Tag: remzem
Starbucks tells smokers: no smoking within 25 feet of stores
Americans and Canadians who enjoy a cigarette with their Starbucks café mocha may want to change their routine. A new company ban that went into effect on June 1st, 2013 prohibits smoking within 25 feet of a Starbucks store. Smoking is already banned inside Starbucks stores. However, the new ban extends to all 7,000 company […]
Are ‘Do Not Disturb’ signs in hotels enforceable?
How much power is behind a ‘Do Not Disturb’ sign? In general, hotel rules state that guests are entitled to a certain degree of privacy, at least until the checkout time of the agreed departure date. Do Not Disturb signs often work as an effective deterrent, but can they legally keep someone out? Is there […]
Out of the doghouse: Luxury home design for pets (and pet owners) is trending
Gone, it seems, are the simple clapboard doghouses the likes of which Snoopy used to snooze in. In their place, as pet ownership rises in the U.S., are heated pet beds, Fido-friendly windows, and custom-built nooks and crannies designed within — not outside — pet owners’ homes. As the Wall Street Journal recently reported, certain pet owners […]
One Carleton student’s fight for campus accessibility earns national attention
Did you attend a college surrounded by hills, or in the case of yours truly, loads of mini-hills on one giant hill (hi, Brandeis)? Recall the dread you felt when you learned your new dorm was on the sixth floor? These situations make coming and going from your room or walking to class a full-on […]
Hospitals say yes to visits from household pets
When you’re stranded in a hospital bed, all you want is to be reminded of the comforts of home. Many hospitals use in-house trained animals for pet therapy, but most generally don’t allow household pets to visit patients. However, it looks like some are starting to open their doors. Some facilities are exceptionally progressive, such […]
The gender-neutral restroom debate: right or privilege?
Earlier this month, the vote to pass the Employment Non-Discrimination Act marked the first time in history a transgender employment non-discrimination bill passed in the Senate. The bill’s approval is a huge step toward equality for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and questioning workers. The question that needs to be asked going forward is: How will […]
The Office Courtesy Series: 8 Elevator Etiquette Essentials
Proper elevator etiquette is essential. Of all the modern conveniences, elevators might win in being the most loved and hated. We love them when they work and we would otherwise have to hike up several flights of stairs, but hate them when they’re broken, stop on every floor, or move too slowly. At times, slow elevators can […]
23 years after the ADA, Amtrak stations still inaccessible
The National Disability Rights Network reveals that several of the country’s Amtrak stations remain inaccessible for people with disabilities. A report published by the network on the 23rd anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) discloses Amtrak’s inefficiencies. The ADA advocates and allied groups, who visited Amtrak stations in July and August this year, […]
Workplace bullying: a new toolkit helps workers identify and cope
A new resource out of British Columbia provides employees with regulations on workplace bullying, a handy reference for workers everywhere on how to identify and cope with bullying among coworkers, bosses, and colleagues. Replete with fact sheets, checklists, a handbook, posters, and sample presentations, the bullying and harassment prevention toolkit was prepared by British Columbia’s […]
The Office Courtesy Series: How to Keep Coffee Areas Clean
When you experience the three o’clock slump in your workday and you don’t want to spend five dollars on Starbucks, a trip to the office coffee maker is just plain necessary. But when the grounds or creamers are depleted, workplace tension can boil over and brewing areas can become battle grounds. The same employees are […]