| How to Create Voter Friendly Policies at Work Posted: 02 Sep 2020 05:00 PM PDT Many working people struggle to find time to vote, especially if they have family obligations outside of work. One of the most common reasons Americans give for why they don't cast their ballot is "work obligations." You can help your employees exercise their rights by creating voter-friendly policies in your workplace, like offering paid voting leave or making Election Day a company holiday. Get to know your local voting leave laws, and go above and beyond by giving your workers additional support and resources to make voting as easy as possible. [Edit]Giving Your Employees Time Off to Vote - Look up your state's laws on voter leave rights. In the U.S., there's no federal law that requires employees to give their workers time off to vote. However, many states have their own voting leave laws. These laws can vary a lot from one state to another, so research the laws in your state to make sure that you're in compliance.[1]
- For example, in Arizona, employers are required to give their employees up to 3 hours of paid leave time to vote. The employee must give advance notice at least 1 day before they plan to vote.[2]
- Some individual cities or counties might have their own voting leave ordinances, so check the laws on a more local level as well.
- Create a specific policy for your workplace. Whatever the laws are in your state, it's a good idea to come up with clear guidelines for your company's employees.[3] This will help ensure that you handle your employees' needs in a fair and consistent manner, whether they're voting early, absentee, or on Election Day.[4] Sit down and write out a policy that includes things like:
- A summary of local voting leave laws and how you plan to comply with them
- How many hours off you plan to give employees to vote
- Whether or not you will offer paid leave
- Whether your employees need to give you advance notice of when they plan to vote
- What days or times will be available to your employees for voting-related activities
- Give your employees written notice of their voting rights. Explain clearly to your employees what their rights are and how you plan to accommodate those rights. Write up a clear explanation of your company policy as well as local laws related to voting and email, mail, or hand it out to all your workers.[5]
- Include these policies in your employee handbook.
- Encourage your employees to ask any questions they might have about your company's voting policies.
- Allow your workers at least 2 hours of time off to vote. The length of time it takes to vote can be unpredictable, and the COVID-19 pandemic has made the voting process more complicated and uncertain than ever.[6] Give your employees at least 2 hours off for voting, and more than that if possible.[7]
- Keep in mind that the time it will take for an employee to vote can be impacted by a huge variety of factors, including how far they have to travel from work to their polling place, whether or not they need to use public transportation, how long the lines are, and what kinds of extra safety measures they might have to deal with due to the coronavirus.
- If you already have a specific amount of time allotted in your company policy for voting, consider extending it or dropping time restrictions altogether. This will make it easier for your employees to deal with the unique challenges created by the coronavirus pandemic.
- Provide paid voting leave if possible to reduce employee hardship. Even if they're able to take time off, many employees are discouraged at the thought of losing much-needed income during the time it takes to get to the polls and vote. If you can, offer paid leave so that your employees can exercise their right to vote without suffering financially.[8]
- In some states, employers are required by law to offer a certain number of hours of paid leave for voting.[9] Even if it's not required in your state, consider adopting paid voting leave as part of your company policy.
- Offer leave for early voting as well as on Election Day. Your workers will feel more encouraged to vote if they have as many options as possible. Instead of restricting your employees to voting on just one day, give them the option to vote on whichever date is most convenient for them.[10]
- Most states offer some type of early voting options, sometimes starting as early as 50 days before the election. Find out when and if early voting is available in your state at Vote.org: https://www.vote.org/early-voting-calendar/.
- If your state allows voting by mail, you can also give your workers time off to drop off or mail in their absentee ballots. A few states have transitioned entirely to voting by mail as of 2020.
- One option is to give your employees a certain number of unspecified "civic hours" that they can use for voting-related activities whenever they like.
- Make Election Day a corporate holiday to encourage voting. Even if you allow leave for early voting, it's still a good idea to make Election Day a special day at your company. Give your employees the whole day off and urge them to vote, or set aside at least part of the day as a time when your workers can go to the polls.[11]
- Offering an Election Day work holiday will also give your employees a chance to get involved in the voting process in other ways. For example, if they're not tied up at work, they can volunteer at the polls, give other voters rides to polling places, or even babysit their friends' and colleagues' kids while they go vote.
- Go above and beyond what's required by law. Whatever your local voting leave laws may be, take a leadership role by going beyond the bare minimum. Give your employees extra time and support to ensure that they have every opportunity to exercise their rights. This way, you will not only help your workers, but you'll also set a great example for other employers in your community.[12]
- Add your company to ElectionDay.org's database of voter-friendly companies.[13] Share information about what you're doing to make voting easier for your employees so that other civic-minded businesses can follow your lead!
[Edit]Providing Information and Resources - Distribute information to your workers about how to vote in your state. Empower your employees by giving them information about when, how, and where to vote. Share resources including voter registration rules and deadlines, vote by mail rules and deadlines, election dates, an early voting calendar, a polling place locator, voter ID information, and more. You can find all of this information at https://www.vote.org/.[14]
- Voting and election rules are changing quickly due to COVID-19, so share a reliable resource for your employees to check for any updates in their state, such as https://www.vote.org/covid-19/.
- You can also direct your employees to websites with helpful information about upcoming elections, candidates, and ballot measures. Some good options include Vote.org, BallotReady.org, and USA.gov's "Voting and Elections" pages.[15]
- Host a voter registration drive at your workplace. Make voting as easy as possible for your employees by helping them register from the convenience of work! Holding a company-wide voter registration drive is a wonderful way to encourage voting and foster an atmosphere of civic spirit in the workplace.[16]
- Contact a local organization that already has experience coordinating voter registration drives, such as your local League of Women Voters branch. They can help you make plans and assemble the materials you need to have a successful drive.[17]
- Getting people registered can be as simple as asking them to fill out a form online. Set up a computer with the Vote.org registration website pulled up: https://www.vote.org/register-to-vote/.
- You can also embed free or paid Vote.org tools on your internal or external company communications platforms from https://www.vote.org/technology/.
- Identify #VoteReady Captains across your team that suit your organizational structure to be leaders in sharing this information internally and externally.
- Make the experience fun and exciting by having competitions to see which department can register the most voters. Or, you can offer your employees small prizes for registering, even if it's something as simple as a sticker, pen, or button.[18]
- Help eligible employees apply for absentee ballots. Many states are expanding their rules regarding absentee or mail-in voting due to the coronavirus pandemic. If your employees are concerned about the safety of voting in person, encourage them to apply for an absentee ballot if your state allows it.[19]
- Let your employees know that they can apply for an absentee ballot and look up important vote-by-mail deadlines at Vote.org.
- As of 2020, Washington, Oregon, Colorado, Hawaii, Utah, and California are automatically sending mail-in ballots to all registered voters.[20]
- Provide access to printers, postage, childcare, and other resources employees may lack. Some employees may be discouraged from voting because they have limited access to the materials and resources they need. Reach out to your employees and help them get access to tools that will make it easier for them to vote.[21] For example, you could:
- Give out voter registration forms or absentee ballot applications, or give your employees free access to a printer so they can print out their own.
- Provide postage-paid envelopes so your employees can mail in their ballots or registration forms.
- Organize a shuttle or bus on Election Day to bring workers with limited transportation options to the polls.
- Arrange a company-sponsored childcare and/or eldercare program for employees taking time off to vote on or before Election Day.
- Give out information about voting safely during the COVID-19 pandemic. Like so many other things, the coronavirus pandemic has had an impact on voting. Help your employees by giving them up-to-date information on how the virus has affected voting in your state.[22] You can get the latest updates by visiting your local election website or browsing the links available here: https://www.vote.org/covid-19/.
- If your employees plan to vote in person, encourage them to read the CDC's guidelines on how to stay safe.[23] These include wearing a mask in public, staying at least from others as much as possible, and washing or sanitizing your hands frequently.
[Edit]References |
| How to Get Rid of Smoke Smell Posted: 02 Sep 2020 09:00 AM PDT Whether you smoke in your home or something recently caught fire in the kitchen, you're probably looking for a way to get rid of that lasting smoke smell. You've probably also seen that this smell is tough to get rid of. But luckily, there's hope! It might take some work, but you can get rid of smoke odors without having to call in an expensive professional cleaner. With the right tricks, you can knock out that smoke smell for good. [Edit]Airing Out Your Home or Car - Clean out any ash trays in your home or car. Ashes and cigarette butts will continue to smell, so get rid of these first. Wash or vacuum out the ashtrays in your home or car and get rid of loose cigarette butts so they don't keep giving off a smoke smell.[1]
- Make sure cigarette butts are completely extinguished before throwing them in the trash to avoid accidental fires.
- Vacuum all of your floors, carpets, and seats thoroughly. If you've smoked inside your home or car, then ashes can get everywhere and continue smelling. Give everything a good vacuuming, especially fabrics and upholstery, to get rid of any leftover ash.[2]
- Make sure you don't miss any spots in your car. Vacuum under the seats, the dashboard, and in the space between the doors.[3]
- Open all the windows in your home or car to bring in fresh air. A good airing-out can be very effective. Try opening all the windows in your home or car to let some fresh air in. Opening windows will also pull out some of the smoke odor.[4]
- It might take a few hours or days of airing out to make a big difference.
- Keep an eye on the weather if you're airing out your car. You don't want any rain getting inside.
- Place fans in the windows of your home to pull odor out. Fans can get the air circulating faster. Put box fans in 1 or 2 of your windows so that they're facing outward and turn them on.[5]
- Keep the fans running for a few hours or all day if you have to.
- Put smelly furniture, mats, books, and other items outside to air out. Your couches, chairs, tables, books, and knick knacks absorb smoke smells. The same goes for removable mats or seat covers in your car. Move your smelly items outside on a nice, sunny day and leave them out there for a few hours to air out.[6]
- Keep an eye on the weather. Make sure you do this on a day when no rain is expected so your things don't get ruined.
- Give everything a quick smell test before you bring it back inside. If anything still has a smoke odor, don't bring it back indoors. Stow it in your garage or somewhere else.
- Replace all of the air filters in your home. Even if you clean your whole home, the smoke odor may still be hanging around in your air vents. Replace the filters on your furnace and AC units so they don't keep pumping the smell into your home.[7]
- If you have central air and heating, vacuum around the vents and ducts to get rid of any lingering ash.[8]
- If you've replaced the filters and the smell persists, then you may need a professional to come and clean the vents.
[Edit]Deodorizing Your Home or Car - Sprinkle baking soda on smelly surfaces to soak up the odor. This is a good, simple trick for homes and cars. Baking soda absorbs smells, so sprinkle a good amount around your home or car, including on all the carpets, furniture, beds or mattresses, rugs, and solid surfaces. Let it sit for a few days, then vacuum it all up.[9]
- Baking soda won't damage fabrics, so don't worry about using it in your home or car.
- If you don't want to get baking soda everywhere, leave bowls of baking soda around your home or car. This won't work quite as well, but it will pull some of the odor out of the air.
- Wipe down hard surfaces with white vinegar. If your home still smells after a baking soda treatment, then the odor may be clinging to the walls. Wet a rag with white vinegar and wring it out. Lightly wipe solid surfaces like the floor, walls, and wooden furniture to get rid of the smell. You can also wipe down lamps, picture frames, and any other solid items.[10]
- You can use this trick to wipe down the steering wheel, dashboard, and other plastic spots in your car.
- You can wipe upholstered furniture with a small amount of vinegar if it smells. This also works for leather car seats as long as you dilute the vinegar with an equal amount of water.[11]
- If you prefer not to wipe things down with vinegar, leave out bowls of vinegar to absorb odors from the air.
- Clean your windows to get rid of smoke residue. Smoke can leave a smelly layer of residue on glass surfaces. Use glass cleaner to wipe down your windows and get rid of the smoke residue.[12]
- Don't forget to clean other glass surfaces like mirrors.
- Leave a bowl of activated charcoal in smelly spots. Activated charcoal is a bit stronger than baking soda, so it may do a better job of absorbing leftover odors. Try leaving bowls of it around your home to get rid of any remaining traces of the smell.[13]
- Keep the activated charcoal in a bowl or container since it can stain surfaces.
- Steam clean your carpets, furniture, and car seats to deep-clean them. If none of your deodorizing tricks worked, you may need to give everything a thorough steam-cleaning. Luckily, many hardware stores rent these machines. Use the steamer on all the fabrics and upholstery in your home or car, and let them air-dry for a few hours to knock out the smell.[14]
- You may need to use different shampoo types on different fabrics, so be sure to follow any specific instructions by the manufacturers.
- You can also call in a professional steam-cleaner if you don't want to do this yourself.
- Repaint your home interior if nothing gets rid of the smell. If someone smoked in a home for many years, then even your best efforts might not get rid of the smell. In this case, your only hope is repainting. Give the interior walls in each room of your home a fresh coat of paint to cover up any remaining odors.[15]
- In very serious cases, you may need to replace the insulation in the walls as well. It's possible for smoke smells to set in here.
[Edit]Cleaning Fabrics and Loose Items - Wash your clothes and fabrics with of vinegar. Put your clothes into the washing machine and adding of white vinegar instead of detergent. Then, run the cycle as you normally would. Smell your clothes when they come out and wash them again if the smell isn't gone.[16]
- Don't put stinky clothes in the dryer before you re-wash them. You could set the odor into the clothes if you put them in the dryer.[17]
- Use this trick for bedding and other loose fabric items like curtains.
- Dry-clean fabrics if washing doesn't help or you can't wash them. If you've washed your clothes and bedding a few times and the smell just won't go away, then dry-cleaning can help. This is usually an effective way to get rid of odors, so drop your items off at the dry-cleaner to see if that helps.[18]
- Make sure you tell the dry-cleaner that you want to get rid of the smoke smell so they can wash your items correctly.
- You can also dry-clean more fragile items like tapestries and wall hangings. These usually can't be put in the washing machine, so try dry-cleaning from the start.
- Seal small items you can't wash in a bag with baking soda. Other items like books can't really be washed easily. In this case, the best way to fight the odor is sealing them in a plastic bag with some baking soda. Leave them in there for 8 hours so the baking soda can absorb all the smells.[19]
- Baking soda doesn't stain, so you can just dust off the items when you take them out.
- Remove and replace carpets that you can't get the smell out of. Sometimes you can't completely get rid of smoke smell just by cleaning the carpets, especially if the smell was caused by a fire or years of smoking indoors. If you've tried baking soda and other washing tricks and the smoke odor is still there, then your only hope is removing the carpet. Pull out the old carpet and either leave the floor bare or install new carpet to get rid of the smell entirely.[20]
- Clean the hard floor under the carpet with vinegar, just in case the smell soaked through the carpet. Otherwise, the odor might hang around after you put a new carpet down.
[Edit]Things You'll Need - Baking soda
- Vinegar
- Activated charcoal
- Glass cleaner
- Vacuum
- Rags
- Using scented candles or air fresheners might make your home smell better, but they just mask the smoke smell. They won't actually get rid of it.[21]
[Edit]References [Edit]Quick Summary |
| How to Know if a Mask Is Effective Against Coronavirus Posted: 02 Sep 2020 01:00 AM PDT As of July 2020, the World Health Organization recommends wearing a medical face mask if you have symptoms of COVID-19, and wearing non-medical face masks if there are high transmission rates in your area and you cannot socially distance.[1] Face masks may help prevent the spread of COVID-19 by catching the droplets from your mouth when you talk, breathe, or cough.[2] Since many people are looking to purchase and wear face masks, it can be hard to tell if yours is effective against the spread of the COVID-19 virus. By inspecting your mask and purchasing it from a reputable seller, you can make sure that you are keeping yourself and others safe when you're out in public. [Edit]Putting on Non-Medical Fabric Masks - Choose a mask made out of thick cotton. Cotton quilts, cotton sheets, and cotton T-shirts are all great materials to make a mask out of. If you're making your own, try to choose fabric that is tightly woven so it can catch the water droplets that come out of your mouth.[3]
- If you aren't sure if your fabric is woven tightly enough, hold it up to a light. If you can see the light shining through, you should try to go for a different fabric.
- Check for 2 to 3 layers of fabric on cloth masks. Fabric face coverings are only effective when there are 2 or more layers of fabric. Make sure that the one you are wearing has at least 2 layers, if not more.[4]
- The double layers of fabric help to trap in more water droplets when you speak, cough, or breathe.
- Ideally, the outside layer of the mask should be water resistant, the inside layer should be water absorbent, and the middle layer should act as a filter between the two.
- Make sure the mask fits snugly against your chin and cheeks. Put your mask on by looping the ear loops over your ears. Look in the mirror to see if there are any gaps around your nose, chin, or cheeks. If there are, you may need a smaller mask.[5]
- If there are gaps around your face, the air that you breathe in and out can escape, making the mask ineffective.[6]
- Try to avoid touching the mask itself as you adjust it. Instead, pull it by the ear loops to avoid contaminating your hands.
- Wash your mask if it's damp or dirty. If your mask is visibly dirty or it feels damp, put it in the washing machine on a hot water cycle with laundry detergent. Let the washer run its full cycle, then hang the mask up to dry before you use it again.[7]
- Ideally, you should wash your mask after each use. If you do plan to wear it again without washing it, seal it in a plastic bag until you're ready to wear it again.
[Edit]Using a Surgical Mask - Ensure that your surgical mask is approved by the FDA. Surgical masks are the loose-fitting thin blue masks that loop around your ears and cover your nose and mouth. If you are purchasing a surgical mask, make sure you check for the Food and Drug Administration, or FDA, logo on the package to make sure it is a reputable source.[8]
- Surgical masks usually have 3 layers of protection, but they are often not visible unless you cut open the mask.
- Non-FDA approved masks may not have the level of protection needed to slow the spread of COVID-19.
- While surgical masks help to keep the air droplets from your mouth in, they are not effective against filtering air particles that you breathe in.
- Discard your mask if it's torn or dirty. Before you put on a surgical mask, check to see if it's torn or dirty in any spots. If it is, throw your mask away and replace it with a new one.[9]
- Fit the mask snugly against your nose, cheeks, and chin. If you are wearing a surgical mask, pull the loops over your ears and bend the top to fit around the bridge of your nose. There shouldn't be any large gaps on your cheeks where air can escape.[10]
- Gaps between the mask and your skin can allow water droplets to escape into the air, potentially spreading the COVID-19 virus.
- Throw away your surgical mask after one use. Unfortunately, surgical masks are not reusable, and you should throw them away after using them one time. Be sure to take the mask off by the ear loops and throw the mask into a garbage can with a plastic bag in it to avoid contaminating your hands or your home.[11]
- Surgical masks are only made for one use, so they become less effective over time.
[Edit]Wearing an N95 Mask - Make sure your N95 respirator is NIOSH approved. Respirators are tight-fitting masks that loop around the back of your head or your ears. If you are purchasing a respirator, make sure it is approved by The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, or the NIOSH. This will ensure that it can filter out 95% of airborne particles.[12]
- Respirators not approved by the NIOSH may not have enough filtration to protect against the spread of COVID-19.
- Fit the mask snugly against your cheeks, nose, and chin. Pull the straps up and over your head, and secure one around your neck and the other on the back of your head. Check the seal of your respirator to make sure there are no gaps in between the mask and your skin to ensure it is filtering air effectively.[13]
- If you can get your finger in between your mask and your skin, go for a smaller size.
- Respirators are supposed to be tight-fitting, and they may leave marks on your skin if you wear them for a long time.
- Throw away your N95 mask if it's torn or dirty. You can reuse respirators until they look visibly damp, dirty, or torn. If yours is compromised, throw it in a garbage can lined with a plastic bag to avoid contamination. Although N95 masks are not usually reusable, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has issued an exception during the global pandemic.[14]
- You should also throw away your respirator if it becomes hard to breathe through while you're wearing it.
[Edit]Using a Mask the Right Way - Pull the mask on by the loops. To put on your mask, pick it up by the loops on the sides and pull them up and over your ears. Or, grab the straps and pull them on over your head and neck if you're using a respirator. If you need to adjust your mask, pull the loops or straps back and forth until it's sitting comfortably on your face.[15]
- If you do touch the front of the mask while putting it on, wash your hands with soap and water.
- Avoid touching the mask while it's on your face. While you're out and about, try to keep your hands away from your face as best you can. Avoid touching your mask to take it off, pull it down, or adjust it so you don't contaminate your hands.[16]
- If you do touch your mask, use some alcohol-based hand sanitizer to clean your hands.
- Keep the mask on until you can socially distance from other people. Unless you are in an area where you can stay at least from other people, you should keep your mask on. Taking your mask off while you're near other people can spread the COVID-19 virus, even if it's just for a moment.[17]
- If you aren't sure whether you need to wear a mask out in public, check your state or county guidelines.
- Take the mask off by pulling on the loops or straps. To remove your mask, grab the ear loops or the head straps and gently pull them up and away from your face. Avoid touching the front of the mask as much as possible to keep from contaminating your hands.[18]
- Your mask may have filtered out some contaminants that are stuck to the front of the mask, which is why you want to avoid touching it.
- Wash your hands after taking off your mask. Using soap and warm water, scrub your hands thoroughly, getting your palms, fingers, and under your nails. Rinse your hands thoroughly and dry them off with a clean towel when you're done.[19]
- Try to wash your hands every time you go out into public or touch a shared surface.
[Edit]Warnings - Face masks should be used in conjunction with other preventative measures, like social distancing, hand washing, and staying home when you feel sick.[20]
[Edit]References |
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