Signing Up for Supplemental Medicare

Supplement Medicare is a policy that covers those medical expenses on a beneficiary's bill that Medicare itself does not. When it comes to payment for a medical procedure, Medicare pays 80% of the medical bill; and Medicare supplement pays the remaining 20% and if at all any additional payment is required then, the beneficiary needs to pay it off as an out -of -pocket expense. To date there are 12 Medicare supplement plans ranging from A to L. These provide different types of coverage. All these plans fall under the Medigap title and thus known as Medigap plans.

To sign up for Supplemental Medicare, the following procedure must be followed:

- Private companies sell Medigap plans. Hence, the premium too is a bit high. These plans may prove expensive for persons who do not need their policies very often throughout the year. However, for those who need hospitals and doctors more often, these plans may prove to be beneficial. It is for this reason that a person wanting to go for Medigap, should list down all the medical services that, he/she requires annually. Then one should work out, how many of those medical expenses are paid by Medicare and how much does he/she have to spend as out-of-pocket expenses.

- As mentioned above, there are 12 types of Medigap plans ranging from A to L. These plans provide different types and levels of coverage, that Medicare originally does not provide. Hence, one must look out for the Medigap plan/s that provides maximum to the type of medical expenses that are incurred by him/her. It is important to know which Medigap plan provides coverage in the area one resides in, as some Medigap plans do not provide coverage in certain geographical areas. It is also important to know which companies (Medigap providers) offer, which plans. One can derive all this information from the state department of insurance.

- Since the federal government standardized Medicare Supplemental plans in 1992, the benefits offered by the plans will not change regardless of which Medigap provider sells them. If something varies, among what different Medigap Providers have to offer, it is, the cost of the plans (premiums) and the quality of customer service. Hence, one must look at which plan provides maximum coverage and which provider offers the plan/s at the most affordable and reasonable rates. Once one decides which provider suits him/her best, the provider will guide him/her through the procedure for enrollment.

Steps To Avoid Identity Theft

Worried about becoming the victim of identity theft? Not sure what steps you can take to help protect the identities of you and your loved ones? If so, then this article on steps to avoid identity theft is definitely for you. I'll discuss a few easy ways you can safeguard yourself and some red flags to keep an eye out for.

Guard all of your information when it comes to finances - The only time you want to give a bank account or credit card number is when you are physically paying for something.

Social security numbers stay confidential

- This is the key that will unlock your entire identity. Never give this to anyone unless you can be sure of why it is necessary to give it out and who you are giving it to. To stay on the safe side ask that your health insurance company or any other companies that use your social as an ID number give you a different substitute number instead. If your motor vehicle agency uses it for your driver's license ask that they also give you a different number instead.

Guard against imposters

- There are many dishonest people pretending to work with businesses you do business with. They may try to email or call you saying they need to verify sensitive personal information. If this happens be very suspicious! Before giving out any information, contact the company yourself to confirm that the email or call is actually from them.

Guard your mail

- Most people overlook this but your mail is something that needs safeguarding as it has personal account numbers and other valuable information. Always collect if from your box as promptly as possible and have the post office hold it if you're away for any reason. Also when sending out mail be sure to send any type of bill payments directly from the post office or other public mailbox and not from your home. Dont throw your mail in the trash. Shred it!

Keep your PIN numbers and passwords memorized

- Do not leave these numbers in a wallet, desk or anywhere else where somebody could easily find it. Also be sure to make them difficult to crack. Don't use birthdays, kid's names or anything else someone might be able to guess or figure out.

Get your names off any credit marketing lists

- The credit bureaus create these marketing lists for all types of pre approved credits offers. These can be a treasure trove for anyone trying to steal your identity as they can steal the offers from your mailbox and then apply for a card under your name. To get off these lists simply call 888-567-8688. You need to be sure to have your social security handy as you'll need to verify yourself to be removed. Getting off this list has no effect on your chances when trying to apply for credit.

Lock Up Valuable Info

- Have a spot where you can keep all of your personal information secure whether at home, school, in your car or at work. The harder it is to get access to the harder it is to steal

Hopefully, this article on steps to avoid identity theft has shown you a few of the ways to keep your valuable information free from the prying hands of others. When it comes to protecting your personal information be diligent, as a stolen identity is a nightmare and not something you'll ever want to have to deal with.

Take Advantage of the Opportunity and Hire an Immigration Attorney

As a foreigner to one of the greatest countries in the world, one of the hardest challenges you may face is becoming a legal citizen. There are so many people who come from many different countries just so they can have a piece of the American dream; that the United States government has had to implement some very strict laws and regulations to keep track of everyone who wants to become a citizen. What this means for you is you are going to need to file some paperwork with the UCSIS (U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services). You need to be able to demonstrate that you will be able to obtain and maintain the same quality of life as a natural born citizen. You have to be able to understand and abide by the laws and you need to understand and speak English. These tasks alone can pose some very serious challenges for foreigners who already find themselves at a great disadvantage. That is why one of the first things you should is to hire an immigration attorney.

Since you are new to the country, you don't want to waste the grace period you have. You want to take advantage of this time and use it to get your affairs in order so that by the time it expires, you will have been granted your legal citizenship or obtained your green card. The whole citizenship process is not something you want to go through by yourself. You should hire an immigration attorney so they can help you every step of the way. It doesn't matter what your native language is, they will be able to communicate with you and help you understand what is required and what is at stake. You need someone who knows the laws and can help you fill out the required paperwork, help you get your hands on the necessary documentation ad get through any and all of the red tape you may experience. You need to make sure that your application is flawless and since you may not understand everything that is being asked, this is where your immigration attorney will prove to be an invaluable resource.

Don't forget that until you get your papers, you may need to get some temporary documents that will give you legal permission to get work in the United States. This temporary documentation will also entitle you to public assistance that will help make your transition less stressful. If you require any kind of assistance, don't hesitate to let your immigration attorney know. He can get you access to the resources you may not have been able to obtain on your own.

Don't waste the opportunity and the time you have been given when you come to the United States from another country. As you start to get familiar with the new world around you, seek out a good immigration attorney to help you out as well. Don't deny yourself or your children the chance or freedom to live in one of the best places in the world.

Tricks To Find Cheap Insurance For Your Pet

If you are a pet lover and you also really don't want anything bad that occurs for a beloved pet, then the easiest way to be able to help them to is simply by getting pet insurance. Keeping them insured throughout their lives will help you feel relaxed, when you know your furry friend will get full coverage in the event that if anything transpires with them.

But with the existing problems facing the economy today, it's going to be a challenge finding a pet insurance policy as it ensures that you are going to pay for this type of endeavor. Because you really don't want to pay a whole lot of for pet insurance, your option would be to consider cheap insurance for your pet used instead of the expensive ones.

Look for for the insurance provider maintain pet insurance. Always be diligent on the insurance provider before walking in; I'm certain you'll have to keep going returning to your website and the entrance way of the owner of work. There are some suggestions with how to get cheap insurance for your pet:

1. You can try checking the net for affordable pet insurance in lieu of just go straight to a pet store or pet shop and ask about cheap insurance for your pet. The web probably has more details that you needed, therefore you can merely login to a computer and start researching there. While asking around is also a great choice, different people have different opinions so it is much better in the event you consult the world wide web and research more to do with these insurance companies in addition to their policies yourself.

2. Check the breed of your dog; be it the cat or possibly a dog, ensure that you understand the breed and you have got all the papers associated with your dog for straightforward documentation when you agree on setting up a insurance for your pet insurance policy for your pets.. Learning about the breed is very important because some insurance for your pet have different offers for a few breeds of pets.

3. Remember to learn and re-read your entire insurance policy. You'll never fail if you practice being cautious enough with deals similar to this. While there are other people which you can trust, there are still a lot of people who'd do anything whatsoever only to close true down. Don't allow salesperson do the talking for you; you ought to be normally the one to make the decision whether you desire to opt for it or otherwise.

What Is Patent Infringement?

The objective of filing a patent is generally to assert control of one's creation or procedure so that you can manage its usage. But, surprisingly often, other people fail to give courtesy to the product creator and unlawfully use their branded components to aid their own objectives.

The arguments on the subject of patent violation can take years, and grow to be difficult and very expensive matters. In the end, it is up to the discernment of the jury to ascertain whether a patent appears to have been infringed on, in accordance with the data and demands of the rightful holder. In such cases, the guidance of qualified patent attorney is very important to your claim.

What exactly is infringement? The unauthorized making, using, offering to sell, selling, or importing of patented inventions indicates patent infringement. The quality of an infringement claim is based on the words of the remarks of the patent - if what the defendant is creating would not fit inside the terms of the demands of the patent then an infringement allegation is invalid.

Identifying Infringement Your patent identifies the specific points and methods pertaining to your products. The document is your primary reference when claiming infringement. In case your documents can show how the other individual is dishonestly using your innovation or process whilst not having your written or spoken consent, you could be eligible to launch a suit.

Infringement Claim Procedures In case you submit a lawsuit claiming patent infringement, your circumstance will be diligently reviewed in the court for judgment. You could check with the court to have an injunction to halt the patent infringement and could also request damages incurred because of the patent infringement. Your patent attorney will aid you to accumulate your patent certification and grounds of your patent infringement.

Filing a patent suit isn't always easy. Such legal cases sometimes involve a lot of evidence and technical explanations, and some might continue for a long time. For knowledgeable counsel within your patent infringement lawsuit, you'll want to look for the assistance of a patent lawyer.

Promoting Commercial Refrigeration Contractor Website Content Using Latest Google SEO Methods

Commercial refrigeration business is an essential and important part of food industry and all types of restaurants and other establishments concerned with proper storage and standard procedures handling of food supplies and finished products in compliance with food safety and sanitary norms which exist for this industry.

Professional refrigeration and air conditioning companies have become very diversified and technologically advanced in the recent decades because of the increasing demand for their services and general progress in heating and cooling appliances design and energy conservation in the world of commercially used refrigerators, air conditioners, freezers and vending machines that require some sort of insurance for spoilage by using temperature control and regulation. The maintenance and repair of all kinds of air-heating or cooling units has also undergone significant changes, so it has become a very lucrative professional business to have a refrigeration company operating with a license to provide installation of electrical condenser and evaporator based refrigeration equipment to be included in the inventory of available electrical appliances to support local food related businesses, create food safety and meet insurance standards.

Because the competition in refrigeration service and people servicing it is high, especially those located in large cities and towns, the owner of industrial refrigeration system must constantly think ahead and come up with competitive, efficient and multifunctional products to cater to various types of refrigeration services required by the industry to be successful in the growing refrigeration business. Modern equipment allows to conserve water when using air conditioning or refrigeration service units both for home and industrial purposes. Diversification of refrigeration business demands changing the ways these companies look for their prospective clients and therefore create and promote insurance of stable business leads. In the recent years, marketing and promotion efforts for refrigerators has relied heavily on internet advertising including search engine optimized marketing which generates considerable customer leads for licensed refrigeration or heating business with electrical system components.

Because of the subtle nature of food inspection agency requirements to the type of refrigerating equipment, it is important for commercial refrigeration and air conditioning (as well as heat providing) services to follow industry standards and position their company at a high level of quality assurance. Regardless of what the use for refrigeration is intended to be, for clients it will be important that there is sufficient storage capacity and this is especially true for B2B refrigerator buyers. Energy efficiency insurance is also an important factor when refrigerator distributors advertise their products online: the more equipment is needed for a particular business, home or establishment, the more saving in energy their potential clients will be looking for.

By improving the search engine ratings in major engines available today, the optimization method of doing marketing for their energy efficient refrigeration or heating business can help make website noticeable and effective in reaching potential customers as well as stay ahead of the competitors, because when customers look for specific things in heating or cooling electrical appliances, they will enter these cooling systems or energy efficient furnaces as their search items and keywords. By utilising SEO technique, these keywords can backlink to the website in question bringing new customers and increasing web traffic. The chances of making a sale or gaining customer base are greatly increased when keywords characterising your business lead directly to the site.

Microsoft Great Plains - Payroll & HR Inexpensive Solution? Not Any More

Microsoft Great Plains is main Microsoft Business Solutions accounting package for the US market. You should probably expect some issues when you have software development company to be bought by big player - in this case Great Plains Software was bought by Microsoft (Bill Gates was a friend to Doug Burgum - owner and leader of Great Plains Software - Great Plains Dynamics/eEnterprise). We certainly have some influence level in Microsoft Business Solutions, but what happened is out of our decision level and this is really sad story.

OK. Let's go to the story itself. Imagine - you are small company who serves to your clients as payroll/Humane Resources outsourcer. Old-days Great Plains Dynamics on Ctree or Pervasive SQL/Btrieve was excellent and inexpensive solution. You could have all your clients need installed on your home computer somewhere in Southern States, enjoying the sun and the niceties of California for k$2 per year with Great Plains software list price of around k$10 with unlimited number of Payroll/HR employees

Now - you have sudden hurricane - over Florida - somebody who is in charge in Microsoft - but really without clear understanding on what is in stake - this person needs to retune the cheap Great Plains version. Good - now you have Small Business Manager with restriction on employee count, then you have so-called Great Plains Standard which is available on MSDE and MS SQL Server 2000 - it caps you at 500 employees and ... - as a result of this decision - you can't conduct your business with Microsoft Business Solutions any more.

We have multiple examples of our customers who had to switch to Accpac, Adapta Soft and other cheap vendors of Payroll HR versions without limitation on the number of employees. We do certainly respect the right of Microsoft to compete with Oracle, SAP and PeopleSoft - but what is going on is probably non-planned and side effect of the solution which was made too soon. Of course the need to finish the contract with Pervasive software was a good idea - but cutting your small loyal customers - we actually doubt this

Happy implementing! if you want us to do the job - give us a call!

A Piano Thanksgiving - Help Your Child in Piano Lessons Count Their Musical Blessings

Thanksgiving is a wonderful time to for families to give thanks for all the blessings they have received over the past year. It's also a great time to teach your children to do the same. Children taking piano lessons, because they are supported by so many people, have a wonderful opportunity to learn this tradition. You can help them realize how many people are in their musical community of support who play an important role in helping them reach their goals. One of the most difficult concepts young adults learn is how much others give to their success, and not to take such efforts on their behalf for granted. For most piano students these efforts would include the work of:

1. Piano Teachers

2. Their Parents and Family

3. Friends who recognize their need to practice

4. Music teachers at school.

5. Choruses they may also be involved in at school or church.

6. Family members who give them music gifts such as CD's or music books.

7. The Piano Technician who tunes your piano and keeps it good playing condition.

8. Other piano students who share their enthusiasm for music with them.

9. The local music store that provides a great selection of music for teachers to choose for their students.

10. The Piano Sales Gallery that also provides a wonderful piano and Recital Hall where students perform for their family and friends and for auditions.

There is a lot for piano students to be thankful for. Helping kids learn to be appreciative early pays off in the long run. So take a few minutes at the dinner table this holiday season to help your piano student give thanks for all their musical blessings.

Sterling Silver Jewelry Fashion Trends for the New Year and Beyond

Each year, on fashion runways from New York to Paris, Milan, and Toyko, sterling silver is "new again" as designers interpret it in new and exciting ways. What makes sterling silver a fashion perennial? The answer is clear: when it comes to beauty, versatility, durability, and affordability, sterling silver jewelry is unsurpassed.

In the hands of talented artists and designers, sterling silver is constantly "reinvented" to suit the evolving tastes of the women who wear it. But whether as a ring, a necklace, or bracelet, standing alone or presented in combination with gemstones and other precious metals...sterling silver is always in fashion.

Here's a look at what's "hot" this year:

Peace of Silver

In 2004, many Oscar presenters and recipients wore gracefully and simply designed "Dove of Peace." pin. Embraced by such Hollywood luminaries as Meryl Streep, Susan Sarandon, Drew Barrymore, and Leonardo DiCaprio, it has also been seen on the Dali Lama and Nobel Peace Laureates Oscar Aria Sanchez, Betty Williams, Mairead Corrigan Maguire, and former UN Assistant Secretary-General Gillian Sorrensom.

Now non-celebrities may purchase the pin in sterling silver pin to demonstrate both their commitment to peace and their fashion sense. The 2005 sterling silver interpretation was designed by award-winning American jewelry artist Henry Dunay to resonate the energy of Picasso's "Dove Of Peace."

Silver Screen

With the enormous popularity of the "Lord of the Rings" series, it comes as no surprise that designers have created jewelry based on the elaborately crafted pieces in the films. Based on the actual pendant worn in the Lord of the Rings film, the Arwen Evenstar Pendant is crafted in sterling silver and comes in a wooden gift box. Measuring 2-1/2 inches in length with a 18" sterling silver chain and a Swarovski crystal stone, each piece is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity, adding long-term value to its other charms.

Works Like A Charm

Charm bracelets are both wonderfully retro and extremely cutting edge. Britney Spears, Jennifer Lopez, Avril Levigne, Hilary Duff, and other high-visibility high-fashion celebrities are wrapping their wrists in silver bracelets with the hip L.A. brand "Eldorado Club."

The "Girlie Charm Bracelet" is adorned with charming femme-friendly charms including a cat, a cocktail glass, and a kitty.

Sterling Silver - Always In Style for Your 25th Anniversary No matter what list you consult -- traditional, modern or the now popular "ultra-modern" (which includes items like clocks and appliances) -- silver is the 21st Century gift of choice for a 25th wedding anniversary. Whether it's silver's durability, its strength, its flexibility or its unparalleled beauty, sterling silver is an exquisite memento of 25 years of loving commitment between a couple.

Topping the list of this year's "What's Hot" in silver wedding anniversary gifts, women say they want charm bracelets, hoop earrings, and hair ornaments. For wives who would like to present their husbands with sterling silver tokens, the "top of the charts" picks are cufflinks, tie clips, money clips, neck chains, and I.D. bracelets.

But #1 for him AND her -- a classic sterling silver Tiffany keyring.

Honda Super Cub and 50cc Honda Cub - The Volkswagen Beetle of Motorcycles!

A very clever design: the Honda Super Cub was the combination of a moped and a scooter. It attracted many people due to its friendly and non intimidating look. People who before had felt threatened by bigger motorcycles, approached and adopted this model very quickly.

It was a versatile motorcycle and had enough power to carry two passengers or a passenger with luggage. Its large diameter tires and wide seats made the ride almost as comfortable as the touring bikes from that time.

>> Honda 50cc Cub and Super Cub FACTS

- In 1952 Honda built 7000 units of this bike which represented the 70% of the entire production of Japanese motorcycles for that year.

- Thanks to this model Honda Motorcycles were absolute market leaders during 1953 and 1954.

It's worth mentioning that those were very competitive days. There were many manufacturers competing for a very fast growing and demanding market.

- The Honda Super Cub was the equivalent of the Ford T or the Volkswagen Beetle for automobiles. As of 1992 Honda Motorcycles had built 20 million of these machines.

- The Honda 50cc Super Cub was exported to 120 countries.

As the Volkswagen Beetle, the Honda Super Cub didn't change much through time. Just take a look at the technical data below:

1959 Honda Super Cub Specifications

-> Four stroke horizontal engine. -> 49 cc of displacement -> Three speed semi-automatic gearbox. -> U-shaped frame in stamped steel. -> Weight: 155 lbs. (70 kg.) -> Speed: 35 mph (57 kph)

1992 Honda Super Cub Specifications

-> Four stroke horizontal engine. -> 49 cc of displacement -> Three speed semi-automatic gearbox. -> U-shaped frame in stamped steel. -> *Weight: 122 lbs. (55 kg.) -> *Speed: 50 mph (80 kph)

Enjoy the ride!

Daniel Levy

Legal Pointers to Help You Choose the Right Piece of Land

The one area that comes to mind when we think about how too many choices make our decision hard is Real Estate. There are too many options available in terms of commercial and residential property. Whether it is a flat, independent house, villa, booth, plot, etc., there's something lucrative and appropriate for everyone. Many people buy plots for commercial purposes. They may want to build a shop or a booth there, or a place for their tuition or dance center. Endless business ideas culminate in buying a plot as the first step. But it is not a joke. Serious consideration and effort must go behind the purchase of a commercial plot.

Commercial plots are much harder to look for and buy as compared to residential ones. The location for your business must be a prime one, the transportation should be such that your place of business is accessible and I should be financially viable. Once your money is given away for the purchase, it could a real hassle for you if the choice turns out to be the wrong one. To avoid all that, you must make sure that you do research on your plot, compare with others, ascertain the market rates and ensure that your location suits your business and company as well. A wrong choice could harm your business. So take your time, there is no hurry.

The legal hassles involved in buying a plot are many. The seller should give you all the original legal documents beforehand so that you can scrutinize properly. Some of the legal tips are -

* Make sure you acquire the services of a good lawyer who can help you avoid some major or minor loopholes that property documents entail.

* Confirm the legal status of the plot before even thinking of purchasing it.

* You must know who the plot belongs to. The ownership should not ever be a grey area.

* Make sure nobody else is involved in selling the property. You should opt to see the plot's previous deeds as well.

* Make inquiries in all the official places to see if there is something that has been hidden from you.

* Beware of being handed over a liability by checking if all the taxes have been paid so far or not.

* Any balance payments, in fact, must be paid already by the seller like the electricity and water bills. No notice or requisition related to your property should be outstanding.

* Check from the registrar office if your plot has any dues or complaints of the legal nature.

* Make sure that if the seller had bought the plot on loan, then he should have returned the whole amount that was due.

* Measure the plot. This is important. Many property dealers exploit the trust you put in them. You select a plot and are content that is exactly what you will own after the purchase. But before the purchase, ascertain the size that you had specified. Keep visiting your plot location regularly so that nobody can rob you of even an inch of your property.

Buying a plot is a decision taken with patience and calm. Start off your commercial success by buying a safe and good commercial plot.

Home Spun Schools - Teaching Children at Home What Parents Are Doing and How They Are Doing It

In this day and age we often find that, the more we know the more we still have to learn. Whether it is in discovering that the moon or Mars may contain water to finding new species of ocean life, we continually come to the conclusion that there is much left to discover and learn about our universe and about ourselves.

This is also the case when it comes to the field of education. It wasn't that long ago that children were receiving formal education in a one room schoolhouse with all age groups in attendance. This well-meant approach quickly revealed many problems. In addition to the difficulty controlling the older children to not unduly influence other children of a younger age, there was the problem of reaching all minds with the standard curriculum regardless of age or level of comprehension.

Thus, it was in the best interest of children that we began addressing these discrepancies by assigning grade levels deemed appropriate to their age level. This was a marked improvement to teaching according to comprehension level to a great degree, with one exception: it was discovered that, regardless of same age to grade assignment, many children weren't comprehending the curriculum at the same level as others in their peer grouping.

Enter the specialized educational opportunities commonly referred to as private or special education geared to individual ability. However, the standard form of education still remained within the public educational format. It was apparent though that neither of these venues were completely satisfying. Either the private schooling was economically out of reach for many children in need of special education or the public system was still too much in the cookie cutter mold mentality. In recent years, there has emerged a third form of education: homeschooling.

In addition to the concerns of parents as to the quality of education their children receive within the private or public school system, there is also a very real concern as to what type environment their precious children are being exposed to. It has become apparent to many that the private and public school systems are becoming less about educating children as they are more about indoctrinating them into a world view contrary to the wishes of many parents.

Into this field of concern come pioneers to the homeschooling movement Dr. Raymond and Dorothy Moore. The many years of research and documentation have led them to the forefront of this latest phenomenon to educating today's children. Among the many books they have published over the years, one of those books is titled "Home-spun Schools".

This book offers two vitally needed areas of information for any parent considering homeschooling their child: the testimony of the parents themselves and the legalese to know where to turn, so you don't run afoul of the laws pertaining to homeschooling in your state.

There are chapters covering a wide range of everyday citizens desirous to take control of their children's education and, by default, their future. Every walk of life is represented in "Home-spun Schools" to give you the encouragement needed when considering the option of homeschooling. There are entries from bankers, builders, dentists, nurses, as well as teachers and single parents.

In addition, in chapter 13 titled "How To Deal With The Law" you will find common sense approaches to determine the legal rights you have as a parent to home school your child. There are test cases as well as a wide range of information to ensure you are standing on legal ground.

In "Home-spun Schools" the Moores have painstakingly documented the voice of all of us, as well as given us a solid start regarding the law, to provide incredible evidence that children deserve the best opportunity to succeed in their education and their life, and that can include the decision to home school.

US Supreme Court Confirms Right For Third-Parties to Bring Retaliation Claims

A plaintiff claimed he was fired by his employer in retaliation for his fiancé's filing of an EEOC complaint against the same employer. On January 24, 2011, the US Supreme Court unanimously held that Title VII of the Civil Rights Act protects a third-party such as a fiancé from employer retaliation based on a co-employee's protected activity.

The US Supreme Court held that Title VII's antiretaliation provision must be construed to cover a broad range of employer conduct. The Court relied on the standard set forth in Burlington N. & S. F. R. Co. v. White (2006) 548 U.S. 53, which prohibits employers from acts that would dissuade a reasonable worker from making or supporting a discrimination charge. The Supreme Court found that the Burlington standard must be applied in an objective fashion, and found that a reasonable worker obviously might be dissuaded from engaging in protected activity if she knew that her fiancé would be fired.

The US Supreme Court further found that Thompson was within the "zone of interests" sought to be protected by Title VII's antiretaliation provisions and had standing to sue as an aggrieved party.

While it is now clear that fiancés have the right to sue for retaliation, the US Supreme Court declined to identify a fixed class of relationships for which third-party retaliation is unlawful. In the majority opinion, Justice Scalia states, "We expect that firing a close family member will almost always meet the Burlington standard, and that inflicting a milder reprisal on a mere acquaintance will almost never do so, but beyond that we are reluctant to generalize." The Supreme Court went on to state that the significance of any given act of retaliation will often depend on the particular circumstances. As a result, the Supreme Court left open the question of whether third-parties such as friends of those making discrimination and sexual harassment complaints can succeed on retaliation claims.

If you feel that you have been retaliated against at work because of your relationship with a coworker who has opposed sexual harassment or discrimination, it is worth exploring the facts of your particular situation with a knowledgeable retaliation attorney to see if you have a viable case under the precedent set by this case.

Micromanagement and Delegation

Micro-Management and Delegation Recently I had a long discussion with a friend of mine about Managers and managing. She is a former HR Manager for several major companies and was bemoaning the fact that training for managers has been cut back so significantly in recent years and that managers no longer receive the type of help, guidance and assistance that they received just a few short years ago. My background has been in retail and telecom. Hers was neither. Yet the same problems and issues seem to rise in every industry. Of course, this is exactly the reason that I got into coaching. Coaching allows those managers who want to improve a very personalized venue to do just that.

We went on to agree that the common pattern these days seemed to be for the department star performer to be promoted from contributor, to team leader, to manager in seemingly record time. We agreed that new managers have difficulty moving from the contributor to the manager role because no one is willing to spend the time and energy to coach them through the various hurdles that new managers and leaders face. We agreed that this lack of training never seemed to lower the expectations of the manager, just the performance.

Then we disagreed, strongly. What caused the disagreement? The

concept was micro-management. My friend explained to me that she has "coached" many employees recently and that many of them complained about one particular manager who was micro-managing them. She told me that she helps the employees understand and come to grips with "their problem". "You're not going to be able to change that manager, she explained to me, "so you've got to change the employees". She explains to them that if they are being micro-managed, there's probably a reason for it. They are probably doing something wrong. If they just identify that problem and improve, their manager will stop the micro-management. "The employees need to improve themselves. It's as simple as that."

I wish my life was as simple as that.

She acknowledges that with that many employees complaining that

it's likely the manager is the problem. But changing the manager is too much trouble, she says, so let's tell the employees it's their fault.

While it is true that it is sometimes necessary to micro-manage

people, her explanation makes little sense to me. You might micro-manage an employee if their performance is lacking. Or because the project they are working on is very high visibility and any chance of error must be minimized. But when a number of employees are complaining about the same manager micro-managing them it implies one of two things.

Either this manager:

1. Has a lot of problem employees and needs to start weeding them out, or

2. This manager does not know how to let go and properly

delegate to their staff.

Excessive micro-management is not the sign of a healthy manager.

When someone is constantly micro-managing their staff it's generally their problem, not the employees.

If you are micro-managing your staff, refusing to delegate routine, and not so routine tasks to them for completion, then you are setting yourself up for trouble. Have you ever heard yourself say, "I would delegate this to someone else, but it's just as easy to do it myself"? Or maybe you say, "This task is too complicated to delegate. I have to make sure it's done right."

If so, I hope you like your job. Because you aren't going anyplace higher. Delegation can be difficult to learn because it looks like a huge risk and a huge leap of faith. But it doesn't have to be that way. There are techniques that you can learn that will help you delegate and get you out of the detail. And you have to get out of the detail if you really want to be an executive.

Things to Consider When Designing a Website

The internet has become an almost inescapable part of day to day life; it seems almost laughable in this day and age for a company to not have its own website. Websites are like shop windows for you or your company, in that they can be used to attract and invite users or customers. But they are much more as they are the main means that you can connect with and present information to the world about who you are and what you stand for. This means, therefore, that website design is crucially important.

The most important part of any website is the content - no one will stay for very long on your website if it has bad content or little useful content. You need to make sure your content is engaging, accurate and appropriate for your target audience. Thinking about why people will be coming to your site will help you create the 'filling' for your site - what information do they want and what problems do they have that need solving? Don't forget your content in your quest to make your site appealing in visual and functional terms. Even if you have the most amazingly designed site on the internet, if you have terrible content visitors will not stay very long. Good content will also help your website to rank on search engines which can be important for getting your site noticed.

Once you have figured out your content, what will actually make up your site, you can think about the way that your site looks and functions. The layout and appearance of your site are key aspects of web design.

Think about complimentary colours for your colour scheme and steer away from anything too fluorescent or harsh on the eyes. Your users need to like looking at your site! Don't use too little or too much white space - just enough negative space should be easy on the eyes and give some 'breathing room' for your content. The colours you choose should be readable: steer away from using a light grey font on a white background or blue on a black background.

Choose your font carefully. In general sans serif fonts, such as Arial or Helvetica, tend to work better on screen while serif fonts, like Garamond or Times New Roman, can be read more easily in print. Try to avoid using lots of different font colours and sizes on one page as it can look disorganised and messy. Think about which fonts will make you look more professional, Comic Sans is fine for a personal family website but looks unprofessional on a business site.

Keep the layout simple. Don't over-clutter it so your users can't see what they are looking at. Where possible try to stick to a grid layout, rather than anything asymmetrical as it will make your site look well-organised. Many people find horizontal scrolling very irritating, so make sure your site is not too wide for the average screen.

Closely linked with layout, navigation is the 'map' for your website. Your users should be able to navigate your website easily; they should know how to get where they want to go. Your navigation links and elements should be grouped together not spread sporadically through the text. Label your links with precise and understandable phrases. Research has shown that people tend to scan web-pages, looking for the information they want - using titles, subheadings and avoiding walls of text will help them do this.

Rapidly increasing numbers of people are accessing their favourite websites through their smart-phones or tablets - if your site is not mobile device friendly you can be cutting out a large chunk of your traffic. Many websites now choose to have a mobile version of their website that is in essence the same as their main site but much easier to use on a mobile phone. Accessibility can also refer to how easy it is to get to your site, no one likes long loading times, unavoidable videos or numerous splash-pages and they can put people off returning to your site. Streamline your website. Make it easy for people to find the content they want from your site and you will find that they are more likely to come back again.

Think carefully about how you use graphics, images and video on your website. Don't use so many that it slows your site down to a snail's pace. Videos and music that automatically start to play may also frustrate your users and put them off staying for long on your site - especially if they cannot find how to turn them off! In a similar vein, stay away from creating your whole site in Flash or over-using it. Flash does not work on mobile devices and can slow down your website. Using Flash can also make it difficult for search engines to index the material on your website and can end up relegating it to the twentieth page.

When designing your website, there can be quite a lot to take in and consider. Depending on your experience and skill in building and designing a website, you may want to think about hiring a professional to build it for you. With a good web design agency they will use their expertise and experience to devise a website for you but you can still put in input about how you want the site to be.