Small Business Hawaii | Volume 23 Number 12 | December 1998
Employee Handbook | Finding a Job in Hawaii
 SERF OR SELF: WHO IS YOUR GOVERNOR? By Richard O. Rowland, Rowland & Associates Recent revelations about "improper" sex in the lives of Bill Clinton, Thomas Jefferson and a multitude of other so-called governors of our nation are fascinating. Each one reveals that self-government is so difficult that it can never be perfect or close. Out of all those "leaders," the only one who would have said, when confronted with the facts, that the situation only proves the rationale of the U.S. Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States, would be Thomas Jefferson. He would have said that all men are fallible and subject to imperfections and that is why we should never, ever place our complete trust in any one leader. That's why our U.S. Constitution has in it strict checks and balances for the Federal government and harsh restriction on the power of the Federal government. Thomas Jefferson believed that the most important level of government for each of us is self-government-a lifelong project that never ends until death. Further, Mr. Jefferson and most of his peers depended upon religion to help them navigate through life. Why? Because western religion, the Judeo-Christian ethic, demanded that no person was above the authority of God. Be he king, Senator, President or Pope, he or she had to answer to an ultimate authority in a strict context of right and wrong. In Hawaii, most members of our "governing" political party almost worship Franklin Delano Roosevelt as a "great" leader. This is the person who signed the Executive Order which put thousands of Americans of Japanese ancestry into concentration camps in the USA during WWII. Here's a quote from Ralph Raico, Professor of History, State University College at Buffalo discussing Mr. Roosevelt's activities in the early 1920's "On the question of immigration, which was being hotly debated at the time, FDR took the then-popular position that large scale immigration had to be stopped. His special ire was reserved for the Japanese who came to America. 'Californians have properly objected-that Japanese immigrants are not capable of assimilation into the American population.' We should be candid, he declared, about the grounds for exclusion of the Japanese, namely 'the undesirability of mixing the blood of the two peoples.'" Hello, Hawaii, how's that for inspiring governance! Isn't that wisdom to ring down through generations? Would you follow that man anywhere? Over 100 million Americans did, right into WWII, against an evil foe that believed in a "master race" and with a beloved ally who exterminated millions of his own people to consolidate his power. Reminds me of a quote from the November issue of Freedom Daily (published by the Future of Freedom Foundation Fairfax, VA.) by Arthur Goddard:
It's about values, say Governor Cayetano and President Clinton. They care so much about those who elected them, that they will take your money which you need for yourself and family government and spend it on the values that they believe should be important. They cannot govern themselves but they want to govern you and they do because they take almost 50% of your earnings for their purposes. A strong state constitution which focuses on self, Family and Community government and which is strictly enforced is our only hope. That's why I voted for Con-Con. And I will again at every opportunity. Because, when self government flourishes, government by and for others declines in importance, scope and power. Serf or Self, those are our choices.
 By Peter Solstad "Buying Real Estate? In a Declining market? Call 672-5725 before you buy." Callers would dial in, and would hear a recorded message exhorting them to send $5.00 to buy my report concerning the rapidly falling value of residential real estate in Hawaii. Before accepting my ad, the Advertiser requested a copy of my report and a transcript of the recorded message. I thought that reasonable. I sent it to them. It was a number of days before I heard anything, so I called the paper. I was told the Advertiser would only accept the ad if I would change its language. "What?" I said. "How can I rewrite it to be clearer than it is? It's less than 12 words!" I was told to rewrite it nevertheless, and I was further informed that they would not place the ad under the real estate category under any circumstances. I said, "Well it pertains to real estate, so why would I want to put it under another category?" The very nice lady responded that her hands were tied. Arguing with her was pointless I thought. She didn't make this decision. It wasn't her fault. She had orders from headquarters. "So much for freedom of the press," I thought. Free if you own it maybe. I certainly didn't think I was yelling "Fire!" in a crowded theater. Here we all are, a year after this silliness, and the price of residential real estate has plummeted even more dramatically than my original report had forecast! I can't help wondering how many people in Hawaii paid too much for their homes because they were denied access to my report. This experience reinforced my faith in the old adage: "Let the buyer beware!" But, to beware, one must have access to the whole story (all relevant information). The Advertiser's decision to censor my ad greatly restricted public access to accurate information which time has more than validated. Armed with my report, many may have saved much (or avoided needless loss) by simply postponing their ill-advised purchases. Buyers need more than the one-sided view tossed about by realtors and bankers: "It's the best time to buy" or "Interest rates have never been lower!" Both statements are true, but only if you look to the past. Both statements may be patently false, if you look (or are afforded the opportunity to look) to the future! To me this whole episode was a clear case of denying the public access to a simple truth. The value of residential real estate in Hawaii was, and continues to be in an unrelenting free fall. It hasn't hit bottom yet, not by a long shot! The reasons are varied and many. My original report captured the most dramatic, and it remains valid to this day. If you'd like a copy you can find it at no cost on my server at http://www.sunstate-intl.com.
By Helene Robin, HR Consulting Most employers now have some form of employee handbook or personnel policies manual. Many such handbooks have not been updated for several years, however, When is it time to revise your employee handbook? Consider the changes in the law which taken place in the last decade alone. If your handbook was last updated in 1990, you have failed to incorporate some developments made in federal laws as the American With Disabilities Act, the Family and Medical Leave Act, the Civil Rights Act Amendments of 1991. Any handbook more than five years old has also failed to address literally hundreds of state and federal court cases dealing with handbook-related issues. State and federal government agencies have also issued numerous regulations and interpretive decisions in recent years that affect handbook policies. Finally, new technologies have arisen during the last decade, which should be addressed by workplace policy manuals. Handbook serve many valuable purposes, they carry certain risks and obligations. With the dramatic increase in employment litigation during the last two decades, some employers have found themselves in court because of ill-advised employee handbook provisions. Other employers have found their handbooks were indispensable in keeping them out of court. Even though most employers now have employee handbooks, they are not necessarily right for every employer. In particular, no employer should undertake to put a handbook in place without being prepared to make a substantial time and monetary commitment to the drafting and updating process. Disputes between employees and employers are common due to employers choose to rely on unwritten employment policies and who have tried to avoid having written handbooks. Meanwhile, courts have increasingly come to recognize that properly drafted employee handbooks, containing appropriate disclaimers or clarifications of the employers intent, can actually help to preserve managementís discretion in discipline and discharge cases. Handbook should be clearly written and organized so that employees can understand them. It should be written in a positive and friendly manner and should attempt to foster a feeling of well beingóup to a point. A certain amount of legal language is indispensable in the present litigious environment. Disclaimers and reservations of management rights should be not be watered down or hidden to such an extent that they lose their effectiveness. Employee handbooks can have explosive effects in the workplace. If handled properly, it is a valuable employee communication tool, which can help to avoid or reduce litigation costs. Regular monitoring and updates are strongly recommended. If you need any assistance updating your handbook, please do not hesitate to call HR2 Consulting at 808-373-4444.
NEW BOOK WILL HELP JOB SEEKERS A new book authored by SBH member Rich Budnick, How to Get the Job You Want in Hawaii, is a step-by-step guide that teaches job hunting skills to people who are looking for a job or changing careers. Job seekers will learn how to:
* Get more job referrals, job interviews, and job offers The 192-page book includes 10 pages of sample resumes, a review of the 15 most common job search methods, and 9 reasons why people get hired. "Job hunting is a skill you can learn, not a matter of luck," said author Rich Budnick. "This book teaches you how to plan and achieve a successful job search, and presents dozens of practical tips that you can use immediately. The paperback book, which Budnick self-published through Aloha Press, retails for $14.95. Books may be ordered through Aloha Press, Box 4183-SBH, Honolulu, HI 96812. Additional book information is available at the Hawaii Careers website: http://www.lava.net/~kbucar/html/hawaii_careers.htm. For more information call 395-1161.
Serf or Self: Who Is Your Governor? | Denied By The Advertiser
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