Short-Term Disability Benefit Basics

Short-Term Disability Benefit BasicsShort-Term Disability Benefit BasicsWhether an incident takes place on the job or after hours, everyone bears some risk of becoming incapacitated, unable to work, and in need of assistance from short-term disability insurance coverage. This coverage provides financial support to replace lost income while you take time off to recuperate at home. While becoming injured or ill does happen at home and other places, a surprising number of disabling incidents happen in the workplace in any given year, creating a substantial need for disability insurance coverage. An annual report released by the union organization AFL-CIO has reported its findings on the safety of the American workplace. Called Death on the Job The Toll of Neglect, the report advises that each day approximately 150 workers die on the job, and some7.4 million to 11.1 million worker injuries take place each year, often going unreported. According to the Council for Disability Awareness, ar ound one-quarter of todays 20-year olds have a gunst der stunde of becoming disabled at some point in their career before retirement. Some peoples disabilities will require more support than the amount provided by short-term disability insurance. On average, long-term disability incidents last about 34.6 months, meaning almost three years of lost work and foregone income. Short-Term Disability Benefits Employer-provided short-term disability (STD) insurance pays a percentage of an employees salary for a specified amount of time, if they fall ill or get injured, and cannot perform the duties of their job. Generally, the benefit pays approximately 40 to 60 percent of the employees weekly gross income. Independently-purchased short-term liability insurance works relatively the same, offering a range of partial to full income coverage, depending on the policy level and premium you choose to pay. Disability income may or may not be subject to income tax, depending on whether the poli cy was funded with pre-tax or after-tax dollars, among other considerations. When Coverage Begins Coverage usually starts anywhere from one to 14 days after an employee suffers a condition that leaves them unable to work. The time of coverage may vary from 9 to 52 weeks from eligibility. Many times, employees are required to use sick days before short-term disability kicks in if its an illness that keeps them out of work for an extended period of time. Employers often have other types of insurance that cover workplace injuries, such as workers compensation, with different rules and requirements, versus disability insurance for those injuries that occur off the job. If an employee must be out of work for longer than the short-term disabilitybenefits coverage period, then either a long-term disability plan or permanent disability kicks in. This may happen at 10 to 53 weeks from the date of eligibility. Determination for long-term disability is provided by the insurance companys te am of doctors and insurance analysts who carefully monitor each case. Who Pays for Short-Term Disability Coverage? A short-term disability policy can be an employer- or employee-paid benefit. Generally, though, employers offer short-term disability coverage as a benefit. Companies do have a choice of having employees pay for coverage, with certain tax implications. Each state sets its own requirements as to whether employers must carry short-term disability insurance and the mandated limits of basic coverage amounts. States can also dictate the amount of the weekly cash benefit limits. Group coverage for short-term disability can be attained in the following ways Contract agreement through an insurer that covers disability.Through a self-funded plan agreed upon by the employer directly. (Two popular providers include Aflac and MetLife.) Policy Terms and Responsibilities As an employer, you can create a policy dictating that employees use sick days before going on short-term disability for an extended illness. You can also require documentation from a doctor to prove an illness or injury. During the time that an employee misses work, the employer may also request that the employee visit an approvedmedical provider or an occupational medicine center for regular updates on the progress of the employees health. A third-party claims administrator will be in charge of managing these aspects while the employee takes time out of work. Employees must report any changes in their status immediately. These rules are in place to help prevent insurance fraud, a problem that costs employers billions of dollars annually. Various short-term disability plans dictate different terms for qualifications. The main terms typically include Employees need to work for the employer for a certain amount of time before coverage kicks in.Employees need to work full-time, usually 30 hours or more a week. The following components may be included in a short-term disability plan benefi ts package Percentage of weekly salary paid out (typically between 40 percent to 60 percent of weekly salary).Duration of short-term disability benefits (typically between nine to 52 weeks).The maximum amount of time covered under the disability program (up to 52 weeks) Its also important to know the rules of the states in which employees reside. While most states do not have a mandated short-term disability requirement, The Society for Human Resource Management advises that five states including California, Hawaii, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, and the US territory of Puerto Rico do have mandatory coverage guidelines. Employers may want to also consider offering a voluntary benefit option for a long-term disability program that takes over once an employees short-term disability ends.

Self-Discovery Through Me Dates

Self-Discovery Through Me DatesSelf-Discovery Through Me DatesThe urban dictionary defines me dates as an enjoyable evening spent alone where one treats themselves as if they were their own date. I heard about the concept of me dates only a few months ago. During ur first date, my girlfriend told me she does them every now and then as a way to reconnect with herself. As she was telling me how shed take herself to a gallery or a dinner, I realized it wasnt something I do and I was feeling uncomfortable to do. I wanted to overcome this fear. I challenged myself to do me dates regularly and use them as a tool for my weekly self-discovery. Why I do me datesI go on a me date to slow down, mind myself, and listen to myself. That helps me to regain my sense of myself and to feel content. Ive done it to celebrate a professional win, such as fruitful discussions on lessons learned on our past hiring. Ive done it when I had moved to my new apartment and wasnt quite settled there yet. I do me d ates when I recognize a situation that requires time and space to reflect on the concerns, thoughts, or emotions it brings. When I look after myself, I also have the energy and focus to deliver at work, as well as the compassion and patience to help or mentor others on the team. BackgroundIts been a few crazy months now personally and professionally separating with my long term ex after 8 years togethermeeting my girlfriend and madly falling in love with herhaving a 4-day overlap between the previous and new personal chapters in my lifescreening for naming agencies to work on our rebranding launching a new products beta exploring Lisbon for a month with Volen, our co-founder, and COOcoming back to Dublin, moving to a new place introducing our co-founder CEO Georgi to the Dublin startup scene during his 3 weeks here What my last me date was likeLast week, both the post-breakup shock and the madly-in-love adrenaline were gone for the first time and it felt like a low point. All of th at had been taking a lot of my energy, like a full-time job, yet on the side of my real full-time job. On Friday I went home early, just after 4 pm and slept for a couple of hours. Then, I reviewed the summary of the first round of company name proposals as part of our ongoing rebranding. At 7 pm I was starving and wanted to focus on myself. I felt hungry for a me date, a solo experience, personal adventure, whatever you want to call it and I dressed up. I put a couple of things in my tote bag. My notebook where I put down my thoughts. My current read, a red book called What I Know about Running Coffee Shops by 3fes creator Colin Harmon.I love reads about businesses that have nothing or almost nothing to do with tech. They are not prescriptive, yet I find them insightful and inspirational. They allow me to draw parallels between existing challenges at work and how others solved them in the non-tech environment so I can come up with an alternative solution to the challenge Im tackli ng. My long term favorite is Let My People Go Surfing by Patagonias founder Yvon Chouinard.My plan for the me date was to go to the off license in Stoneybatter to discover a few new craft beers, then have a fresh nutritious salad with gorgeous saucy sweet tomatoes for dinner, and then chill at home. 30min later I sent the following to the team in our facebook inc group chat After the casual dinner and some reading at Cotto, I walked down to Smithfield and towards Capel street to rest at home. I didnt do anything extraordinary, but it felt extraordinary to enjoy the sunshine, discover new craft beers, read, take myself out for a walk, and treat myself as if I was my own date. The me date finished with a glass of Founders Frootwood beer as a dessert. What did I discover or realize that day? It was a reminder to myself that before you help others, you must first help yourself. After the me date I felt content. I had created and dedicated time and space to myself, to my thoughts and emo tions. I can only compare the feeling to the way a meditation restarts the body, the mind, and the soul to prepare them for the next adventures and challenges.Related articlesThe 11 tools you should use to create your personal brandFrom uninspired to proud. My self discovery with What stops us from changing careers?Tell me about your me datesWhat are they like? Do you call them a solo experience, a personal adventure or something else? Why and when do you do them? Feel free to post them as comments or email me directly at vessy.com. Im based in Dublin, so shout out if you are around for a coffee. Also, Im currently hiring here for a few roles

#8 Bored at Work Check Out these Fun Websites to Waste Your Time

8 Bored at Work Check Out these Fun Websites to Waste Your Time8 Bored at Work Check Out these Fun Websites to Waste Your TimeBored at Work? 8 brings you the finest selection of the websites worth of your paid working time. Buckle up9gag / ImgurThese two websites knows almost everyone who uses the internet. Content is made by millions of users and is either upvoted or not, based on its quality. This makes the content funny and worth it.ZoomquiltThis website is described as The infinitely zooming image. There is nothing much more to tell about it. Are you ready to have your mind blown?EssaytyperOh No Its finals week and I have to finish my _____________ essay immediately.This fun website allows you to choose the subject and pretend to write it. We promise it is more fun than it seemsTholman / Tholman texterTim Tholman is an Australian developer who works as a product engineer at Tumblr. His website is simply brilliant.Tholman texter is fun drawing editor, where you draw with text inst ead of lines. You can definitely welcheste a ton of time on both of the websites. ENJOYsource lilianarobis.blogspot.skTheuselesswebThe idea behind this website is simply genius. It is basically a useless-website-generator. Are you ready to visit some of the weirdest and funniest websites of the internet?SnapbubblesJust like anyone else in this world, you are addicted to popping bubble wrap. We know it. Can you imagine any better way to waste your time than popping more bubbles than healthy?Have you ever received a gift that came with bubble wrap and it was better than the gift itself? Now you can snap them all day long Enjoy, as you pop virtual bubbles at SnapBubbles.com. Snap AwayDo you like this story? Share it with your friends.Share Your Feedback or Ideas in the Comments

5 Tips for Surviving your Office Holiday Party

5 Tips for Surviving your Office Holiday Party 5 Tips for Surviving your Office Holiday Party 5 Tips for Surviving Your Office Holiday PartyNavigate your amtsstube holiday party with ease this season.Its that time of year again time for the much anticipated holiday office party. Youre excited and nervous all wrapped up with a tidy bow. Not to fear, your feelings are quite normal.While everyone loves a party, office parties are a bit different. Theyre meant to allow employees to kick back, get to know one another in a less formal setting, and enjoy the holiday festivities. The problem is that, just like at the office on an average day, your actions during the office holiday party will be under scrutiny by your peers and supervisors. The only difference is that at office parties theres alcohol involved and inhibitions are lower than normal.A holiday office party is no joke. Its important to play by the rules. Failing to do so can leave you starting a job search in the New Year. In buch en to stay gainfully employed and not ruin your career during this years holiday party, be sure to follow these simple office party etiquette rules.Rule 1 Dont skip it.If you receive an invite to your offices holiday party, be sure to attend. Not showing up to the party sends signals that you dont care, or you arent part of the team. It can also lead to awkward moments the following workday when your teammates are all laughing about something that happened at the party and youre left out. Attendance at your offices holiday party is especially important for new employees. An office holiday party is a great opportunity to connect with your boss and your peers, and show them youre mora than the responsibilities of your professional role. Once you establish a personal connection with your colleagues by engaging with them at the holiday party, theyre more likely to want to work with you, help you, and be engaged with you at work.Rule 2 Dress appropriately.Not sure what to wear to a compa ny holiday party? Be sure to check in with your co-workers to determine the appropriate dress code. If the theme is ugly sweater, then be sure to wear the ugliest holiday-themed sweater you can find. Its also a definite conversation starter. Not doing so, however, can result in conversations happening behind your back about you not being a team player.If the theme is more formal, make sure you take that route. Showing up with your ugly sweater to a suit and tie affair wont be considered funny. Be sure to follow whatever dress code is in place, and youll be off to a great start.RelatedA Guide for What to Wear to a Company Holiday PartyRule 3 Consume alcohol in moderation.In order to keep the momentum moving in the right direction, this next office party etiquette rule is of utmost importance. Many, if not the majority, of office parties tend to have free alcohol available. While this may be tempting, it can also spell disaster. Lots of otherwise model employees have been canned for n ot following this basic rule Dont overindulgeDrinking too much alcohol at your office holiday party can lower your guard and make you act ridiculous. It can lead to arguments, or you dancing on a table (or something worse). Dont be the person who drinks too much and then makes a spectacle of themselves. Youll never live it down. Your behavior will go down as legend, and you may even end up losing your job altogether.Rule 4 Stay away from sensitive subjects.Office flings are obviously a sensitive subject, but it isnt the only subject to avoid. Typically, workers in an office environment are most comfortable around their peers. Theyve developed a certain rapport where its understood which subjects are on- or off-limits.One thing to consider when attending a holiday office party is that the subject matter youve cleared as OK within your department, or between those with whom you work closely, may not be appropriate outside of that circle. Consider that everyone from the company will be invited. Theres a good chance youll be mingling with people with whom you dont frequently connect.Rule 5 Prep your elevator pitch.Youve got goals to move up in your company, but progress has been slow. If done properly, your office holiday party can offer a great opportunity to network and help you move the process along a bit faster.It isnt often that you get a chance to talk to the C-level folks at your company. The office party offers such a chance, so be prepared when the opportunity presents itself. As long as youve followed the rest of the office party etiquette rules up until meeting with those who can help you get promoted, youre in a good position.Yet, dont get caught making small talk about the weather and stumbling over your words. Put together an elevator pitch that presents you as a model employee and makes mention of your contributions, without coming across as bragging.Also, practice your pitch with a colleague or your partner. Get feedback from them to ensure you do nt come across pushy, and you get the main points across. Be personable during the conversation, and be sure to ask questions as well. No one wants to promote the all about myself employee, so show you care about others and be genuine in your communication.RelatedHow to Search for a New Job During the HolidaysBonus Rule Be serious about office parties, but have fun.While these office party etiquette rules might take some of the fun out of the party, they shouldnt stop you from allowing yourself to have a good time. As long as you do so within the confines of the rules above, youll make it through your party unscathed, and you might just enjoy it as well.Office parties are a great opportunity to anleihe with your co-workers, make new connections, interact with your boss (and their bosses) on a deeper level, and even position yourself for a promotion. Dont shy away from your office holiday party because of the potential pitfalls. Embrace it.Showing that youre interested in a deeper re lationship with the company and its employees can show your employer that youre a long-term asset to the company. Theyll see the dedication you have to being a part of whats going on, and you can benefit from it.Click on the following link for more advice on getting ahead.Need help with your resume? Take advantage of our free resume review todayRecommended ReadingHow to Make the Holiday Hiring Spree Work for YouHoliday Overload Steps for Balancing Work and LifeWays to Stay Focused at Work During the Holidays

The Unexpected Truth About Create a Resume

The Unexpected Truth About Create a Resume For the fresher the likelihood of getting selected are also rather low and youll also wind up getting the decrease salary. Make sure you skew your information to the form of position youre going after and not what youve already been. At the help desk, you will be asked to manage all of the help desk related work. As everyone probably knows, resumes are intended to receive your foot in the door to sell yourself in person to the hiring manager or personnel guru who is attempting to acquire new and excellent talent for the organization. It is astonishing how many wonderful managers out there may run a profitable restaurant operation inside and out, but they havent any idea what things to write when it is time to shop for their next prospect. Employers lose millions annually from absentee employees and a person who shows up for work daily is worth their weight in gold to a lot of employers. When a provider opens a job requisite, its becau se they have an issue or an objective. If youre looking for a career in investment banking then it is quite crucial to compose an impressive cover letter. A fine small business letter shouldnt be more than one page. You must include your individual contact information whereby the employer might get in contact with you. You probably shouldnt be listing each and every job youve ever had. The entire page doesnt need to get crammed full. Who Else Wants to Learn About Create a Resume? Education The employers want to understand what your educational qualifications are. Developing a professional resume is the basic yet crucial requirement for virtually any work search whether youre a fresher or a seasoned jobseeker. Work experience Its also an extremely vital section of your resume. Work experience is also rather important. The aim of your resume is to secure you the interview. Resume writing isnt a simple endeavor. Achievements and Accomplishments Here you want to speak about all of the things you have achieved thus far in your career. Create a Resume Ideas There are scores of them. Aside from hospitality, lots of things are necessary for becoming a waitress. There are a quite a range of things which you must bear in mind when writing a resume. Resume writing may seem to be among the most daunting tasks, but the reality is it is not as hard as it appears. Writing a good resume is extremely critical since its the very first thing that gives you the capability to make an impression on your future employers. Ruthless Create a Resume Strategies Exploited You could discuss any particular degree that you possess. Dont be scared to speak about an extensive assignment or research beneath a professor in case you dont have a lot of experience. The fundamental job of a nursing student is to help the wellness professionals in various therapy procedures. If youve been in the job force for many years and your education doesnt apply to your upcoming job rol es and responsibilities, then its acceptable to put your education to the bottom. Theres a lengthy collection of font but you need to use the normal font employed for resume writing. You do not need to understand which format to utilize in order to schliff the steps in the outline below, though. You want to understand that an appropriate format is essential and you will need to follow it correctly. Thus formal format is extremely important to be used. The job of a company lawyer isnt in any respect easy. If your resume isnt formatted in an appropriate way then it would send a terrible signal to the work recruiter that youre not correctly organized. Your resume should have no mistakes whatsoever. When hiring managers publish work opening, theyre searching for qualified applicants. Likewise youll find out that the recruiters prepare the work description also. Once you will make an application for the work then youll be called by the recruiters.

13 Underappreciated Traits You Absolutely Need to Succeed

13 Underappreciated Traits You Absolutely Need to Succeed Article by YECPicture the most successful person you know. What is it about them that you admire the most? What characteristics do they have that you really respect? Is it their confidence? Their intelligence? Their work ethic?What about the things you might not notice at first glance, like an insatiable hunger, gratitude, or patience? Often,unterstellung traits that fly under the radar can have the biggest impact on your ability to achieve.We asked members of the Young Entrepreneur Council which of these underappreciated traits they value the most. Even though theyre not as loud as some other traits, theyre absolutely necessary to succeed.1. MindfulnessIts easy to get lost in the grind and miss out on many things in the demanding environment that comes with entrepreneurship. I deliberately and regularly make time to reflect on past successes and failures, which opens my mind up to different po ssibilities. Theres a lesson in every outcome in our lives, and discovering those lessons makes us grow. Turgay Birand, EditionGuard2. Solid Speaking SkillsI was an active member of my high school debate team for all four years. The extracurricular helped me become mora articulate, logical, and a better public speakeroverall. These skills have played a critical role in my development into the business leader I am today. Paul Hager, Information Technology Professionals3. InsatiabilityIm a naturally insatiable person when it comes to learning and growth. This leads to being open to new ideas, asking questions, and ingesting endless amounts of new content. All of this leads toward success, as one new piece of knowledge builds on another and sparks of curiosity create new valuable relationships. It also results in a constant drive to dissect and improve my business. Darrah Brustein, Network Under 404. DecisivenessThe most successful leaders recognize they do not have time to get all of the facts for the dozens of decisions they make each day. Instead, they just need to gather enough information to make sound decisions so the company can move forward. Some of those decisions will be wrong, but its better to learn from those mistakes and try again than to be immobilized by indecisiveness. Doug Bend, Bend Law Group, PC5. ConsistencyI think my biggest key to success and the thing I tell others who are departureing businesses is to be consistent. Growing a business is hard, but you have to keep at it week after week and month after month. Ive blogged almost every single week for the past seven years, and I truly believethe fact that Ive approached my business that way is one of the reasons for my success. Sean Ogle, Location Rebel6. CoachabilityPretty much anyone can take feedback at a surface level, but actually evaluating criticism and learning from it is a rare trait. After all, feedback is incredibly personal and it can cause severe damage to your ego. Rather than nodding to harsh feedback, I learned from the best by really taking their advice to heart and separating my self-worth from my ability to have valuable learning experiences. Elle Kaplan, LexION Capital7. HonestyPeople appreciate my emphasis on honesty. Its surprising, given all the people who dont focus on it, but honesty is still highly valued among customers who are seeking that authentic experience. Even if it means telling a customer I cant do something, Id rather be honest and let them know. They appreciate that and come back when I can help them. Drew Hendricks, Buttercup8. CalmnessI have always been a very laid-back person, sometimes to a fault. In my business, I often find myself in the middle of stressful and complex deals. By staying calm, Im able to see things more objectively and not allow the stress of the deal to force a bad decision. Mark Daoust, Quiet Light Brokerage, Inc.9. PatienceI see people rush things all the time because they have that need for immedi ate results, but Ive learned that slow and steady can win the race because patience often leads to better results. You are not pushing people or situations, but letting them occur naturally, which also helps me determine in advance if the moves are smart and whether Ive covered all my bases. Andrew OConnor, American Addiction Centers10. GratitudeThere are many successful people who arent happy. My perspective is that gratitude is the thing that keeps you centered. Every day, I begin by writing down things Im grateful for, and I make it a point to give gifts to people I feel grateful to. It makes them feel good, makes me feel good, and keeps life centered. Adam Steele, The Magistrate11. Ability to Read PeopleAn underrated trait that I can easily attribute my success to is being able to read people. Having the ability to pick up on different peoples personalities can be extremely beneficial when interacting with them. Everyone has a different style of communicating and being able to notice that and adjust to fit their style has been key for my developing strong, long-lasting relationships. Bryanne Lawless, BLND Public Relations12. Hunger and HumilityWhen I started my company, I was in debt. I had nothing, and it made me hungry. I realized I had to go after a client that had money. This is what helped me build a multimillion-dollar success from very little capital. Being hungry and humble allows us to focus on what truly matters. Diego Orjuela, Cables Sensors, LLC13. VulnerabilityMy whole product line started from me building my own community. I built that community on YouTube, where Im authentic, real, vulnerable, and available to my followers. I read comments, connect with them, tell them my problems, and give them an honest review. The only reason I was able to launch my product line is because I had a community of people who really trust me. Daisy Jing, BanishA version of this article originally appeared on SUCCESS.com.Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC) i s an invite-only organization comprised of the worlds most promising young entrepreneurs. In partnership with Citi, YEC recently launched BusinessCollective, a free virtual mentorship program that helps millions of entrepreneurs start and grow businesses.

A Wall of Fans Cleans Air

A Wall of Fans Cleans Air A Wall of Fans Cleans Air A Wall of Fans Cleans AirSometimes a new technology doesnt have to be super-complicated. For example, Carbon Engineering is designing air-capture plants that use walls of fans to strip carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, thereby reducing levels of this greenhouse gas that contributes to global warming.These plants will be scalable and can be built anywhere in the world to help reduce global concentrations of CO2, in such places as unpopulated areas like deserts. They would also be beneficial in urban areas for capturing CO2 released by cars and trucks.Only about 40 percent of our total emissions comes from large flue stacks, and the other 60 percent results from what we call diffuse and mobile sources that can be difficult to tackle at source, says Geoff Holmes, Carbon Engineerings business development manager. Capturing them back from the atmosphere may be a key way to help manage these diffuse emissions.Air-Stripping TechnologyCar bon Engineerings CO2-stripping technology integrates two processes an air contactor and a wiederbildung cycle. These two processes work together to enable continuous capture of CO2 from atmospheric air, with energy (and small amounts of make-up chemicals) as an input, and pure CO2 as an output.An illustration of CEs large-scale air contactor design. Image Carbon EngineeringFans draw atmospheric air into the air contactor, where it is combined with a CO2-absorbent capture solution. Once the CO2 in the air has been naturally absorbed by the solution and converted to a salt, it is sent to a regeneration cycle.The regeneration process involves several processing steps. Carbon dioxide is extracted while regenerating the original chemical solution for re-use in the contactor. The extracted CO2 is combined with all the CO2 from the systems energy use, and both are delivered as a high-pressure pipeline-quality product. This cycle is an innovation based on a 100-year-old industrial process d eveloped from existing technology. The CO2 can be stored or combined with hydrogen to make more fossil fuels.Carbon Engineering has built an air-capture demonstration plant in Squamish, British Columbia, that is in full operation, removing about one ton of CO2 from the air every day. The CO2 is processed through all the major subsystems that will be required to operate a future full-scale commercial plant.The air-capture plant is surprisingly quiet about 80 decibels only one m from the structure.Currently the demonstration plant is capturing the equivalent of combined emissions from about 14 or 15 vehicles. At full scale-up (perhaps 20,000 times the size of the demonstration plant) the amount of CO2 removed from the atmosphere will be roughly equivalent to capturing the emissions from 300,000 cars every year.We will take the data from the Squamish operation and use it to create a very precise, accurate final design for large-scale equipment, says Holmes. Carbon Engineering plans to build a first-of-its-kind commercial plant in 2017 or 2018 that will produce 10,000 barrels of synthetic fuel in a year.Clean-Tech FutureCaptured CO2 can be stored underground or used to make low-carbon fuels. There is a growing market for liquid fuels with low life-cycle carbon-intensity. California has a low-carbon fuel standard in effect, and similar initiatives are under way in other states, Canada, and Europe. These fuels have the same chemical make-up as fossil fuels, but are sourced from air and sunlight rather than from crude oil, says Holmes. Air capture plus fuel synthesis is potentially one of the few truly scalable ways to power transportation in a way thats carbon-neutral.Direct air capture is scalable and requires a relatively small footprint. Air-capture plants do essentially the same work as trees and other vegetation, but require for less space. Carbon Engineering hopes its technology will be part of a larger, coordinated effort in the clean-tech industry.No single technology or approach is enough to help avoid climate change. We need every option weve got, and more, says Holmes. Air capture has the potential to be a big help in cutting emissions that are difficult and costly to reduce at source, and that will add to the momentum thats building in other sectors of the clean-tech industry.Mark Crawford is an independent writer. For Further Discussion No single technology or approach is enough to help avoid climate change. We need every option weve got, and more.Geoff Holmes, Carbon Engineering

Jobs, Construction, Growing in New York City during August

Jobs, Construction, Growing in New York City during AugustJobs, Construction, Growing in New York City during AugustAt the start of each month we at Simply Hired like to take a step back, look at the jobs available on our site, and see what they can tell us about the US economy as a whole. We also look at a specific metro area that saw notable job growth over that month.This September, were highlighting hiring in the New York City area. Where the US saw job openings grow nearly 5% in August, New York City witnessed equally substantial growth at 6% over the course of the month. Although New York City often tops the list with the fruchtwein open jobs, the size of month-over-month job growth is notable.The top posting industries in New York City were financial services, retail, technology, healthcare, and manufacturinglittle surprise, with finance a key industry in NYC, as well as retail, technology, and healthcare continually ranked among the industries with the most post postings acro ss the US. But construction was the fastest posting industry in New York during August.New York City construction job postings grew more than 40% in August, compared to the national month-over-month growth rate of 18%. The next fastest growing industry was real estate, which saw 14% growth of job postings. In mid-August Crains New York Business reported residentialconstruction jumped 50% citywideaccording to a report released by the New York Building Congress. It expects $12.2 billion to be spent on residential construction in 2014, up from $6.8 billion just a year ago. This increase coincides with increases of total construction spend in New York during 2014.However, with these new increases,New York City is still behind other US metro areas in recovering to pre-crash levels of residential construction.Although spending on residential construction is up in New York, much of it is in luxury housing, which meansmore money spent but fewer units built.But this trend may not last. The N ew York City Mayors Office of Housing Recovery reported yesterday that the city has exceeded its goal of reimbursing homeowners and starting new home construction projects by Labor Day, in response to the Sandy super storm from nearly 2 years ago.This points to continued construction growth in the New York area for some time.Read the full Employment Outlook report here.

Stopping Power

Stopping Power Stopping Power Stopping Power Slamming on the brakes often comes with a good amount of cursing. The car that just cut you off, the jaywalking pedestrian, the exit you missed, all deserve a few foul words. For Alberto Boretti, University of Ballarat, Australia, the cursing is directed at the brakes themselves. The energy they use to slow his vehicle, or anyone elses, is gone, never to be recovereda source of endless frustration.Theres no good reason why it shouldnt be otherwise. A simple mechanical device that all the kids love in their toy cars is still not applied in production vehicles because of the lack of funding, says Boretti, who spent 20 years in the automotive industry before joining the faculty at the University of Ballarat as a professor of engineering.Kinetic Energy RecoveryIn 2009, the Formula One Team Association decided to allow this device for kids toys to be used in the speedier toys for bigger kids. The Kinetic Energy Recovery Systems (KERS) came in m any varieties for the race cars, with the most promising storing the mechanical energy in a flywheel. The ordnungsprinzips gave drivers a bit more acceleration, cut a theoretical fifth of a second off their lap time, and saved some energy. KERS were dropped from Formula 1 during the 2010 season (due to development costs) but are back again this year.An example of a KERS device used in Formula 1 racing.So far, though, the technology has not made it onto a car for the rest of us. To help prove that such a move would be a good idea, Boretti ran a simulation of a car with a flywheel KERS. In a paper he published in the International Journal of Vehicle Design, he showed that fuel consumption would be reduced by 2533% for a typical sedan and 20% for a diesel-powered engine.With mechanical energy being stored as mechanical energy before its used again, 70% of the braking energy is recovered. Compare that to the regenerative braking system that a Prius currently uses Braking is converted to electrical energy then stored as chemical energy before making the reverse journey back to help power the car. After all the losses along the way, the Prius system recovers only 30% of braking power.A KERS device system.Borettis computational experiments were made with and without the continually variable transmission used with the Formula 1 flywheel system. In addition to this potential simplification, Borettis virtual design also used a vacuum pump, where other flywheels do their rotation in a sealed vacuum. In both cases, the idea was not to increase efficiency, but to cut costsin the hopes of luring future investors in research, as well as eventual customers. A stripped-down system like the one Boretti used would add only $400 to $500 to the price of a car. The extra cash could easily be recouped in fuel savings after just a year or so of driving.In the current economic climate, industries and governments arent looking to shell out the money needed to give drivers this choice. People are looking for a device that doesnt use carbon at alltheres a lot of pressure, but no money to develop a new idea. Its quite frustrating, says Boretti. The technology is already established. It just needs to be transformed to production.Michael Abrams is an independent writer.People are looking for a device that doesnt use carbon at all- theres a lot of pressure, but no money to develop a new idea.Alberto Boretti, professor of engineering, University of Ballarat, Australia