From Wall Street to India

Welcome to another week of Astron Solutions' blog...

First up, from the New York Times, an interesting article about Wall Street Women who face a fork in the road. On one side is a highly demanding career which has been dominated by men and on the other side is raising a family...a tough choice for many women. Also tough is business school and an interesting graphic below provides more details on that: click here


From the Washington Post, an article on the same lines that say that women are greatly underrepresented in top corporate leadership positions. The number of 16.4% of corporate leadership positions is a little scary for women who strive for the top positions in their organizations: click here

Also from the New York Times, an article about a potential pension overhaul that Congress never got passed due to too many escape clauses and problems with the bill: click here

And from SiliconIndia, an interesting article on the strategic role of Human Resources Management: click here

TGIF

It's another Summer Friday and whle the temperatures are supposed to be cooling down across the country, we're just heating up...

From the New York Times (click here) and the Washington Post (click here) news of the Wage/Estate Tax bill being blocked in the Senate. This is going to be a hot-button issue for the upcoming midterm elections and you should prepare, as a Human Resource professional for the possibility an increase may come soon after.

Next an article from Yahoo! Finance on how commuting is a drag on the economy. If you take public transportation, you probably noticed a recent spike in the number of people using it with you. With energy prices conitnually rising, this is a trend bound to continue for some time: click here

And lastly, advice from Monster.com to get more training. Is this something a potential applicant should do before applying or is this something that employers should provide for its employees? That's where the big divide lies: click here

Enjoy and stay cool this weekend :)

Hitting the Job Market

Want to position yourself for a great chance at getting a job? Well Astron Solutions has some advice for you on this Thursday...

From the Washington Post, we have Top Tips From the Hiring Squad, where career experts share proven approaches for applying to, interviewing for, landing and getting the most out of a new job: click here

One way you can position yourself is as a middle manager which the Dallas Morning News claims are being highly sought: click here

Next, 5 strategies from Monster.com of what to do when moving without a job: click here

Lastly, back to the Washington Post, we look at the labor gap that exists in the auto market between a few of the big car makers and the United Auto Workers union: click here

Mr. Smith Goes to Washington

And so does Astron Solutions on this Wednesday for its blog articles...

The first is the issue which could be one of the biggest ones for Republican incumbents in the upcoming election: minimum wage. One of the issues being debated in this is the issue of tips as described in this Washington Post article: click here

Now I think that a lot of the real reason this issue has become a big issue is misunderstood. It's not merely the fact that minimum wage hasn't changed in about a decade, but it's more the fact--as the graph below from the Economic Policy Institute shows--that the real value of the minimum wage has dropped over a dollar since the last hike.



That's a big problem, especially with rising gas prices, rising consumer costs, and growing inflation.

One place this issue should be addressed is in the Labor Dept.: click here

Stephen Barr believes that the Office of Personnel Management should recruit more Hispanics: click here

And one issued tied closely to that and the minimum wage and immigration and every hot-button issue of 2006 in the job market are Household Employees and according to this article, they're fighting for their own Bill of Rights: click here

The Heat Is On

It's going to be 100 degrees here in the North East and the pennant races are heating up after the trade deadline, but we're just getting warmed up on Astronology day here at Astron Solutions.

Word from the Washington Post that FOX has agreed to settle their sexual harassment lawsuit in New York: click here

If you want to know more about the EEOC or the new EEO-1 guidelines (including what the heck those abbreviations mean), go to our website and check out the Astronology for the week.

From the Philadelphia Inquirer, an article about some who fear that employees who receive medical help at work will lose some of the privacy afforded to them: click here

The article includes this interesting graphic:













And lastly, from the Sydney Morning Herald, an interesting article from Australia about who Human Resources Professionals owe their allegience to: the company or the staff? The article says the company...let us know if you disagree: click here

Keep cool

It's Just Another Manic Monday...

Don't you wish it were Sunday?

Back to another full work week (and a probable heat wave in the Northeast)...but we have some articles to lighten the edge:

It's a New York Monday...and we just don't say that because of the new slugger in the Yankees rightfield...but because we have three articles for you from the New York Times:

It ends up that many men who are unemployed are valuing their free time more than going back into the workforce, something employers definitely have to consider when offering jobs to people who have been unemployed for a while: click here

Want to know what that degree you have is worth to your employer? Want to know, as an employer, how much you should value that degree, well NYT has the answer: click here

And, lastly, word that workers at Wal-Mart in China have formed their first trade union. The good news for Wal-Mart is that these unions typically side with management: click here

Everybody's Workin' For The Weekend

Happy Friday!

First on our agenda is a report from the Washington Post about the upcoming House vote on the increase in the minimum wage. This is a huge issue for an election year and it shows in how people are deciding to vote: click here

On that same note, from USA Today, an article saying that Asian nations should considering shortening the work week and raising overtime pay: click here

And also from USA Today, and a reference to our last Astronology, an article about the CEO of Sun Microsystems who seeks competitive advantage through blogging: click here

Love and Memories

Office Romances can be good and bad. When they’re good, they can make for a very pleasant office environment. But when they go sour, they can lead to lack of productivity, jealousy, uncomfortable situations and a poor work environment.

Here are some articles talking about the issue:

From the Chicago Tribune, an article about when cupid comes to the office says to be very careful of bad situations which can cause feelings of unfairness and jealousy or lead to firing due to 25% of companies having bans against office romances: click here

From the Journal Times in Wisconsin, an article asking “Do you dare?”. Using the Jim and Pam example from “The Office”, this article delves into the world of office romances. A telling stat is that 31% of workers surveyed think that office romances are OK, while 37% think that if they happen, they should be kept secret: click here

From China Daily, which says that in Bejing people are finding their marriage partners by looking in the workplace instead of going out to find the dating scene. The watercooler is the new meetmarket: click here

And lastly, from Reuters, an odd-but-true story from New Zealand about a cross-dressing lawyer who skirts (no pun intended) the dress code: click here

Unique Ways To Get Ahead

Humpday celebration...

From SHRM, a report that August will continue the expanding of the job market: click here

Some of those workers, such as the ones at RFK Stadium in Washington, DC, are trying to get ahead in the service industry with old-fashioned good manners, according to the Washington Post: click here

And, lasty, a New York Times article about Peggy Fowler, the President and Chief Executive of Portland General Electric, who says, among other things, that she was powered by math: click here

As I Walk Away...

Three articles for your Tuesday about people leaving the office:

First from the New York Times' Career Couch which questions, among other things, whether it's all right to call in sick even if you're not sick: click here

Next from the Washington Post which claims that more men are leaving the newsroom as their positions as anchors and reporters are being taken over by women: click here

And lastly, from the New York Times, an article from Chairman and Chief Executive of Citizen's Financial Group, Lawrence K. Fish, about learning by leaving and his experiences leaving the country: click here

Let's Talk About It

Hope everyone had a great weekend...now three articles about talking at work...

The first is from Randstad (via WorldAtWork) and talks about how loud talkers are among the worst pet peeves in the workplace, followed by cell phones ringing and use of speakerphones in public places...a lot of talking peeves at the office: click here

From SHRM, an article that says that water cooler talk helps co-workers bond...I guess talking about Jack Bauer's latest adventure or the Yankee's play during the weekend helps office unity: click here

And lastly, an article from Delware online which tells workers to hone their communication skills in order to not sound uncooth in the workplace: click here

Benefitting from Benefits

It's Friday!

Four articles for you about health benefits to get you into/through your weekend:

The first is from 1010 Wins in New York and has the Transit Union suing the MTA for unfair health benefits which give fully covered Viagra for men and no pay for contraceptives for women: click here

An article from the Orlando Sentinal about a technician who may be due past OT pay. If you look further down the article, you'll see an update on health benefits: click here

A column in the Washington Post talking about small companies who provide their employees big benefits. If you're a small company, wellness benefits as well as good health care options are still available even though you think these resources may not be available to you: click here

And lastly an article from Forbes about a Judge overturning the so called "Wal-Mart Health Care Law": click here

I'd Like to Buy the World a Coke

These famous words were from a Coca-Cola revolutionary television commercial (which also spawned a #1 single) which showed men and women from all different culutures singing in harmony and drinking Coke together.

One of the leading advocates of Affirmative Action, the legislation that helped create this as the norm in the workplace, was John G. Feild and he died this past weekend. A leading influence in the civil rights views of president John F. Kennedy, Feild served as the executive director of the President's Commission on Equal Employment Opportunity during the Kennedy administration. His enforcement of these ideals, especially within the government, helped the EEOC become what it is today: click here

In today's world, many ethnic youths looking for jobs in an increasingly tight job market are looking online, according to this Washington Post report: click here

And speaking of online searches (and following up on the Astronology of the week), the Attorney General of Kansas says in the Kansas City Star that his state needs to step up background checks and do better screenings for employees: click here

The Rich Get Richer...

Hope everyone got through the storms last night. The Yankees certainly did with Melky leading them to a walk-off homerun. We here at Astron are heading to the afternoon game to root on the Yankees sweep. But while you stay in your office, you can read these two Washington Post articles on the rich getting richer (and we're not talking about Major League Baseball's best-paid bench player ever, Alex Rodriguez)...

First an article about how the well-paid, especially in the D.C. area, benefit the most when the economy is good: click here

And second an article about how 2005 was a banner year for corporate executives who raked in huge compensation deals: click here

Enjoy the articles and let's go Yanks!

Hot In The City, Hot In The City Tonight

A little Billy Idol for your Tuesday as temperatures push the triple digits...

Preparing you for the Astronology release (blogging about blogging...quite unique)...

An audio link (podcast for those of you who are tech savvy)! Resume Lies and the Liars Who Write Them With the Radio Shack CEO in the news for lying on his resume, Susie and Barb think the time is right to address this baffling topic. Why don’t companies do background checks? The office grapevine has no problem discovering the indiscretions of a new hire, so what is wrong with Human Resources making a few phone calls? Many famous examples are discussed, with FEMA’s Michael Brown at the top of the list:

powered by ODEO

And from the Colorado Springs Business Journal (Colorado Springs, CO) from July 14, 2006, this article below from Joan Johnson:

Social technology, blogging, is a networking tool that can provide job seekers with a powerful option in their hunt for employment, but if misused, sites such as MySpace.com and Facebook can ruin a career. Employers can search blogs during background checks and human resources departments can use the information they find as they please -- identifying biases or any other reason not to hire a potential applicant. "I have MySpace, but it is all business," said Julie Kistler, owner of UrbanEmbers.com and Six Sigma Marketing. "I don't put anything personal on it.

" Used appropriately though, networking on the Net can be invaluable. Networking often yields better results during job searches than online job banks. According to a study by CareerXroads, 27 percent of external hires were found through employee referrals. Second on the list, at 24.7 percent, was the Internet, which in the survey referred to the use of online job boards and corporate Web sites. "Seventy to 80 percent of jobs are not posted," Kistler said. She said people are constantly being referred to her. One referral was in search of freelancing jobs. Kistler sent the woman's resume to about 40 people and within a day, she had received five responses. This only works, though, if you have competent contacts, Kistler said. According to Nielsen NetRatings, social networking grew 47 percent during the last year. Facebook, a site for college students and recent graduates, contains nearly 5 million profiles. Friendster has more than 27 million profiles, photos and blogs. MySpace.com has more than 78 million members, counting multiple profiles from one source, according to Nielsen Ratings. Each visitor spends, on average, more than two hours browsing the site. Kistler said she is working on a site that is similar to MySpace, but for local business owners. LinkedIn.com allows users to see other people's contacts but not their contact information, so you have to get a friend to introduce you if you find someone who has similar interests. Plaxo allows people to create a business card and it automatically updates a user's Outlook when someone makes a card. Ryze and LinkedIn are business networking sites that ask for résumé information such as current and past companies, education and areas of interest. This allows a person to find others with similar information, as well as job postings with similar information. In addition to using social networking sites as a way to find potential employees, companies often use the sites to market themselves. One example is Sheraton hotels, which is inviting travelers to share trip photos, tips, commentary and videos at Sheraton.com. The Greater Colorado Springs Chamber of Commerce has a large networking database. Members can choose to be listed in more than 500 categories. With a user name and password, businesses can get a referral report that shows how many people are visiting the Web site, calling the 800 number and stopping by the front desk at the chamber to get information about their businesses. Sara Muirheid, the chamber's vice president of marketing, said the site will be redesigned in September to make it easier to search and link to the directory. Another networking technique that the chamber uses, Muirheid said, is Business After Hours. The social events average about 300 attendees and provide a low-tech approach for businesses to connect with other businesses. Kistler said she still attends face-to-face networking groups, but always asks for an e-mail address instead of a phone number. "I can remember everyone I've met by name and title," she said, "not face. "

Keepin' it cool

The heat wave has set in, but we're keeping it cool with HR news from Astron getting you ready for Astronology tomorrow:

From the Sunday Washington Post, Amy Joyce discusses the problems faced by employees when two bosses butt heads: click here

From Canoe's Lifewise Work, comes an article about always having a Plan B in your professional life, something that HR professionals certainly need to look out for when hiring an employee (asking "what's your ultimate goal?" or "where do you see yourself in 5 years?" can be a very telling sign): click here

On a related note, from HR BLR, retention of employees was the biggest concern among surveyed HR professionals: click here

And from Monster.com, the Worst Summer Job Contest...see if you can win: click here

Oh it's a hot one

Getting ready for the heat wave?

A bevy of different articles for your Friday (getting you ready for Tuesday's Astronology)...

From the Washington Post today, it seems that the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) got more than they asked for. Although they were budgeted the same amount as last year, it was over the request from the Bush administration and brought cheers from EEOC advocates: click here

Lily Garcia poses (also in the Washington Post) this question: "Why can't a salaried person working for a private company get overtime? Is there a way around this?": click here

And last comes from the Shreveport Times comes an article that says that people looking for work in the Shreveport area worry about rising healthcare costs, finding a proper work-life balance, and the vulnerability of their workplace technology to corruption or breakdown. The Society of Human Resource Management's (SHRM) latest workplace forecast listed those three issues among their top 10 trends that concern human resource professionals across the country: click here

Interesting Labor News

Two interesting pieces of news on a Thursday:

First from Proskauer Rose LLP, an Immigration Alert which says that the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) updated the number of H-1B Advanced Degree visas available for Fiscal Year 2007: click here

And from the InhouseBlog, for those out-of-state companies doing business in California, the top 10 things to know about the labor laws (including the lack of the "use it or lose it" policy on vacation time): click here

"Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work." -- Thomas Edison

Happy Almost Friday!

3 Interesting Ways to Find a Job...

Happy Humpday!

On this Wednesday (the last day of the All-Star break before the Yankees and Red Sox players start disliking each other once again), we have 3 articles about interesting ways to find a job...

Maybe the most interesting of all is from workforce.com which has an article about an innovative recruiting and development program--candidates are hired via an NFL-style draft--which helps National Oilwell Varco (a Houston-based oil company) build its next generation of leaders: click here

The next is from the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) about the study in March which showed that 1 in 4 employees look for a new job while at work (it's not just employees checking their e-mails anymore): click here

Remember those career assessment tests that told you what you were going to do in life? Well they're more important in determining your future career path than you may think according to the Washington Post: click here

By the time you've finished reading this, you're probably over the Wednesday hump!

Look up, look down, all around...

Oh how the power of a headline can influence the way one thinks about an article. In journalism terms it may be thought of as spin, but you can interpret this as you would like...

Mind you, this is all reporting on the same published report:

From the New York Times, "Jobs Date Indicates Economy is Slowing"...OK, well that would suggest that things are bad, right? Not necessarily: click here

From the Washington Post, "U.S. Payrolls Up Slightly; Jobless Rate Still 4.6%"...OK, well that would suggest that the amount of people with jobs is the same, but they're making more money? Not necessarily: click here

From BBC News (sent in by a loyal reader of our blog, Jessica Goldings), "U.S. Jobs Growth Mild As Wages Rise"...OK, so now there are more jobs AND higher wages? Not necessarily: click here

Three factors that should be taken into account here:

1. The reason these results are viewed as "bad" are because Wall Street economists predicted higher results. This is coupled with the fact that consumer prices (especially gas prices) are rising. This sent the stock market down and raised fears of inflation. In fact, the Fed had predicted that job growth would not be as large as predicted.
2. Average wages rose to $16.80/hour which added to the best wage growth in 5 years (which, for those math challeneged, is pre-9/11 numbers)
3. There should be more workers in June due to seasonal workers, students finding employement/internships during school breaks, and recent graduates entering the workforce. This would, in theory, lower wages due to more workers in the workforce, so a rise in wages should be seen as a positive in this light.

Another lesson to not always believe what the headlines tell you...

If you find good articles you would like to submit for use on our blog, please send them to askatz@astronsolutions.com

A Monday In New York

Hope everyone had a great weekend. Last week was a short week, but we're strapping in for the long-haul today with a slew of informative articles. And you'll have plenty of time to read them with the World Cup over (congrats to Italy) and Major League Baseball in its All-Star Break.

All of them come from today's amNY but unfortunately, the website does not have the same articles as the printed version, and so you'll get them from a variety of sources. (If you would like to see them in the print version, click here and go to pages 29 and 30).

From amNY, 1/5 workers admit stealing from their office but that number is much higher. Whether taking tape to wrap holiday presents or taking school supplies for their kids, many workers steal from the place they work--many without really feeling all that bad about it: click here

From the Washington Post, we see that Americans are more satisfied with their jobs now than they were 30 years ago despite working harder and longer hours, greater pressure, and less performance pay among other things: click here

From the Chicago Tribune, an article about people bring their dogs to work. Although it would seem to be a nice idea, wouldn't barking get in the way of that conference call? Wouldn't it be a problem for that business meeting if your dog decided to poop or take a whiz on your shoes? In theory it sounds nice, but it ends up, according to this article, it's much more than theory for some companies: click here

And lastly, an article about people choosing to work nights and weekends to be with their kids more. It's not just a time slot for police, firefighters and medical workers anymore...: click here

I think that's enough to get you through your Monday...see you again tomorrow morning.

It's Friday...and I'm In Love

Figuring an 80's song is a good way to go out on a July 4th-shortened week...

An article previewing our next Astronology focuses on the rise of background checks and pre-screening done by employers from SHRM: click here

An article from early June about the new Presidential directive which requires security clearance (more background checks) on all people working on federal facilities: click here

And, since we missed a day with a holiday, an extra link for this Friday...maybe employees should pre-screen their employers as well and all they need to do for a background check is read these tell-all books according to Reuters: click here

Enjoy and have a great weekend!

What drives college grads' job choice?

Workers of the Office, Unite

Hope you had a good July 4th. We're back after a day off with three articles...

From the SHRM Conference, Rebecca R. Hastings writes about Jonathan A. Segal's presentation about the Yellow Zones of Sexual Harassment: click here. Included in this article are some acts that are not illegal but inappropriate behaviors that HR Managers may want to include in their Sexual Harassment Policy and the 6 R's of avoiding Sexual Harassment:

• Refrain from inappropriate behavior. This includes all types of harassment and is broader than just illegal behavior.

• Report all complaints to human resources even if the employee requests that nothing be done. He suggested that managers give employees three choices: you can go, I can go or we can go.

• Respond proactively to inappropriate behavior, such as comments or jokes, even in the absence of a complaint. Lead by example.

• Remedy inappropriate behavior with counseling, discipline and/or termination.

• Refrain from unlawful retaliation against complainants and witnesses.

The bottom line for Segal, which he described as a “sixth R,” is respect.

But if Sexual Harassment does occur, the New York Times says that an office coup is not an advisable way to handle it (click here) and SHRM reports that most workers say that would not even report the misconduct: click here

Somebody's Got a Case of the Mondays

On this holiday-but-not-really-a-holiday Monday, Astron Solutions is still hard at work to bring you the biggest and best HR news out there. Hope everyone had a fun weekend and those who are still on their weekend, we are jealous.

According to the Houston Chronicle, today is going to be a very lonely work day (an "orphan" workday as they call it): click here

And from the Washington Post's Sunday "Life At Work" section, an article by Amy Joyce with advice for recent college graduates to accept help from other people in the workplace (and for others in the workplace, including HR people, to offer it): click here

We'll be off tomorrow for July 4th. Happy Independence Day to everyone!

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.

California Issues Sexual Harassment Training Regulations

HR Legal Update for January 6, 2006 - Distributed by HRN Management Group

California's new sexual harassment law regarding supervisor training for supervisors now has regulations to back it up. Here's the latest from HRN Management Group's HR Legal Update:

The law requires that any employer with 50 or more employees (anywhere) must provide sexual harassment training to supervisors every two years. Supervisors are defined to include anyone supervising an employee in California, whether or not that supervisor lives in California. Thus, if you are a covered employer with just one employee in California supervised by a manager in Utah, you must train that manager. The regulations explain how training must be conducted, how new businesses must comply, how soon new supervisors must be trained and who is qualified to provide the training. Employers of 50 or more persons with any employees in California must be in compliance with this law by December 31, 2005.

To view the proposed regulations, click here.

New USERRA Poster Requirement as of December 19th

From HR.BLR.com ...

Bulletin: USERRA Regulations Changed on December 19, 2005

On December 19, 2005, the U.S. Department of Labor published final regulations interpreting the law that protects employment and reemployment rights and benefits of service members upon their return to civilian life. The DOL also revised the language of the notice employers must provide to workers informing them of their rights under USERRA.


Download a FREE copy of this required poster here.

The final USERRA regulations provide detailed guidance on important (and sometimes confusing) employer obligations under USERRA, such as:

- Treatment of pension plan benefits
- Tax treatment of differential pay, and other compensation and benefits
- Burden of legal proof in USERRA cases
- Treatment of independent contractors and tests to determine contractor status
- Amount of time off employees may take before military service
- Reemployment limitations
- Treatment of bonuses during leave
- Benefits waivers
- Use of vacation or other leave
- Healthcare issues
- Reemployment rules
- Promotions
- Disabled service members
- Rate of pay on return
- Protection against discharge

Leadership Secrets of Santa Claus

HR.COM- The Human Resources Portal

When one thinks of great business leaders, what names come to mind? Most likely names like Bill Gates, Henry Ford, Estee Lauder, John D. Rockefeller, and Santa Claus pop up. Santa Claus you ask? Sure! Who else runs a more productive business, is more committed to customer service, and is as beloved?

Al Lucia was recently interviewed by HR.com about his recent book, "The Leadership Secrets of Santa Claus." In it, he puts Santa’s success down to eight secrets: Build A Wonderful Workshop, Choose Your Reindeer Wisely, Make a List and Check it Twice, Listen to the Elves, Get Beyond The Red Wagon, Share the Milk and Cookies, Find Out Who’s Naughty and Nice, and Be Good For Goodness’ Sake.

Be sure to check out the interview on the HR.com site (you will have to first sign up for a free membership in order to access the page.) Enjoy!

Workplace giving generates more than $3.8 billion annually in the U.S.

Workplace giving grows beyond borders

Are workplaces becoming more charity-minded? A recent survey of 22 U.S. corporations reveal that 86% of corporations surveyed provided employees with a way to give to global disaster relief, 75% offer choices beyond United Way that include payroll deduction, 68% of companies match employee charitable gifts, and 45% are considering making positive changes to their donation campaigns including making better use of technology and expanding choices for charitable giving.

In light of the recent natural disasters in the world, these results make perfect sense. Currently, workplace giving campaigns generate $3.8 billion annually, and can possibly increase in the future. Read the full SHRM Online article here.

More New Moms Returning to Work

According to a recent Census Bureau report, more women are having children after 30, and continuing to work after childbirth.

The average age of first-time moms increased from 21.4 years in 1970 to 24.9 years in 2000. In addition, the number of first-time births to women over 30 tripled between 1960 and 2000, from 7% to 22%.

In 2000, 26% of new mothers left their jobs after having a child, in comparison to 36% in 1981. Experts believe that these shrinking numbers reflect an increased number of workplaces offering flexible schedules.

You can view the full report here.

SSNs for Employee Identification on the Way Out

The Omnia Group, Inc.

Omnia recently reported that as identity theft grows, the number of employers using Social Security numbers (SSNs) as internal employee identification devices are going down. In fact, lawmakers in Michigan and California have already taken action, and have restricted the use of SSNs for identity purposes.

Michigan’s SSN Privacy Act goes into effect Jan. 1, 2006. It prohibits employers from disclosing more than four sequential SSN digits to any third party. The Act states that the use of more than four SSN digits is prohibited on any identification badge or network unless the connection is secure, the transmission is encrypted or a password or other unique personal identification number is also required to gain access. California passed S.B. 101 this year, clarifying that by Jan. 1, 2008, no more than the last four SSN digits may appear on an employee’s pay stub.

Experts believe that it is just a matter of time before federal legislation is passed that will make the use of SSNs for identity purposes a thing of the past.

Stewardesses Strip for Pension Awareness

Benefitnews.com - Information for HR and Benefit Directors and other Employee Benefit Plan Sponsors and Advisers

A group of former flight attendants, hoping to call attention to the preservation of United Airlines pension funds, recently posed for the "Stewardesses Stripped 2006 Calendar." The calendar includes scantily clad retirees, between the ages of 50 and 60, with photo captions such as, "If your pension is terminated, will you be left with a wing and a prayer?"

Since United Airlines went into Chapter 11 in December 2002, there is a distinct possibility that pensions will be slashed up to 50% in the near future.

As reported in BenefitNews.com, Connie Baker, brainchild behind the calendar and former United flight attendant explained, "The main point is to get the message out. It's pretty sad but we had to take our clothes off to get a little attention."

The Older and Wiser Worker

Throw out the old stereotypes regarding older workers. Often thought of as being unreceptive to change and technology, more and more organizations are finding that older workers bring a level of experience and knowledge not found among their younger counterparts.

A recent study shows that nearly 40 percent of workers say their company encourages older workers to stay on the job. Hudson's aging workforce study, conducted nationally among 1,075 US Workers, found that 38 percent say their organizations keep older workers. Only 15 percent felt that their employers want to make way for younger employees.

For more information on the study, check out HR.BLR.com's article, "More Employees Say Employers Encourage Older Workers to Stay"
http://hr.blr.com/display.cfm/id/17038

Reader Feedback re: "When the Employee is Able but Not Willing " Astronology Article

This past Tuesday's Astronology Article, "When the Employee is Able but Not Willing" stirred up some debate among readers. Richard L. Virgilio, SPHR, of First Principles Coaching & Intrepid HR Consulting, Batavia, IL, shared his views on the subject...

I disagree strongly with your (and with most of the field's) characterization of personal interaction ability as something called "soft skills." They are not only not "soft," but--as you point out in the article--perhaps even MORE important than the so-called "hard" skills which are most used for hiring and evaluation purposes. We, as HR professionals, need to get away from calling them "soft" as though they are squishy, malleable, or of less importance. There are practical skills, hand-eye coordination skills, creative skills, communication skills, team-building skills, machine operating skills, critical-thinking skills,......which are "hard" and which are "soft"? Which are important, which vital, and which not-so? Which can be massaged to make room for others? At what cost to the company? Skills are skills, and characterizing them as "soft" or "hard" does no one any favor. In addition, the term "personality" is a very specific, technical term in the behavioral and clinical medical sciences. Unless the interviewer or hiring manager is a clinician in some aspect of psychology, he or she is simply not qualified to make a decision based on personality.

As always, we welcome viewer feedback. Feel free to send in your comments!

Man Fired for Seeing Ghosts

He Sees Dead People

A Des Moines, Iowa security guard was fired this past September when he claimed to see ghosts while on the job. Wade Gallegos, who did not have any drugs or alcohol in his system at the time of the incident, claimed to see ghosts while patroling the neighborhood he was responsible to protect.

Once fired, his former company attempted to deny Gallegos unemployment benefits, claiming that he was fired for misconduct. However, when the case recently went to court, the judge ruled that Gallegos was indeed entitled to unemployment benefits.

"Such beliefs do render the claimant unfit to act as a security guard," said Judge G. Ken Renegar. However, the judge made it clear that seeing ghosts is not misconduct and cannot disqualify Gallegos from receiving benefits.

Corporate Jet Set May Get Taxed

Legal Info Service (US)

Soon, jetting from meeting to meeting may not be as economically feasible as it once was. A new provision in the tax-cut extension package was recently approved by the senate which would require executives to pay income tax on the company's actual cost of providing personal use of a company airplane. The provision is projected to raise an estimated $95 million in extra revenue for the government over the next 10 years. It is headed for House vote this month.

Giving Gifts in the Workplace

TheStar.com - Mind your workplace gift-giving protocol

Exchanging gifts in the workplace can be tricky. Figuring out what to get a boss or co-worker, not to mention a client, can be a difficult and stressful undertaking.

Additionally, some offices don't allow employees to accept gifts over a certain value. The Toronto Star recently shared some tips on gift-giving etiquette in the office to help make the season go smoothly.

- Consider giving clients something that represents your company.
- If giving to one person in an organization, tailor your gift to his or her interests.
- Don't give gifts that are too personal, such as perfume or clothing.
- Mail the gifts to the recipients office not home.
- Always write thank you notes for the presents that you receive.

IRS Announces 2006 Cost of Living Adjustments

The Internal Revenue Service recently announced the 2006 annual cost-of-living adjustments for pension benefits and contributions to retirement plans:

1) The maximum deferral to 401(k) plans will increase from $14,000 in 2005 to $15,000 in 2006;
2) Catch-up contributions under EGTRRA for employees 50 and older will increase from $4,000 to $5,000;
3) The compensation limit under Code Section 401(a)(17) increases from $210,000 in 2005 to $220,000 in 2006;
4) The annual addition contribution limit under Code Section 415 for individuals in 401(k) plans increases from $42,000 in 2005 to $44,000 in 2006;
5) The highly compensated employee limit under Code Section 414(q) is increased from $95,000 in 2005 to $100,000 in 2006;
6) The limit used in determining key employees under Code Section 416 is increased from $135,000 in 2005 to $140,000 in 2006; and
7) The Social Security Wage Base (maximum earnings taxable) for 2006 is $94,200.

Telecommuter Gets Hit with Tax

Bad News for Out-of-State Telecommuters

Recently, a Tennessee man was ordered to pay taxes on his income by New York's highest court, even though he only works in New York 25% of his time. Thomas Huckaby, a computer specialist who spends the other 75% of his time in his home state, discovered that he will be taxed by both Tennessee and New York. As reported on HR.BLR.com:

"A New York State tax-department rule states that people who live out of state, work for a New York employer, and occasionally come to New York on business must pay taxes, even on work performed out of state, according to The Wall Street Journal. The only exception to the state's rule would be if the out-of-state work was done for the employer's "necessity". The New York Supreme Court ruled, in a 4-3 decision, that Huckaby had to pay taxes on all of his income."

As revealed in a recent Telework Advisory Group survey, there are approximately 9.9 telecommuters in the United States who now may face this additional tax. However, there is proposed legislaton, the Telecommuter Tax Fairness Act that would prohibit the practice of taxing telecommuters for work completed in another state.

According to The Wall Street Journal, Senator Dodd (D-CT) called Monday's decision "disappointing" and said it "underscores the need to take action on the legislation that I have introduced… Telecommuting reduces traffic congestion, reduces pollution, and helps businesses strengthen their bottom line. The current rules punish telecommuters rather than reward them and that needs to change."

How to Help Your Employees Avoid the Flu

canadian hr reporter - article display

Flu season is upon us, but there are ways to help ensure that your work environment stays happy and healthy. The Canadian HR Reporter offers the following tips from Trish Stenson, Director of Clinical Services at Ceridian Canada:

- Encourage employees to get a flu shot from their doctor or set up a program in conjunction with health professionals for employees to get their shots at the office

- Provide employees tips on how to prevent getting the flu

- Encourage employees to stay home if they are sick, especially if their symptoms are flu-like

- Provide handouts on how to wash hands properly

- Provide hand sanitizers in washrooms and other places.

- Promote work-life balance by encouraging employees to take their lunch breaks, step away from their desks periodically to de-stress, and pay attention to eating nutritious food and getting physical activity

- If snacks are a part of the office environment, make sure healthy snacks are available to counter the popular high-sugar content treats

- Discourage the sharing of keyboards, headsets, etc. by providing each employee with his/her own equipment

Stenson stresses that the most important tip is to encourage ill employees to stay home. "Not only does coming to work put co-workers at risk, but work productivity suffers and sick workers are often unable to focus on the tasks at hand," said Stenson.

Survey Reveals that More than 40% of American Workers Plan to Find New Employment Within Next 12 Months

A recent Yahoo! HotJobs online survey revealed that a large percentage of U.S. workers are planning on looking for new opportunities in the near future. The poll results show that more than 40% are planning on looking, while 21% are already looking for new positions.

The number one reason for seeking out a new job opportunity is the desire for a better compensation package (96%)

Additional reasons for wanting to leave include:
- Believing that there is no potential for career growth in current position (44%)
- The desire for a better commute (18%)
- Feeling that they are not being "valued" by current employer (25%)
- The desire to work in an environment with higher morale (29%)

Yahoo! HotJobs VP of marketing and career expert, Marc Karasu, was quoted in their press release as saying, "Employees are sensing more opportunities and better total compensation packages, and they're making plans to go after them. Current employers should take stock of their own talent acquisition and retention models as they prepare for their staffing needs for 2006."

Have you reviewed your own recruitment and retention programs? Now is the time!

"North Country" Displays Accurate Portayal of Real Life Sexual Harassment Case

The Capital Times

The recent, critically acclaimed film, "North Country," starring Academy Award winner, Charlize Theron, depicts the story of the first sexual harassment class action law suit in the United States. It serves as an excellent reminder that workplace harassment can easily occur, and we must be aware of potentially dangerous situations. As Judy Ettenhofer explained in the Capital Times...

"North Country" is based loosely on the first sexual harassment class action suit brought in the United States, by the women "rangers" working at the Eveleth iron ore mine in northern Minnesota's Mesabi Range.

In real life, Lois Jenson and her fellow female rangers endured nine years of abhorrent harassment from the mine's male employees before Jenson filed a complaint in 1984. A lawsuit grew out of that complaint, finally gaining class action status in 1991. The case dragged on until it was finally settled in 1998, but along the way it helped push employers to institute policies against workplace sexual harassment.

What is shocking is that throughout the 1980s and 1990s many corporations resisted the pressure of instituting anti-harassment policies. Today, there have been many improvements regarding sexual harassment in the workforce, but we must still keep our eyes open for inappropriate behavior.

Honor Veterans as Part of Your Diversity Efforts

As recently pointed out in SHRM's HR Week newsletter, our nation's veterans are often overlooked in organizations' diversity programs, even though one in every eight Americans (13%) has served long enough in the military to be considered a veteran.

SHRM suggests making an effort to recognize the veterans in your workforce making a special effort to honor them on Memorial Day and Veterans Day. In addition, you can incorporate a recognition campaign with your recuiting initiative. There are also a number of resources that can be extremely helpful in your endeavors:

Free Veterans Day Observance Posters (also Downloadable)
http://www1.va.gov/opa/vetsday/gallery.htm

Hiring Information:
HireVetsFirst
http://www.hirevetsfirst.gov/

Military Talent, Civilian Careers
http://www.taonline.com/

Veterans and Transitioning Military Personnel
http://www.rileyguide.com/vets.html

U.S. DOL's Hiring Veterans
http://www.dol.gov/dol/topic/hiring/veterans.htm

For more information on diversity:
SHRM's Diversity Toolkit
http://www.shrm.org/diversity/DiversityToolkit.asp

Be sure to visit the SHRM site for a wealth of additional information.

New Study Reveals the Best and Worst States for Employees

Press Release

The first study that evaluates employee climate rather than business climate was released recently by Political Economy Research Institute (PERI) at the University of Massachusetts. All 50 states were rated based on average pay, employment opportunties, employee benefits, percentage of low-income workers, fair treatment between genders and ability for employees to unionize.

Delaware, New Hampshire, Minnesota, Vermont, and Iowa, made it to the top of the list, while Louisiana, Texas, Arkansas, Utah, and South Carolina are ranked the lowest. Rankings were based on a scale of 1 – 100 in three categories – Job Opportunities, Job Quality and Workplace Fairness – which were then averaged out to determine the state's total score. First place Delaware received a total score of 89 while and Louisiana, in last place, received a total of 31.

To see how your state ranked, click here.

Are You Wearing a Costume to the Office This Halloween?

Thirty-One Percent of Workers May Show Up to Work in a Halloween Costume This Year, CareerBuilder.com Survey Reveals

Thirty-one percent of workers are planning on dressing up for the office this October 31st, according to the recent survey, "Halloween at the Office 2005," by CareerBuilder.com.

CareerBuilder also gave some tips on last minute office-themed costumes. Here are a few:

1. A Day Off - Using black lettering, write October 30, 2005 or November 1, 2005 on an orange shirt. When people ask what you are, say, "A day off!"
2. Running Late - Show up to the office with messy hair and disheveled clothes with your pajamas showing underneath.
3. Vending Machine - Dress in black and fasten snacks to yourself with the cost of each item displayed. To be really evil, place an "out of order" sign on the real vending machine and charge your coworkers for your snacks. When they pay, make sure you throw their snacks on the ground as the vending machine does.
4. Office Gossip - Make up fun stories about your coworkers. Fasten the stories to yourself and put the name of your favorite grocery store tabloid on a hat. Hang around the water cooler and invite people to read the latest news.

Be sure to click here to read the full list of costume ideas!

Panel Considers Taxing Health Benefits

Benefitnews.com - Information for HR and Benefit Directors and other Employee Benefit Plan Sponsors and Advisers

Will employees soon be taxed on the value of their employer-sponsored health coverage? The President's Advisory Panel, a bi-partisan group made up of academics, executives, former members of Congress and government officials, is considering doing just that as a way to finance a reduction in the alternative minimum tax. BenefitNews.com reports...

"It is hard to see how the advisory panel would make the American taxpayer better off by lowering their alternative minimum tax burden only to turn around and increase their tax burden for the health coverage they choose for themselves and their family," says American Benefits Council President James Klein.

To learn more and to share your thoughts about the proposed health benefits tax, visit the official website of the President's Advisory Panel on Federal Tax Reform. They have to submit their report to the Treasury Department by November 1st, so be sure to get your comments in soon.

Reader Feedback re: "Understanding Diversity" Astronology Article

Yesterday's Astronology Article, "Understanding Diversity - It's More than What You See on the Surface" stirred up some debate among readers. Richard L. Virgilio, SPHR, of First Principles Coaching & Intrepid HR Consulting, Batavia, IL, shared his view on the subject...

I think that it is wrong to "try to mirror the population of a community," as put forth by the BostonWorks article. That metric ("mirror") smacks of quotas, and inevitably is wrong. As an employer, I must--MUST--hire the best qualified people who want to work for me. To do anything else is to betray my stakeholders and be absolutely open to the criticism, "Why didn't you hire the best qualified?" Or worse, "Why did you pass over these people who expressed interest in the position, were well qualified, and instead went out and beat the bushes to find this person who wasn't particularly interested--how long will he last?" The true, underlying philosophy of diversity is both to (a) be sure you are not excluding any particular group from your candidate pool and (b) be sure to not take such immutable characteristics as any factor whatsoever as part of the hiring decision. Diversity for it's own sake is a wrong-headed goal, and when we try to "mirror the community" we are disregarding specific talent and experience.

As always we welcome reader feedback. Keep your comments coming!

Ruling Defines "Internet Job Applicant" for Contractors

Definition of 'Internet job applicant' clarified for contractors#P-11_0

Realizing that an increasing number of job applications come through the Internet rather than traditional methods, the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) has issued a regulation that states that resumes received electronically or by "snail mail" be treated equally when it comes to determining equal employment opportunity.

The final rules, which go into effect in February 2006, require that covered federal contractors obtain data on gender, race, and ethnicity on applicants and supply to the OFCCP. The OFCCP in turn uses this data to determine which organizations may be practicing possible employment discrimination. SHRM Online reports...

“This new rule provides clear guidance to allow us to better enforce the law,” said Charles E. James, Jr., deputy assistant secretary for OFCCP, in a press release. “This final rule will enable OFCCP to effectively evaluate whether federal contractors are recruiting a diverse pool of qualified applicants and hiring new employees on a non-discriminatory basis. It also helps contractors by clarifying an ambiguity that, until now, left contractors guessing at what information they needed to collect from Internet applicants.”

Will this new ruling effect your organization? Check out the full article here.

Top 10 OSHA Violations

OSHA's Top 10 Violations

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration recently released the 10 most-violated OSHA standards of 2005. There have been 40,463 violations in 2005 thus far, which is currently 4,200 less than in 2004.

Scaffolding continues to be the most-violated standard (8,130 violations), followed by Hazard Communication (6,641 violations) and Fall Protection -- General Requirements 5,504 violations). To view the entire top ten, click here.

How Flexible is Your Disaster Plan?

The Best-laid Disaster Plans Are Merely Works in Progress | workforce.com

Prior to the Gulf Coast hurricanes, many employers had disaster plans in place. However, due to unpredictibility of nature, disaster plans, in most cases, are merely works in progress. Communication problems, administraive hurdles and housing issues, all created additional challenges to organizations effected by Katrina and Rita. Workforce Management takes a look at how three companies... Sodexho USA, McDonald's and Entergy... weathered the storm. It's an interesting read that may make you rethink your own disaster plan. Check it out here.

HRAs and HSAs Not Yet Popular

Benefitnews.com - Information for HR and Benefit Directors and other Employee Benefit Plan Sponsors and Advisers

According to a recent survey of 2,995 employers by the Kaiser Family Foudation and the Health Research and Educational Trust, only 4% of employers with health benefits offer an HRA or an HSA to their employees. From BenefitNews.com...

About 1.6 million workers are enrolled in HRAs, representing 2% of covered workers. Among workers with access to an HRA, 25% enrolled in it. The average annual employer contribution to HRAs is $3,872 for single coverage and $7,538 for family coverage.

Meanwhile, 800,000 workers are enrolled in HSA-qualified health plans, representing 1.8% of covered workers. Just 15% of workers with access to this type of plan enrolled in it. The average annual employer contribution to an HSA-qualified plan is $2,270 for single coverage and $6,245 for family coverage. Roughly 67% of employers offering an HSA-qualified plan contribute to workers' accounts.

It appears that part of the reason for the low enrollment may be due to a lack of incentive. According to Gary Claxton, VP at the foundation, "HRAs don't really offer much savings to employers yet. The HSA-qualified plans, when you consider the contributions that the employers make to the HSAs, are a little bit cheaper than traditional health insurance."

Bush Suspends Davis-Bacon Law in Katrina Damaged Areas

Bush Suspends Prevailing-Wage Law in Katrina Zone

In a controversial move, President Bush decided to suspend the Davis-Bacon Act, the law which requires federal contractors to pay the prevailing or average pay in the region, in the hurricane-damaged areas of Alabama, Florida, Lousiana, and Mississippi. Believing that the Davis-Bacon act actually increases construction costs, Bush said that suspending it "will result in greater assistance to these devastated communities and will permit the employment of thousands of additional individuals."

His ruling infuriated labor leaders, as well as others who believe that suspending the law is actually an opportunity to exploit workers and further depress the area's living standard. From HR.BLR.com...

House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi noted that the Davis-Bacon Act was signed into law at "a time when scurrilous employers were taking advantage of the desperation of American workers to care for their families. At that time, and for more than 70 years since then, the federal government has demanded that when taxpayer money is spent, workers should be paid a livable wage.

"But today," she continued, " the Bush Administration demonstrated the latest example of its anti-worker agenda, with an executive order rescinding the requirements of the Davis-Bacon Act for areas hit by Hurricane Katrina. That means that as workers return to their lives and livelihoods on the Gulf Coast, the Bush Administration wants to use federal money to exploit them by paying less than the prevailing wage."

Opinions abound on the subject. What's yours?

To read Bush's proclamation, click here.

To read the Washington Post article, "Bush Suspends Pay Act in Areas Hit by Storm," click here.

No Shortage of Jobs for Gulf Coast Healthcare Workers

Healthcare recruiters are wooing displaced Hurricane Katrina healthcare workers with perks such as signing bonuses and relocation assistance.

Gulf Coast healthcare firms are concerned that once life returns to normal in the hurricane ravaged areas, that there won't be enough people to fill the positions.

From HR.BLR.com...

Out-of-state recruiters tell USA Today that they are helping, not poaching, since the workers need jobs.

"Even if we didn't exist, these nurses and health professionals would go somewhere else because they have to," says Alan Braynin, CEO of Access Nurses, a San Diego-based staffing agency.

Only time will tell to see if the workers return to their former Gulf Coast employers.