Wednesday, April 28, 2010

The Myth that Obama Democrats are Extremists

Obama Democrats have been remarkably fair-minded and pragmatic.

I think Obama and Congressional Democrats have made every effort to appease Republicans - e.g. The Health Care Reform: 1. there's no public option despite the fact that a majority of Americans favor it, 2. the Health Care Bill is actually considered a step back according to many pro-Choice advocates, and 3. The Bill hurts several Labor Unions by taxing "cadillac" Health Plans. If anything Obama Democrats have abandoned the Left in order to try to curry favor with the Right. They've been acting very pragmatically, though, compromising on ideological purity in order to at least get a few beneficial reforms through.

(For the far lefts view on the Health Care reform look here: http://www.socialistalternative.org/news/article10.php?id=1341. They don't like it, because it's too moderate.)

However, Congressional Republicans are playing to the base and have effectively excluded themselves from the governance of the country by refusing to include themselves in reform discussion.

Look at what happened to Bob Bennet: http://www.sltrib.com/news/ci_14870122

The Healthy Americans Act which he sponsored during the Bush years is so is incredibly similar to the Health Care Reform it's crazy! But when Obama Democrats propose the plan in a slightly different form he starts acting like the whole idea is pure lunacy - why?!!! It's so frustrating to see him have to abandon what he truly believes to satisfy the ideology of the Right Wing. He's also an expert in Health Policy and could have been helpful in the drafting process, but instead he decided he could score more points with the "Kill the Bill" crowd.

There is no pragmatism to what the Right is doing. The Republican stalling strategy is to sabotage the nations success to make Democrats look bad. It's nearsighted, hostile and despicable.

Democrats are at least trying to fix past policy errors and help the nation progress. Democrats are ignoring the extremists on their side while Republicans are touting the line for Right Wingers - e.g. Palin, Teaparties, Glen Beck, etc.

Monday, April 19, 2010

Refugee Resume Fillers

Job qualifications list for easier resume writing

Cashier

Provide fast, courteous, efficient service to ensure customer satisfaction. Strong customer service skills and the ability to sell products and services. Possess good communication, telephone and basic register/cash-handling skills. Process customer sales to include accepting payment, packing merchandise and issuing receipts and change. Maintains the appearance of store including stocking and performing general housekeeping duties. Maintains a safe work area for customers and coworkers. Ability to process transactions accurately. Ability to handle multiple tasks. Ability to communicate in a professional and tactful manner. Accurate listening skills. Ability to independently handle problems and facilitate successful outcomes.

Dishwasher

Work quickly and efficiently. Detail oriented and love cleanliness. Take pride in performing repetitive tasks well. Knowledge of food safety and public health protection. Wash dishes, pots, pans, kitchen utensils and other equipment used in making meals. Maintain the kitchen area in a neat, clean and orderly manner. Have or be able to obtain food handlers permit.

Food Service

Assists customers in finding products, making selections and purchasing items. Deal with people in a manner which shows sensitivity, tact, and professionalism. Knowledge of food safety and public health protection, applicable laws, rules, regulations and/or policies and procedures. Professional in grooming and uniform standards. Able to stand for long periods of time. Prepares special orders for customer when possible. Prepares hot and cold foods according to instructions. Maintains clean and sanitary work area. Wipes counters, washes utensils, etc. Stocks meats, cheeses, lettuce, rolls, bread and other foods as necessary. Sweeps and mops floor around deli area. Assists in stocking shelves. Rings up food items on cash register and accurately handles cash.

Groundskeeper

Works safely even in hazardous environments. Solves problems quickly and efficiently. Make decisions, takes responsibility, and works with minimal supervision. Follow directions with exactness. Ability to climb ladders, work in heights and confined spaces, use and maintain a variety of hand tools, and wear respiratory equipment. Mow, rake, water and fertilize lawn. Plant, transplant, water, fertilize, and trim flowers and shrubs. Control weeds, remove litter. Performs manual labor such as digging, shoveling, planting, trimming, painting, etc. Maintains building(s) and/or facilities in a clean and orderly condition and/or removes snow from sidewalks and doorways, etc. Assist with general maintenance of sprinkler systems and preventive maintenance of lawnmowers, snow blowers and other small grounds keeping equipment. Ability to work in severe heat and cold conditions. Knowledge of use and effects of herbicides, pesticides, fungicides, insecticides, and/or fertilizers.

Janitor, Commercial

Take pride in your work, and have high standards of cleanliness. Pays superb attention to detail to determine tasks to be accomplished. Responsible for ordering additional supplies as needed to ensure the smooth flow of day to day operations. Ability to work with minimal supervision. Trustworthy, punctual and task oriented. Works well with others to accomplish team goals.

Janitor, Medical

Perform housekeeping tasks, according to detailed instructions, to maintain area in a sanitary, clean and attractive condition. Ability to properly dispose of infectious waste and trash. Ability to communicate clearly, and to follow written and verbal directions. Effectively coordinate efforts with staff members. Ability to work around patients, visitors and staff without causing disruptions. Ability to use cleaning chemicals properly. - Must have the ability to properly clean walls, and carpets, with appropriate chemicals. Ability to keep up assigned area, making independent judgments on needed activities and projects. Ability to work with patient care units and other departments with specialized cleaning needs and hazards. Knowledge of appropriate responses to chemical spills. Cleans, mops, scrubs and dust floors. Cleans toilets, basins, showers, bathtubs, patient beds. Cleans and vacuums furniture, fixtures, doors and related furnishings by using appropriate cleaning supplies. Operates and maintains electric floor machines, snow blowers, industrial vacuums, carpet shampooing equipment and upholstery shampooing equipment. Cleans patient rooms, beds, waiting areas and examination tables. Labels and removes infectious waste bags and containers. Transports custodial supplies and equipment to and from storage and work areas. Replaces sharp containers, transports trash and refuse, removes empty boxes and organizes closets.

Janitor, Construction

Safely remove construction debris and garbage. Efficiently stack and organize jobsite construction materials. Clean tools and equipment. Ability to lift and carry heavy objects up to 70 lbs. Able to endure long periods of standing. Assist the foreman and helpers with the assigned task. Work in tight and confined spaces and quarters. Maintain a productive pace of work while unsupervised. Assist several people at a time. Willing to change task as often as required, due to job site circumstances

Laborer, plumbing

Hard worker, dependable, always shows up on time or before. Willing to go the extra mile, complete tasks given, and strong common sense. Physically capable. Safety-first attitude.

Laundry Worker

Responsible for the gathering, sorting, washing, drying, folding and delivering of linens and clothing to closets and rooms in a nursing home.

Production/Assembly

Adaptable: ability to rotate through the assembly line, learn different tasks, and adjust quickly to new responsibilities. Ability to meet line rate expectations. Ability to perform a variety of assembly tasks requiring dexterity and fine motor skills. Ability to visually check work performed and identify whether a product has been assembled correctly according to quality criteria. Ability to follow instructions in performing repetitive tasks. Dependability in coming to work on time and meet company attendance guidelines. Attentiveness in performing tasks. Pride in performing repetitive tasks well. Good eye-hand coordination. Works closely with co-workers to create and promote high quality, teamwork, increased throughput and low scrap rate. Actively seeks to keep areas and equipment clean and organized to maintain a professional shop appearance. Basic math and computer skills. Have a company first outlook. Be a role model while having a positive attitude. Ensure the building of the highest quality product possible. Goals are met on a daily basis. Understand Standard Operating Procedures. Participate in resolving any area problems/concerns with team. Effective communication skills both verbal/non-verbal and listening skills. Physical work, standing for 8 hrs, repetitive bending, twisting lifting 25+ lbs. Able to communicate and read work orders, great attitude and work ethic, team player; able to work over time if necessary. Excellent attendance and punctuality. Work well in a fast paced environment with high noise level around mechanical and electrical equipment.

Vehicle Service Agent

Transport cars from service center to ready line, clean interior and exterior of vehicles, check all fluid levels, inspect vehicles for damage, drive cars through car wash to staging area. High energy level and willingness to work in a fast-paced team environment. Clean driving and criminal record.

Warehouse, Material Handler

Takes pride in work, able to multi-task and detail-oriented. Ablility to work independently with minimal supervision. Efficiently move and stock product. Accurately pull orders and packaging product. Accurate use of scale for weighing product. Use scanner and printer to label product. Ability to learn and perform multiple tasks in a team environment. Good communication skills. Work independently in a fast paced environment. Compliant with safety regulations. Possess computer skills and aptitude. Ab;e to lift, slide and lower packages that weigh up to 75lbs. Basic math skills.

Friday, April 9, 2010

Improve your Business - Hire a Refugee!

This is the letter I send to people who might be interested in hiring someone from our pool of clients:

Hello Potential Employer,

My organization could be an awesome solution to your future employment needs.

I work for the Asian Association of Utah as an employment case manager for refugees. Basically our organization offers employers the advantages of a staffing agency, except we're a free, not-for-profit organization. So there is no need to deal with hassles of public listings. Instead by using us you can expect to get quality legal employees fast - usually within 48 hours. And as I mentioned, since we are a non-profit organization, there is no fee for any of our staffing services.

At this agency we assist refugees from all over the world who have fled their homes because their life was endangered by political turmoil. Due to the amazing circumstances of their life, refugees tend to be very willing, hard-working, dependable employees. We screen nearly one hundred potential employees each month. We ensure all their paperwork is in order and any other employment related needs are met. We want to ensure that you have a good experience when you hire a refugee. As such, the services we provide include, but are not limited to, the following:
Language-specific job orientations
On the job training in the refugee's native language
Translation of rules/policies/procedures in the appropriate language
Language specific interpreters
Assistance with transportation needs
Assistance with social service issues that might otherwise interfere with work
Many innovative companies have discovered the huge benefits associated with hiring refugees. For example, the Summit Watch Marriot Hotel in Park City decided to give refugees a chance and bought a van to transport 15 people from Salt Lake to their Hotel in Park City. Summit Watch Park City went from having a 100% yearly turnover rate with a traditional workforce, to a 4% turnover rate once they started hiring Burmese refugees. Now 90% of their housekeeping team is composed of refugees. With job retention also came increased job performance as evidenced by improvement on customer satisfaction surveys at Summit Watch Marriot. If you are interested I can put in you contact with Summit Watch's Suzanne Wild who will tell you more about her experience hiring refugees.

Finally, right now is a uniquely good time to hire a refugee in Utah. Currently there are two Federal programs which make helping a refugee very cost-effective. First, if you're willing to train someone in a valuable skill while they work, our refugees qualify for the On the Job Training Program which reimburses employers 50% of the cost of employee(s) wages during a predetermined training period. Many employers are granted over 100 hours of reimbursed time when they hire and train a refugee. Also, all our refugees qualify for the Work Opportunity Tax Credit which can be worth as much as $9,000!

Give me a call or send me an e-mail so we can schedule a time to talk about your employment needs.

Thanks,
Zach Myers
Asian Association
Utah Refugee Employment Center
http://www.aau-slc.org/
801-808-0653
zcmyers@gmail.com

Links to Refugee Resources/Information:

FAQ about Refugees:
http://www.jobs.utah.gov/refugee/who.asp

Department of Workforce Services, Refugee Services:
http://www.jobs.utah.gov/refugee/

U.S. Refugee Statistics:
http://www.cal.org/co/refugee/statistics/index.html