Free Volunteer Income Tax Clinics Canada

Free Volunteer Income Tax Clinics Canada Updated: 03/06/2014 If you need help completing your Canadian income tax return and you cant afford an accountant or commercial income tax preparation service, take advantage of the Volunteer Income Tax Preparation Clinics offered by the Canada Revenue Agency. These free clinics are offered every year between February and April at locations across Canada. Eligibility Requirements Trained volunteers can help you with your taxes if you have a straightforward income tax return and your income is low. The program has basic eligibility requirements, including maximum income levels. Community organizations can adapt their own eligibility criteria depending on their economic location and capabilities, so check with the individual clinic. They can not help with income tax returns for: deceased individualsbankruptciescapital gains or lossesemployment expensesbusiness or rental income and expenses See Also: Filing Your Canadian Income Taxes - The BasicsHelp With Your Canadian Income Taxes

Definition and Examples of Body Language

Definition and Examples of Body Language Body language is a type of nonverbal communication that relies on body movements (such as gestures, posture, and facial expressions) to convey messages. Body language may be used consciously or unconsciously. It may accompany a verbal message or serve as a substitute for speech. Examples and Observations Pamela listened dumbly, her posture informing him that she wouldnt be offering any counter-arguments, that whatever he wanted was okay: making amends with body language.(Salman Rushdie, The Satanic Verses. Viking, 1988)The fun part is the process of, of getting to know a girl. Its like, its like flirting in code. Its using body language and laughing at the right jokes and, and looking into her eyes and knowing shes still whispering to you, even when shes not saying a word. And that sense that if you can just touch her, just once, everything will be okay for both of you. Thats how you can tell.(Iyari Limon as Potential Slayer Kennedy, The Killer in Me. Buffy the Vampire Slayer, 2003) Shakespeare on Body Language Speechless complainer, I will learn thy thought;In thy dumb action will I be as perfectAs begging hermits in their holy prayers:Thou shalt not sigh, nor hold thy stumps to heaven,Nor wink, nor nod, nor kneel, nor make a sign,But I of these will wrest an alphabetAnd by still practice learn to know thy meaning.(William Shakespeare, Titus Andronicus, Act III, Scene 2) Clusters of Nonverbal Cues [A] reason to pay close attention to body language is that it is often more believable than verbal communication. For example, you ask your mother, Whats wrong? She shrugs her shoulders, frowns, turns away from you, and mutters, Oh . . . nothing, I guess. Im just fine. You dont believe her words. You believe her dejected body language, and you press on to find out whats bothering her.The key to nonverbal communication is congruence. Nonverbal cues usually occur in congruent clustersgroups of gestures and movements that have roughly the same meaning and agree with the meaning of the words that accompany them. In the example above, your mothers shrug, frown, and turning away are congruent among themselves. They could all mean Im depressed or Im worried. However, the nonverbal cues are not congruent with her words. As an astute listener, you recognize this incongruency as a signal to ask again and dig deeper.(Matthew McKay, Martha Davis, and Patrick Fanning, Messages: The Communication Skills Book, 3rd ed. New Harbinger, 2009) An Illusion of Insight Most people think liars give themselves away by averting their eyes or making nervous gestures, and many law-enforcement officers have been trained to look for specific tics, like gazing upward in a certain manner. But in scientific experiments, people do a lousy job of spotting liars. Law-enforcement officers and other presumed experts are not consistently better at it than ordinary people even though they’re more confident in their abilities.There’s an illusion of insight that comes from looking at a person’s body, says Nicholas Epley, a professor of behavioral science at the University of Chicago. Body language speaks to us, but only in whispers. . . .The common-sense notion that liars betray themselves through body language appears to be little more than a cultural fiction, says Maria Hartwig, a psychologist at John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York City. Researchers have found that the best clues to deceit are verballiars tend to be less forthcomin g and tell less compelling storiesbut even these differences are usually too subtle to be discerned reliably.(John Tierney, At Airports, a Misplaced Faith in Body Language. The New York Times, March 23, 2014) Body Language in Literature For the purpose of literary analysis, the terms non-verbal communication and body language refer to the forms of non-verbal behaviour exhibited by characters within the fictional situation. This behaviour can be either conscious or unconscious on the part of the fictional character; the character can use it with an intention to convey a message, or it can be unintentional; it can take place within or outside of an interaction; it can be accompanied by speech or independent of speech. From the perspective of a fictional receiver, it can be decoded correctly, incorrectly, or not at all. (Barbara Korte, Body Language in Literature. University of Toronto Press, 1997) Robert Louis Stevenson on Groans and Tears, Looks and Gestures For life, though largely, is not entirely carried on by literature. We are subject to physical passions and contortions; the voice breaks and changes, and speaks by unconscious and winning inflections, we have legible countenances, like an open book; things that cannot be said look eloquently through the eyes; and the soul, not locked into the body as a dungeon, dwells ever on the threshold with appealing signals. Groans and tears, looks and gestures, a flush or a paleness, are often the most clear reporters of the heart, and speak more directly to the hearts of others. The message flies by these interpreters in the least space of time, and the misunderstanding is averted in the moment of its birth. To explain in words takes time and a just and patient hearing; and in the critical epochs of a close relation, patience and justice are not qualities on which we can rely. But the look or the gesture explains things in a breath; they tell their message without ambiguity; unlike speech, th ey cannot stumble, by the way, on a reproach or an illusion that should steel your friend against the truth; and then they have a higher authority, for they are the direct expression of the heart, not yet transmitted through the unfaithful and sophisticating brain.(Robert Louis Stevenson, Truth of Intercourse, 1879)

Transforming for Success Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Transforming for Success - Assignment Example Transforming for Success Based on Darling-Hammond's (2010) research there are five features of successful schools which make them ideal institutions designed for producing students ready for real world adaption. a. Small size learning communities within the school The size of learning groups matter and affect the success of learning outcome. Higher incidents of safety issues, decrease learning rate, impersonal teacher-student relation and disinterests are often the results of large learning groups. To organize for success, Darling-Hammond (2010) emphasizes on small size of school units. Small groups are manageable and allow opportunities for learning and experiencing education - they can be seen, heard, noticed and participate in any activity they want. She also emphasizes that "Overall, smaller high schools are associated with greater safety, more positive student attitudes about school, higher levels of student participation and attendance, much lower dropout rates, and...higher achievement" (Darling-Hammond 2010, p.245). Small learning units therefore create an environment that fosters positive student behavior towards education. With size, personalization also becomes effective. Small learning communities foster personalization and long-term relationship building among teachers and students. Large education systems cannot be effectively managed nor can their students enjoy positive learning experience. On the other hand, small learning units can easily incorporate advisory systems through counseling, academic support and family connections, and reduce loads for teachers to pay particular attention to individual student.

Families Coping with a Deaf Child Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Families Coping with a Deaf Child - Essay Example Children may be either deaf, Deaf, hard of hearing, or have acquired deafness. The deaf are those who are unable to hear speech without the use of a hearing aid. Deaf (i.e. with a capital D) refers to users of sign language who also share a common â€Å"heritage, social afflilation, educational background, experience of oppression and culture† (NCTSN, 2004). In other words, whereas the ‘deaf’ are an audiologically distinguished group, the ‘Deaf’ also indicates a sociolinguistic and cultural affiliation. Although the deaf cannot hear, many tend to have sharper visual skills instead (CHS, 1998). Those who are ‘hard of hearing’ have a mild to moderate loss of hearing (or reduced hearing acuity) so can communicate without amplification to some degree. And, the loss may be either permanent or fluctuating. Acquired deafness occurs when the hearing loss begins at a later stage of the child’s development or in adulthood. Permanent loss of hearing affects is known as ‘sensorineural hearing loss’. It is caused by damage to the inner ear, or the auditory nerve as a result of infections, medications, being exposed to loud noise, head injuries, or due to defective genes. (Chandler, 2001) Infections to the middle or outer ear are more common, especially in children, but the accompanying hearing loss, known as ‘conductive hearing loss’ is treatable and therefore not permanent. Middle ear infections (otitis media) are caused by bacterial/viral infections and are actually common in young children. These parts of the ear can also be affected by excessive wax, presence of foreign bodies or auditory canal swelling. A combination of sensorineural and conductive hearing loss can also occur. There are two complications in providing accurate statistics of the number of deaf children. Firstly, there are varying definitions, and degrees of

The Vices and the Virtues of the Middle Ages Essay Example for Free

The Vices and the Virtues of the Middle Ages Essay The Middle Ages reflected a continuum of events that greatly influenced the way of living of the people in Europe. It was a very long period of struggle among the social classes, invasion of barbarians, cross cultural influences, feudalism and its decline, famine, plague, strong Roman Catholic influence, series of wars lasting for almost a century, as well as the dawn of reformation and humanism. Thus, it is very hard to conclude a particular value distinct in this era (Benton, 192). If we are going to compare Europe in its earlier days when the Roman Empire fell as to the latter part when Europe began to experience reformation, we would definitely see a big difference. European civilization at the start of the Middle Ages was more chaotic and primitive. On the other hand, the latter part of the epoch was more peaceful and new inventions made the lives of people easier and paved the way for urbanization (Benton 193). During the start of the Middle Ages, the Roman Empire was on the verge of collapse. It can be attributed to poor governance and illogical decisions of the Roman emperors. The government dwelled too much on rigorous military training and preparation for warfare. It had forgotten the other needs of its constituents such as food and proper education. There was a very slow development in culture and arts as well as in trade. As a result, people lived in fear and submission. Their virtues were greatly influenced by war and survival. Evidently, they care less about human life and its worth (Benton 193). When the Roman Empire suffered from attacks and invasions from barbarians, most of the Roman heritage was devastated. Some Roman edifices were unnecessarily destroyed. There were series of migration from one area to another in search of a better place. During this time, only the strong and victorious in war got the power to rule the land. Along with that, influences from other culture began to enter Europe that left remnants like the design of the architectural edifices. Since the people were weary of wars and fears of barbaric invasion, they seek citadel from someone who was capable to protect them. Thus, the era of feudalism began. The hierarchy in the society was formed based on land ownership. The land was subdivided among feudal lords who would give protection and lease the land to the subject and in turn, the latter needed to work for the former. In this system, the feudal lords became very wealthy while the peasants became very poor. The wealthy lords became very abusive and greedy towards their subjects while the latter at first were tolerant and submissive. In this system, only the rich and the powerful had access to a comfortable and abundant life. There was a big distinction between the wealthy and the poor. Thus, it was almost impossible for peasants to improve their quality of life. The abuse of feudal lords sparked the revolt of medieval towns and formation of guilds that caused the decline of feudalism (â€Å"Feudalism†). Through the formation of guilds, a better system of governance was created. There was greater emphasis on human relations and alliance. People with the same expertise group together and formed guilds. The people were encouraged to enhance their craft. The system of trade and business improved during this time and a new class or level of society emerged (Benton 193). The influence of the Roman Catholic Church was placidly reflected on the lives of the medieval people. Their outlook in life and social relations were based on the teachings of the Church. People were encouraged to live a pious life. The Church also played a major role in the formation of formal schools and universities. Thus, a lot of people started to have a formal schooling. Thus a system of education began to form. Thus Europe began to learn and establish fundamental (Benton 193). I could say that wars, famine and plague infested Europe on the latter part of the century that adversely affected the lives of the people. Because of massive deaths, hunger and unending wars, people tend to doubt the existence of God and the Catholic Church. It was aggravated by the abusive and greedy religious rulers that led to the revolt and rise of different sects and religion. Thus, Christianity was divided and people have an alternate doctrine to believe. Liberal minds began to emerge. The widespread epidemic made people become resourceful and determined in exploring the human anatomy and trying to find a cure for the disease. Thus, these series of unfortunate events probably served as a good driving force that made people appreciate humanity, thirst for more knowledge and invent things to improve the lives of the people (Benton 193). How have the Great Plague, the Crusades, and the Spanish Inquisition influenced modern thought? The Great Plague caused massive devastation ever recorded in European history. It was the worst plague that caused the death of millions of people. It happened in 1665 when the Bubonic plague spread in Europe in the spring and summer. This disease, also known as the Black Death in England, was acquired from fleas and characterized by swelling of the gland, darkening of the skin accompanied with fever and severe pain (Defoe). In the book â€Å"History of plague in London† (Defoe), the author Daniel Defoe placidly elaborated a great number of people who died in the disease as recorded in the parish and how it spread across Europe. The disease was widespread that it almost wiped off the population. (Defoe 9) I could say that this tragedy compelled great minds to explore further the human anatomy. They tried to study how the human body works and tried to find a cure to this disease. Our modern medicine will not be as advanced and effective as it is today without these rudiments. Through a series of failures and success, cures for a variety of disease were found. The importance of proper sanitation to prevent the spread of disease was also considered. The Crusaders were soldiers who vowed to protect the Christendom and the Holy Land. The period of their realm lasted for centuries. The helped protect the Roman Catholic Church against its opponents. It stirred up the people to defend their faith against the non-believers. They also traveled far to protect the Holy Land. The Crusaders acquired great influence and power that they were able to contribute a lot in the political structure, economy as well as socio-cultural heritage of the Western Civilization. To sustain the needs of the army, the Crusaders traveled far and wide and fostered trade in areas they visit. Thus, trade among areas in Europe began to develop until this day. Along with that, their great influence in politics might have led to the formation of a bureaucratic government. During the voyage, they were able to find religious and cultural artifacts that enriched our modern history (â€Å"The Crusades†). The Spanish Inquisition was a period that occurred when the monarch of Spain wanted to unify Spain in the Catholic religion. During those times, a lot of other religions thrived in Spain like Judaism and Islam. The rulers of Spain collaborated with the pope to perform an inquisition and get rid of non-Catholic believers in Spain. The government and Church authorities were given the privilege to conduct an investigation to identify the non-believers. This was a ruthless procedure that was more political rather than religious. It greatly influenced the culture and history of Spain. Their culture today still reflects the Catholic faith as well as their festivities and devotion. The abuse and havoc caused by the Spanish inquisition were some of the factors that stirred up revolt and rise of Protestantism and paved way for the separation of the Church and the State (â€Å"The Spanish Inquisition†). What were the vices and virtues of this relatively homogenous Christian European experience? During the Middle Ages, it can be noted that the Roman Catholic Church held the seat of power as they greatly influenced the beliefs and the moral standards of the people. Since the Church led the development of formal education, its main course focused on religion. They set a standard of what is right and wrong thing to do. They have defined vice as a sin against the God and His people. It is an offense against the Absolute being. The repercussions of vices would be punishment after death. However, this can be absolved by penance through confession. The Church had identified series of vices that should be avoided. However, the list changed through time. The recent list that requires absolution from a priest includes gluttony, pride, envy, lust, anger, greed and sloth. Gluttony is getting too much of what one can consume. Pride refers to too much belief in oneself and failure to consider God’s authority. Envy refers to excessive desire on what others have. Lust refers to the excessive desires of the body and sex. Anger refers to hatred and grudge against another person. Greed refers to the excessive craving for material things. Lastly, Sloth refers to excessive laziness. These are considered as the deadly sin because they cause the death of the soul (â€Å"The Virtues and Vices in Medieval Society†). Of course, the Church also exemplified a pious life through practice of virtues. These virtues were categorized into cardinal, theological, contrary, heavenly virtues and the corporal works of mercy. It can be observed that there are seven in each. The Seven Heavenly virtues were faith, hope, charity, fortitude, justice, temperance, prudence. The 7 The Seven Contrary Virtues were humility, kindness, abstinence, chastity, patience, liberality and diligence. The Seven Corporal Works of Mercy were also encouraged like giving food to the hungry people, offering a drink to the thirsty, sharing a shelter with the homeless, helping in burying the dead, spending time with the sick, enlightening the prisoners and giving clothes to the cold and naked. These were the virtues greatly encouraged by the Church up until this day (â€Å"The Virtues and Vices in Medieval Society†). Works Cited Benton, William. â€Å"Middle Ages. † Encyclopaedia Britannica. 1971 ed. â€Å"Crusades. † On-line Reference Book for Medieval Studies. 4 April 2009 http://www.the-orb. net/encyclop/religion/crusades/legacy. html Defoe, Daniel. History of the Plague in London. N. p: n. p, 2005. â€Å"The Spanish Inquisition. † Koeller, David W. 5 May 1997. Western and Central Europe Chronology. 04 April 2009 http://www. thenagain. info/WebChron/westeurope/SpanInqui. html â€Å"The Virtues and Vices in Medieval Society. † Library of St. Nicholas. 4 April 2009 http://nicolaa5. tripod. com/articles/vice. html â€Å"Feudalism. † Vinogradoff, Paul. 1924. Cambridge Medieval History. 4 April 2009 http://socserv. mcmaster. ca/~econ/ugcm/3ll3/vinogradoff/feudal

Sub-plots in Hamlet Essay -- Essays on Shakespeare Hamlet

Sub-plots in Hamlet    There are many things that critics say make Hamlet a "Great Work," one of which is the way that Shakespeare masterfully incorporates so many sub-plots into the story, and ties them all into the main plot of Hamlet’s revenge of his father’s murder. By the end of Act I, not only is the main plot identified, but many other sub-plots are introduced. Among the sub-plots are trust in the Ghost of King Hamlet, Fortinbras, and the relationship between Hamlet and Ophelia. These three sub-plots are crucial to making Hamlet the master piece that it is. In the times that Shakespeare lived ghosts were a readily accepted idea, but one had to be wary of them because it was difficult to decipher a good ghost from a bad one. Horatio, Hamlet’s best friend, first brings that question into our mind when the Ghost is asking Hamlet to follow it. Horatio warned: What if it tempt you toward the flood, my lord, Or to the dreadful summit of the cliff That beetles o’er his base into the sea, And there assume some other horrible form Which might deprive your sovereignty of reason And draw you into madness? Think of it. (68) Hamlet disregarded Horatio’s warnings, followed the Ghost of his father, and heard of the murder that took place. This is where he learned of his quest to revenge his father, the main plot of the play. But Hamlet still wasn’t sure of the validity of the Ghost, so he decided to put the Ghost’s accusations to a test. "There is a play tonight before the King: One scene of it comes near the circumstance Which I have told thee of my father’s death. . . Observe my uncle. If his occulted guilt Does not itself unkennel in one speech, It is a damned ghost that we have seen" (156). By having a group of play... ...For many authors, to take so much as a word out of their work it is destroying it. For plays though, it is meant for words to be changed and added, but not for whole plots and sub-plots. To take out such a big section of a play is disastrous because it leaves the reader and audience with unanswered questions. The sub-plots add to the plot complexity, let the audiences become more involved, and let them all leave feeling that they had seen some characteristic of themselves in the play. This is what makes a play great, and makes the audience want to see it over and over again. Even a seemingly needless character can relate to someone. The more sub-plots (ones that are well worked into the play) the more people that can relate, the better the play. Works Cited Shakespeare, William. Hamlet. Durband, Alan, ed. and modern translation. Hutchinson & Co.: London. 1986.

Labor Law of Singapore Essay

In Singapore, for employment to be valid there must be a contract that has been agreed upon between the employers and the employee/s. In principle, employer and employee could enter into contractual obligations without a written contract. According to Sharon Bernhardt, that Singapore is known for its thriving business economy as well according to the WEF Global Competitiveness Report, Singapore is the most competitive economy in Asia, ranking third in the world and following only Switzerland and the United States. It is a common practice in Singapore for businesses to utilize employment contracts with their employees. There are no specific guidelines for employment contracts in the Employment Act. However, a contract in Singapore typically contains information about duties, salary, work hours, benefits and termination. Employment contracts are also typically documented in writing to preserve documentation. I. The Employment Act Labour Laws in Singapore is stated through the Employment Act. As stated in the AGC Singapore site, that â€Å"the Employment Act covers every employee (regardless of nationality) who is under a contract of service with an employer†, except: a. Any person employed in a managerial or executive position b. Any seaman; c. Any domestic worker; and d. Any person employed by a Statutory Board or the Government. It is also stated that part IV of the Act, which provides for rest days, hours of work and other conditions of service, applies only to: a. Workmen earning not more than $4,500 basic monthly salaries and b. Employees earning not more than $2,000 basic monthly salaries. A. Managers & Executives under this Employment Act In Singapore, managers and executives are employees with executive or supervisory functions. These functions include the authority to influence or make decision on issues such as recruitment, discipline, termination of employment, assessment of performance and reward, or involvement in the formulation of strategies and policies of the enterprise, or the management and running of the business. They also include professionals with tertiary education and specialised knowledge/skills and whose employment terms are comparable to those of managers and executives. Professionals such as lawyers, accountants, dentists and doctors whose nature and terms of employment are comparable to executives would generally be deemed as such, and hence they would not be covered under the Act. Junior managers and executives earning $4,500 basic monthly salary and below are only covered partially on the basic payment of salary. All other provisions do not apply to them. B. The Workforce In the scope of Labor Laws of Singapore, a workman is an employee whose work involves manual labour. This includes a worker who falls under any of the following categories: a. Any person, skilled or unskilled, doing manual work, including any artisan or apprentice but excluding any seaman or domestic servant; b. Any person, other than clerical staff, employed in the operation or maintenance of mechanically propelled vehicles that transport passengers, for hire or commercial purposes; c. Any person employed to supervise any workman and perform manual work. However, this is subject to the requirement that the time spent on manual work must be more than half of the total working time in a salary period; or d. Any person specified in the First Schedule of the Employment Act, namely: i. a. Cleaners; b. Construction workers; c. Labourers; d. Machine operators and assemblers; e. Metal and machinery workers; f. Train,bus, lorry and van drivers; g. Train and bus inspectors;and h. All workmen employed on piece rates at the employer’s premises. It covers both local and foreign employees. It does not make any distinction between a temporary employee, contract employee, daily-rated employee or employee on tenured employment. For employees working less than 35 hours a week, they are covered by the Employment of Part-Time Employees Regulations, which provide certain flexibility for both the employers and employees, including the pro-rating of employment benefits, encashment of annual leave and provision of rest day. C. Wages/Salary According to â€Å"Guide Me Singapore† by Janus Corporate Solutions, the only stipulation in the Employment Act is that employees are paid in a timely manner (employees must be paid at least once a month).Thus, there is no minimum wage for workers in Singapore Many companies do give an annual bonus of an extra month’s salary, but this is not a required practice. Work hours are regulated for employees who earn less than $2,000 SGD per month. According to the Employment Act, these workers may not be required to work more than eight hours a day or 44 hours per week. They are also entitled to a break after six hours of work. Employees in management or higher positions may work more hours depending on the terms outlined in their contract. D. Hours of Work, Overtime & Rest Days As stated in the part IV of the Employment Act & Section 33 are applicable only to: a. Workmen earning not more than $4,500 basic monthly salaries; and b. Other employees earning not more than $2,000 basic monthly salaries (excluding, overtime, bonus, Annual Wage Supplement, productivity incentives and allowances). E. Maximum working hours In Singapore, an employee is not allowed to work for more than 12 hours within a day except in the following circumstances: a. Accident or threat of accident; b. Work that is essential to: i. the life of the community; ii. national defence; or iii. security; c. Urgent work to be done to machinery or plant; or d. An interruption of work which was impossible to foresee. Thus, an employee can be required to work up to 12 hours a day if the employee gives his consent in writing, after the provisions of Sections 38 and 40 of the Employment Act have been clearly explained to him. He must be informed of the daily working hours, the number of working days in each week and the weekly rest day. Employers that require their employees to work more than 12 hours (maximum 14 hours) a day are required under section 40 of the Employment Act, to apply for overtime exemption from the Ministry of Manpower. F. Break time The duration of the break(s) should be no less than 45 minutes. An employee is generally not required to work more than six consecutive hours without a break. However, if the nature of work is such that it must be carried on continuously, an employee may be required to work eight hours continuously. In such an instance, a break or breaks must be given so that the employee can have his/her meal(s). G. Normal hours of work An employee covered by Part IV of the Employment Act is not required under his/her contract of service to work more than eight hours in a day or 44 hours in a week. * The limit of eight hours per day may be exceeded when an employee is not required to work more than five days a week. However, he/she is not required to work for more than nine hours per day or 44 hours in a week. * If the number of hours worked is less than 44 hours every alternate week, the limit of 44 hours a week may be exceeded in the other week. However, this must be stated in the contract of service and is subject to a maximum of 48 hours in one week or 88 hours in any continuous two week period. A shift worker is allowed to work up to 12 hours a day, provided that the average working hours each week do not exceed 44 over a continuous three week period. If the employee’s rest day falls on a day other than a Sunday, the employer is required to prepare a monthly roster and inform him of his rest days for the month at the beginning of each month. H. Overtime allowance Overtime allowance is payable if the employee is required by the employer to work above the limit of working hours specified above. All work in excess of the normal hours of work (excluding break time) is considered as overtime work. An employee must be paid no less than 1.5 times his/her hourly basic rate of pay for overtime. Payment for overtime work must be made within 14 days after the last day of the salary period. I. Maximum hours of overtime An employee is permitted to work up to a limit of 72 hours of overtime in a month. However, this limit may be exceeded if the Ministry of Manpower has granted an exemption under section 38 of the Employment Act. Employers that require their employees to work more than 72 hours of overtime in a month are required under section 38 of the Employment Act, to apply for overtime exemption from the Ministry of Manpower. For work done on rest days or public holidays it is not included in the 72 hours’ limit for overtime. However, if an employee works beyond his normal daily working hours on his rest day or public holiday, the extra hours of work done would be included in the 72 hours’ limit for overtime work. The rate of payment for an employee who works overtime on his rest day and public holiday should be paid at not less than one and a half times his hourly basic rate of pay for the overtime work (as in the case of overtime work on any other day), in addition to his rest day or public holiday pay. J. Rest days An employee covered by Part IV of the Employment Act is entitled to a rest day comprising one whole day (midnight to midnight) every week. The rest day can be on a Sunday or any other day. The employer should determine the rest day and inform the employee before the beginning of each month. It is not a paid day. Employer cannot compel employees to work on rest day unless under very exceptional circumstances. The longest allowable interval between two rest days is 12 days. This can occur where in one week, the rest day is given on Monday, which is at the beginning of the working week. In the following week, the rest day is on Sunday, which is at the end of next working week. This will enable an employee to take two rest days at a stretch and allow an employer greater flexibility in the rostering of rest days. For a shift worker, the rest day can be a continuous period of 30 hours. A 30-hour rest period that commences before 6pm on a Sunday will be considered as one rest day within the week, even though the 30-hour period will extend into the next week, i.e. on Monday. K. Payment for work done on a rest day Payment for work done on a rest day should be calculated as such: a. Work done at employer’s request: * One day’s salary when the employee works up to half the normal daily working hours; or * Two days’ salary when the employee works more than half the normal daily working hours. a. Work done at employee’s request: * Half day’s salary when the employee works up to half the normal daily working hours; or * One day’s salary when the employee works more than half the normal daily working hours. If an employee works beyond the normal daily working hours on a rest day, he/she should be paid at least 1.5 times the hourly basic rate of pay. L. Benefits Other benefits outlined in the Singapore Employment Act include the following: a. sick leave, b. annual leave, c. maternity leave and holidays. Many companies actually offer better benefits than what is required by the Employment Act, though employers are not required to offer employees private health insurance. All Singaporean citizens pay into a government health plan through their employer. II. Fair Employment Singapore is a meritocratic society and implementing fair and merit-based employment practices is the right thing to do. Singapore also has a diverse workforce in terms of its ethnic, religious, age and gender makeup. It will be increasingly so in terms of age and gender, as our population ages and as we encourage more women to enter the workforce. Implementing fair and merit-based employment practices widens the pool of candidates that employers can recruit from, increasing their chances of finding the best person for the job. Treating employees fairly and with respect also helps employers to retain valued employees to sustain and grow their businesses. Employees will also be more motivated to put in their best for the organisation. The Tripartite Alliance for Fair Employment Practices (TAFEP) works with employer organisations, unions and the Government to create awareness and facilitate the adoption of fair employment practices. TAFEP was formed in pursuant to the recommendation of the Tripartite Committee on Employability of Older Workers to promote employment practices that are fair and equitable to all workers. The Alliance is co-chaired by Mr Heng Chee How, Deputy Secretary-General, National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) and Mr Bob Tan, Vice President, Singapore National Employers Federation (SNEF). The Alliance also includes members representing the employers, workers/unions, and the Government. III. Singapore Labour Laws for foreign workers In Singapore, minimum monthly salary of employment pass (EP) holders is S$2,500 (P77, 500). The â€Å"S† pass took effect July 1, 2004, catering to skilled workers at middle level with minimum salary of S$1,800 (P55, 800). â€Å"S† pass holders who earn basic monthly salary of at least S$2,500 (P77, 500) can take their spouse and children to Singapore. Professional licenses issued in the Philippines are not recognized. Filipino engineers and architects cannot sign on their project documents. WP (work permit) category includes domestic helper, nursing aide, healthcare assistant, technician and other positions that do not require special skills and college degree. Salaries for work permits are below S$1,800 (P55, 800) monthly. Work permits are valid for two years and maybe renewed with the Ministry of Manpower. Conditions of work permit holders as follows: a. Must possess high school diploma for continued employment in the City State; b. Can only work for employer/company and in occupation stated in his/her work permit card; c. Shall not get involved in any illegal, immoral or undesirable activities in Singapore –e.g. drugs, crime, prostitution, breaking up families; d. Shall not cohabit or have any children with a Singapore Citizen or Permanent President; e. Shall abide by conditions relating to marriage to a Singapore Citizen or Permanent Resident, as stated in conditions of work permit; f. Shall present self for medical examination by a registered Singapore doctor when requested by Controller of WP; g. WP card must be surrendered to the Work Permit Department upon completion, resignation or termination of employment; and h. Shall carry his/her work permit card at all times. IV. Restrictions Singapore’s Employment Act does not cover domestic helpers. Hence, most problematic of OFWs there are the DHs. Common problems DHs encounter are: being made to work in more than one household, exorbitant placement fees, non-payment of salaries, lack of valid employment contract as basis for settlement of claims/complaints, rare or even no days off, being made to do dangerous work (e.g. window cleaning in high-rise residence), and refusal of employer to attend to medical needs of sick domestic helpers. Singapore observes â€Å"open market† policy for domestic workers. Filipino women enter into contractual relationships without guidance from the Philippine government or its representative. They are subjected to excessive deductions from salaries by recruiters both in the Philippines and Singapore. In many cases, the terms and conditions of these employment contracts are below, or are non-compliant with the standards set by the POEA. Employers of DHs must inform the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) within 12 hours of their knowledge of death of their domestic workers. Employment agencies are prohibited from displaying foreign domestic workers. Any display of maids is considered a violation of Section 1, c of Employment Agency Act and could lead to withdrawal of agency’s license. Since May 3, 2004, work permits can be cancelled by simply sending a fax message to the MOM. Employers must submit to MOM the residential address of their foreign workers for easy monitoring in cases of emergency. Effective April 2004, first-time employers and domestic workers must attend seminars at MOM before issuance of work permit. SOURCES: http://statutes.agc.gov.sg/aol/search/display/view.w3p;page=0;query=DocId%3A%22571f13ea-3a91-47ef-a07b-f45d12fc2101%22%20Status%3Apublished%20Depth%3A0;rec=0 http://www.ehow.com/list_5989991_labor-laws-singapore.html http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/42715/pinoyabroad/singapore-labor-laws-for-foreign-workers http://www.guidemesingapore.com/incorporation/hr/singapore-employment-act-guide

The Impact of the Printing Press on Education

Interactive Media Center http://library. albany. edu/imc/ HTML & XHTML Tag Quick Reference This reference notes some of the most commonly used HTML and XHTML tags. It is not, nor is it intended to be, a comprehensive list of available tags. Details regarding the proper use of XHTML are at the end of this document. What It Is Basic Document Tags What It Does Indicates the start and end of an HTML Document Defines the portion of the document that contains essential formatting information. The material in the head is invisible. Defines the portion of the document that contains the visible information. Body Attributes What It Is What It Does Specifies the background color Specifies the text color Specifies the color of unfollowed links. Specifies the color of followed links. Specifies the color of links when they are clicked. NOTE: Body attributes may be combined within the body tag. Example: Text Tags What It Does The heading tags display text in sizes ranging from the ,, largest, h1, to the smallest, h6. These specifications ,, are intended to denote the importance data below the , heading. Specifies bold text. Specifies italics text. Specifies a typewriter or teletype-like text. Creates an emphasis on text that is rendered usually as italics, but sometimes as bold depending on the browser. Creates an emphasis on text that is usually rendered as bold, but sometimes as italics depending on the browser. Specifies the font size from 1 to 7. 1 is the largest, 7 the smallest, and 3 is generally the default size. Specifies font color. NOTE: Font attributes may be combined within the font tag. Example: Example of combined font attributes. 9/03 R. Lipera v. 2. 2 What It Is Interactive Media Center http://library. albany. edu/imc/ Common Formatting Tags What It Is (HTML) What It Is What It Does (XHTML) Defines a paragraph. Defines paragraph alignment left, right, or center. Inserts a line break. Defines a block quote and indents text from both sides. Usually with some extra space above and below. Defines the beginning and end of an ordered list. Defines the beginning and end of an unordered list. Defines the beginning and end of a line within a list. Start a line with a number in an ordered list, and with a bullet in an unordered list. Image Tags What It Is (HTML) What It Is (XHTML) What It Does Places and image. Specifies the alignment of an image; middle Specifies a border around and Specifies the alternative label for an for use nongraphical browsers. NOTE: Attributes within the font tag may be combined. Example in HTML: Example in XHTML: What It Is (HTML) Horizontal Rule Tags What It Is What It Does (XHTML) Specifies the start of a horizontal rule. Specifies the height of a horizontal rule. Specifies the width of a horizontal 9/03 R. Lipera v. 2. 2 2 Interactive Media Center http://library. lbany. edu/imc/ rule in either pixels or percent. States that the horizontal rule should have no shade. NOTE: Attributes within the horizontal rule tag may be combined. Example in HTML: Example in XHTML: Table Tags What It Is What It Does Specifies the beginning and end of a table. Specifies the beginning and end of a table row. Specifies the beginning and end of a table cell. Defines a table header. A normal cell with text that is bold and centered. Specifies the size of the border around a table and cells within the table. Specifies the space between cells. Specifies the amount of space between the border of a cell and the items within the cell. Specifies the width of a table in either pixels or percent. Specifies the alignment of contents in a row of cells as either left, right, or center. Specifies the alignment of contents in a cell as either left, right, or center. Specifies the vertical alignment of contents in a row of cells as either top, bottom, or middle. Specifies the vertical alignment of contents in cell as either top, bottom, or middle. Specifies the number of columns a cell will span. Specifies the number of rows a cell will span. Stops text from automatically line wrapping. 9/03 R. Lipera v. 2. 2 3 Interactive Media Center http://library. albany. edu/imc/ XHTML can be thought of as an upgraded and stricter version of HTML 4. 01. It is not much more difficult to write XHTML than it is to write properly formed HTML. There are some simple rules that must be followed. The most important rules are: †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ XHTML tags must all be in lower case. XHTML elements must be nested correctly. All XHTML tag elements must be closed. Documents written in XHTML must be well-formed. Examples of lower case rule: This is incorrect. This is correct. Examples of the nesting rule: This is incorrect nesting. This is correct nesting. Examples of the closed tag rule: This horizontal rule tag is not closed- This horizontal rule tag is closed- This image tag is not closed- This image tag is properly closed- Examples of the well-formed document rule: XHTML documents must have the proper structure. This means all components must be within the opening and closing HTML tags, . Internal elements must be correctly nested and located properly. The basic components and structure of an XHTML document are 9/03 R. Lipera v. 2. 2 4 Interactive Media Center http://library. albany. edu/imc/ XHTML Syntax Rules XHTML requires that some basic rules of syntax be followed. As with the tag rules noted above, XHTML syntax is not much more difficult that correctly formed HTML. These rules are, however, much stricter and must not be violated. These rules follow. †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ Attributes must be quoted. The Name attribute is replaced by the ID attribute Attribute shorthand must not be used. DOCTYPE statement must be used. The DOCTYPE statement is part of Document Type Definition, DTD, and is used to specify which syntax is used in the Web page. ) Examples of the quoted attribute rule: This is incorrect- This is correct- Examples of the Name attribute replacement rule: This is incorrect- This is the correct substitution- Examples of the no shorthand rule: This is an example of improper shorthand- This is the same tag corre ctly written without shorthand- Examples of DOCTYPE statements: This is a page without a statement 9/03 R. Lipera v. 2. 2 5 Interactive Media Center http://library. albany. edu/imc/ Example of a page with a DOCTYPE statement Note that the DOCTYPE statement goes ahead of the opening HTML tag, . The statement is not part of the HTML document and does not have a closing tag. It is used to tell a browser how to render the document. There are three DOCTYPE statements. Statement used to create clutter-free presentations and when Cascading Style Sheets are used: Statement used when HTML presentational features are present and when it is desirable to support older browsers that do not understand Style Sheets: Statement used when frames are incorporated into the design of the page: 9/03 R. Lipera v. 2. 2 6

Roe vs Wade Ruling

Roe vs Wade Ruling This refers to the 1973 controversial case where the Supreme Court declared unconstitutional all state laws that prevented women from procuring an abortion. In many states, abortion was considered the killing of the unborn hence it was unconstitutional.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Roe vs Wade Ruling the Result of the Supreme Court specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The states regulated abortion since they only allowed it when the life of the mother was in danger. The Dallas court ruled that women had to be allowed to procure an abortion at any stage. The court observed that a woman would conduct an abortion at the first trimester, as well as the second, but it outlawed abortion at the third trimester. However, the decision of the court was that abortion could still be conducted at the third trimester provided the health of the mother was in danger. The ruling of the court was controversial since it divided the nat ion into two factions, with one side supporting the decision while another faction was opposed to the decision. The culture wars that are currently experienced in the country are the result of the Supreme Court on Roe v. Wade ruling. The states restricted abortion mainly because women had no right to make decisions on reproduction. The decision came at the time when feminism was taking root in the country. Some of the feminist law scholars claimed that the constitutional rights of Roe had been violated since the Texas law could not allow her to procure an abortion, yet she was uncomfortable with it. Roe observed that she could not tour a different state since she was pregnant. In this regard, she had to be permitted to end the pregnancy in a safer setting. The District Attorney, Wade, was mentioned as the correspondent. The jury established that the Texas law had violated the rights of the complainant, Roe. The state attorney was not satisfied with the decision of the Dallas Court a nd he decided to appeal to the Supreme Court to review the case once more. The Supreme Court conducted an assessment on the decision of the Dallas court in 1971 and 1972. The Supreme Court gave a decision that upheld the previous ruling, claiming that the Texas law had violated the constitutional rights of Roe. It was established that her right to privacy had been compromised hence she had to be allowed to procure an abortion. The Supreme Court invoked the First, Fourth, Ninth, and Fourteenth Amendments in issuing the ruling. In the constitution, the above amendments suggest that issues related to marriage, the use of contraception, ant the upbringing of children are private. In this regard, the court upheld that women have the right to decide whether to keep the pregnancy or terminate it.Advertising Looking for essay on administrative law? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The ruling of the Supreme Court on Roe v. Wad e is still under review among societal members since some individuals believe that life is sacred and should be preserved under all conditions. Some are of the view that abortion should only be procured at some stages, but once a fetus is five months old, it should not be disturbed unless the life of the mother is in danger. Some conservatives suggest that abortion should not be allowed to go on in society since it amounts to murder. In this regard, it should be illegalized and all those found doing it should be prosecuted. On the other hand, liberals argue that abortion should be legalized and the government should offer free abortion to all women since it is their constitutional right.

Number of Supreme Court Nominees By President - List

Number of Supreme Court Nominees By President - List President Barack Obama successfully chose two members of the U.S. Supreme Court and has a chance to nominate a third before his term ends after 2016. If hes able to push a candidate through what can be a politically charged and sometimes lengthy nomination process, Obama will have chosen a third of the nine-member court. So how rare is that? How many times has a modern president gotten an opportunity to choose three justices? Which presidents have nominated the most Supreme Court justices and had the largest impact on makeup of the highest court in the land? Here are some questions and answers about the number of Supreme Court nominees by president. How did Obama get the chance to nominate three justices? Obama was able to nominate three justices because two members of the Supreme Court retired and a third died in office. The first retirement, that of  Justice David Souter, came a short time after Obama took office in 2009. Obamas chose Sonia Sotomayor, who later become the first Hispanic member and third woman justice to serve on the high court. A year later, in 2010, Justice John Paul Stevens gave up his seat on the court. Obama picked Elena Kagan, a former Harvard Law School dean and solicitor general of the United States who was widely seen as a consensus-building liberal. In February 2016, Justice Antonin Scalia died unexpectedly. Is It Rare For a President to Get to Nominate Three Justices? Actually, no. Its not that rare. Since 1869, the year Congress increased the number of justices to nine, 12 of the 24 presidents preceding Obama successfully chose at least three members of the Supreme Court. The most recent president to get three justices on the high court was Ronald Reagan, from 1981 through 1988. In fact, one of those nominees, Justice Anthony Kennedy, was confirmed in a presidential-election year, 1988. So Why Were Obamas 3 Nominees Such a Big Deal? That Obama had the opportunity to nominee three Supreme Court justices was not, in an of itself, the big story. The timing - his final 11 months in office - and the impact his choice would have on setting the ideological course on the court for decades to come made his third nomination such a big news story and, of course, a political battle for the ages. Related Story: What Are Obamas Chances of Replacing Scalia? Which President Has Chosen the Most Supreme Court Justices? President Franklin Delano Roosevelt got eight of his nominees on the Supreme Court over the course of just six years in office. The only presidents who have come close are  Dwight Eisenhower, William Taft and  Ulysses Grant, whom each got five nominees on the court. So How Does Obamas 3 Picks Compare to Other Presidents? With three picks for the Supreme Court, Obama is exactly average. The 25 presidents since 1869 have gotten 75 nominees on the high court, meaning the average is three justices per president. So Obama falls right in the middle. Here is a list of presidents and the number of their Supreme Court nominees who made it to the court since 1869. The list is ranked from presidents with the most justices to those with the least. Franklin Roosevelt: 8 Dwight Eisenhower: 5 William Taft: 5 Ulysses Grant: 5 Richard Nixon: 4 Harry Truman: 4 Warren Harding: 4 Benjamin Harrison: 4 Grover Cleveland: 4 Ronald Reagan: 3 Herbert Hoover: 3 Woodrow Wilson: 3 Theodore Roosevelt: 3 Barack Obama: 2* George W. Bush: 2 Bill Clinton: 2 George H.W. Bush: 2 Lyndon Johnson: 2 John F. Kennedy: 2 Chester Arthur: 2 Rutherford Hayes: 2 Gerald Ford: 1 Calvin Coolidge: 1 William McKinley: 1 James Garfield: 1 * Obama has not yet nominated a third justice, and it remains uncertain whether his choice will will confirmation.

Tort Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Tort Law - Essay Example In this case the appellant had suffered damage as a result of a snail in her ginger beer bottle and she brought a claim against the manufacturer for damages. It was held in this case that even though the appellant had not bought the ginger beer and therefore had no rights under the law of contract, she could successfully pursue a claim against the manufacturer in the law of tort. Lord Atkin asserted that a manufacturer owed a legal duty of care to the ultimate consumer of his product. In discussing duty of care as a legal concept, Lord Atkin established the â€Å"neighbour† principle†2. Lord Atkins went on to define the term â€Å"neighbour† in the legal sense as being â€Å"persons who are so closely and directly affected by my act that I ought to reasonably to have them in contemplation as being so affected when I am directing my mind to the acts or omissions which are called into question.3† All the same, there are limitations to the application of duty of care principle. For instance, in the case of Dorset Yacht Co Limited v Home Office4 Lord Reid opined that â€Å"Donoghue v Stevenson may be a milestone†¦but it is not to be treated as if it were a statutory definition. It will require qualification in certain circumstances†5. The development of a test for establishing a legal duty of care in tort has been gradual. In Caparo v Dickman6, the House of Lords specified a three stage test to determine the absence or existence of a duty of care. The different states in this test are first, whether the consequences of the defendant’s actions were reasonably foreseeable. Second, whether there was sufficient proximity to impose a duty of care; and lastly, whether it is fair, just and reasonable to impose a duty of care. In applying this test to the appellant’s position, it must first and foremost be established, whether the respondent could have been