Per Diem Pay

Per Diem PayPer Diem PayPer diem is Latin for per day or for each day. While per diem has several meanings, in relation to Human Resources, it is the daily allowance paid to employees for expenses incurred while traveling for business. These expenses could be for lodging, meals, tips, taxi, and other ground transportation fees. Incidental per diem traveling expenses also include such things as dry cleaning, laundry, phone use, WiFi,and room attendant tips. When Per Diem Rates Do Not Apply What a per diem satz does not cover is the cost of transportation to and from an employees place of employment. In that case, employers either pay transportation costs separately- usually directly to the airline, train, bus, and so forth- or, the employees use their own personal source of transportation and are reimbursed according to the IRS mileage reimbursement rate. Examples of Employer Reimbursement for Travel Employers will pay an employees transportation costs separately when an emplo yee works at a drehort for the same company that is different from the location where the employee usually works. For instance, an employees job and office are located in Michigan but, once a month they travel to Pennsylvania to work out of a different regional office for several days. Another example is if an employee trains new employees at their companys locations all over the country and an overnight stay is required at each location. Yet another example is an HR staff person who usually works at the companys main headquarters but each time the company opens a new location she works for a period of time at the new location while she hires and brings staff onboard. All three of these situations would work well with the company paying the employee a per diem because the travel is frequent or lengthy. As such, employees are happy because they dont have to record all expenditures and save receipts as proof. Nor do they need to spend time filling out expense reports. Setting Per D iem Rates An employer sets per diem rates based on a number of factors. These include the cost of travel-related expenses at various locations, the length of time the employee travels away from the office, and the current Federal per diem rate. Most employers use the Federal per diem rate and the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) is the governing body that establishes Federal per diem rates each year on October 1. The GSA establishes travel policy including per diem rates (but only) for federal employees on official travel away from their local station, or areas of job location, as defined by their agency. Companies tend to use the Federal per diem rate because per diem payments above the Federal rate are taxable income for employees on their W-2 forms. For more about the intricacies of per diems and taxation, see per diem rates at U.S. Business Law and Taxes. Understandably, the per diem rates of employers are normally set at different amounts for different locations and vary by the level of travel expenses the employee will experience. Employees traveling to Las Vegas, NV, for example, receive approximately one-third the per diem reimbursement that an employee traveling to New York City would receive based on local expenses (in Federal rates). Benefits of the Per Diem Rate Employees are spared the time that they would otherwise invest in keeping track of expenses, saving receipts, and filling out expense reports when they return to the office. Employees are allowed to keep the money that they dont spend while traveling which can encourage thrift and discourage overspending. The employer benefits because they dont have to invest staff time reviewing expenses, vetting the amount of money spent, and the employees time spent filling out paperwork. In essence, the employer is saying that they have budgeted the amount of money they are willing to spend on employee travel and the employee was notified before they incurred the expenses. The per diem pr ocess can result in substantial savings for the employer as opposed to businesses that pay actual employee expenses. And of course, it is unwise and anti-employee to expect employees to cover their own expenses when they travel on legitimate business pursuits. Per Diem Employment In some occupations and industries, per diem can also refer to short-term, temporary employment. This daily schedule usually consists of several days of employment for a per diem employee asked to fill in for a sick or vacationing employee. Two examples are substitute teachers and health care workers that are paid by the day.

Surviving Coast Guard Boot Camp

Surviving Coast Guard Boot CampSurviving Coast Guard Boot CampJust like the Air Force and the Navy, the Coast Guard only has one location for enlisted boot camp Cape May, New Jersey. Male and female recruits train together. Coast Guard boot camp is run just like any other military boot camp. Expect to spend a total of 53 days in Cape May. Before You Leave for Coast Guard Boot Camp One of the first things youll experience at Cape May is a complete search of your personal possessions. Anything not approved will be confiscated and stored until after graduation. Set up a bank account (with an ATM card) before you leave. All of your military pay will be made by direct deposit. Bring $50 in cash in small bills to cover purchases during boot camp. If you are married, bring a copy of your marriage certificate. This will be required to start up your housing allowance and to complete paperwork for your spouses military ID card. As with the other services, no smoking is allowed during boot camp. If you dont know how to swim, try to learn before you leave for boot camp. Soon after you arrive, youll be screened for swimming skills, and those that cant swim will have to undergo special instruction. Memorize Coast Guard ranksbefore you leave. This will be one of the first things youll be required to study. Youll also want to know the Coast Guard Core Values and your Basic Training chain of command. Medication in Boot Camp Over-the-counter medication is not allowed in basic training. If you bring any with you, it will be taken away. All prescription medication will be re-evaluated by a military doctor upon arrival. If the doctor determines that the prescription is necessary, the civilian medication will be taken away, and the recruit will be re-issued the medication by the military pharmacy. This includes birth control pills. Family Communication During Coast Guard Boot Camp Before you leave home, tell your family that if an emergency arises (a real emergency, such as a death or serious illness in the immediate family) they should contact you through the Red Cross. Within three days of arriving, youll be sending a preprinted postcard home that has your company address on it. Its a good idea to call your family from the USO after you arrive. You are allowed to bring your cell phone, but you may not receive or make personal phone calls for granted liberty on Sunday of the final two weeks of training. Any future phone calls you make while in boot camp will be at the discretion of your Company Commander. First Day at Coast Guard Boot Camp No matter what time you arrive at Cape May, your first day will not end until about 0030 (1230 a.m.). Once you hit the racks on that first night, you wont have much time for sleep. A Company Commander will be screaming and yelling at you at 0530 (530 a.m.). You will begin your adventures with the Coast Guard upon arriving at Philadelphia International Airport. Once you arrive, you are required to retrieve yo ur bags, then report immediately to the USO. When the bus arrives at the Recruit Processing Center on Cape May, you will be greeted by your Company Commander (CC). It may not be the friendliest of greetings, but youll know youve arrived. Next, youll begin the in-processing tasks. Youll be issued a book known as the Helmsman, and anytime you are not actively doing something, the CCs will expect you to be reading this book. Youll spend your first hours of boot camp filling out forms and giving a urine to test for drugs and alcohol. Women will also be given a pregnancy test. Virtually every task youre ordered to do is timed five seconds to write a name on a tag, ten seconds to find the paperwork, etc. And a Company Commander provides cadence, like a countdown. If you make a mistake, you will be yelled at. Its that simple mistake equals yelling. Its all part of the process to build a disciplined member of the Coast Guard. In-Processingat Coast Guard Boot Camp The next two days will be spent filling out forms and getting military haircuts. Youll undergo medical and dental screenings, get a whole bunch of shots, and receive your first uniform issue. Anytime youre not actively doing something, youll have your head buried in your Helmsman book. On the second day, youll undergo a urinalysis test. You cannot wear contact lenses during basic training. You can only wear your civilian glasses until you receive a pair of military-issue glasses, which are what youll wear for the majority of boot camp. Once you graduate from basic training, you can wear your civilian glasses again, as long as they conform to military dress and appearance regulations. On the fourth day, your entire company will be escorted to meet your Company Commander and his/her assistants. This day starts your official boot camp training. Coast Guard Boot Camp Week One The first week will be the toughest. Just like the other military boot camps, youll probably find that nobody does anything right d uring this first week of training. During this time, the CC is going to be evaluating everyone to hand out additional duties. Every day starts at 0530 (except Sundays when you get to sleep 15 minutes later), and lights out is at 2200 (1000 p.m.). During the first week, youll be introduced to strenge ausbildung and begin (almost) daily physical exercises. Additionally, youll undergo a class on the Uniform Code of Military Justice, where you will learn about punishable offenses. In the Coast Guard, if you fall behind on training, you can be reverted. This means sending you back to another company several days (or weeks) behind your current unit This is the primary threat that CCs use to keep troops motivated. Like the other services, you can earn demerits when you do something wrong (the Coast Guard calls them performance indicators or performance trackers). Coast Guard Boot Camp Weeks Two and Three The serious classroom work begins during week two. Youll receive classes on milita ry civil rights, stress management, the Coast Guard boot camp chain of command, rates andranks, and addressing military personnel (Officers are called Sir, or Maam, enlisted are addressed by their rank and last name). Youll also take a survival float test. During the third week, youll get training in the Freedom of Information Act, deckhand protective equipment, sexual harassment, the Montgomery GI Bill, Coast Guard history, Coast Guard missions and traditions, deck seamanship, advancements, lines, knots and marlinspike, an introduction to the 9mm handgun. Unlike the other military services, you wont get to fire the M-16 rifle in Coast Guard basic training, but you will get a chance to fire the 9mm during week four of your training. Coast Guard Boot Camp Week Four During the fourth week, the training courses will include leave and liberty, rating and nonrating duties, classified material, uniform devices, vessels and aircraft, performance evaluations, and the assignment process. Youll also visit the 9mm handgun range and fire the M-9 handgun. At the end of the fourth week, youll take mid-term exams, covering everything youve learned to this point. If you fail the exam, youre allowed one re-test. If you fail the retest, expect to be rephased to learn it all over again. Also during the fourth week, youll take your PT test. If you fail this test, youll be required to get up each day one hour before everyone else and attend the special training. If you cannot complete the requirements by the seventh week of training, youll be reverted. In order to graduate Coast Guard Boot Camp, you will have to meet the following physical standards EventMaleFemalePush-ups (60 sec)2915Sit-ups (60 sec)3832zustrom (1.5 miles)12511526Sit and Reach16.5019.29Complete a swim circuitTread water for 5 minutesJump off a 6-foot platform and swim 100 meters About halfway through the fourth week, your company will finally get its company colors. To celebrate, the Company Commanders take t he entire company down the beach for a few hours of incentive training exercises. At the end of the fourth week, you will fill out an Assignment Data Card (ADC). This is how you tell the Coast Guard which assignment you want. You request your assignment first by geographic location, then type of unit (i.e. cutter, small boat station, patrol boat, etc.) Coast Guard Boot Camp Weeks Five and Six In the fifth week, youll learn about deck maintenance and painting, survival equipment, boat crew and buoyancy, Coast Guard terms, ethical conduct, personal floatation devices, emergency drills, emergency equipment, flags, and pennants, and youll take a personal finance class. At the end of the fifth week, youll find out what your next duty station is going to be. The week after that youll get training in fire prevention, fire extinguishing methods, firefighting equipment, engineering, watchstanding, hose handling techniques, and career counseling. Coast Guard Boot Camp Week Seven Durin g this week, youll get training on heaving lines, line handling, and review the Coast Guard alcohol and drug policy. The seventh week is the big one. This is the week of your final exam and final PT test for those who are in remedial PT training. You must pass both in order to graduate. If you fail either one, you get one retest. If you fail the retest, expect to be reverted to an earlier company to try again later. If you pass your final exam and PT Test and havent racked up performance indicators, at the end of week seven youll get an eight-hour pass to go off base. Graduation From Coast Guard Boot Camp The final week is a breeze. Youll receive your assignment, and do the paperwork to prepare for graduation and departure. Youll receive some classes on first aid and prepare for your assignment. Finally, on Friday morning, youll march in the graduation parade. During the graduation ceremony, awards will be presented. The Coast Guard awards the honor graduate ribbon to the top th ree percent of each graduating company. Individual awards are also given for the highest achievements in academics, seamanship, leadership, manual of arms proficiency, pistol expert fire, physical fitness and for the best shipmate. The Coast Guard is different from the other military services, in that all of the out-processing (assignment) is done before graduation, so recruits are free to depart Cape May immediately after the graduation ceremony.

How to Become a Police Dispatcher

How to Become a Police DispatcherHow to Become a Police DispatcherTwenty-four hours a day, 7 days a week, police officers are out there, on patrol and working hard to keep the rest of us safe and secure. But they cant do it alone. In every department, there is plenty of non-sworn kooperation personnelwho make sure officers have the help they need to do their jobs. On the front lines of the law enforcement support field are those people who decided they wanted to become police dispatchers. The Minimum Requirements One thing that makes police dispatching such a great career opportunity is that there are very few minimum requirements. In fact, dispatching is one of a few criminal justice jobs many people can probably qualify for right out of high school. In most states, to be eligible for a dispatching job you must be a United States citizen and be a high school graduate (or equivalent GED). Because you will be spending a lot of time talking to many different people, some department s may also require you to show some work experience in customer service or other public contact occupations. What Skills and Credentials Are Needed for Success Minimum qualifications are one thing. Developing the skills, you need for long-term success is something else entirely. Despite the relatively few minimum requirements, dispatchers play a critical role in the success and safety of the officers they support. To be truly successful in the job, you need to be able to communicate effectively and articulately, think nicht weit davon entfernt sein on your feet and make good decisions. Typing and data input is also a mustbecause dispatchers use computer-aided dispatch (CAD) programs to take in, record and prioritize calls for service and officer activities. For your own personal wellness, youll also need to be able to effectively manage stress, accept criticism, and be able to get along well with your coworkers Background Investigation Requirements Not only do dispatchers se rve as a lifeline for both the public and the police, but they also have access to sensitive and protected information through the Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS). All of that means dispatchers must pass a fairly thorough background investigation which might even include a polygraph exam to get hired. Required Education and Training No matter what state or jurisdiction you get hired in, youll need to receive some stringent on-the-job training, if only to be familiar with agency policies, procedures, and equipment. More likely, though, youll need to pass a formalized 911 operator certification program. The training usually consists of legal and liability training, CPR, CJIS full-access certification and a formal field-training program. What to Consider When Becoming a Police Dispatcher Police dispatching, like law enforcement, isnt for everyone. The fact is, these jobs often involve high stress and little thanks. You will spend long days indoors, working shift wo rk, looking at computer screens and talking on the radio or the phone to a diverse group of people. On the other pfote, youll be part of an important and often overlooked group of professionals who have a big hand in helping keep their communities safe.