January Crater Lake1,in2016 Winter
December 2015
Workplace Solutions: Oregon Sick Leave Law
Is Printing Relevant?
Down to Business - Ready for Taxes?
Oil, Gas and Pricing
TPP and Manufacturing Jobs
Age and Productivity
The Language of Education
Job Searching in Digital Era
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WORKPLACE SOLUTIONS
changing policies with staff in groups so it allows them time to ask any questions. Having employees sign an acknowledgement stating they were notified about the policy change(s) is also strongly advised.
HR Deadline: Are you ready to implement You Need to Track Sick Leave the new Oregon Sick Leave Law? You can track employee sick leave using one of
our leave tracking templates. You can download With 2016 quickly approaching, now is a good Paid or Unpaid Hourly Accrual of Leave Method, time to put together your policy in response to or Front Load Leave Tracking. the new Oregon Sick Leave Law which goes into effect on January 1, 2016. Let Employees Use Leave Remember that employees will be eligible to use Begin by: sick leave or PTO after 90 days of employment, or for existing Reviewing Your employees, 90 days after Current Leave Policy January 1, 2016. If you have a vacation policy, you will need to If you are a Cardinal Services convert it to Paid Time client the process is much simOff (PTO) or have a pler; we will implement a bulk of separate bucket of sick these steps for you. Please leave hours. The Oregon contact Cardinal if you have Sick Leave Law allows questions, or want to get a jump employers to use an on implementing a leave plan. alternative type of leave policy in lieu of a formal sick leave policy as we addressed in our Victoria Simpson | Customer Service Manager September 2015 article in the Southern Oregon Business Journal. Create a PTO or Sick Leave Policy Create a PTO or sick leave policy that meets at least the minimum requirements of the Oregon Sick Leave Law. You can download a Sick Leave Checklist and Model Sick Leave Policies from our Oregon Sick Leave page. Sign Up for HR Alerts Our Cardinal HR alerts will email you HR updates and our monthly newsletter with HR news and tips. The Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries (BOLI) will be coming out with an employee notification template soon. Our Cardinal HR alerts can notify you as soon as it is available.
Roll Out Your Policy Implement your new policy no later than January 1, 2016. It is often helpful to review new or
Victoria Simpson | Customer Service Manager Cardinal Services | Workplace Solutions 800.342.4742 | Ext: 2305 | victoria@cardinal-services.com www.cardinal-services.com
Subscribe: www.southernoregonbusiness.com 541-315-6127
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DOWN TO BUSINESS
is not collected until a later time, generally within thirty days. When accounts receivable get past ninety days old, they often become uncollectable. Reviewing a monthly summary of accounts receivable allows a business owner to follow up with customers before accounts become a problem. Accounts payaWhat financial information do I need to responsi- ble are debts owed to others. It’s also important to make sure they are paid in a timely manner and any bly manage my business? discounts allowed are being taken. Financial management is the main way most business owners measure the success of their business Unmanaged inventory can quickly become a proband ensure they have the resources to continue oper- lem. Obsolete inventory and inventory on the ations. Lack of financial management can open the shelves too long are a waste of money. Untracked door to employee theft, overspending or higher tax inventory can also be a place theft can occur. Recosts. Borrowing is impossible without good finan- viewing inventory records allows a business owner cial records. Important financial records to maintain to make adjustments and correct problems before and understand include: financial statements (profit they cost the business needed cash. & loss and balance sheet); cash flow budget; bank reconciliation; accounts receivable and payable ag- Employee records provide valuable information ing summary; inventory records; employee records about the productivity of staffing levels. Too many and taxes. employees and the business loses money. Too few employees and customer service levels may be negaBookkeeping is the first step in good financial man- tively impacted. agement. It can be done using either a manual or computerized system. Bookkeeping is an organized All businesses are required to pay taxes; federal, system for tracking all income and expense transac- state, employment, local. Good recordkeeping protions. It needs to be done in a timely, accurate man- vides the information needed to file returns and pay ner. Whether it’s done internally by employees, ex- the right amount of taxes. Poor recordkeeping can ternally by a consultant or by the business owner, it mean missed tax deductions and inaccurate sales reneeds to be done regularly so monthly (or quarterly) porting. financial statements can be generated and reviewed. Financial statements provide the information needed Other financial information might be helpful to monto make important business decisions and know how itor such as ratios (used to determine the effectiveprofitable the business is. They are also a tool that ness and liquidity in a business) and operating budgcan provide clues if employees are stealing from the ets. The most important financial information to business. monitor will be a decision made by each individual business owner with input from their accountant. Projecting cash flow helps business owners plan for the future to ensure funds are available to pay all Arlene M. Soto has been the Direcbusiness debts, expand or make an investment in tor of the Southwestern Small Businew assets. Cash flow is more important than prof- ness Development Center since July its. A business can be profitable and still go under 2007. To ask a question call 541because there is not enough cash to pay obligations. 756-6445, e-mail asoto@socc.edu, or write 2455 Maple Leaf, North Bend, Reconciling the business bank accounts on a month- OR 97459. Additional help is availly basis is critical to creating accurate bookkeeping able at the OSBDCN Web page records. Many embezzlers steal blank checks to get access to business funds. A bank reconciliation will www.bizcenter.org. catch out of sequence checks or ones not recorded in the business recordkeeping system. Sometimes banks make errors in recording transactions. A bank reconciliation each month will give the business owner information to correct errors quickly. A look at small business questions from the Southwestern Oregon Community College Small Business Development Center (SBDC). By Arlene M. Soto CMA, CGBP, Southwestern SBDC Director
The Little Applegate Valley Farms, Forests and a Splendid Little River.
Accounts receivable are sales that are made but cash 3
TPP—Yes or No?
HOW WOULD OREGON FARE?
Benefits for U.S. Manufacturing TPP allows us to write rules of the road that level the playing field for American workers, support American manufacturing jobs, and help us export more ‘Made-in-America’ manufactured goods across the world. Eliminates all foreign taxes in the form of tariffs on U.S. manufactured goods exported to TPP countries, including rates as high as 70 percent on automobiles in Vietnam. Prevents other TPP countries from maintaining, expanding, or creating new trade barriers to American manufacturers as they eliminate tariffs. Some countries require exporters to acquire licenses before they can send their goods to that country. TPP ensures that exporters have updated and complete information about import licensing requirements so that they cannot be used as trade barriers, which can hurt U.S. workers and businesses and provide foreign companies with unfair advantages. Rules of origin allow us to determine if a good is a genuine TPP good. TPP establishes rules of origin that provide incentives for companies to keep production and manufacturing jobs in the United States. Helping to prevent long delays in customs processing for U.S. products Eliminates trade barriers and creating export opportunities for U.S. auto manufacturers in the Japanese market. 4
Education May Also Be A Problem Outside The U.S. Beppe Severgnini FEB. 26, 2015
Italy’s New Lingua Franca MILAN — Most students look forward in life; too many teachers look back. A tad depressing as sentiments go, perhaps, but it sums up Italian universities.
makes Italian the official language of academia. Who cares if the decree was issued under fascism and driven by Benito Mussolini’s obsession with banning words like “cocktail” and “sandwich”? So what if Italian Politecnico students speak good English already, and use only English-language textbooks? So what if their future job applications, interviews and business meetings will all be in English? And requiring English-language teaching was obviously a good move for the university: The Politecnico’s international enrollment shot up. But for some faculty members, all that matters is their cozy routine. They don’t feel comfortable teaching in English. Period. And in 2013, the regional administrative court said they were right. Teaching in English was out.
Take Milan Polytechnic. With around 40,000 students, the Politecnico di Milano is the largest and most prestigious technical university in Italy, But there was more to come. The recalcitrant offering undergraduate, academics then went on a graduate and other nationwide campaign But for some faculty advanced courses in against their university’s members, all that matters engineering, architecture decision. Unwisely, the is their cozy routine. They guardian of the Italian and design. Founded in 1863, just two years after don’t feel comfortable language — the Accademia Italy was united, Milan teaching in English. Period. della Crusca, based in Polytechnic ranks well Florence — backed them, And in 2013, the regional internationally; many of its saying, “We note with regret graduates now grace the administrative court said and intense concern the faculties of schools like creeping marginalization they were right. Teaching M.I.T., Caltech and Oxand abandonment of Italian in English was out. bridge. Among the Politecin the upper tiers of univernico’s distinguished alumni sity education.” Never mind are the Nobel Prize-winning chemist Giulio that the English-language requirement applied Natta and the architects Aldo Rossi and Renzo only to master’s degrees and doctorates at a Piano, the latter of whom designed the New technical school where students learn how to York Times building in Manhattan. build bridges and don’t deconstruct Dante. The defenders of Italian were on the warpath. Yet the Politecnico has a problem. As you know, here in Italy we speak Italian. Beautiful though Administrators at the Politecnico refused to be our language may be, it is not the medium of intimidated, and appealed the ruling. Last choice for engineers when they’re building a month the Council of State, which vets the beltway in Norway or designing a dam in legality of Italian administrative policies, ruled Vietnam. For better or worse, the global tongue that it was up to the Constitutional Court, the of engineers is English. Hoping to attract more country’s highest legal body, to decide whethinternational students, the Politecnico decided in er English-only university teaching violates 2011 to run its master’s courses and doctorArticle 33 of the Italian Constitution: “Art and ates in English only. science are free, and teaching them is free.” The question is whether teaching in English And then all academic hell broke loose. hampers students’ free access to knowledge. Over 100 faculty members went to court to block the plan, citing a 1933 royal decree that Continued on page 6
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Continued from page 5
But one could put it differently, and ask whether universities should be free to teach in whatever manner they think best serves their students. Interestingly, the people one might expect to be most up in arms over English-only teaching, the students themselves, have taken it in stride. The Politecnico’s rector, Giovanni Azzone, told me: “Students write to me about everything from the lack of parking spaces to washrooms that don’t work. Not one has ever complained about the courses in English.” I had an early taste of this mood in 2011, soon after the university adopted English for graduate degree courses. In a speech to students on the Politecnico’s main campus in Milan, I introduced myself in Latin — still a cool, international language — and then spoke in English. The students didn’t miss a single word. They took notes. They laughed at my jokes. They asked intelligent questions. Some faculty members failed to laugh or, I suspect, follow what I was saying. But they did ask questions in Italian, like: “I’m past 50. What would you say if I told you that I don’t feel comfortable teaching in English?” My answer: “I’d wonder where you worked, which academic journals you wrote for and what international conferences you attended. What kind of a teacher are you?” There was one question I didn’t ask at the time, but would like to ask now. Why is Italian academia so slow to change? Could the reason perhaps be that none of the country’s 13,279 tenured professors is younger than 35? Only 15 are under 40; the average age is 60. Time to face the future, signori professori, in any language you like. Just look in the right direction. Beppe Severgnini is a columnist at Corriere della Sera and the author of “Mamma Mia! Berlusconi’s Italy Explained for Posterity and Friends Abroad
Beppe Severgnini Milan, Italy
I am a columnist for the 'Corriere della Sera', at which they are happily settled down since 1995. I write for 'The New York Times' as contributing opinion writer since 2013. I also worked for 'The Economist' (have been corresponding by Italy since 1996 2003). In 2001, Queen Elizabeth II awarded me the title of Officer of the British Empire, OBE Ten years later, President Giorgio Napolitano appointed me Commander of the Italian Republic (thanks to both).
Teaching Styles and Preferences in Pennsylvania Nursing educators face the challenge of meeting the needs of a multi-generational classroom. The reality of having members from the Veteran and Baby Boomer generations in a classroom with Generation X and Y students provides an immediate need for faculty to examine students' teaching method preferences as well as their own use of teaching methods. Most importantly, faculty must facilitate an effective multi-generational learning environment. Research has shown that the generation to which a person belongs is likely to affect the ways in which he/she learns (Hammill, 2005). Characterized by its own attitudes, behaviors, beliefs, and motivational needs, each generation also has distinct educational expectations. Kitko, Jennifer V. ProQuest LLC, D.Ed. Dissertation, Indiana University of Pennsylvania
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Is printing still relevant? by Nathan Chandler http://nathanwrites.com/
There was a time when you had precious few options for sharing your personal or professional documents. You could send them to shared folders on a local network. You might try to upload them through a slow modem. Or just as likely, you'd laboriously print your documents to paper and then walk or mail them to colleagues or friends. Now, the Internet makes documents available everywhere, all the time. Printer sales for both office and home workers are falling because fewer people see a need to print. In 2005, the average office worker printed about 1,000 pages per month. Just seven years later, that number was cut nearly in half [source: Wood]. At home, people aged 50 and older still do a good amount of printing, but consumers in
their teens and 20s rarely put text and images to paper unless they really have to. Part of this trend is driven by generational habits; some of it may be attributed to the fact that older people have a harder time viewing objects on smaller handheld screens.
BE PROACTIVE. BE PROFESSIONAL. BE PRODUCTIVE.
bp@gobpmedia.com (541) 643-1085 7
Continental continues to expect production growth of 19% to 23% for the year, compared
News Release Continental Resources Reducing 2015 Capital Spending To Align With Projected Cash Flow Until Oil Prices Strengthen OKLAHOMA CITY, Sept. 8, 2015 PRNewswire/ -- Continental Resources, Inc. (NYSE: CLR) (Continental or the Company) today announced plans to spend approximately $300 to $350 million less than its previously approved capital budget for 2015 to better align spending with cash flow at current commodity prices. The Company plans to defer well completion activity, except for where it has contractual considerations or it accomplishes specific strategic objectives. Continental is also reducing its operated rig count in the Bakken from 10 to eight rigs by the end of the month. "While we do not believe today's low commodity prices are sustainable long term, we are committed to living within cash flow until they recover," said Harold Hamm, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. "We are reducing capital expenditures to protect our balance sheet and to preserve the value of our world-class assets until commodity prices improve."
The Company's 2015 guidance remains unchanged.
with 2014, but now expects to exit the year with production in a range of approximately 200,000 to 215,000 barrels of oil equivalent (Boe) per day. The bottom end of the range is 10,000 Boe per day below its previously stated outlook, reflecting an increase of inventory from the previously expected 100 gross operated wells that are drilled but not yet completed at year-end 2015 to the current estimate of 160 gross wells drilled but not yet completed at year-end 2015. Maintenance capital to maintain 2016 production at the 2015 exit rate is now projected to be $1.6 to $2.0 billion. "Obviously we are in a dynamic environment, and our outlook could change. We will continue reviewing our spending plans and update our outlook as appropriate," Mr. Hart said. Continental Resources (NYSE: CLR) is a top independent oil producer in the lower 48 United States and a leader in America's energy renaissance. Based in Oklahoma City, Continental is the largest leaseholder and one of the largest producers in the nation's premier oil field, the Bakken play of North Dakota and Montana. The Company also has significant positions in Oklahoma, including its SCOOP Woodford and SCOOP Springer discoveries and the STACK and Northwest Cana plays. With a focus on the exploration and production of oil, Continental has unlocked the technology and resources vital to American energy independence and is a strong free market advocate in favor of lifting the domestic crude oil export ban. In 2015, the Company will celebrate 48 years of operations. For more information, please visit www.CLR.com. 8
Demographics and the Global Economy by British bank HSBC
Publisher’s Note: Hundreds of studies have been under way since Millennials began hitting the workforce and Baby-Boomers began retiring. These studies reflect elements of concern and encouragement for the future. Modern technology and rates of worldwide information exchange have helped to increase productivity in nearly every industry. Replacing Baby-Boom leaders with less business wise Millennials will be accomplished while the introduction of 21st Century advancements change work habits and business cultures. A world population soon to reach 8 billion will survive based on these changes.— Publisher
So-
“A year from now you will wish that you had started today.” -Karen LambSubscribe: www.southernoregonbusiness.com 9
NOVEMB ER 19 , 2015
Searching for Work in the
The internet is a top resource for many of today’s job hunters: Among Americans who have looked for work in the last two years, 79% utilized online resources in their most recent job search and 34% say these online resources were the most important tool available to them
Digital Era The internet is a central resource for Americans looking for work, but a notable minority lack confidence in their digital job-seeking skills BY AARON SMITH The internet is an essential employment resource for many of today’s job seekers, according to a new survey by Pew Research Center. A majority of U.S. adults (54%) have gone online to look for job information, 45% have applied for a job online, and job-seeking Americans are just as likely to have turned to the internet during their most recent employment search as to their personal or professional networks. Yet even as the internet has taken on a central role in how people find and apply for work, a minority of Americans would find it difficult to engage in many digital job seeking
behaviors – such as creating a professional resume, searching job listings online, or following up via email with potential employers. And while many of today’s job seekers are enlisting their smartphones to browse jobs or communicate with potential employers, others are using their mobile devices for far more complex and challenging tasks, from writing a resume to filling out an online job application.
Online employment resources now rival personal and professional networks as a top source of job information for Americans who are looking for work. Roughly one-third of Americans have looked for a new job in the last two years, and 79% of these job seekers utilized online resources in their most recent search for employment. That is higher than the proportion who made use of close personal connections (66%) or professional contacts (63%) and more than twice the proportion who utilized employment agencies, print advertisements, or jobs fairs and other events.
Among the key findings: 10
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