Posted by Seth Burgess on Sat, Jul 31, 2010 @ 07:33 PM
Marketing Person
ASSOCIATION
#90825A
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Large established horse association has new position with Marketing, Communications, and Sponsorship Departments. Write news releases, maintain social media presence, assist with targeted growth initiatives, interact with media professionals, assist with web site content, produce special events and fulfill Corporate Partner and event sponsor obligations. Bachelor's degree in Agricultural Communications, Animal Science, or related area preferred. Please submit cover letter, resume, and writing samples.
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Job Located in Region 7
Posted by Seth Burgess on Sat, Jul 31, 2010 @ 07:32 PM
Experienced Grooms
WARMBLOOD, DRESSAGE
#58605A
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Immediate opening for experienced Grooms. Beautiful horse breeding and sales facility is seeking experienced Grooms. Must be a team player with an excellent work ethic. Duties include but not limited to: grooming, cleaning tack, feeding and watering, mucking stalls, turning out, must have experience with braiding and wrapping legs, work with veterinarians, and farriers assist when necessary. Pony Club background a plus. Excellent possibilities for advancement. Please forward resume/questions. |
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Job Located in Region 2
Posted by Seth Burgess on Thu, Jul 29, 2010 @ 03:43 PM
In our recent equine employment satisfaction survey, the most important element in equine employment for most every horse industry employee is "being appreciated for what I do." It even ranks ahead of getting a high salary.
All employees like to feel they are appreciated, they are doing important work, and they are contributing to the success of their employer's business. However, most employees won't know how they are doing unless you tell them. Employees at the groom and stable help level are far removed from the facts and figures that indicate success and may not be able to see how their job is vital to the organization. Even managers and Trainers may have their particular focus and not be aware of the big picture.
Here are ten ways in which you can make your employees more aware of their contribution to the success of your horse business and make their work more meaningful.
1. Be quick to praise your employees for a job well done. If you praise them in front of other employees, the value doubles. Praise in public, but reprimand in private.
2. Explain to each employee how their specific job contributes to the success of the business. For instance, cleaning stalls may not be glamorous, but when customers see dirty stalls, they will be turned off and are likely to spread the word that your horses are not well cared for.
3. Explain your philosophy. Tell employees about why your are in the horse business and how your products and services make your customers happy and the world a better place.
4. Create a diagram of the jobs in your organization and connect each job with lines that lead to things like sales, customer satisfaction, better horses, better riders, and a better-looking more-profitable business. Hang this diagram in your workplace.
5. Create a mission statement for your organization, so that everyone on your staff can identify with the mission, and you can refer to it when explaining the value of a particular job.
6. Ask your employees for input on a regular basis, so they can feel like contributors to your success.
7. Have a written job description for each horse job type. Give each employee a copy of their job description. This will not only help everyone be on the same page about the job, it will give each employee a template by which they can judge their own performance.
8. Consider linking compensation to job performance and business success. Give bonuses based on measurable performance, either work performance or business success. Tell your employees about your bonus program to give them something to work towards.
9. As best you can, hire people who are excited and passionate about your mission in the horse business. Avoid hiring people who don't really care about your mission.
10. When you hire, integrate your workers into your mission as part of the orientation and training process. Then commit to enhancing the personal success of your employees in your organization as the months and years go by.
Attitude starts at the top. If you are discouraged about your horse business and pessimistic about it's future, your attitude will rub off on your employees. Take our horse industry economic survey and see the results instantly for free. It might surprise you how most horse people are optimistic about the future of the horse industry.
Posted by Seth Burgess on Fri, Jul 23, 2010 @ 05:20 PM
Stable Assistant
HUNTERS
#67035A
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Busy boarding and lesson facility seeks individual to assist with daily care of horses and alpacas. Duties will include cleaning stalls, turn out, feeding, general farm maintenance, caring for alpacas, and assisting the Barn Manager. Candidate must have solid horse handling skills, follow directions explicitly and be able to work independently with a positive attitude. This is a full time position with housing available in a family environment. Candidate must submit to background check and drug testing. Tobacco free environment. Web site: |
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Job Located in Region 3
Posted by Seth Burgess on Thu, Jul 22, 2010 @ 05:18 PM
Apprentice Trainer
DRESSAGE
#58552A
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Dressage training, show, and sales stable seeks motivated individual to join our team. Responsibilities include some grooming at home and shows, riding, and stable management. Must be able to ride young horses. Opportunity to learn and advance. Salary negotiable, board for horse, and housing possible. |
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Job Located in Region 7
Posted by Seth Burgess on Wed, Jul 21, 2010 @ 05:16 PM
News Editor
NATIONAL MAGAZINE
#49598B
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Job requires good working knowledge of equine anatomy, physiology & horse health. Develop fresh news content, cultivate/maintain news sources, work w/freelance writers to build & schedule original content. Write concisely about equine health, care, mgmt & welfare. Strong editing & proofreading skills. Prepare special reports, post real-time news, images & video. On-camera reporting, etc. A strong command of technology, proficient at Adobe Creative Suite 3/Microsoft Office products preferred. Some travel. Salary, benefits & good work environment. Equimax Region 5. Submit resume, writing samples & salary requirements. No phone calls. |
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Job Located in Region 5
Posted by Seth Burgess on Tue, Jul 20, 2010 @ 05:15 PM
Stable Help
TRAINING BARN
#11522B
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Well established reining and cowhorse facility looking for reliable, hardworking and responsible stable help. Duties include cleaning stalls, feeding horses and some tractor work. Six days a week, apartment provided in barn. Send responses to Dave Dillman at email address. Thank you. |
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Job Located in Region 8
Posted by Seth Burgess on Mon, Jul 19, 2010 @ 05:13 PM
Maintenance/Stable Hand
HUNTER
#09915A
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Busy boarding & lesson facility seeks individual for farm maintenance and upkeep including pastures, 2 stables, out buildings & multiple residences. Must be able to drive a tractor, operate farm machinery, and have very strong all around maintenance skills including basic carpentry and plumbing. Must also possess solid horse handling skills in order to assist with stall cleaning, turn out and basic stable chores. Position requires the ability to follow directions precisely & work independantly with a positive attitude. This is a drug & tobacco free, family environment. Drug test & background check required. Housing available. |
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Job Located in Region 3
Posted by Seth Burgess on Sun, Jul 18, 2010 @ 05:25 PM
Barn Manager
EVENT BARN
#75755A
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Small private upper level 3-day event barn looking for a live-in Barn Manager to assist with grooming, tacking, feeding and exercising of 4-6 horses and ponies; scheduling of deliveries/vet/farrier and supervising of children in barn setting. Position available immediately, is full time and includes salary and excellent housing situation. Please submit resume and qualifications. |
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Job Located in Region 10
Posted by Seth Burgess on Sun, Jul 18, 2010 @ 04:45 PM
4 Foundations for Getting Your Equine Career on Track
by Beverly A. Buncher
When my clients are wondering what to do first to get their lives or careers back on track, I often ask them how they are doing with the basics. As a life and career coach, who often works with people whose lives are affected by their own or someone else’s blocks, I call these basics The Four Foundations of Family Recovery ©, but truly, they are foundational principles for inner growth for anyone who wants to move forward in their life since they are about the relationships we have with ourselves and others. We coaches have a saying, “How you are in one part of your life is how you are in all parts of your life.” So, by starting with a check up on the basics, I help my clients get a handle on what is and is not working in their life and how to get things back in sync.
The Four Foundations© are:
1. Self Care. Often, when things aren’t going our way, one of the first things to go is self care. Sometimes this can be as simple as brushing your teeth, as routine as exercising 3x or more a week, or as fundamental as eating nutritional food to keep your brain fit.
2. Being a Loving Person. This one can be less obvious but its lack in your life can be just as insidious and certainly just as important in its own way. Being a loving person means:
a. Treating others with dignity and respect even when they are acting badly (doing so without becoming a doormat becomes evident in foundation #3)
b. Treating ourselves with loving-kindness even when we are operating at less than our best
c. Not doing for another adult what they can do for themselves
d. Saying what you mean and meaning what you say without saying it mean
3. Setting boundaries for your own well-being. Boundary setting is difficult for a lot of people. It means:
a. sometimes having difficult conversations with people
learning how to say no when you mean no and yes when you mean yes
b. learning how to say no when you mean no and yes when you mean yes
b. knowing what you can and cannot tolerate in your life and learning how to communicate that to the people who are important to you at home and work
c. being able to stand by your word – not only in your commitments to others but also in your commitments to yourself
e. not making idle threats or giving empty ultimatums, but rather, getting to a point where you are good for your word and people know that if you say something, you mean it
4. Getting support. For many people, getting support will be the most important of the four foundations because without support, they won’t be able to achieve the other three. Supports can include:
a. Friends and Family members
b. Therapist, Life Coach, Minister, Riding Instructor, Colleagues
c. Support group (12 step, therapy, or coaching group)
d. God (or whatever you call your Higher Power)
e. Prayer and/or Meditation
f. Church, mosque, synagogue
Often, when I first bring up the 4 Foundations©, my clients wonder how this is related to their goals. But when they begin to look more closely they get it. These four principles of taking care of yourself, being loving to self and others, setting boundaries that feel right to you, and getting support to live your best life and live up to your principles, are all about getting your act together in relationship to yourself, others, and your God (if you have one). By getting clear in these fundamental relationships, other things begin to gain clarity. You start to know what you want, what you stand for and where you want to go with your life and your career. You see yourself as someone who is effective in their own life and in relation to others and so you begin to be able to transfer this sense of effectiveness into the choosing and achievement of your goals as well.
For me, being a coach is being someone who knows how to ask the questions that can help my clients move forward in their lives to become who and what they want to be. If you think you could benefit from having a coach to help you take your next best steps, give me a call and let’s talk! Or, if you know someone who you think could benefit from working with me, please share my name and number with them!
In the meantime, thanks for reading and see you next time!
All the best,
Coach Bev
Beverly A. Buncher, MA, CEC
Family Recovery Coach (AKA The Empowerment Coach)
Author of the forthcoming book Family Recovery 101: The Four Foundations of Family Recovery©
www.theempowermentcoach.net
(786) 859 4050
About the author:
Coach Bev works with those whose lives or careers are stalled and helping them find their way to a saner, happier life. A horse mommy, she has spent many hours visiting barns, grazing horses and watching horse shows. She is skilled at helping her clients move past the blocks in their paths to live the lives they most dearly want to achieve.
Posted by Seth Burgess on Sat, Jul 17, 2010 @ 05:10 PM
Account Executive
MAGAZINE
#06841B
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National magazine seeking a National Ad Sales Account Executive. Existing base of accounts to reassign to you, with excellent earning potential. Work from your home base using our state-of-the-art organization's modern technology. Requirements: At least 3 years experience in ad sales in horse industry, excellent written & phone skills & ability to present creative marketing ideas to grow print & on-line sales. You must have excellent database & computer skills. Our team is creative, energized & successful. Send complete resume & letter explaining why you feel you would be a good fit for our job. See our website: |
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Job Located in Region 0
Posted by Seth Burgess on Fri, Jul 16, 2010 @ 04:14 PM
Are You Stalled in Your
Personal Life or Career?
by Beverly A. Buncher
Perfectly sane people sometimes experience obstacles in their ability to move forward in their personal life or their career...
Have you ever felt stalled? Helpless almost? So caught up in your own fears of what the future holds that your decision making capabilities don’t feel as reliable as they usually are? There are two primary areas that this phenomenon falls into.
Stop for a moment and answer these questions:
1. If you are feeling down, is it keeping you from taking care of your responsibilities to the people and situations in your life?
2. Have you lost interest in the little pleasures of life?
3. Are you sad most of the time?
4. Do you lack the motivation to make things better?
If you answered yes to any of these questions and your feeling of being stalled has lasted for more than 3 months, chances are you need to see a doctor, get a physical and check things out with a therapist to get the help you need to get your life back on track.
On the other hand, if what you are experiencing is a feeling of being stalled in your personal or career decision making abilities and could use some help in sorting out what you really want to achieve and how to get there, what you really may need is a coach. Coaches are trained professionals who know how to help their clients gain clarity in their lives around their goals and dreams and then go after them to make them real.
I’m a coach, certified in empowerment coaching, which means I help empower people to “unstall” their lives or careers and get things going. Here’s how:
It all starts with a complimentary session. At that session, the client brings me three things they would like to change through coaching. These three things need to be actionable goals. In other words, not about feeling better, but about doing or achieving something. Often, people come to a session with a goal like “I want to get my finances in better shape” or “I want to meet and marry my soul partner” or “I want to find a better job.” I’ve also heard goals like “I want to improve my jumping” or “I want to find a new career” or “I want to write publish my first book.”
But, what happens when the client sets a goal and simply doesn’t do it, doesn’t follow through on what they say they most want to achieve?
Believe it or not, this happens often in a coaching relationship. Hence the need for a coach. When it happens, coaching begins. Some of the tools the coach uses include activities that help the client build on past successes, exercises that allow the client to speak with the parts of herself that don’t want to do what it takes, and being an accountability partner to the client to help the client stay on track.
If you or a friend could use some help deciding on your life or career goals and/or sticking to and achieving the goals you set, give me a call! We can set up a complimentary consult to see if coaching and the way I work as a coach are for you!
In the meantime, thanks for reading and see you next time!
All the best,
Coach Bev
Beverly A. Buncher, MA, CEC
Family Recovery Coach (AKA The Empowerment Coach)
Author of the forthcoming book Family Recovery 101: The Four Foundations of Family Recovery©
www.theempowermentcoach.net
(786) 859 4050
About the author:
Coach Bev works with those whose lives or careers are stalled and helping them find their way to a saner, happier life. A horse mommy, she has spent many hours visiting barns, grazing horses and watching horse shows. She is skilled at helping her clients move past the blocks in their paths to live the lives they most dearly want to achieve.
Posted by Seth Burgess on Thu, Jul 15, 2010 @ 04:01 PM
Horse Care Help
PLEASURE
#69939A
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We need barn help to care for three horses. Must have relevant experience and can operate a tractor and manure spreader. $12 per horse per day (negotiable). |
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Job Located in Region 3
Posted by Seth Burgess on Thu, Jul 15, 2010 @ 03:42 PM
Common Mistakes Equestrian
Job Seekers Make
The most common mistake we see job seekers make is to underestimate the amount of time and effort it may take to find a good job. Finding a job is a job in itself and should be approached with the same effort and attention to detail as any job. Here are some things that job seekers do to shoot themselves in the foot.
1. Some job seekers seem to spend little time and effort on figuring out what kind of job and what kind of employer they want. They seem to let the job market or other people decide what they should do in life. Be pro-active, decide what you want to do, figure out what you need to do to get there, and then put some effort into making it happen.
2. Some job seekers make just one attempt to contact an employer and when they don't hear back, they assume the employer is not interested. Communication is not perfect. Keep working at it. Try more than once to make contact. Use two different methods of communication (email, telephone, fax, postal mail) But, don't "bug" the employer. If you have tried three times and get no response, put the job "on the back burner" and move on.
3. Some job seekers don't seem to think that good communication skills matter. Their letters, messages, and resume are full of typos, misspelling, bad grammar, and sloppy thinking. Proofread everything! Show important letters and resumes to people you trust. Ask for help making your communication better. People will judge your abilities based on your ability to communicate. If you are a sloppy communicator, employers will tend to think you are a sloppy worker too. Then again, maybe you are!
Don't just advertise with Equimax and then hope the right thing comes along. Work at it. Treat your job search just like a job. Work at it every day, but don't forget to take a day off.
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Posted by Seth Burgess on Wed, Jul 14, 2010 @ 04:00 PM
Loper
CUTTING
#49598A
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Cutting horse facility located in Central Texas has an immediate opening for a Loper/Assistant to Trainer. Primary job duties include lopeing show horses and traveling to shows, must have good horsemanship and riding skills. Job also includes assisting trainer in the pen, turning back and working cattle. Must be single, coed housing provided on the ranch with all utilities paid and starting salary of $1,400.00 per month. Please email references and job experience. |
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Job Located in Region 7
Posted by Seth Burgess on Mon, Jul 12, 2010 @ 03:27 PM
The most common mistake made by equestrian employers is to let bad experiences in the past color their search for new help. Let's face it, having employees can be a can of worms at times. The list of things that can go wrong in an employer-employee relationship in a horse job is long. Employers can be burned, cheated, and taken advantage of by their equine help. Frequently this leads to employers going into "prevention" mode. Instead of trying to be positive and work on attracting the best possible applicants, many equine employers seem to go negative and start warning applicants about all the things they DON'T want. This approach tends to warn off the good applicants and result in continued difficulty finding and keeping good help. We see this tendency in the wording of equestrian job ads every day. Here is an example of a job ad that suffers from the "negative, fair warning" syndrome:
**************************************
Equestrian Teaching-Training-Boarding barn needs ethical, reliable and hard working person who cares deeply about horses and wants to provide premium care for them; must have a positive personality, good people skills, and a well developed sense of personal responsibility. Must be productive with minimal supervision. Responsibilities include daily horse care, stall cleaning, barn up-keep, horse prep, tractor operations, basic record keeping, supervision of part-time staff. Do some teaching and/or riding if capable. Be prepared for hard work and long hours. Only serious applicants need apply.
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Now, do you think this employer has been burned in the past? You bet! You can just imagine the trouble this employer has had with lazy, dishonest, and careless employees, and you can see how much this employer wants to avoid ever hiring that kind again. Unfortunately, posting an ad like this will just about guarantee that this employer will end up with the same kind of employee again. Good help-wanted advertising is written to ATTRACT the best possible applicants, NOT to ELIMINATE the undesirable applicants. Here is my rewrite of the same job listing.
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Equestrian Teaching-Training-Boarding barn with solid reputation and happy clientele has great opportunity for experienced horse person to excel in daily care of horses, facility maintenance and other essential tasks. Your teaching and riding skills will be utilized. We know that good employees make a successful business, and we can provide you with on-the-job training from a successful trainer and coach. You will have the opportunity to advance to your maximum skill level. Build a future with an employer who appreciates good help. Contact us today.
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Will this kind of advertisement attract undesirable applicants? Of course it will. However, unlike the first ad, it will also attract the good applicants. As an equine employer, your job will be to sort out the applicants as they come along. Don't let your past experiences with equine help affect your ability to attract good applicants. Be sure your ads are written to attract the best and see that your entire approach to hiring follows suit.
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Posted by Seth Burgess on Sun, Jul 11, 2010 @ 03:06 PM
How Much Notice Should
You Give When You Leave a Horse Job?
Most employees in equestrian jobs are "at will" employees. This means that legally the employee can can leave whenever he/she wants and the employer can fire the employee without any warning. Unless you are under contract (written or verbal) you are an "at will" employee. The law on this subject is a little more complicated than this, so before you jump to conclusions, consult a legal authority.
What about the moral situation? In our society, it is fairly common for employers to expect and employees to give between two weeks and 30 days notice when they intend to leave a job. However, the notice period is entirely negotiable. Here are some things to consider when planning to give notice to your employer:
1. "At will" employees are under no strict obligation to give notice, or to stay for the full amount of any notice period given. (However, doing so is usually in the employee's best interests. Don't burn bridges unless there is no other choice.)
2. Generally speaking, the more responsibility you have and the more indispensable you are, the longer the notice period should be.
3. In most situations, giving more than 30 days notice, may make it harder for you to secure your next job or meet the terms necessary to satisfy your next employer.
4. An equine employee may agree with an employer to work through a certain date or until the completion of a particular event like a show or sale. However, the employee may still need to leave sooner.
5. After giving notice at an equine, the employee's circumstances may change and the notice period may need to be renegotiated. Be ready to make adjustments.
6. Remember that equine employment is a "mutual" agreement. Loyalty to the employer should not require that the equine employee work indefinitely to allow the employer to find a replacement. If the shoe were on the other foot and the employer were laying off the employees, would the equine employer keep the employees on indefinitely until the employee found another job? In most cases, no. Both parties will have decisions to make that may not fit everyone's needs. If possible, come to mutually acceptable terms.
7. It is reasonable for an employer to think badly of the equine employee if he/she leaves unexpectedly "in the middle of the night" without giving any notice at all? Probably not. Sometimes there is just not any way of terminating a situation cleanly. Even when attempts are made to end the situation amicably, details may get in the way. That's just the way things are. Don't feel guilty for disappointing the employer. You have the right to move on if that's what you need to do.
Posted by Seth Burgess on Sat, Jul 10, 2010 @ 03:54 PM
Loper,Rider, Stable Help
CUTTING HORSES
#21757B
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Cutting horse facility in need of an able, hard working, and honest individual. Person must be able to saddle, ride (warming horses up for training and competitive events), and drive a truck and trailer. Ability to doctor horses (shots, wrapping legs, deworming, etc.), knowledge of cattle, and some farm equipment would be very beneficial. House will be provided and salary will be determined with ability. Serious inquiries only! |
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Job Located in Region 8
Posted by Seth Burgess on Fri, Jul 09, 2010 @ 04:04 PM
Barn Manager
RETIRED HORSES
#85328A
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Barn Manager needed for daily care of retired horses. Must live on property, will provide housing. Strong computer skills and organization a must. Please send your resume to Attention: Susie |
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Job Located in Region 10
Posted by Seth Burgess on Fri, Jul 09, 2010 @ 02:47 PM
When is it Good for Equine Employees to Manage the Boss?
by Lynna Waits
Relationships between employee and employer in equestrian jobs are just like most other relationships in many respects. In order to have a successful relationship of any kind you must have respect for yourself and the other person, you must be willing to compromise sometimes, be flexible, and consider the other persons feelings.
I have been in the work force as an employee for nearly 50 years and have worked in various capacities. Not all my jobs or my bosses have been wonderful, but for the most part I have been fortunate in working with and for people who I both liked and respected. However, a good working relationship doesn't just happen; it is built day by day and must be worked at as much as the rest of the chores that comprise your job.
My boss, Seth, recently paid me a very nice compliment. He said that I am better at _managing_ him than anyone who has ever worked for him. That took me by surprise, and at first I was not sure that it was a compliment. Did he mean that I "bossed" him around?? No, thank goodness! He then explained that he appreciates the fact that I don't expect him to be perfect and always right; that I understand that he is occasionally tired, over worked, or just plain busy and preoccupied. When those times occur, I try to work with him instead of against him. I don't interrupt his concentration unnecessarily, don't expect him to drop everything to be sure that I'm all right, and don't take it personally if he is a little abrupt at times. A little understanding and consideration go a long way toward making the day pleasant.
Now... the flip side of that coin is... he treats me the same way! Like most other relationships, we get back what we put into it. It works for Seth and me, and I recommend that you try it.
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Posted by Seth Burgess on Wed, Jul 07, 2010 @ 04:58 PM
Good Verbal and Writing SkillsPeople will Judge you by the Way You Use Language.
At Equimax, it is astonishing how often I encounter bad grammar, sloppy spelling, missing punctuation, and poorly thought out sentences. Good use of the English language is not just a form of torture devised by high school English teachers, it is the key to clear and effective communication.
Sometimes Lynna and I spend ten or fifteen minutes together trying to guess what a client is really trying to say in a message or on an order form. Don't underestimate the negative effects of poor verbal and writing skills. Communication is the life blood of business relationships. If you take your speaking and writing abilities too casually, you will send the message that you take everything else too casually too. Prospective equine employers will notice.
Does your manner of speaking classify you as organized and professional, or slip-shod and non-caring. Don't confuse informality and sloppiness. Informality can make people feel at ease. Sloppiness may very well cause them to hire someone else. Proof read every bit of business communication from the most insignificant email message to the most important resume. Take the time to be sure your message is clear and it is said, spelled, and punctuated correctly. Don't hesitate to get other people to proof read your most important work and help you to word it with clarity. People will notice the way you write and the way you speak, one way or the other.
For more tips on building a top career in the horse industry, spend some time with The Career Game. It's free.
Posted by Seth Burgess on Tue, Jul 06, 2010 @ 05:14 PM
Trainer/Instructor
BOARDING STABLE
#58956A
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Established and successful equestrian center over 35 years in same location has opportunity for experienced person to assist with training and instruct riding in English and Western disciplines. Full-time position. Salary plus a percentage of training and instruction revenue, apartment with utilities paid, paid vacation, paid holidays and participation in health insurance coverage. Web site: |
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Job Located in Region 2
Posted by Seth Burgess on Mon, Jul 05, 2010 @ 04:38 PM
Equine Working Student or Apprentice
Some time ago, I received this query from a concerned parent.
"My daughter was offered a job as a "Working Student" at the horse farm she rides at. She would work around the horse farm and receive free riding lessons in return. Upon calling my state Revenue Department and the IRS I found out that this was "barter income" and would have to be reported as income. In addition, there are W2-related regulations and working paper issues (my daughter is 16 years old). Not doing the paperwork, and associated taxes, is illegal. The horse farm said that was ridiculous and the working student arrangement is a industry standard and they would not file any paperwork (neither 1099 or W2) nor get involved in workers comp. or other labor-reporting issues. The Dept. Of Revenue asked me to provide them with information so they could audit the farm. My question: Has my daughter been offered to "work under the table" illegally, or is this just a misunderstanding?
There is a group of "common practices" in the horse industry that are legally questionable or even down right illegal. With the way our legal system works, everyone is on their honor to obey the law. With many laws, there is no one who comes around to make sure you are complying. Wage and hour laws and other employment related laws are frequently like that. This means that all sorts of illegal employment practices may be going on, and unless someone reports the violation, the the employer is very likely to get away with the practice. However, the excuse that "everybody does it that way" while it may be true, does not make any practice legal.
There have been instances over the years of high-profile well-respected Working Student or Apprentice programs being taken to task by the authorities for questionable practices. However, the most extreme violations are usually in small operations that do not have an ongoing "program", but just hire one or two people as Working Students or Apprentices. The worst situations usually occur when someone is hired as a Working Student and there is no formal arrangement for time spent working vs. time spent learning. In cases like this, the employer is simply using the term Working Student to try to justify paying a substandard wage for a normal job. An employer does not have the right to pay less than minimum wage, just because a job includes some on-the-job training. On the other hand, if there is a formal arrangement for lessons or other advanced level training in exchange for work and the times for work and times for training are clearly spelled out, then the position may be a genuine Working Student or Apprentice position.
In situations like this the value of the training given must be commensurate with the amount of work being done, or the person must be paid some cash in addition to receiving the training. I am not an attorney and you may need to consult one. However, Working Student and Apprentice positions fall under employment laws just like any other position. Individual state laws may be more restrictive than federal laws in some states. Here is a link to the Department of Labor with information on laws relating to apprenticeships.
http://www.dol.gov/compliance/topics/wages-apprenticeships.htm.
If you hire Working Students or Apprentices, beware. Even if no cash changes hands, your Working Student or Apprentice is still your employee and must be treated as such. Child labor laws apply. Wage and hour laws apply. Tax laws apply. From my subsequent conversations with the writer of the above quote , it seems likely that the employer in question will be "turned in" to authorities and may face dire consequences. Don't put yourself in a position to be "brought down" by an angry parent or disgruntled employee. Contact your attorney or tax advisor for information on the correct way to hire Working Students and Apprentices.
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Posted by Seth Burgess on Sat, Jul 03, 2010 @ 05:09 PM
Director of Media/PR
#13677B
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Organization seeks Director of Media/Public Relations. Responsibilities: developing & implementing communications plans, providing guidance to various departments & programs to ensure ongoing success of media/public relations campaigns; work w/marketing & publications staff to maximize marketing efforts. Requirements: BS in marketing, communications, journalism, English or related degree; 7 years marketing/communications exper.; oversee, guide & manage projects; exemplary writing skills; knowledge of AP styles & English grammar; MS Office skills; superior organizational skills. Send resume, cover letter & 3 writing samples. |
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Posted by Seth Burgess on Sat, Jul 03, 2010 @ 04:25 PM
Training Your Equine Employer
You have probably heard it said that every time you ride a horse you are training that horse for better or for worse. A similar thing can be said about your relationship with your employer. Every time you interact with your employer, you are training your employer about what you will put up with, and what you will not allow. Every time you and your employer relate to each other you are establishing or affirming boundaries in the relationship. The most important boundaries are established early in any relationship. If you have been working for someone for several weeks or months, you have already established most of your boundaries. In effect you have trained your employer to understand what you will put up with and what you wont. Your employer has also trained you about his or her boundaries.
If you find yourself in a situation where you are being mistreated and the situation has been going on for a while, you have been allowing the situation and change will not happen overnight. If you have trained your employer one way, you cannot suddenly get up one morning and demand that your employer treat you differently. If you try that, you may lose your job. Horses are the same way. You can't spend weeks training a horse to be a Cutting horse and get up one morning, march into the horse's stall, and demand that he suddenly become a Reining horse. Training horses does not work that way, and human relationships don't change that way either.
If you find yourself in a relationship that needs changing, start with careful observation. Watch the relationship as if you are a third party observer. Be sure your view of how you are being treated is correct. Is there anything that you have said or done that might be causing the treatment you are receiving? If you are sure the treatment is unjustified, look for opportunities to "test the water for change." Ask your employer a question or ask for help with a task. Pick a question or task that you think will not be threatening to your employer. Remember, that people who treat other people badly can usually be put on the defensive very easily. Don't push, goad, or try to change your employer.
Your goal should be to test the water with a question or task that will NOT put your employer on the defensive. For example, you might say to your employer, "Tomorrow is my day off. Is there anything I can do for you today that will help things run more smoothly tomorrow when I won't be here." Or, "I'm really tired this evening, and I may go to bed early. Is there anything I can do for you before I go home, so that you won't have to wake me up later?" Or, "I haven't had much time to ride recently, and I am afraid my riding skills are slipping. Do you have a minute when you could watch me ride and tell me what you think?" All of these should be non-threatening questions that will give your employer a chance to relate to you. If you get answers like "I can't think of anything right now, just be sure to tell me where you are going so I can get in touch with you." Or, "why are you so tired? Can't you handle the work?" Or, "I don't have time for that." you should conclude that change in your relationship is probably not going to happen easily. If you get answers like, "I can't think of anything, but thanks for asking." Or, "of course, I know you have had a long day, I won't disturb you." Or, "sure, saddle up your horse after work and give me a call," you are well on your way to change in your relationship.
If your test went well, try another test. This time be a LITTLE more direct about your needs while still trying to acknowledge the needs of your employer. If you are sensing resistance or defensiveness, back off and consider trying again in a few days. If things go well, start watching for opportunities to create new boundaries in the relationship. You could say things like: "You know, I know I've always done that without saying anything, but it really bothers me. I'm sorry I haven't said anything about it before this. Is there anything we can do to change that?" Always remember, if you move too quickly or forcefully in changing your relationship, you may have a fight on your hands. Horse training is best done in slow incremental stages and so is human relationship building.
Posted by Seth Burgess on Thu, Jul 01, 2010 @ 04:53 PM
Foxhunting Horseman
THOROUGHBRED
#99614A
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Southern foxhunting couple seeks a person to exercise and train hunters, daily care of horses(with occasional stall cleaning), and drive horses to meets. Duties include helping at home-base equestrian center. Furnished housing with utilities for applicant(and spouse.) Benefits include holidays and vacation. Salary commensurate with experience. Worker's Compensation provided.
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