Staycation

It's certainly a buzzword according to the New York Times (click here) and, well, the Washington Post has been using it since 2005 (click here)...but what does it mean?

The Washington Times has some answers here (click here), but the Orlando Business Journal just reported that fewer than 1 in 10 Americans actually plan staycations (click here)

It's one way of offsetting the high gas prices, and the Arizona Republic has some other ways that employers can help in that process: click here

And, lastly, Thomson Reuters came out with some job data today which says that the job market is softening like the polar ice caps (they left out the part about the polar ice caps, however): click here

:)

How Much Is It Worth?

So the Washington Post gave us the idea that the value of a college degree was declining: click here

But the Wall Street Journal says that if that college degree is covered with Ivy, then the value goes up, especially for the starting salaries: click here

In other news...from the Baltimore Sun word about state funds that are being used to boost the YouthWorks program: click here

And the Wall Street Journal has an article today on record jobless claims data that came out: click here

Declining Value of a College Degree

Think that your $160,000 private school degree is setting you light years apart from others? Think again says the Washington Post who say that the value of a college degree is declining: click here

From the RecruitingCenter Blog, an entry stating that all we really have is our reputation: click here

Eccentric Employment is a site worth checking out if you're looking to get away from the boring 9-5 (including taking care of a monkey): click here

Word from TalentSpring that and amazing 39% of employees wanted to quit if their employers blocked Facebook: click here

Lastly, the Recruiter Guy gives a list of 100 Niche Job boards: click here

Back to the Strikes?

The Washington Post starts us off with an old theme, with new players. The Screen Actors Guild is now threatening to go on strike: click here

The Boston Globe follows up with an article about corporate volunteers reaching worldwide: click here

Next from the Globe, advice to answer the boss' criticism as if it were true: click here

Lastly, word also from the Globe, that after an interview, the thanks should go both ways: click here

Blow That Whistle

We're in the middle of the NBA and NHL playoffs...but the most important whistleblower story may be in Human Resources...

The Washington Post starts us off this an article about the whisteblower's unending story: click here

Next, from Michigan Live, some news about a lost whistleblower case in Detroit and a document on a computer: click here

And lastly, from the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, word about a hospital's large payout following whistleblower's kickbacks: click here

Doing Some Moving....

....and that's why I've been a bit tardy on the posts...but I'm going to try to keep you updated with everything big in Human Resources....

First, from HR Daily Advisor, an article about how to detect and deal with FMLA fraud: click here

The Washington Post follows up with some advice to be encouraged by boss's attempts to grant vacation requests: click here

Lastly, we have word of another Human Resources blog entering the blogosphere: click here

Judgment Calls

Harvard Business School and the Conde Nast Portfolio Insight Center starts us out on this Monday as we close out March with an article about making difficult judgment calls: click here

The Boston Globe continues with an article about employers using personal references to attempt to limit liability: click here

The Washington Post picks up our strike coverage with the actors (not the writers this time) who are facing some opposition: click here

To Tattle?

The Washington Post, in its "How to Deal" section, has an article that says that when asked to tattle, to tell the truth: click here

The Washington Post follows up with an article that says the rising healthcare costs are cutting into workers wages: click here

Lastly, the New York Times has an article about tension building (and it's almost Monday): click here

Clinton and Obama as Managers

Leave it those Neanderthals over there at Harvard to bring in another aspect into the mudslinging of candidates in this political race between John McCain, Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama: click here

(Just kidding on that...I went to Brandeis so we have much love to our brethren down the Charles River...and even more love for their business cases)

Without getting into a real political discussion here, it's amazing that this hasn't been brought up more often. Especially the "Managing People" aspect. President Bush has done an unbelievably inept job at this in his time as President between "Scooter" Libby and his two Attorney Generals (the latter of which got into a lot of hot water over his "Managing People" skills) and the scores of other officials around him (don't forget FEMA and the whole Katrina disaster) who turned out to be incapable of handling their job, incapable of managing others, or just totally inept.

And lets not forget Bush hasn't done a great job at "Managing Money" either, as highlighted by this article in the New York Times: click here

Mr. Robert Hormats [vice chairman of Goldman Sachs International] mentioned Social Security and Medicare, saying that both could have been put “on a more sustainable basis.” And he cited the committee’s own calculations from last fall that showed that the money spent on the war each day is enough to enroll an additional 58,000 children in Head Start for a year, or make a year of college affordable for 160,000 low-income students through Pell Grants, or pay the annual salaries of nearly 11,000 additional border patrol agents or 14,000 more police officers.

We'll let that sink in.........

Ok...and let's also not forget the whole "Managing Expectations" aspect either: click here

So do I agree with the article? Not completely. Leaving McCain out of the article completely but instead referencing him in passing at the end was not exactly the most even-handed way to do it.

And I think that both Senators Clinton and Obama both have "Managing People" problems. Obama's have definitely shown up recently with his association with Tony Rezko and Clinton's are most prevalently with her own husband--which is another story completely (and could go towards keeping those under your watch under wraps and in control).

And while "Manager" may be a broader title, for the Human Resource aspect the money management realm, while important, is not really relevant.

But the idea is a good one--which candidate would make a good Human Resource Manager. Because those thirsty for change, don't want President Bushes running their country and those in charge won't want President Bushes running their companies.

Update: Yeah...about "Hilldog" and her ability to Manage People: click here

Washington's Rulings

We go to Washington and the Washington Post for our blog articles for this Thursday...

First from the Post, word about the Supreme Court declaring that FedEx Workers can sue over age discrimination: click here

More from today on the same case (in some articles they called it ageism and some called it age bias...all the same idea) and some of the reasons involved and repercussions for Human Resources and what happened with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) in the case: click here

Lastly from the Post on an unrelated topic, an article about an upside for the Middle Class: click here

Breaking News on Supreme Court Age Discrimination Case

We've been talking about it here for a while so wanted to update you by letting you know a ruling has come down in the Age Discrimination case seen before the Supreme Court and in a unanimous ruling, they have found in favor of the ex-employee (click here)

This is a big blow to businesses as the Associated Press (via Forbes) writes:

The Supreme Court is leaving the door open for workers in age discrimination cases to present supporting evidence from other employees at a company.

This, after a Washington Post analysis article from Sunday said that the Supreme Court Justices were further resisting finding the right to sue: click here

More later as news becomes available...

Updated: If you want to see the actual Supreme Court decision, check it out here on their website: click here

Updated: The StarTribune weighs in with some more information than the Forbes article, but a little easier for most of us to understand than the full Supreme Court decision: click here

More on Age Discrimination

Whether you call it Ageism (detailed here in full Wiki style) or age discrimination, you, as a Human Resource Professional, should be getting familiar with the idea, because the decisions made in Washington will have an impact on your business. Amazingly, this story is getting very little play in the national media outside of Washington. But we here at the Astron Solutions' blog found you the best articles to get you even more up-to-speed...

First, the Washington Post has a quick summary look at the Age Discrimination cases: click here

Next, an article about how the shield against reprisal after a bias claim was discussed by the Supreme Court: click here

On to Slate which has an article titled "Grumpy Old Men"...always an interesting read over there at Slate: click here

Lastly, Jurist, from University of Pittsburgh Law School, has the court cases for those
who want to see the legalese behind the lawsuits: click here

Too Old? Not in the Workplace

One of the forms of discrimination that may be more prevalent than people think and which many people know very little about is age discrimination.

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has facts about age discrimination here: click here

And the United States Department of Labor has information here: click here

But this issue is not as cut and dry as many people would think. Recently my dad was unemployed for a while and while trying to get a new job, he did everything he could to hide his age because of his perceived bias on the part of the people who he was interviewing with.

And he's not the only one...the Supreme Court will hear five Age Discrimination cases according to the Washington Post: click here

The Christian Science Monitor also takes up the issue putting out the issue of: when can people sue for age discrimination: click here

Although this would seem to be a cut and dry area, many companies have policies against older employees and many fire older, tenured employees to bring in younger ones.

And then there's an article from the Boston Globe saying that colleges, companies, and state officials in Massachusetts are giving incentives for young people to stay in state: click here

Although this seems like a good, practical idea with many Baby Boomers retiring and a need for these young workers, how can giving these incentives to young workers and not to the older ones NOT be age discrimination? Would someone have a case against these organizations that provide this incentive?

We'll find out quite soon after the Supreme Court ruling...

HR going Green

Catching you up on this Wednesday starts with the 2008 Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) Green Workplace report...

First, from Environmental Leader, word that the study shows that half of workplaces surveyed have a formal or informal environmental responsibility policy...but 43 percent do not and have no plans of implementing one in the next 12 months: click here

From the Washington Post, on the same report, says that environmentally friendly practices make for a happier workplace: click here

From HR.BLR, word the The Society for Human Resources Management is launching a campaigning to show the importance of HR: click here

Lastly, going back to the Washington Post, a study finds that most diversity training is ineffective: click here

Small Biz HR

On our Two-for-Tuesday we do you one better her at Astron's blog...

First from the Wall Street Journal, a New Year and a new plan for small business HR: click here

Next, from the Washington Post, word that Lockheed Martin will have to pay $2.5 million in a racial discrimination case: click here

Lastly, from HR Daily Advisor, advice on why firing must be a group decision: click here

Happy New Year!

The Boston Globe starts us out on this first day of 2008 with an article about what's hot, what's not in the workplace for 2008: click here

Next, a Washington Post column suggesting that having employees make career resolutions can help them rise to the occasion: click here

Conde Nast Portfolio ends our blog today with an article about the risky business of hiring stars: click here

Happy Holidays...you're fired!

The Washington Post reports that amazingly 200,000 Pentagon employees may be fired just in time for the holiday season: click here

The New York Times Career Couch talks about hobbies being rich in psychic rewards as well as a few other topics in this Q&A: click here

Lastly for our Wednesday, Human Resource Executive Online has an article titled "HR On Trial": click here

Embracing HR Executives

Human Resource Executive Online starts us off with an article about embracing HR: click here

Human Resource Executive Online then has an article about the most admired companies for HR: click here

Lastly, following our strike theme, the Washington Post has word that Jay Leno will pay the salaries of the laid-off workers: click here

Welcome to December

We're in our last month of December but we're not slowing down with our blog articles...

First, on our theme of the recent strikes, word from the Washington Post that the democrats have canceled a debate over fear of the writer's strike: click here

Next, from the Kansas City Star, some advice about the difficult task of testifying: click here

Lastly, from the Franchise Business Opportunities weblog, word about HR for franchises: click here

New York to Boston to DC

First, from New York and the New York Times, an article declaring this an employee's market: click here

Next the Boston Globe brings out a new word: impedership: click here

Lastly, from the Washington Post, word of Wal-Mart and the union joining forces on a a new healthcare initiative: click here