Going to Brazil

The Montana Chamber’s next group tour will be to Brazil, March 21-30.  Flying out of and back into New York City, the group will spend four nights in Rio de Janeiro and three nights in Sao Paulo, with hotels, Brasilian airfare, all breakfasts, tours and entrance fees, and taxes included.  This trip will allow more time for business meetings, or leisure time on your own.  Good connections have already been made in past visits to this global economic power and beautiful part of the world.  Check it out at:

 

Even Governor Brian Schweitzer is recognizing the importance of Brazil.  He left last Thursday for a ten-day visit with the Council of State Governments. We’re confident he will find plenty of opportunity for Montana and we look forward to comparing notes.

Workplace Safer

An annual survey of occupational injuries and illnesses conducted by the Department of Labor and Industry’s Research and Analysis Bureau shows that injuries and illnesses in private industry are declining.  Private industry workplaces in Montana reported 5.0 injuries and illnesses per hundred full time workers in 2010.  The 2009 incidence rate was 5.3 cases per hundred full time workers.  Montana’s incidence rate was above the national rate of 3.5 cases per hundred full-time workers in 2010 and 3.6 cases per hundred full-time workers in 2009.  Employers in Montana reported a total of 15,700 injuries and illnesses with 6,800 of them involving days away from work during 2010 compared to 17,200 injuries and illnesses with 7,600 days away from work cases reported in 2009.  With fatalities, even one life lost is too many.  For injuries, so much more can be done by employers to make sure they don’t happen in the first place.  Check out some of our suggestions at:www.MontanaSafetyChoices.com.

HR Mandates

While the citizens of Denver rejected a proposal last week to require paid sick leave for workers, the City of Seattle has passed such a measure.  Approximately two months ago, the Seattle City Council approved a bill mandating paid sick leave at all businesses with at least five full-time employees. Businesses with the equivalent of 5 to 49 full-time employees would have to provide at least five days of paid sick leave per year. Sick leave would accrue at a rate of one hour for every 40 hours worked.  Businesses with 50 to 249 employees would have to provide at least seven days paid sick leave per year. Sick leave would accrue at a rate of one hour for every 40 hours worked.  Businesses with 250 or more employees would have to provide at least nine days sick leave per year. Sick leave would accrue at a rate of one hour for every 30 hours worked.  Businesses less than 2 years old would be exempt. There would be a six-month waiting period before workers could start using their accrued paid time off.  Seattle becomes just the third city in the country, after San Francisco and Washington, D.C., to mandate paid leave for employees to care for themselves or family members when ill. The state of Connecticut also has approved mandatory paid sick leave.  The new rules take effect in September 2012.  Information provided courtesy of Jim Nys and Staci Bloomberg of Personnel Plus!

 

 

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