....There is no federal protection of abortion rights, overturning nearly 50 years of precedent from the Court’s decision in Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood Pennsylvania v. Casey.  Each state to set its own legal requirements regarding abortions. The Supreme Court’s decision (Dobbs v Jackson Women's Health Organization) to overrule Roe v Wade is going to have an impact on our work place.  My personal opinion, which I’m passionate about, is one of Choice.  I am pro-life but I believe we all should have a ‘choice’.  However, my personal opinions should not be tantamount here; I want all of my readers/followers to understand that there will be options for anyone...all over the country…either as an employee or a resident. 

Insurance companies will have to abide by the laws of the State in which the resident lives, however, employers that are self-insured will have to abide by federal laws, namely the federal Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA), and situations will be treated on a case/case basis.
Early on, some companies announced preemptive action to ensure workers have access to abortion services by increasing travel benefits to cover healthcare procedures.  Some companies believe that by offering a health savings account to cover travel for reproductive care in another state will enhance their ability to compete for talent.  Some organizations are more likely to provide travel expense benefits outside of a health savings account for employees to access reproductive services if it is tax deductible.  Paid time off was named the top resource currently provided to employees to better support reproductive care.  Some have offered to increase support within an employee assistance program for reproductive care and a smaller number of organizations said they would include the topic of reproductive rights in their diversity, equity and inclusion programs.

In the United States, about 50% of Americans receive health insurance through their employers.  That means where you work often plays a large role in determining the medical care you’re able to receive.  Companies such as Meta, Disney and JPMorgan Chase have already announced new travel benefits aimed at helping employees access sound reproductive care.  The system which we have in the United States where a number of people are limited as to where they can have an abortion due to the status of their employer supported health care has horrid consequences for health and economic inequities in this country.  Not to mention the privacy issues at this point in time…We are not just worried or concerned about abortion care here; we are concerned about reproductive care as well.

Three quarters of abortion patients are at or near the federal poverty level, lower-income workers (a group that includes a disproportionate number of women of color) are particularly likely to be impacted by this downfall.  Many of the companies that are now offering reproductive/abortion care benefits are primarily companies that employ white-collar workers.  Many of the lower income workers are working for companies that are not ‘coming through’ with benefits such as paid family leave or paid sick care, let alone travel funding for abortion care.  Meanwhile, domestic workers, undocumented immigrants (those in and out of the workforce) and part-time, contract or gig workers are less likely to be eligible for reproductive healthcare benefits through their employers…and lower income workers who want abortions but can’t access them are likely to face even greater financial difficulties as they struggle to care for families on already limited budgets, something that will be sure to continue to exacerbate economic inequalities in the US.  This is also further exacerbated by the Hyde Amendment, first passed in 1976, that states that federal funds cannot be used for abortions. 

One way that companies can help is by limiting their political donations to organizations that contribute to abortion funds and reproductive justice organizations.  Another way is to set up or create relief funds in the wake of a particular state’s abortion ban, channeling money toward organizations that offer support for people seeking abortions…these companies are actually reaching out beyond their own workforces.

What about privacy issues if money is tapped from a ‘travel’ fund…people seeking abortions or helping others to access them, could face the risk of civil or criminal prosecution in some states.  Also, with the stigma still associated with the procedure, people may worry about facing a backlash if they have to inform their manager or HR department that they need to tap into the travel funds.  (Employers are not permitted to discriminate against those who have abortions nor embrace those that do not). The US Office of Personnel Management has announced two privacy measures accompanying a new policy that will allow federal employees to use paid sick leave to travel for healthcare.  Employees won’t be required to provide any medical documentation or reason for absence under three days.  Doctor’s notes provided for longer sick leave need not provide specifics about the nature of the procedure or treatment.  This is not surprising of the federal government in a Democratic administration.

In a study in May of 2022 (after the ruling was ‘leaked’), 60% of 78 employers said they did not have plans to offer any new healthcare benefits.  There is a rising interest in employee activism in the US and collective bargaining could be a way to gain abortion benefits without putting any one individual in a vulnerable position.  No one wants to put employers in a position or hold benefits over employee’s head as a means of shutting down union activity.  Some businesses are coming forward with ways to support abortion access and some have outright condemned the Roe decision and the impact it will have on women’s health.  A few companies have even offered to bail out employees who are arrested while participating in peaceful protests for reproductive rights, noting that ‘caring for employees goes beyond basic health insurance’.

Companies could have come forward and done more to prevent the overturning of Roe and state abortion bans.  If companies really want to contribute then they can get on the phone with each of their federal representatives and senators and ensure the Women’s Health Protection Act is enacted. The bill was passed by the House but voted down by the Senate.  Many employer sponsored group health plans already include a travel benefit for the employee (and, in certain instances, another individual such as a spouse, parent or caregiver) related to the provision of medical treatment or procedures that cannot be obtained near where the employee resides.  Travel reimbursements will be taxable compensation to employees except to the extent the expense is a ‘qualified medical expense’ under the IRS.  The Code considers transportation primarily for and essential to medical care to be a ‘qualified’ expense.  Ancillary costs associated with traveling for abortion, such as lodging (not at a hospital or treatment facility) may also be considered a qualified medical expense (these expenses must meet certain conditions under the Code and lodging expense are capped at $50 per individual).  The IRS usually looks to the laws where treatment is received or procured.  Therefore, this should not impact plans providing assistance to employees traveling to states where abortion is permitted, but it could restrict tax-free reimbursement for services received in any state where abortion is illegal.

Some companies are offering to provide up to $4000 for travel benefits for employee and spouse to nearest location for a legally available procedure.  Some companies are highlighting abortion benefits, some are choosing to quietly adapt their health care policies to accommodate abortion changes but remain mostly silent on the political questions raised by the court’s decision.  Companies might let their in house health care policies and perks do the talking as many corporate leaders are largely avoiding making statements on the issue. Some companies are treating abortion like an organ transplant.  It is specialized medical care that might not be available close by or within a state and so insurance will help cover the cost of travel and paid sick leave. 

On another note, Texas and Oklahoma target ‘aiding and abetting’, however, I am hoping that no one that follows this BLOG is from Texas or Oklahoma unless they need reproductive rights help, then please contact me via the scbhrserv@gmail.com or call Rosanne at 484-393-5875.

I’ve been deliberating over restarting my BLOG now that I’m back working in an HR field…I’m actually working in a federal program for older Americans that is under the auspices of the Department of Labor and is only available in four (4) east coast states.  I wanted to write a BLOG about Memorial Day, having realized that with all the essays I’ve written…not a word has been published from me about this auspicious day!  When that ‘deadline’ passed, I decided to focus on Juneteenth, the newest of all of our holidays.  Well, our first national celebration of ‘Juneteenth’ has passed; as I write it is June 22, 2022; Juneteenth was celebrated this past weekend as a national holiday for the first time.

It amazes me how so many in this country do not have an ability to get past the color of someone’s skin, don’t have the ability to sympathize or empathize another’s plight or experiences.  I have a hard time understanding the inability to help or to offer help to another being…I recently came across a post from a FB friend who was asking about Juneteenth…don’t know where he has been for the past year…when others began to tell him about the holiday, his derision was clear.  ‘Why are we celebrating this’; maybe we should eliminate the Fourth of July’. 

I think our world would be a better place if we were all ‘color blind’ and did not notice the color of someone’s skin…does it matter where we came from?  Does it matter what we do?  All that really matters is how we treat each other, doesn’t it?  This is an essay/blog for the ‘workplace’ and we need to recognize that how we treat individuals in/out of the workplace is, ultimately, the bottom line. 

On June 17th, 2021, President Joe Biden signed the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act into law establishing Juneteenth as a federal holiday.  If you are fortunate enough to work for an entity that will commemorate Juneteenth with work closure, then go and enjoy the three (3) day weekend by celebrating freedom…and follow the original 'free men' and what they did for celebrations.  

A little history lesson...Even though ‘Juneteenth’ is a recent ‘Federal’ holiday, it is the oldest nationally celebrated commemoration of the ending of slavery in the United States. From its Galveston, Texas origin in 1865, the observance of June 19th as the African American Emancipation Day has spread across the United States and beyond.  Dating back to 1865, it was on June 19th that the Union soldiers, led by Major General Gordon Granger, landed at Galveston, Texas with news that the war had ended and that the enslaved were now free. Note that this was two and a half years after President Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation – which had become official January 1, 1863. The Emancipation Proclamation had little impact on the Texans due to the minimal number of Union troops to enforce the new Executive Order. However, with the surrender of General Lee in April of 1865, and the arrival of General Granger’s regiment, the forces were finally strong enough to influence and overcome the resistance. 

Later attempts to explain this two and a half year delay in the receipt of this important news have yielded several versions that have been handed down through the years. Often told is the story of a messenger who was murdered on his way to Texas with the news of freedom. Another is that the news was deliberately withheld by the enslavers to maintain the labor force on the plantations. And still another is that federal troops actually waited for the slave owners to reap the benefits of one last cotton harvest before going to Texas to enforce the Emancipation Proclamation. All of which, or none of these versions could be true. Certainly, for some, President Lincoln’s authority over the rebellious states was in question. Whatever the reasons, conditions in Texas remained status quo well beyond what was statutory.

One of General Granger’s first orders of business was to read to the people of Texas, General Order Number 3 which began most significantly with:

"The people of Texas are informed that in accordance with a Proclamation from the Executive of the United States, all slaves are free. This involves an absolute equality of rights and rights of property between former masters and slaves, and the connection heretofore existing between them becomes that between employer and hired laborer."

A range of activities were provided to entertain the masses, many of which continue in tradition today. Rodeos, fishing, barbecuing and baseball are just a few of the typical Juneteenth activities you may witness in modern times. Juneteenth almost always focused on education and self improvement. Often guest speakers are brought in and the elders are called upon to recount the events of the past. Prayer services were also a major part of these celebrations.  Certain foods became popular and subsequently synonymous with Juneteenth celebrations such as strawberry soda-pop. 

Dress was also an important element in early Juneteenth customs and is often still taken seriously, particularly by the direct descendants who can make the connection to this tradition’s roots. During slavery there were laws on the books in many areas that prohibited or limited the dressing of the enslaved. During the initial days of the emancipation celebrations, there are accounts of former slaves tossing their ragged garments into the creeks and rivers and adorning themselves with clothing taken from the plantations belonging to their former ‘masters’.

Economic and cultural forces led to a decline in Juneteenth activities and participants beginning in the early 1900’s. The Depression forced many people off the farms and into the cities to find work. In these urban environments, employers were less eager to grant leaves to celebrate this date. Thus, unless June 19th fell on a weekend or holiday, there were very few participants available. July 4th was already the established Independence holiday and a rise in patriotism steered more toward this celebration.

The Civil Rights movement of the 50’s and 60’s yielded both positive and negative results for the Juneteenth celebrations. While it pulled many of the African American youth away and into the struggle for racial equality, many linked these struggles to the historical struggles of their ancestors. This was evidenced by student demonstrators involved in the Atlanta civil rights campaign in the early 1960’s, who wore Juneteenth freedom buttons. Again in 1968, Juneteenth received another strong resurgence through the Poor Peoples March to Washington D.C., Rev. Ralph Abernathy’s call for people of all races, creeds, economic levels and professions to come to Washington to show support for the poor. Many of these attendees returned home and initiated Juneteenth celebrations in areas previously absent of such activities. In fact, two of the largest Juneteenth celebrations founded after this March are now held in Milwaukee and Minneapolis.

On January 1, 1980, Juneteenth became an official Texas State holiday through the efforts of Al Edwards, an African American state legislator. The successful passage of this bill marked Juneteenth as the first emancipation celebration granted official state recognition...in Texas, no less!

If you would like to know more about Juneteenth or how you can help your colleagues/peers in the workplace celebrate this auspicious day, please do not hesitate to contact us at scbhrserv@gmail.com or call at 484-393-5875.  Also, if you would like to know how we can help you in other areas such as HR Consulting, Staffing, etc., please do not hesitate to contact SCB Services, LLC.

Today is the 125th Anniversary of Labor Day being celebrated as a holiday nationally.  I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to some of the greatest workers in the world; the American workers!  A special ‘thank you’ for all workers; remember, no matter what we do for a living, no matter how ‘big’ or important one may believe or how significant someone feels their work is…the cog in the wheel is just as important as the ruler of the dynasty….please don’t let anyone tell you different.  Do your job well and with pride!!!
 
As many of you may have noticed, I have not written in this BLOG for quite a while.  I have no explanation; I have unpublished ‘BLOG’s’ ready to go, I am full of opinions (as anyone who knows me personally can attest…or even if you’ve followed these BLOG postings), I continually conjure up more ideas to write about but it has been quite difficult for me to put pen to paper (or hand to keyboard) and write what I am thinking and feeling…I’ll get back to that later in this BLOG…
 
What does inspire me to write is LABOR DAY… a day that does and should celebrate the American laborer…please go back and read my other Labor Day blogs and see what I mean…I follow the present Labor Movement on Instagram and I’m always in awe as to what we owe the average worker…please remember, I’ve lived in countries that protect the workers far more than this country ever would…I’ve concluded that we protect the rich and the gun makers…the middle class needs to struggle on their own in many instances.
 
I went through a period of my life where I was a tad bit anti-union.  Knowing teachers that were so concerned with how many days off they would have for ‘Bereavement Leave’ or how many years until they were guaranteed the right to ‘keep their job’….no one should be guaranteed the right to ‘keep their job’…everyone should work as hard as they can every day to insure that whatever they are doing is maintaining or raising the ‘level’ of the end ‘product’.  Small business owners that I knew who could not take advantage of construction initiatives the Obama Administration offered due to the fact that the ‘initiative’ required maintaining all workers at a higher ‘union’ wage.  There was no room in the ‘initiative’ for negotiation.  Of course, these business owners could have lowered their high standard of living for I also feel that many small business owners want to live the ‘high’ life but don’t want to give their workers the opportunity to do the same…and, of course, if they did so….well, my point should be well taken.
 
I remember when I lived in Northwest Ohio the Human Resources Manager of one of the automobile manufacturing plants ( I forget which one…I think it was JEEP) was named HR Person of the Year.  I resented the distinction being given to him; he had the only plant in Ohio that had a death while ‘working’.  He should have been spending time fixing whatever caused the problem in the beginning…an ongoing battle raged with the Union in this plant and it wasn’t resolved until after the cause of the death was identified. 
 
Please note that I’m aware that in our long history of the Labor Movement, we have had tragedies with and without unions.  Please also see my BLOG on ‘Right to Work’, which is a farce in and of itself.
 
As the Donald Trumps (and he is not alone; there is a global movement toward ‘me and my country’) of the world take root, workers have fewer and fewer benefits without representation and this is a ripe time for the Labor Movement to begin to sow its seeds again. 
 
Minimum wage should be addressed at a Federal Level instead of leaving it to the individual State… health care should be something that is addressed and offered at a Federal Level…and the politicians can argue in what form but EVERYONE should have health care and NO ONE should be left without it in any way, shape or form…
 
Please also remember that most benefits that are offered by any employer at this point in time (2019!!!) are a result of a group of individuals fighting for workers’ rights and making the point that the benefit is necessary.  A good deal of blood, sweat and tears has gone into the building of our manufacturing and labor infrastructure and it would be so beneficial for our children and future generations to recognize that we need protection for all workers in this country.
 
The first Labor Day was celebrated in New York City in 1882 as a tribute to the contributions workers have made to the strength, prosperity and well being of our country.  Remember that when you are swimming, partying, picnicking, relaxing…we owe a significant debt of gratitude to the workers of this country.  We can recognize this by not only ‘celebrating’ them for a day but insuring that they will receive the remuneration and benefits they deserve as well as insure they work in the best and safest conditions they deserve.

Now, about my inability to write these BLOG's....I don't have an answer...I've had some personal demons that I've had to fight with in regard to my role in the care of my (now) 94 year old mother; as I age, I accept the fact that my ADD/ADHD has limited my ability to do things that I always tried to do but was not very successful in completing; I live vicariously through friends/family that continue to travel/work with a great deal more energy than I have but also more money and less responsibility...I have developed severe osteoarthritis and osteoporosis and I again cracked another bone early last spring (my 9th/10th/11th since 2007...I stopped counting)...when I'm not out on medical leave, as I am now, I work and I love it and I am highly regarded and respected.  I really wish I knew why I have not been able to sit down and write as I am now but since this is going to be published in a few; maybe, just maybe, I'll be able to force myself to do more....

If you have any questions regarding the Labor Movement or need any explanations, please contact me at scbhrserv@gmail.com or at rosanne@scbhrserv.com.  You can also call me at the number on this website.  Have a Happy Labor Day!
 
 
 

​…It is not easy.  But, it can be; it is dependent on you, your profession, your cover letter, your resume, your education (sometimes, where), whether you can obtain an interview and most of all, your appearance, demeanor and professionalism during that interview. 
 
We work in the economy we have!  A college degree was supposed to guarantee a good job and an 80% lifetime wage premium over people without college degrees.  But in the economy we have, getting a college degree no longer guarantees a good job, or indeed, a job of any kind:  53% of all college graduates under the age of 25 are unemployed or doing work that they could have done without a college degree.  The payoff for getting a college degree is declining while the risk of becoming a ‘debt serf’ due to crushing student loans is rising.  At present, there are far more people with college degrees than there are high-paying jobs for people with degrees – even law degrees, MBA’s and PhD’s.
 
From a Human Resources’ perspective, it is important to have a ‘value added’ portion to your cover letter and resume….something that says that you are unique.  Showing that you studied for four to five years to obtain a college degree use to do this but that was when the number of well paid jobs expanded at a faster rate than the number of college graduates.  This is simply no longer true.  I remember seeing an article in the New York Times during the height of the recession that a restaurant was opening on the Upper West Side of Manhattan (a new restaurant opening at that time was an anomaly in and of itself) and 12 PhD’s applied for one kitchen position.  The article never informed as to whether any PhD was offered the open positions.
 
…Back to ‘value added’...First of all, if you are unemployed then you have all the time in the world to look for a job…develop a system for job hunting.  Learn to organize and keep track of cover letters you send out, phone conversations that you have, interviews (this will be easy for you will probably not have many) that you have.  Learn to sell yourself in your cover letter, your resume and on the job interview.  What is it that you can offer that others can’t?  People need to realize that there is no such thing as a hidden job market.  It is there and you have to keep on looking until you find it.  You may not know about a job opening, but it is not hidden.  Finding a job is all about catching a potential employer at the right time when they need someone with your skill set.  Finding a job is all about how you come across in your cover letter, your resume and the interview…that is the bottom line.

Below is a reprint of a BLOG that I posted four (4) years ago (January 2015) for Martin Luther King. Jr. Day.  Much has changed since then; two (2) notable facts being that we, as a nation,  no longer have an African American as President and white supremacy has been on the rise.  It is interesting to me to see my comments from four (4) years ago....please remember to do something for another person, place or living 'creature' tomorrow....please do so every day but especially tomorrow.  There is way, way too much rife in the world and the only way we can share 'good' is by doing good for others....

FROM JANUARY 2015:  
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Since I was traveling this past weekend, everything was pushed back….including this BLOG…I was going to do an update on Wage Theft….I will for the next BLOG  but it will not be until later this week due to the fact that I’m having some work done on the website…however, I thought it would be more appropriate to write about the history of Martin Luther King and the day of service that is attributed to this time of year….I also saw the film yesterday afternoon and I have to state that it was one of the more emotional films I’ve seen in many years….compounded by the fact that the movie was based on that time in our history….made me think of the many, many injustices in the world from something as mundane as ‘wage theft’ to something as atrocious as Boko Haram in Nigeria….and everything in between…no matter how insignificant a ‘wrong’ is, it is still a ‘wrong’….and how the ‘Negroes’ in our society were treated, was not an insignificant ‘wrong’…..
 
Martin Luther King’s birthday is actually January 15th….the holiday is celebrated on the third Monday of January and comes under the Uniform Monday Holiday Act (didn’t even know we had one).  King was the CHIEF spokesperson for nonviolent activism in the civil rights movement, which, as we ALL should know, successfully protested racial discrimination in federal and state law.  The holiday was signed into law by President Ronald Reagan in 1983, and it was first observed three (3) years later.  Typical of our country, some states resisted observing the holiday and gave it alternative names or combined it with other holidays, however, it was officially observed in all 50 states in 2000. 
 
I have to interject that it is absolutely amazing to me that there is STILL racism in this country or anywhere in the world….but, so be it….even with a President that is half African…I absolutely loathe injustices and I loathe racism even more….
 
This holiday was actually promoted by labor unions in contract negotiations.  It was originally brought before the House/Senate but fell short by five (5) votes….the main argument was that it would be expensive to have another federal holiday (for the government and private industry, alike) and that it would be contrary to longstanding tradition to have a holiday for a private citizen.  In 1981, a petition for the holiday was signed by six million individuals and was termed as ‘the largest petition in favor of an issue in US history’.  Coretta King was on the White House lawn with Ronald Reagan when the bill was signed.  The bill also established a Martin Luther King Jr. Federal Holiday Commission to oversee observance of this holiday.  Coretta King was appointed to the Commission for life.
 
There was a great deal of opposition from many sources to this holiday….led by Jesse Helms, who accused King of being a Communist as part of a 300 page document presented to the Senate….Patrick Moynihan threw the document on the Senate floor in anger….the Governor of the State of Arizona, on his way out of office, declared MLK day in Arizona as an Executive Order, the new Governor undid this declaration shortly after taking office….which caused the NFL in 1990 to move the Super Bowl to California in 1993.  In May of 2000, South Carolina became the last state to make Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday an official state holiday.  Prior to this, employees could choose between celebrating MLK Day or one of three Confederate holidays…..yes, southerners still celebrate the Confederacy….to this day….in my neighborhood in Memphis, one could regularly see Confederate Flags flying….and I lived in a relatively upper socio-economic neighborhood….thankfully, my closest friend there had parents that marched with Martin Luther King Jr…..
 
Some interesting facts….
 
***In Alabama, Martin Luther King Jr. Day is known as ‘Robert E. Lee/Martin Luther King Birthday’;
***In Arizona, Martin Luther King Jr. Day is known as ‘Martin Luther King Jr/Civil Rights Day’;
***In Arkansas, Martin Luther King Jr. Day is known as ‘Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert E. Lee’s Birthdays’;
***In New Hampshire, its official name is ‘Martin Luther King Jr. Civil Rights Day’;
***In Virginia (my favorite), it was known as Lee-Jackson-King Day, combining King’s birthday with the established Lee-Jackson Day.  The incongruous (understatement) nature of the holiday, which simultaneously celebrated the lives of Confederate Army generals and a civil rights icon, did not escape the notice of Virginia lawmakers (BRAVO!!!).  In 2000, Lee Jackson Day was moved to the Friday before Martin Luther King Jr. Day, establishing MLK Jr. Day as a holiday in its own right.
 
Rep. John Lewis (Georgia 5th Congressional District) and Civil Rights leader, was one of the first to suggest a Day of Service in honor of Martin Luther King Jr.   This federal legislation challenges Americans to transform the King Holiday into a day of citizen action volunteer service in honor of Dr. King.  The legislation was signed into effect by President Bill Clinton in 1994.  The largest event honoring Dr. King is the Greater Philadelphia King Day of Service. 
 
Believe it or not, Martin Luther KIng Jr. day is observed in Hiroshima, Japan (Please remember King advocated non-violence), Toronto, Canada and Israel…
 
I recognize that Martin Luther King Jr. was fallible as the rest of us….a true religious leader, who may have gone ‘wrong’ at times….something even notated in the movie, Selma….however, he was and is one of my heroes….he always wanted peaceful dialog and would still be shouting out about injustices if he had not been felled at the young age of 39 in Memphis, TN…
 
What are you doing for Martin Luther King Jr. Day….for your community, business, school or another individual???  Again, if you want suggestions on volunteering for yourself personally or for your business, please contact me at Rosanne Bennett at 484-798-1236 or at rosanne@scbhrserv.com.
 
Also, thank you all for following me on this BLOG….I only recently learned how many of you there are ….it is most appreciated….the more people this BLOG reaches, the better working conditions we will all have…
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I wanted to tell the world about my cookbook for it has taken me so long to finish it….and I don’t think I would have finished it without all the help and encouragement I received from my cousin, Monica Calvarese and my daughter, SaraAnn Bennett.
 
I don’t have the type of personality that the average person ‘encourages’; I am feisty, stubborn, tenacious and, can be downright obnoxious at times…my daughter says it is because I ‘don’t know how to fight or defend myself’ so I end up being loud and rude…however, I also am the most empathetic and perceptive person you will ever meet…I will go out of my way to help anyone without a thought of any type of negative impact on me.  I am always thinking of the little ‘guy’ and wanting to protect them from the big, bad ‘wolf’….I also know that I elevate some entities and people to that ‘big, bad wolf’ status whilst they should remain a notch or two lower.  My personality has a good deal to do with my ADD and how I was treated as a child.
 
I can’t remember many things that I finished when I was younger; I didn’t have much follow through in my life until my daughter was born….then, for some reason, only known to a ‘mother’…everything changed.  It wasn’t difficult to ‘focus’ on my daughter for I vowed that no one would ever treat my daughter the way I had been treated; no one would ever hurt my daughter the way I had been hurt….I was going to let her ‘fly’ with every opportunity she would ever want to take (within safety limitations, of course)…
 
I’ve written about avocations vs vocations in BLOGS in the past; at some point…I think I was still in college (another aspect of my life with very little focus) when I decided to teach myself to cook…growing up amongst a few very good cooks wasn’t enough…they didn’t have the patience to ‘teach’…I remember once my cousin and I made a box cake and were so proud of ourselves until we realized that we had forgotten to put the eggs into the batter…instead of being ‘encouraged’ to try again, our grandmother hollered at both of us…I’d been used to being hollered at by most adults in my life up to that point in time, I didn’t take my grandmother’s tongue lashing very personal.  Regardless, for some reason that first pot of soup that I made for my roommates ‘stirred’ something in me that has never left….
 
My relaxation is my cooking…I will awaken in the middle of the night thinking of foods that I want to cook, to eat…my taste is eclectic enough to be interesting but not anywhere near the ‘absurd’ for a normal American palate…I’ve eaten foods that the average American has never heard of but I don’t think that average American would shudder when I explain what the food consists of…
 
As part of this BLOG, I’m including the foreward to the cookbook.  My heart and soul went into this book for a good period of time….again, I want to thank Monica and my daughter for their encouragement….I also want to thank those who have contacted me since publication of the cookbook expressing their ‘surprise’ at how it turned out…’ye, of so little faith’….I forgive, however, I don’t ever, ever forget…

I continually apologize for not being consistent with my BLOGs and, I promise, after the cookbook is completed, I will BLOG weekly…so...right in the middle of the ‘end’ of the cookbook preparation for publication, I spill water on my computer keyboard….I was devastated for a few moments but quickly looked onto google (using my phone) to see what to do….I think I have it covered…it still ‘acts’ as if it is hacked but only rarely now…the mouse moves on it’s own…it is as if my alter ego is on the computer with me…
 
I’ve tried to keep this BLOG non-partisan and non-political…it has been hard in this world that we live in.  It is not only the United States that is having issues with populism; there are a number of countries that have similar issues.  I’m so afraid for Brazil…a relatively new democracy….I lived there at the end of their ‘dictatorship’ and the man that is the new president makes Donald Trump look liberal.  Somewhere along the line, common sense was lost by a number of ‘men’, specifically ‘white’ men, and it was decided by these ‘white’ men that ‘we are going to take back what is ours no matter how we have to do it’.
 
Everyone thinks that Brett Kavanaugh was behaving poorly in his Senate confirmation hearings after the accusation by Dr. Ford.  He was behaving the way he was told he would be most effective…and the older ‘white’ Senators were doing the same….show that anger, show that frustration...because in today’s ‘world’…it works.  Look at Trump.
 
Donald Trump made a statement that he could walk down/through Times Square and shoot someone and get away with it; that is the truth.  The ‘despicable’ (and I do believe Hillary Clinton meant exactly what she said) would see to it that some excuse was made to justify his behavior.  While those of us with decency are questioning every action; there are the others that applaud his arrogance. 
 
I have to admit that not all Republicans approve of the tone of this President or the tone of the ‘older’ members of the United States Senate….did you actually hear/see Lindsay Graham?  He must have been ‘coached’ to show that anger!  Some Republicans have very conservative views but don’t tolerate what is going on in Washington or how things are being handled.  Trump has already threatened the Senator from Alaska for not towing the ‘party’ line. 
 
So, it was inevitable that Brett Kavanaugh would be appointed to the Supreme Court but very sad….there are many decent men/women out there as conservative as he with the same judicial leanings as he that would have been a better match for the Supreme Court of the United States.  Those that laud his confirmation have no earthly idea how his behavior will affect the country in the future. 

​Yes, i can be very irreverent at times….  I know this about myself.  I’ve taken quite a few ‘punches’ over the years and I’ve learned to react with a strange sense of humor or just by sheer frustration.  However, I’m not just a survivor; I tend to look at myself as thriving…hence, the attempt at writing a blog on OCD in the workplace.  It is real, very real.  One in 40 American adults has Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder....I think the photo in this publication is much more 'authentic' as a representation of OCD due to the fact that the 'paperclips' are in such pristine order...

A very long time ago in a distant and foreign land, I was told there lived a very dazed and confused business owner…one who was seriously challenged but inherently adept at what he, supposedly,  did for a living….he was purported to spend hours working out at his local health club and make everyone in the office (when he went into the office) shake in their ‘shoes’ when his presence was noted.  This person did not permit his subordinates to write with ‘blue’ ink. He also did not ‘permit’ anything left on one’s desk at the end of the day….some staff members would stuff piles in their desks when they knew he was going to  be around so they would not have to deal with complaints and, most importantly,  they could spend more time on necessary work rather than arbitrary organization…The owner had issues with the supply cabinet, file drawers, return addresses on envelopes, where a staple landed on a page, the copying of envelopes along with all correspondence and how emails were sent….but the biggest PIA was the PAPERCLIPS….

It is an adage that those that are poor are poor because they just don’t work hard enough…however, we have seen time and time again that many ‘poor’ individuals work a great deal ‘harder’ than wealthier individuals…some with more than one or two jobs.  The cover of TIME this week has a photo of a woman with the following inscription:
 
“I have a master’s degree, 16 years of experience, work two extra jobs and donate blood plasma to pay the bills.  I’m a teacher in America.”  We also think that it is just the uneducated that are ‘poor’ but that is also not the case if you believe this aforementioned statement. 
 
In very many instances, a job can be a lifesaver for an individual…it can take them OFF of food stamps, it can take them OFF of Medical Assistance, it can give them enough money to find somewhere to live without the confines of government assistance, it can help them with their self esteem and help give them a ‘purpose’…what many jobs can’t do is guarantee that the individual will have enough money to pay all of their bills including, but not limited to, car/transportation/health care (yes, after Medical Assistance, costs can increase exponentially)/child care/utilities…along with the housing and food. 
 
The New York Times recently had an article (9/11/18) about a young woman who worked for a home health care agency part time.  The basic premise of the article was how work does not necessarily mean one will not be poor.  This woman took care of her ailing father (a crack addict most of his adult life) and her three (3) children, also.  Working for Bayada was a paid ($12) position but the home health care that she gave her father was not.  There were periods of her life that she could not work outside the home at all due to the fact that she could not afford to pay for child care; once her children became older, she was able to work and not be limited by the need for child care.  The bottom line in her story is/was that she was working…taking care of others through Bayada (Home Health Care Agency) and taking care of an ailing parent…while also taking care of her children…attempting to insure that they spend time in a library rather than out on the streets…insuring that her children attend school every day, do the assigned homework, eat properly, get enough sleep…so that, someday, they may have careers and earn enough money to comfortably survive in the place we call ‘America’. 
 
There are some in politics that feel that the ‘right to choose’ is wrong but they also don’t want to pay for that woman to make the ‘choice’ they want her to make…so, instead of insuring that the ‘mother’s’ in this country have the means to raise a family with guaranteed time off (with pay) and guaranteed child care, many ‘mother’s’ have to fend for themselves.  It is a vicious cycle and very hard to move above the ‘ceiling’.
 
Vanessa (the young woman in the New York Times article), until she was offered subsidized housing, would live with her mother (estranged from her crack addict father), who would often ask her to leave and take the children for they made too much noise…Vanessa would go to a Red Roof Inn or another ‘shelter’ that was possibly offered by one of the non-profits who help single mothers.  In the morning, she would go back to her mother’s house and get the children ready for school.  When things are going well for Vanessa, she is earning about $1200/month.  An hourly rate of $10/hour for certain clients and $14/hour for others. 
 
With the Dow Jones Industrial average over 26,000 and unemployment holding steady at 3.9%, it is not a question of ‘Can I get a job?’, it is ‘What kind of job can I get?’, ‘Will it help me and my family?’…American workers have increased productivity over 77% in the last 40 years, however, wages have only increased 12%.  If wages were to stay level with productivity, the minimum wage in this country would be well over $20/hour.  It is as if the non-skilled American worker has been excluded from the profits that they have helped generate…
 
The decline of the American unions has been a big reason that this disparity exists.  The unions fought for, and won, many concessions from the American manufacturing/industrial and service sectors.  Unfortunately, the decline of the unions has had a negative impact on the unskilled or lower skilled American worker.  There really is nothing that raises someone out of poverty than a good/well paying job.  30% of the American work force earns less than $12/hour…this will not raise anyone out of poverty!
 
The Bureau of Labor Statistics describes ‘working poor’ as someone below the poverty line that spent more than half the year working or looking for work.  In 2016, over 7.6 million individuals in this category…most over the age of 35…very few between the ages of 16/19…which is the age one thinks of when we think of someone working for ‘less’.  These individuals are adults, many parents, who answer our customer service lines, wipe down hotel showers and toilets, take food orders and bussing tables, eviscerating chickens at meat-processing plants, minding children at 24-hour day care centers, picking berries, emptying trash cans, stacking grocery shelves at midnight, driving taxis and Ubers, smoothing hot asphalt on freeways, teaching community-college students as adjunct professors and, yes, bagging groceries and scooping ice cream in paper hats…can you think of more?  I can…many more.