Discover Staffing Connections

W2s have been mailed

2012-01-31T10:36:00.001-05:00

DISCOVER STAFFING has mailed the 2011 W2s. If you do not receive yours in the next week or so, we will be able to reprint them starting on February 15th and will reprint missing W2s on Fridays.

If we have any W2s returned to our office, we will make every effort available to contact you and let you know. Otherwise, we will hold returned W2s at our office. If you have moved but you did not provide us with a change of address prior to this week, your W2 will likely be returned. Contact us on or after the 15th if you have not received it so we can check with the returned forms or process a new W2.

If you have any questions about the W2 please contact us in the office at 678-393-9313.

W2s will be mailed January 31st.

2012-01-03T11:45:00.001-05:00

DISCOVER STAFFING will be mailing out the W2s on January 31st, 2012. If you have had a change in address, please contact the office as soon as possible with the new information. Please call us at (678) 393-9313 or email us at alpharetta@discoverstaffing.com to make any changes in your mailing address.

Happy Holidays from Discover Staffing

2011-12-20T15:22:00.002-05:00

Happy Holidays from DISCOVER STAFFING
Our office will be closed
Monday, December 26th for the Holiday.

We will re-open on Tuesday,
December 27th.

We will be closed on Monday, January 2nd.

We will re-open on Tuesday, January 3rd.

Payroll will be processed as usual and checks will be available on Thursdays.

Have a safe and wonderful Holiday Season!

Schedule for Thanksgiving 2011

2011-11-21T12:14:00.004-05:00

Please be sure that time sheets are turned in to our office no later than Noon on Monday, November 21st.

Checks will be available Wednesday, November 23rd after 10am.

Don't forget our Holiday Policy. To be paid for Thanksgiving Day you must have acrued 1200 career hours and work the scheduled day before and after the holiday. If a company is closed on Friday, we will not hold that day against you - you will just need to work Wednesday and Monday to qualify.

The office will be closed on Thursday, November 24th and Friday, November 25th for the Thanksgiving Holiday.

DISCOVER STAFFING wishes you and your famil a safe and happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Halloween from DISCOVER STAFFING!

2011-10-27T12:52:00.004-04:00

We would like to wish all of our employees and their families and safe and happy Halloween.

Click here for some tips from MSN Careers on how to make your Halloween costume work for the office.

If you stop in to DISCOVER STAFFING you might just see me in my own spooky costume!

Happy Halloween!

Casual Friday for Good Mews

2011-10-07T11:18:00.002-04:00

When you are a relatively small company like ours, you don't raise a lot of money when you collect $2 per person once a week for three months. But you do collect some. We were able to donate $60 to the Atlanta Dog Squad!

Starting this month and continuing through the rest of 2011, we will be raising money for Good Mews, a no-kill cat shelter in Marietta.

Good Mews is one of the few virtually cage-free, no-kill cat shelters in the State of Georgia. Since 1988, Good Mews has placed approximately 5,000 cats in permanent homes. The shelter receives no government support, relying solely on donations of time, service and money from its supporters, the public and area businesses. Good Mews is home to approximately 100 residents at any given time, most of whom live at the shelter; some also reside in foster care. We have an average adoption rate of approximately 5 cats per week.

We look forward to being able help this great shelter and the kitties who live there.

Labor Day Holiday

2011-08-30T11:32:00.000-04:00

Labor Day is upon us and that means the official end of summer. We will be closed on Monday, September 5th. Timesheets are due no later than 1pm on Tuesday, September 6th. Paychecks will be available on Thursday.

Don't forget our Holiday Pay Policy:
Completion of 1200 career hours, including overtime, will qualify you for paid holiday. You must work a minimum of 24 hours during the holiday work week and work the scheduled day before and day after the holiday.

Have a great holiday weekend and thanks for all you do!

Dress Code: When is Business Casual too Casual

2011-08-04T08:40:00.002-04:00

The topic of Dress Codes comes up for us all the time. With the wide variety of types of clients, dress codes are very different from place to place. What one company calls "Business Casual" another company would call "Professional" and another still considers jeans and t-shirts to be appropriate every day. DISCOVER STAFFING has even recently implemented a Casual Friday policy for our own office. However, when it comes to dress code there are always gray areas and boundary lines that should not be crossed. Yahoo Blogger Sarah B. Weir offers these insights into what bosses and co-workers really think when it comes to dressing for the office.

Kelly recommends that women have three separate wardrobes: one for the office, one for the weekend, and another for special occasions. While this might seem a little old school, she explains that fashion magazines like to mix casual and professional clothing, but the average person simply doesn't have the eye or the experience to combine styles in one outfit.

We talked to some managers and executives around the country about the worst wardrobe blunders, and bosses agree that conservative professional attire is still relevant today. It seems that looks can kill...your job prospects.

Go here to read the full article.

Cross Posted on our DISCOVER STAFFING Career Resource Center.

Dressing Down for Local Fundraising

2011-07-15T16:05:00.005-04:00

You may have noticed the new Friday Dress Code when you've stopped by the office.

Starting with the second quarter of 2011, we decided to implement a casual Friday policy that allows us to pay $2 each Friday for the privilege of wearing jeans in the DISCOVER STAFFING office.

Last quarter we raised $72 for The Drake House, an emergency housing facility for homeless mothers and children in the North Fulton area. We were concerned that our meager funds wouldn't be much help but when we dropped off the money we were told any amount was a welcomed donation.

"Women and children entering The Drake House are offered a variety of support services to assist them in reaching self-sufficiency. Residents participate in a goal setting process and an empowerment plan. Initial goals include addressing medical needs of the family and the educational needs of the children. Onsite life skills classes are conducted every Monday evening on topics such as job readiness, personal finances, parenting skills, and health and wellness. An advocacy program provides encouragement, motivation, and support during the family’s stay."

Starting July 1st, DISCOVER STAFFING, selected the Atlanta Dog Squad. Atlanta Dog Squad is a retriever rescue organization run entirely by volunteers.

"We rescue, foster and find permanent homes for Labrador, Golden, Chesapeake Bay, Flat Coated and Curly Coated Retrievers, as well as retriever mixes.

We’re a small group of volunteers that is growing everyday. Our philosophy is that volunteer work should be rewarding….and FUN!

And, our fantastic group of Dog Squad volunteers tell us that working with our lovable retrievers – as well as with each other – is both. Kinda like the feeling you get when you hug your dog"

Feel free to ask us about our Casual Fridays the next time you're in our office. Stay tuned for our Fourth Quarter Charity in October.

Independence Day Holiday

2011-06-27T11:47:00.002-04:00

DISCOVER STAFFING will be closed on Monday, July 4th. Time sheets are due no later than Noon on Tuesday, July 5th. Paychecks will be available on Thursday, July 7th.

Don't forget our Holiday Policy:

HOLIDAY PAY

Completion of 1200 career hours, including overtime, will qualify you for paid holiday. You must work a minimum of 24 hours during the holiday work week and work the scheduled day before and day after the holiday. The holiday must fall on a week day.

Have a safe and wonderful Fourth of July weekend!

Memorial Day

2011-05-23T16:12:00.002-04:00

Memorial Day marks the beginning of Summer! DISCOVER STAFFING will be closed on Monday, May 30th. Time sheets are due no later than Noon on Tuesday, May 31st. Paychecks will be available on Thursday, June 2nd.

Remember, to qualify for holiday pay you must have worked 1200 career hours. You must work a minimum of 24 hours during the holiday work week and work the scheduled day before and after.

Have a safe and wonderful holiday weekend, and give our Veterans a moment of quiet gratitude.

Mother's Day, May 9th.

2011-05-06T10:14:00.003-04:00

DISCOVER STAFFING wishes everyone a very happy Mother's Day!

Atlanta Celebrates Earth Day

2011-04-22T08:55:00.005-04:00

Celebrate Earth Day throughout Atlanta today.

11 Alive gives some links to companies participating with freebies.

The Examiner Gives some ideas for things to do today.

Georgia Tech has some Earth Day Events.

Turner Field is hosting an annual recycling event on Saturday, April 23rd.

Don't Forget Our Referral Bonus!

2011-04-11T09:19:00.001-04:00

DISCOVER STAFFING is always looking for good candidates with experience in office support or light industrial jobs. If you know someone who is looking, please refer them to us. Tell them to send their resume to roswell@discoverstaffing.com and be sure to tell us who referred them. Don't forget, you will receive a $20 referral bonus after they work 40 hours!

Good people refer good people! Do you know someone who could benefit from our services? Send them our way today!

What a Long, Strange Trip it's Been

2011-03-18T11:02:00.002-04:00

"What a long, strange trip it's been" -Jerry Garcia

It started simply enough. Every year, Discover Staffing participates in the American Staffing Association’s Employee of the Year competition. National Staffing week in September is a time to honor temporary employees for all of their hard work. In 2010, we evaluated our current employees and chose Michael Timms as our employee of the year. Our submission was as follows.

The term “flexible” doesn’t even begin to describe Michael. He came into our office near the end of 2009 looking for temporary work to stay busy. As a formal wear consultant, the winter season is slow with few weddings and several months until proms began. He said he was willing to do anything and so we put this to the test. We had a client who wanted to experiment with telemarketing after hours. Since we primarily staff for office support, most of our employees were not available after 6pm. But Michael was ready and willing. We received excellent feedback on his assignment. When that was completed we assigned him to a 1 week job stuffing envelopes for not very much money. After that job, he did a couple of filing projects. Always representing the very definition of flexible, Michael was available for several projects over the winter holiday working for a home builder who uses our services to staff their model homes. During the holiday season several agents were on vacation and Michael happily covered these properties for us working three days before Christmas, including Christmas Eve, and 4 days during the week before New Year’s Day. He continued to work on and off at the home builder through April. At the end of April, we received a position for an administrative assistant to a senior buyer. We were presented it as a 30 to 90 day assignment while they worked on hiring a permanent employee on their own. Michael’s experience as an assistant buyer in the formal wear industry made him an excellent candidate but selfishly we didn’t want to lose him for the hard to fill jobs that he always took. In the end, sense prevailed and we submitted him to the job which he started near the beginning of May. 4 months later, he is still there. In June, Michael received a raise along with the following feedback, “We appreciate Michael’s consistent work ethic and ability to blend with the team.” And more recently, we were told, “Michael continues to do very well, handling all that we ask and then some. [We] have included Michael in on our interview process for the permanent position while also reviewing other outside candidates. We have not made any decisions and I do my best to keep Michael informed on our progress and focused on matters at hand. He has remained very positive and interested in the permanent position.” Michael’s flexibility with both long and short term assignments has made him the perfect nominee for GSA’s Employee of the Year. We are proud to have him represent Discover Staffing.

His supervisor at Exide Technologies, in Alpharetta Georgia, was so impressed with our recognition of Michael that he asked if he could reward Michael’s hard work himself. We were pleased and encouraged that our client was so enthusiastic that we encouraged him to do anything he wanted. We also made tentative plans to get together with Michael and Todd, his supervisor, for lunch to celebrate his nomination. Shortly after that, the Georgia Staffing Association gathered all the local entrants to the competition and voted one of them the GSA Employee of the year. Michael was selected and we were very proud. Everything seemed just perfect. Michael, who was always cheerful and ready with a friendly laugh, was over the moon with the recognition that he was getting for a job well done.

Then, the unthinkable happened. At the end of September, barely a week after he had been named the GSA Employee of the Year, Michael called us with some bad news. At that time all we knew was that he was having some heath challenges and that he was “preparing for the worse.” As the details unfolded, we learned that Michael had been diagnosed with cancer and was dealing with the battery of tests to determine the treatment and prognosis. He took some time off from work for tests and appointments but was finally told that he would need 4 to 6 weeks of chemotherapy followed by surgery. We were forced to end his assignment at Exide with the expectation that once he was well he could go back, possibly as a permanent employee. The joyful Michael we knew and loved seemed gone. It was hard to hear the sadness in his voice.

October passed without a word. We followed up with Michael and with Todd. November came and went with still no word from Michael. The team at Exide sent him a care package and we mailed him the gift card awarded by the GSA hoping to lift his spirits. No word from him at all. Truthfully, we were imagining the worst and scared to find out what was going on. By December, we were beyond concerned but had no more resources to reach out to. Would Michael ever be back? Did something else happen?

Then, with all the miraculous timing of the winter holidays, we got a phone call on December 20th. Michael was alive, recovering from surgery to remove the tumors, and expecting one more round of chemo. After that, he said, he was ready to get back to living life. It was good to hear him laughing again. He was expecting to be able to go back to Exide by the end of January. The folks at Exide were extremely gracious and grateful to hear from him. They wanted to make sure he took the proper time to fully recover before he came back. And after all of this drama, Michael returned to work as a full time, permanent Exide Technologies employee on February 7, 2011.

Finally, in March, we were able to take Michael and Todd out for that terribly overdue congratulatory lunch. It was wonderful to talk with Michael, hear him laugh and see how Todd interacted with him like a caring father. We talked with Michael about his health. He has a few follow up visits remaining but the doctors believe he is out of the woods. We also talked about his work with us. We thanked him for his flexibility and found humor in the fact that he went from procurement in the formal wear industry to the battery recycling industry. He said that he got his formal wear job through a staffing company as well and he really believes in what we do as a service. He never went to any job, even the lowest paying, most boring one, thinking of it as only a “temp job”. He treated everything like an opportunity. Because of that attitude he was named our Employee of the year. Michael’s story didn’t end after the award. And we are so grateful for the ultimate results.

Upcoming Events in March

2011-03-01T10:24:00.005-05:00

DISCOVER STAFFING is excited about the return of Spring. March is brimming with new promise.

Don't forget to send us your original time cards each week. We need them each week so we can expedite our billing process. This cycle makes sure that all of our employees are paid on time.

On Sunday, March 13th, be sure to change your clocks to Spring Forward for Daylight Savings time.

Remember the DISCOVER STAFFING Holiday and Vacation Policies. You need to work 1200 career hours to qualify for upcoming holidays, the next one is Memorial day at the end of May. You need to work 1800 hours each year to qualify for a week of vacation pay. This is typically calculated based on your assignment start date and will reset each year.

Celebrate St. Patrick's Day on Thursday, March 17th. Celebrate locally with the annual Atlanta St. Patrick's Day Parade or raise a pint of Guinness at a local pub with your friends. Everyone is Irish on St. Patrick's Day.

And Spring officially begins on Sunday, March 20th. After the Atlanta Ice Storm in January, I am sure we are all ready for Spring to arrive!

W2s Have Been Mailed

2011-01-31T16:51:00.002-05:00

W2s were mailed on Monday, January 31st. If you do not receive yours by February 15th, please let us know. We will reprint W2s each Friday as needed. If you have moved and have not already provided us a change of address, please let us know right away and we will reprint your W2 and mail it to the correct address after February 15th.

Thanks for all you do!

A Message from DISCOVER STAFFING

2011-01-11T08:49:00.003-05:00

Good morning! We have a problem that we have never encountered before - a very bad winter storm has crippled the Atlanta area. We are not in the office, most of our clients are not in their offices, you are probably not at work and the mail is not being delivered. We are contacting you today to let you know that we are working on a plan for payroll this week. There is a chance that pay day may move to Friday. If you have direct deposit, that may mean that it wouldn't hit your account until Monday. If you prefer, we can cancel your direct deposit for this week only and cut you a live check. Please let us know if you would want us to do that.

We are checking emails and the voicemail throughout the day.

We will keep in touch.

Laura, Kathy, Lauren and Lig

DISCOVER STAFFING

2010-12-20T10:51:00.003-05:00

Happy Holidays from DISCOVER STAFFING
Our office will be closed
Friday, December 24th for the Holiday.

We will re-open on Monday,
December 27th.
Checks will be available on
Thursday, December 23rd.

Don't forget our Holiday Pay Policy:

Completion of 1200 career hours, including overtime, will qualify you for paid holiday. You must work a minimum of 24 hours during the holiday work week and work the scheduled day before and day after the holiday. The holiday must fall on a week day.
Have a safe and wonderful Holiday Season!

Schedule for Thanksgiving 2010

2010-11-16T16:19:00.006-05:00

Please be sure that time sheets are turned in to our office no later than Noon on Monday, November 22nd.

Checks will be available Wednesday, November 24th after 10am.

The office will be closed on Thursday, November 25th and Friday, November 26th for the Thanksgiving Holiday.

DISCOVER STAFFING wishes you and your famil a safe and happy Thanksgiving!

Holiday and Vacation Policy

2010-11-16T16:18:00.002-05:00

VACATION PAY

Paid vacations are our way of thanking you for your continuous service. You are eligible for one 40 hour vacation check after completing 1800 hours within a 12 month period, including overtime. Pay is based on your average rate of compensation. Please talk to your DISCOVER STAFFING representative for a vacation request form. Vacation pay must be requested within 30 days of eligibility. You must be on an assignment to receive vacation pay.

HOLIDAY PAY

Completion of 1200 career hours, including overtime, will qualify you for paid holiday. You must work a minimum of 24 hours during the holiday work week and work the scheduled day before and day after the holiday. The holiday must fall on a week day. DISCOVER STAFFING recognizes the following Federal Holidays:
• New Year’s Day
• Memorial Day
• Independence Day
• Labor Day
• Thanksgiving Day
• Christmas Day

*Payrolled Employees are not eligible for DISCOVER STAFFING benefits.

Veteran's Day Bank Holiday

2010-11-02T15:34:00.005-04:00

Thursday, November 11th is Veteran's Day.

Please remember the banks will be closed.

Reverse Trick or Treating

2010-11-02T10:15:00.005-04:00

This year, DISCOVER STAFFING visited several of our active clients for Halloween to pick up donations of food for the North Fulton Community Charities Food Pantry and MUST Ministries in Cobb County.

Laura enjoyed popping in on our clients while dressed as a witch to spread Halloween cheer and collect the donations. We were so excited about the volume of food we collected and thanks go especially to Jackson Healthcare, Global Care, Expeditor Systems, Phoenix Aviation and MACTEC. Thanks for your participation.

Happy Halloween from DISCOVER STAFFING

2010-10-27T09:00:00.003-04:00

Sesame Street offers several tips to keep your trick or treaters safe:

Paint young children’s faces rather than letting them wear a mask so as not to obscure vision. If they do wear a mask secure it with bobby pins

Prevent tripping by not allowing kids to wear ill-fitting shoes, like mom’s high heels or dad’s boots

Have kids carry flashlights and add reflective stickers to their costumes

Go trick or treating with your kids under 15 years old

Older kids should stay in groups and only visit familiar neighborhoods

Teach kids not to eat candy before they get home and you and examine it. “If in doubt, throw it out”

*****
Halloween Movie Recommendations

For those who get into the Halloween spirit, here is a list of 5 favorite movies for the season.
1. Nightmare Before Christmas
2. Shaun of the Dead
3. Its the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown
4. Young Frankenstein
5. Disney’s Legend of Sleepy Hollow

HAPPY HAUNTING

Time Sheet Policy

2010-10-15T09:10:00.002-04:00

Don’t Forget Original Time Cards!

Please be sure to get us original time cards each week. They are due by 1pm every Monday.

If you do not have any original time sheets, please contact us and we can send them to you. We do not automatically mail direct deposit statements. We keep them on file for 30 days if you want them for your records. You will be responsible for original time sheets. Please let us when you need more time sheets and we will arrange to get them to you. Fax time sheets will still not be accepted without an original. Please do not re-use faxed time sheets.

Thank you for all you do!

Original Time Sheets

2010-10-06T16:04:00.001-04:00

Please be sure to get us your original time cards each week. They are due by 1pm every Monday. We need the white, yellow and pink copies. You can keep the blue and the green is for the client. You may fax a copy on Monday to get the process started, but we need for you to mail or drop off the original each week. Time sheets are in important part of our billing cycle and without them, we may be unable to get our employees paid on time. If we are missing more than one week, we will not be able to process your paycheck until we receive the missing time sheets.

If you do not have any original time sheets, please contact us and we can get them to you. Please do not re-use faxed time sheets.

Your cooperation is greatly appreciated.

National Staffing Employee Week

2010-09-10T13:45:00.004-04:00

DISCOVER STAFFING would like to thank all of our hard working employees for all you do. Happy National Staffing Employee Week.

Congratulations to Michael Timms, our Employee of the Year!

Labor Day Holiday

2010-08-31T12:29:00.003-04:00

Labor Day is upon us and that means the official end of summer. We will be closed on Monday, September 6th. Timesheets are due no later than 1pm on Tuesday, September 7th. Paychecks will be available on Thursday.

Don't forget our Holiday Pay Policy:
Completion of 1200 career hours, including overtime, will qualify you for paid holiday. You must work a minimum of 24 hours during the holiday work week and work the scheduled day before and day after the holiday.

Have a great holiday weekend and thanks for all you do!

Back to School Ideas for Working Parents

2010-08-05T12:44:00.003-04:00

It is that time of year again. Many counties in Metro Atlanta have gone back to school and the rest will soon follow. Bloomberg's Businessweek offers this blog for Working Parents. I browsed their archives and got this great article on ideas for school lunches that working parents can make for their kids.

10 Common Errors That Spell Check Won't Catch

2010-07-21T14:29:00.002-04:00

We've all done it! It is easy to make that simple mistake in an email or on a resume that still looks right at a glance. Careless errors can be the kiss of death in any professional correspondence. Here are some easy errors to look out for and make sure you proofread even after click on spell check.

10 Common Errors “Spell Check” Won’t Catch

While we can rely on a spell checker to catch glaring errors, a computer can’t pick up on all careless mistakes, especially if the word could be correct in a different context. Often word misuse is our mistake. The English language is full of homonyms, or words that have different meanings but sound and look similar, which makes it easy to confuse proper usage. For instance, verbally, you might not even notice the difference between "your" and "you’re." But in print, the error can lead the reader to perceive you as less intelligent than you are. For this reason, it's important to spell check and proofread your documents, especially for the following common misuses, which are so easy to make, you might even have to check your document a couple times to catch them.

Its versus It’s (and all other apostrophes):
According to a copy editing instructor for California-based copy editing service provider Edicetera, confusing "its" and "it’s" is the most common error in the English language. That one minuscule apostrophe (or lack thereof) drastically changes the meaning of the entire sentence. "It’s" is a contraction of "it is," whereas "its" refers to possession. Also, watch out for "your" versus "you’re."

Sales versus Sails
Can you imagine writing on your resume that you "increased sails by 20 percent”?! Unless you’re applying to a job for a sail boat manufacturer, this careless mistake will probably get your resume sailing right into the recycling bin.

Affect versus Effect
There is a lot of confusion around this one but here’s the rule: "Affect" is a verb and "effect" is a noun. It’s as simple as that.

Would Have NOT Would of
The subtlety in pronunciation leads to the rampant misuse of this phrase; however "would of" is never correct and may make you appear as if you are not well-read.

Through versus Threw
"He threw the ball through the window." "Threw" is a verb and "through" is a preposition. And speaking of "through," be careful to make sure you don’t actually mean "thorough" or vice versa. The slight variation in spelling will not be picked up by a computer, but writing "I am through" when you mean "I am thorough" is quite ironic, don’t you think?

Then versus Than
Six is more than five; after five then comes six. "Than" refers to a comparison, while "then" refers to a subsequent event.

Supposed To NOT Suppose To
"Suppose" is a verb, meaning to think or to ponder. The correct way to express a duty is to write, "I was supposed to..."

Wonder versus Wander
You can wander around while you wonder why "wander" and "wonder" have such different meanings, yet sound oh so similar.

Their versus There versus They’re
OK, once and for all: "Their" is possessive; "there" refers to distance; and "they’re" is a contraction of "they are."

Farther versus Further
While both words refer to distance, grammarians distinguish "farther" as physical distance and "further" as metaphorical distance. You can dive further into a project, for instance, or you can dive farther into the ocean.

We know we missed many common careless errors. What mistakes do you see most often?

Don't Forget Original Time Sheets

2010-07-19T16:29:00.003-04:00

Holiday and Vacation Policy

2010-07-08T10:02:00.000-04:00

Independence Day Holiday

2010-06-28T08:40:00.003-04:00

DISCOVER STAFFING will be closed on Monday, July 5th. Time sheets are due no later than Noon on Tuesday, July 6th. Paychecks will be available on Thursday, July 8th.

Don't forget our Holiday Policy:

HOLIDAY PAY

Completion of 1200 career hours, including overtime, will qualify you for paid holiday. You must work a minimum of 24 hours during the holiday work week and work the scheduled day before and day after the holiday. The holiday must fall on a week day.

Have a safe and wonderful Fourth of July weekend!

This 4th of July, Support our Troops with a letter from home!

2010-06-15T16:02:00.002-04:00

Join DISCOVER STAFFING in sending emails to the men and women serving in our military.

Go to www.uso.org
Click on “What We Do” and go to “View Messages to the Troops”
Once there, you can enter your own message of gratitude to help lift the spirits of those serving our country.

Memorial Day Holiday

2010-05-25T09:45:00.000-04:00

Memorial Day marks the beginning of Summer! DISCOVER STAFFING will be closed on Monday, May 31st. Time sheets are due no later than Noon on Tuesday, June 1st. Paychecks will be available on Thursday, June 3rd.

Remember, to qualify for holiday pay you must have worked 1200 career hours. You must work a minimum of 24 hours during the holiday work week and work the scheduled day before and after.

Have a safe and wonderful holiday weekend, and give our Veterans a moment of quiet gratitude.

Summer Dress Code Policy

2010-05-24T15:27:00.001-04:00

DISCOVER STAFFING encourages our employees to follow the dress code policies for each of our client sites, however there are always some good rules to follow. You can see our official dress code policy here.

However, today Anthony Balderrama posted the 10 Taboos for Summer Attire in the Office.

10 Taboos for Summer Attire in the Office
By Anthony Balderrama, CareerBuilder.com writer

When you discuss fashion, you have to acknowledge that no strict rules apply to everyone. For some professions, a suit is the de rigueur attire. In other industries, work clothes make more sense. And plenty of organizations fall somewhere between. During the summer, the rules get even murkier because everyone has his or her own idea of what's appropriate. And if you've taken a look around, you know some people really take liberties with their wardrobe.

Because we can't address every possible mistake for every workplace, we've put together some guidelines that work for many workplaces. Maybe only nine of the 10 tips apply to your company. Still, the bottom line is that you should put some thought into what you wear, because your wardrobe affects your professional reputation.

Here are 10 summer-attire taboos:

1. Flip-flops
Professional or dressy sandals are acceptable in many workplaces, and you know better than anyone if you work in such a place. Flip-flops and other recreational footwear are rarely acceptable for the same reason blowing a bubble with gum in a meeting is inappropriate: You look out of place and inconsiderate to your audience. Plus, that annoying sound of the flip-flop slapping against your heel will not make you any friends.

2. Bathing suits in any form
This tip might sound obvious, and hopefully it is. However, in case it's not, remember that sprucing up your bathing suit with a nice shirt, a belt, shorts or any other accessory will not fool anyone. If you're going straight to the pool after work, just change your clothes in the bathroom or a private office when the day is over.

3. Sunglasses indoors
You're not Bono. Yes, the sunlight is blinding when you walk outside or drive to work, but sunglasses don't belong indoors. People can't tell if you're paying attention to them when your eyes are hidden behind dark lenses, and everyone will wonder if your pupils were just dilated.

4. Shorts
Shorts automatically take the professional image down a notch, which could be a good thing for some places. For example, if you walk into a store that sells surfboards and wetsuits, you want to be greeted by someone in shorts and a tee, not a suit and briefcase. In most workplaces, however, shorts detract from a professional demeanor. Even nice shorts that are more suited for a day the country club than an afternoon painting your kitchen aren't as pulled together as a pair of pants.

5. Tank tops
Regardless of the season, you should be wary of showing too much skin. In the summer, tank tops are prevalent in many wardrobes, and you might be tempted to sport one to work. Don't. From an aesthetic standpoint, tanks make people think of a six-pack of beer, not of a six-figure salary. A professional look should lean more toward the latter.

Another issue that exists in some organizations is the idea that no one, male or female, should have bare arms. Remember when Michelle Obama took flak for her sleeveless blouses? As with many of these tips, use your best judgment. Unless your occupation involves some form of labor where sleeves affect your work, you should keep your upper arms covered.

6. Apparel that smells like or carries remnants of the beach
Who doesn't love the beach? The sun, the waves lapping against the shore, the sand between your toes. If you need to bring a starfish home as a vacation souvenir, by all means, do it. Just don't wear your beach clothes to the office -- especially if they have that aroma of fresh ocean life or are leaving a trail of sand behind you. If, by some chance, your beach wardrobe is suitable for your workplace, at least have the good sense to run it through the washer once or twice.

7. Funny shirts or shirts from your vacation destination
Your "I'm Not as Think as You Drunk I Am" shirt might make your best friends laugh, but your boss, colleagues and customers or clients will disagree. Clothing shouldn't announce itself, so steer clear of humor. And shirts bearing the name of your last vacation destination ("Mexico!" or "Missouri: The Show Me State") will probably make your overworked colleagues begrudge your time off.

8. Not being prepared
Even if you're allowed to be casual during the summer, have a backup outfit or piece of clothing to dress up your attire. If you're in jeans and a plain T-shirt and your biggest client calls a last-minute meeting, it wouldn't hurt to have a least a blazer or nicer shirt on hand. Being prepared is never a bad thing.

9. Anything see-through.
Another tip that should go without saying, but just in case: Skin and undergarments should not be seen through the fabric you're wearing. Lightweight linen that's breezy and comfortable on the beach is inappropriate at work, not to mention uncomfortable for your co-workers.

10. Testing the limits
If your employer gives you wiggle room with the dress code by using words such as "appropriate" and "reasonable" to describe acceptable attire, use your brain. A ketchup-stained T-shirt, scandalously short shorts and dilapidated tennis shoes are acceptable in your personal life, but not at work. And you know that. So don't ruin summer wardrobes for everyone.

Anthony Balderrama is a writer and blogger for CareerBuilder.com and its job blog, "The Work Buzz." He researches and writes about job search strategy, career management, hiring trends and workplace issues. Follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/abalderrama.

Thinking Outside the Box

2010-05-11T12:42:00.004-04:00

Every wonder where some of those corporate catch phrases come from? I know I do. So I thought I might research the origin of one popular office cliche - "Thinking Outside of the Box". Turning to my favorite information website, Wikipedia, I discovered the following information.

The origin of the phrase is somewhat obscure. John Adair claims to have introduced the problem in 1969. Management consultant Mike Vance has claimed that the use of the nine-dot puzzle in consultancy circles stems from the corporate culture of the Walt Disney Company, where the puzzle was used in-house. Both Martin Kihn of Fast Company and the Random House Word Mavens agree that the phrase relates to a traditional topographical puzzle called the nine dots puzzle.

According to consultants of the 1970s and 1980s tried to make their prospective clients feel inferior by presenting them with the puzzle. The challenge is to connect the dots by drawing four straight, continuous lines that pass through each of the nine dots, and never lifting the pencil from the paper. The puzzle is easily solved but only if you draw the lines outside the confines of the square area defined by the nine dots themselves. Thus, the phrase "thinking outside the box" was born. The Word Mavens refer to Prof. Daniel Kies of the College of DuPage, who observes that the puzzle only seems difficult because "we imagine a boundary around the edge of the dot array."

The nine dots puzzle is much older than the slogan. It appears in Sam Loyd's 1914 Cyclopedia of Puzzles. In the 1951 compilation The Puzzle-Mine: Puzzles Collected from the Works of the Late Henry Ernest Dudeney, the puzzle is attributed to Dudeney himself.

Sam Loyd's original formulation of the puzzle called it "Christopher Columbus's egg puzzle." as an allusion to the story of Egg of Columbus.

A little "Pick Me Up"

2010-05-03T09:17:00.001-04:00

Yahoo! had this on their front page today:

Five minutes in the green can boost self esteem

Sat May 1, 6:02 pm ET

LONDON, May 1 (Reuters Life) – Just five minutes of exercise a day in the great outdoors can improve mental health, according to a study released on Saturday, and policymakers should encourage more people to spend time in parks and gardens.

Researchers from the University of Essex found that as little as five minutes of a "green activity" such as walking, gardening, cycling or farming can boost mood and self esteem.

"We believe that there would be a large potential benefit to individuals, society and to the costs of the health service if all groups of people were to self-medicate more with green exercise," Barton said in a statement about the study, which was published in the journal Environmental Science & Technology.

Many studies have shown that outdoor exercise can reduce the risk of mental illness and improve a sense of well-being, but Jules Pretty and Jo Barton, who led this study, said that until now no one knew how much time needed to be spent on green exercise for the benefits to show.

Barton and Pretty looked at data from 1,252 people of different ages, genders and mental health status taken from 10 existing studies in Britain.

They analyzed activities such as walking, gardening, cycling, fishing, boating, horse-riding and farming.

They found that the greatest health changes occurred in the young and the mentally ill, although people of all ages and social groups benefited. The largest positive effect on self-esteem came from a five-minute dose of "green exercise."

All natural environments were beneficial, including parks in towns or cities, they said, but green areas with water appeared to have a more positive effect.

(Reporting by Kate Kelland, editing by Paul Casciato)

Show us how much you "like" us!

2010-04-28T12:39:00.002-04:00

If you spend any time on Facebook, you might have noticed the new way you can connect to your favorite musicians, television shows, products and businesses, etc. Simply click on the "Like!" button to follow along.

DISCOVER STAFFING would like to connect with you on Facebook. Once you are a part of our Facebook community, you will have access to our employee blog and receive the latest announcements. You’ll notice that even your DISCOVER STAFFING team are fans of our own company. And don’t worry; we don’t have access to any of your private information once you’re on our company page. We don’t even want to!

Throughout the month of May, connect to us on Facebook and be entered into a drawing for a restaurant gift card. Offer only available to currently active employees.

So, how do you "Like!" DISCOVER STAFFING? That part is easy. Scroll down this page to see the Facebook badge in the right column. Then simply click the "Like!" button.

See you on the Internet!

Administrative Professionals Day

2010-04-20T14:39:00.006-04:00

DISCOVER STAFFING would like to take this time to thank all of our employees for all your hard work. Regardless of your actual title, have a wonderful Administrative Professionals Day!

Holiday and Vacation Policy

2010-04-19T09:25:00.002-04:00

Text Messaging

2010-03-31T08:23:00.003-04:00

The team here at DISCOVER STAFFING recently read an article about text messaging in the recruiting industry. It suggested that staffing companies use texting in conjunction with phone messages and emails to determine availability for assignments. We are considering doing this moving forward. Our intention would be to only text as a last resort. If we are able to contact you by phone or email we would not text, but if the message is urgent (for instance, an assignment that begins the same day) and were unable to reach you otherwise we may send a text message. We also understand that some people have limited text plans and may chose to use it for only friends and family.

Please respond to this post, on Facebook or on the poll provided with your ideas on this matter. Would you be all right with DISCOVER STAFFING texting you occasionally to pass on an urgent message? Thank you for your consideration.

Don't Forget Original Time Sheets

2010-03-23T15:10:00.002-04:00

Please be sure to get us your original time cards each week. They are due by 1pm every Monday. We need the white, yellow and pink copies. You can keep the blue and the green is for the client.

If you do not have any original time sheets, please contact us and we can get them to you.

Please do not re-use faxed time sheets.

Thanks for all you do!

Answers to Advanced Irish Trivia!

2010-03-17T15:16:00.003-04:00

1. What are the names of the members of the Irish rock band U2?
Bono, The Edge, Adam Clayton and Larry Mullen Jr.

2. What does "Erin go Bragh" mean? (For extra credit: What language is it?)
Ireland forever. (Extra credit answer: Gaelic.)

3. What is the alternative title of the song "Danny Boy"?
Londonderry Air. The lyrics were written by an English lawyer named Fred Weatherly to a traditional tune.

4. What are the colors of the flag of Ireland?
Green representing Roman Catholics, orange representing Protestants and white in between representing living together in peace.

5. What were the shapes of the marshmallow pieces in the original Lucky Charms cereal? (For extra credit: What does the leprechaun say as a sales pitch for the cereal?)
Hearts, moons, stars and clovers. Shapes added to later versions of the cereal included horseshoes, pots of gold, rainbows and red balloons. (Extra credit answer: "They're always after 'me Lucky Charms." Or, "They're magically delicious.")

6. In the song "When Irish Eyes Are Smiling," what can you hear in the lilt of Irish laughter?
You can hear the angels sing. The lyrics are: "When Irish eyes are smiling, sure 'tis like the morn in spring. In the lilt of Irish laughter, you can hear the angels sing. When Irish hearts are happy, all the world seems bright and gay. And when Irish eyes are smiling, sure they steal your heart away."

7. “Notre Dame” derives from what language?
French. Notre Dame means "Our Lady" in French.

8. What is the name of the Irish priest depicted by Spencer Tracy in the 1938 classic movie "Boys Town"? (For extra credit: What is the Boys Town motto?)
Father Flanagan. (Extra credit answer: "There is no such thing as a bad boy.")

9. Before baking Irish soda bread, why is a cross traditionally slashed in the top of the loaf?
To scare away the devil. (I was watching Food Network's Bobby Flay in Ireland special and they said that scaring away the devil was the superstitious reason, but really it just makes the bread easier to break apart!)

10. What is the minimum number of years that Irish whiskey is aged?
Four. The usual distilling age is 7 to 8 years. Premium Irish whiskies are aged many more years

11. What Irish singer tore up a picture of the Pope on live television?
Sinead O'Connor.

12. In Irish folklore, what is the traditional profession of a leprechaun?
A cobbler or shoemaker.

13. In the song "I'm Looking Over A Four-Leaf Clover," what does the fourth leaf represent?
Somebody I adore. The lyrics are: "I'm looking over a four-leaf clover that I overlooked before. One leaf is sunshine, the second is rain, third is the roses that grow in the lane. No need explaining, the one remaining is somebody I adore. I'm looking over a four-leaf clover that I overlooked before."

14. In early television commercials for Irish Spring soap, a woman expresses her approval of the product by saying what phrase?
"Manly, yes, but I like it too."

15. Movie idol Clark Gable was miscast in a 1936 movie portraying what Irish patriot?
Charles Parnell in a movie titled "Parnell."

16. What is the historical root definition of the word "whiskey"?
Water of life. It is a shortened version of the Irish word uisgebeatha. Uisge means water and beatha means life.

17. What type of meat goes into a traditional Irish stew?
Lamb or mutton chops.

18. What is the title of the final novel by Irish writer James Joyce which is known for its experimental language and free associations?
Finnegans Wake.

19. Where would you start looking for Irish moss?
In the water. It is a seaweed found along the west coast of Ireland. Also called carrageen, it is used as a thickener in puddings, soups, ice creams, cosmetics and medicines.

20. What were the years of the Irish potato famine?
1845 to 1849.

Questions and answers from this website.

St. Patrick's Day Irish Trivia Day 10

2010-03-16T09:00:00.001-04:00

19. Where would you start looking for Irish Moss?

20. What were the years of the Irish potato famine.

So, how do you think you did? Check back tomorrow for the answers to all 20 Irish Trivia questions.

Happy St. Patrick's Day from DISCOVER STAFFING.

St. Patrick's Day Irish Trivia Day 9

2010-03-15T10:47:00.002-04:00

17. What type of meat goes into traditional Irish stew?

18. What is the title of the final novel by Irish writer James Joyce which is known for its experimental language and free associations?

Be sure to check back tomorrow for the final two questions. The answers will be posted on Wednesday, March 17th.

St. Patrick's Day Irish Trivia Day 8

2010-03-12T09:16:00.003-05:00

15. Movie idol Clark Gable was miscast in a 1936 movie portraying what Irish patriot?

16. What is the historical root definition of the word "Whiskey"?

Don't forget to check back Monday for the next two questions. The answers will be posted on Wednesday, March 17th.

St. Patrick's Day Trivia Day 7

2010-03-11T15:19:00.002-05:00

13. In the song "I'm Looking Over a Four-Leaf Clover," what does the fourth leaf represent?

14. In early television commercials for Irish Spring soap, a woman expresses her approval of the product by saying what phrase?

Don't forget to check back tomorrow for the next two questions. The answers will be posted on Wednesday, March 17th.

St. Patrick's Day Irish Trivia Day 6

2010-03-10T10:01:00.002-05:00

11. What Irish singer tore up a picture of the Pope on live television?

12. In Irish folklore, what is the traditional profession of a Leprechaun?

Don't forget to check back tomorrow for the next two questions. The answers will be posted on Wednesday, March 17th.

St. Patrick's Day Irish Trivia Day 5

2010-03-09T09:29:00.001-05:00

9. Before baking Irish soda bread, why is a cross traditionally slashed in the top of the loaf?

10. What is the minimum number of years Irish whiskey is aged?

Don't forget to check back tomorrow for the next two questions. The answers will be posted on Wednesday, March 17th.

St. Patrick's Day Irish Trivia Day 4

2010-03-08T09:46:00.002-05:00

7. "Notre Dame" derives from what language?

8. What is the name of the Irish priest depicted by Spencer Tracy in the 1938 classic movie "Boys Town"? (For extra credit: What is the Boys Town Motto?)

Don't forget to check back tomorrow for the next two questions. The answers will be posted on Wednesday, March 17th.

St. Patrick's Day Irish Trivia Day 3

2010-03-05T08:36:00.001-05:00

5. What were the shapes of the Marshmallow pieces in the original Lucky Charms Cereal? (For Extra Credit: What does the Leprechaun say as a sales pitch for the cereal?)

6. In the song "When Irish Eyes Are Smiling," what can you hear in the lilt of Irish laughter?

Don't forget to check back Monday for the next two questions. The answers will be posted on Wednesday, March 17th.

St. Patrick's Day Irish Trivia Day 2

2010-03-04T10:36:00.003-05:00

3. What is the alternative title of the song "Danny Boy"?

4. What are the colors of the flag of Ireland?

Don't forget to check back tomorrow for the next two questions. The answers will be posted on Wednesday, March 17th.

St. Patrick's Day Irish Trivia

2010-03-03T15:17:00.002-05:00

Please participate in our St. Patrick's Day Irish Trivia Challenge! Each day between now and March 17th we will post 2 questions (20 total). Check back on March 17th for the answers.

1. What are the names of the members of the Irish rock band U2?

2. What does "Erin Go Bragh" mean? (For extra credit: What language is it?)

Keeping Your Social Security Number Safe

2010-02-26T12:32:00.003-05:00

Yahoo! Finance has posted this great article on the importance of keeping your social security number safe. The author details reasons why some companies require this information and whether or not you are actually required to provide it.

DISCOVER STAFFING is very aware of circumstances regarding Social Security Number safety. We require this information for two reasons:

1) For payroll and tax purposes as reflected on your W2
2) For the Form I9 verification of employment as required by the Department of Homeland Security

Please be aware that DISCOVER STAFFING maintains your information in a secure location. We use a certified document shredding service to safely dispose of any information that is not needed for employment purposes.

We encourage you to read the Yahoo! Finance article to learn additional ways you can keep your social security number safe.

Social Networking Etiquette

2010-02-22T11:10:00.000-05:00

I have often wondered what the best solution to this problem is, so when Yahoo News posted this article about declining facebook friends with out offending anyone I thought I should share it.

Modern Etiquette:How to decline Facebook friends without offence
By Richard Baum

NEW YORK (Reuters) – A colleague I just met at work has invited me to be their friend on Facebook. I don't want to offend them, but nor do I want to share my candid photos and lousy Scrabble scores with someone I hardly know.

Can I ignore their invite?

"Can I be your friend?" might work as an ice-breaker among small children, but it's not a question you hear often between adults, at least not outside of Las Vegas.

Friendship, it is generally understood, is a relationship that evolves through shared interests, common experiences and a primeval need to share your neighbor's power tools.

Yet for many people, Facebook permits a return to the simplicity of the schoolyard.

Rather than inviting someone to be our Facebook friend only after we've become friends in the real world, many of us are using Facebook as a short-cut around all that time-consuming relationship building.

Why bother asking someone you've just met questions about their family, interests and ability to run a farm or aquarium, when you can simply send them a friend request and read the answers in your Facebook news feed? And so we think little of receiving friend requests after we meet someone for the first time at, say, a dinner party.

If you like the person, perhaps because they brought an excellent bottle of wine to the party, then you can accept the request in the hope of further opportunities to sample the contents of their cellar.

If you didn't get to taste the wine because they accidentally spilled the bottle over your brand new party dress, then etiquette experts would probably agree that you can decline the friend request, send them a dry-cleaning bill and humiliate them in a derisory posting to your real Facebook friends.

In the workplace, however, the dynamic is very different. The consequences of offending someone by ignoring their friend request are greater with a colleague you see every day than with a careless dining companion you may never meet again.

So why are people you work with increasingly offering to share their Facebook output?

Joan Morris DiMicco, an IBM researcher who studies social software in the workplace, said it's partly because some people just don't anticipate the ramifications of sharing their personal life with colleagues.

But it's also a function of the Facebook interface, which recommends other people for you to friend.

"Once you've connected to one person you work with you get recommendations to connect to others that you work with," she said.

Of course, many people don't have a problem with being Facebook friends with colleagues, especially those they know well. But for those who would rather keep their work and private lives separate, there are options other than ignoring an unwanted friend request.

One is to accept the invitation and then use Facebook's privacy settings to limit the flow of information between you and your new "friend." To do this, you can create a "colleagues" list from the Friends menu and then add to it your new friend. Then navigate to the privacy settings and use the "Profile Information" section to control what information people on the "colleagues" list can see.

An alternative, says workplace etiquette expert Barbara Pachter, is to suggest to the colleague that you connect instead on LinkedIn, a social network for professional relationships.

"You can just go ahead and ask them to join you on LinkedIn and hope they forget they sent you a Facebook friend request," said Pachter, the author of New Rules @ Work.

"Or you can say, Thanks for asking me. I'm keeping Facebook for my family and friends. I'm asking you to join me on my professional network instead.'"

Pachter said that whatever you do, it's important not to offend your colleague -- and that's not just because politeness is good etiquette.

"The person you offend might end up being your boss next year," she said.

Got a question about the etiquette of email, social networks and other workplace technologies? Send them to richard.baum@reuters.com or via Twitter to @rbaum.

This Weekend in Atlanta

2010-02-19T10:31:00.002-05:00

Lots of great events going on in Atlanta this weekend. Even NBC's America's Got Talent will be in town for auditions.

Other Highlights include:

Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus (Featuring the Zebra, of course!)

The UniverSoul Circus

Last Weekend for the da Vinci exhibit at the High Museum of Art

Moscow Festival Ballet

Have a wonderful weekend!

Vancouver Winter Olympics...Did you know?

2010-02-12T10:42:00.003-05:00

The 2010 Winter Olympics kick off today in Vancouver with the opening ceremonies. Did you know these fun facts about the Vancouver Winter Olympics?

The 2010 WInter Olympics will be the second time that Canada has hosted the winter Olympics, having been the host for the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary. Canada has also hosted the summer Olympics, in Montreal 1976.

There are 15 sports on the Winter Olympic Program for 2010. The sports of Snowboard Cross and Skier Cross have been added to the program.

The mens and women's hockey will be played on smaller (60 x 26 m vs 60 x 30) NHL-sized ice for the first time, saving millions of dollars by not having to build a new rink.

Vancouver is the first Winter Olympics host city to hold the opening and closing ceremonies indoors.

The three Vancouver Games mascots are Miga, Quatchi and Sumi. Miga is part Kermode bear, a rare white bear that only lives in British Columbia. Quatchi is a young sasquatch, a popular figure in local native legends of the Pacific West Coast. Sumi is an animal spirit who lives in the mountains of British Columbia.

Good Morning America Recommends Temporary Employment

2010-02-02T13:41:00.001-05:00

We received this in an email today from the American Staffing Association. DISCOVER STAFFING is a member of the ASA as well as the Georgia Staffing Association

'Good Morning America' Recommends Temporary Employment

Temporary employment through an ASA member staffing firm is a great option for job seekers, according to "Good Morning America" correspondent Tory Johnson. That's one of the messages she shared during the Jan. 25 "Get a Job in January" segment with George Stephanopoulos.

"It seems that all the action right now [is] in temporary jobs," said Stephanopoulos. "In the past six months, 200,000 temporary jobs [were] created," he added.

Johnson agreed, citing ASA data as well as anecdotal information the association had collected from its board of directors: "The ASA leadership…said that they still feel very positive about strong growth between now and July, adding up to about 300,000 positions."

To find those positions, Johnson recommended that job seekers visit americanstaffing.net, where they can search for staffing firms' contact information. The accompanying article on abcnews.com provided a direct link to the job seekers search engine on the ASA Web site.

The GMA Web article also referred to a study by labor law firm Littler Mendelson, which predicts that temporary and contract employees and consultants will fill half the jobs created during the economic recovery. "Temporary jobs are a smart place to look right now," Johnson wrote.

Johnson also discussed job opportunities in health care, in federal law enforcement, and with small businesses.

"Good Morning America," a morning news program on the ABC television network, reaches some 4.3 million viewers, according to a recent audit report. The ABC Web site, abcnews.com, receives more than nine million unique visitors monthly.

Reem El-Khatib

From Staffing Week

W2s Have Been Mailed

2010-01-29T09:13:00.002-05:00

The 2009 W2s have been mailed out today. Please give the US Postal Service the next week for them to be delivered to you. If you do not receive your W2 by Friday, February 5th please contact us at our office - (678) 393-9313.

We will reprint W2s starting on Monday, February 15th.

Thank you for all you do.

Don't Forget Referrals!

2010-01-26T14:18:00.004-05:00

DISCOVER STAFFING is always looking for good candidates with experience in office support or light industrial jobs. If you know someone who is looking, please refer them to us. Tell them to send their resume to alpharetta@discoverstaffing.com and tell us who referred them. Don't forget, you will receive a $20 referral bonus after they work 40 hours!

Good people refer good people! Do you know someone who could benefit from our services?

Password Protection

2010-01-22T08:28:00.003-05:00

The lead story on Yahoo! this morning was this one about Passwords. The information is way to important not to pass on. Everyone needs to protect themselves on the web.

If Your Password Is 123456, Just Make It HackMe
by Ashlee Vance
Friday, January 22, 2010
Provided by The New York Times

Back at the dawn of the Web, the most popular account password was "12345."

Today, it's one digit longer but hardly safer: "123456."

Despite all the reports of Internet security breaches over the years, including the recent attacks on Google's e-mail service, many people have reacted to the break-ins with a shrug.

According to a new analysis, one out of five Web users still decides to leave the digital equivalent of a key under the doormat: they choose a simple, easily guessed password like "abc123," "iloveyou" or even "password" to protect their data.

"I guess it's just a genetic flaw in humans," said Amichai Shulman, the chief technology officer at Imperva, which makes software for blocking hackers. "We've been following the same patterns since the 1990s."

Mr. Shulman and his company examined a list of 32 million passwords that an unknown hacker stole last month from RockYou, a company that makes software for users of social networking sites like Facebook and MySpace. The list was briefly posted on the Web, and hackers and security researchers downloaded it. (RockYou, which had already been widely criticized for lax privacy practices, has advised its customers to change their passwords, as the hacker gained information about their e-mail accounts as well.)

The trove provided an unusually detailed window into computer users' password habits. Typically, only government agencies like the F.B.I. or the National Security Agency have had access to such a large password list.

"This was the mother lode," said Matt Weir, a doctoral candidate in the e-crimes and investigation technology lab at Florida State University, where researchers are also examining the data.

Imperva found that nearly 1 percent of the 32 million people it studied had used "123456" as a password. The second-most-popular password was "12345." Others in the top 20 included "qwerty," "abc123" and "princess."

More disturbing, said Mr. Shulman, was that about 20 percent of people on the RockYou list picked from the same, relatively small pool of 5,000 passwords.

That suggests that hackers could easily break into many accounts just by trying the most common passwords. Because of the prevalence of fast computers and speedy networks, hackers can fire off thousands of password guesses per minute.

"We tend to think of password guessing as a very time-consuming attack in which I take each account and try a large number of name-and-password combinations," Mr. Shulman said. "The reality is that you can be very effective by choosing a small number of common passwords."

Some Web sites try to thwart the attackers by freezing an account for a certain period of time if too many incorrect passwords are typed. But experts say that the hackers simply learn to trick the system, by making guesses at an acceptable rate, for instance.

To improve security, some Web sites are forcing users to mix letters, numbers and even symbols in their passwords. Others, like Twitter, prevent people from picking common passwords.

Still, researchers say, social networking and entertainment Web sites often try to make life simpler for their users and are reluctant to put too many controls in place.

Even commercial sites like eBay must weigh the consequences of freezing accounts, since a hacker could, say, try to win an auction by freezing the accounts of other bidders.

Overusing simple passwords is not a new phenomenon. A similar survey examined computer passwords used in the mid-1990s and found that the most popular ones at that time were "12345," "abc123" and "password."

Why do so many people continue to choose easy-to-guess passwords, despite so many warnings about the risks?

Security experts suggest that we are simply overwhelmed by the sheer number of things we have to remember in this digital age.

"Nowadays, we have to keep probably 10 times as many passwords in our head as we did 10 years ago," said Jeff Moss, who founded a popular hacking conference and is now on the Homeland Security Advisory Council. "Voice mail passwords, A.T.M. PINs and Internet passwords — it's so hard to keep track of."

In the idealized world championed by security specialists, people would have different passwords for every Web site they visit and store them in their head or, if absolutely necessary, on a piece of paper.

But bowing to the reality of our overcrowded brains, the experts suggest that everyone choose at least two different passwords — a complex one for Web sites were security is vital, such as banks and e-mail, and a simpler one for places where the stakes are lower, such as social networking and entertainment sites.

Mr. Moss relies on passwords at least 12 characters long, figuring that those make him a more difficult target than the millions of people who choose five- and six-character passwords.

"It's like the joke where the hikers run into a bear in the forest, and the hiker that survives is the one who outruns his buddy," Mr. Moss said. "You just want to run that bit faster."

Stress Management Tips

2010-01-21T14:10:00.003-05:00

At DISCOVER STAFFING, we are always looking for helpful tips to pass on to our employees. With the new year upon us and all that we have going on in our lives, we wanted to share this great article that provides some tips on stress management.

Stress Management Tips

All stress isn’t bad. Stress can initiate change, help us focus on the task at hand, and in some cases even save our lives. Yet, when stress builds up, it can result in the opposites— and cause us to spin our wheels, keep us from concentrating, and cause bodily injury and even loss of life.

The first tip in managing stress is to recognize your stressors. The next step is to put each of them in their place. The following stress management tips, based on some old and some new adages, can help you do just that!

Take a Deep Breath and Count to Ten—Taking a deep breath or two adds oxygen to your system, which almost instantly helps you relax. In addition, taking a moment to step back can help you maintain your composure, which in the long run, is what you need to work rationally through a stressful situation.

Start with "take a deep breath" and…

Count to ten (or more or less as the situation warrants!)

Stand up and stretch. Remember relaxation is the opposite of stress.

Stand up and smile. Try it! You’ll feel better!

Take a short walk. If you’re at work, take a bathroom break or get a glass of water. Do something that changes your focus. When you come back to the problem, chances are it won’t seem nearly as insurmountable.

In the book Gone With the Wind, Scarlett O’Hara says, “I can't think about that right now. If I do, I'll go crazy. I'll think about that tomorrow.” Good advice!

Stop and Smell the Roses—
"Things happen" and sometimes "bad things happen to good people". If we let them, stressful events can build up, wall us in, and eventually stop us from enjoying the good things in life.

Take the time. Too often we put the pleasantries of life on the back burner, telling ourselves we don’t "have time" or can’t "make time" for them. However, actually, time is the only thing we do completely own. While we can’t "make" a day that’s longer than 24 hours, each of us starts the day with exactly that amount of time. Take a part of your time to recognize the good things in your life.

Sleep on it. Every coin has two sides and every issue has both pros and cons. List them both then put the list away and take a second look tomorrow. Sometimes "sleeping on" a situation changes the minuses to pluses.

Every cloud has a silver lining. After all, rain makes things grow! Ben Franklin found good in a bolt of lightning. Find the good in your stressful situation by listing the negative surges and determining what it will take to make them into positive charges!

"A Man's Got to Know His Limitations—"
Knowing yourself and your limits may be the most important way to manage stress effectively.

Dare to say no. One more little thing may be the “straw that breaks the camel’s back”. It’s okay to say "No", "I can’t", or "Later".

Acquit yourself. Sometimes events really are out of control and you really are "Not Guilty". Quit blaming yourself.

Be pro-active in finding peace. Those who unsuccessfully use the crutches of drugs and/or alcohol to alleviate stress often find themselves in a twelve-step program like A.A. where one of the mainstays is the Serenity Prayer:

"God grant me the Serenity to accept the things I cannot change; The Courage to change the things I can; and the Wisdom to know the difference."

When you need help, get help. Even Atlas couldn’t bear the weight of the world on his shoulders forever. Whether you need help from kids or spouse in hauling groceries into the house, help from a colleague to solve a work-related problem, or professional help to find the causes of and effectively manage your stress, getting the help you need is in itself a major stress management tip!

Other Tips

Get a good night's rest.

Eat healthily.

Listen to your favorite music.

Exercise, participate in a sport or engage in fun activity.

Plan out your time and prioritize.

Talk to a friend about your problems, don't hold it in.

Get a massage.

Take a nap.

Take a warm bath.

Read a book or watch TV.

Go to StressManagementTips.com for more information on managing your stress from day to day.

Don't Forget Original Time Sheets

2010-01-15T10:59:00.001-05:00

Don’t Forget Original Time Cards!

Please be sure to get us original time cards each week. They are due by 1pm every Monday. You can fax them to us to start with, but put them in the mail as well.

If you do not have any original time sheets, please contact us and we can send them to you.

Please do not re-use faxed time sheets.

Thank you for all you do!

W2s will be Mailed January 29th

2010-01-11T14:07:00.004-05:00

DISCOVER STAFFING will be mailing out the W2s on January 29th, 2010. If you have had a change in address, please contact the office as soon as possible with the new information. Please call us at (678) 393-9313 to make any changes in your mailing address.