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NEW YORK, Oct. 29 /PRNewswire/ -- The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America (Guardian), one of the largest mutual life insurance companies and a leading provider of employee benefits to midsize and small companies, offers employees and employers tips for leveraging their employee benefits in one of the worst economic environments since the Great Depression. Guardian's employee benefits experts compiled these ...

A reader writes: I have recently been on two interviews with a company. "When can you start" and "will this salary be acceptable" have been discussed. My issue is that my former employer of 12 years has a strict reference policy that only allows them to confirm dates of employment and salary. I provided additional references at the potential new employer's ...

NEW YORK - It doesn't have to be a downer when the weak economy forces small businesses to scale back their holiday parties from the big catered or restaurant affairs they held in the past. These events can still be opportunities to build teamwork and boost morale. An owner hoping for a great party should include employees in the planning. The ...

So much for sharing. The latest study from i4cp - now available for download in PDF and Interactive Data formats - reveals that less than a third of companies have a peer coaching program in place, and half don't have plans to implement one anytime soon. While most organizations don't have a program in place to directly share expertise, i4cp will ...

I have read all of Amy Tan's books starting with the Joy Luck Club, Kitchen God's Wife, The Hundred Secret Senses, and more. Each book carries the reader to the Far East and often, the author mentions people playing the game of Mahjongg, an ancient Chinese game of skill, strategy, and calculation with a certain amount of luck. I usually paused ...

There's a lot of talk about the pipeline -- that magical conveyer belt that calls a select few up toward the top of organizations. The pipeline is critically important for women, who in most organizations are notably absent from it. This underrepresentation of eligible females is often cited as the excuse for everything from pay inequity and the shortage of women ...

Employers can be very choosy. With about six unemployed people for every posted job, hirers have the luxury of large, and often quite talented, applicant pools. And, boy, is that frustrating the applicants. In the quest to find the perfect hire, many employers are putting candidates through hours, days or even weeks of tests, interviews, presentations and tryouts. Many job hunters ...

At the end of the month, most of us are counting down the hours until the paychecks hit our bank accounts. Even when the money does finally arrive, one look at the wage slip and we're dreaming of a bigger salary. However, for some women, a pay rise shouldn't be just something to fantasize over when taking a tea break. Last ...

Let's say your company has about 1,500 employees and annual revenue of about $1.4 billion and you want to develop the next product innovation that will boost revenue and increase customer retention. What if I told you that you could hire tens of thousands of people from all over the world (some of whom already work for companies like AT&T and ...

A reader writes: An acquaintance recommended me to his boss who, after several interviews, brought me on board. I really enjoy my job and my colleagues and I have received a lot of positive feedback from my boss. However, I am starting to have concerns about how well I am dealing with my (now) co-worker who passed my resume along. 1) ...

LUBUMBASHI, Democratic Republic of Congo -- Simone Maganga still feels deep shame when she recalls how, after her husband died, she was obliged to have sex with his younger brother in order to put the deceased's spirit to rest. "In order to remove your husband's dead body from your body, you must sleep with his little brother," said Maganga, a member ...

Oct. 24--Many Boulder city officials, past and present, agree that more needs to be done to recruit Hispanics, Latinos and other minorities into local government. Realizing that finding and providing leadership opportunities to those underrepresented groups has been difficult over the years, there's a renewed push at the city and county levels to reach out to potential minority leaders. [widget:hrgurus_layoff_survival_kit] The ...

It's that time of the year again… the holidays. It doesn't matter what you're celebrating; there's no excuse needed to throw a fabulous office bash. Let HR Guru help you find ideas for office games, themes and activities. There's something in here for every occasion! Break out the champagne and join us for these 25 party tips and ideas that ...

There's a change in the wind. Most employers believe the poor economy has been key to employee retention over the last year or so. But now they're gearing up for a time when only solid retention initiatives will make the difference between keeping and losing key talent. i4cp found that over half (58%) of those responding to their recent Employee Turnover ...

A reader writes: I work at a small company for now. 3 and a half people (the half being a part time contractor). There is no HR. The boss is HR. I have had several therapy sessions trying to figure him out. My therapist thinks he is an attention-deficit narcissist. He won't apologize, take responsibility, or listen. He disregards years and ...

Oct. 22--What if to keep your job, you were ordered never to reveal your gender, race or ethnicity? While in some cases others might be able to guess about the traits that make you who you are, you would not have the right to tell them -- plainly and simply -- so they did not have to speculate. That would be ...

The private insurance industry has been discriminating against older Americans for decades, charging them many times more for the same insurance than "more desirable" younger people pay. Now that we have the opportunity to require fairer and more affordable insurance options, the industry still wants to be allowed to discriminate on the basis of age. This unfair practice would continue to ...

SALT LAKE CITY - Closing Utah state offices on Fridays has delivered an unexpected bonus: a big saving on overtime pay. New calculations show Utah saved $4.1 million in the first year of a government experiment with a four-day workweek. State employees were eager to leave after the longer workday, and weren't inclined to work an extra hour or two. "They're ...

I created my first resume as I was graduating from college and preparing to apply for my first professional job. Some people have filled out applications or been hired without one, but very quickly are finding that if a potential employer requires a resume, you better have one. Today, high school students are learning the resume basics and creating one to ...

It's a tough job market out there, no question about that, but this downturn will pass. When? How? I don't know, but tough times call for a tough, flexible attitude.There isn't time for self-pity or feeling like a victim. I encourage you to find the emotional support you need to keep you from spiraling down. These are trying times, but remember, ...