In observance of the upcoming holidays, RMI will be closed on the following dates:

Thanksgiving Holiday
Thursday, November 25 and Friday, November 26
Christmas Holiday
Friday, December 24 and Monday, December 27
New Year’s Holiday
Friday, December 31

With 2011 quickly approaching, it is important to be aware that several states and local governments are increasing their minimum wage on January 1, 2011. The current federal minimum wage is $7.25 per hour, which may be higher or lower than some states' or local governments' minimum wage. Whichever wage is higher is the minimum wage that is required to be paid. The following table indicates the current state minimum wages and upcoming changes that have been announced to date:

For more information on minimum wage, please contact you RMI HR Representative or Payroll Manager.

Where would you go if you thought you had a broken bone? Would you go to the hospital emergency room? If so, you may be wasting time and money and not getting the most efficient care. Many employees use the emergency room for conditions that can be treated more efficiently in either a doctor's office or at an urgent care facility.

Did you know that the average emergency room visit will cost an employee $238? This is almost ten times the amount of an office visit co-pay on most of RMI's Group Health Plans. Treatment in an emergency room is very expensive and those higher costs are passed along to employees in the form of higher out-of-pocket costs and sometimes, even higher premiums.

While it may sometimes be necessary to obtain medical treatment in your local emergency room, employees may be surprised as to the types of services that can be performed in an urgent care facility such as:

• Sore throats
• Sprains
• Strains
• Minor cuts and stitches
• Nausea and vomiting
• Broken bones
• Earaches

Most urgent care facilities do not require an appointment and typically have extended hours, allowing you to visit them after working hours and on weekends.

When asked, employees all seem to know where their nearest emergency room is located but few are aware of where the nearest urgent care facility is. You should take the time before the need arises to locate and know how to get to your nearest urgent care facility. RMI has posted a link to the Beechstreet urgent care centers on the front page of our website for easy access (www.rminc.com). We have also distributed magnets, as well as complete listings of the Beechstreet-approved facilities, to our employees over the past year. GroupHealth also provides similar information on their web page.

Knowing when to use the emergency room and when to use an urgent care facility can save you hundreds of dollars, will provide you with more efficient care, and in the long run, keep your medical premiums down. No one wants to spend hours in an emergency room only to pay hundreds of dollars for the visit.

If you would like more information in regards to urgent care vs. emergency care, if you need assistance in locating your nearest urgent care facility, or if you would like some of the materials mentioned above, please contact RMI's Benefits Department at (888) 764-0200.

During the month of November, the RMI Payroll Department will be contacting all S-Corp businesses to confirm each company's current list of 2% or more shareholders. If you are an S-Corp shareholder of 2% or more and your company paid for all or some of your health premiums in 2010, these premiums will need to be shown as federal taxable wages on your 2010 Form W-2. These wages will not be subject to Social Security or Medicare (FICA) or Unemployment (FUTA) taxes. These wages will be included in Box 1 (Wages) of the Form W-2.

At the end of the year, the RMI Payroll Department will process a "Owner Health Contribution Payroll" for all S-Corp 2% or more shareholders. Depending on the state your business is located in, your "Owner Health Contribution Payroll" may or may not generate a small invoice for Worker's Compensation/Risk Management.

If you have any questions, please contact RMI's Payroll Director, Megan Smith, at 888-764-0200 or megan@rminc.com.

Driving requires all the care and caution possible any time of year, however, winter driving has even greater challenges because of wet and icy road surfaces, longer hours of darkness and poor visibility because of snow, rain and fog.

The following are twelve tips to help you drive more safely this winter:

1. Allow enough time to get to your destination. Rushing in difficult driving conditions can lead to an accident. Turn your radio on to listen to the road report and weather forecast. Leave a few minutes earlier in the morning, and allow plenty of time to get to work. Buckle your seat belt or safety restraint before you start driving.

2. Stay alert. Don't drive when you are under the influence of alcohol, drugs or certain medications. Read the labels of prescription drugs and over-the-counter medicines to determine if they can cause drowsiness. Driving demands your full attention.

3. Stay calm. Sometimes other drivers will become frustrated with slow-moving traffic. Keep your temper and don't let other drivers aggravate you. Maintain a safe speed and drive defensively.

4. Keep a safe distance between you and other vehicles. The "two second rule" works well on dry roads and in ideal conditions, but in winter you should extend it to four seconds. Watch the vehicle directly ahead of you. As it passes a stationary object start counting - "one thousand and one", "one thousand and two", and so on. Your vehicle should not pass the same object until you say the word "four."

5. Keep your car well-maintained and in good working order. This includes having good tread on your tires, the engine tuned-up for winter, and all lights functioning properly. In colder climates, you may need to add anti-freeze to the radiator. In some areas, gasoline antifreeze may be required.

6. Clean your windows and headlights frequently. Keep your windshield washer fluid topped up. Good visibility is essential to safe driving. Clean your windows and headlights of ice or snow before starting out, and repeat frequently throughout your trip.

7. Drive appropriately for the road conditions. The posted speed limit may be too fast under winter conditions. Driving on a wet road can cause hydroplaning as a thin barrier of water builds up between your tires and the road surface, causing your vehicle to slip. If you begin to lose control of your steering, take your foot off the gas.

8. Stay with your vehicle if it breaks down. Put on your emergency flashers and wait for assistance. Carry a sign for your window, asking other motorists to tell the police you need help.

9. Wait out bad weather. Strong icy winds in combination with snow or dust can make it impossible to see where you are driving or walking. Under these conditions it is usually safest to stay with your vehicle and wait out the storm.

10. Plan your moves carefully. In slippery conditions, never jam on your brakes in a panic stop, you will most likely skid and lose control of the vehicle. Instead, pump your brakes gently a few times.

11. Avoid driving through deep puddles, especially at high speeds. The water can make your brakes less effective and, if deep enough, can cause serious engine damage. If you must drive through water and you are not sure about the depth, slow right down and cautiously inch forward until you are certain it is safe.

12. Quit driving when you begin to feel sleepy. If you have a long distance to drive, take frequent short breaks for fresh air and a walk around the vehicle.

Winter driving can be challenging, especially if driving is a part of your job. Take your time and plan ahead. For additional information in developing your fleet safety program or training, please contact your HR Representative.

Safety can be a complicated business, when you consider the rules and regulations for dealing with hazards involving chemicals, gases and fast-moving machinery. In many situations, safe behavior is simply responsible behavior. In fact, there is a striking resemblance between the rules we learned in childhood for being responsible around home or school, and the guidelines for safe behavior at work.

As children, we learned that we were supposed to clean up any messes we made and we were not to touch dangerous items without permission and supervision. These and other simple guidelines are also important for working safely as adults.
Here are some tips for working safely. They will probably sound pretty familiar; we have been told these things for years:

• If you make a mess, clean it up. Many accidents are caused by spills and clutter on the floor. Accumulated debris has provided fuel for many workplace fires. A spill of coffee may seem insignificant, but it can contribute to a serious slip and fall by a co-worker.
• Report any hazards to your supervisor. This can include unsafe working conditions and unsafe procedures.
• If you move it, put it back. Keeping things where they belong reduces clutter in the work area, and also reduces the chance of accidents.
• If you open it, then close it. Fire doors are a good example of something you should always close behind you.
• If you turn it on, you should turn it off. Don't assume that someone else will do so. In fact, don't assume anything.
• If you unlock it, lock it again. Security is everyone's responsibility.
• If you use it, take good care of it. This includes your Personal Protective Equipment such as hard hats, safety-toed footwear and earplugs. Follow the manufacturer's instructions for maintenance.
• If you break it, repair it if authorized and qualified to do so. Do not leave it for someone else to find. Damaged tools and equipment cause many injuries.
• If you are not able or authorized to fix it, report the problem so that it will be taken care of. Damaged tools and equipment should be removed from service. They should be tagged and turned in for repair or replacement.
• If it belongs to someone else and you want to use it, ask for permission. You might obtain some valuable information about how to use a tool or piece of equipment if you talk to the operator.
• If you borrow it, return it to the owner. Time wasted looking for missing safety equipment and tools could be better spent on other tasks. If a co-worker cannot find the gear which you borrowed, he may be tempted to improvise unsafely.
• If you aren't authorized to operate it, keep your hands off. Forklifts are an example of a machine which has injured many unauthorized, untrained operators.
• If it doesn't concern you, don't meddle with it. Just think of the consequences of interfering with someone else's lockout-tagout arrangement, or meddling with someone's fall arrest protection.

Safety is full of complicated regulations and instructions, but much of it boils down to some simple basics. For assistance in developing your safety program or training, please contact your HR Representative.