FW: Heroes Earnings Assistance and Relief Act of 2008, which was signed into law yesterday and impacts employers' treatment of differential wage payments and their employee benefit plans.

From: Gore, Gil [mailto:gilgore@bletsr.org]
Sent: Wednesday, June 18, 2008 3:07 PM
To: All Local Chairmen BLET UP Southern Region

Subject: FW: Heroes Earnings Assistance and Relief Act of 2008, which was signed into law yesterday and impacts employers' treatment of differential wage payments and their employee benefit plans.

Brothers,

For your information I have attached some information received from our VP Lee Pruitt on benefits for active military personnel.  Click HERE to view this information in PDF.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me.

Fraternally,

Gil Gore 

From: Lee Pruitt
Sent: Wednesday, June 18, 2008 2:55 PM
Subject: Heroes Earnings Assistance and Relief Act of 2008, which was signed into law yesterday and impacts employers' treatment of differential wage payments and their employee benefit plans.

Dear Sirs and Brothers:

                The attached file is an overview of the “Heroes Earnings Assistance and Relief Act (HEART) of 2008. I am sure that most of you are asked questions concerning pay and benefits for our members while performing their military commitments and on a military leave of absence. Some employers may in fact provide more than HEART requires however this law was enacted in June 2008 and is provided to all of you for your information and files. Please feel free to disseminate this information as you see fit.

Fraternally,

E. L. Pruitt

BLE-T

Vice President

12265 Home Port Drive

Maureapas, LA 70449

This message is covered by the Electronic Communications Privacy Act, 18 U.S.C. §§ 2510-2521, and is legally privileged.  This email and any files transmitted with it are confidential and are intended solely for the use of the individual or entity to whom it is addressed. If you are not the intended recipient or the person responsible for delivering the email to the intended recipient, please be advised that you have received this email in error and that any use, dissemination, forwarding, printing, or copying of this email and any file attachments is strictly prohibited. If you have received this email in error, please immediately notify us by reply email to the sender. Please delete this email and its attachments from your system and do not retain any copies.

 

 

DOT Warning On Use of Anti-Smoking Drug Chantix

From: Gore, Gil [mailto:gilgore@bletsr.org]
Sent: Friday, June 06, 2008 12:14 PM
To: All Local Chairmen BLET UP Southern Region

Subject: FW: Chantix

Brothers,

Please review the link below for information from the ND regarding the use of the anti-smoking drug Chantix. Please distribute this information to all members on your electronic e-mail list.

Please Click HERE to view and PDF copy of the Memorandum.

Thanking you in advance for your cooperation, I remain.

Fraternally,

Gil Gore

From: Pontolillo, Tom [mailto:pontolillo@ble-t.org]
Sent: Friday, June 06, 2008 11:59 AM
To: _NDOfficers; _General Chairmen US GCA; _Legislative Chairmen US GCA; _ExecStaff
Cc: Policy, Kathleen; Bentley, John; Magrath, Erin
Subject: Chantix

Brothers,

A short while ago we received the attached copy of a Memorandum from the Department of Transportation’s Office of Drug and Alcohol Policy and Compliance to the Drug and Alcohol Program Manager of the Federal Railroad Administration’s Office of Safety. The Memorandum concerns the anti-smoking drug Chantix, and states, in pertinent part, as follows:

The U.S. Department of Transportation reminds all transportation industries of the potential threat to public safety caused by the use of the anti-smoking drug Chantix. A recent independent study spoke of possible links to seizures, dizziness, heart irregularity, loss of consciousness, vision problems, diabetes, and more than 100 accidents. As a result, we strongly urge all transportation industry employers to include in their employee training materials appropriate information to address this issue. We also encourage employers to reiterate with their employees the need to report use of such medications when required by applicable DOT regulations or by company policies.

The Federal Aviation Administration has banned the use of Chantix by pilots and air traffic controllers, and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has urged medical examiners not to certify a commercial driver who uses this drug.

It would be greatly appreciated if General Chairmen and State Legislative Board Chairmen would distribute electronically this to Local Division officers under their jurisdiction if they have the capacity to do so.

Fraternally,

Thomas A. Pontolillo

Assistant to the President and Director of Research

Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen