Employee Newsletter
December 2021
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Celebrating 48 Years of Staffing Excellence! |
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HAPPY HOLIDAYS FROM FLEX-STAFF! |
As the year comes to a close, we want to take a moment to thank all of our assigned employees for their hard work and dedication over the past year. We are so grateful for the relationship we have with all of you. 2021 was another difficult year for business and employees across the state and country, and around the world, but we all went through it together, and hopefully came out stronger for the experience. While 2022 is sure to bring its own challenges, we're thankful for the support of our many amazing employees that work hard to help our client companies keep their businesses running. |
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OSHA Vaccine Mandate
Stands
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Last Friday, a federal appeals court panel allowed President Biden’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate for larger private employers to move ahead, reversing a previous decision on a requirement that could affect some 84 million U.S workers. |
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The 2-1 decision by a panel of the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Cincinnati overrules a decision by a federal judge in a separate court that had paused the mandate nationwide.
To account for any uncertainty created by the stay, OSHA is exercising enforcement discretion with respect to the compliance dates of the emergency temporary standard (ETS). To provide employers with sufficient time to come into compliance, OSHA will not issue citations for noncompliance with any requirements of the ETS before January 10 and will not issue citations for noncompliance with the standard’s testing requirements before February 9, so long as an employer is exercising reasonable, good faith efforts to come into compliance with the standard.
While there is already an effort underway to have the Supreme Court hear challenges to the ETS, it is unlikely a case will be heard before the enforcement deadline. Flex-Staff, as an employer with more than 100 employees, is required to comply with the OSHA vaccine/testing mandate, and we have already begun collecting vaccination status data on our assigned employees, as is required by law under the OSHA emergency standard. If you are a Flex-Staff employee currently on assignment, please watch your email inbox for a copy of our full COVID-19 Vaccination Policy, and additional information on compliance requirements.
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DO celebrate responsibly. Eating too much can leave you feeling bloated and uncomfortable. Drinking too much can leave you sick and hungover (and possibly result in making some bad choices).
DO remember old traditions, but know that not all of them have to be practiced every year (or carried on at all). It’s also ok to start new ones.
DO reach out to friends and family that weren’t able to join you, or that may be spending the holiday alone. With so many communication options at your fingertips, it has never been easier to be in touch.
DO remember to keep with the spirit of the season. Be patient, kind, caring, and forgiving. You never know what struggles the person you’re dealing with is going through.
DON’T make the holidays all about gift giving and receiving. Focus on making memories. They will last a lot longer than some new gadget or widget.
DON’T spend so much time planning and preparing that you miss being part of the moment. Your friends and family will appreciate your presence more than they would appreciate the fact that you prepared a big, fancy meal, but missed out on spending time with them.
DON’T expect perfection. Few things ever go exactly to plan. The turkey may be a little overdone, that last minute gift may not arrive on time, or bad weather may cause some guest to miss part of the festivities. Those are just little irritations, and should not put a damper on the entire celebration.
DON’T be afraid to ask for assistance with your holiday planning and prepping. No one expects you to cook and cater to a houseful of relatives all by yourself. If no one steps up to help, “volunteer” them.
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Wisconsin Law Does Not Require Employers to Pay for COVID Testing |
The Department of Workforce Development (DWD), tasked with enforcing Chapter 103.37 of Wisconsin Statutes, clarified that the statute does not require employers to pay the cost of COVID-19 testing where the testing is offered as an alternative to vaccination and where the federal government has issued a soft mandate that requires either testing or vaccination of employees.
Wisconsin statute 103.37(2m) provides that: No employer may require any employee or applicant for employment to pay the cost of a medical examination required by the employer as a condition of employment.
In response to an inquiry by law firm Husch Blackwell, the DWD clarified that it interprets “103.37 as not requiring employers to cover the cost of COVID testing where the testing is an alternative to vaccination and where the vaccination/testing requirement is mandated by the federal government.” DWD was careful to note that its interpretation was not binding on any court of law.
huschblackwell.com
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How to Love Your Job (even if you don't like it)
1. Focus on what you like about your work and ramp it up. This will give you the strength to tackle the tough parts.
2. Make a change — even a small one. Boredom is often at the root of unhappiness at work. So take a single step toward modifying what’s getting you down.
3. Declutter your office. When people feel low on energy, often it’s because they’re not clearing out as they go. Their inbox is overflowing. Their desk is a disaster. Their file drawers are jammed.
4. Find a positive image to inspire you and help you cope with a job. I call mine “going to my happy place.” I close my eyes and visualize a green field in the Virginia countryside with a sweeping view of the Blue Ridge Mountains. I go there in my head and sit. It calms me down, I feel peaceful and my attitude shifts.
5. Volunteer — either through work or on the side. Helping out at a nonprofit gets you out of your own head and that swamp of negativity and lets you gain perspective on others’ needs.
6. Get up to speed on your field. If you become complacent about trends, you’ll get left behind. Then, when new and interesting opportunities do arise at work, you might not be nimble enough to grab them.
7. Raise your hand and ask for new duties. Dissect your current position to pinpoint a new responsibility you can add that will refresh your focus and maybe even scare you a bit. Keep your ear to the ground to get the scoop on positions opening up or emerging projects — even if they’re short-term. Then throw your name into the hat.
8. Explore finding joy around the edges. For example, if you have a musical bent, form a band with a group of coworkers to play music or start an a cappella group. Alternatively, if your interests are more physical, join or organize a company team sport— say, softball, kickball, or bowling. Or create a walking, biking, or running group with co-workers.
9. Finally, laugh more. A recent Gallup poll found that people who smile and laugh at work are more engaged in their jobs. And the more engaged you are, the happier and more enthusiastic you’ll be.
Kerry Hannon – nextavenue.org
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INGREDIENTS
Cookies:
1 cup unsalted butter soft but cold (you can make a thumbprint in it)
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon almond extract
2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
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Glaze:
1 cup powdered sugar
2 teaspoons almond extract
2 tablespoons water
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INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a bowl, with a mixer cream the butter, sugar, and almond extract. In a separate bowl mix the flour, baking powder, and salt. Add the flour mixture 2 Tablespoons at a time to the butter mixture until completely combined (important!!) Roll into small 1-inch balls and flatten slightly. They should look like a thick checker. Cook for 7 minutes (they will not look done) at 400 degrees on a parchment lined pan. Cool cookies until they are just warm and place sliced almonds on top of each cookie. For the glaze: Combine powdered sugar, almond extract, and water. Drizzle a spoonful of glaze on top of the almonds and cookie.
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QUOTE
It's Christmas Eve. It's the one night of the year when we all act a little nicer; we smile a little easier, we cheer a little more. For a couple of hours out of the whole year, we are the people that we always hoped we would be. It's a miracle. It can happen every day. You've just got to want that feeling. And if you like it and you want it, you'll get greedy for it. You'll want it every day of your life, and it can happen to you.
– Bill Murray (as Frank Cross in Scrooged)
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