- Created on 26 March 2013
Use Your Inner Hustler to Turn Passion to Profit
Just as with Black history month, the concept of solidarity among members of a race, class or gender is based on shared conditions, experiences and concerns. Following the Michigan Chronicle’s recent recognition of Women of Excellence and now at the conclusion of Women’s history month, an examination of the sisterhood of women is more than a
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- Created on 25 March 2013
Scant progress on jobs for disabled Americans
Pictured, Jennifer Lortie works in her Willimantic, Conn., office. Of the 29 million working–age Americans with a disability Lortie, who has limited arm and leg use due to cerebral palsy, is one of the 5.1 million who are actually employed. The National Council on Disability's Jeff Rosen says long-standing prejudicial attitudes need to be addressed to boost jobs. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill)
WASHINGTON — Whether it means opening school track meets to deaf children or developing a new lunch menu with safe alternatives for students with food allergies, recent Obama administration decisions could significantly affect Americans with disabilities. But there's been little progress in one of the most stubborn challenges: employing the disabled.
According to government labor data, of the 29 million working-age Americans with a disability — those who are 16 years and older — 5.2 million are employed. That's 18 percent of the disabled population and is down from 20 percent four years ago. The employment rate for people without a disability was 63 percent in February.
The job numbers for the disabled haven't budged much since the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, which gave millions of disabled people civil rights protections and guaranteed equal opportunity in employment, public accommodations, transportation, government services and more.
The National Council on Disability's Jeff Rosen said longstanding prejudicial attitudes need to be addressed to boost jobs.
"Employers are still catching on to the fact that the needs of most workers with disabilities aren't special, but employees with disabilities often bring specialized skills to the workplace," Rosen said. "Perhaps no one knows how to adapt, think critically or find solutions better than someone who has to do so daily in order to navigate a world that wasn't built with them in mind."
Rosen, who is deaf, was named in January as chairman of the council, an independent federal agency that advises the president, Congress and other federal agencies on disability policy.
The Obama administration recently has acted to expand the rights of Americans with disabilities in other areas.
The Education Department's civil rights division released new guidelines that direct schools to provide students with disabilities equal access to extracurricular sports teams. If schools can't, they should create similar athletic programs for disabled children, the department said.
Also, the Justice Department said in a settlement with a Massachusetts college, Lesley University, that severe food allergies can be considered a disability under the law. That potentially could lead to new menus and accommodations at schools, restaurants and other places to address the needs of people with food allergies.
One silver lining in the lagging employment for the disabled has been federal hiring.
The latest data from the U.S. Office of Personnel Management shows nearly 15 percent of new federal hires between 2010 and 2011 were people with disabilities — almost 19,000 people. That's up from the previous year when about 10 percent of new hires were people with disabilities.
President Barack Obama signed an executive order in 2010 aimed at improving the federal ranks of people with disabilities. The goal was to add 100,000 disabled people to federal payrolls in five years; that would be within reach if the 2010-2011 hiring numbers were to stick or improve.
- Created on 20 February 2013
Coca-Cola's Ingrid Saunders Jones to retire after 30 years
The Coca-Cola Company has announced Senior Vice President of Global Community Connections and Chair of The Coca-Cola Foundation, Ingrid Saunders Jones, will retire after 30 years of distinguished service with the Company, effective June 1.
A well-respected global leader, Jones joined The Coca-Cola Company in 1982 and has held roles of increasing responsibility around the Company's corporate giving and community outreach. She has served as Chair of The Coca-Cola Foundation since 1991.
During her three-decade Coca-Cola career, Jones has led the transformation of the Company's philanthropic outreach, growing a US-focused program into a global campaign, which now includes water stewardship, active healthy living, community recycling and education programs worldwide. Under Jones' leadership, The Coca-Cola Foundation has awarded more than $500 million to thousands of community organizations worldwide.
"Over the past 30 years, I have been grateful to work for a company that commits the talent and time of its employees and its philanthropic dollars to issues and organizations that empower and enhance the lives of others," said Jones. "I'm proud of the work of the Foundation and believe deeply in the people and communities we've served around the world. I am fortunate to have worked with extraordinary leaders, community supporters and caring and committed associates."
The Coca-Cola Company also announced Lisa Borders will succeed Jones as Vice President of Global Community Connections and Chair of The Coca-Cola Foundation, effective May 1. Borders joins Coca-Cola after serving as President of the Grady Health Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Grady Health System, Georgia's largest public hospital and Atlanta's premier level I trauma center.
- Created on 08 March 2013
An IRS Guide to the 1099-MISC Tax Form
The 1099 is a very common form in the small business world. Many owners issue them, many freelancers use them to file. With tax season beginning, now is a great chance to get up to speed with this ubiquitous form.
A person who is considered an employee of a company – whether salaried or paid by the hour – will receive a W-2 form which shows how much money has been withheld throughout the year for Federal, State, Social Security and Medicare taxes. This person is responsible for paying half of the payroll taxes due based on their taxable income, according to the IRS. The employer withholds and pays the other half. For 2012, the total amount due is 13.3 percent, as a result of Congress’s economic stimulus deal.
This is not the case with a 1099 form. The income reported on a 1099 (or 1099-MISC) has had no tax withheld by the party that issued it. The self-employed person is responsible for paying the full amount of payroll taxes on the amount listed as income. In other words, a 1099 means you’re liable for self-employment tax.
If you received a 1099 form, the IRS also received a 1099 with your income and tax information. Many people mistakenly believe if they did not receive a 1099, they don’t have to report the income they earned. This is a mistake that can cost dearly in penalties. If you receive untaxed income, it has to be reported. Businesses and corporations report if they paid miscellaneous income during the course of the year, and the IRS will match up this info to your tax payer id.
If you are issuing 1099-MISC, the individual must receive it by February 28th, 2013. If you fail to meet this deadline, the penalty varies from $30 to $100, depending on how long past the deadline you issue the statement. If you receive a 1099-MISC and don’t include the income on your tax return, the IRS can impose and accuracy-related penalty that is equal to 20 percent of your underpayment.
Read more http://www.atlantadailyworld.com/201303084464/Business/an-irs-guide-to-the-1099-misc-tax-form
- Created on 23 January 2013
GM Wins at Urban Wheel Awards
The Urban Wheels Awards is an annual event, held during the North American International Auto Show, that brings together celebrities, executives, international media, government representatives, and the multicultural community to celebrate diversity and inclusion in the automotive industry.
Consumers in the multicultural market buy one-quarter of new vehicles annually. The Urban Wheel Awards promotes awareness of their contributions to the industry as well as those of companies and individuals who have made progress toward embracing this reality.
General Motors received the following four awards:
1) Executive of the Year – Alicia Boler-Davis, VP Global Quality, VP Customer Experience
2) Woman Designer of the Year – Crystal Windham, Director of Design
3) GM named Company of the Year for Progress in Community Service Initiatives to Women
Vivian Pickard President of GM Foundation & Ken Barrett, General Motors Chief Diversity Officer accepted on behalf of General Motors
4) Urban Car of the Year, Cadillac ATS
Don Butler, Vice President of Cadillac Marketing, accepted on behalf of Cadillac
