Did you say a Mule?
Broadband Communities Magazine recently wrote an article about Peoples Rural Telephone Cooperative who
has served Jackson and Owsley counties in Appalachian Kentucky. This area fights both high unemployment
rates and therefore low income. The challenges with building fiber to that area were plenty. Beside money,
another challenge was pulling fiber cable through the rough terrain of the area where vehicles cannot easily
travel. An old Kentucky tradition is to rely on mules. As you can see in the picture, Electricom did just that.
This is a great example of what installing fiber can do for a community and the people that live there. As our
slogan says, ―Our work sells our work‖.
P. O. Box 319
Paoli, IN 47454
Good, better, best. Never let it rest. ‘Til your good is better and your better is best.
- St. Jerome
Open Enrollment
Kevin’s Corner
We want to be the Contractor and Employer of Choice! For the majority
of our customers, I believe we are their contractor of choice. We have
Fitness Challenge
attained that status over time by meeting our commitments timely and
safely, and providing a good value. I feel very good about our customer
Telephone Trivia
relationships and the opportunities available to us for the foreseeable
future. Our markets are strong, and we look forward to another good year
in 2016. We are well positioned for success going forward.
Employee Newsletter
All the work they did with Fiber is paying off. The area is now
participating in the global economy without having people
relocate. Eastern Kentucky Concentrated Employment program started
a program in the area to train rural workers for work-from-home
employment opportunities. In less than a year, they have placed more
than 100 trainees in jobs adding two million dollars to the local
economy.
Connections
Spring 2016
In 2015, the build out was completed. Fiber now passes every home
and business in the area-even the most remote-and about 60% of co-op
members are now connected to fiber broadband services. They are now
letting people know what PRTC has done.
ElectriCom
Our biggest challenge is our ability to attract and retain enough good
employees to take advantage of all the opportunities available to us. It’s not just an Electricom problem;
it’s an industry problem. There aren’t enough qualified construction workers to meet current demand,
and there aren’t enough people choosing careers in construction to meet the future demand. That’s why
we NEED to be the Employer of Choice. It’s important for our continued success.
Electricom is a great place to work. I believe our employees value our family oriented culture.
Frequently, I hear the comment that ―it’s the best place I’ve ever worked‖. But, we have to get them in
the door. We have to be creative. That’s why we are attending high school career days and job fairs.
That’s also why we have instituted a referral bonus where an employee can earn up to $1,250 to help us
bring in a qualified new employee. We will become the Employer of Choice in our industry. We just
have to take care of our employees and then spread the word.
Employee Referral Program
The utility construction industry continues to indicate a growing trend over the course of the next couple of decades. In order to meet the needs of our customers and our growing business, ElectriCom has developed a Referral Program to enhance the growth our team WITH our current team. Our employees are already our best
spokesmen for our company and thus will be instrumental as recruiters for our continued company growth.
The Company will pay a referral bonus of $1,250 (USD gross—subject to payroll deductions) to any employee who refers a candidate that is subsequently employed by the Company as a result of that introduction. The 1 st installment of the bonus ($250) typically will be paid on the next payroll following the
successful completion of the referral employee’s probationary period (90 days). ElectriCom’s referral bonus
is the company’s way of encouraging employees’ participation in identifying outstanding people to join
ElectriCom and saying ―thank you‖. The 2nd installment of the bonus ($1000) will be paid on the next payroll
following the referral employee’s two year service anniversary.
Please contact Human Resources for any questions or to complete an Employee Referral form.
Benefits Open Enrollment
ElectriCom Health & Wellness Plans
With our family oriented culture in mind, ElectriCom continues to emphasize its strong commitment toward employee’s health and wellness programs. We feel our employees are best served when they have distinct plan choices for themselves and their families, which is why ElectriCom has added a new health plan option to complement
the other three health plans already in place. During the Open Enrollment for Benefits, you have the option of selecting a new plan or you may elect to remain in your current plan.
The Benefit Open Enrollment period will be Monday, March 21st thru Friday, April 8th. Employees will receive an
Open Enrollment packet that outlines the benefits information and an enrollment form to change your plan selection
or add/remove dependents. In addition to the Open Enrollment packets, ElectriCom Human Resources will conduct
two benefit overview meetings/conference calls to help explain the benefit programs and answer questions from our
employees. To learn more about the health and dental plans or the benefits of an HSA plan, please participate in
one of the following conference call meetings.
Date
Friday, March 25th
Time
10:00 AM – 11:30 AM
Location
Paoli Conference Room/Audio Dial-In:
Bucket Truck Training
The 2016 Fitness Challenge started on March
1st and will run for 12 weeks. Participants are
challenged to gain points in different aspects
that all encompass a healthy lifestyle. Making
subtle changes in sleep, physical activities, and
eating can turn a page in your overall health.
Participants can earn points by the following:

8 cups of water/day

7 hours of sleep

Physical Activity (30 minutes = 1 point; 60
minutes = 2 points)

100 mile challenge (must walk 100 miles in
50 days)

Losing weight

Becoming tobacco free if current tobacco
user

Having a health screening done

Tracking their food intake

Walking 10,000 steps a day

Participating in a 5K, marathon, etc

A 5 day veggie challenge
Phone Number: (877) 746-4263
Participant Access Code: 02 23 512#
Friday, April 1
st
10:00 AM – 11:30 AM
Paoli Conference Room/Audio Dial-In:
Phone Number: (877) 746-4263
Participant Access Code: 02 23 512#
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Santa Rosa Telephone; Haskel, TX
Hill Country Telephone; Junction Exchange, TX
Wavefly; Destin, FL
FPL Fibernet; Charlotte Co, FL
TDS 3 year contracts; Northern IN & Michigan
Town of Paoli, IN; maintenance contract; Power Division
Santa Rosa Telephone
ElectriCom is currently working with Santa Rosa Telephone on two projects. Both projects
are building alternative energy; the Haskell Texas Solar Farm and a newly awarded project,
Horse Creek Wind Farm. The Solar Farm project is scheduled to be completed on April 1st
after ElectriCom installs 19 miles of fiber.. The wind farm project has a scheduled completion
date of April 15th with an estimated 2.7 miles of fiber being installed.
And other various challenges. We currently
have 32 participants in the challenge. The
leaderboard is competitive and our participants
are giving it their all.
Best of luck to all who are a part of the
challenge!
―Life begins at the end of your comfort zone.‖
-Neale Donald Walsch
A bucket truck rescue demonstration, using the
tilt method, was conducted in Flat Gap, KY on
Feb. 3rd.
Pictured
below are
Danny Jude,
rescuer, and
Kevin Innis
from
ElectriCom’s
Right-ofWay
Division.
Employee Corner
James and Kristen Johnston
along with big sister Masie
welcomed baby sister
Adelaide Lynn Johnston on
March 4th at 1:02 am.
Adelaide weighed 5 lbs. 10 oz.
and was 17.75 inches long.
Adelaide is Kevin Mason’s
second grandbaby.
Congratulations, Johnston
family!
Pedro and Lorna Ruiz
welcomed Rosario Helen
Diane Naomi Ruiz on
January 5th at 5:44 pm.
Rosario weighed 7 lbs. 12 oz.
and was 20 inches long. Rosie was welcomed home by
big brothers Jeremiah and
Aiden.
Congratulations, Ruiz family!
If you have a special event or accomplishment you would like to be featured in ElectriCom Connections, please email your submission to
[email protected] or mail it to Allison Fischer, P.O. Box 319, Paoli, IN 47454. Share with us so your ElectriCom family can
celebrate with you! (We retain editorial rights on all submissions.)
Telephone Trivia
How well do you know your telephone trivia? With the help of Specialty Answering Service’s website, we have 10
questions that will test your knowledge. See how many you know.
1) What greeting was first used when answering the
telephone?
A. Speak!
B. Hello!
C. Ahoy!
D. At your service!
2) What is one of the most common ways to
disguise Cell Towers?
A. It’s illegal to disguise them
B. As plastic trees
C. Attached to the structures of tall buildings
D. Behind highway beautification walls
3) What is Telephonophobia?
A. Fear of cell phones
B. Not a real word
C. Fear of making and receiving calls
D. Fear of hearing the phone ring
4) A recent U.N study found that of a world estimated 7 billion people, 6 billion have access to mobile
phones - but only 4.5 billion have access to this?
A working toilets
B. Running water
C. Electricity
C. Proper Nutrition
5) The original cell phone, first demonstrated in
1973, weighed how many pounds?
A. Two pounds
B. Three pounds
C. Five pounds
D. Eight pounds
6) In a 2012 poll by TIME magazine, what % of
people said they can’t go a day without their cell
phones?
A. 92%
B. 73%
C. 49%
D. 84%
7) What numerals on the telephone don’t have corresponding letters? (no peaking!)
A. 1
B. 9 and 0
C. 0
D. 1 and 0
8) What letters did old rotary phones not use?
A. Q W
B. Y Z
C. Q Z
D. X Z
9) The first universal emergency number was established in Great Britain in 1937. To receive police,
fire or ambulance assistance an individual would
have to call what number?
A. 999
B. 900
C. 911
D. 000
10) What were the first words spoken by Alexander
Graham Bell on the telephone?
A. Mr. Holmes - come here - I need you
B. Mr. Watson - come here - I want to see
you
C. Mr. Wilson - come here - you are needed
D. Mr. Henry - come here - you’re assistance
is required
Payroll Reminders!

Remember to contact Human Resources within 30 days of any life changing event (marriage, divorce, births,
deaths, etc.) Keep us posted on address, phone and e-mail changes as well!

It’s important, at least once a year, to review your company paid life insurance policy and your 401(k) for
correct beneficiary information. Many of you completed that form on your hire date and your beneficiary
information may have changed since then.

ElectriCom does not accept direct deposit information over the phone. If you would like to set up a new
account or change your account information, you will need to send Human Resources a voided check or an
account verification form from your bank. You are welcome to mail, scan or fax the information to the Human
Resources dept. Our fax number is 812-723-5654.

If you need to make changes to your tax withholdings for 2016, please be sure to contact Human Resources
Office Safety
When most people think of occupational safety hazards, they rarely picture an office setting. However,
office workers are faced with safety and health challenges of their own. Concern for safety is not a typical
concern for the average office worker, but hazards do exist. If hazards are not properly identified and corrected, the potential for injury presents itself.
A poorly designed work station and unsafe work habits can lead to injury and chronic discomfort. The
potential for injury can be avoided by applying ergonomic principals. Ergonomics is the study of people's
efficiency in their working environment. Essentially, how people, their equipment, tools, and the environment work together.
Common workplace injuries that can result from improper work station setup and behavior are sprains/
strains; musculoskeletal disorders to be exact. Musculoskeletal disorders are disorders of the soft tissues
including those of the muscles, tendons and nerves. These types of injuries are typically the result of long
term exposure to certain risk factors. Risk factors associated with the development of musculoskeletal
disorders due to poor computer workstation design include static posture, awkward postures, repetition,
and individual factors.
How can we prevent musculoskeletal disorders in the workplace? One way is through workstation design
and setup. Below you will find tips to help improve your personal workstation:
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Computer Monitor: the top of the screen should be at or just below eye level, 16–22 inches away
Chair: your back should be fully supported and your feet either flat on the floor or on a footrest
Keyboard: should be at a height so that wrists are straight and elbows approximately 90 degrees
Document Holder: place the document holder and screen at the same height and distance
Eye Comfort: reduce glare on the screen by controlling light from uncovered windows
Change Positions: frequently change positions to release tension on the body
Organize Work Area: keep frequently used items such as the telephone within easy reach
Exercise: take mini-breaks throughout the day to relieve muscle tension and to reenergize the body
Springing Into Action
Electricom is a member of dozens of associations throughout the country in all of the services that we offer. Being
a member of an association not only lets you know what’s going on in the industry, but also awards tremendous
networking and the camaraderie that comes with it. Electricom takes great pride in its efforts to invest their time
and effort into association activities. Here are some of the different events we will be participating in this spring.
April Events
NC Telephone Cooperative Expo
NTCA Legislative & Policy
TCEI Expo
IBTA Spring Meeting
2016 Broadband Summit
May Events
UTC Telecom and Technology
Wireless Infrastructure Show
Ohio Telephone Association
ACE School
ANMTA Spring Conf.
LTA Summer Workshop
DAS and Small Cells Congress
KTA Annual Meeting
June Events
Oklahoma Telephone Assoc.
IBTA Summer Convention
TELSE Summer Convention
SEE Annual Convention
Tennessee Tel Assoc.
Illinois Tel. Assoc.
Georgia Tel. Assoc.
FTTH Convention
TIA Network of Future
TSTCI
Tri-State Convention