Charitable Giving
Simon Balkey, Director of Omega’s Los Alamos Program Management Office (PMO), recently performed for students and staff at Alcalde Elementary School in Española, New Mexico. Thanks to Simon’s efforts, Alcalde was able to raise several thousand dollars to be used for school activities. Thank you, Sim, for leading by example and volunteering your time in the local community!
Purple Out Tennessee
Our Omega Technical Services Corporate office supported the 2023 Purple Out Tennessee event on November 3. Purple Out Tennessee is a statewide effort to raise awareness and funds for Alzheimer’s Tennessee and the new Silver Alert Law during National Alzheimer’s Awareness Month. The mission of Alzheimer’s Tennessee is to serve those facing Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias, and to promote brain health through education, as well as to champion global research, prevention, and treatment efforts. Thanks to our Omega Corporate Team for investing in such a worthwhile cause, and for making a difference in the communities where we work and live. #purpleoutomega
A Note from Bill Tindal
Gratitude
Written by Bill Tindal
Over my 30+ years in the nuclear industry, I’ve come to notice the power of gratitude. Time and again I’ve learned that services I’ve come to expect don’t just happen. There is someone behind the scenes doing the planning and hard work to make them a reality. When we call 911, we expect an operator to answer the line. When the power goes out to the house, we expect a lineman will be working to restore it. So, here’s what I’d like for you to think about:
Is gratitude appropriate for someone who is doing their job? We all have a job to do. It would be correct to say that one way or another, we all perform work in exchange for compensation. It’s a transaction; work for pay equals a job. Shouldn’t that be enough? I personally think that the answer is, no.
Think about the last time you had a great day at work. What made that a satisfying experience? My guess is that you felt like you accomplished something important. Or perhaps you completed a task that was lingering on your to-do list for a long time. Did that satisfaction have anything to do with being paid for that accomplishment? Not likely. Showing appreciation, being specific, shows another person that what they did had an impact…that it was important.
Sometime this week, I encourage you to find someone “just doing their job”. Tell them specifically why that job was important to you, what impact it had. Not only will that brighten their day, but it also has a good chance of paying forward in ways that you wouldn’t expect.
Christmas Parties
Hosted by Omega Technical Services
Community Events Calendar
- 12/2/23: Los Alamos PMO Christmas Party
- 12/7/23: Aiken Christmas Party
- 12/8/23: ETEC Annual Meeting & Awards Celebration
- Every Friday: East TN Economic Council
Policy Update
Use the following path in ADP Workforce Now to find information on the Extended Travel Duty Policy:
Home Screen –> Resources –> Tools/References–> HR Tab
Employee Spotlight
Below is another example of the quality work conducted by Omega employees every day… thank you Mr. Carathers, for all you do!
“Dear Mr. Trapuzzano, Mr. Tindal, Mr. Stephens:
As the Nuclear & Criticality Safety Engineering (N&CSE) Manager for the SPD Project, I as well as the N&CSE Senior Management wanted to recognize Charles Carathers for his outstanding technical support and leadership provided to the SPD Project Management Team in developing and submitting the SPD PDSA for review and approval to the NNSA on September 27, 2023. This submittal was delivered ahead of schedule and is a key and significant milestone toward achieving CD 2/3 approval of the SPD project.
James W. Barber,
N&CSE SPD Manager”
Optional Security Warning
iPhone users are urged to be cautious following the recent iOS 17 software update including a new feature called NameDrop.The feature allows users to easily share their contact information with another iPhone or Apple Watch by holding the devices a few centimeters apart. According to Apple, after the devices connect, you can choose to share your info and/or receive the other person’s. You can also cancel the transfer by moving the devices away from each other or locking your phone before the process is complete. NameDrop only works for sending new info, not updating a contact that’s already in your phone. Law enforcement is sharing their concerns about the feature’s impact on iPhone users’ privacy, saying that the iOS17 update turns NameDrop on by default, which could allow scammers and predators to get your or your child’s information. If you want to turn off this feature, officials said you should go to “Settings,” tap “General,” click “AirDrop,” and switch the “Bringing Devices Together” option to off.
Omega employees should also be reminded that if sending PII (Personally Identifiable Information) over company email, select “Options,” “Encrypt,” and “Do Not Forward” before sending. This protects the information from being shared with anyone other than the intended recipient.
Fair Labor Standards Act Assessment Complete
On September 18th we shared with you that Omega was conducting a review of our labor classifications against the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) requirements. This review is now complete, and we are proceeding forward based on our findings. The way ahead requires two actions: 1) all employees signing a new Employee Agreement (EA), and 2) HR updating employee classifications in ADP. As a result of this review, a few employees will have their status updated.
These actions ensure that we are consistent with the FLSA guidelines in our categorization of all employees as either Exempt or Non-exempt and that we accurately report this information to the Department of Labor (DOL). In conducting the review, we relied heavily on the DOL Fact Sheets, Opinion Papers, and outside legal counsel. It is important to note that it was a clean sheet review without targeted outcomes. To clearly communicate your status, all employees will be asked to sign a new EA which indicates your FLSA status (Exempt/Non-Exempt), Job Type (Full-time/Part-time), and how you will be paid (Hourly/Salary).
A change in status will not result in a reduction in your base pay. Employees classified as Non-Exempt will be paid on an hourly basis and eligible for overtime at 1.5 times their base hourly rate for hours worked over 40 hours in a week. Exempt employees that are directly billable to the customer are paid on an hourly basis and will receive overtime pay at 1.0 times their base hourly rate with a guaranteed minimum salary of 75% of their 40-hour billable pay. Employees that are Exempt and not billable to a customer, primarily corporate and PMO employees, are paid a base salary with no overtime. EA changes will be effective from the date of the employee signature and are not retroactive.
Because of the need to complete our DOL reporting prior to the end of the year, HR is focused on updating ADP to accurately reflect the results of our review. Once this is complete, HR will begin processing new EA’s starting with the employees that will have a change in status or pay type. We appreciate your patience while we work through this process. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact HR, hr@omegatechserv.com, or Dwight Warnock, dwarnock@omegatechserv.com, for additional clarification.
Pet of the Month
Introducing our three festive pets for the month: Banjo, Diesel, and Ben (from left to right). These jolly furballs are Haley Trapuzzano’s, who serves as the Resource Manager at our Aiken location.
Remember anyone can submit their pets to hr@omegatechserv.com for a chance to be selected next month and win a PetSmart gift card!!
Fun Facts
- “Jingle Bells” was composed in 1857, and not for Christmas – it was meant to be a Thanksgiving song!
- Employees who have a certain amount of control over the way their workspace is arranged tend to feel healthier and happier while they’re at work.
- Employees make 44% more errors and are less productive when office temperatures are low (68 degrees) than when they are warmer (77 degrees).