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While remote work might have been in the spotlight in recent years, many businesses are now actively encouraging, or even mandating, a return-to-work strategy that brings employees back into the office.

In theory, this is designed to improve productivity and strengthen team bonds, which is difficult or impossible when everyone is based in different locations.

However, one overlooked impact of return-to-work policies is that they do not account for air quality issues in commercial buildings, The Way Commercial Cleaning notes.

This trend, dubbed sick building syndrome, can be detrimental to employees’ effectiveness once they get back into the swing of sharing office space. Once understood, it explains why indoor air quality services are increasingly in demand. Here’s an overview of the data behind it, and the options available to organizations that want to amplify productivity in a return to work scenario.

The Way Commercial Cleaning

What is Sick Building Syndrome?

The explosion of remote working in the wake of the 2020 pandemic was impressive. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data shows that in 2019, 11.4% of workers in the information sector were based primarily at home. In 2021, this rose to 44.8%.

However, by 2022, there was a sharp decline in remote working, if not a complete reversal. Since then, it has continued to drop at a slow and steady rate. Return-to-work policies have precipitated this, although not without unforeseen sticking points.

Sick building syndrome is one such obstacle. It reflects the fact that while office buildings went unoccupied or under-occupied, they effectively sat stagnant. HVAC systems were not used as intended, and internal air quality declined significantly.

It’s the equivalent of leaving a vehicle to sit on a driveway for a year and expecting it to fire up the first time. In reality, flat tires, a dead battery, and the potential for rodent infestation in vital mechanical components are all more likely.

Simply turning on HVAC equipment and expecting it to resolve sick building syndrome is not sufficient. Instead, intervention from specialists becomes necessary to avoid the worst effects of deteriorated office air quality.

Considering EPA Guidance

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) offers extensive guidance on indoor air quality for office buildings, as well as commercial residences. From a business perspective, the importance of indoor air quality services lies in their impact on productivity.

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Across the United States, the unique pronunciation of local cities and towns is more than just a quirk of regional dialects — it is a cultural touchstone shared with new arrivals, tourists, and even other residents themselves. Both regional accents and linguistic history play a role in this fun aspect of American life.

While there are a myriad of cities across the U.S. with complicated names that are frequently mispronounced, there are eight famous cities in particular that stand out. PeopleWin put together a list of these commonly mispronounced American cities, along with the entertaining origins of the mistake.

1. Louisville, Kentucky

The largest city in Kentucky, and located on the Ohio River, Louisville is the first city on the list.

Correct pronunciation: LOO-uh-vul

Common mispronunciation: LOO-e-Ville or LOO-is-ville

Origin story: Louisville was founded back in 1779 and was named in honor of King Louis XVI of France. While the French origin would imply that ‘LOO-is-ville’ would be more accurate, regional dialectics and local usage ultimately compressed parts of the name.

2. Boise, Idaho

Boise is the largest and capital city of Idaho, sitting right along the Boise River in the southwestern part of the state. Now home to a variety of diversified industries, this city has troubled some with its pronunciation.

Correct pronunciation: BOY-see

Common mispronunciation: BOY-zee or BOY-say

Origin story: The name Boise, as outlined in an excerpt from the Idaho State Historical Society, originally came from French-speaking fur trappers who named the Boise River. Both mispronunciations are commonly reported, but “BOY-see” is the long-favored option by residents.

3. Puyallup, Washington

Perhaps one of the lesser-known cities on the list, Puyallup is located in an agricultural valley in Washington state. With a name meaning “generous people” in the original Puyallup language, its pronunciation has long been debated.

Correct pronunciation: Pyu-yal-up

Common mispronunciation: Pew-yall-up or Pew-YELL-up

Origin story: Because the spelling of the name starts with “Pu,” many newcomers accidentally overemphasize the letters or treat the “yallup” as a second syllable with an extended drawl.

4. Des Moines, Iowa

Serving as the capital of Iowa, Des Moines is a city marked by manufacturing. Whether it be tires, machinery, or tools, factories in Des Moines produce goods used all across the country. Despite this, many people often get the name wrong.

Correct pronunciation: duh-MOYN

Common mispronunciation: Dez Moyne-ees or Dez Mon-eez

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The post-peak returns surge is inevitable. Every year, retailers and e-commerce brands brace for the January reckoning—when holiday returns flood warehouses, margins shrink, and balance sheets take a hit. But what if e-commerce returns management didn’t have to be a necessary evil? ShipStation examines whether reverse logistics could actually strengthen customer relationships and improve your bottom line.

In a recent webinar hosted by Supply Chain Dive, Rick Watson (CEO and founder, RMW Commerce), Jeff Kaiden (CEO, Capacity LLC), and Matt Salmon (senior product manager, ShipStation) explored how modern e-commerce returns management technology and strategic thinking can help businesses of all sizes turn the returns challenge into a competitive advantage.

The true cost of returns: More than just refunds

Returns aren’t simply about issuing refunds. The financial impact extends far beyond the initial transaction, creating a cascade of costs that can seriously damage profitability.

“As soon as you get into this sort of problem, you’re talking about losing the cost of goods,” Watson explained. “And the only thing you can do in return is to sell more products on the front end. How many products does it take to make up for losing the entire cost of goods in one purchase? Probably four or five, maybe more than that.”

The hidden expenses, adding up

When a customer returns a product, businesses face multiple cost layers:

• Lost revenue from the original sale.
• Shipping expenses for both outbound and return delivery.
• Labor costs for processing and inspecting returned items.
• Inventory depreciation occurs as returned products lose value.
• Warehouse space dedicated to returns processing.
• Customer service time in managing return requests and inquiries.

The fraud factor: Bad actors exploiting returns policies

Beyond operational challenges, returns fraud represents a growing threat that can devastate margins. According to the 2024 Consumer Returns in the Retail Industry Report by Appriss Retail and Deloitte, fraudulent returns and claims resulted in $103 billion in losses last year, representing more than 15 % of all returns—showcasing how return fraud can severely impact retailer margins. Some customers have learned to exploit the system, taking advantage of generous return policies for personal gain.

“There comes a point in time where they [businesses] are just staring down a balance sheet that no longer makes any sense, because they’ve lost a ton of inventory that month,” Salmon noted.

Businesses often don’t realize the extent of the problem until financial statements reveal significant losses.

Common types of returns fraud

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Estate planning isn’t a one-time event — it’s a moving target. With gift and estate tax laws in flux and even “permanent” reforms often lasting no more than a decade or an administration, families are rethinking their approach. One powerful strategy? Lifetime gifting. But without careful planning, missteps can not only undermine your intentions but also expose your estate to greater tax liability. Comerica shares seven mistakes to avoid if you want your gifts to truly keep on giving.

Key takeaways:

• To take full advantage of tax savings under the current law, make sure you secure an experienced attorney and CPA and avoid common mistakes.
• Pay special attention to disclosure requirements, valuation qualifications, exemption limits, added complexity, and cash flow needs.

Recent changes to U.S. federal gift and estate tax exemptions under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act have reshaped planning opportunities.

To help avoid common pitfalls, this article breaks down seven common mistakes that could get in the way of your wealth transfer goals and cost you serious tax dollars.

Mistake 1: Waiting too long

Many wealth transfer techniques take time to identify, understand and implement. Once a decision is made on which strategy to use, there are additional considerations that take even more time. For example, to fully understand which asset is best for gifting requires analysis of the asset’s ownership, basis, cash flow impact and current value (among other things). Wealth transfer should not be rushed. Start today.

An experienced attorney will know how to navigate complex planning issues commonly associated with gifting. Some of these include:

• Allocating generation-skipping transfer (GST) tax exemption: Know when to shield assets for future generations, as well as timing and reporting requirements.
• Gift splitting: When structured properly, gift splitting allows you to use both annual gift tax exclusions and lifetime gift exemptions for a married couple on a single gift. Gift splitting requires consent from both spouses and proper reporting.
• Disclosures: Certain gifts require IRS disclosure (see Mistake 3). An experienced attorney and CPA will help you engage a qualified, credentialed appraiser, review or file gift tax returns and defend you in tax court against any challenges.

Mistake 2: Thinking you’re done when the gift is made

You signed the paperwork and transferred your assets, and you think the process is complete.
That may not necessarily be the case. In many situations, valuations will need to be completed and gift tax returns should be prepared, filed and signed with the appropriate disclosures. In addition, making gifts in trust may require new accounts to be opened, tax ID numbers to be obtained and additional tax returns filed. New ownership may also change the way distributions are made or expenses are paid.

It is important to not only complete the gift,

Historic Highlights of Germany

As the birthplace of centuries-old holiday customs, Germany today hosts between 2,500 and 3,000 Christmas markets every year and attracts millions of visitors from around the world. Most Americans fly in for the big, headline markets in Berlin, Munich, or Frankfurt, eagerly crowding around outdoor stalls to savor the usual lineup of pretzels, bratwurst, and “Glühwein,” the hot mulled wine served in mugs throughout the season. 

But those major markets showcase only a sliver of the country’s holiday culinary traditions. In smaller heritage cities, winter foods differ vastly from one region to the next. A surprising number of regional foods stayed in the same historic cities where they originated, and their backstories reflect unique trade-route histories and customs that developed over hundreds of years.

For instance, the city of Rostock, located on the Baltic Coast and part of former East Germany, once received banana shipments from Cuba that arrived past their prime, so citizens began frying the fruit, a holiday habit from East Germany’s time as the German Democratic Republic (GDR) that still exists today. Lübeck built its name on marzipan during its years as a major Hanseatic merchant hub, and locals still make it the same way. Aachen holds onto Printen, a ginger-free gingerbread recipe that dates back centuries, and bakeries continue to craft them for local customers and tourists alike.

Ahead, the 17 Historic Highlights of Germany lays out the foods that still show up in some of Germany’s most historically significant but lesser-known heritage cities, so travelers know where to go and what to taste when they arrive.

Printen, a spiced, gingerless gingerbread

Megan DeMatteo

Aachen sits near Germany’s borders with Belgium and the Netherlands, a region that once easily imported sweeteners like sugar and honey. But in the 1800s, the Napoleonic Wars stifled supply chains, and locals improvised to make their sweets with beet sugar. Bakers soon added cinnamon, cloves, coriander and orange zest to create Printen, a ginger-free gingerbread cookie that became a local trademark. It’s called “printen” because designs are stamped into the top to make an imprint. You can find it throughout the