In this issue:

2009 Fall Fling a Success

Thanks to Fall Fling Sponsors

NLBMDA Applauds Passage of Key Legislation

Save the Date

Lumber News

New Home Inventories Continue to Improve, But Demand Remains Weak… For 29 consecutive months, home builders have been doing what they need to do in the face of weak demand by reducing their inventory of unsold homes.

The Commission previously delayed the enforcement of the Rule for entities under its jurisdiction until November 1, 2009. The Commission staff has continued to provide guidance to entities within its jurisdiction, both through materials posted on the dedicated Red Flags Rule Web site (www.ftc.gov/redflagsrule), and in speeches and participation in seminars, conferences and other training events to numerous groups. The Commission also published a compliance guide for business, and created a template that enables low risk entities to create an identity theft program with an easy-to-use online form.

New EEOC Poster Required… The EEOC has revised its “Equal Employment Opportunity is the Law” poster. This new version reflects current federal employment discrimination law (including the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act of 2008). The poster was revised to add information about the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008, which is effective November 21, 2009. The revised poster also includes updates from the Department of Labor. Follow this link to download a copy of the revised poster:

Welcome Back… As we come out of the recession, you may be able to rehire people who were laid off. Who will you bring back and why? Is there a chance you could be discriminating and risk a lawsuit?  Be careful not to hire a male employee over an equally qualified female, or a Caucasian over an equally qualified person of color. Also, consider what you are going to do about benefits. Some firms are allowing people to come back and retain all previous benefits as if they never left, such as accrued vacation. This is a great way to get someone back who really was top notch.

2010 Outlook Positive for Lumber Demand… Timber industry observers are predicting that the year 2010 will see a rise in the demand for lumber. According to Western Wood Products Association, demand will grow to approximately 34.5 billion board feet. This outlook is in stark contrast to that of 2009, where production has fallen to about half of what was consumed in the year 2005. Much of the improved demand will be due to increased housing starts, which should slowly regain their strength of years past.

Feud Continues Between Wood Certifiers… Another shot has been fired in the battle between rival certifiers of environmentally friendly wood products. The Coalition for Fair Forest Certification has filed a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission charging that the Forest Stewardship Council – the premier certifier of green forestry products in the United States – engages in unfair and deceptive trade practices. The group also asserted that the United States Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design rating system for efficient and sustainable buildings – known widely as L.E.E.D. – is anticompetitive because it only recognizes products certified by the Forest Stewardship Council and not those of other certifying bodies. More

Who is Liable for Green Building Performance? Green building performance, or rather failure to perform, has long topped the list of legal risks related to sustainability-minded construction, but developers face even greater stakes this year as government-mandated LEED standards loom and achieving certification becomes more difficult.

A mid-Michigan member contacted his association regarding a $2,800 check they received, along with a request to confirm the transaction. The Association researched the matter and determined it definitely is a scam.
 
The check was allegedly sent to the member from Bailey/Laurerman/Marketing/ Communications in Lincoln, Neb. The check was drawn on a Tier One Bank account from Lincoln, Neb.  It contained an official looking UPS Next Day Air tracking number. It was sent from the Kennedy Space Center making it look like the Space Center is a client of Bailey/Laurerman.
 
A message at the bottom of the correspondence informed the member:
 
"We would like you to email our secure payment department on payverifier2009@live.com.  For your confirmation and more information before you continue the transaction, please don't ignore this email. Make sure you email us to the provided email and don't agree with any correspondent abuse about this email. This Payment Verification is to confirm you receive the payment successfully."
 
How do we know this is a Scam?  There is a real P.R. firm in Lincoln, Neb. by that name but it has one less letter in its name; Tier One Bank is located in Lincoln but the address on the check is 20 digits off the real address; and the overall spelling and general approach is unprofessional and bogus. Canadian and Australian scammers have apparently been using this tactic with increasing frequency.
 
If you receive something like this, do not respond to verify its receipt. The culprits have a way of using your response to rip you off.

Can you imagine what would happen at your business if ten percent of your employees were too ill to come to work on the same day? Now imagine if 25 percent of them were absent for three months or more. Then imagine all businesses are facing these same absentee rates at the same time.

As hard as it may be to comprehend, this could happen – in fact, most experts say it’s just a matter of time. What’s the reason? An outbreak of pandemic flu. Pandemic flu will spread rapidly and easily from person to person, affecting all age groups. It will cause illness in a majority of those infected.

Influenza pandemics are not isolated events like hurricanes or tornadoes, nor are they confined to a specific region. Pandemics come in multiple waves and experts believe many organizations will have difficulty maintaining operations because of absenteeism due to illness or to employees caring for the sick.

This article provided courtesy of Federated Mutual Insurance Company, your association’s recommended insurer.