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Create a Gig Economy Culture In an Organization to Attract and Retain Millennial Talent

June 6, 2016, 1:13 pm
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During a recent Uber ride in Chicago my forty-something aged driver enthusiastically shared why he loves his contract work career. He creates his own hours, has total flexibility, and can control how he earns money based on how much he works. The "Gig Economy" represents those who make their living in a non-traditional way. They are not limited to a classic 9-5 work scenario and have more control in how they pursue work on a freelance basis.

This autonomy also means saying goodbye to salaries and company benefits like retirement, health insurance, and paid vacation days. It's a personal choice and a study from Intuit predicts that by 2020, 40 percent of US workers will fall into this category. Older workers (Gen X and Baby Boomers) are especially interesting in gigging, whether they are in transition to retirement, reinventing their first career, or wanting to earn additional income from freelance ventures.

While company loyalty to employees has almost become extinct in corporate America, some progressive organizations are trying to capitalize on acquiring the millennial generation of talent in the workforce to create an internal gig experience.

Accenture Strategy released a 2016 U.S. College Graduate Employment Study that indicates only 1 in 7 college graduates want to work for a large company. They fear they will be lost in the labyrinth of large company politics and advancement. The study also shows that after only 2 years in the work force, many new professionals felt disillusioned, underemployed, and undervalued.

The Accenture Strategy Study revealed that the newest generation of workers has distinctive needs and expectations from the organizations where they work. They want a more personalized employee experience, an open and engaging company culture, and meaningful work. If large companies expect to attract and retain the best and the brightest talent, they need to offer a distinctively different employee experience.
"Just as organizations have focused intensely on creating tailored customer experiences to attract and retain customers, employers need to focus on creating personalized employee experiences that attract and retain recent graduates," according to *Janice Simmons, Principal Director at Accenture Strategy*. "Recent grads want a chance to work on projects they are passionate about, with real-time learning, immediate feedback, and many paths to advancement. Employers who create this environment may be more attractive to recent graduates who are prepared, passionate, and willing to work hard." Janice Simmons
*Understanding Millennials at Work*

The Class of 2016 chose majors and academic degrees at university based on a passion for an area(s) of study. Accenture Strategy reported that only 23 percent of 2016 graduates in the study chose a major based on how much money they would make.

The widespread belief that millennials are serial job hoppers is also inaccurate since 69 percent of this year's grads expect to stay with their first job for at least 3 years. One third indicated they would stay for 5 years or longer.

The newly minted Class of 2016 is eager to work hard, too. More than half in the Accenture Strategy Study are willing to work beyond the traditional business day, during the evenings, or weekends. But, corporate culture matters. So much so, that 70 percent of new grads and 74 percent of recent grads would choose to work in an engaging, positive social atmosphere - even if it meant accepting a lower salary.

Social responsibility tops the charts with 92 percent of 2016 graduates wanting to work in an organization that makes a difference in the world or a community and provides meaningful work.

*Redefining Talent Management*

With the widespread disillusionment of the workplace for new grads, many feel the proverbial large company is the culprit. In their quest to find the "Me" experience, new grads want to work for either medium sized business or small, start-up ventures. They are looking for a place where their passions will be acknowledged and their career paths can be customized to their strengths and interests.

It's clear that in order to attract and retain top millennial talent, organizations of all sizes must provide multiple career paths and varied, engaging experiences. The linear career trajectory of upward mobility via the archaic ladder is no longer the only option. New talent is more interested in trying new things until they find the best fit. In the best-case scenario they want the opportunity to be flexible and grow within their chosen organization.

Companies like Deloitte have replaced the one-size-fits-all approach of a corporate ladder with the corporate lattice that is more adaptive and well suited to align with the changing needs of modern day professionals and their organizations.

*Corporate Race for Relevance*

In 2020, millennials will comprise 50 percent of the workforce so companies of all sizes must adapt in order to attract and retain top talent. Let's not forget this generation is the succession plan for the retiring workforce and represent today's emerging leaders.

While the Gig Economy may be very attractive to some, 55 percent of new grads, according to the Accenture Strategy Study are looking for stability and a long-term commitment from their employer. They want the company benefits of insurance, retirement, and paid time off. They also want opportunities to advance within the organization.

Talent Management in organizations hiring new grads must be savvy and ready to offer on-the-job experiences, coaching, collaboration and self-directed learning to attract this pool of candidates.

*Create an Internal Gig Experience*

The Accenture Strategy Study created tips for organizations that want to design company cultures that accelerate growth and fulfill the passions of young professionals, while meeting the demands of complex businesses.

The study offers insight into creating project and team-based work to provide more flexibility and opportunities to work across different roles and environments. Large companies can achieve a small company feel by creating eco-systems and communities within that reflect opportunity and meaningful work.

*Tips from the Accenture Strategy Study to Create an Internal Gig Experience*:

• *Hyper-Personalize Your Strategy* - customize talent strategy based on an individualized approach.
• *Orient employee value proposition, hiring, and career paths towards a dynamic work environment* - create a more agile workforce by being flexible with different roles and experiences.
• *Connect employees' work to the purpose of the organization* - offer a more fulfilling employee experience.
• *Re-imagine the learning and development experience* - support talent with coaching and developmental opportunities that are more frequent, informal and experiential.
• *Think "agile"* - talent strategy must be flexible and nimble to pivot based on need and problem solving.
• *Provide a small-team feel *- create a sense of ownership and empowerment with personal attention.

While Uber and other contract work opportunities may be attractive to some, the largest generation is about to be 50 percent of the workforce in 2020 and they are more interested in company loyalty and long-term career development than a contract gig.

Companies need to provide a culture and opportunities that are attractive to digital natives. This generation of talent seeks organizations that offer challenging and meaningful work with a commitment to social responsibility, ongoing learning, and a fun workplace culture.

To gig, or not to gig? While that may be an essential question in the global workplace economy, in order for large corporate entities to thrive in the years to come, they must adapt to the changing needs and desires of the youngest candidate pool. No matter how old you are, the internal gig experience can benefit you as well.

*Caroline Dowd-Higgins* authored the book "This Is Not the Career I Ordered" now in the 2nd edition, and maintains the career reinvention blog of the same name. She is Executive Director of Career & Professional Development at the Indiana University Alumni Association and contributes to Huffington Post, AOL Jobs, Ellevate Network, and The Chronicle newspaper in Indiana. She hosts and produces an online show called: Thrive! about career & life empowerment for women on YouTube. Caroline also hosts the international podcast series Your Working Life - on iTunes. Follow her on Facebook, LinkedIn, Google+, and Twitter.

-- This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website. Reported by Huffington Post 2 days ago.
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Despite New Access To Health Insurance, Drug-Treatment Rates For Ex-Offenders Barely Changed

June 6, 2016, 1:22 pm
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The portion of released prisoners with addiction problems who lacked medical insurance fell sharply after the health law’s Medicaid expansion took effect, but drug-treatment rates for ex-offenders barely budged, a new study shows. Reported by ajc.com 2 days ago.
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Study: Cancer drugs less affordable in poor nations than US

June 6, 2016, 2:31 pm
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[...] the countries have varying government and private health insurance programs, so how much of the medicines' costs patients actually bear is unknown. To compare the patients' ability to afford the drugs, they used a common indicator of national wealth called gross domestic product, adjusted for differences in living standards in each country. Drug prices increasingly are a hot issue in the U.S., including in the presidential race, and both doctor groups and drugmakers have been promoting their views on prices and the true value of medicines. Rena Conti, a University of Chicago assistant professor of health policy and economics who founded the school's Cost of Cancer Care project, said the disparities in prices and affordability the study found stem from the countries' different health systems. In the U.K., government health programs set price limits and pay most medicine costs but don't cover some extremely expensive cancer drugs. Reported by SeattlePI.com 1 day ago.
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Individual health insurance premiums rising substantially as more companies exit state

June 6, 2016, 4:29 pm
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Premiums for individual health-insurance policies are rising by as much as 41 percent in Colorado next year as four companies flee all or some markets in the state, though small-group policies purchased by employers are seeing smaller hikes or even price decreases, according to figures released Monday by the Colorado Division of Insurance. The shifts in the market come after insurers have had nearly 2-1/2 years to adjust to federal health-care reform mandates requiring that they offer policies to… Reported by bizjournals 1 day ago.
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As Climate Change Leads to Higher Numbers of Head Lice Infestations, Lice Troopers Responds with All Natural Approach

June 7, 2016, 12:08 am
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As "super bugs and nits" proliferate in the U.S. and Europe, manufacturers look for stronger chemicals. The Miami-based treatment service advises parents to treat head lice naturally.

Miami, Florida (PRWEB) June 07, 2016

As super lice, the highly resistant strain of head lice, are beginning to rear their heads in the Europe, the pressure is on for scientists and manufacturers to develop stronger pesticides. Currently, head lice affects 6-12 million individuals in the United States each year. But as the lice get stronger and more resistant, that number is expected to increase.

While overuse of pesticides has led to the problem of resistant strains, according to Cosmetics Design Europe, climate change may also be playing a role in their proliferation, as warmer winters and rainier springs have helped keep their numbers strong.

While the medical and scientific communities will continue to seek stronger chemicals, all-natural services like Lice Troopers in Miami caution parents against the use of pesticides on their children’s heads. The long-term effect of these treatments is unknown, and short-term side effects can include rashes and skin irritation, respiratory conditions and seizures.

Lice Troopers, like the National Pediculosis Association, favor the combing method. While this is a highly effective way of getting rid of super lice, it is time consuming and tedious for parents who may be inexperienced in the task. For this reason, many parents opt for professional treatment.

However, Lice Troopers, recognizing the demand among parents to handle the problem at home, has recently released a line of home lice removal products. Unlike over-the-counter drugstore treatments, these products are safe for children of all ages and help facilitate the comb out method at home.

Said Lice Troopers owner and operator, Arie Harel, “We know lice are getting stronger, but that doesn’t mean we need stronger chemicals, just a better method. With our new line of products, parents can now handle the lice problem at home—effectively and safely. Those who would rather have a professional take care of it can get an appointment at one of our clinics and be lice free the same day.”

As climate change continues to bring warmer winters, parents can expect a rise in head lice cases and should be aware of their options before the infestation hits home.

Lice Troopers is the all-natural, guaranteed Head Lice Removal Service™ that manually removes the head louse parasite safely and discreetly in child-friendly salon settings, or other chosen location. Providing safe solutions for frantic families, the Lice Troopers team has successfully treated thousands of families nationwide, with services widely recommended by pediatricians and reimbursed by many major health insurance carriers, flexible spending accounts and health savings accounts. Reported by PRWeb 1 day ago.
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Liz Helms’ New Book “Healthcare Unhinged: The Making of an Advocate” is a Telling and Fascinating Glimpse into the World of Health Care

June 7, 2016, 12:02 am
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Recent release “Healthcare Unhinged: The Making of an Advocate” from Page Publishing author Liz Helms is both emotional and enlightening; this work memoirs the author’s life as she fought with illness, battled the health care system and advocated for change in the system.

(PRWEB) June 07, 2016

Liz Helms, a healthcare advocate, co-founder and President of the California Chronic Care Coalition, devoted activist, writer and author, has completed her new book “Healthcare Unhinged: The Making of an Advocate”: a gripping and potent work that explores and debates healthcare system topics including: health insurance, management, economics and human life.

Published by New York City-based Page Publishing, Liz Helms’ profound work explains how the author found that the old rules in healthcare were insufficient to manage the state’s (California) growing health consumer population and their challenges.

Helms takes readers through her unfiltered, uplifting story of chronic pain and severe depression to becoming a nationally recognized coalition builder and health care advocate as she battled to change a system that had failed millions. With stark honesty, she describes her personal struggle for appropriate care and the redemption she found challenging some of America’s most powerful, for-profit corporations on behalf of patient fairness and access to affordable, appropriate standards of quality care for all.

Helms plots a roadmap for anyone who, even while questioning their own value or power, can move mountains unimagined by owning their voice, their sense of justice and their purpose. Armed with truth, directed purpose and willful respect, Helms proves that the ‘Lion’s den’ is but a myth, waiting to be challenged and exposed as such on behalf of all concerned.

Readers who wish to experience this inspiring work can purchase “Healthcare Unhinged: The Making of an Advocate” at bookstores everywhere, or online at the Apple iTunes store, Amazon, Google Play or Barnes and Noble.

For additional information or media inquiries, contact Page Publishing at 866-315-2708. For any person wishing to contact or follow Liz Helms, her website can be found at: http://www.healthcareunhinged.com

About Page Publishing:

Page Publishing is a traditional New York based full-service publishing house that handles all of the intricacies involved in publishing its authors’ books, including distribution in the world’s largest retail outlets and royalty generation. Page Publishing knows that authors need to be free to create - not bogged down with complicated business issues like eBook conversion, establishing wholesale accounts, insurance, shipping, taxes and the like. Its roster of authors can leave behind these tedious, complex and time consuming issues, and focus on their passion: writing and creating. Learn more at http://www.pagepublishing.com. Reported by PRWeb 1 day ago.
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United States: Study Finds Widespread HIPAA Violations Occurring On Yelp - Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky and Popeo, P.C.

June 7, 2016, 3:12 am
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It is no secret that the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) is a trap for the unwary. Reported by Mondaq 22 hours ago.
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Big health care player in Downtown adding another 160 employees

June 7, 2016, 7:05 am
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They’ve grown a major business line around the health insurance exchange, experimented with new technologies, and settled into a major piece of real estate in Downtown Albuquerque. Now Molina Healthcare, which occupies 137,000 square feet of space in Downtown’s Century Plaza, is hiring another 160 people to staff its New Mexico-based call center. Molina spokeswoman Leidy Arévalo said hiring began in May with around 40 positions filled, and they’re anticipating adding up to another 120 between… Reported by bizjournals 19 hours ago.
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ColoradoCare’s Democratic Opponents Rely on Health-Care Sector Campaign Contributions

June 7, 2016, 10:23 am
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AP Photo/Jim Anderson

Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper discusses prospects for a state budget agreement with Republicans during an interview in Denver, Monday, February 29, 2016. 

A fight is brewing in Colorado over a proposed amendment to the state constitution that would institute a single-payer health-care system. The major assault on the controversial ballot initiative, which goes to voters in November, is coming not from Colorado Republicans who oppose the plan but from Governor John Hickenlooper and other Democratic leaders.

Colorado’s Amendment 69 would raise $25 billion—nearly equal to the state’s 2015 budget—through a 7 percent payroll tax on employers, a 3 percent tax on employees’ gross pay, and a 10 percent tax on self-employed workers’ net income to fund “ColoradoCare.”  The plan would automatically cover all residents, including illegal immigrants and the unemployed, allow the state to negotiate lower prices on drugs and medical equipment, and create an elected board to set rates for health-care providers. Three organizations—Colorado Foundation for Universal Health Care, Co-operate Colorado, and ColoradoCareYes—joined forces to research, design, and launch the successful signature-gathering campaign.

Despite the national Democratic Party’s long-held goal of instituting some form of universal health care, top Colorado Democrats have put political considerations ahead of the ambitious push for a single-payer framework. Some health-care providers believe the loss of the ability to set their own rates would deprive them of revenues.

Both Hickenlooper and U.S. Senator Michael Bennet have received sizable campaign contributions from health-care companies that stand to lose out if Amendment 69 passes. Hickenlooper has labeled the initiative “premature” and suggested that reforms that the state has already launched, such as instituting a review and approval process for insurance premium hikes and expanding Medicaid eligibility, need more time to “bear fruit.”

In a January meeting with the Colorado Forum—described as “one of the most powerful political lobbies in the state”—Hickenlooper told the assembled business leaders and political operatives that he doesn’t believe “there’s any chance that [the measure] will pass.” He noted that a “couple large health care-related companies that are looking at moving their headquarters” to Colorado “paused” when they heard about the measure.

Bennet also had a lukewarm reaction. “Michael does not think that single payer is the right approach to solving our health care problems,” the senator’s spokesman told the Colorado Independent, a local news outlet*.* He explained that Bennet believes that full funding for the measure would require a large tax increase. Moreover, the initiative would be enshrined in the state constitution, making it difficult to change.

However, Bennet has supported expanded public health-care options in the past, calling health care “a life and death issue” and decrying the “scare tactics” of opponents.

During the 2014 campaign cycle, the health-care sector was one of Hickenlooper’s top 10 industry sources for campaign cash, with health insurance companies like Cigna Corporation and Wellpoint, among others, contributing $346,568.

Since 2014, Wellpoint has changed its name to Anthem and is currently pursuing a merger with Cigna, which would transform the company into the country’s largest health insurer. Cigna and Anthem are longtime donors to the Democratic Governors Association, giving $2 million to the organization since 2009. In 2014, the DGA was the second highest source of political donations to Colorado candidates. More than $6 million went to a pro-Hickenlooper PAC and another $3.3 million to TV advertising.

For the past two years, the health-care industry, along with the finance, insurance, and real estate sectors, have been the two largest sources of funding for Bennet’s political action committee, providing $309,500 and $367,850, respectively. Amgen, a drug manufacturer, donated $34,000, while lobbyists employed by firms hired by Amgen raised a total of $81,200 for Bennet. Steptoe & Johnson, a lobbying firm working with the Council of Insurance Agents and Brokers (CIAB), which is trying to defeat Amendment 69, donated $28,500. Both are among Bennett’s top 20 contributors.

Bennet has also served as the head of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee. Under his tenure the DSCC raised almost three times as much bundled lobbyist money as its Republican counterpart. Bennet has said that he would continue to personally accept such bundled lobbyist contributions even though he authored federal legislation to rein them in. During his current re-election campaign, Bennet has outraised his nearest opponent by nearly ten to one.

“Superlobbyist” Tony Podesta continues to play a shadowy role in the ColoradoCare fight. Podesta, a major fundraiser for Democratic frontrunner Hillary Clinton and the brother of John Podesta, Clinton’s campaign chairman, is the founder and chairman of the Podesta Group, a D.C.-based lobbying firm. The Podesta Group counts Amgen as one of its biggest clients. Another major Bennet contributor, DaVita Healthcare Partners, is also a Podesta client. Reported by The American Prospect 15 hours ago.
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Nearly 100,000 Left Without Insurance In Colorado Due To Obamacare

June 7, 2016, 11:49 am
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Nearly 100,000 Left Without Insurance In Colorado Due To Obamacare *We have covered the complete disaster that is Obamacare in great detail recently,* from premiums skyrocketing in 2017, to the largest US Health Insurer throwing in the towel on Obamacare exchanges, and even Insurance companies suing the government over subsidies the government promised if the firms lost money as a result of being in the exchange.

And now for the most recent Obamacare debacle we look to Colorado, where *more than 92,000 people will be losing their Obamacare health care coverage in 2017*. Four large health insurers - UnitedHealthCare, Humana Insurance, Rocky Mountain Health Plans, and Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield - will either not be offering individual plans or reducing offerings in 2017, leaving individuals scrambling to find another plan.

From the Colorado Division of Insurance



As noted in a May 13 release, UnitedHealthcare and Humana Insurance will not offer individual plans in 2017, which impacts approximately 20,000 consumers in Colorado (UnitedHealthcare – 10,549; Humana – 9,914). In addition, Rocky Mountain Health Plans (RMHP) determined that it will reduce individual plan offerings for 2017, offering individual plans only in Mesa County, only via its Monument Health affiliate. Approximately 10,000 people currently enrolled in an individual RMHP plan will have to find another plan for 2017.

 

In addition, Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield decided it will not offer its PPO (Preferred Provider Organization) individual plans for 2017, which impacts 62,310 people. However, Anthem will continue to offer HMO (Health Maintenance Organization) individual plans statewide, and these plans will be available to all consumers affected by the PPO decision.

 

All of these companies will continue to offer their small and large group plans for employers.

 

Rocky Mountain Health Plans has been a key player in the mountain areas and Western Slope, and its departure from the individual market will leave many areas with only one on-exchange insurance company — Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield’s HMO division – for individual plans.

 

“I’d rather these companies continued in the individual market,” noted Commissioner Salazar. “*But in the larger picture, what’s taking place is a market correction; the free market is at work*. And it is important to recognize that this is a market correction taking place on a national scale, not just in Colorado. While it was good initially to have so many companies offering so many individual plans, this could be an indication that there were too many options for the market to support.”

 

“It’s also important to highlight that we are not seeing this market correction in the small group market,” continued the Commissioner. “In many ways, that market seems to be stable.”

 

Number of People Impacted

 

*Around 92,000 people with individual plans from UnitedHealthcare, Humana Insurance, RMHP and Anthem will need to find other coverage for 2017 during open enrollment*, Nov. 1, 2016–Jan. 31, 2017. *This represents approximately 20 percent of the 450,000 Coloradans who get their insurance through the individual market, either through the state exchange, Connect for Health Colorado, or off the exchange*. Those 450,000 consumers with plans in the individual market represents approximately 7.7 percent of Coloradans. At least 51 percent of people in Colorado, around 2.8 million, continue to get their health insurance through an employer. 



"Companies are still figuring it out - where to sell, how to sell, how to price - which is why we're seeing some companies pull back on individual plans or requesting significant increases" said Insurance commissioner Marguerite Salazar.

To add to the misery, most of those remaining on the exchange are asking the board to approve steep price increases, which is consistent with what we've seen across the board with Obamacare proposals for 2017. Golden Rule is seeking a 40.6% rate hike while Rocky Mountain HMO wants to raise rates by 34.6%, and Colorado Choice is asking for a 36.3% jump.

Rate hikes, just like in every other market, are being justified by saying that "*the people enrolled in individual plans have used more healthcare services and with greater frequency than expected*." - there's a surprise, so everyone else is now paying for this with significantly increased premiums. Isn't socialism fun?

Senator Cory Gardner (R-CO) said that "it's time for the president to admit Obamacare is a disaster for the American people. When the president rammed his partisan health care law through congress, he repeatedly promised the American people that if you like your plan, you can keep it. *President Obama and those that supported this law are now silent as 92,000 Coloradans must find a new insurance plan.*"

Jonathan Lockwood, executive director of the free-market group Advancing Colorado said that "Coloradans get sucker punched harder year after year by skyrocketing health care costs that we were promised would come to an end under Obamacare" - *no no Jonathan, we're afraid everyone was sucker punched.* Reported by Zero Hedge 14 hours ago.
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ACLU sues Dignity Health for denying health insurance to transgender employee in Chandler

June 7, 2016, 2:57 pm
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The American Civil Liberties Union filed a federal lawsuit against San Francisco-based Dignity Health for denying health insurance coverage for transgender employees. Joe Robinson, an operating room nurse at Dignity's Chandler Regional Medical Center in Chandler, is challenging his employer's insurance policy. The lawsuit argues that Dignity Health's refusal to provide insurance coverage for medically necessary transition-related care discriminates on the basis of sex, which violates Title VII of… Reported by bizjournals 11 hours ago.
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The Bernie Sanders Campaign Didn't Matter

June 7, 2016, 5:08 pm
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Bernie Sanders is not going to be president.

No, it's not official yet. Hillary Clinton has the delegate support to clinch the nomination, but the party's extra-democratic superdelegates won't formally pledge themselves until next month's convention. So there still may be some shouting before it's all over.

But superdelegates are party insiders -- avatars of the very establishment that Sanders has been railing against throughout his campaign. They aren't going to flip, and it would be hard for them to justify doing so. Clinton has won more votes and more states.

So it's not too early to start assessing what the Sanders campaign meant, and whether it will matter in defeat.

It won't. And this fact should be very frightening to establishment politicians in both parties. Even when Sanders loses, his source of support will survive.

Sanders is not a great orator. He has not executed extraordinary feats of political organization. He is a (mostly) humorless 74-year-old with a shambolic campaign apparatus. When he threw his hat in the ring for the nomination, he reportedly didn't even think he had a serious shot at winning. He just wanted to communicate his ideas.

This led to some strategic missteps in a race that would prove to be competitive. Early on, Sanders savored his opportunity to celebrate Denmark and other Scandinavian social democracies. He spent a lot of time at debates explaining to people what exactly he meant by "democratic socialism." These were all fine things to say. And it was indeed both fun and weird to watch Clinton throw shade at Denmark using Trumpian rhetorical maneuvers. ("I love Denmark. But we are not Denmark.") But this type of debate is for academics and think-tankers, not politicians who want to win American elections.

Sanders' chief strength has been his clarity. Contemporary politics, he's declared, is a struggle between financial capital and everybody else. And Bernie Sanders is on the side of everybody else (including Black Lives Matter, he'll have you know).

Sanders succeeded in the primary because his analysis is fundamentally compelling. Race and gender continue to shape American politics in profound ways, but the past several years -- the 2008 financial crisis and the subsequent bailouts and foreclosures, the recession and the grossly inegalitarian recovery -- have made it clear who the government really works for. Even amid the so-called recovery, the bottom 99 percent of households have seen their real incomes decline. The racial wealth gap is more severe today than it was in the 1960s. The rich are running the show, and the show is a racist and sexist farce.

Clinton has crushed Sanders with black voters. But the gap is much narrower among younger black voters. Sanders is running even with Clinton among Latino voters in California, and is beating her by a wide margin among young Latinos.

Put simply, Sanders has dominated the youth vote in this race. Barack Obama beat Clinton with young voters 60 percent to 35 percent in 2008. Sanders is winning among young voters with 71 percent to Clinton's 28 percent. This is much too wide a gap to be chalked up to youthful idealism.

Edgy, hip young people don't naturally gravitate toward white-haired white guys. What they liked about Sanders wasn't his renegade persona -- it was his message. And they liked his message because young people are getting totally screwed in the current economy. The youth unemployment rate is more than double the national rate. Young people without a college degree have lousy lifetime-earning prospects. Young people with a college degree have unprecedented levels of debt. For years, community bankers have been complaining privately to lawmakers on Capitol Hill that student debt levels are hurting their auto loan and mortgage businesses. Young people are even angrier about that than their would-be bankers are.

Clinton has tried to present herself to voters as the inheritor of Obama's legacy. And Obama has accomplished many things that matter to young and working-class people. The number of Americans who do not have health insurance has declined by almost 40 percent thanks to the Affordable Care Act. But for many Americans, particularly young people, it's hard to get excited about the status quo -- especially after the current administration converted its foreclosure relief plan into a bank bailout vehicle while executing a student loan reform policy that could be charitably described as ambivalent.

Sanders has not demagogued his way into relevance among the impressionable youth. He has simply stated their legitimate grievances directly and forcefully. Young people have been hit hard by the country's economic anemia. It's not surprising that they gravitated to the candidate calling for a major overhaul of the system. An entire generation of people have been politically molded by the Great Recession. They're not going to forget what they learned in early adulthood.

So what did Sanders' campaign mean? It meant that when you talk about what people actually care about, it's politically effective, even when the candidate isn't ideal and the party establishment isn't on board with the message. Will the campaign matter in defeat? No. Bernie Sanders did not create the movement that political pundits like to credit him with. He has, instead, spent a year serving, rather effectively, as the voice of people left behind by a broken economy. And until that economy is fixed, the movement will not go away, no matter who rises to lead it.

Unless a fascist takes over. In which case, yikes.

-- This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website. Reported by Huffington Post 9 hours ago.
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Why #ImWithHer...Wait, Take a Moment and Listen to Me

June 7, 2016, 7:44 pm
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These lines got me thinking when they popped up on my Facebook feed this week just as Hillary Clinton was coming across the finish line as the first ever woman to win a Presidential nomination:
"STOP NOW. Stop cozying up to the banks, to the chemical companies, to the military-industrial complex, to the party machine, and to all the various financiers who make up the plutocracy now ruining this country. I know you know exactly what I'm saying, I remember you -- a lot of us remember you -- when you were raging against the Establishment machine on top of which you're now so sweetly perched. I don't want to sit on the sidelines longing for Elizabeth or Bernie. I want to hear what's true from you."
Here's my truth: I'm fighter, a decades-in-the-trenches grassroots organizer, a writer, a mom. I've been a street fighter for justice and I rage at the inequality in our nation--and I never will stop fighting to correct it. I'm a fierce believer that people have the power to make impact together and, in fact, I've been lucky to see people power make real change many times over at the city, state, and federal levels. And never has the organization I co-founded taken a donation from a corporation.

And yes, #ImWithHer

Because I'm with her, I've been accused of "cozying up" to all kinds of corporations I've never been any kind of cozy with, of being a "knothead who giggles into my little fist" and a "fool" simply for posting excerpts of a speech where Hillary was taking down Trump. I've been told that I support Hillary because, "I'm only parroting establishment misinformation." And that Hillary is the biggest liar in the race, even though an independent source, Politifact, finds the opposite to be true: Of all the candidates in the race, Hillary has been found to be the most truthful by a long shot.

This is all friendly fire. This is not coming from Trump supporters.

Most worrisome is that many of these people who profess to care about the dispossessed are saying that they'll stay home and not vote in the general election if their preferred candidate doesn't win--and some have even put forward that Hillary and Trump are the same.

They're not. And I'm still not quite sure how anyone could think they are.

I'm not alone in this; friends in the Bernie camp tell me that they're taking friendly fire too. That they too feel accused and unheard.

It's time to talk. It's time to share our own truths. One of the biggest problems with our nation right now is that we stop talking at the point of disagreement, and conversations degenerate into yelling matches instead. In fact, it's at the point of disagreement - if we just keep at it - that true dialogue that leads us toward solutions begins. It's uncomfortable, more difficult than yelling at each other in many ways, to do this; but it's never been more important to talk across our divides--to share our own truths-- to help heal the harm that has already happened in this election.

Because: Trump.

*So here's my truth about why I, a mom who rages for justice, supports Hillary:*
 
One of the benefits of being a decades-long grassroots organizer is that you have the opportunity to watch which leaders can move a ball forward, and to see what happens when the TV cameras are no longer rolling.

In 2006, I co-founded MomsRising to advance policy solutions relating to the fact that 82% of women become moms; that being a mom is a greater predictor of wage and hiring discrimination than being a woman; that one of the leading causes of poverty spells in our nation is having a baby; and to open doors to opportunity to everyone. Equal pay, childcare, paid family leave, healthcare -- too often those policy areas were just outright dismissed as something "cute" that were the result of personal failures of women to balance it all on our own.  This dismissal repeatedly happened in spite of the fact that women were just becoming half of our labor force for the first time in history. In short, we started MomsRising because our public policies relating to women and families were then--and many still are today-- archaic at best and actively harmful to families, businesses, and our economy at worst.

We were looking for leaders who understood what was going on in our nation. Many elected leaders didn't (and still don't) fully understand that when so many women/moms are experiencing the exact same problems at the exact same time, we aren't having an epidemic of "mom failures;" instead we have national structural barriers to opportunity that not only hurt women and children, but also hurt our economy. So we were looking for leaders who understood that these policies - policies like paid family leave - were actually good for everyone. And for context, at that time it was even seen as a sign of weakness in some ways for leaders to take these types of family economic security policies seriously.

Structural barriers can be broken down. The doors to opportunity can be opened.  But it takes leaders with perseverance, compassion, grit, legislative savvy, and vision to open those doors.

Hillary is one of those leaders. Hillary understood these structural barriers--and she stepped forward. She was in the U.S. Senate when MomsRising started in 2006 and Hillary not only stood with us, she fought with us.

Hillary moved the ball forward on equal pay. Hillary was a lead sponsor of the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Restoration Act, which was signed into law in 2009 -- and the lead sponsor of the Paycheck Fairness Act, which would stop retaliation for talking about pay levels, among other paycheck fairness tools. It's a mistake to forget about what a big deal her leadership has been on fair pay.

It's also a battle we're not done fighting - and is a battle that Hillary can again be a leader on. In 2016, women working full-time earned just 79 cents to every dollar that men earned, with moms and women of color experiencing even greater wage disparity. And again, these numbers don't just point to an injustice--they indicate an economy that's not operating properly. Studies show that pay parity would boost our GDP by 3% because women are the primary consumers in our consumer-fueled economy.

Unfair pay hurts everyone and it's a daily reality for too many women, including Felicia:
"As a young woman, I experienced blatant wage discrimination while working at a technical support center for a large retail corporation. I was hired on to work the exact same job as my brother-in-law, and after talking to him discovered that I was being paid about $4 an hour LESS than him, to do the exact same job. I went on to find out that ALL of the men at work, working the same job, with the same amount of experience, were making $4 an hour more than me - and, as it turns out, the women were making the lower wage like I was. I was outraged. I was also young and spunky--and didn't have anyone else depending on me for my wages at the times--so I took the risk of calling out my boss on the situation. He listened carefully, and said, 'Let me get back to you.' He came back about 10 minutes later and told me I'd be bumped up to the higher rate, but reminded me that we weren't supposed to share compensation information so I was not to discuss it with anyone else."
Hillary also successfully fought to move healthcare coverage forward -- and in no small part because of her early work, 9 out of 10 people in our nation now have healthcare coverage. What many people don't know is that earlier in her career, Hillary played a major role in getting the Children's Health Program (CHIP) passed which covers millions and millions of kids. Specifically, when the corporate insurance companies defeated her health care effort she championed as First Lady, she didn't give up. She worked with Republicans and Democrats to help create the Children's Health Insurance Program, which now provides health coverage to more than 8 million children, cutting the uninsured rate for American children in half. This program saves lives. 

Real lives. Lives like those of Angelica's son:
"My one-year-old has been really sick and having CHIP has meant being able to take my baby to the doctor.  Without it, there's a lot of things we wouldn't have caught in time.  He went from being in the 90% to 50% and having overall delays due to illness. My baby had to have surgery and now needs an expensive specialized formula that was covered by CHIP. It's been a really hard time for me and for all of us. The medical coverage has made it okay for me to take him to the hospital.  No child should go without medical help.  That's a fundamental human right.  That's unacceptable.  If I didn't have medical coverage like this, it may have meant death for my child."
Hillary has also long stood strongly for gun safety and against the corporate gun lobby, the NRA, which too many elected leaders fear to the point of inaction. In fact, as a U.S. Senator, Hillary co-sponsored the Gun Show Background Check Act, among other legislation that would require background checks for gun purchases; and as First Lady she strongly defended the Brady Bill and co-convened a White House Summit on School Violence after the Columbine tragedy. Hillary has broken the taboo of fighting the corporate gun lobby and she has brought forward the critically important voices of gun violence survivors to highlight the importance of gun safety in the 2016 election. Voices like Cheryl's:
"Ten years ago I was one of the survivors who was shot at the Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle. An angry man forced his way into our offices by holding a gun to the back of the head of my 14-year-old niece who was meeting me at the office for a ride home. He then faced our receptionist holding a gun up to her face demanding to talk to a manager, so the receptionist came to get me. By the time she said, 'Cheryl there's a man here with a gun,' he was right in my face shouting. He was holding a gun at chest level and turning back and forth. I yelled for people to call 911 as he started shooting. I didn't even realize I'd been shot at first. It just felt like I'd been punched in the side. I turned to him and said why are you doing this? At that point he raised the gun and pointed it at my face. I dropped to the floor and thought this was it, 'I'm going to die.' My colleagues were on the floor next to me crying. I crawled to the doorway and then stood up and started running out hoping to find my niece. A SWAT team met me a block away and then I was loaded into an ambulance. I woke up a week later after a medically induced coma because they had to do so much surgery from the damage from the shooting. I was in the hospital for 6 weeks and had to go through over 20 surgeries. I was just one person that day who was shot. Luckily I survived. The impact even a single gunshot has on a person is huge. The reason I tell my story is so that people know that even if you survive the gun violence stays with you forever."
Please don't mistake my support for fawning; I want you to know that I'm clear-eyed about her faults. Is Hillary connected to the Establishment? Absolutely. She's used every tool and connection available to her - including those connections in the business world - to effective fight for women and children with her sleeves rolled up in rooms where there weren't reporters over and over again.

She's a warrior. These are important fights.

And, sure, other leaders have fought for women and children and were in those same fights too. Hillary didn't do it alone. Which brings me to the other part of my truth in terms of why #ImWithHer:

I'm not for Bernie Sanders. After all there are two sides of the coin, why I'm with her--and then also why I'm not with Bernie Sanders. I haven't ever written anything negative about Bernie Sanders. I respect so much of what he says--and all of this "friendly fire" has been counterproductive.

But right now, in this time when we are barely talking across our self imposed divides, it's essential for us all to come together around the candidate who has now won the democratic nomination for President. In this time it's no longer counterproductive to share our full truths about why we each choose our candidate preferences. In fact, it's necessary to share our full truths so we can all more deeply understand the costs and benefits of each candidate as we move toward unity.

So here's my truth on why I haven't been for Bernie: Over the past decade neither I, nor any of the colleagues who I double-checked with before writing this piece, ever saw Bernie Sanders or his staff really "go in" on many of the important legislative fights for paid family leave, fair pay, childcare, and more. To be blunt, when the s&*t hit the fan in times when everyone's Congressional staff pulled up a proverbial chair to figure out how to build support for these important legislative policies areas, the Sanders chair was largely empty. And, on the issue of gun safety, Sanders hasn't just been absent, his policy stands have been harmful.

That all adds up to be a big deal to me. 

While I applaud that Sanders has come to speak out about family economic security issues, particularly about the importance of paid family/medical leave, through this 2016 Presidential campaign and hope he continues to advance these policies; it's safe to say that he hasn't been a leading champion on these issues while serving in the U.S. Senate or in Congress over the many decades he's served.  

So what's my truth? It's a crazy election year -- crazier than normal -- and lots of misinformation is going around. Hillary isn't shady, she's been shaded by decades of right wing attack campaigns against her that are specifically intended to make people question her worthiness, and yet she's still standing strong with more popular votes, delegates, and super delegates than Sanders.

My truth is that what I've seen when the reporters weren't in the room and when no TV cameras were around is a person, Hillary, who ALWAYS fought the establishment for women, children, and families even when it wasn't politically expedient to do so. #ImWithHer because she's been with us all the way. She has our back. She really does. And now it's time for us to have her back all the way to the White House.
-- This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website. Reported by Huffington Post 6 hours ago.
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ez1095 ACA Software Has Just Been Updated With New Correction Instruction Guide For Customers

June 8, 2016, 1:03 am
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Businesses required to send in correction ACA Forms can now use the new correction instructional guide released for ez1095 software. Test drive the 30-day no cost or obligation trial at http://www.halfpricesoft.com

San Francisco, CA (PRWEB) June 08, 2016

Developers for ez1095 ACA form filing software have just released a new instructional guide for business owners filing correction forms. Halfpricesoft.com was approached by customers for an easier solution to correcting forms so the developer’s made changes to accommodate.

“ez1095 2015 software offers a new correction form instruction guide for ease of use to new customers,” said Dr. Ge, the founder of Halfpricesoft.com.

Developers have created this software to adhere to the requirements by the government to file forms 1094 and 1095 starting in 2016. ez1095 software’s graphical interface allows customers to set up everything necessary to print or efile these forms. With the quick start guide, customer's can now add forms and print forms soon after download.

ez1095 software is compatible with Windows 10, 8.1, 8, 7, Vista, XP and other Windows systems. Potential customers can download and try this software at no obligation by visiting http://www.halfpricesoft.com/aca-1095/form-1095-software-free-download.asp

Features included in the application are:· New XML validation feature to reduce errors before efiling
· Instruction guides for all aspects of processing forms
· Print ACA Form 1095-C, 1094-C, 1095-B and 1094-B on white paper for recipients and IRS with inkjet or laser printer.
· PDF print 1095-C and 1095-B recipient copies
· Efile version available for additional cost.
· Support unlimited companies at no additional cost.
· Support unlimited number of recipients at no additional cost.
· Print unlimited number of 1095 and 1094 forms at no additional cost.
· Fast data import feature
· Print Form 1095 C: Employer-Provided Health Insurance Offer and Coverage Insurance
· Print Form 1094 C: Transmittal of Employer-Provided Health Insurance Offer and Coverage Information Returns
· Print Form 1095-B: Health Coverage
· Print Form 1094-B: Transmittal of Health Coverage Information Return

Priced at just $195, ($295 for efile version) this ACA forms filing software saves employers time and money. To learn more about ez1095 ACA software, customers can visit http://www.halfpricesoft.com/aca-1095/aca-1095-software.asp

About halfpricesoft.com
Founded in 2003, Halfpricesoft.com has established itself as a leader in meeting the software needs of small businesses around the world with its payroll software, employee attendance tracking software, check printing software, W2 software, 1099 software and barcode generating software. It continues to grow with its philosophy that small business owners need affordable, user friendly, super simple, and totally risk-free software. Reported by PRWeb 38 minutes ago.
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Why dismantling Kynect might be a good idea

June 8, 2016, 3:32 am
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There's been a lot of controversy over Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin's plan to dismantle the state's health insurance exchange, Kynect. Since then, there has been a back-and-forth between those defending the decision and those who want to stop it. Some have filed bills to block the effort, and former Gov. Steve Beshear, whose administration launched the exchange, has created a grass-roots campaign called Save Kentucky Healthcare. But according to a post on Forbes' Apothecary opinion blog written by… Reported by bizjournals 22 hours ago.
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Wasserman Schultz Has a Change of Heart, But Too Little, Too Late

June 8, 2016, 4:40 am
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Return with us now to the saga of Debbie Wasserman Schultz and the soul of the Democratic Party.

First, a quick recap: Rep. Wasserman Schultz (D-FL), chair of the Democratic National Committee, also has been an advocate for the payday loan industry. The website Think Progress even described her as the "top Democratic ally" of "predatory payday lenders." You know -- the bottom-feeding bloodsuckers of the working poor. Yes, them.

Low-income workers living from paycheck to paycheck, especially women and minorities, are the payday lenders' prime targets -- easy pickings because they're often desperate. Twelve million Americans reportedly borrow nearly $50 billion a year through payday loans, at rates that can soar above 300 percent, sometimes even beyond 500 percent. Bethany McLean at The Atlantic recently reported that the government's Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) studied millions of payday loans and found that "67 percent went to borrowers with seven or more transactions a year and that a majority of those borrowers paid more in fees than the amount of their initial loan."

Yet when the CFPB was drawing up new rules to make it harder for payday predators to feast on the poor, Rep. Wasserman Schultz co-sponsored a bill to delay those new rules by two years. How, you ask, could the head of the party's national committee embrace such an appalling exploitation of working people?

Just follow the money. Last year, the payday loan industry spent $3.5 million lobbying; and as we wrote two weeks ago, in Wasserman Schultz's home state, since 2009, payday lenders have bought protection from Democrats and Republicans alike by contributing $2.5 million or so to candidates from both parties, including her. That's how "Representative" Wasserman Schultz, among others, wound up representing the predators instead of the poor.

That position became a major issue in her campaign for reelection to the House this year -- she has a primary opponent for the first time since she entered Congress -- and was even threatening the prospect of her continuing as DNC chair and presiding over the Democratic National Convention next month in Philadelphia. More than 40,000 have signed a petition calling for her removal from that post.

She had become a symbol of the failure of Democratic elites to understand that there is an uprising in the land. Millions of Americans are rebelling against the leadership of both parties. They are fed up with inside-the-Beltway politicians who pay only lip service to the deep needs of everyday people and the country; fed up with incumbents who ask for their votes, are given them in good faith, and then return to Washington to do the bidding of the donor class and its lobbyists.

Donald Trump gets it. He has roiled and humiliated and conquered an out-of-touch Republican establishment in Washington that also ignored the popular uprising against corporate domination and crony capitalism, and now GOP titans such as Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and Speaker of the House Paul Ryan, spear carriers for Big Money, are being hauled around the talk-show circuit in Trump's tumbrel, eating crow and swearing fealty to the misogynistic, bigoted and pathologically lying brute who bestrides their party.

Democratic insiders like Wasserman Schultz, however, continued to whistle past the graveyard, believing that the well-funded and well-connected Clinton machine -- and general fear of a Trump regime -- were enough to carry them to victory in November, despite the grass-roots disgust with a party that reeks of rot from the top. Once the champions of people who came home from work with hands dirty from toil and sweat, too many establishment Democrats went over to the dark side, taking up the cause of the well-manicured executives (think: Goldman Sachs) who write the checks and the mercenaries who deliver them (for a substantial cut, of course).

The lust for loot, which now defines the Democratic establishment, became pronounced in the Bill Clinton years, when the Clinton-friendly Democratic Leadership Council (DLC) abandoned its liberal roots and embraced "market-based solutions" that led to deregulation, tax breaks, and subsidies for the 1 percent. Seeking to fill coffers emptied by the loss of support from a declining labor movement, Democrats rushed into the arms of big business and crony capitalists.

Another case in point (and, alas, there are many): the Democratic governor of Connecticut, Dan Malloy, who seems to treat his state's corporate residents far better than the 1 in 10 of his citizens who live at or below the poverty line.

At International Business Times last week, investigative reporter David Sirota analyzed the proposed merger of Cigna and Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield, a deal that would create the biggest health insurance company in the country. Cigna is based in Connecticut and Katharine Wade, the state's insurance commissioner, appointed by Governor Malloy, is a former Cigna lobbyist with deep family ties to the company.

Sirota reported, "Malloy's decision to appoint Wade to such a powerful regulatory post on the eve of the merger was not made in a vacuum," Sirota reported. "It came after employees of Cigna, its lobbying firm Robinson & Cole and Anthem delivered more than $1.3 million to national and state political groups affiliated with Malloy, including the Democratic Governors Association (DGA), the Connecticut Democratic Party, Malloy's own gubernatorial campaign and a political action committee supporting Connecticut Democrats [our italics].

"Since Malloy's first successful run for governor in the 2010 election cycle, donors from the insurance companies and the lobbying firm have given more than $2 million to Malloy-linked groups, according to the figures compiled by PoliticalMoneyLine and the National Institute on Money In State Politics. Almost half that cash has come in since 2015, the year the merger was announced."

Sirota now reports that since his investigation first was published, the state has "formally denied open records requests for information about their meetings with Cigna and Anthem, and declared that 'any' documents about the health insurance companies' proposed merger that haven't already been made public will be kept secret." His FOIA request was turned down "one day after Anthem requested [state insurance commissioner] Wade approve an average 26 percent increase in health insurance premiums for individual plans." So much for transparency.

And while we're in Connecticut, let's also take a look at what Malloy is doing for the world's biggest hedge fund -- Bridgewater Associates, based in his state, with an estimated worth of $150 billion. The founder of the firm, Ray Dalio, is the richest man in Connecticut, by one estimate weighing in at $14.3 billion.

Dalio made $1.4 billion in 2015 alone, according to Institutional Investor's Alpha magazine. That same year, his top two executives pulled in $250 million each. Yet as part of Connecticut's campaign to keep companies from leaving the state, Malloy is taking $22 million of the public's money and giving it to Dalio to stay put.

You might think a Democratic governor would have thrown down the gauntlet and told Bridgewater's top three, "Get outta here! You guys made almost $2 billion among yourselves. Shake your piggy bank or look under your sofa cushions for the $22 million; we're not milking the public for it."

But no, Malloy and his fellow Democrats buckled. Buckled to the one-tenth of the one-tenth of the one-hundredth percent of the rich. Ordinary taxpayers will now ante up.

So given all of that, guess who's the chairman of the platform committee for the upcoming Democratic National Convention? Right: Dan Malloy, governor of Connecticut, subsidizer of billionaires. Guess who named him? Right again: Wasserman Schultz, "top Democratic ally" of "predatory payday lenders." We're not making this up.

Not only will Malloy be presiding over the priorities of the Democratic platform at the convention next month, he doubtless will be making the rounds with Wasserman Schultz and other party elites as they genuflect before the corporate sponsors and lobbyists she has invited to pay for the lavish fun-and-games that will surround the coronation. Many of those corporate sponsors and lobbyists have actively lobbied against progressive policies like health-care reform and a Wall Street cleanup and even contributed large sums to Republicans. Yes, we know, shocking.

So take the planks in the platform and the platitudes and promises in the speeches with a grain of salt. It's all about the money.

Except when it's not. Except for those moments when ordinary people rise up and declare: "Not this time!"

Which brings us back to predatory lenders and their buddy, Debbie Wasserman Schultz.

Look around: There's an uprising in the land, remember, and it isn't going away after Hillary Clinton, now the presumptive nominee, is crowned. This year even Wasserman Schultz couldn't ignore the decibel level of an aroused public. Unaccustomed to a challenge in the Democratic "wealth primary" where money usually favors incumbents, she now finds herself called to account by an articulate opponent who champions working people, Tim Canova. Across the country tens of thousands of consumer advocates -- and tens of thousands of other progressives angry at her perceived favoritism toward Hillary Clinton -- have been demanding that Wasserman Schultz resign as the party's chair or be dumped before the convention opens Philadelphia.

So last week the previously tone-deaf Wasserman Schultz perked up, did an about-face and announced she will go along with the proposed new rules on payday lending after all. At first blush, that's good; the rules are a step in the right direction. But all that lobbying cash must have had some effect, because the new rules only go so far. A New York Times editorial calls them "a lame response" to predatory loans and says the final version of the new regulations "will need stronger, more explicit consumer protections for the new regulatory system to be effective."

Nick Bourke, director of small-dollar loans for the Pew Charitable Trusts, is a man who closely follows these things and got to the heart of the matter: Not only do the proposed new rules "fall short," they will allow payday lenders to lock out attempts at lower-cost bank loans.

His judgment is stark: "As drafted, the CFPB rule would allow lenders to continue to make high-cost loans, such as a line of credit with a 15-percent transaction fee and 299-percent interest rate, or a $1,250 loan on which the borrower would repay a total of $3,700 in fees, interest and principal," Bourke wrote. "These and many other high-cost payday installment loans are already on the market in most states, and they will thrive if the regulation takes effect without change."

Nonetheless, the new rules were improvement enough for Allied Progress, an organization that has taken on Wasserman Schultz in Florida's late August primary, to declare victory. And they were enough for Wasserman Schultz to do a 180-degree turn which she clearly hopes will not too dramatically reveal her hypocrisy. "It is clear to me," she said, "that the CFPB strikes the right balance and I look forward to working with my constituents and consumer groups as the CFPB works toward a final rule."

All well and good, but if she survives her primary to return to Washington, be sure to keep the lights on in those rooms where the final version of the rules are negotiated. A powerful member of Congress with support from a Democrat in the White House could seriously weaken a law or a rule when the outcome is decided behind closed doors and money whispers in the ear of a politician supplicant: "I'm still here. Remember. Or else."

But the times, they really may be a-changing, as the saga of Wasserman Schultz reveals. You can be deaf to the public's shouts for only so long. The insurgency of popular discontent that has upended politics this year will continue no matter the results in November. For much too long now it's been clear that money doesn't just rule democracy, it is democracy.

Until we prove it isn't.

-- This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website. Reported by Huffington Post 21 hours ago.
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15 Things to Do in Your First 100 Days as an Entrepreneur

June 8, 2016, 5:21 am
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It was about this time last year that I began having medical issues that clearly needed more than Zyrtec, Tylenol, or Synthroid. That summer would be a time of intense reflection for me on the state of my career, our family goals, and my quality of life. While my decision led to me quitting my full-time job and launching a full-time career as a writer and social media consultant, I was able to document my process from moving from the 9 to 5 mindset to the entrepreneurial mindset. I can honestly tell you that nine months in I still don't have it all right, but I did learn some things in my first 100 days that helped me ease the transition.

1. *Have a minimal but stable stream of income.* When I stopped working full-time, I began working part-time for the same employer. A part-time job doesn't do much to help a family of four thrive, but it does make sure we have groceries on the table. I spend my mornings four days a week at that part-time job, and I schedule all of my other freelance and consulting work around that. The part-time job gives me the amount of personal security I need to know that I have some income, but it also gives me the boost to I need to push harder in all aspects of my business. Fyi, my part-time job relates directly to my life as a writer. Try your best to make sure the two are connected.
2.* Budget for 180 days.* That's six months. Six months is important because it's not too short and not too long. Six months means you are going to have grind from the beginning and it gives you the cushion to start making money. While I quit my job in August, I didn't start making money until October. It was reassuring that I could put all my energy in my business and professional development activities without constantly feeling like I had to make a lot of money right away.
3. *Establish your systems.* As a procrastinator, this one was hard for me. When I worked for an organization, I just followed their policies and procedures. When I started my own business, I had to develop my own. Some of the electronic systems I tried are Asana and 17 Hats. I now use Freedcamp and Basecamp and love them both.
4. *Get the official business entity designation.* Decide early if you are a sole proprietor or a corporation. Find out the laws for your county or state for incorporating a business entity. One of my blogging friends, Regina, has an awesome and free YouTube video about this. Once you're on YouTube, search for ByReginaTV. Subscribe to her channel, thank me later.
5. *Create Open When Cards for Yourself.* There were be good days and bad days, you have to be able to encourage yourself. I gave Open When cards as a Valentine's Day present to my children this year. Take some time one afternoon and create some for yourself.
6. *Set Boundaries.* I found out quickly that many of my friends and family thought since I work from home, I was chilling. My kids started calling more asking me to run errands for them, my significant other thought we could have special dates everyday, and my former co-workers would call to keep me updated on the happenings at the office. While I love impromptu calls and visits, I also had a job to do and just like when I worked at 9 to 5, I could not spend my entire day socializing.
7. *Develop a system of business accounting.* I am a creative, not a numbers person. But as a business owner, I have to know what my income is and what my outcome is. If the thought of this scares you like it did (and still does) me, use Paypal for Business or Wave. They make a lot of routine business record-keeping practices easy.
8. *Establish your workplace habits and be Inflexible.* See number 6 above. It was worth repeating.
9. *Figure out the health insurance stuff.* The healthcare marketplace was not the easiest to navigate for me. Whether or not you use it or have health insurance through your spouse, make sure all of your medical insurance ducks are in a row.
10. *Have accountability partners.* This is critical. You need to be willing to talk to them at least once a day and see them at least once a week. In your 9 to 5 job you had regular interaction with you colleagues and supervisors, accountability/ mastermind groups replace the 9 to 5 version of a staff meeting. My friend Cheryl and I attempt to talk business at least once a day. We are each other's business accountability partners.
11. *Invest in yourself and your professional development.* This was the absolute best thing I could have done. I started working with a writing coach, I took a few courses in website development and graphic design, and I learned the business laws as they relate to my state and county. If there's one bit of advice I took from my previous job to my life as an entrepreneur, it's that learning should never stop. If you're a blogger, I would highly suggest that you read as much as you can from Regina Anaejionou. If you have an on-line business, check out Alisha Byrd. You can't go wrong with her either.
12. *Develop a plan for networking.* When I graduated from college 20 plus years ago, the career advisor told us the importance of joining professional organizations, attending conferences, and meeting people. All of this still rings true today, but because of the internet and social media, we can and should network on-line. How much time you devote to on-line networking is going to depend on the type of business you own and the services you provide. If the majority of your business occurs online, you should then be networking on-line, a lot. Speaking on on-line networking, we should connect on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest!
13. *Define and refine your brand.* When I started I thought I would do two things: be a professional blogger and photographer. I didn't have a name for my company, and I didn't even think i needed to create a business entity. I didn't know what a brand was, and I definitely didn't know how my brand would help it's customers and the community as a whole. In simpler terms, I didn't have a clue. One of the branding coaches I follow regularly is Maya Elious. Check her out!
14. *Help others.* Once you are learning things and your business is growing, you will meet others who are starting out or even considering starting a business. HELP THEM. Answer the questions they have, give them a taste of the knowledge that you learned, suggest the successful mentors for them.
15. *Figure Out Free first.* I know you're in this business to make money. I know money is important. In order to build your audience and customer base, you may have to some work for free in the name of exposure. Figure out what you're willing to do for free and how long you're willing to do it at the discount.

Here are some books I would also recommend for any new business owner:

The Entrepreneur Mind

The $100 Startup

Start Your Own Business

Epic Blog: One Year Editorial Planner

Ultimate Monthly Business Planner

*Are you an entrepreneur? Tell me about your business and the lessons you've learned?*

This post first appeared on My Life With Him and Them. Click here to visit the blog and read more tales of Toni's journey as a single mom with three adolescents.

-- This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website. Reported by Huffington Post 21 hours ago.
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Fully understand the IoT with this report

June 8, 2016, 5:17 am
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Fully understand the IoT with this report The Internet of Things (IoT) Revolution is picking up speed and it will change how we live, work, and entertain ourselves in a million ways big and small.

From agriculture to defense, retail to healthcare, everything is going to be impacted by the growing ability of businesses, governments, and consumers to connect to and control their environments:

· “Smart mirrors” will allow consumers to try on clothes digitally, enhancing their shopping experience and reducing returns for the retailer
· Assembly line sensors will detect tiny drops in efficiency that indicate critical equipment is wearing out and schedule down-time maintenance in response
· Agricultural equipment guided by GPS and IoT technology will soon plant, fertilize and harvest vast croplands like a giant Roomba while the “driver” reads a magazine
· Active people will share lifestyle data from their fitness trackers in order to help their doctor make better health care decisions (and capture discounts on health insurance premiums)

No wonder the Internet of Things has been called “the next Industrial Revolution.” It’s so big that it could mean new revenue streams for your company and new opportunities for you. The only question is: Are you fully up to speed on the IoT?

Research analysts John Greenough and Jonathan Camhi of BI Intelligence, Business Insider's premium research service, spent months of researching and reporting this exploding trend and have put together a report on the Internet of Things that explains its exciting present and the fascinating future.

It covers how IoT is being implemented today, where the new sources of opportunity will be tomorrow and how 17 separate sectors of the economy will be transformed over the next 20 years, including:

· Agriculture
· Connected Home
· Defense
· Financial services
· Food services
· Healthcare
· Hospitality
· Infrastructure
· Insurance

· Logistics
· Manufacturing
· Oil, gas, and mining
· Retail
· Smart buildings
· Transportation
· Connected Car
· Utilities

 

If you work in any of these sectors, it's important for you to understand how the IoT will change your business and possibly even your career. And if you’re employed in any of the industries that will build out the IoT infrastructure—networking, semiconductors, telecommunications, data storage, cybersecurity—this report is a must-have.

Among the big picture insights you’ll get from *The Internet of Things: Examining How the IoT Will Affect The World*:

· IoT devices connected to the Internet will more than triple by 2020, from 10 billion to 34 billion. IoT devices will account for 24 billion, while traditional computing devices (e.g. smartphones, tablets, smartwatches, etc.) will comprise 10 billion.
· Nearly $6 trillion will be spent on IoT solutions over the next five years.
· Businesses will be the top adopter of IoT solutions because they will use IoT to 1) lower operating costs; 2) increase productivity; and 3) expand to new markets or develop new product offerings.
· Governments will be the second-largest adopters, while consumers will be the group least transformed by the IoT.

And when you dig deep into the report, you’ll get the whole story in a clear, no-nonsense presentation:

· The complex infrastructure of the Internet of Things distilled into a single ecosystem
· The most comprehensive breakdown of the benefits and drawbacks of mesh (e.g. ZigBee, Z- Wave, etc.), cellular (e.g. 3G/4G, Sigfox, etc.), and internet (e.g. Wi-Fi, Ethernet, etc.) networks
· The important role analytics systems, including edge analytics, cloud analytics, will play in making the most of IoT investments
· The sizable security challenges presented by the IoT and how they can be overcome
· The four powerful forces driving IoT innovation, plus the four difficult market barriers to IoT adoption
· Complete analysis of the likely future investment in the critical IoT infrastructure: connectivity, security, data storage, system integration, device hardware, and application development
· In-depth analysis of how the IoT ecosystem will change and disrupt 17 different industries

*The Internet of Things: Examining How the IoT Will Affect The World* is how you get the full story on the Internet of Things.

To get your copy of this invaluable guide to the IoT universe, choose one of these options:

1. Subscribe to an ALL-ACCESS Membership with BI Intelligence and gain immediate access to this report AND over 100 other expertly researched deep-dive reports, subscriptions to all of our daily newsletters, and much more. >> *START A MEMBERSHIP*
2. Purchase the report and download it immediately from our research store. >> *BUY THE REPORT*

The choice is yours. But however you decide to acquire this report, you’ve given yourself a powerful advantage in your understanding of the fast-moving world of the IoT.

Join the conversation about this story » Reported by Business Insider 21 hours ago.
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New Employer Shared Responsibility Provision (ESRP) Estimator Now Available

June 8, 2016, 6:03 am
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The Taxpayer Advocate Service developed a new Employer Shared Responsibility Provision (ESRP) Estimator to help employers understand how the provision works and how it may apply to them.

Washington, DC (PRWEB) June 08, 2016

The Taxpayer Advocate Service launched a new tool to help employers better understand how the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA) Employer Shared Responsibility Provision (ESRP) works and learn how the provision may apply to them.

Employers can use the ESRP Estimator to determine:· Their number of full-time employees, including full-time equivalent employees (FTEs),
· If they might be an applicable large employer (ALE), and
· If they are an ALE, an estimate of the maximum amount of the potential liability for the payment that could apply to them based on the number of FTEs that they report if they fail to offer coverage to their full-time employees.

The tool provides users with definitions of key terms, links to the actual regulations and offers real-life examples and detailed instructions to assist them with using the tool.

The Employer Shared Responsibility Provision (ESRP) Estimator can help employers better plan and possibly avoid payment later. Employers can also use it when they have employee changes to see if that change will affect their employer status under the ESRP provisions.

This new ESRP Estimator is the fourth tool to be added to the Taxpayer Advocate Service’s online healthcare estimators. The tools are all designed to ease taxpayer burden by helping users understand and determine eligibility or responsibility for federal healthcare tax credits and payments, as well as estimate those amounts.

“Affordable Care Act rules, also referred to as healthcare provisions, are some of the most complex tax concepts to understand,” said National Taxpayer Advocate Nina Olson. “The new, easy-to-use tools reduce taxpayer burden by increasing familiarity with and providing estimates of ACA credits and payments ahead of tax season.”

The three other available ACA estimators are:

· Individual Shared Responsibility Provision – Payment Estimator:

The Individual Shared Responsibility Provision requires that each taxpayer and member of their family have qualifying health insurance for a full year, a health coverage exemption or make a penalty payment when filing taxes. If for any reason an individual did not have qualifying insurance for the entire year and did not qualify for an exemption from having coverage, then that individual or his or her guardian, in the case of a minor dependent, may owe a shared responsibility payment (SRP) at tax time. The Individual Shared Responsibility Provision – Payment Estimator helps estimate that payment amount.

· Premium Tax Credit Change Estimator:

This tool helps taxpayers who experience a change in income or family size during the year estimate how much their Premium Tax Credit (PTC) amount, given to qualifying taxpayers with health insurance coverage, may change. Events such as the birth of a child or a job loss impact both the amount of advanced PTC that is being paid to the insurer, if the taxpayer chose that option, and the total amount of PTC allowed. This tool provides an estimate of approximately how much that change might be.

· Small Business Health Care Tax Credit Estimator:

This tool helps small employers and tax-exempt employers estimate the amount of credit they may receive for tax years 2014, 2015, 2016 and beyond for maintaining current healthcare coverage or offering it to employees for the first time. The tool walks through the required calculations to help determine if a business can take the credit and estimates the amount.

To learn more about these tools and the Affordable Care Act overall, visit taxpayeradvocate.irs.gov/get-help/aca. Information about these tools as well as a link to them can also be found on http://www.irs.gov by using “ACA Estimator Tools” in the search box.

About the Taxpayer Advocate Service

The Taxpayer Advocate Service (TAS) is an independent organization within the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) that helps taxpayers and protects taxpayer rights. TAS is your voice at the IRS. You can find your local advocate’s number at taxpayeradvocate.irs.gov, or call TAS toll-free at 1-877-777-4778. TAS can help if you need assistance resolving an IRS problem, if your problem is causing financial difficulty, or if you believe an IRS system or procedure isn’t working as it should – and TAS services are free. For more information about TAS and your rights under the Taxpayer Bill of Rights, go to taxpayeradvocate.irs.gov. Reported by PRWeb 20 hours ago.
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United States: Protecting Health Plan Information Is More Important Than Ever - Fisher Phillips LLP

June 8, 2016, 8:22 am
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It's common for employers outside the healthcare industry to believe they can avoid issues brought about by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and other health plan data laws. Reported by Mondaq 18 hours ago.
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