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In: *Connecting the Dots Blog*, Human Resources, Incident Reporting, Information Security

  Did you see the FINRA news release last week announcing guidance for securities firms and brokers regarding the use of social networking sites like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and blogs to communicate with their investors? Securities firms and brokers are now required to develop their own customized policies and procedures to ensure all personnel are complying with regulatory requirements when using social networking sites and that their online recommendations are suitable and not misleading to investors.  Firms and brokers must have a general policy prohibiting any associated person from engaging in business communications in a social media site that is not subject to the firm’sRead More →

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In: *Connecting the Dots Blog*, Human Resources, Incident Reporting, Information Privacy, Information Security, Legal, Risk Management

Did you see the story today involving CalOptima (a Medicaid managed care plan) who has notified 68,000 of their members of a potential loss of past medical claims information?  According to CalOptima, the information includes substantial identifying information, such as member names, home addresses, dates of birth, medical procedure codes, diagnosis codes and member identification numbers and even some Social Security numbers. Do you wonder how many other organizations are sending personally identifiable information (PII) and protected health information (PHI) in packages through parcel carriers? Do you wonder how many organizations are sending YOUR personal information through the mail? This story is one of hundredsRead More →

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In: *Connecting the Dots Blog*, Human Resources, Information Security, Regulatory Compliance

Awareity’s CEO/President, Rick Shaw, is planning to share his knowledge and expertise at several upcoming events in the Lincoln/Omaha area.  October 13 – HRAM Omaha October 15 – AITP Omaha November 19  – AITP Lincoln March 17 – ARMA Lincoln Previous blog posts and every day headlines reveal organizations are struggling to keep up with escalating complexities.  So how can lessons learned help organizations keep up more effectively and efficiently? Rick will discuss real world examples and case studies to share proven steps organizational leaders can use to implement lessons learned and improve management efforts across all appropriate personnel – no matter how many departments,Read More →

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In: *Connecting the Dots Blog*, Emergency Management, Human Resources, Incident Reporting, Information Privacy, Information Security, School Safety

Please take a moment to consider how these Lessons Learned could be implemented by managers within your organization to avoid expensive and embarrassing situations… FBI Investigating Mystery Laptops Sent to Governors The FBI is investigating five laptop computers sent anonymously to West Virginia Governor Joe Mahchin a few weeks ago, as well as laptops mysteriously ordered for officials in 10 other states.  Officials are worried the laptops may contain malicious software that would be a large risk if connected to government networks. Would your employees plug in a new laptop to your organization’s networks? Bernanke Falls Victim to Identity Theft Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke wasRead More →

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In: *Connecting the Dots Blog*, Human Resources, Legal

The headline of a story caught my eye last week – Marriott Disowns One Hotel’s Defense in Rape Case. It seems Marriott International is seeking to distance itself from a Marriott franchise hotel’s legal defense tactic and released this statement: “This incident is not reflective of our corporate culture or ethical standards, and we apologize to all of our guests and customers who were so deeply offended by the words used in the legal pleading.” The court case stems from a situation where a woman was raped at gunpoint in front of her children in a hotel parking garage, which was obviously a horrible experienceRead More →

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In: *Connecting the Dots Blog*, Human Resources, Regulatory Compliance, Workplace Violence

Recalcitrant.  That is the word the Acting Assistant Secretary of OSHA used in her recent testimony before the Subcommittee on Workforce Protections to describe organizations being targeted by a new OSHA program that is under development. Recalcitrant can mean obstinately defiant of authority or difficult to manage or operate.  Either way, OSHA is targeting recalcitrant organizations by revising their current Enhanced Enforcement Program (EEP) with a new program called Severe Violators Inspection Program (SVIP) to ensure recalcitrant organizations who are not implementing required safety and health programs are targeted for additional enforcement action.  The additional enforcement could include daily penalties, other fines, incarceration of anRead More →

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In: *Connecting the Dots Blog*, Human Resources

A recent story made headlines in The Washington Post, providing an excellent example of how a lack of implementation can lead to embarrassing headlines and illegal and costly results. This story came up because of a previous story The Washington Post (and other media outlets) reported involving Obama officials being invited to intimate dinners at the home of Post publisher Katherine Weymouth, each sponsored at a cost of $25,000. In response to the initial story, White House counsel Greg Craig reportedly sent out an e-mail (megaphone management) with the 9-page White House policy attached that covered dos and don’ts involving gifts, relationships and invitations toRead More →

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In: *Connecting the Dots Blog*, Business Continuity, Human Resources, Risk Management

Numerous lessons learned reveal the Achilles Heel for most managers (and organizations) is the Lack of Implementation Tools.  The lack of implementation tools has become THE principal weakness for all levels of managers that eventually will lead to their downfall. So let’s discuss some of the details surrounding implementation. First, the lack of implementation tools for implementing what you may ask? Implementing Processes.  Processes include:  procedures, policies, plans, regulations, specifications, roles, responsibilities, strategies, priorities, etc.  Numerous Processes need to be implemented in every Department in an organization.  Numerous Processes need to be implemented to meet requirements in Regulations and Mandates, which continue to mount.  NumerousRead More →

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In: *Connecting the Dots Blog*, Human Resources, Legal

As more workers are let go in corporate layoffs and cutbacks, many disgruntled workers are taking legal action out of desperation.  Age and sex discrimination allegations are rising as workers claim they have been unfairly or improperly dismissed.   Class actions and individual claims are both increasing at alarming rates.  At a time when budgets are tight, resources are limited, and insurance rates are rising, organizations cannot afford to ignore employment requirements or  be vulnerable to expensive fines and lawsuits. Has your organization implemented effective unlawful discrimination and harassment policies? Have all personnel received training regarding discrimination and harassment policies?  Is this training updated on anRead More →

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In: *Connecting the Dots Blog*, Human Resources

There seems to be a real transformation taking place across all industries…lower turnouts at trade shows and conferences and cutbacks with training.  With trade shows and conferences, I am seeing more and more discounts being offered to attract attendees and some trade shows and conferences are even offing reduced rates on hotel rooms. With training, I am seeing cutbacks within companies paying for training and I am seeing cutbacks by companies that deliver training services. The economic downturn and budget cuts are playing a big part in whether or not organizations can afford to send their employees to trade shows and conferences or pay forRead More →