Prevention of Stress Essay Example

Prevention of Stress Paper To help reduce stress and improve the quality of life, many organizations are becoming more involved in wellness programs. With increasing health care costs, many employers are concentrating on disease prevention and health promotion. By putting a wellness program in place, it leads to a healthier workforce which increases its productivity level, reduces employee absenteeism, creates less overtime, and it also cuts the cost of health benefits (Kizer, 1987). Another reason that many companies are developing a wellness program within the organization is the effect it has on the bottom line. By preventing stress, an organization has happy healthy employees which means t quality and quantity of work will be improved. For example A middle manager may be a companys shining star, but if he is living in constant disharmony at home, or if his teenage daughter, whom he suspects is using street drugs, did not come home until 3 a. m. last Saturday night this promising manager is not going to be particularly efficient at even routine daily tasks. A worksite wellness program could help (Kizer, 1987, p. 36). Another contributing factor to higher job related stress is less leisure and vacation time. We will write a custom essay sample on Prevention of Stress specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Prevention of Stress specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Prevention of Stress specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Throughout the 1980s, the amount of paid time off for employees is act shrinking. Many European workers are gaining vacation time, while Americans are losing it. In the last decade, U. S. workers have gotten less paid time off on the order of three and a half fewer days each year of vacation time, holidays, sick pay, and other paid absences. (Schor, 1991 p. 32). Many companies faced an economic squeeze in the 1980’s. Vacations and holidays were among the cost-cutting efforts. DuPont reduced its top vacation allotment time from seven four weeks. They also eliminated three of their paid holidays a year. With the new trend of downsizing, many employees are fearful of job loss and therefore, spend less time away from the workplace (Schor, 1991, p. 32). Individuals who experience high or frequent levels of stress need to learn to cope. High levels of stress can effect job performance and it can also be unhealthy. To maintain a healthy lifestyle, people need to attempt to take responsibility for stress. Those individuals need to learn more about stress in general and how it effects them. They also need to develop technique. , for monitoring personal levels of stress and develop techniques to deal with job related stress. Employees should look within the organization on ways to alleviate stress and how to cope more effectively. Organizations an often unnecessarily stressful and should be changed to reduce the negative impact on individuals physical and mental health (Paine, 1982, p. 21). Three major strategies for strengthening individuals are workshops, stress management skills, and focused short term counseling. Introductory workshops are essential to communicate and educate to be more mentally and physically healthy. Such workshops which specialize in topics as time management or relaxation techniques help to alleviate the stress in ones life (Paine, 1982, p. 22). Finding techniques that deal with personal stress can also be useful in dealing with job stress. Regular aerobic exercise to deep breathing techniques are potentially useful in stress management. Many specialist agree that there is not any one method to overcome the problem. One needs to realize their own self needs and strengths in dealing with stress management (Paine, 1982, p. 23). There are many different ways in which you can deal with job stress. Individuals can take on simple self-help countermeasures. There is also help from friends, colleagues, spouse, or other relatives. Professional help is available from clergymen, physicians, or counselors. The worksite offers several advantages for employees interested in making healthy lifestyle changes. The advantages include: Most employees go to a worksite on a regular schedule, thus providing opportunities for regular participation in wellness programs. Contact with co-workers can provide strong social support which is believed to be a primary force in sustaining lifestyle changes. Opportunities for strong, steady support of the program, as well as for promoting the concept that good health is good for everyone. Programs at the worksite may be less expensive to the employee than comparable programs in the community or may even be offered free as an employee benefit. Because of the varity of data systems available, it is possible to evaluate changes in an employees health status or other measures resulting from the program. The most attractive feature from an employee’s viewpoint is the fact that the program is convenient. From the employers viewpoint the benefits of worksite health promotion for stress include: Improved employee morale Improved employee relations Improved retention Improved community relations. Reduced absenteeism Reduced number of hours lost to late arrivals and sick davs. Since theres no getting around life’s problems, the best way to manage stress is to learn better coping skills. First pinpoint the reasons for stress in your life. Then try changing your attitude about them. Learn what you can control and accept the things you cannot. Practice self talk (this to shall pass, Some day we will laugh about this, or Its a learning experience). Keep your perspective. Ask yourself, Will I remember this in five years? Try to find the positive side to a stressful situation. Do not worry about things that may never happen. Practice positive self-talk, for example,I can do this,or Im in control. Negative self-talk such as, I have to be perfect,’ or I cant do this, produces more stress. Take action to manage stress. Changes and stress create energy. Are you using that energy to continue toward your goals? Or are you letting stress make you unhappy and unproductive? Take action to control your stress, both at work and at home. Manage your time better- make a to do list. Make it realistic so you can do the things listed and set priorities. Break task into bite size chunks. Delegate as much as possible. Keep in mind that tomorrow is another day and accept the fact that you may not get everything done today. Make sure you are communicating effectively- Go into stressful meetings as fully prepared as possible. Organize your thoughts, establish eye contact and listen for the whole message, including content feelings, and meanings. Remember that solving problems depends on give and take. Be prepared to negotiate and compromise. Break the tension cycle-At your desk, close your eyes, breathe deeply and relax. Laugh with co-workers, go out for lunch. At home, read a book, take a walk, chat with next door neighbors. Gets plenty of regular exercise and sleep-they will help you cope better. Get organized at home-Set daily and weekly routines for household chores. Delegate some chores to other family members. Cook meals in large quantities and freeze some for later. Plan for emergencies, keep first aid supplies and an extra set of car keys around. Stress can affect your self-esteem and your health, if you let it. Be kind to yourself. Relax, keep a positive attitude and get involved in activities you enjoy. Build on your strengths, take care of yourself Also team to reach out to others. Everyone needs a support system, a network of trustworthy people you care about and who care about you. Share your feelings so that they dont build up. Then focus on building positive energy. Stress is a normal, involuntary response to any demand made upon the body. Stress is very complex. Sources of stress may be made either more positive or more negative by a range of factors related to a given situation. Stress has become a widely used yet poorly understood term. As a result, a number of misconceptions about stress exist. Three of the most identified misconceptions are that: all stress is dab, stress is a part of life and there is nothing you can do about it, and stress is caused solely and completely by environmental factors. Stress is very much a personal condition, and individuals vary in their ability to cope with different forms and levels of stress. An example of this stress on a personal note would be co-worker conflict. When this stress occurs co-workers should discuss this matter privately. If possible, arrange your meeting on neutral grounds. Approach the person in a non-threatening manner. Respond to them with: I would like to talk something over with you. Try to make the other person feel less defensive or angry. Do not blame the other person. Listen closely to the other person. Understanding the other point of view may help you feet less stressful. Focus on ways to solve the problem. In this I mean do not revisit every past negative incident, this may distract from the resolution. Finally if none of the above work, seek help. If necessary talk with an employee assistance counselor who can help develop ground rules for such discussions and promote respectful communications. Stress is a complex process. It can arise in white collar as well as in blue-collar workers. Surveys have found little difference between white and blue-collar workers in terms of complaints, health, life satisfaction, depression, or other indicators of stress. Shift workers are thought to be more susceptible to stress-related illnesses. Because of personal involvement with the disruption in basic steep patterns and disruption in social life. Since every situation is unique, there are probably as many separate sources of stress as there are work situation. This may is important to recognize when seeking to evaluate working environments for sources of stress. Never the less sources of work related stress can be grouped into four general categories. Work load-which means stress resulting from to much work, to little work, work that is to hard or to easy. Work conditions-refers to a wide variety of factors including organization structure, such as job loss, change in work, and similar factors. Work patterns- pertains to shift work, repetitive work, and paced work Work roles-, which can be stressful because of role expectations with efficient use of resources and staff. Employers may also wish to introduce an EAP, which provides an effective strategy for assisting employees with personal and work related problems. Where organizations believe it would be necessary to make decisions about the quality of the proposed program. Such decisions should be made on the basis of a well-defined set of criteria. The following set of eight criteria for evaluating and selecting a stress intervention program is suggested. 1. A program should be conducted on both the organizational and individual level. 2. Content should be work related, but aim at reducing unwanted stress effects which may result from social, or personal factors. 3. Program should be based on valid research findings and conducted by qualified personnel. 4. Program should include regular and on going evaluation of its effectiveness in meeting program objectives. 5. Should include follow up evaluations, consultations, and refresher sessions for techniques learned. 6. Program should aim to affect both the attitudes and the behavior of participants. 7. Program for individual stress management should be flexible with goals which are reasonable, rather easily achieved, promoting high success rates, and participation should be voluntary. 8. Program should be chosen or constructed and implemented on the basis of close cooperation between management, employees, and professionals in the field. Employers and employees share responsibility for the maintenance of a healthy and safe working environment. Employers are by law obligated to provide a safe working intervention, formal and informal, is shared responsibility and calls for a cooperative effort. In general people react badly with either to little or to much stress. In basic terms, stress is one aspect of living that can be beneficial when it motivates, encourages changes or inspire. Behsahel, J. , Goodloe, A. , and Kely, J. (1984) Managing yourself-How to control Emotions, Stress, and Time. New Yourk: Franklin Watts. Kizer, William M. (1987). The Healthy Workplace- New York: John Wiley and Sons Paine, Whiton Stewart. (I 982). Job Stress and Burnout. Beverly Hills: Sage Publications. Schor,juliet B. (1991). The Overworked American. New York: Basic Books. Cooper and Marshall. (1985) Stress in the Workplace

3 Super Easy Steps to Make Your Resume Powerful

3 Super Easy Steps to Make Your Resume Powerful A resume isn’t just a list of everything you’ve done. It’s your first shot at convincing a company that you’re the perfect fit. Part of that is making clear that your particular skills and experience match precisely with their needs. They’re looking for specialists- you need to show them you have the skills. Resume trends change over time and recruiters tend to look for specific things. Here are three ways to make sure your resume isn’t too general to get you the job.  In addition, here are some of the best resume tips in 2016 that can help you land your next job interview.1. Do your researchDon’t just blitz the thing to every company that’s hiring in your city. Find a company for whom you know you’d be a fit. Find one that’s the right size for you, in the right industry, and one that you are excited about. Make a short list of these dream companies and focus on them. What’s the culture at each one? Where would you fit in the best? Do you have a particular selling point that would dazzle one company more than the others based on their mission and scope?2. Be specificOnce you’ve figured out exactly what your ideal company or position is looking for, show them your track record! Tell them precisely how and why you are perfect for  that specific job in  your personal branding statement. You can incorporate this â€Å"look no further† kind of language into descriptions of each position you have held.3. Show, don’t tellConsider using an infographic or image of some kind to drive home your point. A chart or a graph can illustrate a particular success claim dramatically, if used correctly. This is a new trend in resumes, but can be very effective when done correctly.The bottom line is to make sure you know what the company wants, then make sure you show them just how perfectly you match their needs, item by item. It might require a bit of extra work in the resume-cr afting stage, but you’ll be glad you did it.4 Resume Tips To Prove You’re The Perfect Fit For The Position

Plan for Establishing a Career Development Function in an Organization Research Paper

Plan for Establishing a Career Development Function in an Organization - Research Paper Example Specifically, this paper shall be divided into three parts: firstly, a discussion on the essence of organizational and employee management as defined and explained by National Career Development Organization or NCDO; secondly, an in-depth analysis of the contents of career development and its role in attaining business objectives; and lastly, a conclusion that will synthesize all the key learning points gleaned. The National Career Development Organization (2012) claimed that the organizational and employee management had emerged as a discipline that involved â€Å"the overall arrangement of the organization and its functions, including both the long-term and short-tem identification and development of its human resources†. In this regard, all of its plans, processes, and models are in line with providing the necessary skills that its employees need to meet the current and future job demands. Thus, it could be stated that organizational and employee management is similar to strategic talent management, which aims at creating job functions that help the company realize its maximum potential. From a historical point of view, it could be said that the inception of organizational and employee management has been heavily influenced by factors such as â€Å"Increased competition for promotion, constant innovation in technology, pressures for equal employment opportunities, corporate rightsizing and restructuring, globalization of our economy, and employees’ desire to get the most out of their careers† (Powell, 2003). From a workforce perspective, it could be claimed that strategic talent management was also a product of the employer’s desire to harness their employees’ knowledge and skills, and keep those that are most valuable to the company. At this point, National Career Development Organization (2012) also wanted to emphasize the difference between career management and career development.

Museum Visit Humi 16 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Museum Visit Humi 16 - Assignment Example It represents a masculine man, who has a strong sense of power, which is apparently not threatening (Rodin 1). His massive form also adds to its dynamic torsion. The result is a powerful man, who is apparently meditating, and thinking about the problems and suffering he has undergone. Most of the French societies, during the Middle Ages, believed in the power of religion. For instance, people believe that sinners will be condemned and sent to suffer in the hell. Sculptures, like any other artistic work, are used to represent one’s culture. From his sitting position, â€Å"The Thinker† is probably visualizing souls suffering in hell, which they were condemned to by their passions (Rodin 1). Rodin was determined to create a figure that suggests meditation, and that is why he created it in a sitting position while supporting his chin by his hand. This is an indication that those who believe in the power and teachings of God will end up in heaven while sinners will end up suffering in hell (Rodin 1). â€Å"The Thinker† was originally referred to as â€Å"The Poet†. It represented the author of Divina Commedia, Dante Alighieri, who according to popular stories, used to sit and think while sitting on a rock called Sasso di Dente, in Florence (Rodin 1). Created in Dante’s portrait, â€Å"The Thinker† symbolizes intellectual power, which developed the dramatic world represented in â€Å"Gates†. This sculpture was later detached from Dante’s personal connection and is currently perceived as a symbol of mental creativity and power of thought. The creative qualities such as color, texture and the mood, which are represented in this sculpture, depicts a person who can judge and understand the society from a higher standpoint (Rodin 1). â€Å"The Thinker† is centrally placed high above the mayhem of sinners, which most viewers believe to represent the figure of Jesus Christ, in the judgment seat (Rodin 1). In the 19th Century, Europe redis covered the spirits

Various Assignments Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4500 words

Various Assignments - Essay Example In the background there are vague figures of men seemingly in animated discussion and others are presented as passive onlookers two men appear to be smiling and others are looking on with blank, unrevealing expressions (Danzer, De Alva, Krieger, Wilson, and Woloch). The artists uses colors to symbolize the Northern perspective of the caning of Senator Sumner. Although the cartoon is in black and white, Senator Sumner is dressed in black with only a slight view of an undershirt which appears to be white. His assailant is dressed in white and appears to wearing a black cape and the onlookers in the background appear to also be wearing primarily white or light colors. The black cape appears to symbolize evil of the sort that is associated with villains. The senator’s black suit as he is reposed in a defenseless position suggest sadness and in many ways superiority. Superiority is also expressed in the quill and papers that Senator has. These items may also be seen as weapons of i ntellect and reasoning, the factors that provoked Senator Sumner’s caning. Moreover, the quill and paper are juxtaposed against the cane wielded by the attacker and therefore representing the savagery and backward thinking of the attacker and the coercive slavery that he wanted to defend. ... The North was anti-slavery and the South was anti-abolitionist. While the attack emanated from Sumner’s speech in favor of abolishing slavery and asked if Kansas would be admitted into the union as free state or a slave state, there were conflicts in the streets of Kansas over the issue of slavery. For the Northern Republicans, the senate was a place of free speech and a place where cooler heads should prevail. The fact that a Democratic member of Congress seized the opportunity to attack a Northerner representing an opposite view meant that the savagery of slavery was the method by which the South wanted to govern (Finkelman and Kennon). If the Southern senators thought that they had beaten Sumner into submission, they were mistaken. Although Sumner had been beaten nearly to death and took a leave of absence, once he returned to the Senate he continued to speak out against slavery and advocate for its abolition. He became a radical senator to the extent that he argued for the immediate emancipation of the slaves. This only served to sustain the divide between the Southerners and the Northerners as Senator Sumner had demonstrated a resolve not to compromise on the issue of slavery. The beating had outraged Sumner’s colleagues they would take a rather protective stance and while advising him to mind the words he used in his speeches, he insisted on using harsh and sarcastic words to demean the institution of slavery. Thus the beating only empowered and supported Sumner’s stance against slavery and ensured that the civil war would be the only way to resolve the differences and tensions brewing in the Union and on the floor of the Senate ( Finkelman and Kennon). Question Two: Interaction with

US Immigration Policy: History and Arguments

US Immigration Policy: History and Arguments Recent years have made it clear that the current immigration system is broken and fails to meet Americas modern needs. Though it is based on family reunification, unfortunately current U.S. immigration law often results in the tragic separation of families or the forced departure of children with full U.S. citizenship when an illegal parent is deported. It is not only families that are affected by current policy. Americas workforce is a shared effort between citizens and immigrants. Admission of skilled workers enables the fulfillment of positions that Americans are not sustaining. In addition, current immigration policy allows for the provision of refuge for people who are at risk for political, racial of religious persecution from their country of origin (Congressional Budget Office, 2006). It is unfortunate that majority of the refugees end up settling in the inner cities where they adopt to living in communities embedded with crime (Baldoz et al.) According to Bill Ong Hing a Professor of Law and Asian American Studies at the University of California, children of refugees have grown up in crime ridden society, they commit a crime, get charged and serve time but later they are deported back to the country that they had originally fled. U.S. borders are out of control at a time of increased threats of terrorism. Vast numbers of immigrants cross the borders and enter into America; some die due to the harsh desert conditions while others remain in America illegally creating an underground society that is vulnerable to exploitation and abuse. These policies are not beneficial to either immigrants or American citizens and need to be modified in order to create a nationwide banister of hopeful equality so that entrance into the United States can be achievable by legal means without jeopardizing the rights and benefits of current citizens. Some believe that American immigration policy should be stricter; such terms to include the expulsion of illegal immigrants and placement of a border fence around United States; however, by providing a path for those who are here illegally to get legal status, a much more viable plan can be set to action leading to successful immigration into the United States. By increasing the number of available visas to immigrants and temporary nonimmigrant workers, creating tighter border security, expanding cooperation with developing nations and even imposing tougher penalties to employers who hire and abuse undocumented immigrants, we can provide such a benefit to all who wish to reside in the Land of Opportunity. DEFINITIONS Immigrant is a technical legal term given to a foreign national who has been granted permission to remain in the United States permanently. Such a person is a legal permanent resident (LPR) and is given a green card as a proof of legal status. A non-immigrant is a foreign national who is admitted to United States for a short period of time. They are given Visas according to their reason for entry. For example a student will get class F, visitor class B, and a temporary worker class H. Upon arrival at the port of entry, they are given an I-94 card, which is a small white card placed in the passport. The card indicates how long the foreign national is authorized to stay in United states (U.S.) either with a specific date the foreign national is to leave or with a notation such as D/S (duration of stay) which means that the person is permitted to stay as long as he or she maintains her status. Alien is a term given to someone who isnt a United States Citizen. This term includes temporar y visitors, legal permanent residents and undocumented individuals. Many advocates feel that this term has a negative connotation; therefore, the term foreign national/immigrant or undocumented will be used throughout this paper. Undocumented is a term given to foreign nationals who are present in the U.S. without lawful status. The term can also refer to those who entered the U.S. without inspection (EWI) by crossing the border, those who overstay their allotted time in the U.S. or those who violated the terms of their legal status. With very limited exceptions (notably asylum and immediate relative of a U.S. citizens partition) a person who is not in lawful status in the U.S. cannot change from being in the U.S. unlawfully to being a lawful individual (Congressional Budget Office, 2006). HISTORY In order to understand the issue of immigration, it is essential to pore over the background and history of immigration. According to Greenblatt (2008), United States was created as a nation of immigrants who left Europe for political, religious and economic reasons. After gaining independence, America had an open door immigration policy for 100 years (Greenblatt, 2008) The Early Laws The first actual naturalization law in the United States was the March 26, 1790 Naturalization Act restricting immigration to free white persons. Residency requirements were established so foreigners could prove their economic worth over a legislated period of time. In 1870 the law was changed to allow a limited number of Africans to enter. The Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 specifically excluded Chinese as they were deemed an inferior race and undesirable. This Act was repealed in 1943 when the Magnuson Act recognized the importance of Chinas alliance with the US in the war against Japan. In 1865, the Fourteenth Amendment of the Constitution, while intended to protect newly emancipated slaves, in effect made automatic citizens All persons born or naturalized in the United States, regardless of the citizenship of the parents. The Quota System The 1921 Emergency Quota Act and Immigration Act of 1924 established national quotas on immigration based on the 1910 census figures of foreign-born residents in the US. The original intent may have been to maintain some level of protection for US workers from large influxes of skilled foreign workers. (Greenblatt, 2008) But the racial and ethnic quotas clearly reflected the racist attitude of the time that white Europeans were more desirable than any other diversity. Partly in response to the Civil Rights movement of the 1960s, these racial distinctions embarrassed the government and congress offered amendments that eliminated them from the code with the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) of 1965; signed by president Lyndon B. Johnson as tribute to President Kennedy who was shot in 1963(Vial, et22) However, country quotas remained for foreign-born U.S. citizens who were expected to request family reunification. A visa system was created allowing foreign family members to request legal entry to the U.S. on a first-come, first served basis. PRESENT DAY IMMIGRATION LAWS With a family-based immigration system, immigration quickly became a Chain Migration process in which legal immigrants already present in the U.S. sponsored new relatives who would become legal and in turn sponsor additional relatives. The archaic quotas of the 1960s legislation were completely inadequate for the immigration flood of the 70s and 80s. There were the political refugees from Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia. Then came a rush of refugees escaping the wars and government persecutions in Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, and Nicaragua. (Vial, t(22) More recently, the United States is continuing to demand medical workers from the Philippines, software engineers from India and as of late, professional business people from China. The system has been unable to handle this demand and the flood of illegal immigrants has rapidly escalated to well over one million annually. The problem that America is facing today is a familiar issue, an issue that has existed long before the recent high-profile migrations from Mexico. However, rather than focus on reforming the antiquated and over-burdened processing system, Congress took an enforcement approach. They enacted the Immigration Reform and Control Act (IRCA) of 1986, which was signed by then President Ronald Reagan, creating penalties for employers who hire illegal immigrants, an amnesty program for illegal immigrants already in the U.S. by 1982, and increased support for the Border Patrol (Greenblatt, 2008). In 1996, the Illegal Immigration and Immigrant Responsibility Act (IIIRA) gave the government broad authority to construct barriers along the border and authorized a second layer of fencing in San Diego (Karaim, 2008). The IIIRA also established new definitions of criminal activity for which immigrants could be deported. The current waiting time for processing legal claims to naturalization continues to grow, now exceeding five years! The issues of immigration have been a hot potato for America for almost two centuries. Immigration reform continues to be highly emotional and controversial, but the policy must be fixed regardless of where one stands on the issue of immigration. Arguments Against Immigration Reform Most of the people against immigration reform are generally against immigration. The source of this resentment is routed in the indifference between the immigrants of the past and the current immigrants. In the past they were white and now they are not, they used to assimilate and now they dont, they used to be self sufficient and not they seek out government handouts (Krikorian, 2008, p. 2). Some scholars argue that Mexicans; who represent about 50 percent of the undocumented foreign nationals in U.S, constitute a major threat to a cohesive American identity (Huntington, 2004). For instance Huntington argues that the central to the American identity are the Anglo protestant culture, the American Creed as understood as the acceptance of certain political values, and Christianity. According to Huntington, a fundamental problem is that Latinos retain their Hispanic culture, including language and fail to assimilate and there for fail to acquire the American identity. Effects of immigration on jobs, wages and the economy The key to the economic facet of the conflict between mass immigration and modern society is the fact that immigration floods the job market with low skilled workers, creating what economist call a slack, or a loose, labor market Krikorian (2008, p. 133). Krikorian argues that when low skilled immigrant workers flood the market, they lower the collective bargaining power of the natives against the employers. As a result, upward mobility for the poorest is impaired by lower wages. Also increased availability of cheap labor reduces the incentives for more efficient use of labor, slowing the natural process of mechanization and other productivity increases in low wage industries where low skilled immigrants are located. This is a perfect example of a supply and demand theory. When an abundance of supply is available, the demand is always low hence if immigration is kept low, wages tend to ne high (Krikorian, 2008, p. 138). If the low skilled immigrants who are in U.S currently were to l eave, the wages would go up and probably employers would have incentives to provide things like healthcare and the low skilled Americans might have a chance to move into the middle class (Karaim, 2008, p. 752) Immigrants hurt the economy by not paying taxes and if they pay taxes, its normally low compared to a native due to the low wages immigrants make. Many immigrants work underneath the table thus, evading paying taxes. To make the matter worse, the send billions and billions of American earned dollars back to their home countries other than spending the money in America. Exporting millions of dollars while importing millions of poor people with large families means by definition, they will pay relatively little in taxes but make a heavy use of the government services (Krikorian, 2008, p. 167). Immigrants increase government expenditure by using public services, notably the health care system and the public education. The government created a welfare state in the name of supporting the poor. In his book, the new case against immigration, Kerikorian states that there was no welfare state during the prior waves of immigration- in fact it was until well after the end of the last wave of immigration in 1924 that the institution of welfare started to develop. The Social Security Act of 1935 established pension for the retired American citizens as well as unemployment assistance and aid to families with dependent children (Krikorian, 2008, p. 169). The child Nutritional Act of 1966 created WIC program, then in 1974 supplemental security income was created for impoverished elderly, blind and disabled. All this cost of these programs could have been kept low if the poor population bloated by the immigrants would not have increased. According to Krikorian, one in four people in U.S. is without health insurance is an immigrant and among children one in three is either and immigrant or a child of an immigrant. Since most of them dont have insurance; when they are sick (no modern society will deny them treatment) they utilize the emergency room. Not all the uncompensated care is covered by the government, hospitals are forced to write off the cost that they incur while treating the uninsured. Hospitals then shift the cost to the paying patients and their insurance companies, resulting in higher premiums for those who have insurance. Another costly service provided by the government is education. The total cost of expenditure to states for K-12 illegal immigrants was about $12 billion, and when the children born in U.S to undocumented foreign nationals the number doubles to about $28.6 billion (Martin, 2005). This doesnt include the cost that states incur implementing the bilingual education since most of immigrants dont speak English as their first language. Krikorian also urges that 22 percent of public schools are overcrowded, especially in schools that are located in central cities where 50 percent of the enrolments are minority who receive free or reduced price school lunches. The convention wisdom of the conservative movement which is the leading resistant group against immigration reform is to stop the flow of undocumented foreign nationals across the U.S borders and to deport most or all undocumented foreign nationals with their children. To solve this movement of undocumented foreign nationals, congresses enacted the Secure Fence Act in 2006 which was to secure the 670 miles border region spanning four states, California, New Mexico, Texas and Arizona (Karaim, 2008, p. 747). According to Karaim (2008, p. 747) roughly 370 miles designed to stop pedestrian (a fence consisting of wire mesh reinforced with concrete- filled poles planted 6 inches apart and standing a height of 12-18 feet), 300 miles if it to stop vehicular traffic and about 28 miles installed with high technology sensors and cameras that creates a virtual fence in parts of Arizona desert. This fence is also to stop would be terrorist from entering the U.S. Amnesty to those who broke the law is unacceptable and it not going to solve the issue instead it will encourage more undocumented foreign nationals to attempt coming to the U.S. According to North (2010, amnesty simply begets more undocumented foreign nationals, and they in turn beget new and more vigorous pleas for another amnesty. Secondly most of those who received amnesty were low skilled workers. North argues that people with limited skill and limited rights in the labor market can only lead to still greater discrepancies between the reach and the poor. Furthermore, giving another amnesty to low skilled individuals will just increase the dependence of the current welfare system which in turn will give rise to a burden to the current tax payers. Arguments for Immigration Reform Contrary to those who objet immigration reform and tend to perpetuate the notion that immigrants especially those who are undocumented, take American jobs and lower the wages is false. Most unskilled undocumented foreign national work in the three D jobs- Dirty, Difficult and dangerous jobs that the natives dont fill. The American labour market is a dual labour market. The dual market theory divides the economy into two segments: the primary and secondary sectors (Nadadur, 2009, p. 1041). According to Nadadur the secondary sector is different from the primary in that the secondary is temporary and consists of unskilled workers with little or no prospect of internal promotion while the primary sector is permanent and characterized by skilled work, employment stability and the presence of job ladders. Nadadur states that there is no t completion for jobs by the undocumented foreign nationals and native U.S. workers, and that a continue flow of Undocumented immigrants would benefit the majority of persons residing in the U.S. by complementing their labour market instead of competing for it. When the broader U.S. economy is examined; adopting a dual labour market view, it is hard to find strong evidence of negative wage effects on native workers Nadadur (2009, p. 1045). This is ascribed to the fact that dual markets shield native workers and due to the indifference of job sectors, wages are not affected by the influx of undocumented foreign nationals in the labour market (Nadadur, 2009, p. 1045). Immigrants taking secondary jobs allow businesses to minimize their costs of production; this positively impacts the income of all workers by decreasing the consumer costs. The consumers can also spend by buying goods and services and grows the economy in return. As stated earlier, there are about 12 million undocumented foreign nationals residing in the U.S. this population participates in the American and their countries of origins economy. Contrary to those who say that the undocumented immigrants dont pay taxes, about two thirds of the undocumented immigrants who work pay federal and state taxes, social security taxes and Medicare taxes Immigration Policy Center (2009). And all undocumented pay state taxes when they buy items from the local grocery store, when they pay property taxes even if its from the rental property they rent. Undocumented immigrants working on the books contributes to social security under names and social security number that dont much the social security administration (SSA) records. In a 2006 SSA report that the Earning Suspense File (ESF) tootled $586 billion. Unfortunately undocumented immigrants are not eligible to receive benefits social security benefits. Even when they become legal, they are only credited with the years worked after they became legal. Sometimes they leave the country without claiming any of the money they had contributed. Legalizing the undocumented foreign nationals has a net benefit to the economy. A research done conducted by Westat Inc, for the department of labour showed that workers who were legalized after the IRCA of 1986 experienced a net wage gain of about 15 percent (Immigration Policy Center, 2009). With an increase in wages begets increased in spending which begets strength in the economy. Most immigrants to the U.S. do want to learn English. There are strong economic prospects and strong incentives for becoming proficient in English. Employment prospects and earnings are greater for those with higher levels of other skills including schooling. There is also a greater access to and participation in civic, cultural, social and political life when one is able to communicate in English while living in the U.S. certain factors, however make it difficult for some individuals or immigrants to become proficient in spoken or written English (Chiswick Miller, 2007). Older immigrants have a difficult time learning a new language to the natural aging of the human brain making it difficult to learn new language and retain new acquired skills. Its not that they dont want to assimilate but sometimes its biology playing a factor. Its true that the undocumented immigrants utilize the emergency rooms as the primary source of health care, studies have proved otherwise. Dr. Ku Phd, MPH. conducted two different studies and arrived at the same deduction, there is little reason to believe that the united states is spending too much on health care for immigrants(Ku, 2009, p. 1327). This is could be due to the 1996 federal welfare reform law (Personal Responsibility Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act, or PRWORA) which restricted Medicaid eligibility for immigrants admitted to the U.S after august 1996 for the first five years (Ku Matani, 2001, p. 247) unless its a medical emergency. Non-immigrants and undocumented immigrants qualify for Medicaid if they meet the other requirements; being in a Medicaid eligible category such as children and pregnant women (Siskin Lunder, 2009, p. 7). Many undocumented immigrants shy away from seeking medical attention probably due communication barriers, lack of knowledge of the Ame rican health care system and fear of detention by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) (Kullgren, 2003, p. 1630. Another study done by Stimpson et al. showed that health care expenditure for the average immigrant have not been a growing problem relative to the expenditure among U.S. natives. (Garcia M J Eig L M Kim Y 201035 State efforts to deter unauthorized aliens:Legal analysis of Arizonas S.B. 1070)Garcia, M. J., Eig, L. M., Kim, Y. (2010, March 5). State efforts to deter unauthorized aliens:Legal analysis of Arizonas S.B. 1070 (R41221). Washington DC: Congressional research service. Foreign nationals are relatively healthy and have less access to  health insurance; they are disproportionately low uses of medical care (Goldman et al., p. 1710). Building a wall in order to control illegal immigration is not a viable project. This is a multi billion dollars project that will shift illegal immigrants towards more dangerous and difficult routes in to the United States (Karaim, 2008). It is estimated that the cost of construction the wall will cost about $3 billion and the maintenance cost of about $16.4 million to $million per mile depending on the damage done to the wall by illegal immigrants trying to cross the borders (Karaim, 2008, p. 749). Another challenge to securing the northern border between unites states and Canada which is 5525 miles. It is economically impractical to build a wall to secure this border. Alternatively the United States needs to convince Canada to end the free travel from Mexico (Karaim, 2008, p. 751). The wall alone cannot curb the problem of people crossing the border illegally.Only half of the illegal immigrants living in U.S crossed the border. The other half are visa abusers who entered with either fraudulent visas or violated the condition of a valid visa. Also there is no known terrorist that has been arrested trying to enter the U.S through the southern border. All the 9/11 hijackers entered in to the united states with temporary visas and overstayed the allowed time. Other would be terrorists have followed the same route (Karaim, 2008, p. 750). Infact according to Karaim (2008), terrorists like travelling the way everybody else travels. They like unpredictability. Ethical Arguments Why do people covet the dream of living and working in America? The answer is simple; America is the land of opportunities where all hard work is rewarded. Many of the immigrants share this American dream, a dream of success and prosperity for future generations. It is natural for humans to have desires, desires that make the nomads in East Africa to move from one place to another in search of greener pastures. This principle can also be applied to the early who emigrate into the land that is now called united states of America. The inception of the principle of worthiness changed the immigration laws in U.S. Those who are deemed to be desirable and worthy are allowed and those who fail short of the test are eliminated. Unfortunately racism was planted in to the laws (in 1790 congress made a requirement that only white persons could become American citizens) and race still drives the immigration debate today. Different states have passed laws that are considered divisive and they tend to alienate the members of the community. For example, the new Arizona bill SB 1070 is supposed to stop but slow illegal immigration. But there are provisions in the bill that are controversial; Section 2 of S.B. 1070, generally requires that in the context of a lawful stop, detention or arrest by state and local law enforcement pursuant to the enforcement of a state or local law, law enforcement must determine the persons immigration status, if practicable, when reasonable suspicion exists that the person is an alien à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ who is unlawfully present in the United States.(Garcia et al., 2010), p. 25). It is not easy to enforce this law without racial profiling especially where the population (both legal and illegal) is profoundly of Hispanic origin. Similar echoes were after 9/11 when the government deamericanised some of its citizens when it implemented the patriot act. People of Middle Eastern or Asian origin were single out as terrorists. Even after the Oklahoma City bombing, the Arabs were initially blamed by the media before it was discovered that it was a home grown American terrorist Timothy McVeigh. President George Bush tried to pass a comprehensive immigration reform bill but he was drowned by those who opposed immigration reform. Its clear that politicians use the principle of utilitarianism in making policies. In this case the president drowned was by a vocal anti-immigration group that has been able to control the debate. It would be beneficial for the Politians to apply the Rawlsian contract theory which requires one to put a veil of ignorance before making any decisions. In order to do that they need to bracket off the media and visit remote areas of nations south of Americas borders. I believe that the will see that desperate parents who want to a part of the American dream and they are willing to anything to be part of the dream. Possible Solutions Create a pathway for legalization of the illegal immigrants who are already here. So that they can no longer be exploited by unscrupulous employers Enact laws that are flexible to the rise and fall of the U.S labor demands. (Laws that respect people and protect all workers regardless to where they were born) while enforcing border laws. Work with developing countries especially south America to promote economic development and to decrease illegal immigration. Conclusion While the US. Immigration system appears to be fair and highly regulated on paper, the facts on the ground display as system that is in distress and needs to be reformed. Continuation of the enforcement only policies is not a practical or effective solution. Under the existing system, people are dying at the borders, immigrants are living in poor conditions, families are trying to reunite legally are separated for many years, employers are unable to hire the workers they need, U.S. workers suffer from disequilibrium in opportunity to gain employment due to the use of illegal immigrant workers by employers who seek to maximize on their profits. Meanwhile the United States government continues to throw billions and billions on this immigration issue hoping that one day it is going to stick and fix the problem. Its neither practical nor even economically feasible to deport more that 12 million people who currently reside in the U.S. illegally. We cannot also sit and pray that due to the economic hardship that one day the illegal foreign nationals will self deport them. United States must adapt to a system that is humane, fair and practical in relation to the immigration challenges of the 21st century. References (Chaudry A Capps R Pedroza J M Castaneda R M Santos R Scott M M et al 201002 Facing our future. Children in the aftermath of immigration enforcement)Chaudry, A., Capps, R., Pedroza, J. M., Castaneda, R. M., Santos, R., Scott, M. M., et al. (2010, February). Facing our future. Children in the aftermath of immigration enforcement. (Derose K P Escarce J J Lurie N et al 2007 Immigrants and health care: Source of vulnerability)Derose, K. P., Escarce, J. J., Lurie, N., et al. (2007). Immigrants and health care: Source of vulnerability. HEALTH AFFAIRS, 26(5), 1258-1268. (Edwards J R 200602 Two sides of the same coin. the connection between legal and illegal immigration)Edwards, J. R. (2006, February). Two sides of the same coin. The connection between legal and illegal immigration (1-06). Washington DC: Center of Immigration Studies. (Fennell M L Feng Z Clark A M Mor V et al 2010 HEALTH AFFAIRS)Fennell, M. L., Feng, Z., Clark, A. M., Mor, V., et al. (2010). HEALTH AFFAIRS. Elderly Hispanics more likely to reside in poor-quality nursing homes, 29(1), 65-73. (Gilroy M 18 Battle continues over instate tuition for illegal immigrants)Gilroy, M. (18). Battle continues over instate tuition for illegal immigrants. THE HISPANIC OUTLOOK IN HIGHER EDUCATION, 20-22. (Baldoz R Jimenez T Hing B O Shrikanitah J 2 Immigration policy and immigrant realities)Baldoz, R.(Moderator), Jimenez, T., Hing, B. O., Shrikanitah, J. (2). Immigration policy and immigrant realities. Stanford Universiry. Podcast retrieved from http:// (Chiswick R B Miller P W 2007 Economics of Language International analysis)Chiswick, R. B., Miller, P. W. (2007). The Economics of Language International analysis. NY: Routledge. (Congressional Budget Office 2006 Immigration policy in United States)Congressional Budget Office (2006). Immigration policy in United States (). Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office. (Goldman D P Smith J P Sood N 2006 Immigrants and the cost of medical care)Goldman, D. P., Smith, J. P., Sood, N. (2006). Immigrants and the cost of medical care. HEALTH AFFAIRS, 25(6), 1700-1711. (Huntington S P 200403 hispanic Challenge)Huntington, S. P. (2004, March). The hispanic Challenge. Retrieved June 17, 2010, from Foreign policy Web site: http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2004/03/01/the_hispanic_challenge (Immigration Policy Center 200904 ecomomics of immigration reform: what legalizing undocumented immigrants would mean forthe U.S. economy)Immigration Policy Center (2009, April). The ecomomics of immigration reform: what legalizing undocumented immigrants would mean forthe U.S. economy (). Washington DC: Immigration policy center. (Ku L 2009 Health insuance coverage and medical expenditure of immigrants and native-born citizens in United States)Ku, L. (2009). Health insuance coverage and medical expenditure of immigrants and native-born citizens in United States. American journal of public health, 99(7), 13221328. (Ku L Matani S 2001 Left out: immigrants access to health care and insurance)Ku, L., Matani, S. (2001). Left out: immigrants access to health care and insurance. Health aggairs, 20(1), 247-255. (Martin J 200506 Breaking the piggy bank: How illegal immigration is sending schools into the red)Martin, J. (2005, June). Breaking the piggy bank: How illegal immigration is sending schools into the red. Retrieved June 17, 2010, from Federation of American immigration reform Web site: http://www.fairus.org/site/News2?page=NewsArticleid=17193security=1601news_iv_ctrl=1901 (North D S 201001 bailout for illegal immigrants? Lessons from the Implementation of the 1986 IRCA amnesty)North, D. S. (2010, January). A bailout for illegal immigrants? Lessons from the Implementation of the 1986 IRCA amnesty (). Washington DC: Center for immigration studies. (Vialet J 22 brief history of U.S. immigration policy)Vialet, J. (22). 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Adversity :: Free Essay Writer

" A man of character finds a special attractiveness in difficulty, since it is only by coming to grips with difficulty that he can realize his potentialities." -Charles DeGaulle This quote couldn't more true , even at the age of seventeen my life has been riddled with adversity. Everything from major health related problems from birth to my father being injured at work and finally my cousin dying from cancer , all have made me realize truly the strength that I possess to carry on. I have overcome and am continuing to overcome many health related issues all of which stem from birth. At birth my esophagus did not attach to my stomach and in order to correct this problem I had to undergo a major operation. This operation resulted in me needing a blood transfusion. Unfortunately in 1983 blood donors were not screened for diseases. I was one of many who contracted both hepatitis B and C. Hepatitis B was just jaundice and showed it self soon after the operation. Fortunately Hepatitis C is dormant for now , although it is thought around the age of thirty the true disease takes hold. There is always that daunting reality that eventually I will need a new liver. Another result of my stay in the hospital is my droopy eye caused by an incorrectly inserted IV. In this age of physical beauty and especially being a teenager it has been especially hard for me to not feel that I am inferior to everyone else. As a result of lack of funds my eye will have to wait to be correcte d. My father who has been out of work for three years because of a back injury that has left him in a tremendous amount of pain constantly. This has resulted in not only a financial strain on our family but also a burden of ache that tugs at me. I love my father dearly and it pains me to see him suffering. My parents are divorced and have been for some time, my father lives in California and before his injury I would visit at least two times a year for extended periods of time . Now that he is out of a job for all practical purposes my time with him has been cut to only a summer visit. This has also proved to be quite a emotional hardship , but as with everything else I have forced myself to accept it and to move on.