help. ResiliEnt assessed the situation and recommended the implementation of an outsourced managed infrastructure solution. “Companies are in a continuous struggle to maintain the required level of technical expertise and the required level of investment to manage a robust computing infrastructure that does not impede in any way an organization’s productivity, efficiency and growth,” states Roger S. Panfil, Jr., President of ResiliEnt Business Solutions. Information Technology (IT) is a critical factor in the execution of an organization’s business plan. In order for any organization to be successful, its employees must manage an increasingly complex infrastructure of workstations, servers and applications, and as the reliance on these technologies increases, so does the risk associated with the nonperformance of these assets. Recognizing the increasing need to support organizations with these issues, Panfil and Laila Samawi-Utley, CEO, started ResiliEnt Business Solutions in February of 2004 to service the US. Both believed that they could come to market with a business and delivery model that would improve the quality of consulting services while bringing down the cost. They developed a staff of information delivery experts and a management team that has over 100 years of experience in business intelligence, data warehousing and enterprise application integration. Although the company started out focusing on traditional lines of IT consulting, the management team at ResiliEnt very quickly identified that many companies need help in modernizing and maintaining their computing infrastructures, providing effective support for end users and delivering reliable network monitoring and server recovery procedures. ResiliEnt began working with companies to overhaul their IT infrastructures, and true to the ResiliEnt business model – make those improvements in a costneutral proposition. “The concept of managed IT infrastructure (MITI) is to offer a solution to small to mid-sized companies to improve IT services and their infrastructure while containing or reducing costs,” said Panfil. “Also, when an organization adopts a MITI program, it is able to focus its energy and resources on the company’s core competency. This moves it from a reactive model to a proactive model so issues are attacked before they become big problems.” A growing manufacturing company in Pennsylvania that was struggling and at risk because of its aging computing infrastructure, signed up for a MITI program and subsequently completely modernized its computing infrastructure by: • Adding 40 new PC’s; • Replacing 2 out of 3 key business servers; • Implementing a fully automatic and tapeless disaster recovery procedure for its key servers, complete with a Web utility for client self-service file recovery; • Providing unlimited Help Desk calls for the entire user community, along with guaranteed levels of service to the business community, and • Implementing continuous 24/7 network, security, server and backup monitoring. These are just some of the benefits that a MITI program will deliver. The implementation begins with a thorough assessment reviewing a client’s computing infrastructure and making recommendations on areas of improvement. All hardware, software and software licensing will be reviewed along with disaster recovery procedures, email capabilities, security measures and network performance. “Today an organization’s success is bound to its computing infrastructure,” Panfil said. “A managed IT infrastructure is something that every organization should consider because it provides technical expertise that relieves the staff of everyday constraints allowing the focus to be the core business.” Panfil asks, “If these dramatic benefits can be delivered without increasing the cost to the organization, who wouldn’t want to, at least, look into this concept?”

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Employee Benefits

Telecommuting – What Does Your Organization Need to Consider? By Janie Oehlert, MEA Manager of Employee Benefits

With the ever-increasing price of gasoline, working from home, otherwise known as telecommuting or teleworking, is becoming more popular. MEA’s survey data indicates that 13.2% of private companies currently offer telecommuting. That figure is in line with CDW’s 2008 Telework Report that indicates that 14% of private-sector employees and 17% of federal employees currently telecommute. There are many factors driving the attraction of telecommuting, including: • Work/life balance issues • Recruitment/retention efforts • Heightened concerns about the environment (traffic congestion, air pollution)

technology expertise necessary to be successful for telecommuting? • Does the employee understand the importance of excellent communication? • The supervisor/manager must accept the concept of managing remotely and adjust management and communication style accordingly. • Output-based controls, such as management by objective, may need to be implemented in order to monitor employees effectively. • Expectations for communication and reporting would need to be established prior to approval.

• Increased productivity

• The organization must support telecommuting as a legitimate practice, as well as provide necessary support to telecommuting employees.

• Ability to work during a disruption (snowstorms, road/bridge closures, flooding, etc.)

• The job duties, either in part or entirety, must be suited to telecommuting.

• Spreading illness due to working while sick (think “flu season”)

What to Consider: • The characteristics of the employee must be appropriate. • Can the employee work with little to no supervision? • Has the employee had solid performance reviews in the past? • Is the employee self-disciplined? • Is the employee dependable? • Is the employee wellorganized with good time management skills? • Does the employee currently have or can he/she attain the

• A well-thought out policy needs to be in place. Before implementing a policy, you need to define the term “telecommuting” as it relates to your company (full-time home office, fixed number of days, project-based, etc.). You will also need to address the following issues: • Home office inspections – are you going to conduct them? At the very least, your policy needs to grant the company the right to perform inspections. You will also need to outline the employee’s responsibility to maintain a safe workspace and ergonomically correct station. Telecommuting employees who suffer work-

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related injuries in home offices are covered by your workers’ comp, so you’ll want to emphasize that they need to report any workrelated injuries. • Security – What systems would need to be in place to secure company data in a home office environment? • Property damage & liability – If you provide office equipment to telecommuters, you will need to outline who owns the equipment, who is authorized to use it, who is responsible for repair and maintenance, as well as costs, and who insures it. Employers should have each telecommuter sign a written agreement, which addresses the issues above, as well as specifics on the following: • Work schedule and duties; • When and how often the employee should contact the office and who they should contact; • Who pays for ongoing expenses, such as phone lines; • Confidentiality of company data; • Who can cancel the arrangement and how much notice must be given, and • An acknowledgement that the employee is responsible for addressing legal or tax-related issues that may arise due to the use of a home office.

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Employee Benefits

EAP Corner Is all the talk we hear about workplace stress overblown, or is there something to it? After all, the workplace has always been stressful. Things should be better with all the technology options, right? What does the research say? Is there anything new to report? According to a recent study by Watson Wyatt Worldwide, an international consulting firm, workplace stress is the most frequently cited reason U.S. employees consider leaving their jobs. Employers acknowledge that stress is affecting business performance, but few reportedly are doing much about it. Nearly half of U.S. employers (48 percent) say stress caused by working long hours is affecting business performance. However, only 5 percent are addressing this concern. Similarly, more than one-quarter (29 percent) of employers believe stress caused by widespread use of technology such as cell phones and personal digital assistants is greatly affecting business performance, but only 6 percent are taking action to confront the issue. By not intervening with stress, employers invite an increase in unscheduled time off, absence rates, and health care costs – all of which hurt a company’s bottom line. (February 14, 2008; Press Release, www.watsonwyatt.com)

Telecommuting continued from page 5

Potential Downsides to Telecommuting As with any new program, there exists the possibility that all results may not be favorable. Some potential challenges may be: • Employee personality may not be suited to “isolation” of a home office environment. •

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away”, creating a “flight risk”. • The employee may be passed over for other opportunities due to low visibility to management. • There could be increased costs due to operating procedure changes (i.e., data security, legal concerns, software/hardware, etc.)

The Bottom Line Telecommuting is increasing in popularity and can be a powerful recruitment and retention tool. Employees who are not able to According to CDW’s 2008 report, telecommute may feel resentful 40 percent of private-sector and jealous. employees say that the option Since co-workers cannot readily to telecommute would influence see a telecommuter’s contributions, their decision to remain with their they may feel the telecommuting employer or take a new job. That employee is not part of the “team”. being said, every organization needs to do its homework to determine if Relationships between employee telecommuting should be an option and supervisor can deteriorate if in their workplace. management style does not adapt. If you’d like more information Telecommuter could become on telecommuting or any other psychologically “disconnected” employee benefits issues, please from peers. contact Janie Oehlert, MEA Manager of Employee Benefits Services If business needs change and at 800-662-6238. telecommuting is no longer an option, it can be viewed as a “take-

To learn more about implementing an EAP at your company, please contact the MEA Benefits Department at 800-662-6238 or send an email to benefits@meainfo.org.

For Your Benefit: Why do sick employees come to work? According to a survey by LifeCare, Inc., 29% stated “Other people depend on me and I don’t want to let them down.” Twenty-six percent said it was “too risky to take time off,” followed by 15% who said they were “too busy to stay home.” Twelve percent said they save their sick days for childcare/eldercare emergencies, while 8% use sick days as vacation days. Only 7% of respondents indicated they don’t work when they are sick. 6

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Human Resources

The Employee Handbook… Does my Organization Need One? By Judy Baehrle, MEA Senior HR Consultant

Do you recall the last time you were faced with having to make a decision regarding an employee’s pay because there was not a written policy? What is your policy and procedure on drug testing, payroll discrepancies or other important matters concerning employees? You may be asking yourself, “who has got the time to create and write employment guidelines?” As our government imposes more laws, business owners must document everything, no matter what the size their businesses. If you have more than four employees, it’s a good idea to create and maintain an Employee Handbook that clearly explains your workplace policies. The benefits of having an Employee Handbook include: • Every employee receives the same information about the rules of the workplace. • Your employees will know what you expect from them (and what they can expect from you). • You’ll buy yourself valuable legal protection, if an employee later challenges the employer or you in court.

outline your commitment to Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO), intolerance of sexual harassment, payment practices, workplace violence and internet and cell phone policies, just to name a few. If your employees know that you are committed to applying employment rules and practices consistently, you could be rewarded with a happier and more productive workforce. Listed below are just some of the areas that should be addressed in your handbook: • The company’s history and overall business goals. • A statement that the handbook is not a binding contract and that the policies in it can be changed after the handbook is distributed. • A statement of commitment to equal opportunity and mechanisms for reporting sexual harassment or other grievances to management.

• Basic information about employee benefits, such as health insurance, pensions, vacation time, sick days, and paid holidays. • Discipline procedures. • An explanation of steps that managers and employees must take to ensure a safe workplace. An MEA HR Professional can assist you and your organization in either reviewing your current handbook or developing a new, up to date handbook. Don’t put this important part of your business on the back burner. If you would like more information regarding handbooks, or other related services, contact Judy Baehrle, MEA Senior HR Consultant at 610-666-7330. “The most productive and happiest employees are those that know the rules of the game.”

• Basic policies related to employee career growth, including performance and salary reviews, promotions, and transfers.

You can also use a handbook to

What Gets Measured

when recognition is added to the other characteristics of leadership (goal-setting, communication, reliable metrics; quantitative and/or trust and accountability) and truly qualitative. Without including an accelerates employee performance effective recognition program in the mix of a rewards scheme, performance and engagement. Applying the “carrot principle” to the old saying “what gets levels may remain average or even measured gets done, and what gets sub-par, and turnover may increase done gets rewarded, always remember due to the lack of a truly engaged to add “and gets recognized” to the workforce. The “carrot principle” then, end of that phrase. Your bottom line as Chester reveals in his book, is the will be rewarded. idea that great management is born continued from page 2

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* * * * Thanks to all of our members and guests that attended our April 11th event featuring Chester Elton as our keynote speaker. Over 90 attendees enjoyed Chester’s truly amazing and entertaining presentation – “Creating a Carrot Culture.” For more information on Chester and what a carrot culture is all about visit his website at www.carrots.com.

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Human Resources

Have you taken your employees’ “temperature” lately? Employee Opinion Survey • Measure issues that have a direct impact on morale and productivity such as: • Working conditions • Pay & Benefits • Communication • Management/supervisory effectiveness • Gain insight on what’s working in your workplace • Evaluate your results versus industry benchmarks • Receive recommendations for workable solutions MEA’s benchmark norm is 73% - find out what this means and how your organization rates both nationally and regionally. Call us at 1 800-662-6238 or email us at hrservices@meainfo.org

Hotline Q & A Q

We have an employee who is requesting intermittent FMLA for 2-3 hours at a time. The employee wants to use his vacation time during his intermittent FMLA. Our current vacation policy states that all vacation must be taken in full days only. What should we do?

MEA’s recommendation is that the employer allow an employee using intermittent FMLA to substitute paid leave for unpaid FMLA, and to do so in increments that may be smaller than what the employer’s vacation policy would otherwise allow. This advice is supported by FMLA regulation 29 CFR Section 825.207(e): “Paid vacation or personal leave, including leave earned or accrued under plans allowing “paid time off,” may be substituted at either the employee’s or the employer’s option, for any qualified FMLA leave. No limitations may be placed by the employer on substitution of paid vacation or personal leave for these purposes.” In addition, there is further support in the regulations under 29 CFR Section 825.203(d), which provides as follows: “There is no limit on the size of an increment of leave when an employee takes intermittent leave. However, an employer may limit leave increments to the shortest period of time that the employer’s payroll system uses to account for absences or use of leave, provided it is one hour or less.” MEA Hotline: (800) 662-6238

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Human Resources

Interim HR Services – The Flexible Solution for Your Organization Do you need HR coverage for summer vacations or special projects? Have you ever been met with the dilemma of what to do when your HR Manager requests a leave of absence or, worse yet, resigns? What are your options? MEA’s Interim HR Services is an innovative solution to a potentially stressful situation. MEA can provide you with an HR professional, full- or part-time, on a temporary or on-going basis. Our consultants are ready to “hit the ground running” to assist you with your HR needs. They possess a wide range of HR and business-sector experience, and have the full support of the MEA team behind them. You benefit from flexibility in scheduling, and are billed by the hour with no affect on your payroll. MEA offers a variety of skill levels, from entry-level HR Assistants/Generalists to seasoned HR Directors/Project Managers. Call us with a description of your needs, and we’ll send out one or more Consultants at your desired skill level. Our rates vary based on the complexity of your needs and the experience of our Consultants, offering you maximum flexibility. To discuss how MEA’s Interim HR Services can benefit you, call Kathy Muscarella, MEA Senior HR Consultant, at 800-662-6238.

HR Policy Pointer: Performance Appraisals and Forced Ranking: Utilizing Bell Curves as a Guide Forced ranking is a procedure that requires managers, through the performance appraisal process, to assign employees into predetermined groups according to their performance, potential, and promotability. Employees are sorted into three groups: the top 20% who receive the highest rewards and promotions; a high performing middle 70% with good futures; and a bottom 10% who is unlikely to stay at the organization. Ranking employees in this way forms a bell curve. Several large companies are currently using this method. The best-known company following this procedure is General Electric. Other companies utilizing some form of forced ranking in their performance appraisal system include Microsoft, Cisco Systems, HP, EDS, Pepsi and Sun Microsystems. Although the specifics of different systems vary, they all have in common the requirement of comparison of people in addition to the conventional performance appraisal process. Employees are rated in four categories: the top 20% are rated “outstanding,” 30% rated “superior,” 40% rated “meets expectations,” and the bottom 10% ranked “needs improvement.” Generally, after performance appraisals are conducted, a steering committee made up of managers and Human Resources representatives reviews the ratings. If the ratings are skewed in a certain department, the forms are returned to the department with the percentage norms highlighted. Managers are requested to correct the ratings and send them back. HR’s role is to highlight the policy and ensure that the policy is maintained. The system works well when organizations have a large number of employees to be rated. Smaller organizations of less than 50 employees find that the method is not as effective; the shape of the curve is generally not a perfect bell due to limitations in department size. For more information, contact Carrie Theisen, SPHR, MEA Director of Human Resource Services at 610-666-7330.

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Training and Development

The FISH! Spirit is Alive and Well at MEA By Clara Console, MEA Director of Membership, Training and Marketing

If you’ve visited MEA lately, you may have heard bell-ringing, seen red clown noses, stuffed animals, fish or pigs being thrown around, or happy orange carrots sitting in our staff members’ offices and cubicles. You may even have been here when we celebrated a new member who has joined MEA. The pom-poms swing away. We tend to be happy campers at MEA – and not because we love our new location, across from the King of Prussia Mall, but because we REALLY enjoy working here! We have fun doing what we do. We are happy to work with members because we know they have workplace needs, and we can help them. No matter what amount of time you spend at work, wouldn’t it seem logical that we would want to work in a fun place – a workplace for which we have passion? We want you, too, to catch the FISH! Spirit!! We’ve been teaching others about the FISH! philosophy for years, written about it in our newsletter and facilitated FISHrelated training programs to hundreds of people. In case you haven’t been introduced to the FISH! philosophy, let me show you the way. The FISH! philosophy comes from Seattle’s world famous Pike Place Fish Market. It is known for its upbeat atmosphere, excellent customer service and incredible spirit of its employees and customers. The

impact of this fun environment is that the customers shop happy and leave happy. Ultimately, the return for the owners of the fish market is a very positive bottom-line with repeat customers and very happy employees. The thought process involves making sure the employees enjoy their work, and ultimately that spirit will be contagious to their customers. In 1998 the film, FISH! Catch the Energy, Release the Potential was released, produced by John Christensen. What John captured and translated into film was that even in a workplace where fishmongers spent stinky, grueling 12-hour shifts stocking, selling and packing fish, remarkable results occured when people accepted the invitation to: 1) Be There for their coworkers and customers; 2) Play; 3) Make someone’s day, and; 4) Choose their attitude about how they show up for work. As a result, the FISH! film, has now been translated into 17 languages. Next came FISH! the book, currently translated into 34 languages. Other book titles include FISH! Sticks, FISH! Tales, FISH! For Life, and recently, Schools of FISH!. Today, The FISH! Spirit is flourishing in

corporate and educational markets throughout the world— championed by business leaders, HR and training professionals and individuals committed to creating cultures of trust, accountability and innovation. If you are committed to creating such a culture, I invite you to catch the FISH! Spirit. Join us as we present FISH! Spirit! – The Path to Excellent Customer Service on August 27 and again on October 30, at our King of Prussia Training Center. We can also bring this program to you as an onsite training program where you can build an incredible FISH! team in your own organization. Watch out for the flying fish – and see how your employees, and customers, react to a more fun and invigorating workplace!

Tip of the Trade: To succeed in today’s workplace, it’s not enough to be smart, technically savvy, and experienced. You also need to be people-smart to get along well with people and bring out their best. When communicating with your colleagues, clients or employees: • Speak with sincerity and conviction. • Be sensitive to the other person’s communication style. • Know what you want to accomplish. Do you want people to understand your position? Lend their support? Approve your request? • Listen at least as much as you talk. • Attune what you say with how you say it. Keep your message congruent with your tone of voice, facial expression, and body language. 10

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LeaderResources to Leader Human

Employee Opinion Surveys Yield Important Insights into Workplace Engagement By Jim Devine, MEA President & CEO Companies seeking to maximize their competitive market position realize that employee engagement is a key factor in achieving sustainable success. These organizations know that a supportive internal environment enhances employee morale and stimulates engagement levels, which in turn drives positive performance, motivation, and commitment. Listening to and being responsive to employees’ concerns about workplace issues are critical first steps in creating that much-needed supportive environment. Capturing and analyzing employees’ attitudes towards the things that drive commitment in the right direction will help you identify organizational factors needing improvement. Better information is key to understanding your workforce and managing their contribution to company performance. Statistics from the Gallup Organization indicate that only twenty-eight percent of workers are actually engaged in their jobs. Fifty-four percent are not engaged and the remaining seventeen percent are actively disengaged. Engaged - These employees are enthusiastic, committed and passionate about their work. They perform at consistently high levels and want to use their talents and strengths every day. They intuitively understand and feel connected to the company’s mission. Not engaged - These employees have essentially “checked out.” They generally show-up for work every day and aren’t necessarily negative or positive about their employer. They put in their time, have reasonable productivity, but are not putting high levels of energy or passion into their work. Remember, according to the survey, over half of the U.S. workforce falls under this category! Actively disengaged - These

employees are typically the ones that drain the energy out of an organization. They aren’t just unhappy with the job; they are busy acting out their unhappiness. They vocalize how miserable they are and often undermine the performance and accomplishment of others. Gallup estimates that actively disengaged workers cost the American economy over 350 billion dollars annually in lost productivity. Highly effective organizations understand what employees are thinking. The leadership team recognizes the importance of knowing what it takes to sustain employee satisfaction and commitment. An Employee Opinion Survey does for your company what a performance evaluation does for your staff managers. It pinpoints areas where the collective opinions of your staff feel management should focus its efforts to drive positive change. Survey results may bring to the surface organizational performance issues of which management may not have been previously aware. These issues, once revealed, may steer plans for change towards results that will be better appreciated by employees, help them better handle planned changes and elevate their performance. In conducting an Employee Opinion Survey, be up front with staff about how important the survey is to you. Explain that it is not a test, and that there are no “right” or “wrong” answers. Ask them to be candid and reasonable in their feedback, and assure them that responses are anonymous and confidential. It is advisable to have a third party proctor the survey sessions and collect completed surveys in an envelope or sealed drop box, or via a central online repository, if available. If you have non English-speaking employees, secure the services of a translator, and if you have a marginally literate population it’s best to isolate www.MEAinfo.org

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these individuals and recite survey questions in a live meeting if possible. Convincing employees that you are genuinely interested in getting their input, on a confidential basis, to improve the organization will significantly improve the quality of responses you receive. Ensuring that employees know that the organization is dedicated to putting the survey results to work will also markedly improve survey quality as well. Part of the message you will want employees to receive is the organization’s commitment to them. If you solicit survey participation and don’t follow up, the initiative may backfire with employees reacting more negatively than if you’d never undertaken the survey effort in the first place. In summary, use an Employee Opinion Survey to become informed about your organization and the potential impact of decisions you may have in cue. Then, inform your employees about the results, and always act on the information revealed. MEA recommends a two-year cycle for re-surveying employees to assess whether the actions you’ve undertaken in response to under-performing measurement areas have improved. – Jim Devine

From Beyond the Region

Assessing Workplace Fit: Not an Easy Task by Mary Lynn Fayoumi, CAE, SPHR, GPHR, President & CEO

The word “fit” is used frequently in the field of human resource management. For example, when interviewing candidates, certain questions are used to determine if the candidate will fit the organization’s culture. Or, current employees who are experiencing difficulties getting along with the team are often deemed to not be a good fit for a particular position or department. Assessing fit assumes that you have a relatively good feel for not only what the person in question does but also the environment and/or other employees or customers are like. In short, making decisions about degree of fit assumes that you are beginning with a pretty solid frame of reference. For many in HR, or management in general, decisions on fit come as much from the gut as from the head. However, for those who are making personnel-related decisions for locations, divisions or subsidiaries in Europe, things might not be as clear as they seem. According to a survey reported on by Kathy Gurchiek in SHRM’s HR Week, 45% of European workers are chameleons who take on different workplace personalities depending on where and with whom they are working. This phenomenon seems to be strongest in the UK where 64% of workers assume a new persona when they hit the office. Although there are many unique reasons for this interesting trend, most chameleons appear to mean well. Their desires include being more effective, fitting in better with work teams and avoiding workplace clashes. Others use their special workplace

personas to enhance their rapport with clients or their own managers. Surprisingly, those most likely to alter their personality in the European workforce are those working in HR, training, professional services and health care. Could chameleon-ism be a universal concern, also impacting U.S. workplaces? While a study of American workers isn’t currently planned by the research group (OPP, an international firm of business psychologists based in the UK), their contention is that Europe isn’t the only home of effective workplace actors. Determining fit is hard enough without the added challenge of not being sure if the candidate or

employee is simply playing a part or really demonstrating true, personal strengths and weaknesses. I guess the old adage, “You be the judge,” is more relevant than ever. Good luck!

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MEA is part of the Employer Association Group (EAG), which consists of 66 employer associations across the country. If your company has an oﬃce in another region and you’d like more information about this network, please contact Joanne Powell, Manager of Membership and Marketing Administration at jpowell@meainfo.org. 12

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Legal Brief Does the ADA Protect an Employee Who is Addicted to Prescription Drugs? By Nancy DuBoise, MEA Employment Attorney I like to use this column as an opportunity to share information on interesting legal questions that come to me via the MEA Hotline. My thinking is that if one person called to ask me a question on a particular topic, there are probably at least ten other members who have grappled (or are currently grappling) with the same issue, but for a variety of reasons they have not called the Hotline for advice. For those members who have not yet called the Hotline, I hope this column will provide some guidance. A member recently called the Hotline seeking help in responding to an employee who had requested leave to obtain treatment for a substance abuse problem. The facts relayed to me were as follows: In each of the two months preceding the member’s call to the Hotline, the employee in question had asked for a weeklong leave of absence for what had generally been described by the employee as a medical condition. This particular employee had worked for the employer for less than one year, and thus was not eligible for leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). Despite his ineligibility for FMLA leave, the employer opted to grant the employee’s request because he valued the employee and wanted to be supportive. In both instances, the employee failed to return to work on the scheduled return-to-work date. When the employee did return to work (two days late) from the second leave, he finally admitted to the HR Manager that he had an addiction to prescription drugs, and had been using his time off from work to get treatment. He further informed the HR Manager that his doctor wanted him to enter a 30-day in-patient program because the out-patient treatment had not been successful. It was the employee’s

request for a 30-day leave of absence that prompted the member to call the Hotline seeking advice. If the employee had been eligible for FMLA, then the member’s obligation would have been to grant leave, up to a maximum of twelve weeks, and to reinstate the employee to the same or equivalent position upon his return. (In-patient treatment almost always qualifies as a “serious health condition” under FMLA.) Because the employee was not eligible for FMLA, the employer did not have that obligation. The employer did, however, arguably have an obligation to provide “reasonable accommodation” under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). While the ADA does not protect individuals who are addicted to illegal drugs (unless they are currently in a treatment program), the ADA’s definition of disability does include an addiction to alcohol or legal drugs. If the employee is covered under the ADA as a “qualified individual with a disability,” then the employer must provide reasonable accommodation. In our case, the employer had already demonstrated more than reasonable accommodation by having previously granted two leaves of absence for an employee who was not entitled to such leaves under FMLA or the employer’s policy. Moreover, an employer does not have to tolerate an employee’s habitual inability to show up for work, even if the employee is disabled, and even if the disability itself is what interferes with the person’s ability to follow the employer’s work rules. The obligation to provide reasonable accommodation does not mean that an employer has to abandon the legitimate work rules that are necessary to the operation of its business.

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I suggested to the member that termination for excessive absence was an option to be considered. While the termination would be for legitimate reasons, the timing of it (i.e. on the heels of learning that the employee was arguably disabled and protected under the ADA) posed some legal risks. That is, the employee might perceive that the termination was motivated by disability discrimination, and file a charge of discrimination with the EEOC or the state human rights agency, and/or bring a lawsuit based on the same theory. After going through the above analysis, the member came to believe (as I did) that: (a) termination of the employee for poor attendance was justified, (b) there was a risk that the individual would file a charge of discrimination and/or commence a lawsuit if terminated, and (c) if an agency charge and/or litigation were to follow, the employer had a good defense based on having provided reasonable accommodation for some period of time prior to the decision to terminate. If you would like to discuss any concerns under the ADA, or any other employment law issue, feel free to contact me at 800-662-6238.

Industry Focus: Eye on Manufacturing

ManuFacts Modern Export Controls

A Matter of U.S. National Security and Economic Growth • Export controls are the means by which the U.S. government manages the sale or transfer of sensitive goods and technology, services and know-how to non-U.S. citizens in a manner consistent with the nation’s national security interests, foreign policy goals and international obligations. • The current export control system is cumbersome and inefficient and has not kept pace with important changes in the global security and economic environment. • Delays in processing export licenses restrict large and small U.S companies’ abilities to meet deadlines to bid for and complete projects. • American companies are finding that potential customers are deliberately “designing out” U.S.-made components in their products to avoid U.S. export controls. • The current export control system is hampering U.S. companies’ ability to support military interoperability with our friends and allies, facilitate mutual sharing of critical technologies for the benefit of U.S. warfighters and sustain the competitiveness of the U.S. industrial base. PRESIDENTIAL EXPORT CONTROL DIRECTIVES President Bush issued an export control directive that will ensure U.S. defense trade policies and practices better support the national security strategy of the United States. Specific actions include: • More Effective U.S. Export Licensing • A More Efficient Dispute Resolution Mechanism • Enhanced Enforcement

HOW THE ADMINISTRATION CAN HELP: Effective implementation of the President’s directives is critical. Departments of State, Commerce and Defense should act in a timely manner.

Facts • One in six manufacturing jobs in the United States depends on exports of manufactured goods. • The United States employs more than four million workers in its high-technology industries—the industries primarily affected by export controls. • High-technology industries are also the nation’s largest exporter. As manufacturing in the United States continues to evolve and grow, we will depend increasingly on these high-technology industries to expand exports, create jobs and keep our economy strong and competitive. • U.S. high-technology exports accounted for $345 billion (or 37 percent) of all U.S. exports of manufactured goods in 2006. Source: U.S. Department of Commerce

Bottom Line: President Bush issued directives on Jan. 22 ordering the different departments of jurisdiction to implement many of the NAM’s recommendations, which would enhance the ability of U.S. manufacturers to compete in the global marketplace and improve our military’s ability to work with our allies. We urge the departments to move forward in a timely manner. 14

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Join MEA’s “Walls of Fame” Every year, over 2500 visitors pass through MEA’s doors for training, Roundtables, events and other meetings. We would love to showcase our member organizations to all of our visitors. American Foodservice is our first member to join the “Walls of Fame.” If you are interested in joining the American Foodservice on MEA’s “Walls of Fame”, please contact Beth Ann Mazza, Membership Ambassador, at 610-994-7631 to further discuss the details of how your organization can be featured.

MEA’s PHR/SPHR 10-Week Study Program HRCI Approved! Come learn with us and make test preparation a breeze with the help of MEA’s experienced certified instructors and the SHRM Learning System. When: Wednesdays, September 17 – November 19, 2008 from 5pm-8pm Where: MEA’s convenient King of Prussia headquarters, just off the PA turnpike Fee: Members – $1095.00 Non-Members – $1350.00 “The SHRM Learning System is the only Professional of Human Resources (PHR®) or Senior Professional of Human Resources (SPHR®) certification preparation program that consistently beats the national pass rate.” (Society for Human Resource Management) The course includes SHRM Learning System study materials, review sessions, discussions, exercises, practice tests and study strategies. A SHRM self-study course is also available. For more information, contact MEA HR Services at (800) 662-6238 or hrservices @MEAinfo.org. To register, e-mail registration@MEAinfo.org

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Events

Creating a Carrot Culture MEA invited New York Times best selling author Chester Elton to address our members on April 11th at our new headquarters at The Atrium in King of Prussia. Elton used humor, research and audience participation to illustrate the power of effective, strategic employee recognition. Using the results of a 10-year in-depth management study, the motivating and often hilarious, Elton showed how the best business managers use recognition to engage

Jim Devine, President and CEO, MidAtlantic Employers’ Association receives the “Golden Carrot Award” from Chester Elton during the presentation. Elton gave this award to Devine for recognizing the importance of employee recognition and wanting to share this message with MEA’s membership.

their people, retain talent, and accelerate performance. The MEA member audience included small to mid-size businesses in the tri-state region that are highly invested in training and continuous improvement and regularly take advantage of the training and human resources G.A. Taylor Fernley, MEA Board Member and President & CEO of Fernley & Fernley Inc., services available through Philadelphia, PA, Ronald Allen, MEA Chairman of the Board and Sr. Chairman & CEO of the association. American Foodservice, King of Prussia, PA, Chester Elton and Jim Devine take a moment to pose for a group picture. “We wanted to open our new King of Prussia offices with a high The training session preached “the impact event and Chester Elton had all power of the carrot,” showing how great managers lead with carrots, of our members on the edge of their not sticks, and connect successful seats,” said Jim Devine, President and CEO of MEA. “His message was simple recognition strategies with core traits of effective leadership. The and provocative: people will work lecture was followed by a cocktail harder and more enthusiastically for reception, carrot cake desserts, an appreciative boss, and companies that praise topnotch performance are and a book signing. Over 90 MEA more profitable than those who don’t.” members attended this event.

23 Local Directors from the YMCA of Philadelphia & Vicinity Receive Supervisor Certification from MEA Leadership Development Plays an Important Role in Business Goals

On Tuesday, April 22, 2008, 23 local directors from the YMCA of Philadelphia and Vicinity received their Supervisory Certificates from the MidAtlantic Employers’ Association (MEA). The certificate program, which was specifically designed for the YMCA by MEA, was comprised of four core classes: Supervision Basics, Successful Communication, Managing People through Motivation and Accountability in the Workplace. The YMCA of Philadelphia & Vicinity has a distinguished history of providing programs and services that help all people to grow in spirit, mind and body. “In keeping with our core beliefs and vision, we invested in the continuing learning and development of our staff,” stated Linda Schock-Gloner, Vice President of Human Resources for the 16

YMCA of Philadelphia & Vicinity. “Our Directors have an affect on the lives of other staff and our members. It is very important that we empower them and provide them with the tools that they need to achieve their business goals.” This was the first group of directors from the YMCA of Philadelphia to go through this supervisory certificate program. The YMCA plans to have another group of directors attend the same MEA program in the fall. Carol-Anne Minski, MEA’s Manager of Organizational Solutions, is the project lead. www.MEAinfo.org

Top Row (left to right) Franklin McLeod, Business Manager, West YMCA, John Mangan, Property Manager, Hatboro Area YMCA, Alison Kahli, Business Manager, Hatboro Area YMCA, Dan Calhoun, Membership Director, Northeast Family YMCA, Charlie Oski, Membership Director, Hatboro Area YMCA, Mark Kalloz, Teen and Camp Director, Rocky Run YMCA, Kim Worley, Senior Program Director, Columbia North YMCA, Dave Mullin, Senior Physical Director, Rocky Run YMCA, Gilbert Melenzez, Membership Director, Christian Street YMCA, Noel Chacha, Aquatics Director, West YMCA, Nicki Atkinson, Aquatics Director, Rocky Run YMCA, Second Row (left to right) Missy DiMassa, Fitness Director, Abington YMCA, Ivonne Pierce, Teen & Camp Director, Hatboro Area YMCA, Margie Gill, School Age Child Care & Camp Director, Northeast Family YMCA, Dyanne Wark, Business Manager, Roxborough Area YMCA, Debbie Hamon, Business Manager, Abington YMCA, Jennifer Leupold, Aquatics Director, Northeast Family YMCA, Terry Henry, Senior Director, West YMCA, Katie Duffus, Senior Child Care Director, Rocky Run YMCA, First Row (left to right) Yafa Tehrani, Senior Member Service Representative, Ambler Area YMCA, Mary Kircher, Business Manager, Northeast Family YMCA, Bhavana Vyas, Child Care Director, Abington YMCA, Alyssa Small, Member Relations and Volunteer Director, Rocky Run YMCA

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Environmental and Safety Compliance Deadlines

July 2008 Deadlines

(Note: There are no August deadlines included in this issue) July 1, 2008 – Toxic Release Inventory (Form R) submittal for facilities that use, process or manufacture certain substances above threshold quantities. 42 USCA 11023(a). July 1, 2008 – Release and Pollution Prevention Report required for each employer in New Jersey subject to the reporting requirements of SARA Title III, 313. N.J.A.C:1G-4.1. July 1, 2008 – Pollution Prevention Plan Progress Report and/or Update required for priority industrial facilities in New Jersey using certain hazardous substances above threshold quantities. N.J.A.C.7:1K. July 1, 2008 – Suppliers of electrical and electronic equipment to the European Union must assure Member States that their product contains no banned substances. Directives 2002/95/EC and 2005/96/EC of the European Parliament. July 1, 2008 – Large Quantity Generators under EPA hazardous waste regulations, and facilities that submit a TRI report must submit Pollution Prevention Activity progress reports annually to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ). 30 TAC 335 Subchapter Q. *July 9, 2008 – NESHAP 40 CFR 63, Subpart FFF – Miscellaneous Organic Chemical Production and Process (MON): For an existing affected source, within 60 days after the performance test has occurred, but no later than July 9, 2008, you must submit a Notification of Compliance status under the new standard. 40 CFR 639 (h). July 21, 2008 – All generators of RMW must complete and submit an Annual Generator Report (forms are provided by the NJDEP) to the Department for the period of June 22 through June 21 of each calendar year by July 21 of each calendar year (N.J.A.C. 7:26-3A.21(d)) unless the Department specifically changes the reporting or filing date. July 25, 2008 – Quarterly Discharge Monitoring Reports are required for facilities in Pennsylvania with an NPDES permit. 40 CFR 122.41(I)(4)(i). Quarterly is the typical reporting timeframe. See permit for site specific requirements. July 28, 2008 – Quarterly Discharge Monitoring Reports are required for facilities in Pennsylvania with an NPDES permit. 40 CFR 122.41 (I)(4)(i). Quarterly is the typical reporting timeframe. See permit for site specific reporting requirements. July 30, 2008 – Excess Emission Reports due for many facilities in New Jersey with Continuous Emission Monitors. Most permits require quarterly submission of Excess Emission Reports. 40 CFR 60.7(c);N.J.A.C. 7:27-8:15;NJDEP Technical Manual 1005, July 2001. July 30, 2008 – All major facilities in New Jersey with an approved Operating Permit issued by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) pursuant to N.J.A.C. 7:27-22, also known as Subchapter 22 – OPERATING PERMITS are subject to the semi-annual compliance certification reports to the Department. July 30, 2008 – As specified in the facility’s air permit, many Title V facilities and synthetic minor facilities are required to submit quarterly Operating or VOC Tracking reports. July 31, 2008 – Semi-Annual Monitoring Report for Title V’s in Philadelphia are due. Other jurisdictions’ due dates may vary according to permit. July 31, 2008 – NESHAP Semi-Annual Compliance Report Due for facilities who have completed their initial compliance period. 40 CFR 63, various Subparts. MEA partners with Compliance Management International (CMI) to provide cost-effective and efficient means for managing environmental, health and safety issues. *Indicates item is new for 2008

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Surveys & Publications GUIDES

SURVEY REPORTS Regional

ADA Guide Members: $30.00; Non-Members: $40.00; S/H: $10.00

Administrative and Oﬃce Support

2008 Employers’ Guide to Employee Relations Laws and Regulations

Members: $295.00; Non-Members: $585.00

Three states (PA, NJ & DE) plus federal laws and regulations in one guide.

Members: $295.00; Non-Members: $585.00

Members: $100.00; Non-Members: mbers: $135.00; S/H: $10.00 NE FORMW Purchase of three or more guides: AT! Members: $80.00 each; Non-Members: $100.00 each; S/H: $10.00

Members: $295.00; Non-Members: $585.00

Violence Goes to the Workplace: An Employer’s Guide

Information Services

Engineering, Scientific and Technical Supervisory and Management

Members: $295.00; Non-Members: $585.00

Pay Structures

Members: $170.00; Non-Members: $275.00

Members: $45.00; Non-Members: $60.00; S/H: $10.00

Health Benefits

HIPAA Guide

Members: $210.00; Non-Members: $310.00

Members: $130.00; Non-Members: $180.00; S/H: $10.00

Salary Planning Guide

Members: $70.00; Non-Members: $135.00

HR Policies, Practices and Benefits

POSTERS

Members: $360.00; Non-Members: $660.00

Newly Updated Federal 7-in-1; Pennsylvania 7-in-1 Meets minimum posting requirements. Avoids cluttered bulletin boards. • 1-10 - Federal-PA Members: $12.00 ea.; Non-Members: $17.00 ea.; S/H: $10 • 11-24 - Federal-PA Members: $10.00 ea.; Non-Members: $14.00 ea.; S/H: $10 • 25-50 - Federal-PA Members: $9.00 ea.; Non-Members: $12.00 ea.; S/H: $10 • 50+ - Federal-PA Members: $8.00 ea.; Non-Members: $10.00 ea.; S/H: $10

Production, Maintenance & Service Members: $295.00; Non-Members: $585.00

National National Executive Compensation Members: $295.00; Non-Members: $460.00

National Wage and Salary

Members: $160.00; Non-Members: $285.00

National Pay Trends

Members: $70.00; Non-Members: $135.00

National Policies & Benefits

Members: $360.00; Non-Members: $660.00

National Sales Compensation and Practices Members: $235.00; Non-Members: $445.00

National IT and Engineering

Members: $325.00; Non-Members: $640.00 Survey prices quoted are for pdf format. For a printed copy, there is an additional charge plus shipping and handling. For additional information, please contact Kay Dutton, Research & Publications Department, at (800) 662-6238 x115 or email research@MEAinfo.org.

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Workplace Whiteboard % Increase in Health Insurance Compared to Other Indicators 7 6

% Change

5 4 3 2 1 0 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 Year

Workers Earnings

CPI-U

Benefits

Bureau of Labor Statistics seasonally adjusted data 1996-2008

Board Members & MEA Staff MEA BOARD OF DIRECTORS - 2008

CHAIRMAN

Ronald G. Allen, Chairman & CEO American Foodservice

TREASURER

David Bailey, CFO, Speakman Company

SECRETARY Joseph Gallagher President, Gallagher Fluid Seals, Inc.

STAFF DIRECTORY HOTLINE

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Baehrle, Judy

Senior HR Consultant

Baker, Julie

Benefits Administrator

610-994-7623

Console, Clara

Director Training & Marketing

610-994-7624

Custer, Wendy

Accounting Administrator

610-994-7625

Devine, Jim

President & CEO

610-666-7330

DuBoise, Nancy

Employment Attorney

610-666-7330

Wilbert Abele President, Henry Troemner, LLC Terry D’Alessandro, Exec VP, Market CEO, Sovereign Bank G.A. Taylor Fernley, CEO/President, Fernley & Fernley Lewis W. Hull Chairman, Hull VacPump Corporation Nissen Isakov, President, LCR Electronics Henry Justi Chairman/CEO, Justi Group, Inc. Edward J. Kelleher President, Kelleher Associates, Inc. Jeﬀrey McFadden, GM & COO The Union League of Philadelphia Chuck Polin President, Training Resource Group Walter Reimann President, The Fredericks Company Richard Silliman President, Penn Chesapeake Advisors, Inc.

Dutton, Kay

Research Specialist

610-994-7627

Henderson, Kelly

Training Administrator

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Kelly, Carol

Receptionist

610-666-7330

Maurer, Melissa

Account Executive, Employee Benefits Services

610-994-7630

Mazza, Beth Ann

Membership Ambassador

610-994-7631

McGuire, Shawn

Manager, Finance & Administration

PRESIDENT & CEO

DIRECTORS

James F. Devine

610-994-7632

Minski, Carol-Anne Manager of Organizational Solutions

610-994-7633

Muscarella, Kathy

Senior HR Consultant

610-666-7330

Oehlert, Janie

Manager, Employee Benefits Services

610-994-7635

Powell, Joanne

Manager, Membership & Marketing Administration

610-994-7636

Roddy, Lydia

HR Operations Specialist

610-994-7637

Theisen, Carrie

Director, Human Resource Services

610-666-7330

Utz, Nancy

Training Assistant

610-666-7330

Ward, Marian

Training & Development Consultant

610-666-7330

Zoll, Susan

Manager, Training Operations & Marketing

610-994-7639

TOLL FREE

membership@meainfo.org

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For any specific questions, issues or concerns, please contact Beth Ann Mazza, MEA’s Membership Ambassador, at 610-994-7631

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NONPROFIT ORG U.S. Postage

MEA Management Development Institute

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New for 2008 • All in One 2008 Employers’ Guide – PA, NJ and DE • Members Only Online Courses and Lending Library • MEA “Mainspring” 401(k) Plan • Supervisory Certificate Program – Level 2 • Courses for Multinational Professionals • Continuing Professional Education (CPE) Credits for Accountants • Lean Courses for CFOs and Controllers