The Cabinet Makers Association (CMA) is pleased to announce that Henry “Dutch” Hempel will deliver the closing keynote address at their 20th Anniversary Conference, which will be held March 1-2, 2018 in Denver.

A renowned business coach, Dutch has 24 years of experience in the construction and design industries. He specializes in educating business owners and staff in effective business development and communication methods and strategies. His “no nonsense” methods focus on action backed by proven theories and results.

At the CMA conference, Dutch’s closing keynote will cover how to communicate effectively throughout the entire sales process. “From Estimating to Implementation: Improving Communications for Presenting Fact Based Documents” will help business owners gain a better understanding of their customers, develop a business and marketing strategy to communicate their unique value, and develop the leadership skills needed to see the job through to completion.

The CMA has made it affordable for attendees to participate in their first-ever national conference. The registration fee for this two-day event is only $100 for general members. They also have a special offer for non-members: a one-year CMA membership is part of their $375 registration fee. “CMA members often tell me that they wish they had known about the association sooner,” explained Matt Krig, president of the CMA’s Board of Directors. “This conference and the one-year membership will provide a great opportunity to get to know the CMA community and see what they’ve been missing.”
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For more information and to register, please visit: www.cabinetmakers.org/denver

The Cabinet Makers Association (CMA) is pleased to announce that Paul Downs will deliver the opening keynote at their 20th Anniversary Conference, which will be held March 1-2, 2018 in Denver, Colorado.

A popular speaker at woodworking industry events, Paul Downs is also a CMA member. His business started from a wish to “just make furniture” in 1986. Since then, Paul has grown his company from a single-man shop to 19 employees and he’s never made a kitchen. He will tell you what factors have led to his success including how to market over the Internet, how he hires, what he pays and how much money he takes home.  In addition to running his business, Mr. Downs also began his writing career with The New York Times providing a blog called “You’re The Boss”. His book, Boss Life:  Surviving My Own Small Business, was published in 2015 by Blue Rider Press. Now he continues to on Forbes.com about the struggles of running a small manufacturing business.

The CMA’s first-ever national conference to celebrate their 20th anniversary is appropriately themed “elevate” since it will be held in Denver. The organization hopes that attendees’ businesses will soar to new heights with what they learn and from the connections they make during the conference. You do not need to be a CMA member to attend the event, but registration for non-members does include a one-year of membership dues. For details and registration information, please visit www.cabinetmakers.org/denver

McFeely’s is once again a small private company looking to earn business with excellent customer service, support and competitive pricing.

The company was founded in 1978 by William J. McFeely III and originally sold domestic and exotic hardwoods to local recreational and professional woodworkers.

McFeely's has had a few private and large corporate owners since its beginning, and new owner Tim Grote is committed to honoring William McFeely’s tradition of outstanding service, wide selection, and educational support for customers and their projects.

“We carry more than 10,000 items and offer same-day shipping,” says new President Tim Grote. “We will be updating our website so we can get the extensive details in our catalog on the web. We are restocking the shelves and looking for all of the new products that support cabinet-making, furniture-building and woodworking.”

He adds that McFeely’s is actively searching for new vendors and products that fit its customers’ needs.

“We want to partner with all the stakeholders in the industry – from small shops to large corporations – to make their jobs easier.”
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For more information, visit www.mcfeelys.com or call 513-845-4782

Question: Our employee has tendonitis.  His condition has not seen any improvement, if anything he has experienced regression. To date we have conducted two ergonomic assessments. We made the recommended adjustments following both assessments. We have also accommodated the employee throughout his employment with modified duty and modified schedule as dictated by the employee's physician and the employee's feelings for what he can undertake day to day.  The employee’s work hours since December of 2016 have averaged 20.65 hours/week. Because of this reduction in work hours and the volume of work he is producing, we have hired a new full-time employee to handle what the employee has not been producing, as well as to meet the overall increased work load demands of our engineering department. We have three employees in this group and our work volume is such that we need all three to be productive 40 hours each week. However, we are not able to spread this out evenly and the other two engineers are having to work in excess of 40 hours to handle the volume that the employee is unable to produce. This employee sent an email today advising that “both of his hands are pretty messed up now, to the point that I cannot move them without being in a lot of pain. I cannot work anymore and I do not know if or when I will be able to. The medications I’ve been given are doing a bad job of dulling the pain, and it continues to get worse. I have a physical therapy appointment on Monday and a primary care appointment on Tuesday. I don’t know if they will help to get me back to work, and I don’t know when that will be.” We are really struggling with how to move forward properly with this employee and would really appreciate some guidance here.
 
Response: It appears that the employer has taken reasonable and appropriate measures over the last few months to reasonably accommodate the subject employee, but he has now advised that he "cannot work anymore" and further that he does not "know if or when" he will ever be able to do so again. You indicate that he has advised the employer that he has an upcoming physical therapy appointment, but that he doesn't "know if they will help to [him] back to work, and [doesn't] know when that will be."
 
In some cases a full-time leave of absence can be a form of reasonable accommodation under the federal Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and employers need to consider this type of action in determining whether a qualified individual with a disability can be accommodated. That said, the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has made clear that employers do not have to grant indefinite leave as a reasonable accommodation to employees with disabilities. Indeed, the EEOC has expressly stated that "[a]lthough employers may have to grant extended medical leave as a reasonable accommodation, they have no obligation to provide leave of indefinite duration. Granting indefinite leave, like frequent and unpredictable requests for leave, can impose an undue hardship on an employer’s operations." See https://www.eeoc.gov/facts/performance-conduct.html and particularly question 21 (at example 38 the EEOC states that if an employee on leave "is unable to provide information on whether and when he could return to another job that he could perform," then "[t]he employer may terminate this worker because the ADA does not require the employer to provide indefinite leave.") Similar guidance is provided at question 44 at https://www.eeoc.gov/policy/docs/accommodation.html where the EEOC further states that "[p]roviding leave to an employee who is unable to provide a fixed date of return is a form of reasonable accommodation. However, if an employer is able to show that the lack of a fixed return date causes an undue hardship, then it can deny the leave. In certain circumstances, undue hardship will derive from the disruption to the operations of the entity that occurs because the employer can neither plan for the employee's return nor permanently fill the position. If an employee cannot provide a fixed date of return, and an employer determines that it can grant such leave at that time without causing undue hardship, the employer has the right to require, as part of the interactive process, that the employee provide periodic updates on his/her condition and possible date of return. After receiving these updates, employers may reevaluate whether continued leave constitutes an undue hardship."
 
Thus, if the employer is able to accommodate the subject employee with leave that lacks a fixed date of return, it should do so. If, however, an employee is unable to state whether or when he will ever be able to return to work (and assuming no fixed date is offered after his next therapy appointment) and accommodating would visit an undue hardship upon the employer, the EEOC supports an employer in terminating the employment relationship.  If the latter situation is now upon the employer, as noted it can discharge the subject employee.  In letting him go, the employer should remind the employee of its efforts to provide reasonable accommodation over the last few months, and be candid with him as to the employer's inability to do so moving forward without undue hardship, in view of the indefinite nature of the leave now needed.
 
The employer should, however, ensure that the employee knows that he remains eligible for (although not guaranteed) reemployment should his condition improve to the point that he is able to work again.   If this occurs and he is interested in returning to the workplace, he can and should let the employer know of this situation and then the employer should consider him for positions that are then available and within his capabilities, if there are any.  The employer is not required to establish a new job for this individual nor "bump" any current employees to create a vacancy for him if there is not an available position at the time the employee indicates he is interested and able to return to work.  If there is such a position, of course the employer consider him for rehire, but even in this scenario the employer is not required to give the employee preference over other candidates, especially any who may be objectively more or better qualified for whatever position is then open.  Indeed, the employer is entitled to hire the best qualified candidate for any available position, regardless of disability or prior-employment status.  That said, as noted, at the time of separation, the employee should be apprised that he is at least eligible to apply for rehire (though again should not be promised or guaranteed an offer), rather than advising him that he will not be considered for reemployment in the future at all, which can be construed as an unlawfully discriminatory decision in itself and can subject the employer to a potential claim down the road.
  
© 2014 Advisors Law Group, All Rights Reserved
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Colonial Saw, Inc., a leading distributor of advanced woodworking tools, recently donated equipment to the Manufacturing Industry Learning Lab (MiLL) in Colorado Springs. Formed as a National Manufacturing Training Center, MiLL is the result of unique industry-education partnerships.

Colonial Saw is one of the industry partners supporting the new training center by donating a Striebig Compact Vertical Panel Saw and two Lamello Zeta P2s, a precision tool that cuts the full range of slots for the P System connector series.

“Colonial Saw has long been an advocate for education, developing the American woodworking workforce, and investing in the future of our industry,” said Dave Rakauskas, Vice President of Colonial Saw. “MiLL has tremendous potential and we chose to give them the Striebig because it is a quality tool that is very popular with vocational high school programs.”

Lamello USA, a division of Colonial Saw, offers a Tools for Schools program with discounted rates on equipment for high school and college programs. “Because of the high integrity of MiLL’s program we decided to take the extra step and donate the Zetas, which dovetails well with MiLL’s cabinet making focus,” said Chris Hofmann, the eastern U.S. Lamello product manager.

An ambitious program, MiLL will train high school, vocational, and college students as well as military vets and industry professionals to develop work-ready employees. The industry has rallied around the initiative, donating more than $3 million worth of equipment and technology and making MiLL one of the most advanced woodworking labs in the country. Led by Dean Mattson, a former professional cabinetmaker who started a similar program in Oregon, their first enrolled class of 135 students started this August.

About Colonial Saw
Colonial Saw, Inc. is North America’s importer of Swiss made STRIEBIG Vertical Panel Saws, LAMELLO specialty tools, biscuits and biscuit joiners, and the worlds’ finest grinding machinery. For over half a century, the company has delivered uncompromising performance and value, along with one of the most comprehensive and responsive after-sale customer support programs in the industry. More information can be found at www.csaw.com.

Biesse Group extended its legacy of corporate giving by presenting a check for $6,000 to the Make-A-Wish Foundation during the 2017 Subsidiaries Meeting on the Charlotte Campus.

Biesse Group CEO Roberto Selci and Biesse Group Subsidiaries Division Director Federico Broccoli addressed the importance of Make-A-Wish and its mission of granting wishes to children with life-threatening illnesses.

“Biesse Group is proud to continue its unwavering support of Make-A-Wish,” Selci said. “This pledge from our Subsidiaries will allow for a wish to be granted immediately. We have a responsibility to keep giving back to this worthwhile cause.”

Make-A-Wish is the main beneficiary of Biesse Group’s corporate charitable giving program. Among the Subsidiaries contributing to the company’s latest pledge were: America, Canada, U.K., Germany, France, Malaysia, Switzerland, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, China, Spain, Australia-New Zealand, India and Russia.

The most recent donation raises Biesse Group’s total to $18,000 for the year following a $12,000 pledge to Make-A-Wish at the AWFS show in Las Vegas earlier this year.

For more information about Biesse Group, please contact marketing@biesseamerica.com or call (704) 357-3131.
 
Biesse Group
 
Biesse Group is a multinational leader in the technology for processing wood, glass, stone, plastic and metal. It designs, manufactures and distributes machines, integrated systems and software for the producers of furniture, door/window frames, components for the construction, ship-building and aerospace industries. It invests on average 14 million Euros per year in R&D, boasting over 200 registered patents. It works via 8 industrial sites, 30 branches, 300 agents and selected resellers, exporting 88% of its production. Its customers include some of the most prestigious names of Italian and international design. Founded in Pesaro in 1969, by Giancarlo Selci, the company has been listed on the Stock Exchange (STAR segment) since June 2001. It now counts 4000 employees throughout the world.

Biesse Group Subsidiary leaders from around the world have gathered at the North American HQs in Charlotte for the 2017 Subsidiaries Meeting.

It marks the first time the event has been held at Biesse Group’s largest Subsidiary. Biesse America’s Campus boasts a total square footage of 66,800, making it possibly the largest facility of its kind in North America. The North American team has 202 employees.

The week-long Subsidiaries Meeting will be filled with evaluation, analysis and planning as Subsidiary leaders focus on the company’s Customer-centric mission and future while strategizing on a 3-year business plan.

It is a week to focus on our mission while involving colleagues from all over the world,” Biesse Group Subsidiaries Division Director Federico Broccoli said. “We listen always to the collective voice of our Customers to help shape the future of Biesse Group. We’re committed to having the best IoT solution and platform in the industry and that’s why we are investing in new services such as SOPHIA to better serve our Customers.”

For more information about Biesse Group, please contact marketing@biesseamerica.com or call (704) 357-3131.     
  
Biesse Group
 
Biesse Group is a multinational leader in the technology for processing wood, glass, stone, plastic and metal. It designs, manufactures and distributes machines, integrated systems and software for the producers of furniture, door/window frames, components for the construction, ship-building and aerospace industries. It invests on average 14 million Euros per year in R&D, boasting over 200 registered patents. It works via 8 industrial sites, 30 branches, 300 agents and selected resellers, exporting 88% of its production. Its customers include some of the most prestigious names of Italian and international design. Founded in Pesaro in 1969, by Giancarlo Selci, the company has been listed on the Stock Exchange (STAR segment) since June 2001. It now counts 4000 employees throughout the world.