This is a sponsored post by Elizabeth Arguelles, veterinarian and owner of Just Cats Clinic at Lake Anne.
Cats are famous for their fastidious grooming rituals, and no cat owner would be surprised to learn that felines spend between 30 and 50 percent of their day cleaning their fur and paws.
In the vast majority of cases, grooming is a sign of a healthy cat and a completely normal activity. However, kitties do sometimes overdo it, leading to bald patches or a lesion on the skin under the fur. This behavior is not normal and can be a sign of an underlying medical condition.
What causes over-grooming?
Over-grooming is usually caused by medical or psychological issues.
What are the medical issues that cause over-grooming?
Because they have long, sharp “fingernails” and short, stubby “fingers,” cats deal with itching and subdermal pain differently than humans do. Their claws are good for dealing with everyday itches, but they will eventually scratch up the skin if used too frequently or with too much force. So a cat’s tongue is often used to treat more chronic itching, and that can lead to over-grooming. Some common causes of chronic itchiness include:
Parasites: Fleas (the most common skin parasite) are known for causing itching and discomfort in cats. If you suspect that your kitty might have fleas, make sure to check your cat’s tail and back legs as your feline will tend to over-groom those spots when trying to get rid of the tiny insects. Other parasites such as ticks and ringworm can also cause itchiness and lead to over-grooming.
Allergies: Just like humans, cats can be allergic to certain foods or environmental elements. Many of these can cause skin irritation and itchiness.
Dry winter skin: The lack of humidity in the colder months of the year can dry your kitty’s skin out and lead to chronic itching.
Inadequate nutrition: This can also cause skin to become dry and flaky.
Humans often attempt to soothe subdermal pain by rubbing the skin over the affected area. Though the exact biophysical reasons why we do this are the subject of some debate, it is not unreasonable to think that other mammals (such as cats) try to alleviate pain via similar mechanisms (such as licking). If the pain does not subside relatively quickly, a kitty will tend to over-groom, eventually licking off the fur covering the affected area.
What are the psychological issues that cause over-grooming?
If you believe that your cat is over-grooming, the first step is to take it to your vet to check for any of the aforementioned medical causes. If you and your vet rule out medical causes and the behavior continues, then the cause might be psychological in nature. For example, your cat may be engaging in a stress-related compulsive behavior. Cats sometimes respond to changes in their living environment, such as a new pet, a baby or a move to a new house, by engaging in repetitive actions that decrease their stress levels.
Excessive grooming can also linger in response to a medical problem and can continue after the health issue resolves.
What should you do if your cat is over-grooming?
Regardless of whether the over-grooming is caused by medical or psychological issues, it’s important to discuss the symptoms with your veterinarian to figure out the best treatment plan for your cat.
The views in this column do not represent the opinion of Reston Now.
This is a sponsored post by Eve Thompson of Reston Real Estate. It does not reflect the opinion of Reston Now.
In my Just Sold blog on Monday, I talked about the large amount of housing inventory we’re carrying in Reston. My oft-repeated caution to sellers is that to be successful in a crowded market it is critical that you do everything you can to separate your property from the crowd. The way to do that is to be the very best-priced and best-presented home in your category. You want to try to create a market of one.
Sellers who come on to the market with “room to negotiate” built into their price will usually sit on the market. The larger the difference between your list price and the market price (based on similar homes that have sold in the past 90+days), the longer you can expect to sit on the market and the less money you will make on your home sale. If we look at a few of the recent sales you can see how this truth has played out in the real world.
One of the listings included in the “Just Sold” group on Monday was a condo in “Nantucket At Reston.” If you’re not familiar, it’s a great condo community that sits above Lake Audubon across the street from South Lakes Village Center. This was a 2- bedroom, 2-bath unit that was on the market for 390 days. It originally listed for $385,000. The pictures from the original listing show a vacant, neutral property.
When it sold over a year later it went for $267,000 with $3,500 in closing costs, or a net of $263,500. The seller also had to pay the carrying costs of about $9,300 for condo fees, Reston Association dues, taxes, and insurance while the property sat vacant.
If they had a mortgage, that was probably another $12,000 to $15,000 in carrying costs. The final selling price is within a few thousand dollars of what similar units have been selling for in that condo.
Compare that with another recent sale over on Saffold Way. The property came on the market looking great. It was well updated, clean as a whistle, new windows, and was priced within a few thousand dollars of where other homes of similar style and size have recently sold.
One significant difference between those houses and this house was in the presentation. The property sold for full list price of $435,000 and was on the market for just 17 days. Similarly a home that recently sold on Old Brookville Court listed right at market- meaning the seller listed their home at the same price as very recently sold houses on the street.
This home sold in 5 days for $5,000 over the list price due to many, many “extras” like specialty light fixtures, custom paint and generally looking like it was owned by an interior decorator. This seller created urgency in the buyer–the buyer knew if they came in with anything less than full price they wouldn’t get the home so they came in with more.
So sellers: you have a lot of competition out there, you have to make your property the best one if you’re going to grab the buyer’s attention.
Here are a few of the new house on the market this week in Reston.
2163 CABOTS POINT LN. 3BR, 3BA. List Price $575,000.00
11461 WASHINGTON PLZ W. 3BR, 2.5 BA. List Price $524,927
1648 CHIMNEY HOUSE RD #1648. 1BR, 1BA. List Price $209,900
This is a sponsored post by Eve Thompson of Reston Real Estate. It does not reflect the opinion of Reston Now.
Uplands is the quintessential Reston neighborhood — while it is convenient to all major roads, it feels like it is miles away from everything.
Uplands is one of Reston’s older neighborhoods. It borders Lake Fairfax Park and the wooded areas are well established. Uplands has a great layout with just two access points. While there is a convenient secret short cut over to Route 7, for the most part the people who travel on Ring Road live in Uplands.
The Uplands neighborhood includes both townhome clusters and single family homes in a wide variety of styles, from ranch to large contemporary and pretty much everything in between.
One of the best features of Uplands is the toddler- and young kid-oriented Uplands pool. OK, adults enjoy playing in the pools fountains too.
There is also a huge recreation area that includes two tennis courts, a full sized basketball court, and a baseball diamond. For those who like walking their dogs in the woods, or just going for a great hike, there is easy access into Lake Fairfax park via Buttermilk Creek trail. And in the winter, Uplands has the best sledding hill around.
Uplands is about a five minute drive to Reston Town Center, and same to the Wiehle-Reston East Metro station. But the neighborhood is so tranquil and beautiful, you may never want to leave
This is a sponsored post by Eve Thompson of Reston Real Estate. It does not reflect the opinion of Reston Now.
I’ve been avoiding it all summer, but as we head into the fall there’s no hiding that the Reston real estate market is slow. We have a lot of houses on the market and it’s taking a lot longer to sell them.
There are 397 active listings in Reston, that represents a five-month inventory of homes for sale. The market is now favoring the buyers.
So what does this mean for the sellers? The sellers job is always the same — to be the best-priced and best-presented home in your category. In a crowded market, sellers have to work harder on presentation and work closely with their agents on pricing. Leaving room to “negotiate” is not a good strategy. All it does is signal to the buyers that they have time to think things over.
Sellers need to create a sense of urgency in the buyers, this is done by pricing at the low end of the range — it communicates to the buyers that they need to act quickly or lose out on a great home.
Here are the numbers in Reston: we have 397 homes for sale. In the past 30 days: 92 homes are pending sale, 75 homes when from pending to sold and 77 sellers withdrew their properties from the market, some of those 77 gave up and some immediately re-listed.
Here are a few that sold this week:
1608 WATERS EDGE LN. 4 BR, 3.5 BA. List Price: $724,900. Sold Price: $722,900. Seller Subsidy: $1,650.
11118 BEAVER TRAIL CT #11118. 2 BR, 2 BA. List Price: $267,000. Sold Price: $267,000. Seller Subsidy: $3,500.
11011 SAFFOLD WAY. 4 BR, 2.5 BA. List Price: $435,000. Sold Price: $435,000. Seller Subsidy: $0.
2324 HARLEYFORD CT. 3 BR, 3 BA. List Price: $399,000. Sold Price: $399,000. Seller Subsidy: $8,000.
11622 OLD BROOKVILLE CT. 3BR, 3.5 BA. List Price: $725,000. Sold Price: $730,000.
11431 HERITAGE OAK CT. 3BR, 2 FB, 2 HB. List Price: $549,000. Sold Price: $549,000.
If you look at the list above, you’ll note that most of the houses sold very close to and in one case for more than there listed sales price. We’ll dig into those numbers on Thursday.
This is a sponsored column by attorneys John Berry and Kimberly Berry of Berry & Berry, PLLC, an employment and labor law firm located in Reston Town Center that specializes in federal employee, security clearance, retirement, and private sector employee matters.
Depending upon the security concerns involved, it can be extremely helpful when federal employees or contractors facing security clearance issues have support from a medical professional.
In security clearance matters, it is usually very beneficial and important for our federal employee and contractor clients to consult with a medical professional if appropriate and when medical or medical-related security concerns are under review by clearance authorities.
Types of Security Concerns That Could Involve Medical Professionals
Depending upon the facts of the security clearance case, there are a variety of security concerns for which a seasoned medical professional may be helpful to a security clearance applicant or holder. One of the most common types of security clearance cases in which a medical professional may be helpful involves the psychological or mental health condition of the security clearance applicant or holder. Medical professionals may also be of assistance when a security clearance applicant or holder has security concerns involving illegal prescription drug use and/or an alcohol-related traffic matter.
Use of Medical Professionals in Security Clearance Matters
When an individual’s security clearance is at issue, it can be very helpful to obtain a medical professional’s review of the underlying issues for use in mitigating the security concern. When such situations arise, whether the matter is before the Department of Defense (DoD) Consolidated Adjudication Facility (CAF) (for DOD clearance holders) or any of the other clearance adjudication agencies (Federal Bureau of Investigation, National Reconnaissance Office, Department of State, Department of Energy, etc.), the clearance authority will ask whether there are mitigating factors present regarding the security concerns at issue. Read More
Learning how to swim shouldn’t stop when the weather gets too cold to swim outside.
Reston’s Goldfish Swim School appreciates that fact, and provides high-quality year-round swim classes for kids four months to 12 years old. The pools are kept at 90 degrees and air temperature at 92 so kids’ bodies stay shiver-free as they get in and out of the pool. The parents’ gallery for watching lessons is kept at a comfortable temperature.
Goldfish Swim School first started in Michigan in 2006, and was an instant success teaching kids to swim with Ellis and Red Cross Certified Instructors and Lifeguards. The Reston location opened in November 2014 and has had an amazing response.
Goldfish Swim School knows that children learn water safety and swim skills best when consistent practice occurs, which is why they offer perpetual lessons year round.
With a kid-friendly atmosphere complete with warm pools and fun, tropical décor, Goldfish Swim School has what you and you child need to be happy and successful in the water.
Call at 703-348-3261 to register or come by for a tour to see what all the excitement is about. www.goldfishswimschool.com
The preceding post was sponsored by Goldfish Swim School.
Meet Checkers, a 1-year-old male Border Collie in need of a home.
Here is what the people at Blue Ridge Border Collie Rescue have to say about him.
Checkers is a beautiful young Border Collie (could be a mix). He is mostly white, with a deep auburn face and auburn spots. Checkers was picked up as a stray in DC and ended up in the shelter. His owners were contacted but they elected not to keep him. He was highly stressed in the kennel at the shelter and stayed laying in a corner so a nice lady at the shelter contacted us.
When I brought him home a week ago, he was stressed at first, but has settled in nicely. Checkers is easy to live with, he is sweet, smart and good looking! He wants to be at your side. He bonded quickly and wants to be close to his person.
Checkers is relaxed in the house. No reaction to normal household items (vacuum, dishwasher, etc.). He has a high environmental confidence and will step on or nose novel objects without hesitation. He has barked a couple times when he heard noises outside, but recovered within seconds. Outside, at night, he has barked at strange noises and neighbors talking. At first, he was unsure of crates and since he had just been neutered and was on crate rest, I’ve been working on feeding him in the crate and now he will go into the crate when asked. Checkers likes toys, but leave other things alone. When I leave he whines a bit, but settles down nicely. He has been wonderful with my dogs and ignores cats.
Checkers is a high-energy young dog who needs a home where he will get lots of exercise. While he is a sweet dog, he would probably not be the right dog with small children. He would make a great agility dog.
To start the adoption process, please fill out an application on our website at www.BRBCR.org and then contact Sue at [email protected]. All potential adopters are required to have a home inspection prior to placement of one of our rescues. Checkers’ adoption fee is $250.
Are you and Checkers a match? If so, let us know and our sponsor, Becky’s Pet Care, will send you a sample of dog treats and $100 in Becky’s Bucks.
Want your pet to be considered for the Reston Pet of the Week?
Email [email protected] with a 2-3 paragraph bio and at least 3-4 horizontally-oriented photos of your pet.
Each week’s winner receives a sample of dog or cat treats from our sponsor, Becky’s Pet Care, along with $100 in Becky’s Bucks.
Becky’s Pet Care, the winner of three Angie’s List Super Service Awards and the National Association of Professional Pet Sitters’ 2013 Business of the Year, provides professional dog walking and pet sitting services in Reston and Northern Virginia.
This is a sponsored post by Eve Thompson of Reston Real Estate. It does not reflect the opinion of Reston Now.
Summer may be winding down (OK, it’s officially over). But that doesn’t mean the fun is going to end at all. In fact, fall in Reston is the perfect time of year. You can find some great outdoor festival every weekend… and most are free. Here are five fun fall festivals in and near Reston that will keep you and your family happily entertained. Enjoy!
Cox Farms Fall Festival: Sept.26 – Nov. 3
Giant slides, a fabulous hay ride, and the chance to do some farm chores are just a few of the things that make children BEG to go to the Cox Farms Fall Festival every year (yes, even the farm chores).
There are also fresh apples, cider, live animals, pumpkins and food, and a great farmers market. It’s mega fun for the whole family. Do not miss it!
Fairfax Fall Festival: Oct. 10
For 38 years, Northern Virginians have enjoyed this family friendly street festival in the heart of the City of Fairfax. More than 400 juried crafters and food vendors will be selling their wares. Children’s activities include Touch a Truck, All American Lumberjack Show, and amusement rides. And there is musical entertainment for all ages! The best part? This festival is free.
Clifton Day Festival: Oct. 11
One day a year, the quaint town of Clifton celebrates its history in style. With 150 antique dealers, artists, bakers and other street vendors lining the town’s streets, what more could you want?
How about a train ride? Clifton Day is the only day of the year when the Virginia Railway Express (VRE) stops in town. Festival goers can take the train, which will provide roundtrip train service to Clifton from all stops between Manassas and Rolling Road. The train ride to Clifton is free and the return trip costs $5 per person (children under age two ride free).
There will also be live bands, pony rides, craft demonstrations, children’s activities, a Civil War reenactment and a wide selection of food and beverages.
Oktoberfest Reston: Oct. 10 and 11
Oktoberfest Reston is Northern Virginia’s largest outdoor fall festival, and it’s right in our back yard at Reston Town Center! Come enjoy seasonal beer and wine, food from 17 area restaurants, live entertainment, a chili cook off and the Reston Pumpkin 5K race. Live music will include traditional German tunes as well as favorites from a variety of local musicians.
Tysons Fall Harvest Festival: October 17, 18, 24, 25
Bring the kids for the second annual Tysons Fall Harvest Festival. Enjoy the Fall Harvest as you stroll through the arts and crafts booths and taste some of the fun flavors of Fall.
Special activities include lots of fun, free activities: The largest hay pyramid in DC, Petting Zoo, Bouncy Houses, Pumpkin Bowling, Kids Candy Walk, Craft Corner, and the hay maze. And for mom and dad, there will be tons of craft beers and Virginia wines to sample. All this is happening at the Lerner Town Square at the Galleria Tysons II.
Reston Chamber Spotlight is a feature by members of the Greater Reston Chamber of Commerce. It does not reflect the opinion of Reston Now. Today’s spotlight is on marketing firm Conversion Pipeline and its CEO Michael Delpierre.
Reston Now: Why did you decide to start your business in Reston?
MD: Reston is a centralized location for business in Northern Virginia. Also, it’s location is central for finding skilled employees.
RN: What are the challenges and rewards of being a business owner?
MD: Rewards are:
- Helping other companies meet/exceed their revenue goals
- Personal reward of helping create business growth
- Overall sense of achievement
- Building a company with great people is the most rewarding experience I have had
Challenges:
- You do NOT have a lot of free time.
- Work never ends. So long to the 9-to-5 jobs. Weekend work is the norm for our industry.
- Finding new employees that are skilled in digital marketing is hard because colleges do not prepare students to succeed in digital marketing.
RN: Name something about your business that most people don’t know.
MD: I served for 6 years in the United States Marine Reserve, so we are a veteran-owned business. Also, Harry Brooks, our CMO, worked for an major Internet Registrar and has given over 200+ presentation on SEO & Google AdWords He is our go-to presenter. He is a a complete digital rockstar.
RN: What do you offer your clients that makes you unique?
MD: Digital marketing has become completely transparent. We utilize conversion goal and call tracking solutions so we can tell our clients down to the dollar what their return on investment it.
Most companies spend marketing and advertising dollars without truly knowing what their ROI is. We provide our clients with a platform that allows us to discuss where and how much they should spend on specific advertising campaigns based on actual data.
Digital Marketing has and will keep on surpassing other traditional advertising paths.
RN: How has the Greater Reston Chamber of Commerce helped your business grow?
MD: I view the Chamber as a partner. We have held many joint seminars, the last one being a seminar where we had Google present to a group of 20+ small business owners and marketer on the benefits of AdWords. We utilized our partnership with Google and with the Chamber to put on a great event, which benefits the local business community and raises our visibility within the community.
I started out volunteering in the Communications committee, now I am the co-chair of that committee. Shortly thereafter, I joined the Board of Directors and have been active within the chamber ever since.
My company sponsors events because we believe in the Chamber’s mission and love to have our brand next to other great chamber members.
RN: What is the quote that best describes your business?
MD: I never thought of defining my business with a quote. Digital Marketing is constantly evolving so the old cliché “You Grow Or Die” is probably the most applicable.
RN: What is your advice to someone who is thinking about owning a business?
MD: You have to look around and at your competition, if you think you can do it better than them, offer a superior product/service and have a good time doing it, then GO FOR IT! I thought to myself, I didn’t want to be 75 years of age looking back saying “What If”… that would crush me.
Built by the luxurious homebuilder Gulick, this magnificent home offers all the comfort, space and the quality finishes you are looking for.
Enjoy elegant open plan living in this extraordinary contemporary home, located in a friendly community only a couple miles away from Reston Town center, W&OD Trail, as well as well both Dulles International Airport and the Silver Line Metro.
Gorgeous three-level dwelling, with natural daylight, modern updates, and over 4700 square feet of living space. Hardwoods floors throughout, floor to ceiling windows, French doors, kitchen with maple cabinets and granite counter tops offering fantastic indoor & outdoor entertaining.
The entrance foyer has great natural daylight and welcomes you to the home’s open- plan concept dining and living room. You can relax in the informal family room, enjoy the breakfast nook’s bay window, and have access through the French doors onto the wrap around deck that provides a fantastic outdoor entertaining space.
The upper floor features, four large bedrooms and three-and-a half-bathrooms, with two spacious masters including on suites bathrooms and walk-in closets.
The lower level features a large finished open plan recreation room of over 1,400 square feet, which offers an additional bedroom with on suite bathroom and closet. Gym room, multiple storages and walkout fenced yard.
This fantastic home has all the quiet and comfort of a suburban living coupled with the convenience and amenities of an urban lifestyle. This low maintenance luxurious living home will capture your senses and your heart.
This home is offered at $899,000.
For more information, please contact Farida Fox at 703-618-2455, [email protected].
The preceding post was written and sponsored by Farida Fox.
This is a sponsored post by Elizabeth Arguelles, veterinarian and owner of Just Cats Clinic at Lake Anne Plaza. It does not represent the opinion of Reston Now.
Known for its intelligence and playful personality, the Maine Coon has become one of the most popular breeds of cat in America. They are considered the largest domesticated felines, growing up to 40 inches in length and weighing as much as 35 pounds.
Maine Coons are also renowned for their beauty.
Their silky flowing coats and long, bushy tails give them an elegant and regal look.
In this article, we will talk about some of the other things that distinguish Maine Coons as a breed. This is the first in a series of articles in which we will discuss a variety of cat breeds.
What do Maine Coons look like?
In addition their size and fur, Maine Coons are marked by several other physical characteristics. Though technically either longhaired or medium-haired, Maine Coons generally have longer fur than other breeds. Their fur is shorter on the head and shoulders and longer on the stomach and flanks. Some Maine Coons have a ruff around their necks that resembles a lion’s mane.
The most distinctive features, however, are beautiful ear tufts and fur growing between the toes. The latter is thought to have evolved to allow Maine Coons to walk in the snow.
Interestingly, Maine Coons can have the colors associated with any other breed of cat.
Where do Maine Coons come from?
From Maine, of course! Unsurprisingly, the Maine Coon is the official cat of the state that gave it its name.
The breed’s origins before arriving in New England are much murkier. The most generally accepted theory is that the Maine Coon is descended from a cross between indigenous shorthaired domestic cats and longhaired breeds that arrived in the New World with English travelers.
What kind of personality does a Maine Coon have?
As was mentioned above, Maine Coons are gentle and friendly, making the “gentle giant” nickname especially fitting. These cats are also intelligent and playful, reminding many of dogs. They are a great fit for owners with children, multiple cats and other types of pets. Read More
The Harrison at Reston Town Center offers luxury homes and amenities usually not seen outside resorts or top-notch hotels.
In addition to a rooftop pool and entertainment area, The Harrison has a lap pool, business center, onsite pet spa and park, culinary center and a concierge to help you coordinate your life and lifestyle preferences. The fitness center with its classes from yoga to kickboxing will help keep you in shape and let you unwind in the private massage room or in any of the building’s relaxing spaces.
The penthouses are unlike any other space at The Harrison, with luxury finishes with 10 foot ceilings and floor-to-ceiling glass, beautiful views from spacious balconies, and exclusive access to Penthouse floors.
But the penthouse wows with even more services, offering up premier parking, private access to amenity spaces and additional advantages.
Join us as we reveal The Penthouses at The Harrison on September 30th at sunset, the time when the suites really glow with the sun. The event will include handcrafted cocktails and an array of hors d’oeuvres in one of the limited-edition penthouses.
See the gorgeous penthouses for yourself, then enjoy a tour of the rooftop Skyclub and enjoy the sunset in style.
The event is from 6 to 8 p.m. on September 30, but leases are available now for those who fall in love with the luxury, view and amenities at The Harrison. RSVP here for the event that could be the start of a new life in Reston.
The preceding post was sponsored by The Harrison at Reston Town Center
Meet two feline siblings named Juni and Carmen, our Reston Pets of the Week. Here is what owner Mitchell has to say about them:
Our family cats named Juni and Carmen, Named after Juni and Carmen Cortez from the Spy Kids Movies, our daughter’s idea. They are brother and sister cats we picked up from a pet adoption center.
The cats are extremely close, when there not with each other they are with you, always with their paw on you, I guess making sure you don’t get away.
Carmen is the well-behaved one, Juni likes to get into trouble and is the most needy. She always has to be with someone or his sister. Carmen is the hunter, when not with you or her brother she is hunting for bugs in the house. She is fast, smart and calculating — she can leap midair and get one that is flying, then her brother then tries to eat it. He likes to eat!
Want your pet to be considered for the Reston Pet of the Week?
Email [email protected] with a 2-3 paragraph bio and at least 3-4 horizontally-oriented photos of your pet.
Each week’s winner receives a sample of dog or cat treats from our sponsor, Becky’s Pet Care, along with $100 in Becky’s Bucks.
Becky’s Pet Care, the winner of three Angie’s List Super Service Awards and the National Association of Professional Pet Sitters’ 2013 Business of the Year, provides professional dog walking and pet sitting services in Reston and Northern Virginia.
This is a sponsored post by Eve Thompson of Reston Real Estate. It does not represent the opinion of Reston Now.
Today’s blog post was supposed to be about “Fall Festivals” near Reston. These blog posts are written weeks in advance — When I pulled it up to get it ready to ship off to RestonNow I just couldn’t do it.
None of us should be shocked that a 101 year old has passed away–I mean after all 101 is a hell of a run. Bob did somehow seem like he’d just keep on going. I was fortunate to know him as a friend and a neighbor. He lived in Heron House on Lake Anne where my husband and I live and I frequently drove him to various Reston Association meetings.
As I’ve read the various tributes in the press and on social media it’s clear that what Bob created in Reston was special. The unique blending of proximity to our neighbors combined with our natural spaces, the yin and yang of density and openness creates a wonderful place to live; but even more than that is the foundational principals upon which we were built–the inclusiveness from the beginning, the need for connectedness are rare goals to have been cited as a measure of success.
I hope as we go forward that we are able to hold onto what makes us special. As for now, I’ll miss seeing Bob around the Plaza but am so thankful for this place that he created.
This is a sponsored column by attorneys John Berry and Kimberly Berry of Berry & Berry, PLLC, an employment and labor law firm located in Reston Town Center that specializes in federal employee, security clearance, retirement, and private sector employee matters.
On September 7, 2015, President Obama signed an executive order establishing paid sick leave for federal contractors and subcontractors. The order is an attempt to promote economy and increase efficiency and cost savings in the work performed by employees who contract with the federal government. Federal contractors and subcontractors can earn up to seven days or more of paid sick leave annually, including paid leave allowing for family care. The order does not supersede any federal, state or local laws, and collective bargaining agreements that provide better benefits.
Pursuant to the order, paid leave can be used for illness, injury, or medical condition; obtaining medical diagnosis or care, including preventative care, from a health care provider; caring for a child, parent, spouse, domestic partner, or any other blood relative or closely-associated equivalent of a family relation; and for domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking.
Employees will be permitted to carry over unused leave from one year to the next. Unused leave will be reinstated for employees rehired within 12 months post-separation by a covered federal contractor or subcontractor. However, employees must request paid sick leave orally or in writing at least seven calendar days in advance of when the need for leave is foreseeable, and in other cases as soon as is practicable. Health care certification or documentation, required no later than 30 days from the first day of leave, is only required if the employee is absent for three or more consecutive workdays.
This is the latest action taken by President Obama in a series of administrative actions aimed at providing benefits to employees. By September 30, 2016, the Secretary of Labor will issue regulations to implement the order. However, it is important that federal contractors and subcontractors note that once the order becomes effective on January 1, 2017, executive departments and agencies will require that new government contracts, contract-like instruments, and solicitations, including lower-tier subcontracts, include a provision specifying that all employees in the performance of the contract or any subcontract thereunder shall earn not less than one hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked. If the federal contractor or subcontractor already maintains a sick leave benefits policy that includes the same or greater paid sick leave benefits, the existing policy will satisfy the order’s requirements.
We represent employees in federal employment matters nationwide, as well as private and public sector employees in employment matters in the Commonwealth of Virginia, Washington, D.C., and Maryland. If you need assistance with an employment law issue, please contact our office at (703) 668-0070 or at www.berrylegal.com to schedule a consultation. Please also visit and like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/BerryBerryPllc.
