New York SBDC Research Network

From the US Department of Labor blog : Someone recently asked me to name the one thing I couldn’t live without at work. My answer?  Technology.  I couldn’t do my job – or live my life – as effectively as I do now without information and communication technology (ICT). Considering that I’m blind, this answer is sometimes met with surprise. Some people don’t realize that individuals with disabilities also rely on technology – as long as it’s accessible – to perform daily tasks. I certainly do. I use a screen reader to relay the information on my computer screen, a Braille note-taking device and a smartphone with built-in accessibility features. To say that I’d be lost without these innovations is an understatement. Technology is paramount for  all  of us – whether we have disability or not – and this is particularly true in the workplace. 

For millions of small business owners worldwide, it's decision time. Pretty much every business owner will want to do better in 2015, however, their decisions regarding how to improve things will differ massively. They will fit into one of the following 3 broad groups. Do any of these seem familiar to you? 1. Fear focused business owners More from SmallBusinessNewz

The most valuable business commodity is trust. Richard Branson, author and founder of Virgin Group says, “Building trust in your brand isn't easy to achieve and it may take time, but it doesn't have to come at a high cost. With honesty, ambition, hard work and attention to detail you can instill a level of trust that will enable you to move forward.” The fact is that integrity impacts all aspects of business and is among, if not the most important character trait for a company to have. It is the barometer by which your customers, lenders, potential business partners and employees evaluate you and your business. Trust in a business speaks volumes on how a company services and communicates with its customers. A trustworthy business can be defined many different ways depending upon the person, business, or organization reviewing it. More from Small Business Administration .

During the 20-year period from 1992 to 2011, the majority (83 percent) of all fatal occupational injuries occurred during the traditional workweek, Monday through Friday. A total of 80,645 workers were fatally injured during the day (7 a.m. to 6:59 p.m.) from 1992 to 2011. Another 26,631 were fatally injured during the night and evening hours (7 p.m. to 6:59 a.m.). For 7,815 cases, time of incident was unknown. From 1992 to 2011, July had the highest number of fatal occupational injuries (11,168), and the fewest number of injuries occurred in February (8,008). Just over a quarter of workers (28 percent, or 32,795) were fatally injured during the summer months of June, July, and August. In comparison, the winter months of December, January, and February totaled 25,380 fatal injuries (22 percent). Bureau of Labor Statistics

If Santa brings you a shiny new laptop, game console or flat-screen TV, don't toss the old one in the trash. Starting Jan. 1, the final phase of New York's 2010 electronics recycling law takes effect, making it illegal for consumers to throw so-called "e-waste" in the garbage. Violators can be fined $100. Read More at WRBG-TV Recycling Your Electronic Waste Disposal Ban: Beginning January 1, 2015,  consumers  may no longer dispose of  certain types of electronic equipment  in landfills, waste-to-energy facilities, in the trash, or at curbside for trash pickup. Use the recycling options described below. Two  Ways  to Recycle Your Electronic Waste Option 1: Use a Manufacturer's Takeback Program Go to DEC's   list of electronic equipment manufacturers registered in NYS , to find manufacturers, their brands electronic equipment covered by the law, and their electronic waste acceptance program websites and toll-free telephone numbers. Follow the specific inst

Search is pretty much everything these days. Even businesses that rely on people in their town, coming into their place of business to complete a transaction, are held to the fact that, increasingly, most buying decisions start out with an online search. The category of local search engine optimization has picked up steam over the last few years as search behavior combined with the rapid growth of smart phone use created a truly mobile search consumer. Services like Yext have cropped up just to help tackle this very specific form of SEO. Below are five local search tactics that demand your attention today if you are a local oriented business. Get the NAP right NAP stands for Name, Address and Phone and the search engines obviously want to make sure that when someone is looking for a local business there’s no ambiguity around what and where the business is.

The Office of Advocacy has released the November-December issue of The Small Business Advocate newsletter . This edition features a recent trip to the Denver Biz Tech Expo where Chief Counsel for Advocacy Winslow Sargeant was the keynote speaker. Also covered is Region III Advocate Ngozi Bell's recent visit to West Virginia for the Women and Technology Conference. In addition, Assistant Chief Counsel Kevin Bromberg received an award from the EPA recognizing him for his work with the agency on underground storage tanks. We also look at two recently-released economic studies and several regulatory matters. In This Issue Startup Accelerators Show Promise in Addressing Public Policy Goals Advocacy Comments on DOJ Movie Theater Rules Comments to EPA on Petroleum Refinery Rules Energy Efficiency Standards for Ice Makers Addressed Regulatory Alert on Proposed IRS Rules Report Studies Financial Health of Veterans