LOA Reminder

What is LOA?

• LOA stands for – Leave of Absence

• LOA is to cover an extended time off from regular work. Whether the LOA is covered under the Federal Family Medical Leave or RRI West’s Personal Leave, it is unpaid (unless you elected Short Term Disability), that may protect your job while you are not able to work for medical reasons (self or immediate family) or military reasons.

• Being on an approved LOA may help protect your Full-Time status by not counting the weeks with zero hours.

What do I need to do if you or your employee would like to take a LOA?

• Once someone requests a LOA, please contact Tamara Ross (Tamara.ross@rriwest.com) or Kelly McCloud (Kelly.mccloud@rriwest.com) and they will send you the LOA Request Form.

• Complete the LOA request form for the employee and return it to your P&C team.

• The P&C team will check to see if the individual is eligible.  If so, we will start the required paperwork and send it to you and the employees’ email address.

How do you know if someone needs to take a LOA?  We have a simple saying:

3 days out…… give us a shout!!

If an employee is out for more than 3 days, contact Tamara or Kelly immediately!

Thank you for your assistance in maintaining compliance with both federal, state and internal protocols!

Birthdays & Anniversaries

October/November Birthdays!  

WISHING THESE AMAZING PEOPLE A GREAT DAY!! 

Maddux, Joe	OCTOBER	3
Totczyk, Magdalena A	OCTOBER	4
Stone, Terry J	OCTOBER	7
Alayon, Diane	OCTOBER	7
Maricle, Donna	OCTOBER	15
Ortiz, Carlos P	OCTOBER	22
Lugo, Mery	OCTOBER	23
Porter, Angel	OCTOBER	27
Burch, Brittany A	OCTOBER	29
Marroquin, Juan M	OCTOBER	30
Naranjo, Alberto A	NOVEMBER	15
DaWalt, Julie	NOVEMBER	17
Helman, David J	NOVEMBER	22
Shrestha, Bikas M	NOVEMBER	26
Schnorrbusch, Kelly	NOVEMBER	30

October/November Workiversaries!   

WE ARE SO GLAD YOU’RE CAREER JOURNEY BROUGHT YOU TO RRI WEST!

Jon Baaske	October	10	41 YEARS!
Carlos Ortiz	October	12	4 YEARS!
Karli Zelaya	October	12	3 YEARS!
John Ramirez	October	13	4 YEARS!
Delwin Gore	October	15	18 YEARS!
Keith Kerner	October	20	21 YEARS!
Edgar Belmonte	October	21	16 YEARS!
Isabel Urquizo	October	23	1 YEAR!
Ken Vincent	October	28	34 YEARS!
Vanessa Pennahererra	November	3	11 YEARS!
Nicole Carter	November	5	6 YEARS!
Sarah Loredo	November	5	2 YEARS!
Dan Fritz	November	12	41 YEARS!
Dave Helman	November	15	37 YEARS!
Meaatoa Tago-Musu	November	15	7 YEARS!
Michael Edwards	November	16	4 YEARS!
Stephanie Doherty	November	28	19 YEARS!

MIBE VIBE

All you can eat?  A business lesson from the buffet line!

At a recent business meeting for the RRI West Leadership team, we spent a significant amount of time talking about, well, time.  Time Management, Time Ownership, Time Efficiency, Time Suckers.  And during our discussion, we had an epiphany, thanks to our leadership coach, Greg Aden!

Imagine this.  You head to the buffet line with your friends and family.  You excitedly grab your clean, shiny, most often white, dinner plate.  You anxiously begin filling your plate.  Most often salad comes first.  Yes, I’m being good… let’s put some veggies on that sucker.  But then, you get to the good stuff and quickly realize you might need more room.  Pot roast, chicken marsala, roasted potatoes, skip those limp-looking green beans… I’m only halfway through! You keep going, keep piling.  You might determine that the pot roast sauce combined with the ranch dressing from your salad might actually be an OK combo. And of course, don’t forget the roll which you cautiously just place on top of your plate and pray you can make it back to your seat without it falling off.  And the butter?  Well, you’ll just place two little packets in your pocket.  That’ll soften them up anyway on the way back to your seat!

I know you can all see what this plate looks like now.  This… is Time Management.  Time Management, by definition, is about planning and scheduling how to spend time.  In the buffet line, you did just that.  You filled it up, planning as you go and assuming that you can “kind of sort of fit it all in”.  But at the end of the line… do you have an overwhelming mess from that clean plate at the beginning?

Time Ownership, on the other hand. takes control of your time and makes it more efficient, allowing for sensible decisions that are right for you.  Think again about your buffet line.  Did you fill the plate with the right things?  (remember those good-for-you green beans?)  If you had walked that buffet line to see all that was available and then carefully planned out exactly what will fit on your plate, and where, you may actually approach the line differently, accomplishing your goal in a much more efficient and organized manner with better, “cleaner” results.

Here are some key ways you can begin to think differently about time management versus time ownership:  Excerpts from https://ceoofyour.life/ 

How Time Ownership Benefits YOU! 

It creates self-accountability.  If you own your time – you control the outcome.   Your time is a finite resource and you owe it to yourself, and the people around you, to use your time in a way that’s right for you, and empowers you to achieve what you want to achieve.

Example: I ran out of time to finish this today.   Instead, say “I didn’t give myself what I needed to get this done”.  It’s empowering because you will know what you need to do differently next time.

Example: I’ll move some things around and fit you in.  “I understand this is important to you. My top priorities this week are X, Y, Z, so let’s find a time we can mutually agree on.”  Be open and honest with those around you so they can help you achieve your goals.

How Time Ownership Benefits OTHERS!

There’s such a sense of urgency today and a lot of time management tips focus on getting as much done as possible in as little time as possible… but in the world today, when we are all connected all the time through emails, texts, teams, etc… Prioritizing becomes the key to success and will make you a happier, healthier version of service to others.

Here Are 6 Ways to Own Your Time

• Block off time every day to just work. Intentionally.

• Acknowledge what you’re proud of. Give yourself internal validation.

• Plan to plan. Plan time to plan your day.

• Use a framework to prioritize.  Make each task important.

• Why before how. Purpose over process.

• Practice disconnection.  For even 15 minutes.

It may seem simplistic, but small changes towards time ownership can help you achieve your goals, be more efficient and reduce overall stress.  Which, in turn, will give you much more time to step away from the job… and meet your friends and family for at an all you can eat buffet!  ENJOY!

- Envisioned and inspired by Mark Aston, written by Stephanie Doherty