All 50 States' Regulations on Employee Time Off to Vote on Election Day | 2016

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Voting is one of the most important privileges and responsibilities of any citizen. In the U.S., laws and regulations related to voting are decided and overseen by each state. Some states require employers to provide time off to vote (scroll down to the bottom of this page for your state's policy). States also have various laws regarding early voting. 

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What states have early or mail-in voting?

This interactive map from Ballotpedia shows four various approaches to voting among the 50 states. Check with your local election agency for your specific early voting opportunities. Three states, Washington, Oregon and Colorado conduct their elections by providing every registered voter with a mail-in ballot. While they can drop off their ballot in a box on election day for free, any ballot that is postmarked on Nov. 8 will be counted.

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Here is your state's policy regarding employee time off on election day

The chart below provides information about each state's laws regarding voting day time-off for employees. (Laws may have changed, so please check with local election officials if in question about your requirements.)

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State	Time Off Required?	Exceptions?	Time Off Paid or Unpaid?	Advance Notice Required?	Proof of Voting Required?
Alabama	Yes. One hour.	If the hours of work of the employee commence at least two hours after the opening of the polls or end at least one hour prior to the closing of the polls.	Law does not specify, so probably unpaid.	Yes; "reasonable notice."	No.
Alaska	Yes, amount not specified	Not required if employee has two consecutive hours available while polls are open at beginning or end of shift	Paid	No	No
Arizona	Yes: worker must get three hours off between work and non-work time.	Not required if employee has three consecutive hours available while polls are open at beginning or end of shift	Paid	Yes: at least one day before the election	No
Arkansas	Yes: employer must schedule work hours so employee has time to vote		Unpaid	No	No
California	Yes: up to two hours at beginning or end of shift.		Yes (up to two hours)	Yes, 2 working days before election	No
Colorado	All mail in voting.

State	Time Off Required?	Exceptions?	Time Off Paid or Unpaid?	Advance Notice Required?	Proof of Voting Required?
Delaware	No laws require companies to give workers time off to vote. Employee who has accrued vacation time and is not in a "critical need" position may serve as an election officer without reprisal by the employer.
Florida	No laws require companies to give workers time off to vote. But workers can't be disciplined or fired based on how they vote.
Georgia	Yes: as much as necessary, up to two hours		Paid	No	No
Hawaii	Yes, two consecutive hours. Employer cannot change employee's regular work schedule.	Not required if employee has two consecutive non-work hours available while polls are open.	Paid	No	Yes. Employee must show voter's receipt, or employer can deduct hours off from pay.
Illinois	Yes, two hours.		Unpaid	Yes, one day in advance for general or state election.	No

State	Time Off Required?	Exceptions?	Time Off Paid or Unpaid?	Advance Notice Required?	Proof of Voting Required?
Iowa	Yes, as much time as will add up to 3 hours, when combined with non-work time	Not required if employee has three consecutive non-work hours available while polls are open.	Paid	Yes, in writing prior to the election	No
Kansas	Yes, two hours or as much time as will add up to two hours, when combined with non-work time	Not required if employee has two consecutive non-work hours available while polls are open.	Paid	No	No
Kentucky	Yes, "reasonable time," but not less than four hours		Unpaid	Yes, one day	Employee who takes time off but does not vote is subject to disciplinary action
Louisiana	No laws require companies to give workers time off to vote. But employers of 20 or more employees can't interfere with their employees' "political activities or affiliations."
Maryland	Yes, two hours	Not required if employee has two consecutive non-work hours available while polls are open.	Paid	Yes	No

State	Time Off Required?	Exceptions?	Time Off Paid or Unpaid?	Advance Notice Required?	Proof of Voting Required?
Massachusetts	Yes, first two hours that polls are open		Unpaid	Employee must apply for leave of absence (no time specified).	No
Minnesota	May be absent during the morning of election day		Paid	No	No
Mississippi	No specific laws regarding time off to vote, an employer can't increase or decrease a worker's pay based on whom they vote for.
Missouri	Yes, three hours	Not required if employee has three consecutive non-work hours available while polls are open.	Paid, but employee must vote	Yes, "prior to the day of election"	Employee must actually vote to be paid.
Nebraska	Yes, as much time as will add up to two hours, when combined with non-work time	Not required if employee has two consecutive non-work hours available while polls are open.	Paid	Yes, prior to or on election day	No

State	Time Off Required?	Exceptions?	Time Off Paid or Unpaid?	Advance Notice Required?	Proof of Voting Required?
Nevada	If it is not practical to vote before or after work, employee may take time off based on distance from polling place	Not required if sufficient time during non-work hours available while polls are open.	Paid	Yes, prior to election day	No
New Jersey	No laws require companies to give workers time off to vote. But employers cannot influence or intimidate employees to vote for or against a particular candidate.
New Mexico	Yes, two hours	Not required if employee's workday begins more than 2 hours after polls open or ends more than 3 hours before polls close.	Paid	No	No
New York	Yes, as much time at beginning or end of shift as will give employee time to vote, when combined with non-work time	Not required if employee has four consecutive non-work hours available at beginning or end of shift while polls are open.	Paid, up to two hours	Yes, not more than 10 or less than 2 working days before the election.	No
North Carolina	No laws require companies to give workers time off to vote. But employers cannot discharge or threaten workers based on how they vote or don't vote.

State	Time Off Required?	Exceptions?	Time Off Paid or Unpaid?	Advance Notice Required?	Proof of Voting Required?
North Dakota	Employers encouraged to give employees time off to vote when regular work schedule conflicts with times polls are open		Unpaid	No	No
Ohio	Yes, "reasonable time"		Paid only for salaried employees	No	No
Oklahoma	Yes, two hours, unless employee lives so far from polling place that more time is needed.	Not required if employee's workday begins more than 3 hours after polls open or ends more than 3 hours before polls close.	Paid	Orally or in writing one day before the election	Yes
Oregon	All mail in voting.
Pennsylvania	No laws require companies to give workers time off to vote. But employers cannot threaten or intimidate employees to influence their political opinions or actions.

State	Time Off Required?	Exceptions?	Time Off Paid or Unpaid?	Advance Notice Required?	Proof of Voting Required?
Rhode Island	No laws require companies to give workers time off to vote. But employers cannot put information in pay envelopes or post information designed to influence employees' political actions.
South Carolina	No laws require companies to give workers time off to vote. But employers cannot discharge a worker because of political opinions or the exercise of political rights and privileges.
South Dakota	Yes, two consecutive hours	Not required if employee has two consecutive non-work hours available while polls are open.	Paid	No	No
Tennessee	Yes, reasonable time up to three hours	Not required if employee's workday begins more than 3 hours after polls open or ends more than 3 hours before polls close.	Paid	Yes, before noon on Election Day	No
Texas	Employer may not refuse to allow employee to take time off, but no time limit specified	Not required if employee has two consecutive non-work hours available while polls are open.	Paid	No	No

State	Time Off Required?	Exceptions?	Time Off Paid or Unpaid?	Advance Notice Required?	Proof of Voting Required?
Utah	Yes: two hours at beginning or end of shift.	Not required if employee has at least three non-work hours available while polls are open.	Paid	Yes, before Election Day	No
Virginia	No laws require companies to give workers time off to vote. But employees working and commuting for 11 hours of the 13 hours polls are open may vote by absentee ballot.
Washington	All mail in voting.
West Virginia	Yes, up to three hours	Not required if employee has at least three non-work hours available while polls are open.	Paid (if employee votes)	Written request at least three days before election	Employee must actually vote to be paid.
Wisconsin	Yes: up to three consecutive hours.		Unpaid	Yes, before Election Day	No

State	Time Off Required?	Exceptions?	Time Off Paid or Unpaid?	Advance Notice Required?	Proof of Voting Required?
Wyoming	Yes: one hour, other than a meal break	Not required if employee has at least three consecutive non-work hours available while polls are open.	Paid (if employee votes)	No	Employee must actually vote to be paid.

SmallBusiness.com Guide to Halloween | 2016

Here are some treats we've prepared for you this Halloween weekend. If you are a retailer or restaurant owner or any type of small business that's open this pre-Halloween, have a productive, fun and safe time . And if you are a shopper this weekend, whenever possible #BuyLocal for your family or business  treats.

Halloween Costumes Employees of Most Small Businesses Should Avoid

It Will be a Sweet Halloween for Small and Local Candy Stores | 2016

Retail | American Halloween Spending Will Reach Historic Highs This Year | 2016

By the Numbers: Halloween is a Treat for Lots of U.S. Small Businesses | 2015

These Small Businesses Stay a Little Bit Spooky All Year Long

Healthy Halloween Treats For Your Office Party or Customer Promotion

Best Halloween Treats People Brought to Work Today

Small Business Job Titles We Love: House Haunter

QuickBooks Outlines Strategy to Become a Small Business “End-to-End” Financial Management Platform

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Helping small businesses get paid more quickly, boost their cash flow and save time organizing their finances is the goal of Intuit's QuickBooks Online, according to Sasan Goodarzi, executive vice president of Intuit's Small Business Group. Intuit today unveiled a broad range of enhancements to QuickBooks Online at its annual conference for 5,000 accountants and small business owners, QuickBooks Connect, in San Jose. This year, more than 500 developers are also attending the conference to review the enhancements being unveiled today and to receive information on how they can integrate their products into the QuickBooks Online platform.

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QuickBooks Online Enhancements

Below are some highlights of the new Quickbooks Online partnerships and new features announced today. We will be going in-depth on some of these in a later article. The features will be released at different times between now and the first quarter of 2017.

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Payments

Some of the new enhancements planned (or currently available) for Quicken Online designed to speed up payments include:

Apple Pay Integration

QuickBooks Online will be the first small business accounting solution to integrate Apple Pay, giving small business owners a fast, secure way of accepting payment from their customers. Customers will be able to view and pay an invoice with a single touch without having to spend time searching for their wallet and finding the right card. Every transaction on a customer's iPhone or iPad will require Touch ID – Apple's fingerprint identity sensor – authentication or passcode, helping small businesses avoid fraud and decrease chargebacks.

PayPal

Intuit and PayPal are expanding their existing partnership. A new feature will allow small businesses to send an invoice from QuickBooks Online and seamlessly accept payment from their customers through PayPal.

Smart Invoice

This new feature of QuickBooks tracks and notifies a small businesses about what's happening with their invoices every step of the way.

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Cash Flow

The current QuickBooks Financing platform allows small businesses to integrate QuickBooks data to demonstrate their credit worthiness, streamline the application process. It shortens the loan processing time significantly, from weeks to as little as one business day. To date, small businesses have secured more than $500 million in credit through QuickBooks Financing. More cash flow and financing features and partnerships include

A new QuickBooks financing platform

QuickBooks Financing gives small businesses the ability to use their QuickBooks data to apply for the full spectrum of credit offerings including, short and long term loans, lines of credit, invoice financing and Small Business Administration loans. In addition to AMEX Working Capital, Intuit is adding BlueVine's Flex Credit to the platform. Flex Credit is particularly well suited to new small businesses. To be eligible for financing, businesses only need to have been in business for six months and have minimum annual revenue of $60,000.

AMEX working capital

Small businesses that need a short-term loan to pay a vendor will benefit from a deep integration with AMEX Working Capital. It will provide short-term loans directly within QuickBooks Online. Small businesses will be able to access loans between $1,000 and $750,000 to pay vendors and get more time to even out cash flow. One single fee will be associated with each loan term, including 30-day, 0.5 percent; 60-day, 1.0 percent; 90-day, 1.5 percent. Each loan is tied to a specific receivable.

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Organization and Time Management

Eighty-one percent of small business owners say they are too busy with other tasks to take the steps to improve their money management. To make it easier for small businesses to seamlessly sync their data and understand their business performance, QuickBooks Online enhancements include:

Google and G Suite integration

Fifty percent of QuickBooks Online users also use Google Calendar. A new integration imports data seamlessly from Google into QuickBooks Online. The time that recorded in Google Calendar flows into QuickBooks. Small businesses can also now access QuickBooks Online through G Suite (formerly Google Apps for Work) and sign-in once using their Google credentials.

Auto expense feature

QuickBooks automatically balances the books by matching income and expenses with the correct category. QuickBooks categorizes over 70 percent of a small business' transactions, saving users time and making it easier to prepare for tax season.

Money insights at the click of a button

QuickBooks Online connects all of a small businesses' accounts in one place, automating the flow of data so that business owners have a simple, integrated view of how money flows in and out of their business.

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Design | It's Time to Rethink the Boring Whiteboard

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I confess: I'm a whiteboard nerd. I've even written a five-part SmallBusiness.com how-to dedicated to stick-drawing on whiteboards. Despite my whiteboard dependence, I've never been a fan of the boring, standard rectangular board that can be found throughout most business offices. That's one of the reasons I've grown fond using wet markers to draw on windows for most of the past three decades.

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Recently, the Japanese design firm Nendo tackled the challenge of boring rectangular whiteboards with a concept product called, “Rolling Workspaces.” A team from Nendo noticed that no matter how weird an office got with its furniture, the whiteboards remained the same, according to the Co.Design website from FastCompany.

“That struck Nendo as odd. The primary purpose of a whiteboard, after all, is to spark creativity, but there was nothing creative about the whiteboard. Everywhere you went, they were white, rectangular, flimsy, and decidedly immobile: the most boring and uninspiring way to be creative imaginable.”

There's nothing boring about Nendo's concept whiteboards. They are big and round and can roll from room to room. To set these circular whiteboards up, you just tilt them against the wall. But the circular pattern isn't just for transport. Nendo also envisions an associated desk with a large slit in it, which can be used to “park” a whiteboard (or, for that matter, a bicycle) when it's not in use, says Co.Design.

VIA | Co.Design

Apple Sues an Amazon Seller Over Fake Cables and Chargers

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Apple has filed a federal lawsuit against a New Jersey company over what Apple says are counterfeit chargers and cables for its products that were sold on Amazon, according to AP

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Apple claims the company, MobileStar, printed Apple logos on products that that “pose a significant risk of overheating, fire, and electrical shock.” The chargers and cables are being represented on Amazon as genuine Apple products.

Apple says it purchased the products on Amazon and later told the online retailer that they were fake. Amazon then identified Mobile Star as the source.

Amazon isn't named in the suit.

ACA Insurance Marketplaces to Offer 'Simple Choice' No-Deductibles Plan in 2017

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As we've noted many times before, the Affordable Care Act (ACA) does NOT require small businesses with fewer than 50 employees to provide healthcare insurance. However, you do have to make employees aware that they (and you) can purchase insurance through a health insurance marketplace. One of the complaints about the consumer insurance offered through such marketplaces is the confusing variations in coverage.

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The NYTimes.com today (Oct. 18, 2016) is reporting that when ACA insurance marketplaces start open enrollment in two weeks (Nov. 1, 2016-Jan. 1, 2017), many consumers (including small business owners) will have a new option: standardized health plans that cover basic services without a deductible.

Quote via NYTimes.com

With many health plans on the marketplace coming with deductibles in the thousands of dollars, consumers have complained that they were getting little benefit beyond coverage for catastrophic problems. The new standardized options are meant to address that concern - to ensure that “enrollees receive some upfront value for their premium dollars,” as the Obama administration said.

The new plans could still be costly. While the federal government specifies deductibles, co-payments and other out-of-pocket costs for the standardized options, it does not limit premiums, which in most cases are still regulated by state insurance commissioners. The administration has said it does not expect the standardized options to have a significant effect on premiums in 2017.

“This is one more tool that will make it easier for consumers to select the right plan,” said Marjorie K. Connolly, a spokeswoman for the Department of Health and Human Services, told the Times.

(More information on NYTimes.com.)

Also on SmallBusiness.com

Answers to Health Insurance Questions if Your Business Has Less than 50 Employees

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Thinkstock

Our Favorite Color is October

Tourism is the primary source of income for tens of thousands of small businesses.

When it comes to iconic small business tourism-related imagery, there is nothing more All-American than the bed and breakfast, leaf-peeping trek across New England. For some parts of New England, early- to mid-October is peak season. (A real-time foliage map is available on NewEngland.com.)

Estimates of $3 to $5 billion in travel-related spending is generated by Autumn tourists visiting New England. And while there are large retailers and hospitality chains that have branded themselves with New England imagery (Yankee Candle company and Hampton Inn, for example), the small New England inns, pubs and pumpkin patches are still thriving–especially this time of year.

Heidi Montag and Spencer Pratt: And Baby Makes Three?

Heidi Montag is hopeful that she'll be starting a family next year with her husband Spencer Pratt. He hasn't always been fond of the idea of fatherhood, admitting he's "baby blocking" her. However, Heidi believes she can change his mind. This is something that many couples go through, one partner is absolutely ready to become pregnant but the other is either not sure or is against it. In fact, it is more typical for spouses to find themselves in this predicament than to be on the exact same page at the exact same time about when to expand their twosome.



There are many variations on the theme of why one or the other is not ready for the responsibility of offspring. Perhaps there is the fear that the connection the couple shares will change with the arrival of a baby, and one person might worry that the love and attention he or she gets now will shift and it could end up feeling more like a loss than a gain. Or possibly someone is concerned about being financially settled before embarking on the adventure of parenthood. Maybe it is just the looming responsibility itself that holds one partner back, and on occasion people are dealing with their own childhood experiences that might color their desire to be a parent. Or in some cases one partner has been married before, and has a child with that first spouse and might not be eager to do it again. Whatever the reason, the back and forth can begin for couples before they even become engaged, and can sometimes be a deal breaker if there is no way to reach an agreement or even leave open the possibility of it happening one day. More often than not, though, the relationship will move forward with the hope that the partner who is holding out will come around. What do you do then if you find yourself married and ready, but your spouse is not sure or still saying no?



The first thing to do is to set aside time to discuss your concerns. When you do sit down to talk this through, allow each of you to share your respective vision of your life together and the role that having children will or will not play in your future. Assuming you were up front about your desire to have a family from the beginning, it is important to remind your partner that you were clear from the get-go. Establish if this is a "not now" or a "not ever" situation. Assuming it is the first, ask your partner to describe what they are feeling and what is holding them back. Ask if their feelings have changed at all over time. See if there is anything you can do, or that you can do together, to make your spouse more comfortable with the idea.



Having this conversation with each other, and having a chance to share your honest feelings, will help to bring you together as a team so you can feel like you are on the same side rather than being opponents who want different outcomes. Talk about a timeframe that feels agreeable to both of you, and decide on a point in the future when you can either revisit the discussion or when you might be able to take first steps toward the goal of having a baby. As long as the door is open, and you know the subject hasn't been tabled forever, you will hopefully be able to avoid feeling controlled and resentful.



The objective is that by the time you reopen the discussion you will find yourselves on the same page. Only time will tell if this will be the case for Heidi and Spencer.



Please tune in to the Doctor on Call radio hour on HealthyLife.net every Tuesday at 2 PM EST, 11 AM PST. First and third Tuesdays are Shrink Wrap on Call, second Tuesdays are HuffPost on Call, and the last Tuesday of the month is Let's Talk Sex! Email your questions dealing with relationships, intimacy, family, and friendships to Dr. Greer at askdrjane@drjanegreer.com.



Connect with Dr. Jane Greer on Facebook, at www.facebook.com/DrJaneGreer, and be sure to follow @DrJaneGreer on Twitter for her latest insights on love, relationships, sex, and intimacy.



For more on Dr. Greer, visit http://www.drjanegreer.com.

-- 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.

Six Tips for Shooting Professional-Quality Drone Video

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Now that it is legal to shoot video with a drone-mounted camera, we know there are several small business owners who will be taking up the hobby - or side job. Here are six tips for using a drone to capture video from the pros at the website StoryHunter.com. (Note: In an upcoming article, we will be sharing ways to find a professional drone videographer and also update our past coverage of ways small businesses are using drones–or starting new companies that drones make possible.)

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To really take stunning videos, you need to practice the when, where, and how of flying. If you follow these six tips, you'll be well on your way to calling yourself a drone cinematographer.

1 | Master the classic aerial shots

There are five classic aerial shots that any great drone cinematographer should know. They are in this video from Story & Heart, drone professionals.

5 Killer Drone Shots and How To Pull Them Off from Story & Heart on Vimeo.

2 | Avoid the wind

In the US, you can't legally fly a drone above 400 feet. But to keep wind from bumping the drone and camera, keep it less than 300 feet in the air.

3 | Fly smooth and slow

Use slow, tiny movements with the controller and your video will come out smooth.

4 | Map the location

Scout your location and map it out with Google Earth. Know where trees, electric wires, buildings, or other obstacles are and can better avoid them.

5 | Take longer shots

Start rolling a few seconds before you believe the shot begins and keep shooting past your finish. This will give you more flexibility when editing the video.

6 | Film during the golden hour - at sunrise or sunset

There are deeper shadows that make the landscape more dynamic. And you'll shots will pick up the golds and reds of dusk.

Thinkstock

VIA | StoryHunter.com (…)

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Also on SmallBusiness.com

Hobbyist Drone Users Start Registering Next Week, Commercial Registration Starts in Spring

How Your Customers Use Different Digital Devices Throughout the Day

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The way in which your customers or clients access information and communicate with you (and one another) is undergoing a change as radical as when the internet first came into our lives. No longer can we think of the internet as something one uses a computer to access, as the dominant form of usage is already a mobile device. So radical is this transformation, it is important for individuals running any type of business, from a one-person consultancy to a 100-employee construction firm, to be aware of how the internet has not stopped finding new ways to change the nature of work. One way to begin to grasp this change is to review some recent research from Google's marketing resource, Think With Google.  

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We live in a cross-device world where mobile comes first

People expect answers at their fingertips. They turn to the nearest device to make a decision, learn something new, or get something accomplished. Connecting the dots across these micro-moments is necessary for marketers to tell a single story across devices, channels, and formats.

Percentage of internet users who…

80% | Use a smartphone during an average day

27% | Use a smartphone only for internet usage during an average day

67% | Use a computer for internet searching during an average day

14% | Use a computer only for internet searching during an average day

16% | Use a table (iPad) during an average day

57% | Use more than one type of device for internet searching during an average day

21% | Use a second device (i.e., smartphone) while concurrently using a computer.

The top three places people use their smartphones

| Home

| Work

| Store

 

Things that are most likely to be searched for on mobile

Bottom Line

No longer can a business depend solely on a website designed for a desktop computer to reach customers. Make use of a responsive design that adapts to the device a customer is using. More importantly, think like a customer thinks. At work or play, how does your customer use various devices to make decisions that should involve your business? Be there at the “micro-moment” such decisions are made.

VIA (and more) | Google.com | How People Use Their Devices (PDF)

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Also on SmallBusiness.com

Responsive Design: The Magic that Makes Your Website Readable on a Smartphone

Facebook Launches Workplace, Its Response to Collaborative Platforms Like Slack

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In 2014, we wrote that you'd be hearing lots about Facebook for Work in 2015. At that time, we said it sounded like a great platform with a terrible name. Why? “The brand Facebook is perceived by many as a distraction from work, not a tool for work,” we wrote. As described at the time, the Slack-like, Yammer-like product sounded like Facebook with new metaphors that suggest workflow instead of avoiding workflow.

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We were wrong about one thing: We've heard nothing about Facebook for Work for nearly two years. Until today, that is. It launched today.

We were right about another: Their research must have uncovered what we warned. For whatever reason, they've changed the name to Workplace by Facebook and launched it today.

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Workplace now works

Workplace is now available to any company or organization that wants to use it. There is a signup page that indicates a “sales team” will work with a company or organization “to understand your needs and help launch Workplace across your organization.”

Facebook, Plus New Features

Workplace retains Facebook's basic structure. You'll  recognize the News Feed and the ability to create and share in Groups or via chat. Other recognizable Facebook features include Live, Reactions, Search and Trending posts.

The new product also includes some new features such as a dashboard with analytics and integrations with single sign-on, in addition to identity providers that allow companies to more easily integrate Workplace with a company's existing IT setup.

Collaborate with Clients and Other Companies

Workplace also has a new feature not found in Facebook called Multi-Company Groups. These are shared spaces that allow employees from different organizations to work together–

“to extend collaboration beyond one company in a safe and secure way,” says Facebook. (Note: Rolling out later.)

The Workplace Partner Program

For Workplace, Facebook has developed a network of IT consultants called the Workplace Partner Program. This is a network of independent technology and professional service organizations that Facebook has created over the past year.

For more information | Workplace.fb.com or Facebook.com/workplace

Pricing

Free 3-month trial period

$3 per month per user | Up to 1k monthly active users

$2 per month per user | 1,001 – 10k monthly active users

$1 per month per user | 10,001+ monthly active users

• Free for Non-Profits and


• Educational Institutions

Specifications

• Unlimited file, photo, and video storage


• Unlimited team and project groups


• Live video streaming


• Monitoring tools for IT teams


• 1:1 support for administrators


• Secure collaboration between companies


• Single-sign on (SSO) support


• Integration with
  
  
  
  • G Suite (formerly Google Docs for Work)
  
  
  • Okta
  
  
  • OneLogin
  
  
  • Ping
  
  
  • Windows Azure AD
  
  
  
  

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Photos: @Workplace

How Local Bookstores Are Using the Internet to Boost Sales

(VIA NYTimes.com) A decade ago, independent bookstores were viewed as an industry on the decline. Crushed on price by Amazon and by the wide selection of national retailers like Barnes & Noble, thousands of mom-and-pop outlets had closed up shop.

21% | Growth in number of independent bookstores 2010-2015

Quote:

“In a twist of fate, it is the internet - the very thing that was supposed to wipe them out - that is helping these small stores. 'Bookstores are being reinvented by taking advantage of how the world has changed,' said Oren Teicher, chief executive of the American Booksellers Association, which represents independent sellers. 'The whole ability to put technology to work for you has changed everything.'”

Some bookstores are investing in infrastructure like in-shop e-book printers and new back-end systems, while others are embracing social media as an inexpensive way to connect with new customers.

Continue reading at NYTimes.com: The Neighborhood Bookstore's Unlikely Ally? The Internet

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Thinkstock

Also on SmallBusiness.com

Out-of-the Big Box Thinking: Indie Bookstores Growing Thanks to Amazon

Steep Canyon Rangers Riding Unique Blend of Musical Genres Into The Festy, Brewster Walk

Despite headlining and playing to a mammoth crowd at last weekend's International Bluegrass Music Association's annual gathering in Raleigh, the boys from Brevard, North Carolina, better known as the Steep Canyon Rangers, have disqualified themselves from most likely ever winning another IBMA entertainer of the year award.



That's because the band doesn't play traditional bluegrass since it added percussion, says Mike Guggino, Steep's mandolin virtuoso, who also sings harmony. "We're like Hillary Clinton at a Trump rally, or maybe Bernie Sanders," he says with a laugh. It should be noted, however, the title track, "Radio," from the band's 2015 release, was nominated for IBMA song of the year (the award went to up-and-comers Flatt Lonesome). "That's fine. We get it. It's because of the drums. And Flatt Lonesome is great, very deserving."



"Steep," as they are affectionately known, is a Grammy-winning group most distinguishable from its contemporaries for partnering with comedian and banjo player Steve Martin.



And despite winning a Grammy for Best Bluegrass Album for 2013's "Nobody Knows You," which included the addition of percussionist Michael Ashworth, the band has recently found itself in a sort-of no man's land when it comes to defining its musical genre, Guggino continues.



"It's definitely weird," he says. "We're in an interesting place. We're too bluegrassy for the AMA (Americana Music Awards) and we're not in the jamgrass world, but we're on the fringes of all of it. In a way it's good because we can play so many different types of festivals and shows but it also makes it harder, too. It's so much easier if you are a definable thing but we don't fit into a category."



But trust me when I say Steep's fans, and there are many, don't care that the group, which also includes co-founders Woody Platt (guitar), Graham Sharp (banjo) and Charles R. Humphrey III (upright bass) and Nicky Sanders (fiddle) defies being categorized. And those fans have the chance to catch the band at two very different venues this weekend in Virginia -- The Festy Experience and Brewster Walk.



"We play such a variety of shows, it doesn't matter to us if we're playing for 500 or at Red Hat Amphitheater, as long as people are into it, we put on the same show," Guggino says. "We feel comfortable enough musically in our skin that we don't have to change for the crowd. This is it. This is what we do."



Guggino credits the fans -- bluegrass, folk, Americana -- for being able to hang no matter what the band throws out at them. "No matter if they are really old or high school kids, they love the music just the same."



Guggino adds, "We think being undefinable is a positive." Indeed.



If you are interested in reading more stories like this, visit https://musicreporterblog.wordpress.com

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LinkedIn Users Now Can Signal Recruiters They're Job Seeking (What Could Possibly Go Wrong?)

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LinkedIn has launched a premium feature called “Open Candidates” that allows a job hunter to tell the world they are open to new opportunities–except without signaling their intentions to a current employer or recruiters associated with their current employers.

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In announcing the service, LinkedIn says:

• Who among us hasn't tried to find work without our boss finding out?


• (You can) privately indicate to recruiters on LinkedIn without worrying.


• LinkedIn will hide the Open Candidates signal from recruiters at your company or affiliated company recruiters.

Wow! Those are some bold claims to promise individuals who are doing something that could have a major impact on their careers.

While we are fans of LinkedIn, we can't forget that it announced earlier this year a breach of 117 million passwords. And we've talked to many SmallBusiness.com users who've learned the hard way that it can sometimes be a challenge to set all the privacy features LinkedIn has. (There are many great features, but they are often obscure and don't always have intuitive labels. We have an article on that topic).

This new feature may be perfect for you, as a recruiter or as a candidate.

Just, beware.

Open Candidates is available in the U.S, U.K., Canada and Australia on the desktop and mobile Web for now and will be rolling out globally soon.

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Cartoon | Thinkstock

Jason Stuart: The Birth Of An Actor

An exclusive insight into Jason Stuart's unlikely journey to play a slave owner in 2016's most anticipated film, The Birth of a Nation





If Woody Allen gets credit for coining the aphorism which says that 90 percent of success is just showing up, then lets agree that an ethos of similar import and clarity belongs to out actor, Jason Stuart, who appears as archetypal Southern slave owner, Joseph Randall in Nate Parker's expectations-laden reprise of The Birth of a Nation (Oct. 7 release date).



Be serious about your place in your profession and make sure the industry knows you're serious - then become indispensable.



I'm paraphrasing because I've heard Stuart use variously similar words to explain the foundational motto by which he also appears to navigate his personal life. However, that observation may be presumptuous given the fact that a journalist can only tepidly attest to the personal life of an actor whom he knows from a handful of interviews and from having been lucky enough to moderate a few live-discussion panels in which Stuart was, as it turned out each time, an indispensable participant.



That's the thing about Stuart, once he gets into your head or your heart, you keep going back for more. Yet he still maintains a humble persona. Actually, that's not fair, it's not a celebrity-fabricated persona; it's the genuine-article personality of a guy raised in the sinewy, palm-lined shadows of the Hollywood sign by strong and loving parents, one of whom was a Holocaust survivor.



Fairfax High School sits smack-dab in the heart of the left coast fashion-and-paparazzi quarter known as the Melrose District. But as a student at Fairfax High, Jason Stuart saw his high school the same way innumerable other LGBT youth do in places more ordinary and presumably far more conservative. He saw it as an often scary place.



"Someone wrote the word 'fag' on my locker on the first day of school," Stuart tells San Diego LGBT Weekly. "I had to see that word every day for next three years. Everything is always hard for me on the first day since then, including first dates and first days on the set."



Continued at LGBT Weekly.com

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Remember Your Long Term Goals When Creating Your Daily To-Do List

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Most of us treat our to-do lists as a collection of mundane, but pressing, responsibilities we face during the next day or week. But University of Texas professor Art Markham warns that filling to-do lists with only the boring, tedious tasks can distract us from more significant and long term goals, ultimately cause us to come up short on such goals.

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To often, we “don't move toward our most significant goals automatically; we fall short of them because we're too consumed with immediate task execution,” says Markham, author of several books including, most recently, Brain Briefs.

“Research on happiness suggests that people who see their jobs as a calling enjoy their work more than those who just see their jobs as a collection of things to do,” according to Markham. “A sense of purpose matters and a well-written to-do list can help impart it.”

Individuals who view their jobs as a calling recognize that the significant contributions you make day in, day out, all add up to something significant over a career. So your to-do list should ideally make that easier to see, not harder.

Include big-picture tasks on your agenda, not just urgent ones.

Advice from Markham | The next time you write a to-do list, make a conscious effort to figure out when, over the next workweek, you'll be able to add (big-picture) tasks to your schedule.

VIA | FastCompnay

HT/LifeHacker.com

Regulations Issued for U.S. Pre-paid Credit Cards and Related Apps | 2016

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Yesterday (September 5, 2016), the U.S. Consumer Finance Protection Bureau (CFPB) put into motion the process of issuing final rules and regulations related to pre-paid credit cards and new forms of digital payments, including transactional apps like Paypal's Venmo and Google Wallet. The new rules will generally apply to prepaid accounts starting Oct. 1, 2017, though the requirement for submitting agreements to the (CFPB) takes effect in October 2018.

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The use of prepaid cards has exploded over the last decade

Amount consumers put on pre-paid money cards annually

$1 billion | 2003

$65 billion | 2012

$121 billion | 2018 (projection)

In the U.S., the cards and their smartphone app equivalents are facilitating the long-envisioned cashless society. Pre-paid cards are used today for:

• Person-to-person payment platforms (i.e., Venmo)


• Payroll cards


• Student financial aid disbursement cards


• Tax refund cards


• Government benefit cards (i.e., unemployment insurance and child support)

Because the role of prepaid credit cards and transaction smartphone apps is rapidly becoming as ubiquitous as other forms of money cards (credit, debit, etc.), the CFPB's new rules stem from the Electronic Fund Transfer Act. “Our new rule closes loopholes and protects prepaid consumers when they swipe their card, shop online, or scan their smartphone. And it backs up those protections with important new disclosures to let consumers know before they owe.” CFPB director Richard Cordray said.

Industry support

According to Pymnts.com, most of the industry players in pre-paid card products are  supportive of clear rules as a legitimizing force in their industry. According to the CFPB's report, these protections are derived from Truth in Lending Act and the Credit Card Accountability Responsibility and Disclosure Act (CARD Act) and will in some sense treat prepaid cards much like credit cards.

Industry opposition

Also according to Pymnts.com, the new rules - despite both Google and PayPal's objections - cover “digital wallets capable of person-to-person transfers and storing funds.” Analysts also suspect that Square Inc.'s Square Cash and Dwolla's payment tool will also fall under the new rules. (Wallets like Apple Pay - which simply store payment credentials issued by banks - will not fall under the new rule.)

What the new regulations cover

The new rule gives prepaid account consumers  protections under the Electronic Fund Transfer Act, which are similar to those for checking account consumers. They include:

• Free and easy access to account information: Financial institutions must make certain account information available for free by telephone, online, and in writing upon request, unless they provide periodic statements. Unlike checking account customers, prepaid consumers typically do not receive periodic statements by mail. The rule ensures that consumers have access to their account balances, their transaction history, and the fees they've been charged.


• Error resolution rights: Financial institutions must cooperate with consumers who find unauthorized or fraudulent charges, or other errors, on their accounts to investigate and resolve these incidents in a timely way, and where appropriate, restore missing funds. If the financial institution cannot do so within a certain period of time, it will generally be required to provisionally credit the disputed amount to the consumer while it finishes its investigation.


• Protections for lost cards and unauthorized transactions: The new rule protects consumers against withdrawals, purchases, or other unauthorized transactions if their prepaid cards are lost or stolen. The rule limits consumers' liability for unauthorized charges and creates a timely way for them to get their money back. As long as the consumer promptly notifies their financial institution, the consumer's responsibility for unauthorized charges will be limited to $50.

VIA | Pymnts.com | ConsumerFinance.gov (Final Rule PDF)

 

Google Unveils its Answer to the Amazon Echo

Google yesterday (September 4, 2016) unveiled a new line of products that include its voice-command software, “Google Assistant.” Among the new products is an electronic device called Google Home that is quite similar to Amazon's Echo and its artificial intelligence, chatbot voice-command software, Alexa.

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While called the Google Home, there are many things about the device that it might also be called the Google Small Business Office. Many of its features can be helpful in a small office setting.

Priced at $129 ($50 cheaper than the Echo), Google Home answers questions, controls smart home devices, and plays music. It responds to the same type of “OK Google” or “Alexa” or “Siri” conversation. It's like the Echo in that it's an appliance designed to stay at one place (however, there is a three-pack version that you can scatter around the office).

A get-ready-for-work feature is called “My Day” that will summarize your day as long as it has permission from you to access things like your calendar. In addition to calendar events, it will also read the time, current weather conditions, traffic information, and daily reminders.

It sounds similar to Amazon Echo's daily briefing feature that also lets you incorporate news updates from sources like The Wall Street Journal. (You can also get such a feature via Audible.com if you subscribe to one of their monthly “point” plans.)

Google Home offers some smart home (or office) functionality, and it works out of the box with Alphabet's Nest, Samsung's SmartThings, and Phillips Hue light bulbs.

It's available for preorder now and will ship November 4.

VIA | ArsTechnica

Gallup | U.S. Consumer Spending in September Highest Since 2008

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According to Gallup's daily poll of consumer spending released yesterday (Monday, October 3, 2016), American consumers this year avoided a September slump in spending typically seen in the years since the financial collapse of 2008. Avoiding the September slump has helped keep average spending for the first nine months of 2016 the highest for any year since 2008. Spending patterns of the past decade for the months of October, November and December suggest that spending will increase even further, according to Gallup.

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$80 | Americans' daily spending estimates have consistently averaged  $80 or higher in all but one month since 2012.

$58-$77 | From 2008 – 2011, monthly spending averages were as low as $58 and never above $77.

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Spending Avoids Usual September Slump

Spending in the U.S. had been lower in September than in August in each of the past six years. This year it held steady. In all but one of those years it subsequently rose in October.

Monthly Consumer Spending Averages, 2008-2016

	August	September	October
	$	$	$
2008	97	99	91
2009	65	66	66
2010	63	59	63
2011	68	65	70
2012	77	74	72
2013	95	84	88
2014	94	87	89
2015	89	88	92
2016	91	91
Source: Gallup Daily Tracking

On the other hand

Gallup adds a note of caution: “While the relatively high level of September spending could indicate that Americans stayed in a buying mood even after the end of summer vacations and back-to-school shopping, it could also mean that the customary September-to-October rise in spending has already taken place.”

 

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Although presidential elections generally do not affect consumer spending, Americans' negative views about the two major-party candidates could affect consumer confidence and spending in ways not seen in 2008 or 2012.

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Thinkstock

Facebook Creates a Marketplace Feature After 450 Million Users Start Buying and Selling

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Last month (September 13, 2016), we shared the news about a new, well-funded competitor to Craigslist and eBay called OfferUp. Today, the competition got a little more intense. Facebook announced it is creating a feature called Marketplace. Or, perhaps the word “creating” is wrong, as millions of Facebook users–including lots of small business owners–have already created something they call “buy and sell groups.”

“More than 450 million people visit buy and sell groups each month - from families in a local neighborhood to collectors around the world,” according to Mary Ku, product manager for Marketplace. 

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How to buy things on Facebook Marketplace

• When it rolls out in the coming days (initially, in the US, UK, Australia, and New Zealand), Marketplace will be a feature on the Facebook app (iOS and Android). Open the app and you'll see photos of items that people near you have listed for sale.


• To find something specific, search at the top and filter your results by location, category or price.


• You can also browse what's available in a variety of categories such as Household Electronics and Apparel.


• Use the built-in location tool to adjust the region you're looking in, or switch to a different city altogether.


• If you are interested in a product, you can send the seller a direct message from Marketplace make an offer.


• From that point on, you and the seller can work out the details in any way you choose. Facebook does not facilitate the payment or delivery of items in Marketplace.

How to post and sell items using Marketplace

• Take a photo of your item, or add it from your camera roll


• Enter a product name, description and price


• Confirm your location and select a category


• Now anyone looking in your area can find your item and message you if they want to buy it. You can also choose to post to Marketplace and a specific buy and sell group at the same time.


• To keep track of all of your current and past transactions in Marketplace, visit the Your Items section. There, you can view your saved items, products you've posted for sale, and all your messages with people.

Availability

Over the next few days, Marketplace will be rolling out to Facebook users over 18 years old in the US, UK, Australia, and New Zealand on the Facebook app for iPhone and Android.

“We will continue expanding to additional countries and make Marketplace available on the desktop version of Facebook in the coming months,” according to Ku.

10 Things People With High-Functioning Depression Want You To Know

Take a moment to consider the acquaintances you talk to every day: It could be a coworker, neighbor or even a favorite barista. They smile, chat about their weekend plans and ask after your kids. 

Now imagine that on the inside, they're experiencing debilitating headaches, loneliness and persistent negative thoughts. Their energy is so low it was almost impossible for them to pull themselves out of bed this morning. But you'd never know it.

This is the reality for people who live with dysthymia, or chronic depression ― a high-functioning iteration of the disease. Like major depression, high-functioning depression can cause changes in appetite, poor sleep and emotional difficulties. But it's a lot harder to spot. 

Depression affects nearly 350 million people worldwide, which means chances are you know someone who has some form of the disorder.

Arguably one of the most challenging aspects of high-functioning depression is the lack of understanding that comes with blending in so well. We asked members of our HuffPost Lifestyle Facebook community who face the condition to tell us what they wished everyone else understood:

1. People can't comprehend the difficulty of their symptoms.

Depression is a difficult, debilitating condition. End of story. 

“Because I can work full time and do well, own my own home and take care of everything myself, people underestimate just how deeply I struggle and how hard it is to function some days. It takes time to process things. Negative experiences stay with me for awhile when others can move on quickly. They just label me as negative, dramatic or too sensitive but it's my process.” ―Christine Dolan

2. Everyday activities, like going to work, still feel impossible.

Just because you see a person with this type of condition powering through their to-do list doesn't mean it comes naturally for them.

“It's hard enough holding it together but it's even harder when you know people are misjudging you and not giving you credit just for getting out of bed.” ―Christine Dolan

3. Their illness doesn't have to be seen in order to be real.

Not all health conditions are visible to the naked eye. But just because you don't notice an illness, doesn't mean it doesn't exist.

“Just because I seem successful and look like I have it all together doesn't mean I can't be 5 minutes or one bad experience away from a total breakdown. And that fact scares the hell out of me.” ―Michelle Martin Haywood

4. They appreciate you checking in on them.

Support from others reminds a person with depression that they're not alone.

“You should text and check on me, even if I don't or can't text right back.
The thoughts are very, very exhausting so just getting through the day needs to be enough sometimes.” ―Julie Kenney Myett

5. The condition goes deeper than just life's circumstances.

Depression has a way of taking every negative thought you have about yourself and putting it up on a big screen inside your mind. Just because it seems like someone “has it all,” doesn't mean they're not affected by the mental health condition.

“I work full-time and I'm married. I try very hard to be 'normal.' People ask me 'Why are you sad? You have everything. You're so beautiful. You have a lovely husband, a good job, money etc.' If only they knew the turmoil in my head ... it never goes away and it is very exhausting.” ―Jayne SC

6. The appearance on the outside doesn't always match the inside.

What you see isn't always what you get when it comes to high-functioning depression. A person my look like they have everything figured out or may be functioning normally, but their inner world could be vastly different.

“From the outside I look like I have it all together, but the truth is I find everything exhausting. Getting up, eating breakfast, taking my kids to school ― all of it saps my energy. I walk around in a state of perpetual exhaustion.” ―Jennifer Hazen

8. A little gesture goes a long way.

It may seem like no big deal to you, but offering to do something as simple for your loved one may make a huge difference.

“I wish people would make more of an effort to come to me rather than expecting me to travel (a lot of my friends and family live a couple of hours away), it would take so much pressure off.” ―Caitriona Foley

9. Feeling better isn't a matter of just adjusting their attitude.

You can't just “get over” depression or “stop feeling sad.” Depression at its core is a physiological disorder and affects areas of the brain. It also comes with physical symptoms as well.

“People think you are lazy when it takes the your entire will to get out of bed in the morning.” ―Meredith Elmore

10. Treatment works.

What works for one person may not work for another. There's a host of options for managing and recovering from depression, from lifestyle habits to specific medical care like therapy or medication, and usually an effective plan requires employing more than one. Treatment does work and people can have a full life despite of the condition.

“It is a very difficult issue to live with especially if you have people depending on you all the time. I'm still aware every second of everyday about my feelings, my surroundings and how I'm going to get through the next five minutes, but I'm glad for myself that I have figured out how to live my life.” ―Goldie Fantastic

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