The vacation spreadsheet is now available on the employee tab of the website. This should make it easier for you to keep track of how much vacation time you have remaining. It would be helpful to check that before submitting your hours, if you have vacation to report. Sometimes vacation time is taken that is not available and we have to scramble to find out how to record those hours.  Also, if you see something that does not look right with your vacation, please bring it to my attention. The vacation is manually updated, so mistakes can happen. 2017 was another good year for Thermo-Tech!  Our sales were 3% higher than 2016, but our profit was down a little.  Steve has chosen to payout just a bit less in bonuses, to reflect that. However, you will still be rewarded nicely for your dedication and hard work over the last year!  And, think about it…an all expense paid trip to Mexico AND a bonus to boot – all in the same year!!  What is not to love about this company??!!  You will see your bonus appear on your March 6 payroll 🙂 Once again. Steve has opted to contribute $30,000 to our 401k accounts!  The more you defer into your account, the bigger a share of the pot you get (that is not our formula – that is a government formula). This might be a good time to analyze how much you are saving for your retirement, and if it is time to increase that.  If you are not currently in our 401k plan, you may want to reconsider.  Steve contributes to the plan on an annual basis and, depending on the profit that year, contributes accordingly (discretionary match).  If you want to change your deferral amount, you can send me an email. If you want to join our plan, you can contact our Financial Advisor, Bob Pulaski at robert_pulaski@packerlandbrokerage.com  or 414-640-9240.  If you are not in the plan you will never get a share of the FREE MONEY! So, does Mexico seem like a distant memory??  Well, Thanks to Tiffany Listle, you can now upload and share any pictures you want on the google shared album she set up. She has uploaded hers already, and invites you to share yours.  https://photos.app.goo.gl/ZYgUVn4rnBvTiXrh1      Thank you for putting this together Tiff!!...

  So sometimes you just have to settle for what you can get, as Dan recently experienced at Hayward Hospital…he had to scrape the bottom of the barrel...

  30th Anniversary Company Party Update!!       It’s here – what we have all been waiting for – dates and location information for our 30 year celebration!! Travel Dates: February 8-11, 2018 Resort: El Dorado Royale, by Karisma     (google this place – it is gorgeous!  5 star beachfront resort!!) Riviera Maya, Mexico Room Type: Luxury Jacuzzi Junior Suite Flights: Non-stop Funjet charter flights from Milwaukee via Norwegian Air To get the ball rolling, we need your cooperation. We need everyone’s full names as they appear on their passports and dates of  birth.  You can send that information to me as soon as you can at patti@thermomail.com If you don’t currently have a passport, you need to apply now at your local Post Office. It will take several weeks to get.  If you currently do have a passport, make sure it has not expired. This will be a process to get everyone’s information so please don’t procrastinate. Stay tuned for more...

As you all know, year-end bonus checks were included with last week’s payroll. For many, 2016 bonus amounts were slightly less than our record year of 2015. Sales and profits took a minor dip but in the end, we had another fabulous year and bonus amounts reflect as such. Again, a few new employees were hired and those who’ve stayed after a few years tend to get bigger increases as their experience level increases. I strive for fairness when determining amounts.  It’s complicated yet simple.  My main objective is to reward all for the hard work and the incentive to want continued success.  It’s worked for 30 years and I’m hoping it works for many more!   For the newer guys who don’t completely understand my business philosophy and for those of us with greying hair who tend to forget most everything these days,  I’d like to reiterate;     This company was built with a simple mindset of teamwork and trust. Working as a team means everyone gets a piece of the pie. The longer you stay, the harder you work, the smarter and more efficient you get, the safer we are, the bigger the pie. This philosophy has been the key to our success…30 years of success.  Your part in it is more than appreciated!   With that said, I’m sorry to announce our Company Party this year is cancelled. I decided this fall is not a good time celebrate a momentous occasion. Our 30th birthday party will take place sometime after the holidays, (late January or in February).  It will be adults only. You can only get there by plane. Passports will be required. I’m hoping to express my gratitude with an all-expenses paid extended four day weekend on a warm sunny beach with endless free cocktails.  Stay tuned for details….   Thanks again for everything…let’s do it again in 2017!   Steve...

IT’S THAT TIME OF YEAR! The month of February brings employee evaluations and bonus/raises considerations.  If your foreman has not already, he will be pulling you aside to give you your evaluation.  It is not only beneficial for you as an employee, to understand what your foreman sees as your strengths and weaknesses, it is also a good time for clarification for both of you as to what is expected from you. Evaluations play a big part in determining the % of the bonus “pot” you will receive.  They also help in determining raise amounts in the spring. Steve and Dan sit down every year and review the evaluations before making their final decisions. Bonus checks are scheduled for the March 7 payroll. Raises will follow shortly after, sometime in early April. This time of year also brings with it a boost to your 401k account. Steve has decided to contribute $30,000 to our retirement funds!  Our plan is set up to divide that discretionary match by the percent of deferral into the plan. So, in other words, the more you put into your plan every paycheck, the more the % of the $30,000 will be coming your way!  And if you are not in the plan, your share of the FREE money is $0! Speaking of our 401k, when was the last time you thought about the amount you are saving?  Just increasing it by a little every year can make a big difference in your payout!  Let me know at any time if you want to change your deferral amount. Or, if you want to join our plan and get some of that FREE money, contact Bob Pulaski, our Financial Advisor, for the forms needed.  robert_pulaski@packerlandbrokerage.com or call his cell at 414-640-9240. The last topic regarding your 401k – has something changed in your personal life that would cause you to want to change your beneficiary for your money?  Those forms are kept in your personnel file, not with Empower, so you can request a new beneficiary form from me. If a change in your personal life is also a cause to change your income tax withholding, let me know!  It’s just a matter of filling out a new W4 and getting it to me.  You can change your exemptions at any time during the year. On a final note – Think Spring!...