Tuesday, August 31, 2004

Unhappy at work, but unwilling to change

A recent telephone survey of 2600 respondents indicates that while many American workers are unhappy with their jobs, the condition of the current job market precludes them from moving on.

The article also describes the growing prevalence of blogs as a way of sharing one's gripes about work:

With more than 2.5 million blogs online for all the world to see, this trend can create numerous legal problems, warns Michael D. Karpeles, head of the labor and employment law group with the Chicago law firm Goldberg Kohn Bell Black Rosenbloom & Moritz Ltd.

"The biggest problems can arise when employees ... accidentally or deliberately reveal proprietary information, vent frustrations with company policies or a particular manager or executive, or otherwise publish information that the company would prefer to keep internal," Karpeles said.

Many companies are still trying to sort through the new terrain and answer some tough questions:
  • Does it matter if the blogger is writing from work or home?
  • Do First Amendment free-speech rights apply?
  • Is it legal to broadcast embarrassing company information, as long as it's true?
Karpeles noted another potential headache, this one for the workers -- future employers might be leery of hiring a prolific workplace blogger.
What do you think?

The Balancing Act

For many workers, flexibility is no longer a nice-to-have - it's a need-to-have to find that work-life balance. And workplaces are responding. Instead of losing valued employees, many companies are opting to offer their employees quality of life benefits our parents would have never thought possible. Let's face it, the typical 9 to 5 workday is fading away as employees demand a better work and life balance and employers respond by offering a variety of flexible scheduling options. In a survey conducted recently by consulting firm Hewitt Associates, three out of four businesses said they offer part-time, flextime, job sharing or compressed work weeks and other alternatives.

So what's an employee to do when his or her boss lives in the dark ages and is unwilling to give flexibility a chance? It may be time to consider changing jobs. However, before drafting your letter of resignation, you should take the time to research the various flexible scheduling options and decide which would benefit both you and your employer.
Some of the options include
  • Telecommuting
  • Flexible and part-time schedules
  • Compressed work week and
  • Job sharing

Saturday, August 28, 2004

Promote Yourself to a New Job: 2010 -- A Job Odyssey

Note: My Yahoo! Daily Tips via HotJobs do not exist with permanent URLs. Thus, I have posted the entire tip below:

Promote Yourself to a New Job: 2010 -- A Job Odyssey

by Caroline Levchuck

It's one of the most modern forms of self-promotion: Blogging.

Blogs are online journals. Easy to create, a blog can help you establish yourself as a voice to be reckoned with in your industry.

Ana Marie Cox's political gossip blog, Wonkette.com, led to a job covering the Democratic National Convention for MTV News.

Julie Powell, an unemployed New Yorker, put up a blog documenting her year-long odyssey cooking all 524 recipes in Julia Child's "Mastering the Art of French Cooking." It remains one of Salon.com's most popular
destinations and sparked Powell's new career as an author. She's contracted for a book to be published in 2005, based on her experiences.

A blog can help turn your name into a bold-faced one -- and make you a VIP in your field. If Cox and Powell can do it, so can you.
I would love to blog and get paid for it. I'm just not sure if what I blog about merits anyone paying me to do it. What do you all think?

Yahoo! News - Behind numbers lie struggles, successes

From the USA Today article:

...millions of other Americans, Clark, 44, lives in "a perpetual state of panic financially" - otherwise known as poverty. Census figures released Thursday show the number of impoverished Americans grew by 1.3 million from 2002 to 2003, and the number without health insurance increased by 1.4 million.

That left about 35.9 million people living below the poverty line in 2003. And the number of uninsured rose to 45 million.

Precisely how Americans have fared this year since the numbers were gathered remains a point of contention. The Bush administration argued Thursday that the statistics on poverty and income failed to account for an improving economy that continues to help millions of others prosper.
Read more...

Wednesday, August 25, 2004

Recommended Reading: Job Search



This book is an easy read with helpful advice on how to approach and succeed at your job search. Author covers the nine basic steps of getting a job, starting with implementing a specific job search plan (that's where JibberJobber can help!), understanding the selection process, determining what life experiences (good and bad) best describe your individual personality and talents (and how to discuss these experiences in a clear and concise manner), preparing for the interview, and more.

Google Search "Get That Job"

This blog is not the only "Get That Job" in cyberspace. Check out the Google search results to see additional information with the same name.

Tuesday, August 24, 2004

Jobs, Other Assistance Available for Workers Dislocated by Florida Storms

8/24/2004 12:07:00 PM

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To: National Desk

Contact: Lorette Post of the U.S. Department of Labor, 202-693-3984

WASHINGTON, Aug. 24 /U.S. Newswire/ -- U.S. Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao has announced a National Emergency Grant of up to $50 million, with an initial release of $16.5 million, to assist workers in Florida affected by Tropical Storm Bonnie and Hurricane Charley.

"President Bush and I want workers affected by this disaster to know that help is available now," said Secretary of Labor Chao. "Federal and state agencies are working around the clock to make sure that dislocated workers have access to temporary jobs, supportive services such as transportation and child care expenses and disaster unemployment insurance as quickly and easily as possible."

The National Emergency Grant will provide temporary employment as well as supportive services to eligible workers. Information on employment assistance is available by calling toll free 1-800- 342-3450.

In addition to assistance provided through this grant, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has made $2 million available immediately to eligible dislocated workers through the Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA) program, administered by the Department of Labor.

The major objective of DUA is to provide assistance to individuals whose employment or self-employment has been lost or interrupted as a direct result of a major disaster and who are not eligible for regular state unemployment compensation. Individuals who meet these criteria can file claims online at http://www.floridajobs.org or by phone at 1-800-204-2418. Operating One-Stop Career Centers and mobile One-Stop units are also accepting claims applications.

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U.S. Labor Department (DOL) releases are accessible on the Internet at http://www.dol.gov . The information in this news release will be made available in alternate format upon request (large print, Braille, audio tape or disc) from the COAST office. Please specify which news release when placing your request. Call 202-693-7765 or TTY 202-693-7755. DOL is committed to providing America's employers and employees with easy access to understandable information on how to comply with its laws and regulations. For more information, please visit http://www.dol.gov/compliance.

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A document outlining questions and answers about DUA for the State of Florida is below.
What is Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA)?

Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA) provides assistance to individuals whose employment or self-employment has been lost or interrupted as a direct result of a major disaster and who are NOT eligible for regular state unemployment insurance. The U.S. Department of Labor oversees DUA and coordinates with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), which provides the funds for payment of DUA and state administration (see note 1). DUA is administered by the state agency responsible for providing state unemployment insurance. In Florida, that is the Florida Agency for Workforce Innovation headquartered in Tallahassee.

What triggers the availability of DUA?

Based upon the request of the Governor, the President may declare that a major disaster exists and define the areas in the state that are eligible for financial assistance. President Bush declared a major disaster in certain parts of the state of Florida on Aug. 13.

Who is eligible for DUA?

Payment will be made to an unemployed worker who as a direct result of a major disaster:
  1. No longer has a job;
  2. Is unable to reach their place of work;
  3. Was to commence work and does not have a job or is unable to reach the job;
  4. Has become the breadwinner for the household because the head of household died (see note 2); or
  5. Cannot work because of a disaster-incurred injury.

Payment will be made to an unemployed self-employed individual who as a direct result of a major disaster:
  1. No longer can perform regular services in self-employment;
  2. Is unable to reach the place where self-employment services are performed;
  3. Was to commence regular service in self-employment and does not have a place or is unable to reach the place where services were to be performed; or
  4. Cannot perform services because of a disaster-incurred injury.

NOTE: An individual who becomes a breadwinner due to the death of a self-employed individual is considered an unemployed worker for DUA purposes.

For each week of unemployment, an individual must meet the "able to work" requirement and the "available for work" requirement of the state unemployment insurance program.

How much DUA can someone receive and for how long?

The maximum weekly benefit amount in the state of Florida is $275. The disaster assistance period commences the week of Aug. 16, 2004 and ends on Feb. 12. An individual can receive up to 26 weeks of DUA benefits as long as the individual's unemployment or self-employment was caused by the major disaster and continues as a result of the disaster. Applications for DUA must be made within 30 days of Aug. 16, 2004. DUA claims are being taken by Internet, telephone and mail. While some of the One-Stop Centers in the interior of the state are closed due to damage, the Florida agency is using a mobile One-Stop stationed in Charlotte County to take UI and DUA claims. The first check should arrive approximately three weeks after the initial claim is made. To file a DUA claim in Florida or for questions call 1-800-204-2418.

NOTES:
  1. DUA is considered an entitlement benefit subject to meeting the eligibility requirements detailed below.
  2. The individual becoming the breadwinner does not need to have wage credits and could be eligible for DUA even if the deceased individual would have had regular unemployment insurance eligibility. The breadwinner is entitled to the higher of the DUA amount based on either the deceased head of household's wages or their own DUA amount calculated under the provisions of the DUA regulations.
http://www.usnewswire.com/

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/© 2004 U.S. Newswire 202-347-2770/

Monday, August 23, 2004

New Overtime Rules Simplify Regulations for Small Businesses, Says SBA

8/23/2004 4:24:00 PM

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To: National Desk, Labor Reporter

Contact: Raul E. Cisneros of U.S. Small Business Administration, 202-205-7654

WASHINGTON, Aug. 23 /U.S. Newswire/ -- New overtime rules issued by the U.S. Department of Labor, going into effect today simplify regulations for small businesses.

"One of the pillars of President Bush's small business agenda is to reduce regulatory barriers for small businesses," said SBA Administrator Hector V. Barreto. "Previous rules had not been updated in decades, causing confusion and litigation for these entrepreneurs. These new rules will make it easier for small businesses to comply with overtime regulation."

The new rules guarantee overtime protections to 6.7 million workers earning $23,660 per year or less. About 1.3 million salaried white collar workers will gain up to $375 million in additional earnings per year. Another 5.4 million salaried workers will get a guarantee of overtime rights.

"With these new rules, small business employers will have more clarity should they decide to hire more employees without the fear of additional litigation," added Barreto. "Now, both employees and employers will have ironclad protections. This is very positive for small businesses in the long term."

For additional details on the new overtime rules, visit: http://www.dol.gov.

http://www.usnewswire.com/

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/© 2004 U.S. Newswire 202-347-2770/
via U.S. Newswire

Statement from John Kerry on New Bush Overtime Regulations

8/23/2004 1:43:00 PM

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To: Assignment Desk and Daybook Editor

Contact: Chad Clanton or Phil Singer, 202-464-2800, both of Kerry-Edwards 2004, Web: http://www.johnkerry.com

BOSTON, Aug. 23 /U.S. Newswire/ -- Senator John Kerry released the following statement today on the new Bush overtime regulations:

"Today, 6 million Americans across the country could get a pay cut from this administration. This is only the latest insult to America's middle class who are paying a higher tax burden, while at the same time wages are declining and families are paying skyrocketing costs for health care, energy and college tuition.

"America can do better. When I am president, we will strengthen the middle class by cutting taxes for 98 percent of families, reining in the spiraling cost of health care, protecting overtime and raising the minimum wage."

http://www.usnewswire.com/

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/© 2004 U.S. Newswire 202-347-2770/
via U.S. Newswire

Restoring Overtime Security for Millions of Working Americans

8/23/2004 12:08:00 PM

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To: National Desk and Labor Reporter

Contact: Lisa Kruska of the U.S. Department of Labor, 202-693-4676

WASHINGTON, Aug. 23 /U.S. Newswire/ -- U.S. Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao announced today that the final rules governing overtime eligibility for white-collar workers under the Fair Labor Standards Act are now in effect. The newly updated Overtime Security Rule strengthens and protects overtime pay for 6.7 million American workers. The new rules clarify and update ambiguous and confusing overtime regulations that were first created in 1939 and have not been substantially updated since 1949.

"6.7 million workers will see their overtime protections strengthened under the new Overtime Security Rule," said U.S. Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao. "Under the new rules, workers will know their overtime rights, employers will know their responsibilities and the department can more vigorously enforce these protections. In addition, the department has undertaken the most extensive compliance outreach on any regulation in its history to help employers comply with the new rules," added Chao.

The new rule expands the number of workers eligible for overtime by nearly tripling the salary threshold. Under the previous 50-year-old regulations, only workers earning less than $8,060 annually or $155 per week were guaranteed overtime. Under the new rule, workers paid less than $23,660 or $455 per week are now automatically guaranteed overtime regardless of their titles or duties. A number of salaried workers earning above this threshold will also gain the right to overtime under the new, stronger rules. This strengthens overtime protections for 6.7 million low-wage salaried workers, including 1.3 million salaried white collar workers who were not entitled to overtime pay under the previous regulations. Businesses will have to pay an additional $375 million and workers will gain that amount in additional earnings every year.

Hourly workers are guaranteed overtime regardless of how much they are paid. Blue collar and manual laborers and workers, such as construction workers, operating engineers, carpenters, and longshoremen are also guaranteed overtime under these newly effective rules. Police, firefighters, emergency medical technicians, licensed practical nurses and other first responders now have strengthened overtime protections. Union workers under collective bargaining agreements are not impacted.

With the new Overtime Security Rule, the U.S. Department of Labor, which has set new records for aggressive Wage and Hour enforcement, now has a strong new standard in place to better protect workers' pay.

To learn more about the new overtime security rules go to http://www.dol.gov/fairpay. This website includes fact sheets, video instruction and is searchable. It also tells workers how to file a complaint with the Department of Labor if they believe they are improperly being denied overtime.

------

U.S. Labor Department news releases are accessible on the Internet at http://www.dol.gov. The information in this release will be made available in alternative format upon request (large print, Braille, audio tape or disc) from the COAST office. Please specify which news release when placing your request. Call 202- 693-7773 or TTY 202-693-7755.

http://www.usnewswire.com/

/© 2004 U.S. Newswire 202-347-2770/
via U.S. Newswire: Releases: Restoring Overtime Security for Millions of Working Americans; The Department of Labor's New Overtime Security Rules In Effect Today

Saturday, August 21, 2004

It Would Be Funnier If It Wasn't True

"I have to have a raise," the man said to his boss. "There are three other companies after me."

"Is that so?" asked the manager. "What other companies are after you?"

"The electric company, the telephone company, and the gas company."

found on Jokes and Humor Weblog

Monday, August 16, 2004

elise.com: On The Job

Elise's 'On The Job' blog is worth linking to and referring to often.

How to Interpret a Job Ad

Ian's Messy Desk offers some humorous advice on How to Interpret a Job Ad. Behind every joke is an element of truth.

Wednesday, August 11, 2004

You're not the boss of me!

Be Your Own Boss

Even though the small-business failure rate is daunting, this is an opportune moment for <> budding entrepreneurs. Low interest rates and a still-soft job market have made capital and employees available at affordable rates. Credit is in ample supply, and banks are looking to lend. Factor in strong consumer and government spending and a pent-up demand for new wares by companies, and the picture becomes even more attractive. "I can't imagine a better time, from a broader economic perspective, to start a small business," says Mark Zandi, chief economist of Economy.com. He also points to strengthening sales figures across most industries as another reason to hang out a shingle now: Competition is less tight as many established firms have all the business they can handle.

Yahoo! News (reprinted from US News and World Report)

[cross posted to Jobfiler]

Tuesday, August 10, 2004

Films to Fuel Your Job Search: Welcome to the Jungle - MyYahoo! Daily Tip

by Caroline Levchuck

Going from the classroom to the boardroom can be a shock to your system.

Check out these flicks for advice and inspiration on how to make a minor league job your launching pad to the majors.

"How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying" (1967)
You may want to pick up a self-help book after watching this classic film. J. Pierpont Finch (Robert Morse) makes a meteoric rise from window-washer to vice president of the Worldwide Wicket Company thanks to unscrupulous advice in a how-to book. Word to the wise: Don't believe everything you read.

Reality Bites (10th Anniversary Edition) Budding filmmaker Lelaina (Winona Ryder) and her three Gen X friends find that college didn't necessarily prepare them for the perils of corporate America. A must-view when you're scared of selling out or surrounded by slackers.

The Secret of My Succe$s There's always room at the top, particularly when you invent a position there for yourself. Hey, it worked for Brantley Foster (Michael J. Fox). He goes from mailroom clerk to whiz kid executive, thanks to a vivid imagination, some quick changes and lots of close calls.

Wall Street
If you think greed is good, visit Wall Street. Bud Fox (Charlie Sheen), burgeoning big-time broker, aims high and lands the biggest client of his life. But hapless Fox lets his lust for money compromise his values, relationship with his family and stature as a law-abiding citizen. Let it be a lesson.

READ MORE ARTICLES FROM HOTJOBS AND YAHOO!:

How to Write a Resume That Gets Interviews
New and Emerging Occupations
Minor Matters That Make Your Interview

Read more career advice on Yahoo! HotJobs.
Sign up for Yahoo! HotJobs' newsletters and have career news delivered to your inbox.

Monday, August 09, 2004

How to earn a few extra Bucks by cleaning out your Basement

Okay, so it's the middle of summer and you're still unemployed. Why not earn a few extra bucks by cleaning out your basement or scouring the weekend yard sales in your neighborhood?

True story: Last weekend, I went to the Mountain Forums For Peace group yard sale at the Community Center. Traditionally, they have lots of good stuff, cheap. There, I found in a box of miscellaneous kitchen junk 3 old metal ice cube trays for 10 cents each. I placed them on eBay auctions with a starting bid of $7.99. They ended up closing at $15.50 plus shipping.

Now, obviously everything you find at a yard sale won't have this great a result - the key is to know what to look for and what to pay. A good general rule is to try to buy things for less than a dollar that you think you can sell for more than 5 bucks. It will cost you about 60 cents to list the item for a week, plus you pay eBay a % fee based on the final selling price. In the example cited above, then, my total costs on this item were about $1.68, leaving me a profit of $13.82. Plus the buyer covered my shipping costs.

If anyone would like more information on how to sell on eBay, please contact me. You can
visit my eBay Store here.

Sunday, August 08, 2004

Help Make Blogs More Visible!

Help Make Blogs More Visible!

NOTE: Be sure you paste live links for the Path List below.

There are by some estimates more than a million weblogs. But most of them get no visibility in search engines. Only a few "A-List" blogs get into the top search engine results for a given topic, while the majority of blogs just don't get noticed. The reason is that the smaller blogs don't have enough links pointing to them. But this posting could solve that. Let's help the smaller blogs get more visibility!

This posting is GoMeme 4.0. It is part of an experiment to see if we can create a blog posting that helps 1000's of blogs get higher rankings in Google. So far we have tried 3 earlier variations. Our first test, GoMeme 1.0, spread to nearly 740 blogs in 2.5 days. This new version 4.0 is shorter, simpler, and fits more easily into your blog.

Why are we doing this? We want to help thousands of blogs get more visibility in Google and other search engines. How does it work? Just follow the instructions below to re-post this meme in your blog and add your URL to the end of the Path List below. As the meme spreads onwards from your blog, so will your URL. Later, when your blog is indexed by search engines, they will see the links pointing to your blog from all the downstream blogs that got this via you, which will cause them to rank your blog higher in search results. Everyone in the Path List below benefits in a similar way as this meme spreads. Try it!
Instructions: Just copy this entire post and paste it into your blog. Then add your URL to the end of the path list below, and pass it on!

Path List

1. Minding the Planet
2. Wireless LAN
3. Writing Resources
4. BillBoard
5. Stock Quotes Stock Trading Stock Help
6. Christmas All Year
7. Quotes from Famous People
8. Recipes at World Famous Recipes
9. Jobs and Employment
10. Quotes
11. Jokes and Humor
12. 480 Area Code Guide
13. Phoenix Arizona East Valley Community Index
14. HTTP in Phoenix AZ
15. Daily Bible Verse
16. Love Poems
18. World Famous Recipes
19. Recipes Recipe
20. Members Space
21. Journey Inside My Mind
22. QuotesBlog
23. Get That Job!
24. (your URL goes here! But first, please copy this line and move it down to the next line for the next person).

NOTE: Be sure you paste live links for the Path List or use HTML code.

Tuesday, August 03, 2004

U.S. Labor Secretary Elaine L. Chao Discusses Job Growth, Aid for Workers at Louisiana Economic Forum

To: National Desk

Contact: Dirk Fillpot of the U.S. Department of Labor, 202-693-4676

HAMMOND, La., Aug. 3 /U.S. Newswire/ -- U.S. Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao told the Louisiana Economic Forum that President Bush's leadership and sound economic policies have led to strong job growth in Louisiana and across America, and that the Administration's commitment to reforming training and employment programs will help workers find and prepare for new job opportunities in the growing economy.

"Nationally, this is the 10th straight month of job growth," Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao said in the Forum's keynote address at Southeastern Louisiana University. "More than 1.5 million new jobs have been created since last August. The national unemployment rate is now 5.6 percent, which is lower than the average unemployment rate of the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s."

The steady and consistent growth in the national economy is evident in Louisiana, Secretary Chao noted. Louisiana's unemployment rate has dropped a full percentage point since June of last year. Louisiana added 5,900 jobs in June, across a broad range of sectors. Secretary Chao also pointed out that while the economy continues to improve, the Administration is committed to helping workers who are still looking for good, high-paying jobs.

"These improvements are good news for Louisiana and for the country. But President Bush and this Administration recognize that there are folks in Louisiana who still need help. The Department of Labor has tremendous resources available to help workers who are looking for jobs, transitioning between jobs or upgrading their skills," Chao said.

Some of the services available to job seekers include job training and counseling. Workers can also receive help paying for transportation, child-care expenses and health insurance premiums while looking for work. Louisiana alone receives $132.8 million annually from the U.S. Department of Labor for training and employment services.

Chao also encouraged workers in need of assistance to visit one of 19 Comprehensive One-Stop Career Centers in Louisiana. Workers can find the nearest center at http://www.servicelocator.org.
via U.S. Newswire