Economy of Consumers, Can We create Change?

All economies around the world are funded by a tax paying and consumer based population.  So, every time we spend  a single one of our hard earned dollars we are in fact funding the government with taxes from such earnings, and funding the corporations who are manufacturing the goods we purchase.  However, have you ever thought of what would happen if we didn't buy as much? Or if we didn't go to the movie theatre? or if we didn't purchase cars and opted for public transportation?

Well. if we as a people decided to not spend our hard earned dollars on the purchase of products and services offered for need and entertainment, we would hurt our economy, the high earning CEO's, the macufacturer, and many otehrs alike.  This is because the government is depepndent on corporatios to create products which in turn creates jobs,  from which taxes are paid to fund the economy.  In fact, we could collapse one national ecenomy or all national economies.

Yes, it is as simple as that! However, we too will be affected due to lack of jobs.  Moreover, to jumpstart an economy after one has caused this type of damage can be very very difficult. Furthermore, it could take many years to recover from this type of damage.

In the 1960's during the Civil Rights Era, there was a boycott of a bus company in Birmingham Alabama organized by the very consumers who rode the buses and were dependent on them for their sustenance.  It proved to be so damaging that the bus company decided that it was less damaging to allow blacks to sit anywhere on their buses than to go bankrupted and all those whites working for the bus company to lose their jobs. This demonstration showed how we are all linked to oneanother economically.

These basic principles have not changed over the years, No they still apply.  However, no one is willing to organize using this method since then.  Why, I do not know.  However, it is a way of getting your demands met when someone or an organization, company, or other entity has done you and many others wrong. The one element needed to organize such an effort is political will. Once it exist its difficult to take it back.

Depending on the manitude of the tactic it can be done locally. county wide, state wide, or it can be a national tactic.  The larger the effort the larger the affected.  If Blacks or Hispanics in the US, who represent over 500 billion in purchases woke up one morning and decided they would no longer purchase a pair of Nike shoes because the price was too high.  They let Nike know of their intent and for a week to four weeks didn't purchase these shoes the price would go down temporarily.  But if they did not purchase Nike shoes for say 6 months, Nike would have to lower their prices on a more permanent basis to recapture their market share and stimulate sales.  This would lower their profit margins and their bottom line would be affected as well. Or if we din't purchase a new car, and let the auto manufactures know of our decision, what would happen to GM or Ford?

If say the airlines were raising prices to a point higher than people were willing to pay they too would be forced to lower these to a more acceptable level.  But, say that you wanted them to lower the prices because you just didn't want to pay the current prices.  You could infact lunch a tactic to convince the public that they must protest against these prices. if you could get enough people on board you will force the airline to drop their prices.  Just that easy!

In this very same manner we can now with social media take campaigns national or international and force the hand of the "rulers or mankind" the one tenth of one % percent that own the world and decide what happens in what nation based on their own needs and greed.  So next time you are not happy with something know that you, we have strength in numbers and the help of social media to get the word out!  Remember that we will only make gains when we are willing to make noise and create social movements to bring aboutchange.

Pregnancy Discrimination

Pregnancy discrimination involves treating a woman (an applicant or employee) unfavorably because of pregnancy, childbirth, or a medical condition related to pregnancy or childbirth.

Pregnancy Discrimination & Work Situations

The Pregnancy Discrimination Act (PDA) forbids discrimination based on pregnancy when it comes to any aspect of employment, including hiring, firing, pay, job assignments, promotions, layoff, training, fringe benefits, such as leave and health insurance, and any other term or condition of employment.

Pregnancy Discrimination & Temporary Disability

If a woman is temporarily unable to perform her job due to a medical condition related to pregnancy or childbirth, the employer or other covered entity must treat her in the same way as it treats any other temporarily disabled employee. For example, the employer may have to provide light duty, alternative assignments, disability leave, or unpaid leave to pregnant employees if it does so for other temporarily disabled employees.

Additionally, impairments resulting from pregnancy (for example, gestational diabetes or preeclampsia, a condition characterized by pregnancy-induced hypertension and protein in the urine) may be disabilities under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).  An employer may have to provide a reasonable accommodation (such as leave or modifications that enable an employee to perform her job) for a disability related to pregnancy, absent undue hardship (significant difficulty or expense).  The ADA Amendments Act of 2008 makes it much easier to show that a medical condition is a covered disability.  For more information about the ADA, see http://www.eeoc.gov/laws/types/disability.cfm.  For information about the ADA Amendments Act, see http://www.eeoc.gov/laws/types/disability_regulations.cfm.

Pregnancy Discrimination & Harassment

It is unlawful to harass a woman because of pregnancy, childbirth, or a medical condition related to pregnancy or childbirth. Harassment is illegal when it is so frequent or severe that it creates a hostile or offensive work environment or when it results in an adverse employment decision (such as the victim being fired or demoted). The harasser can be the victim's supervisor, a supervisor in another area, a co-worker, or someone who is not an employee of the employer, such as a client or customer.

Pregnancy, Maternity & Parental Leave

Under the PDA, an employer that allows temporarily disabled employees to take disability leave or leave without pay, must allow an employee who is temporarily disabled due to pregnancy to do the same.

An employer may not single out pregnancy-related conditions for special procedures to determine an employee's ability to work. However, if an employer requires its employees to submit a doctor's statement concerning their ability to work before granting leave or paying sick benefits, the employer may require employees affected by pregnancy-related conditions to submit such statements.

Further, under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) of 1993, a new parent (including foster and adoptive parents) may be eligible for 12 weeks of leave (unpaid or paid if the employee has earned or accrued it) that may be used for care of the new child. To be eligible, the employee must have worked for the employer for 12 months prior to taking the leave and the employer must have a specified number of employees.  Seehttp://www.dol.gov/whd/regs/compliance/whdfs28.htm.

Pregnancy & Workplace Laws

Pregnant employees may have additional rights under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), which is enforced by the U.S. Department of Labor.  Nursing mothers may also have the right to express milk in the workplace under a provision of the Fair Labor Standards Act enforced by the U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division.  Seehttp://www.dol.gov/whd/regs/compliance/whdfs73.htm.

For more information about the Family Medical Leave Act or break time for nursing mothers, go tohttp://www.dol.gov/whd, or call 202-693-0051 or 1-866-487-9243 (voice), 202-693-7755 (TTY).

Sexual Harassment

It is unlawful to harass a person (an applicant or employee) because of that person’s sex. Harassment can include “sexual harassment” or unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical harassment of a sexual nature.

Harassment does not have to be of a sexual nature, however, and can include offensive remarks about a person’s sex. For example, it is illegal to harass a woman by making offensive comments about women in general.

Both victim and the harasser can be either a woman or a man, and the victim and harasser can be the same sex.

Although the law doesn’t prohibit simple teasing, offhand comments, or isolated incidents that are not very serious, harassment is illegal when it is so frequent or severe that it creates a hostile or offensive work environment or when it results in an adverse employment decision (such as the victim being fired or demoted).

The harasser can be the victim's supervisor, a supervisor in another area, a co-worker, or someone who is not an employee of the employer, such as a client or customer.

How to File a Charge of Employment Discrimination

Note: Federal employees and job applicants have a different complaint process.

You may file a charge of employment discrimination at the EEOC office closest to where you live, or at any one of the EEOC’s 53 field offices.  Your charge, however, may be investigated at the EEOC office closest to where the discrimination occurred.  If you are a U.S. citizen working for an American company overseas, you should file your charge with the EEOC field office closest to your employer’s corporate headquarters.

Where the discrimination took place can determine how long you have to file a charge. The 180 calendar day filing deadline is extended to 300 calendar days if a state or local agency enforces a state or local law that prohibits employment discrimination on the same basis. The rules are slightly different for age discrimination charges. For age discrimination, the filing deadline is only extended to 300 days if there is a state law prohibiting age discrimination in employment and a state agency or authority enforcing that law. The deadline is not extended if only a local law prohibits age discrimination.

Many states and localities have agencies that enforce laws prohibiting employment discrimination. EEOC refers to these agencies as Fair Employment Practices Agencies (FEPAs). EEOC and some FEPAs have worksharing agreements in place to prevent the duplication of effort in charge processing. According to these agreements, if you file a charge with either EEOC or a FEPA, the charge also will be automatically filed with the other agency. This process, which is defined as dual filing, helps to protect charging party rights under both federal and state or local law.

Online Assessment System

EEOC does not accept charges online. However, we do have an online assessment tool that can help you decide if EEOC is the correct agency to assist you. You can then complete an Intake Questionnaire that you may print and either bring or mail to the appropriate EEOC field office to begin the process of filing a charge.

Filing in Person

Each field office has its own procedures for appointments or walk-ins. Please check our field office list for your office's procedures.

It is always helpful if you bring with you to the meeting any information or papers that will help us understand your case. For example, if you were fired because of your performance, you might bring with you the letter or notice telling you that you were fired and your performance evaluations. You might also bring with you the names of people who know about what happened and information about how to contact them.

You can bring anyone you want to your meeting, especially if you need language assistance and know someone who can help. You can also bring your lawyer, although you don’t have to hire a lawyer to file a charge. If you need special assistance during the meeting, like a sign language or foreign language interpreter, let us know ahead of time so we can arrange for someone to be there for you.

By Telephone

Although we do not take charges over the phone, you can get the process started over the phone. You can call 1-800-669-4000 to submit basic information about a possible charge, and we will forward the information to the EEOC field office in your area. Once the field office receives your information, they will contact you to talk to you about your situation.

By Mail

You can file a charge by sending us a letter that includes the following information:

• Your name, address, and telephone number
• The name, address and telephone number of the employer (or employment agency or union) you want to file your charge against
• The number of employees employed there (if known)
• A short description of the events you believe were discriminatory (for example, you were fired, demoted, harassed)
• When the events took place
• Why you believe you were discriminated against (for example, because of your race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), national origin, age (40 or older), disability or genetic information)
• Your signature

Don’t forget to sign your letter. If you don’t sign it, we cannot investigate it.

Your letter will be reviewed and if more information is needed, we will contact you to gather that information or you may be sent a follow up questionnaire. At a later date, we will contact you and may put all of the information you sent us on an official EEOC charge form and ask you to sign it.

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Coming soon;  How to file a discrimination claim against an employer who has violated the law.