9 companies that help pay for your vacation

9 companies that help pay for your vacation9 companies that help pay for your vacationIts been commonly reported that Americans dont take the majority of their allotted vacation time. Whether its due to an inability (real or perceived) to take time off, a lack of support from management, or a shortage of funds, many employees find themselves taking very few days off.However, there are some companies that are seeking to help workers take the time off they deserve, and even financially support much-needed trips. Glassdoor recently compiled a list of companies that pay for your vacation. These companies offer stipends, discounts, and reimbursements to employees to help them take a vacation and truly enjoy it.We compared Glassdoors list to our own database of flexible companies. The nine companies below currently have flexible openings or have offered opportunities in the past. This list can serve as a great way to find companies that pay for your vacation and offer you flexible work opt ions to boot.Here are nine flexible companies that help pay for your vacation1. AirbnbAirbnb welches established in 2008 as an online hospitality marketplace for hosts and travelers to connect. Airbnb features listings for homes, rooms for rent, villas, boutique hotels, and more. It has served thousands of people through its 2 million worldwide listings. Employees receive $2,000 worth of travel coupons each year.2. BambooHRBambooHR is an HR software solutions company that seeks to help companies move beyond spreadsheets. It offers software to help with applicant tracking, employee onboarding, time-off management, employee database, and more. Located in Lindon, Utah, the company has hired for part-time and remote jobs in the area. BambooHR offers employees what they call paid paid vacation - $2,000 each year to travel as you please.3. EvernoteEvernote is an all-encompassing app that allows users to capture, organize, and share notes in one place. Links, tables, audio messages, and m ore can be included in each note. Evernote is located in Mountain View, California, and has offered freelance jobs in the past. The company offers employees unlimited vacation days and a $1,000 yearly vacation stipend.4. ExpediaAs a well-known travel booking site, Expedia has served clients in more than 60 countries worldwide. Users of the site can book flights, hotels, rental cars, cruises, and even activities. As an employer, Expedia hires for freelance and telecommute positions. Employees of the company receive a travel reimbursement that ranges from $250-$750, depending on tenure. They also receive discounts on retail and travel packages purchased through the site.5. FullContactAnother company that pays for your vacation, FullContact is a platform that helps businesses and individuals develop and maintain business relationships. It helps in the areas of identity resolution, contact management, profile enrichment, audience insights and development, fraud prevention, and customer care. FullContact provides $7,500 per year for employees to travel - and its required that they dont work while on vacation6. MozMoz is a software as a service (SaaS) company that develops software for inbound marketing, hosts vibrant communities of online marketers, and provides APIs for link data and social influence. The rundown of what Moz employees receive for vacation is 21 days paid time off per year, seven days of sick leave, 10 paid holidays, and $3,000 per year vacation expense reimbursement.7. TravelzooTravelzoo is a commerce site in business since 1998. It publishes travel deals from over 2,000 entertainment, travel, and local companies to an audience of 28 million members across the world. It also offers exclusive deals and rates to members who join the site. According to Glassdoor, employees of Travelzoo are offered a $1,500 stipend and three extra days of PTO to book a hotel stay, vacation package, cruise, or flight offer that we negotiate on behalf of our 28 million members worldwide, according to Michael Stitt, President of Travelzoo North America.8. TripAdvisorAs the worlds largest travel site, TripAdvisor serves more than 350 million users monthly. Users can book flights, hotels, vacation rentals, restaurants, and more. The site boasts a large database of user reviews to help customers make the right travel choices for their needs. As a company, TripAdvisor offers a travel reimbursement of $250 or more, depending on how long an employee has worked at the company. It also offers discounts on packages offered through the website.9. United AirlinesFounded in 1926, United Airlines now hosts 4,500 flights every day to more than 335 airports on five continents. As one of the largest airlines in the world, United Airlines seeks to be an inclusive employer and was even named one of the Worlds Most Admired Companies by Fortune magazine. The company offers discounted airline tickets and unlimited standby travel on any United flight to employees.This article first appeared on FlexJobs.

SelfCleaning Solar Panels Maximize Energy Efficiency

SelfCleaning Solar Panels Maximize Energy Efficiency SelfCleaning Solar Panels Maximize Energy Efficiency Solar panel conversion efficiency, typically in the 20 percent range, is reduced by dust, grime, pollen, and other particulates that accumulate on the solar panel. A dirty solar panel can reduce its power capabilities by up to 30 percent in high dust/pollen or desert areas, says Seamus Curran, associate professor of physics at the University of Houston and director of the Institute for NanoEnergy, which specializes in the design, engineering, and assembly of nanostructures.Cleaning dirty panels with commercial detergents can be time-consuming, costly, hazardous to the environment, or even corrode the solar panel frame. Ideally solar panels should be cleaned every few weeks to maintain peak efficiency, which is especially hard to do for large solar-panel arrays.Cleaning can cost up to five dollars per panel, says Curran. That might not sound like a lot of money, but if you have 52 ,000 panels it adds up quickly.Robust CoatingTo solve this problem, Curran and his nanophysics group in the Institute for NanoEnergy developed a self-cleaning nanohydrophobic material that coats the solar panel to maintain peak efficiency over longer periods of time.The coating itself is very robust, says Curran. An actual covalent linkage holds it to surface of the panel, creating a strong chemical bond. This is a big advantage over spray-on coatings, which gradually degrade with time.Self-Cleaning Hydrophobic Coatings (SCHN107) Layer, licensed by C-Voltaics, prevents dust buildup, water stain and weathering. Image source C-voltaics.comThe principle behind a hydrophobic coating is that the layer forms a barrier so that water accumulates on the surface in an almost spherical shape, but is blocked from adhering to the surface by the barrier. This means that when a treated surface is tilted at an angle, the water rolls off the surface like a sphere rolling down a slide, says Curran. W hat is unique in this case is that the nanocoating is so thin (8 nanometers) compared to normal hydrophobic coatings that can be microns thick.Currans nanohydrophobic coating can be applied to a variety of surface materials, including glass, aluminum, cloth fibers, wood, textiles, and plastic. The layer is so thin that it does not scatter light, and therefore, does not interfere with the solar panels performance.Water is one of the main reasons solar panels get dirty. Rain and condensation settle in the microdepressions present in the glass surface, where they attract particulate matter. The water quickly evaporates, leaving a dirty residue behind that is difficult to remove. However, an application of the nanohydrophobic layer fills in the microdepressions, creating a smooth glass surface that cannot hold water.As the water is repelled by the treated surface it will also pick up and carry away the dust and dirt, thereby cleaning the panel naturally, says Curran.Material TestingThe material has been tested at the FOCAS Institute in the Dublin Institute for Technology in Ireland, where Curran is an adjunct professor, as well as facilities in North Carolina. Preliminary results have shown that the coating repels both fresh and saltwater, indicating it should be effective in marine climates as well.We have the coatings on 24 solar panels that have been environmentally tested in light, rain, and pollen, says Curran. I am pleased to say that we have survived in these environments and the panels are producing lots of power.The product, named the Self-Cleaning Hydrophobic Coatings (SCHN107TM) Layer, has been licensed by C-Voltaics, a start-up energy company that is a spinoff from the University of Houston. When commercialized it will improve the efficiency and reduce the maintenance needed for any photovoltaic system. The proprietary coating will also allow deployment of solar panels in harsh (dust, salt) environments with minimum performance degradation.Because it w orks so well on a variety of different surfaces, SCNH107 has a number of potential applications in aviation, aerospace, medical devices, advanced manufacturing, natural sciences, renewable energy, and architecture, both as a hydrophobic layer and an anti-corrosive.Mark Crawford is an independent writer.The hydrophobic coating is held to the surface of the solar panel by a strong covalent bond, which is a big advantage over spray-on coatings, which gradually degrade with time.Seamus Curran, associate professor of physics, University of Houston

Quick Tips for 5 Common Job Interview Emergencies

Quick Tips for 5 Common Job Interview EmergenciesQuick Tips for 5 Common Job Interview EmergenciesPrepare for the worst to ensure the best during your next bewerbungsinterview. close dialog Advertisementclose dialog/* effects for .bx-campaign-1012257 *//* custom css .bx-campaign-1012257 */.bx-custom.bx-campaign-1012257.bx-type-agilityzone .bx-close z-index 2-ms-keyframes bx-anim-1012257-spin from -ms-transform rotate(0deg) to -ms-transform rotate(360deg) -moz-keyframes bx-anim-1012257-spin from -moz-transform rotate(0deg) to -moz-transform rotate(360deg) -webkit-keyframes bx-anim-1012257-spin from -webkit-transform rotate(0deg) to -webkit-transform rotate(360deg) keyframes bx-anim-1012257-spin from transform rotate(0deg) to transform rotate(360deg) bx-close-inside-1012257 top 0 right 0 /* KD - Remove padding from video wrapper and set height to 100% */.bx-custom.bx-campaign-1012257 .bx-row-video .bx-video-wrapper padding-top 0important height 100%.bx-custombx-campaign-1012257 bx-creative-1012257 .bx-wrap height auto/* KD - Change positioning to static as that was leid necesaary and here you can adjust the height of the video element */.bx-custom.bx-campaign-1012257 .bx-row-video .bx-video-wrapper video position static/* rendered styles .bx-campaign-1012257 */.bxc.bx-campaign-1012257.bx-active-step-1 .bx-creative *first-child width 100%.bxc.bx-campaign-1012257.bx-active-step-1 .bx-creative background-color transparentborder-style nonemax-width 900px.bxc.bx-campaign-1012257.bx-active-step-1 .bx-close stroke whitebackground-color blackborder-style solidborder-color whiteborder-width 1px.bxc.bx-campaign-1012257 .bx-group-1012257-AFvXBOB padding 10pxdisplay blockwidth auto.bxc.bx-campaign-1012257 .bx-element-1012257-J0EiS8Y width auto.bx c.bx-campaign-1012257 .bx-element-1012257-J0EiS8Y *first-child padding 2px 4pxfont-size 10pxcolor rgb(255, 255, 255)text-transform uppercasebackground-color rgb(0, 0, 0)background-color rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.34)Youre lost - and the interview is in20 minutesThe best option is to avoid this completely. Try a dry run by commuting to the office location at the same time of day your interview is scheduled so you are familiar with the route and can properly budget your travel time. If you still manage to get lost, pull out your smart device and use apps like Google Maps or HopStop to estimate how long it will take you to get to the office. If youre sure to be late, give your main point of contact a heads-up as soon as possible.You spilled coffee on your shirt en route to the interview.Always have a back-up plan. Keep some Shout Wipes in your glove compartment or work bag. If youre driving to the interview, it never hurts to put a spare shirt in the car. When all else fails, run a simple Google search on your smart phone to find the nearest clothing store.You forget to bring copies of your resume.Never fear theres an app for that Download the free Print Hammermill mobile app to print your resume and any other important documents directly from your phone or tablet fromany nearby printer connected to WiFi. Also, make sure you store a copy of your resume on iCloud or Dropbox so you can access it easily on the go.You realize youre being interviewed for a different position than you prepared for.When youre applying to multiple positions, theres a mglichkeit you may mix the job descriptions up. If you found the job on Ladders, review the job description while youre in the waiting room. You can also store copies of your job applications and other job-search notes in the cloud with services like Evernote.You forgot to mention something important to the interviewer.The thank-you note is a perfect opportunity to address any points you neglected to discuss during the interview. I n your message, highlight any relevant achievements, experiences, or other important qualifications you didnt get to mention in the meeting or clarify a response that was a little shaky. Remember, youre not simply following up after an interview youre positively influencing your candidacy.