Break from the Grind September 22, 2016

A Little Friday File Fun

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In Brookline, New Hampshire, a bride was on the way to her wedding when the limo had a flat tire. So, she headed out on foot, sticking out her thumb to hitchhike to the wedding. She was able to flag down a passing motorist who gladly helped get her to the altar—albeit 30 minutes late, according to the Associated Press. The bride said the rest of her wedding was “amazing.”

In Queensland, Australia, a teenager was reported missing. Police turned to Facebook to get help finding her. Not long after her photo and information were posted, she commented: “Guys I’m fine I’m not missing this is an overreaction to a fight I had with my sister, I’m legit just sitting in my bedroom.” Police asked her to call the station or come down to verify that she is fine and not missing so the search can officially end, which she did.

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In Barnstable, Massachusetts, police received a report of a car crash. However, the woman told the police officer, she was “driving back from Barnstaple to Muddiford” when she saw the crash. According to the Boston Globe, the confused police officer asked the caller where she was located, to which she replied, “Ilfracombe.” That’s when the police officer realized he and the caller were on two different continents. Ilfracombe is on the northern coast of England, about 13 miles north of Barnstaple. The BBC says the woman misdialed after searching online for the police department’s number.

In Scranton, Pennsylvania, a suspect dropped his cell phone while running from police. When he found a hiding place, he took to Facebook and posted a message telling friends he’d be off Facebook for a while and asking them not to call his phone until he said otherwise. According to the Associated Press, police found the suspect in a friend’s basement, with a computer that had a tab open to Facebook.

In Kingston, Ontario, Canada, a witness saw a man driving a pickup truck backwards and hitting a parked car. The Whig Standard reports that the witness then saw the man exit the truck and stumble up the street. Police found the man standing on the street, and when they asked for his identification, he pulled out a Costco membership card. He also showed police his firearms license before finally finding the proper identification. The police say he was over two times the legal al.cohol limit.

The moon is falling! The moon is falling!

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Ever been so intently focused on something, that a small interruption scares you?

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This dog fails at hide-and-seek.

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Compliance September 22, 2016

DOL Awards Research Grants for Exploring Portable Retirement Savings

The grant program seeks to assist those workers who have traditionally lacked access to an employer-provided retirement benefits program or are otherwise less likely to have income from pensions or assets.
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The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) has awarded a total of $153,836 in grants to organizations to support the planning and research of portable retirement benefit plans for low-wage workers.

Administered by the department’s Women’s Bureau, the awards are funded by the Portable Retirement Benefits Planning grant program. As previously announced, the program’s ultimate goal is to assist those workers—particularly women and others in low-wage occupations—who lack access to an employer-provided retirement benefits program and are less likely to have pension or asset-related income.

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The Brazilian Worker Center, Inc. in Allston, Massachusetts, will receive $25,000 to conduct research to inform the development of a prototype mobile platform to provide benefits, including retirement benefits, to predominantly low-wage, non-benefited domestic- and direct-care workers.

The Heartland Alliance for Human Needs and Human Rights in Chicago will receive $75,000 to conduct a needs assessment of Illinois’ economically vulnerable, low-wage, and underserved workers without access to an employer-provided retirement savings plan. The organization will also conduct research to identify barriers to participation in the Illinois Secure Choice Savings Program faced by low-wage workers and underserved workers.

The Fair Work Center in Seattle will receive $53,836 to conduct a needs assessment among low-wage workers, employers and benefits providers to understand the challenges and barriers low-wage workers currently face  in saving for retirement.

“Ensuring economic security for America’s workers, especially women and low-wage workers, is our mission at the U.S. Labor Department,” says Women’s Bureau Director Latifa Lyles. “Today’s announcement is another step toward our goal of supporting innovation in bringing retirement security to America’s lowest-paid workers.”

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