New Digital Platform from AARP Helps Experienced Workers Find Jobs

1 Aug 2012 16:44 Africa/Lagos

New Digital Platform from AARP Helps Experienced Workers Find Jobs

Experienced Workers Offered Tailored Online Job Listings, Guidance, and Community With AARP's New "Work Reimagined"

WASHINGTON, Aug. 1, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Memo to Experienced Workers:

AARP is offering a unique new way to advance yourself in today's tight job market with Work Reimagined, a social network based experienced worker jobs program that connects employers seeking experienced workers with qualified professionals searching for new or more satisfying careers. The site (www.workreimagined.org) will leverage the platform of professional networking site, LinkedIn.

AARP President Rob Romasco announced the multi-pronged Work Reimagined online initiative today, outlining some of the key elements, which include:

original and curated content with advice and insights relevant to experienced workers in today's job market, and
access to current job openings with the nearly 120 employers who have taken the Work Reimagined pledge, publicly committing to treat all employees equally regardless of age.

"Work Reimagined enables experienced workers to come together in a vibrant online community to share your views and help move through 'what's next' career moments," said Romasco. "It opens the way for access to workforce resources, as well as the opportunity to connect with other experienced workers in a peer-to-peer environment."

The dynamic nature of Work Reimagined is demonstrated by the decision by dozens of forward-looking employers with at least some immediate hiring needs to sign a pledge to recruit across a level playing field when considering experienced workers. These firms are looking for the strong work ethic, maturity, and customer orientation that experienced workers bring to their jobs.

Employers who sign the pledge agree that they have:

Openness to the value of experienced workers;
Nondiscriminatory HR policies;
At least some immediate hiring needs at the time of pledge signing.

With the integration of LinkedIn information, qualified workers are put together in the same space with employers who value those workers.

"Over the past decade, the digital world has transformed how most people look for a job," said Romasco. "Today, Work Reimagined harnesses the power of social media to offer great opportunities for experienced professionals to connect, to access information and resources, and to leverage their professional network in their pursuit of more fulfilling work and career."

Work Reimagined also offers job listings independent of LinkedIn, as well as articles, columns, tips and tools to help people navigate today's workplace.

"This service is especially valuable in the face of a difficult economy that has found many professionals unemployed for, in many cases, a year or more," Romasco added.

Among the employers who have taken the Work Reimagined pledge are Scripps Health, the top finisher last year in AARP's Best Employers for Workers Over 50 program; Toys R Us, Inc.; Dollar General; United Health Group; Lowe's and AT&T.

Work Reimagined is featured in the August-September issue of AARP The Magazine.

AARP is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization, with a membership of more than 37 million, that helps people 50+ have independence, choice and control in ways that are beneficial to them and society as a whole. AARP does not endorse candidates for public office or make contributions to either political campaigns or candidates. We produce AARP The Magazine, the definitive voice for Americans 50+ and the world's largest-circulation magazine; AARP Bulletin, the go-to news source for the 50+ audience; AARP VIVA, a bilingual lifestyle multimedia platform addressing the interests and needs of Hispanic Americans; and national television and radio programming including My Generation and Inside E Street. The AARP Foundation is an affiliated charity that provides security, protection, and empowerment to older persons in need with support from thousands of volunteers, donors, and sponsors. AARP has staffed offices in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Learn more at www.aarp.org .

SOURCE AARP Illinois

CONTACT: AARP Media Relations, +1-202-434-2560

Web Site: http://www.aarp.org

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UL and the Muppets Team Up to Help Make the Holiday Season Safe and Bright

National Campaign Encourages Families to
Commit a Minute to Safety


Dr. Bunsen Honeydew learns about the importance of keeping a UL listed fire extinguisher handy. See Disney's The Muppets in theaters this Thanksgiving.

NORTHBROOK, Ill. November 1, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — Every minute, 17 children visit the ER due to unintentional injuries, a startling number that equates to an estimated 9.2 million injuries a year.¹ Household injuries are especially top of mind during the hectic months of November and December, with an estimated 230 people in the United States visiting emergency rooms each day as a result of holiday-related injuries. In response to these alarming statistics, UL, a global safety organization, is working with stars of Disney’s The Muppets, including Kermit the Frog, Swedish Chef, Dr. Bunsen Honeydew and his assistant Beaker, on a national campaign – Commit a Minute to Safety. The campaign’s goal is to raise awareness of the importance of holiday safety and make sure parents know valuable holiday safety information – water your tree daily, never leave a lit candle unattended, turn pot handles in while cooking, and always look for the UL Mark.


Beaker learns about the importance of fire safety from UL, a global safety organization. See Disney’s The Muppets in theaters this Thanksgiving.

Beginning today, UL is asking families to take time out of their busy schedules to ensure they are making safety a priority this holiday season. To illustrate the simple steps families can take to dramatically cut the risk of injuries, UL, with the help of The Muppets characters Kermit the Frog, Swedish Chef, Dr. Bunsen Honeydew and his assistant Beaker, is launching a series of online safety videos and a national public service announcement (PSA) that provides families with vital safety tips to ensure a safe and bright holiday season. The first video focuses on the importance of fire safety and can be viewed at www.SafetyAtHome.com.

“The holidays are a happy time and we want to help keep them that way. Commit a Minute to Safety shows folks how easy it is to keep their home and family safe,” said Kermit the Frog, who adds an additional holiday safety tip of his own: “Never mix mistletoe and romantic pigs. Trust me on this.”

In addition to The Muppets holiday safety videos and PSA, UL has revamped its website and is offering downloadable holiday safety content such as the Safety Time learning and activity book for children. UL will also be updating its SafetyAtHome Facebook and Twitter pages with news about upcoming events including UL’s presenting sponsorship of the City of Chicago Tree Lighting and the National Tree Lighting in Washington, D.C.

“During the holidays, UL reminds families to look for the UL Mark on decorations, lights and electronics,” said John Drengenberg, Consumer Safety Director at UL. “When you see the UL Mark, you can rest assured that the highest safety standards have been met.”

UL independent engineers and scientists perform thousands of rigorous tests on products such as holiday lights, electric decorations and artificial trees. This year, UL offers the following safety guidelines to show how safety can take as little as one minute and help families identify and prevent hazards that too often result in accidents or tragedy.

* WATER YOUR TREE DAILY: Dry trees pose a substantial fire risk. After bringing your tree home, make a fresh cut at the base of the trunk before putting it in a sturdy stand. Be sure to water it daily. Additionally, know your tree’s expiration date. After about four weeks, the tree will stop absorbing water and dry out, and should be properly discarded or recycled.
* CHECK YOUR LIGHTS, CHECK THEM TWICE: Inspect all of your electric lights and decorations for damage or wear. Cracked sockets, frayed or bare wires and loose connections may pose a fire or shock hazard.
* DECORATE WITH A SAFE EYE:Cords should not be run under carpets or tacked up with metal nails or staples. Small decorations can be a choking hazard for small children or pets and should be kept out of reach.
* BE FLAME AWARE:Always blow out unattended candles and keep flammable materials “three feet from the heat” of lit candles or fireplaces.
* INDOOR OR OUTDOOR? LOOK FOR THE UL MARK: Indoor-use-only light strings are marked with UL’s green holographic label. Indoor-or outdoor-use light strings are marked with UL’s red holographic label. Only use light strings and other electrical decorations that bear the UL Mark near the plug, signifying that safety standards have been met.

To learn more about UL’s Commit a Minute to Safety holiday campaign and for valuable safety information for keeping your home safe and bright this holiday season, please visit www.SafetyAtHome.com.

About UL
UL (Underwriters Laboratories), a world leader in advancing safety, has more than 100 years of proven history. Employing more than 6,800 professionals in over 96 countries, UL is evolving the future of safety with five distinct business units – Product Safety, Environment, Life & Health, Verification and University – to meet the expanding needs of customers and the global public. For more information on UL services, visit http://www.ul.com/.

About Disney’s “The Muppets”
On vacation in Los Angeles, Walter, the world’s biggest Muppet fan, his brother Gary (Jason Segel) and Gary’s girlfriend Mary (Amy Adams), from Smalltown, USA, discover the nefarious plan of oilman Tex Richman (Chris Cooper) to raze the Muppet Theater and drill for the oil recently discovered beneath the Muppets’ former stomping grounds. To stage a telethon and raise the $10 million needed to save the theater, Walter, Mary and Gary help Kermit reunite the Muppets, who have all gone their separate ways: Fozzie now performs with a Reno casino tribute band called the Moopets, Miss Piggy is a plus-size fashion editor at Vogue Paris, Animal is in a Santa Barbara clinic for anger management, and Gonzo is a high-powered plumbing magnate. With signature celebrity cameos, Disney’s “The Muppets” hits the big screen Nov. 23, 2011.

# # #

¹ CDC Childhood Injury Report (2000-2006)

CONTACT:
Joe Hirschmugl
Media Relations Manager
Underwriters Laboratories
(847) 664-1508
Joseph.F.Hirschmugl@us.ul.com

Christie Shein
MSLGROUP for UL
(312) 861-5237
Christie.Shein@mslgroup.com

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90% of Serious Violent Crime Victims Received Help

4 Aug 2011 15:00 Africa/Lagos


Nine Percent of Serious Violent Crime Victims Received Help or Advice From a Victim Service Agency Between 1993 and 2009

PR Newswire

WASHINGTON, August 4, 2011

WASHINGTON, August 4, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- From 1993 to 2009, about nine percent of victims of serious violent crime―rape or other sexual assault, robbery, or aggravated assault―received direct assistance from a victim service agency, the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) announced today.

Victim service agencies are publicly or privately funded organizations that provide victims with support and services to aid their physical and emotional recovery, offer protection from future victimizations, guide victims through the criminal justice system, and assist in the process of obtaining restitution.

While the rate of serious violent crime in the United States declined overall from 22 victimizations per 1,000 persons age 12 or older in 1993 to 6 per 1,000 in 2009, the percentage of victims receiving assistance from victim service agencies remained relatively stable.

From 2000 to 2009, an annual average of 193,000 persons age 12 or older were victims of serious violent crime. A greater percentage of these victims received direct assistance from a victim service agency when the crime was reported to the police (14 percent), compared to when the victimization was not reported (four percent). This may suggest that the police refer serious violent crime victims to victim service agencies, or that a greater percentage of victims decide to contact the police after receiving assistance.

A greater percentage of victims who received help or advice from a victim service agency experienced some type of follow-up action from the criminal justice system. These victims were more likely to see an arrest made in the case or have contact with a non-law enforcement criminal justice official, such as a judge or prosecutor, compared to victims who did not receive assistance.

From 2000 to 2009, a greater percentage of female (15 percent) than male (six percent) victims of serious violent crime received assistance from a victim services agency. Victims age 35 or older (12 percent) were more likely to receive assistance than younger victims age 18 to 24 (nine percent). Victims living in rural areas (12 percent) were also slightly more likely to receive assistance than those living in urban areas (nine percent).

Victims of serious violent crimes perpetrated by an intimate partner (23 percent), compared to those in which the offender was not an intimate partner (eight percent), were more likely to receive assistance from a victim service agency. Similarly, victims of crimes that resulted in an injury (15 percent) were more likely than victims who were not injured (seven percent) to receive assistance.

A greater percentage of rape or other sexual assault victims (21 percent) than victims of other types of crime received assistance from a victim service agency. Nine percent of aggravated assault victims, eight percent of robbery victims, seven percent of simple assault victims, and two percent of household property crime victims received assistance.

The report, Use of Victim Service Agencies by Victims of Serious Violent Crime, 1993-2009 (NCJ 234212), was written by BJS statistician Lynn Langton. Following publication, the report can be found at http://www.bjs.gov.

For additional information about the Bureau of Justice Statistics' statistical reports and programs, please visit the BJS website at http://www.bjs.gov/.

The Office of Justice Programs (OJP), headed by Assistant Attorney General Laurie O. Robinson, provides federal leadership in developing the nation's capacity to prevent and control crime, administer justice, and assist victims. OJP has six components: the Bureau of Justice Assistance; the Bureau of Justice Statistics; the National Institute of Justice; the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention; the Office for Victims of Crime; and the Office of Sex Offender Sentencing, Monitoring, Apprehending, Registering, and Tracking. More information about OJP can be found at http://www.ojp.gov.

SOURCE Department of Justice

CONTACT: Kara McCarthy, +1-202-307-1241, After hours: +1-202-598-0556

Web Site: http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov

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