Since 2009, to help address tight budgets, the Hennepin County Board of Commissioners has encouraged all county employees to take special leave without pay, with a voluntary goal of 20 hours on average per year for each employee. In 2011, participating employees helped Hennepin save approximately $1.9 million by using special leave without pay. In 2010, the amount approached $2.5 million.

I’ve always loved the French expression “Vive la différence,” which originally referred to the difference between the sexes, then evolved to celebrate the differences between any two or more groups of people. Nielsen holds our annual Consumer 360 Conference each year, where we provide clients with more granular insights about today’s consumer.

Imagine stepping into your store, or restaurant, or the office where you run your business a day or two after the tornado has passed, or floodwaters have receded.  Unfortunately for thousands of business owners across the country, this scenario is more than just imagined.  It's a reality that leaves them to deal with the heartbreak of picking up the pieces in the aftermath of a disaster, and with a whole host of unanswered questions.