uNearly 14% Of Zappos Staff Left After Company Implemented New Management System With No Bossesr

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  (Kiim)

  Earlier this year, online shoe retailer Zappos unveiled a new management system that banished managers and job titles. While some employees might embrace a culture without a boss, more than 200 Zappos staffers decided to take a severance deal rather than continue working under the new boss-free model.

  The Washington Post reports that 210 employees – about 14% of the company’s 1,500-person staff – took CEO Tony Hsieh up on his offer to quit with three months severance if they decided they didn’t like the new system.

  The employees had until April 30 to make their decision, a deadline that was implemented to help speedup the adoption of no boss system.

  While the company confirmed the exits, it declined to provide information on which employees took the offer, whether they were sales reps or previous managers and executives.

  An employee who helped the company implement the new system says that employees chose to leave for a variety or reason.

  “Some Zapponians took it because they are not in line with the vision of the company, others took it to pursue other passions including starting businesses,” he tells the Post. “Ultimately, however many people took the offer is the right number because they are doing what is best for them and for Zappos.”

  Zappos new management system is part of a new concept called Holacracy, in which traditional corporate rankings are ousted in favor of self-governed teams, the Post reports.

  In a memo when the program was first announced, CEO Hsieh said the goal was to make the company “a fully self-organized, self-managed organization by combining a variety of different tools and processes.”

  The offer was similar to a previous deal the company provides to new employees, in which they can decide they aren’t a good match for the company and receive $2,000 to quit.

  At Zappos, 210 employees decide to leave rather than work with ‘no bosses’ [The Washington Post]

  
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by Ashlee Kieler via Consumerist

uConocoPhillips, Phillips 66 Must Pay $11.5M To Settle Hazardous Waste Violationsr

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  (m01229)

  Two Texas-based companies have been ordered to pay a total of $11.5 million to close the book on allegations that hundreds of their gas stations may have put local water supplies in California at risk.
  

  The Associated Press reports the fine, shared by Phillips 66 and ConocoPhillips, was handed down to resolve law enforcement allegations that the companies violated state laws governing the proper operation and maintenance of underground storage tanks used to store fuel at nearly 560 stores in state.

  According to California Attorney General Kamala Harris’ office, the two companies failed to comply with hazardous materials and hazardous waste laws beginning back in 2006.

  The state’s complaint, which was filed in January 2013, claims Phillips 66 and ConocoPhillips violated anti-pollution laws with respect to underground storage tanks by failing to properly maintain leak detection devices, test secondary containment systems, conduct monthly inspections, train employees in proper protocol, and maintain operational alarm systems, among other violations.

  “Phillips 66 and ConocoPhillips failed to adequately monitor hazardous materials in large gasoline holding tanks, which endangered nearby water supplies,” said Attorney General Harris. “This settlement holds Phillips 66 and ConocoPhillips accountable for this dangerous negligence and will ensure future compliance with environmental laws.”

  The investigation found violations of hazardous materials and hazardous waste laws and regulations at gas stations in 34 counties in the state.

  In addition to paying the $11.5 million fine, the AG’s office says that the companies have since sold nearly all of their interests in the underground storage tanks in California.

  Attorney General Kamala D. Harris Announces $11.5 Million Settlement with Phillips 66 and ConocoPhillips for Gas Tank Violations [California Attorney General]
  2 gasoline companies ordered to pay $11.5M for violations [Santa Cruz Sentinel]

  
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by Ashlee Kieler via Consumerist

uReport: Uber Bidding $3M For Nokia’s Maps Servicer

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  (woodleywonderworks)

  After rumors earlier this year that Google was perhaps planning a ride-sharing service to rival Uber and Lyft, and that Uber was working on its own driverless cars, it comes as no surprise that Uber might be trying to disentangle itself from relying on Google’s mapping technology: A new report says the company may have bid up to $3 billion to acquire Nokia’s mapping services unit.

  According to a report from the New York Times, Uber’s dependence on Google may change if its submitted bid for Here, the biggest competitor to Google Maps, is accepted.

  Current owner Nokia announced last month it was considering off-loading the division, and is reportedly also fielding an offer from a group of German automakers — BMW, Audi and Mercedes-Benz — along with Chinese search engine Baidu, insiders told the NYT. A separate bid from a private equity firm is also said to be on the table, with Nokia expected to make a decision on the sale by the end of the month.

  Though Google Maps has almost one billion mobile users, which is around 10 times the amount of Here’s users, Here has a big chunk of automobile mapping — it currently holds more than 80% of the global market share for built-in car navigation systems,.

  Uber could use Here to boost services like UberPool, which pairs user data of riders with drivers, matching people up who are going the same way. Doing that quickly enough requires a lot of significant engineering power and plentiful mapping data, insiders explain to the NYT.

  Uber Joins the Bidding for Here, Nokia’s Digital Mapping Service [New York Times]

  
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by Mary Beth Quirk via Consumerist

uGrocery Store Marks Down Chicken, Not Sure How ‘Clearance’ Worksr

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• Here is how it works when something has been on the shelf for a while and you want to get rid of it. You lower the price slightly to entice someone to buy it, and…um, that should be about it. Unless you are grocer Ingles. Then putting something on clearance means raising the price per pound but decreasing the weight, decreasing the price slightly but not making anyone want to buy the chicken.

  

  Reader Andy spotted this oddity. “Ingles supermarket seems to not know how clearance works, since they are clearing out this chicken for one cent more than regular price,” he writes. Ah, but they also don’t seem to understand how scales work, since the chicken has lost a little bit of weight since that original label was printed, even if it is wrapped in plastic. Someone needs to check the packaging on that chicken for safety reasons, the scale to make sure meat weights are accurate, or maybe both.

  
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by Laura Northrup via Consumerist

uSenators Urge Dept. Of Education To Provide Support To Students Affected By Corinthian Colleges Closurer

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  (Tim schreier)

  Ever since now-bankrupt Corinthian Colleges Inc. began its downward spiral, consumer advocates, students and legislators have urged the powers that be to provide relief for students of Everest University, Heald College and WyoTech. Today, that plea continued as nine senators called on the Department of Education to provide support to the 16,000 students affected by the company’s final closure.

  The letter to Secretary of Education Arne Duncan once again asks that the Dept. use its authority under the Higher Education Act to provide a closed school loan discharge to all eligible students.

  Under the Higher Education Act, if a student attends a school slated for closure, or if that student withdrew within 120 days of the school closing, they may be entitled to a closed school discharge.

  This means that the student would have no further obligation to repay their Direct Loans, Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) Program loans (which include Stafford and PLUS loans), or Perkins Loans.

  The senators – including Barbara Boxer of California, Patty Murray of Washington, Dianne Feinstein of California, Jack Reed of Rhode Island, Jeff Merkley of Oregon, Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut, Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin, Mazie Hirono of Hawaii and Sherrod Brown of Ohio – also urge Duncan to use the Department’s authority to extend the 120 day withdraw window to accommodate students who may have left the school prior to the deadline.

  “Former students ineligible for a closed school loan discharge may be able to assert a defense to repayment, due to Corinthian’s alleged fraudulent practices,” the letter states. “However, the Department of Education has not issued clear guidance on which students are eligible to assert a defense or the process for asserting a defense.”

  The group also urged the Department to create a process in which all students are treated fairly by creating a consumer friendly process for borrowers’ to submit their discharge claims.

  “Any defense to repayment or other process that may be announced should contain a simple and streamlined application process for borrowers who have been harmed, and should allow group claims to the maximum extent allowable under law,” the letter states. “While you work on the details of this potential process, you should also provide these borrowers interim relief through your authority to grant forbearances or suspend collection activities. Our first priority should be making sure we help these students any way we can.”

  In addition to asking the Department to provide financial relief to former CCI students, the letter also asks Duncan to remove institutions under investigation for deceptive and fraudulent practices from a list of schools students could potentially transfer to.

  Last week, Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois criticized the Department for including an array of schools that have allegedly harmed students as “viable options” to continue their education.

  Senators Urge Secretary of Education Arne Duncan To Provide Support To Students Affected By The Closure Of Corinthian Colleges [Barbara Boxer]

  
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by Ashlee Kieler via Consumerist

uThe World’s Largest Catsup Bottle Is Still For Saler

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  (Mike Matney Photography)

  Dreams of uniting the World’s Largest Catsup bottle with the Oscar Mayer Wienermobile have proven to be just that, dreams: After a year on the market, the famous Collinsville, IL structure is still waiting for its soul mate to arrive with $500,000.

  Last year Oscar Meyer got our– er, the Brooks Catsup Bottle’s hopes up when a company representative said the possibility of purchasing the historic landmark was a very really one.

  “The brand has been in touch with the bottle’s owner, and while they’re still in the early exploratory stage, both parties are very excited about the possibility,” an Oscar Mayer rep said then.

  But lo, there’s no buyer in sight, reports KMOX News, which means the bottle’s future is uncertain. One of the volunteers trying to save it, who goes by Big Tomato, says there hasn’t been any serious interest in almost a year, after that first rush of publicity.

  “Being in the historic preservation world, we know unfortunately that (it being on the National Registry of Historic Places) doesn’t always save a landmark,” Big Tomato told KMOX.

  Ongoing construction on a state route nearby prompted the July 12 World’s Largest Catsup Bottle Festival to move to an area away from the bottle, after organizers said they “threw in the towel” trying to deal with the complication.

  Collinsville World’s Largest Catsup Bottle Still for Sale [KMOX News]

  
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by Mary Beth Quirk via Consumerist

uCalifornia Says Alleged Recycling Scam Trucked In Bottles & Cans From Arizona For $14M In Illegal Refundsr

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  (Scoboco)

  It might just be a bunch of bottles and cans, but when you get enough recyclables together it can mean a hefty wad of cash. California authorities say a group involved in an alleged illegal recycling scheme was flush with $14 million in refunds after trucking roughly 250 million cans and bottles from out of state and redeeming them.

  A grand jury indicted five California residents on charges including grand theft and recycling fraud in March, reports the Associated Press, but the details of the case were just announced Thursday by California’s Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery, or CalRecycle.

  Officials also say more than a dozen private recycling centers in Southern California are on the hook for playing a part in the scam, because they accepted the Arizona recyclables. Though all centers are responsible for determining where a container came from, in this case those involved were operated by or in cahoots with the fraud ring, CalRecycle noted.

  In April 2014, Department of Justice agents “witnessed a semi-truck being loaded with used beverage containers” in Phoenix and then followed it to a dirt lot in Bakersfield, where the containers were moved to a trailer and a U-Haul truck, and eventually taken to a recycling center in the city.
  That operation led to investigators uncovering what they call a scam involving recycling centers redeeming bottles and cans from Arizona from 2012 to 2014.

  So why is it illegal to bring Arizona cans to California for cash? Money refunded for containers in California is given out based on the fact that there was an original $0.05-$0.10 charge to buy that bottle or can, marked as a California Redemption Value claim on containers. But if the can comes from Arizona, that means it was purchased there and thus not subject to that initial California charge.

  “Californians rightly expect us to act aggressively to combat CRV fraud,” CalRecycle Director Caroll Mortensen said. “These indictments send a clear message to anyone who thinks they can cheat the system by illegally cashing in on out-of-state containers through fraudulent CRV redemptions.”

  California says it busted $14M can, bottle recycling scheme [Associated Press]

  
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by Mary Beth Quirk via Consumerist