The project is part of the wider cooperation between Eni and Rosneft sanctioned under the Strategic Cooperation Agreement entered into by the parties on 25th April 2012

The number of job openings in May was 3.8 million, little changed from April. The number of job openings was little changed over the month in most industries but rose in retail trade and fell in professional and business services. The number of job openings rose in the Midwest but was essentially unchanged in the other three regions.

The number of job openings in May not seasonally adjusted was little changed over the year for total nonfarm, total private, and government. Several industries experienced an increase in job openings over the year, including retail trade; transportation, warehousing, and utilities; and finance and insurance. Industries experiencing a decrease in openings over the year were durable goods manufacturing and professional and business services. In the Midwest region, the number of job openings rose over the year.

Hires

In May, there were 4.4 million hires; the hires rate was 3.3 percent. The hires rate was little changed in all industries and regions over the month. Over the 12 months ending in May, the number of hires (not seasonally adjusted) was little changed for total nonfarm, total private, government, and in all four regions. The number of hires was little changed over the year for most industries. The number of hires fell in mining and logging but rose in accommodation and food services.

There were 4.3 million total separations in the month of May; essentially the same number as in April. The separations rate was 3.2 percent. Total separations include quits, layoffs and discharges, and other separations. Total separations also are referred to as turnover. Quits are generally voluntary separations initiated by the employee. Therefore, the quits rate can serve as a measure of workers’ willingness or ability to leave jobs. Layoffs and discharges are involuntary separations initiated by the employer. Other separations include separations due to retirement, death, and disability, as well as transfers to other locations of the same firm.

In May, the quits rate remained at 1.6 percent for total nonfarm and at 1.8 percent for total private. The rate for government was little changed at 0.6 percent. The quits rate also was little changed over the month for all industries and regions.

The number of quits not seasonally adjusted was little changed over the 12 months ending in May for total nonfarm, total private, government, and in all four regions. Quits increased over the year for the educational services industry.

The layoffs and discharges component of total separations is seasonally adjusted at the total nonfarm, total private, and government levels, and by region. The layoffs and discharges rate was unchanged in May at 1.3 percent. The rate also was unchanged for total private (1.4 percent) and government (0.4 percent). The rate was little changed over the month in all four regions.

The layoffs and discharges level not seasonally adjusted was little changed over the 12 months ending in May for total nonfarm and total private but fell for government. Over the year, the number of layoffs and discharges fell in professional and business services, educational services, and state and local government. In the South region, the number of layoffs and discharges decreased.

In May, there were 382,000 other separations for total nonfarm, essentially unchanged from the previous month. The number of other separations also was essentially unchanged over the month for total private and government. Over the 12 months ending in May, the number of other separations also was little changed for total nonfarm, total private, and government.

Net Change in Employment

Large numbers of hires and separations occur every month throughout the business cycle. Net employment change results from the relationship between hires and separations. When the number of hires exceeds the number of separations, employment rises, even if the hires level is steady or declining. Conversely, when the number of hires is less than the number of separations, employment declines, even if the hires level is steady or rising. Over the 12 months ending in May 2013, hires totaled 51.9 million and separations totaled 50.1 million, yielding a net employment gain of 1.8 million. These figures include workers who may have been hired and separated more than once during the year.

http://www.workplace-weekly.com/2013/07/09/vermont-releases-rate-for-health-insurance-exchange/

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Vermont Releases Rate for Health Insurance Exchange

The Green Mountain Care Board GMCB, created by the Vermont Legislature in 2011, has announced its decisions on the first-ever rates for health insurance plans offered through Vermont Health Connect, the state’s health insurance exchange. The decisions shave approximately 4.3% off the proposed rates for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Vermont and 5.3% off the proposed rates for MVP Health Care MVP.

Anya Rader Wallack, Chair of the GMCB said, “The good news is we were able to trim these rates significantly from the levels proposed. Hopefully this action, along with the new assistance Vermonters will receive from the state and federal governments will make health insurance affordable to more Vermonters. However, the underlying cost of health care and health insurance remain alarmingly high, and we have to redouble our efforts to address this problem”.

The approved rates translate into the premiums an estimated 100,000 Vermonters will pay for health insurance when Vermont Health Connect goes live on January 1, 2014.

Under federal law, all state health insurance exchanges must offer a standard selection of plans offering the same “essential benefits,” but with different costs identified by “metal” levels –bronze, silver, gold and platinum. The difference between metal levels is how costs are split between insurers and consumers: In bronze plans, the premiums are lower but co-pays, deductibles and other “cost-sharing” is higher; at the other end of the spectrum, platinum plans have higher premiums and lower cost-sharing requirements. The approved rates result in an estimated single-person premium of approximately $395 per month for the benchmark “silver plan” sold through Vermont Health Connect by Blue Cross.

The MVP premium for an equivalent plan will be approximately $410 per month. Other plans were approved by the GMCB as well. For many lower-income Vermonters, the approved premiums will be offset by federal and state tax credits. For example, for a single Vermonter making $34,488 per year – approximately the state’s mid-point wage in 2012 – subsidies bring the final monthly cost of the same Blue Cross silver plan down to approximately $230 per month and reduce the cost of the MVP plan to approximately $252 per month. Vermonters with lower incomes will receive greater subsidies, on a sliding scale, with those below 133 percent of the federal poverty level $15,316 annually for an individual paying as little as $19 per month in premiums.

For more information on Vermont Health Connect, visit: http://healthconnect.vermont.gov/

TIMELINE: VERMONT HEALTH CONNECT INSURANCE PLAN RATE REVIEW

March, 2013 Insurers filed proposed rates with the Department of Financial Regulation DFR, which began its review process.

June 7, 2013 DFR completed its review and forwarded suggested rates to the Green Mountain Care Board GMCB. GMCB opened public comment.

June 18, 2013 GMCB held an open hearing on MVP Health Care rates.

June 21, 2013 GMCB held an open hearing on Blue Cross Blue Shield of Vermont rates.

June 25, 2013 GMCB closed public comment on Vermont Health Connect filings.

July 8, 2013 GMCB announced approved rates, which DFR will now implement.

July, 2013 Commissioner of the Department of Vermont Health Access (DVHA) will make the final determination about which plans are eligible to be offered on Vermont Health Connect.

October, 2013 Vermonters will begin using the Vermont Health Connect website, call center and in-person Navigators to determine eligibility, compare options, enroll, and access financial assistance for health coverage that takes effect January, 2014.

January, 2014 Vermont Health Connect coverage will begin.

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Eni: Project for the renovation and recovery of the Gela refinery

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http://usaoilandgasmonitor.com/2013/07/09/eni-to-spende700m-in-gela-refinery-restructuring/
Eni to Spend€700m in Gela Refinery Restructuring

Eni has met today with National and Regional Institutions and with the Trade Unions to announce a project for the renovation and recovery of the Gela refinery. The aim of the new project is to create an economically sound refinery capable of meeting the challenges of a competitive and constantly evolving market. The refinery will also be redesigned to be more environmentally friendly and respectful of the local area.

The refining industry is experiencing a structural crisis in Europe, particularly in the Mediterranean. The fall in demand for oil products has created excess capacity of approximately 100 million tons per year, equivalent to 1.5 times the entire annual consumption in Italy. This has resulted in a change in refinery utilization rates from 95% in 2005-2008 to the current 70% and a simultaneous fall in refining margins, causing significant losses for the industry.

Eni, unlike other European oil companies that are closing their refineries in Europe (15 have closed since 2008) in favor of investments in Asia and the Middle East, has decided to tackle the difficult economic situation without relocating, but rather by investing in the reorganization of Italian sites experiencing a time of crisis.

Since 2009, the refining business in Gela has accumulated heavy losses, amounting to approximately 1/3 of the losses of Eni's entire refining system. The renovation and recovery project, for which an investment of about €700m is expected, aims to restore the site's economic sustainability by overcoming its structural weaknesses. When fully operational in 2017, with its new industrial and organizational structure, the Gela refinery will be able to generate profits through products more suited to market requirements maximized production of diesel and interrupted production of gasoline and polyethylene), while at the same time restoring its reliability, flexibility and operational efficiency.

The refinery’s recovery plan will be delivered through enhancing the value of human resources present in Gela, both locally and within Eni's business. Others tools will also be used on a voluntary basis, all of which are aimed at securing support for staff that are eligible for early retirement. Furthermore, the development plan does not require the use of layoffs.

Eni will continue to adapt and upgrade the Gela refinery in order to further improve its sustainability and environmental safeguards by reducing emissions even beyond the most recent IPPC Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control requirements.

Eni believes in creating a competitive advantage through technological innovation and research. The recovery project will turn the Gela refinery into a technological hub. The refinery will be equipped with new, technologically advanced systems next-generation hydrocracking technology, the new T-Sand catalyst patented by Eni for the production of high quality diesel and the first Eni "zero waste" system for the production of energy from industrial waste. Finally, research and development activities for the production of third generation biofuels from algae will also continue.

Eni, fully aware of its role as a driving force for development, wants to turn the area of Gela into the company's most important training center in southern Italy, and a center of excellence in the fields of work safety and fire protection.

Moreover, the Gela refinery will provide its know-how and its structures to facilitate the establishment within the industrial site of third party activities in the fields of technological innovation and environmental sustainability.

Investments planned for the Gela refinery follow the previously announced transformation of the Venice refinery into a plant for the production of bio-fuels through proprietary "ecofining" technology.

http://www.workplace-weekly.com/2013/07/10/four-things-that-can-send-your-resume-into-the-trash/

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Four Things That Can Send Your Resume into the Trash

You may be the perfect fit for a job -- but a hiring manager is never going to find that out if he trashes your resume after a mere glance. Even in this age of online professional networking, a great resume is still the foundation of a successful job search.

It's common knowledge that spelling errors and grammatical bloopers are trash triggers (and these simple mistakes top many recruiters’ lists of resume pet peeves). But is there anything else that job seekers are unwittingly doing wrong? We asked some recruiting managers and career experts about the resume errors that cause them to crumple and toss a resume at first look -- and some of their answers may surprise you.

Looks matter. Career expert Abby Kohut lists misaligned indentations and double spaces as a couple of the things that make a resume start to look like it belong in the garbage. The fix- Use tabs for indents, and search your document for stray double spaces.

Also beware of being too creative. "I don't like it when I receive resumes with funky fonts," says Mona Abdel-Halim, co-founder of the Web-based resume tool Resunate, who echoed other experts we spoke to. "It is not professional and it makes the resume harder to read." When choosing resume fonts, opt ones that are widely used and readable, such as Calibri or Arial, and use no more than two fonts with their associated bold and italic styles.

2. Your Resume Is Immature

Other hiring managers we talked to said they had immediately trashed resumes with pictures on them -- for example, of cartoon character Bart Simpson (in the case of one applicant for a technical writing job) or of a kitten (an applicant for a customer service job). Cute resume additions like these are for kids -- not professionals.

Longtime recruiter Mike Monroe says that unaltered, familiar resume templates from word-processing programs annoy him. "This won't automatically put you in the trash, but it tells me that you have put less thought into your resume than your competition," he says.

Jessica Campbell, an HR manager for talent agency Voices.com, says one of her pet peeves is "when a candidate has used a template resume," but hasn't updated it before sending it. And if you use Word's Track Changes feature to edit your resume, make sure to accept all changes in the final version before submitting it.

To prevent your resume from ending up in the trash for this reason, customize your resume for each job you apply for using the language of the job ad and highlighting your most relevant experience.

"When the resume is not tailored to the position, it shows you don't really understand what the employer is looking for and are just hoping your resume fits some of the criteria,” says career expert Heather Huhman, author of Lies, Damned Lies & Internships: The Truth About Getting from Classroom to Cubicle. “To avoid this mistake, show the employer how you fit those [criteria] through your previous experience, skills and expertise."

4. Your Resume Is Sneaky

Kohut says she immediately distrusts people whose resumes have no dates on them. “Gaps are not a problem,” she says. “The problem is when you try to be deceptive."

David S. Williams, founder and CEO of salary consultancy SpringRaise, agrees, saying that if you are or have been unemployed, don’t try to hide it. “You may be doing yourself a disservice because you may be a strong candidate for a position, but you tried to hide your current status," he says.

A better tactic is to be straightforward on your resume, and then use your cover letter to tell the story of your career's progress -- including information about how you maximized your time away from the 9-to-5 routine. And do remember to write a cover letter -- not doing so is another guaranteed way to get your resume thrown into the trash, according to the experts.

MONSTERTHINKING

http://www.workplace-weekly.com/2013/07/10/maximize-employee-engagement-threethings-your-team-wont-tell-you/

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Maximize Employee Engagement- 3 Things Your Team Won’t Tell You

There’s a rule – unspoken yet understood by all – that when playing any competitive sport with your boss, you’re going to “bring your A game” but under no circumstances are you to actually win. To do so would be tantamount to career suicide.

Transplant this principle to a company that has an “open door policy” that innocently claims any and all feedback and suggestions are welcome! Sure, the official policy encourages open communication, but under no circumstances are you to actually tell them what you’re thinking. Or you could be honest … and start scanning the “Help Wanted” ads on your way out the door.

The simple fact is that even though your boss may want to be treated like an equal, he’s your boss – he is inherently not on the same level as you. At the very least, he may want you to feel comfortable enough around him to tell him the truth, but he’s still human: even if he says you have “immunity” to speak your mind, you will always wonder if deep down he has held on to some residual resentment about that one time you shared your stupidity, um, I mean, your feelings.

There’s a very good chance that your employees go through the exact same thought process outlined above when you ask what could motivate them to do their jobs better. This is so because the truth isn’t exactly the most politically correct response for someone looking to retain their position within your company.

So save everyone the trouble and offer up the three most effective incentives that employees will rarely ask for, but will maximize your team’s motivation more than a gold star next to their name or a plaque on their desk.

The more motivated we are, the harder we work. This applies when losing weight, getting the person of our dreams, training for a race – virtually anything that requires effort always deserves more when the payoff is really worth it.

The biggest payoff is just that – getting paid! Yes, employees earn a paycheck for showing up but if you want to get that extra bit of effort, offer a monetary incentive. This can be in the form of:

• 
  Cash
  
• 
  End of the month/term/quarter/year bonus.
  
• 
  Pre-paid credit card
  
• 
  Gift certificate or gift card to the location of their choice
  

Another amazing motivator that your wonderful worker need not split with the federal government is time. Whether that’s time spent away from work entirely or merely time away from the desk in your company’s office i.e., offering your employees the option to telecommute if/when they prove themselves trustworthy and dependable, giving your people the chance to get away from work as a reward for being great at work is one of the most coveted incentives.

This doesn’t mean they don’t like you or their coworkers or even their careers; it simply reflects their desire to have an actual life outside of work. Believe it or not, your employees have other people they see when they leave the office every day and embracing this fact shows you understand what makes people tick.

Note: It’s easy to understand why your employees may not tell you this is what they want: an innocent request for a little time off could easily turn into a permanent vacation!

When all else fails or you don’t have any extra cash lying around and your team consists of two or three members, none of which you can afford to lose even for a half-day, roll out the Red Carpet. Indeed, if you can’t offer them fortune, offer them fame! Some great options for rewarding outstanding performance include:

• 
  Company-wide announcements of their achievements
  
• 
  Prominently displayed headshot picture of your top person
  
• 
  Awesome parking space WITH their name indicated nearby
  
• 
  External recognition in a newsletter or in the client email list
  

What are some of the newly-inspired incentives you plan on offering now that you’ve gotten the scoop about what your workers really want? Have you tried to institute recognition programs in the past, to no avail? If so, why do you think they didn’t work?

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http://www.workplace-weekly.com/2013/07/10/businesses-encourage-to-move-forward-with-aca-compliance-in-spite-of-the-delay/

Healthcare Law Employer Mandatory Reporting Requirement Delayed For One Year

Businesses Encourage to Move Forward with ACA Compliance In spite of the Delay

In the wake of the Obama administration announcement; that the ACA mandatory employer and insurer reporting requirements will be delayed for one year. Workplace weekly news decides to seek expert opinion on the impact on businesses.

Gary Jurney, CLU, ChFC, AIF®,President of Kainos Partners, a UBA Partner Firm said, “We believe the delay will in fact ultimately result in some employers choosing to hire more part time employees working less than 30 hours per week. Those companies this might impact are those with + or ­ 5-10 employees on either side of the 50 employee benchmark. It could also impact employers who have 35 and under total employees but may have a significant population of part times employees already. When these part time employees¹ hours are counted to determine the number of Full Time Equivalent FTE employees, the employer could be considered as having more than 50 total employees”.

Gary agrees that the delay is good news for employers especially from the financial liability perspective whom have been working feverishly to meet the 1/14/13 deadline; he however encourages employers to move forward with compliance as if there were still penalties for not doing so. “This delay gives employers sort of a “pre-season” year to get things right before the financial penalties would occur for them, if any”, he said.

The Obama administration identified two reasons for the delay. First, it will allow the administration to consider ways to simplify the new reporting requirements consistent with the law. Second, it will provide time to adapt health coverage and reporting systems while employers are moving toward making health coverage affordable and accessible for their employees.

If you are a small business with less than 50 workers, the law’s employer shared responsibility policies does not apply to you. Instead, you will gain access to the Small Business Health Options Program that gives you the purchasing power of large businesses. In fact, you may be eligible for a tax credit that covers up to half the cost of insurance if you offer quality coverage to your employees

If you own a business with more than 50 workers that already offer full-time workers affordable, quality coverage, you are fine – we’ll work with you to keep that coverage affordable.

And if you are a company with more than 50 employees but choose not to offer quality affordable coverage, the administration have provided as much flexibility and transition time as possible for you to move to providing affordable, quality coverage to your workers.

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EEOC Says -Employers Cannot “Contract Away” Responsibilities under Title VII

Businesses Encourage to Move Forward with ACA Compliance In spite of the Delay

UK Coal Restructuring Preserves 2,000 Jobs

Big Data and Talent Development: KnowledgeAdvisors Releases White Paper- Launches Speaking Series

Net Change in Employment - Hires Exceed Separations

Propel Forward Provides Leadership Tips on Decision Making

Vermont Releases Rate for Health Insurance Exchange

EmploymentCrossing Reports 53,123 Active Part-time Jobs- Employers Cut-back on Full-time Opportunities

Four Things That Can Send Your Resume into the Trash

Maximize Employee Engagement- 3 Things Your Team Won’t Tell You

Employers, Contract Away Responsibilities, Vermont Releases Rate, Health Insurance Exchange, UK Coal Restructuring, Decision Making, ACA Compliance,

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http://usaoilandgasmonitor.com/2013/07/11/iea-non-opec-supply-seen-growing-even-faster-in-2014/

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IEA -Non-OPEC Supply Seen Growing Even Faster In 2014

Despite a lackluster economic outlook, futures markets were buoyed by upheaval in Egypt and supply‐side issues. Futures edged mildly higher in June but posted stronger gains in early July, with Brent last trading at $108.30/bbl and WTI at $105.20/bbl.

Global demand is forecast to grow by 1.2 mb/d in 2014, following upwardly‐revised growth of 930 kb/d in 2013. Unseasonably cold weather in the OECD helped to raise the estimates for 2Q13 and fullyear 2013 by 645 kb/d and 215 kb/d, respectively.

Non‐OPEC supply is forecast to increase by 1.3 mb/d in 2014, higher than an upwardly revised 1.2 mb/d for 2013. Global supplies fell by 0.3 mb/d to 91.2 mb/d in June m‐o‐m, as lower OPEC crude output more than offset an 80 kb/d gain in non‐OPEC supply.

Disruptions in Libya, Nigeria and Iraq cut OPEC crude oil supplies by 370 kb/d in June, to 30.61 mb/d. The ‘call on OPEC crude and stock change’ for 1H13 was raised by 350 kb/d to 29.6 mb/d, as cold weather lifted 2Q13 demand. For 2014, the ‘Call’ is forecast to decline by 200 kb/d to 29.4 mb/d.
http://usaoilandgasmonitor.com/2013/07/11/eia-new-inventory-database-tracks-state-energy-efficiency-programs/

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EIA New Inventory Database Tracks State Energy Efficiency Programs

EIA has compiled a nationwide inventory providing detailed summaries of energy efficiency evaluation reports—commonly called evaluation, measurement, and verification EM&V reports—on electricity and natural gas programs. This is the first such inventory available for public use, organizing useful and timely information for energy demand analysis.

Energy Efficiency Resource Standards EERS established by states have joined other regulatory and policy measures as a primary driver of energy efficiency programs in the United States. At the end of 2012, electric utilities in states having active EERS legislation served 104.6 million electric customers. As states and other entities ramp up incentive programs for enhancing energy efficiency, the effect of these incentives and their EM&V is critical to assessing program cost effectiveness. To some extent, the implementation of EERS follows the renewable portfolio standards. In general, energy-related state legislation is an active field, with more than 2,100 bills pending in the 50 states, according to Colorado State University's Center for the New Energy Economy and its Advanced Energy Legislation Tracker.

Energy efficiency program budgets have rapidly expanded, and in many states now approach supply-side capital investment in scale. But the diffused targeting of these programs, the lack of lengthy track records, and the difficulty of measuring their benefits make program evaluation critical. A large number of programs are currently generating an ever-growing number of EM&V studies. It is challenging to track and compare the results of so many programs or even to locate and acquire the reports on program effectiveness. EIA developed this inventory of EM&V reports to meet this challenge and to enable research and analysis of energy efficiency cost-effectiveness.

EIA's new inventory will make it easy to study cost information in state-mandated energy efficiency program evaluations. The inventory database is available to the public and enables rapid location and comparison of EM&V documents by geography, scope, and other characteristics. The database includes links to reports, associated legislation and regulations, and summary details on coverage (such as customer class and end use) for each energy efficiency program.

The database catalogues 329 data sources containing program evaluation results. These primarily were presented in annual reports to state regulatory commissions (108 documents). An additional 115 reports were designated as impact or process evaluation reports. California reports are not included in the EIA inventory because the CALMAC system already provides a ready source for EM&V information.

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