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Selling Over the Quoted Price 

A consultant wrote, “a client advise implemented a meaningful Commission bump for selling over the target price.” At first brush, that sounds like an obvious plan, but it causes us to think more carefully as it implies that the dollars over the target price are more valuable than the dollars at the target price or

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Dear David: When Do We Pay for Training Time?

Question: When are we required to pay for trainings?  Answer: In general, time spent in job-related training is counted as time worked and must be paid. However, not every lecture, class, training program, or similar activity would qualify. If all four of the following criteria are met, you don’t need to pay the employee for

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Dear David: Is Dress Code Enforceable?

Question: Our previous HR director was lax about policy enforcement, particularly around tardiness and dress code. What’s the best way to start enforcing these policies consistently?  Answer: If possible, we recommend meeting with employees to inform them that, going forward, these policies will be uniformly enforced. If meetings aren’t a viable option, a company-wide announcement

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Letterpress Revival

Introduction  Though it will never regain its prominent place in the printing world versus competitors like offset lithographic presses and production digital printing systems, letterpress printing is making a remarkable comeback. This comeback is not exclusively reserved for printing museums, though it is happening there too. New initiatives at colleges and universities are riding the

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Dear David: Updating Employees on New Laws

Question: Do we need to tell employees when employment laws change? Answer: Possibly. As the employer, you need to stay up to date on legal changes that affect your organization, and your leadership team, managers, human resources, and payroll departments should be kept aware of any new legal requirements or rights that will apply to them

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Check out Videos from drupa 2024 

Did you miss the action at drupa 2024? We’ve got you covered. Check out these videos from WhatTheyThink to hear from various attendees. They share new technologies, industry insights, and their experiences at the show.  Through Fresh Eyes: Cal Poly Graphic Communications Students on Their First drupa Visit – WhatTheyThink  Inspiring the Future of Production

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Dear David: Reducing Employee Turnover

Question: What can we do to reduce turnover and retain employees? Answer: High turnover can quickly become costly. We recommend the following practices to increase retention:  Advice provided by Mineral. This Q&A does not constitute legal advice and does not address state or local law.  David KatzVice PresidentVMA Insurance Services To send your questions, write to

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Dear David: Employee Not Meeting Expectations

Question: We have a longtime employee who’s no longer meeting expectations. The owner is afraid to hold them accountable because they’re over 40 and therefore in a protected class. What can we do? Answer: In general, you shouldn’t let an employee’s protected class status deter you from holding them accountable to your performance expectations. After all,

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Dear David: What are whistleblower protections?

Question: What are whistleblower protections?  Whistleblowing occurs when an employee reports wrongdoing (dangerous, illegal, or unethical activity or practices by the company or its employees) either directly to the employer or to an outside authority. Many laws, including the Occupational Safety and Health Act, consider whistleblowing a protected activity, meaning you can’t lawfully retaliate against

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Dear David: Is reviewing ALL candidates needed?

Question: We’ve identified the job candidates we’d like to interview, but we still have applications coming in. Do we need to review every application before moving forward with interviews and making a job offer?  Answer: The short answer is no. There’s no legal requirement to review all the applications before moving forward, and you can always

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