“To improve the living and working conditions and opportunities for persons with severe disabilities.”
EEO/AA/M/F/D/V

The Director’s Corner
By Phil L. Taylor, Executive Director
 
 
 

As you may recall a couple of months ago, I started a series of related articles talking about choosing to have a positive ATTITUDE at work.  You have to remember that it is yours and yours alone, so why not make it a positive one.  When you come in the door with that “right thinking” “positive” I’m glad to be at work attitude and exhibit that positive outlook, it rubs off on others.  It is then, you have begun to get it right and be able to do what I talked about last month which was to “make somebody’s day”.  This proactive approach can make someone feel special, a real part of things, a valuable part of the team, a valued customer and someone that counts for something.  It almost requires that you have to have on your agenda positive and proactive ways seeking to put someone in the driver’s seat and feeling good about themselves in this work environment.

This month I want to focus on the idea that you have to have a real sense of “presence” at your job.  You have to have a deliberate and intentional all-day commitment to be “totally involved” in your job.  You have to be both physically and mentally tuned in and turned on to your job and everything it is about.  You have to cut out the extended small talk and chatter because it really takes you and whoever else is involved away from being totally involved.  If you are guilty of this with several people a day, you will have significantly impaired many individuals’ efforts along with your own.  Most of this can be saved to breaks and lunch periods if it is needed to build relationships.  When you are a 100% on the job, you then become able to make somebody’s day and to maintain a good attitude.  You will gain many benefits that you can’t even imagine now.

You should basically remember what your job requires and be very alert to your job and the work environment.   Some of the negative behaviors in this arena would be day dreaming, small talk/chatter, tardiness, procrastination, non-business uses of a phone or computers, frequent absences, etc.  Some of the positive indicators for this would be alert, on-time, task-oriented, task- driven, punctual work assignments, proactive with team members, attentive to what’s happening around them, self-initiated work activities, etc.

This type of person is someone you like to work around.  They often help you get your job done by doing their own dependably.  They are often the ones that offer to help before help is asked for.   Usually they learn to do their job really well and not just scratch the surface.  They don’t have to find busywork because they dig deep down to do a thorough job.

These three attributes are not really built one on the other.  They can be worked on at the same time.  But, realistically a person has to be very focused and intentional to be able to do them.  The farther a person’s work behaviors are away from these, then the harder a person has to work to achieve them.  However, the more people that have these behaviors the better it is on the others, who are working toward them.  It takes hard work to make these kinds of changes, especially if your personality type doesn’t easily adjust to them.  It is really worth the effort.
 
I hope you will try some of these approaches and they will go a long ways toward you feeling good about yourself and your work.  And, as always I really appreciate all the things you do on behalf of our consumers.
 

 
  OCTOBER
BIRTHDAYS
 

Ada Chestnut    8th
Lynette Holloway   14th
Chris Paslay    14th
Thomas Webb   16th
Mary Mooney    20th
Gay Thompson   21st
Jean Williams    27th
Bryan Simons    31st WAIVER QUALITY CONTROL

As consumer satisfaction and a high standard for quality services are one of the goals for AU, we are implementing a Quality Control Program.  AU has contracted with someone to monitor the community based waiver services we provide to better ensure that all consumers are receiving the services they have requested in a courteous and professional manner.  AU would like all of our staff to be aware of this new effort so you can be prepared to reassure consumers regarding this issue should they have questions about calls or visits they receive from our QC person.  If you need more information about his new service, please contact your supervisor.

 September Service Awards

Congratulations goes out to four Implementors celebrating one year of service with us.  They are: Ty Crutchfield, LaToya Gates, Angela Kifer, and Marion Morgan.  They each received a service certificate and lapel pin.  Thanks so much for your efforts!!!

 Welcome to AU

Welcome to the AU family - Regeina Wilbanks, Work Instructor; Anglea Byrd, Work Instructor - Blytheville; April Rinkines, Blytheville Driver; Joyce Henderson, Amy White, Wanda Garner, Earline Coleman, Roxanne Davis, Jessica Yancey, Stephanie Garcia, Sharon Dachs, Lisa Foster - Implementors; Lynette Holloway, Supported Living Trainer; Dean Lamberth, CDL Driver; Shamika Davis, Blytheville Flex; and Anna Jones, Blytheville Driver

INCENTIVE AWARD WINNERS

The incentive award winners for July and August were chosen from a drawing at the September staff meetings.  The safety and attendance winners were: Paul Hedge, Saprina Aldridge, Kim Bobo, Flo Bowlin, Alex White, Pat Brown, Lorene Gibson, Stephanie Gotay, Patty Brewer, Carolyn Roberts, Shannon Agee, Jeannie Hyde, Brian Simons, Stan Arnold, Penny Pickrell, Kelly Gilbert, Kathrine May, Keisha Hazelwood, and Charles McKinley.  And, the grand prize winner for four hours off with pay is Mary Mooney!  Keep up the great work!
 
Continuation of Group Health Insurance Coverage

A federal law (Public 99-272, Title X) known as COBRA (Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985) requires that most employers sponsoring group health plans offer employees and their families the opportunity for a temporary extension of health coverage at group rates in certain instances where coverage under the plan would otherwise end.  This notice is intended to inform you of your rights and obligations under this continuation coverage provision of the law.  This summary of rights should be reviewed by both you and your spouse (if applicable), retained with other benefit documents, and referred to in the event that any action is required on your part.  If you are an employee of Abilities Unlimited covered by its group health plan, you have a right to choose this continuation coverage if you lose your group health coverage because of a reduction in your hours of employment or the termination of your employment (for reasons other than gross misconduct on your part).

If you are the covered spouse of an employee, you have the right to choose continuation of coverage for yourself if you lose group health coverage for any of the following reasons: the death of the employee; the termination of the employee’s employment or a reduction in the employee’s hours of employment; divorce or legal separation from the employee; or the employee becomes entitled to Medicare.

In the case of a covered dependent child of an employee, he or she has the right to continuation of coverage if group health coverage is lost for any of the following five reasons: the death of the employee; the termination of the employee’s employment or reduction in the employee’s hours of employment; parents’ divorce or legal separation; employee becomes entitled to Medicare; or the dependent ceases to be a “dependent child” under the terms of the group health plan.

Under  the law, the employee or a family member has the responsibility to inform Abilities Unlimited, Inc. of a divorce, legal separation, or child losing dependent status under the plan.  This notification must be made within 60 days of the date of the qualifying event  which would cause a loss of coverage.  This notice must be in writing, and should be sent to: DeeDee Daniel, Abilities Unlimited, P.O. Box 1207, Jonesboro AR 72403.