Employee Newsletter
January 2022
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Celebrating 49 Years of Staffing Excellence! |
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As we continue to deal with some of the issues that held us back in 2020 and 2021, it's important to remember the following quote... "The past is history, the future is a mystery, and today is a gift. That's why they call it the present."
Wishing you success and happiness in the new year.
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Supreme Court Blocks
OSHA ETS
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On January 13th, the Supreme Court issued their much anticipated decision on OSHA’s Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) which mandated vaccination, or masking and weekly testing for unvaccinated employees of businesses with 100 or more employees.
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The ETS was first published and went into effect on November 5th of 2021, but was quickly halted when 26 states and several pro-business organizations filed suit against the mandate. This caused the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals to issue a stay preventing it from being enforced while the lawsuits against it were pending. Those lawsuits were consolidated and moved to the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals for a decision. On December 17th, 2021, the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals lifted the temporary stay, and reinstated the ETS. But this was not the last word.
The Supreme Court was asked to take up the case, and did so on Friday, January 7th, 2022. After hearing oral arguments, the justices met to deliberate. They issued a ruling on January 13th that OSHA did not have the authority to issue such a broad standard, effectively nullifying the ETS. The decision was 6-3, split along conservative and liberal lines.
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Fighting Winter Depression
DOs and DON'Ts
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DO take advantage of warmer days and get outside and be active. The right winter clothing makes outdoor activities tolerable in all but the coldest temps, and fresh air and exercise are a great combination to lift your spirits.
DO occupy your mind and your time. Don't just sit around lamenting what you can’t do because of the weather. Things like reading, watching movies, deep cleaning and organizing, taking up a new hobby, or even attending online classes will help take your focus off of being stuck inside on those frigid days and nights.
DO focus on your physical health. Winter is a great time to get in shape physically. And looking and feeling good physically will improve your mental and emotional health as well.
DO get plenty of sun. When the sun is out, find a comfy chair in a sunny spot to hang out. For prolonged periods of dreary days, consider getting a full-spectrum lamp that simulates daylight.
DON’T go it alone. Spending time with friends and/or family will lift your mood. And with technology you can stay in touch virtually even if the weather is too bad to leave the house.
DON’T forget to eat right. A healthy body and mind depend on a healthy diet.
DON’T just focus on winter. Planning ahead for what you’ll do once it gets warmer can help you see the light at the end of the tunnel. Research road trip or vacation destinations, or start shopping for gear for your favorite (or a new) summer hobby.
DON’T forget that spring is just a few months away. You can do this!
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Insurance Must Pay For
COVID Testing
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Beginning January 15, 2022, individuals with private health insurance coverage or covered by a group health plan who purchase an over-the-counter COVID-19 diagnostic test authorized, cleared, or approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will be able to have those test costs covered by their plan or insurance.
Insurance companies and health plans are required to cover 8 free over-the-counter at-home tests per covered individual per month. That means a family of four, all on the same plan, would be able to get up to 32 of these tests covered by their health plan per month.
There is no limit on the number of tests, including at-home tests, that are covered if ordered or administered by a health care provider following an individualized clinical assessment, including for those who may need them due to underlying medical conditions.
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Ten Questions to Ask Your Manager When
Starting a New Job or Taking on a New Role
What can I do to prepare before my first day? – Start your job even before you start. Contact your manager before your first day to ask how you can prepare.
What should I read, who should I talk to and what training should I attend to get up to speed? – If you ask this question in advance, your manager has a chance to make arrangements – send you material, schedule meetings, sign you up for training. If you ask this question on Day One, it gives your manager ideas for what you can do your first week.
What are the priorities for: first day, first week, first month, first quarter? – Even if they don’t have your first quarter planned out, they might be able to give you an idea of what’s coming up. At the very least, they’ll see you’re thinking ahead.
What meetings should be on my calendar? – Your manager may forget that there is a quarterly all-company meeting, or a bimonthly department meeting, or even a weekly check-in with them. By asking upfront, you are ready whether your manager is or not.
Who will I be working with? Who should I meet? – Ideally your manager has thought about all the key colleagues you’ll be interacting with and has a plan to introduce you and help you get acclimated to who does what. If not, this question will prompt them to make those introductions sooner than later.
What kind of status update or reports do you want? – Again, don’t assume that this new manager wants the same level of detail or information format that your previous manager did. Confirm what they expect to see from you.
What should I do when I have questions? – Who to ask, as well as when and how to ask, are good points to know. Some managers are so busy that they will prefer that you save up questions for scheduled meeting times, while some will want you to ask as things come up. Some will want questions communicated via email, and some will prefer face-to-face conversations.
How does the feedback/evaluation process work? – While you’re confirming with your manager about how often you’ll meet, what kind of updates they want, and how best to communicate ad hoc (e.g., questions that arise on the fly), you also want to ask about the more formal evaluation process. This way, you know well in advance how you’ll be evaluated.
How am I doing? What is working well? What can I improve? – You don’t need to ask for feedback after the first day, but certainly you should ask within the first week, and you should ask more frequently in the beginning until you get confirmation from your manager that you’re on the right track. No news isn’t good news – it’s just no information, and when you’re new to a company, you need information so you can adapt to that company culture and make any changes to your work style and output sooner than later.
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Copycat Panera Broccoli Cheddar Soup
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Ingredients
1 tablespoon butter
½ onion, chopped
¼ cup melted butter
¼ cup flour
2 cups milk
2 cups chicken stock
1 ½ cups coarsely chopped broccoli florets
1 cup matchstick-cut carrots
1 stalk celery, thinly sliced
2 ½ cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
salt and ground black pepper to taste
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Directions
Step 1
Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Saute onion in hot butter until translucent, about 5 minutes. Set aside.
Step 2
Whisk 1/4 cup melted butter and flour together in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Continue to whisk and cook for 3-4 minutes, adding 1 to 2 tablespoons of milk if necessary to keep the flour from burning.
Step 3
Gradually pour milk into flour mixture while whisking constantly. Stir chicken stock into milk mixture. Bring to a simmer; cook until mixture is thickened, about 20 minutes. Add broccoli, carrots, sauteed onion, and celery; simmer until vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes.
Step 4
Stir Cheddar cheese into soup mixture until cheese melts. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
allrecipes.com
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QUOTE
Patience doesn't mean just waiting for things to happen. Patience is doing everything you can to make them happen, but accepting that some things may not happen, may not happen the way you want them to, or may not happen according to your desired timeline.
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