Happy July 4th Weekend!

On this Friday before a holiday weekend we jump right into the pool (pun intended) with vacation and travel...

In January we posted on the blog (click here) that Expedia.com found out that Americans left over 421 million vacation days unused in 2005. That number from Expedia.com is expected to go up over 36% in 2006 to 574 million. In this article from Amy Joyce of the Washington Post, the topic is delved into even further: click here

Other interesting facts from the article:

• One in four workers plans to work while on vacation this year (according to CareerBuilder.com's annual survey).
• The number of vacation days employees are skipping this year increased by one over last year
• On average, Americans leave at least four days unclaimed annually.
• Compared with other developed countries, Americans receive the fewest vacation days per year on average -- 14 days, as opposed to 17 in Australia, 19 in Canada, 24 in Great Britain, 27 in Germany and 39 in France (according to the Expedia survey).
• 20 percent of 400 workers surveyed had not taken a vacation, which is considered three or more consecutive days off, in the last three or more years.
• 91 percent of respondents said the amount of vacation offered is very or somewhat important when applying for a job. But only 26 percent said they had considered changing jobs because of insufficient vacation time.

AAA estimates that 40.7 million people will travel more than 50 miles from home over the July 4 holiday, a 1.2 percent increase over last year's 40.2 million travelers, according to the Orlando Business Journal. I certainly will be one of those: click here

And from Tuesday's New York Times, an article about tools that are now in place to catch expense account padders. I wouldn't go booking that July 4th getaway on the company credit card anytime soon: click here

We will be closed on July 4th but we will be in the office on Monday, July 3rd which means you'll only miss one day of the blog next week...Have a great weekend!

Hiring and Firing

3 Articles about Hiring and Firing...

We'll go with the good news first:

Hiring in the United States in July, according to The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) and the Rutgers University School of Management and Labor Relations, is expected to be strong as shown by this Washington Times article: click here

Now the informative news:

According to the Washington Post, an increasing number of companies use probing questions to sift through and assess acceptability and future success of prospective hires: click here

Now the firing news:

It actually isn't all bad news since the numbers suggest strength in the labor market, but initial jobless claims rose 4000 last week, according to Bloomberg: click here

Happy Almost Friday!

Must Be My Lucky Day

Two posts? Yes, you're getting lucky with a Double Dose of Astron Solutions blog today as Human Resource talk heats up. The SHRM conference is over, but that doesn't mean your knowledge of the current HR issues need to end.

Two hot button topics:

Whistleblowing: The high court sends a message to employers, and as detailed in this Washington Post editorial from today, it's a refreshing change for some who were worried about not being able to complain without fear: click here

Second Hand Smoke: Guess what, it kills? And, says the Surgeon General, Richard Carmona, the only way to stop it from continuing to kill is to ban it from all workplaces. Although the movie "Thank You For Smoking" was just released recently, people have known for a long time that smoking kills and some say it's about time to get rid of it in all workplaces while others worry about the effect it will have on smokers: click here

Post your comments and let us know what you think

Dear Summer

Summer is here and the outfits get ... a little bizarre. Dress codes can vary, and many employers get a little lax with their "business casual" attire. Just how lax though really does depend on the company, its culture, safety concerns, and the types of visitors the organization receives.

As you can see an example of a dress code gone wrong in this article from the Louisiana Employment Law Letter: click here

And here are some points, from Vault.com's Weekly Career Update, to consider when developing your summer dress policy:

• How many visitors do you normally entertain at your workplace? And how do they typically dress?
  
• What is appropriate for the summer? Blue jeans, shorts (how short?),
  T-shirts, flip flops, sweats, peek-a-boo shirts, halter tops, spandex, tube
  tops?
  
• How much skin and/or undergarments do you want to see? The more lax the
  policy, the more likely you are to see visible body parts (and your next
  harassment lawsuit).
  

Two for Tuesday

Two articles for this Tuesday

First comes from the New York Post as Joel Sherman shows amazement at how George Steinbrenner has loosened up the controls on his team and allowed Brian Cashman to do his job as the General Manager: click here.

We'll see how long this continues, especially with the Yankees 2 1/2 games out of first place (despite a resurgent Big Unit with help from Jason Giambi last night), but very few will deny that the overall organization is in better condition (from the Single A farm teams on up). This decision to harvest young players and build from within as well as lean on Cashman's advice that signing old, high-priced players will eventually drive the Yankees back into the baseball cellar seems to be the correct way of doing things. Eventually a good executive or manager in a company will realize when it is time to give up some control for the better of an organization and this can definitely be seen in this case.

The other article, from the Portland Business Journal is definitely related as it talks about what a C.E.O. can do to motivate employees: click here.

When I worked at Deutsche Bank as a summer intern, we used to have a speaker series. One of the speakers was a surprise guest: CEO of Private Wealth Management in North America, Gloria Nelund. She spoke and answered questions and asked us about the internship program. A couple of days later I saw Gloria in the elevators and she had remembered my name and what I was doing at the bank and asked me by name how it was going. Although not a huge gesture, the fact that the CEO took time to remember me meant a lot.

Almost Famous

Have you visited us at the SHRM conference yet? You have until Wednesday, June 28th, to do so! (details in previous post)

Jennifer C. Loftus, SPHR, CCP, CBP, GRP, a National Director for Astron Solutions, was interviewed for a Business Week segment on Paid Sabbaticals. If you missed the show on television, you can still check it out at the Business Week site: click here

And, from Malaysia, an article from Business Times about how Human Resources have moved from the role of "payroll" or "recruiter" and into the role of "strategic partner in the organisation": click here

Let us know if you agree with that assessment.

It’s Here—the 58th Annual SHRM conference!

Please be sure to visit the Astron Solutions team at booths #2823 and 2825 at the 58th Annual SHRM Conference June 25th-28th, 2006 at the Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C.

Our Senior Team welcomes the opportunity to meet you!

National Directors Jennifer Loftus and Michael Maciekowich, and Senior Automation Expert John Sazaklis will be on hand all three days. Senior Statistical Analyst Eric Katz will join us on Monday. Statistical Analyst Michael Snell will join us Tuesday.

Join us on Tuesday, June 27th from 4-5:15 PM when Jennifer Loftus will be giving a presentation titled "I Said It Was The Money...But I Lied" which discusses ways for you and your organization to implement proactive ideas to update your exit interview systems and stem undesired turnover of key employees.

Drop off your business card or scan your badge to win one of 3 great prizes.

We’re Giving Away 2 Dalmatian Puppies and a 1GB Jumpdrive!

When your work is a zoo

Do you feel like you're stuck in a real-life version of the movie "Office Space" with Milton playing his music in the next cubicle and Nina next door answering the corporate accounts phone? Basically is your office a zoo?

Well it's nothing like that zoo at this office... click here

But it may be like the zoo at these offices... click here

Remember, if you have any suggestions for things you would like to see discussed in our blog or on our bi-weekly ezine, Astronology, please e-mail us to let us know...

We're baaaaack

After a brief hiatus, the Astron Solutions blog is back and better than ever.

We'll try to keep you updated semi-regularly with articles, websites and tools having to do with Human Resources. We also encourage you to check out our website: http://www.astronsolutions.com/index.htm. At the bottom of the screen you can subscribe to our bi-weekly human resource ezine, Astronology.

If there is a human resource topic that you would like to see covered, e-mail us and we’ll do our best to include that in our next issue.

We’re back with two articles.

One article is about the Administrative Review Board of the U.S. Department of Labor which broke new ground in a Sarbanes-Oxley Act ("SOX") whistleblower case brought by an employee of a privately held subsidiary of a public company (from Proskauer Rose LLP): click here

The other is a humorous one which may be the first time you’ll be glad to have a bad boss (from Reuters "Oddly Enough"): click here

If you have a boss worthy of that website, let us know too by e-mailing us

Brown bagging it? Blog teaches lunchtime etiquette

Beacon Journal | 03/06/2006 | Lunch blog aids hapless in brown bag etiquette

When Aparna Mohan started bringing her lunch to work, rather than shelling out over $10 each day to eat at one of the many over-priced lunch stops, she realized that she was not alone. Soon, she and her colleagues were sharing stories about what to pack, how to pack it and how to avoid being the victim of lunch bag thievery. She started her own blog on the subject http://lunchcounterculture.blogspot.com

The Washington Post recently offered tips from etiquette expert Shawna Schuh about what to do if your lunch mysteriously disappears:

• Don't assume that someone is doing this to you. It's probably being done to everyone. It's not personal.
• Don't complain and whine. You have to take a different tack; otherwise you'll just weaken the workplace more.
• Prepare. If your lunch always gets stolen, shame on you. (This is when you need to get yourself an insulated lunch bag.)
• Educate. A sign on the fridge as simple as ``This is not your mother's refrigerator. You can't just take anything out of it'' may clue in the clueless. Or put a note inside your lunch bag: ``Stolen food rots stomachs.''

With sunny spring days right around the corner, take the time to enjoy a meal away from your desk. You may even want to bring your lovingly packed lunch to your local park...that is, if it isn't already being eaten by someone else!

The Top Ten Hardest Jobs to Fill

Employers Report the 10 Jobs Most Difficult to Fill

A recent study by Manpower, Inc. revealed that employers from around the world are having trouble finding the right employees for jobs.

In the United States, fourty-four percent of employers are having difficulty finding the right candidates, while Mexico (78%), Canada (66%) and Japan (58%) are having even more of a struggle.

As reported in a recent www.hr.blr.com article, the top ten hardest positions to fill are:

1)Sales Representatives
2)Engineers
3)Nurses
4)Technicians (primarily production/operations, engineering or maintenance)
5)Accountants
6)Administrative Assistants & PAs
7)Drivers
8)Call Center Operators
9)Machinists
10)Management/Executives

Girl Scout Cookies to Wrapping Paper...the Charitable Season Begins in the Workplace

CourierPostOnline - South Jersey's Web Site

Ah fundraisers. It's a rare workplace that doesn't have anyone hawking candy for their kids' schools or someone raising money by running for a great cause. It's a good feeling knowing that your donation is making a difference, but it can also cause some sticky situations in the office environment. Late winter/early spring seems to be the time when fundraising is in full swing, and it can be difficult to choose one over the other without hurting anyone's feelings.

Of course, workplace fundraising is a safe alternative to selling door-to-door. However there are some rules of thumb for making the workplace sale or acquiring that donation. From Gannett News Service...

"Avoid office e-mails. Instead, place fundraising fliers, sign-up sheets and self-serve product kits in a high-traffic, central location such as the office break room or bulletin board," suggests Jon Krueger, spokesman for the Association of Fundraising Distributors and Suppliers.

Career coach, Lyn Jarrett says, "If it's a cause you don't know much about, you can say that you have your set charities that you give to and that you stick to those. If you do want to give and don't want to look like you're playing favorites, set an amount that you will give to everyone."

One thing to keep in mind is that no one should ever go desk to desk soliciting donations. Not only can it be distracting, but it can be very uncomfortable for everyone involved.

Done the right way, fundraising can promote positive social interaction, although possibly some weight gain. Can someone please pass the Thin Mints?

'Office Space' Is Favorite Workplace Movie with 'Nine to Five' a Close Second

'Office Space' Is Favorite Workplace Movie; 'Nine to Five' Aging Gracefully

Looks like workplace movie fans are as passionate about Office Space as Milton is about his red stapler.

In a recent HR.BLR.com poll, 438 participants voted Office Space their favorite work-themed movie at 37 percent. Following closely with 30 percent is the 1980 classic Nine to Five starring Lily Tomlin, Dabney Coleman, Dolly Parton, and Jane Fonda.

"Like Nine to Five, Office Space was about workers who rebelled against their greedy, soulless employer and it really resonated with a lot of disgruntled cubicle dwellers," said Chris Ceplenski, HR.BLR.com editor. "Considering that Nine to Five is almost 20 years older than Office Space,' that it's still so popular is really impressive."

Rounding out the top five were Working Girl (20 percent), Wall Street (12 percent) and Clockwatchers (1 percent).

Vacation Deprivation

According to a recent study by online travel site, Expedia.com, Americans left over 421 million vacation days unused in 2005.

"American workers receive the least amount of vacation days (12 on
average) among all the countries that we surveyed," said Kari Swartz, Expedia.com product manager for leisure travel. "Yet we still, unbelievably,don't use up all of our days, with each American worker estimated to give back an average of 3 vacation days in 2005."

So what about those workers who are sticking with their new year's resolution to travel in 2006? According to Expedia.com's current bookings, the destinations are mostly warm and sunny. The top ten destinations for travel between January - March 2006 include:

1. Las Vegas, NV
2. Orlando, FL
3. New York, NY
4. Honolulu, Hawaii
5. Paris, France
6. Maui, Hawaii
7. Jamaica
8. Puerto Vallarta
9. Rome, Italy
10. The Bahamas

Anthropologist, Hurdler, Experimenter...Positive Roles that Should be Found in Every Workplace

The Globe and Mail: Populate your workplace with 10 positive roles

Tom Kelley's new book, The Ten Faces of Innovation explores unique job roles that should be found in foward-thinking organizations. You may already have individuals in the roles (most likely they have boring titles like, VP, Manager, and Customer Service Rep). Perhaps it's time to think a little differently to encourage true innovation in your workplace.

Here are brief descriptions of each vital role from Canada's Globe and Mail...

The anthropologist observes human behaviour in order to develop a deep understanding of how people interact physically and emotionally with products, services, and spaces.

The experimenter prototypes new ideas continuously, learning through trial and error. Those experiments can be quick and dirty -- they don't need to be expensive -- and need not just be about products or services but about marketing, sales and distribution options.

The cross-pollinator explores other industries and cultures, translating the findings into your company's systems or products. Ideas from the piano and the sewing machine helped in creating the typewriter.

The hurdler knows how to get past the many obstacles that can prevent an idea from seeing the light of day. After the idea of Scotch tape was initially rejected, its inventor used subterfuge to get the equipment to build the first batch, paying for it in $99 installments to keep below his $100 authorization limit.

The collaborator helps bring people together, leading from the middle of the pack and encouraging others to see merit in a proposal. On teams, the collaborator uses his or her diplomatic skills to hold the group together if it threatens to splinter or disband.

The director gathers a talented cast and crew and helps to spark their talents, like Steven Spielberg.

The experience architect designs compelling experiences to connect at a deep level with customers' needs, or to make the workplace better for employees. He or she sets the stage for positive encounters with your organization through products, services, digital interactions, spaces, or events.

The set designer creates a stage on which people can do their best work. After watching students at the University of California's Irvine campus, IDEO staff turned from anthropologists into set designers and created door-less alcoves with whiteboards, plug-ins for laptops, and flat-panel monitors for collaboration throughout the central hallways so students could work together.

The caregiver anticipates needs to make sure customers and team members are properly cared for.

The storyteller builds internal morale and external awareness through compelling narratives that communicate a fundamental human value or reinforce a specific cultural trait.

To learn more about Tom Kelley and The Ten Faces of Innovation, be sure to visit his website.

New OFCCP Rule Goes Into Effect February 6th, 2006

The Department of Labor's Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) has issued a final rule that clarifies the definition of an "Internet Job Applicant" and outlines guidelines regarding the new law.

On February 6th, all federal contractors and subcontractors covered under Executive Order 11246 will be required to maintain strict records on individuals that qualify as Internet Applicants.

An individual is considered an "Internet Applicant" if each of the following four criteria are met:
• The individual submits an expression of interest in employment through the Internet or related electronic data technologies
• The contractor considers the individual for employment in a particular position
• The individual's expression of interest indicates the individual possesses the basic qualifications for the position
• The individual at no point in the contractor's selection process prior to receiving an offer of
employment from the contractor, removes himself or herself from further consideration or otherwise indicates that he or she is no longer interested in the position.

Individuals who meet all four criteria of this definition must be solicited for race/ethnicity and
gender information, and be included in an adverse impact analysis.

For an indepth look at what the new law entails, we recommend that you check out Monster's "Pathway to Compliance" PDF.

"Wal-Mart Bill" Becomes Law on 01/01/07

Legal Info Service (US)

The "Wal-Mart Bill" which was orginally vetoed by Gov. Bob Ehrlich, was overriden by Maryland lawmakers. The new law, which requires that large employers with at least 10,000 workers in the state must spend a set percentage of payroll on employee health coverage or else pay into a state health care fund, will go into effect on January 1st, 2007. Noncompliant employers can face penalties of up to $250,000. For more information, click here.

New Jersey Becomes Nation's 11th Smokefree Workplace State

New Jersey Becomes Nation's 11th Smokefree Workplace State

New Jersians will soon be breathing a little easier now that acting Governor Richard J. Codey signed the smokefree workplace bill into law.

Under the new law, employees and customers of restaurant and drinking establishments will now be able to avoid the dangers of secondhand smoke.

"The data says smoking kills. It's not just an annoyance," said New Jersey's Commissioner of Health, Fred M. Jacobs. "That's where we got the traction to get this done."

The new law will go into effect on April 15.

Fortune Reveals the 100 Best Companies to Work For

Fortune: 100 Best Companies to Work For

Fortune magazine has published its list of the 100 Best Companies to Work For in 2006, which are also broken down according to pay, benefits, job growth among other categories.

Genentech, a midsized Biotechnology firm in San Francisco, was selected as the best employer for which to work in 2006. The company received high marks for its benefits package, which includes an employee stock-purchase plan, eligibility for stock options and bonuses, and a six-week paid sabbatical program. Their tremendous growth and low turnover helped make them a likely choice.

Fortune evaluated the policies and culture of each company and surveyed the opinions of the company's employees when determining who would make the list. Visit their site for more information on the rankings.

Calendar Helps Track Disclosures

Keeping track of the numerous federal laws and requirements have just gotten a little easier. The Segal Co. has created a calendar which includes all important reporting and disclosure dates for benefit plans, as well as DOL, IRS, and Pension Benefit Quarantee Corp. requirements. They also made sure the calendar covered HIPAA rules, COBRA notice requirements and Medicare Part D notices. Want to see it for yourself? You can check it out for yourself here.