ON THE SUBJECT OF MANDATORY RETIREMENT( life / money / employment )
In response to my comment, Whatever the mandatory retirement age is these days -- 67? -- it needs to apply to politicians, too.
There is no mandatory retirement age, but you legally have to file for retirement on your 70th birthday, which will give you the maximum social security benefit for the rest of your life, ... read more
PROFESSOR BRANDON GARRETT ON CORPORATE CRIMINAL IMMIGRATION PROSECUTIONS( life / money / employment )
Immigration laws are criminally enforced not just against individuals, but also against corporations. For individuals, federal immigration prosecutions are a mass phenomenon. More than a third of the federal criminal docket nearly 40,000 cases each year...Read, list... read more
EMPLOYEES SURPRISE HARDWORKING 13-YEAR-OLD WITH NEW LAWNMOWER( life / money / employment )
A Lowe's home improvement store in Tennessee surprised a hardworking 13-year-old with a brand new lawnmower after his mower broke down. at sunnyskyz.com/good-news/3890/Loweand-039-... read more
ANOTHER DAY IN PARADISE, DAY 2751( life / money / employment )
Sitting here looking at Harold (not his real name) to my right. My workday would be sooooo much better if I could ignore him, but, being in the cubicle across the aisle, I can't. For those new to this space, Harold is an idiot. Literally. Okay, idiot/savant might be more accurate. He is wicked smart when it comes to computer programming, b... read more
DISNEY HEIRESS NAILS IT( life / money / employment )
We could not agree more. See marketwatch.com/story/disney-heiress-calls-ceo-bob-igers-65-million-pay-package-insane-Disney heiress calls CEO Bob Iger's $65 million pay package 'insane.' When Iger got his bonus last year, I did the math, and I figured out that ... read more
JOB LISTING( life / money / employment )
I get these job listing emails (just in case something awesome comes along). This latest one (probably created by AI (artificial/lower intelligence)) said they have several jobs just for you: Hospice Aide (Los Angeles), Chaplain (Paramus), Registered Nurse Case Manager (Peru). Peru? As in South America? And I don't qualify for any of them,... read more
ET TU, CORPORATE AMERICA?( life / money / employment )
Even corporate America is blocking Alex Jones / InfoWars these days. Trying to read an article online during my lunch break, I get the following censorship notice: Block Reason: Content Filtering. Category: questionablePathetic, but at least they stopped blocking DrudgeReport. Although, now that Drudge has been sold and turned a sharp l... read more
BAIN CAPITAL HELPS KILL ANOTHER ICONIC AMERICAN COMPANY( life / money / employment )
Once Toys R Us was taken over, however, the debt that Vornado Realty, KKR and Bain used to acquire it was pushed back onto the company, skyrocketing its debt obligations to $7.6 billion.... read more
NEW SUIT FOR HOMELESS MAN NEW JOB( life / money / employment )
Great story!
It was about as low as you can get, but Smith decided to at least make it to the new year. When he went on ksl.com to look for jobs, he saw a story KSL did on a Utah company giving suits to homeless people to help them feel confident during job interviews.
: hr... read more
ANOTHER HEADHUNTER EMAIL( life / money / employment )
I know they're just doing their jobs, but headhunters (job recruiters) can be some of the most dehumanizing people I've ever had to deal with. Because of that, I like to have a little fun at their expense whenever possible. Here's a recent email exchange:Headhunter... read more
JOB OFFER( life / money / employment )
Got the below email today. Probably because they saw that I have several books on Amazon ( amazon.com/Last-Train-William-Arthur-Holmes/dp/1514268132here , amazon.com/Lottery-President-ebook/dp/B00D9VCP1Ohere and amazon.com/Ope... read more
ONE FIFTH OF U.S. WORKERS WERE LAID OFF IN PAST FIVE YEARS( life / money / employment )
One-fifth of US workers were laid off in past five years.
Nearly 40% said it took more than seven months to find employment and about one in five of laid-off workers said all they could find was a temporary position.... read more
WORKING FOR SOMEONE ELSE( life / money / employment )
Something I've always hated about working for someone else (in the corporate setting, at least) is that you're expected to believe (or convincingly pretend) that the people in positions above you are in fact superior to you. It's just one more thing to gnaw at me during my time there. That expectation seems to be even stronger the fu... read more
SUBSIDIZING THE CORPORATE ONE PERCENT( life / money / employment )
Apparently, those bastions of capitalism are in fact socialists, at least when it works for them.As a result of substantial enhancements we have made to our Subsidy Tracker database, it is possible for the first time to estimate the share of total state and local economic development awards going to the large... read more
SWITZERLAND SHOWS US HOW TO HANDLE CEOS( life / money / employment )
truth-out.org/opinion/item/20313-switzerland-shows-us-how-to-handle-ceosSwitzerland Shows US How to Handle CEOs . Here in the United States, had the minimum wage kept pace with productivity since the 1960s it would now be huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/13/minimum-wage-... read more
HOW AMAZON WORKS STAFF TO THE BONE( life / money / employment )
dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2512959/Walk-11-miles-shift-pick-order-33-seconds-Amazon-works-staff-bone.htmlWalk 11 miles a shift and pick up an order every 33 seconds... how Amazon works staff 'to the bone' Adam Littler, 23, told of the 'unbelievable' press... read more
FOOD STAMP CORPORATE WELFARE( life / money / employment )
Millions of Americans are angry because food stamp recipients can use their benefits to buy junk food but don't realize that they are able to do so because corporate America wouldn't have it any other way.Coca Cola, Kroger, Walmart, Kelloggs and other corporations have all lobbied the United States Department of Agriculture ... read more
CORPORATE WELFARE VS. SOCIAL WELFARE SPENDING( life / money / employment )
Market subsidies, market protections, market interventions, regulatory favors, favorable legislation, legal protections, ex-post facto reclassification's, government spending (Keynesian), artificially low interest rates (monetary policy), government takeovers of private sector assets (not what you think), and government bailou... read more
AMERICA'S RE-SHORING OF JOBS IS ACCELERATING( life / money / employment )
Good!Over the past couple of years, we've projected an improvement in U.S. manufacturing competitiveness by 2015 that would help drive an American manufacturing revival. The results of our latest survey make clear that a profound shift in attitude is beginning.... read more
MINIMUM WAGE ADJUSTED FOR INFLATION( life / money / employment )
I don't agree with this calculation, but, for what it's worth, my brother sent this out recently. So, in case I'm wrong and he's right, which almost never happens...50 years ago (1963) the minimum wage was 1.25. See dol.gov/whd/minwage/chart.pdfdol.gov/whd/minwage/chart.pdf .... read more
THE 1% AND WHAT DO THEY DO FOR A LIVING( life / money / employment )
A lot of emphasis is on the 99% versus the 1% in these protests. But who are the 1% and what do they do for a living? Are they all Wilt Chamberlains and Oprahs and other people taking part in the dynamism of the new economy? Nope. It's same as it ever was -- high-level management and the financial sector.... read more
FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL, I MEAN, WORK( life / money / employment )
Feels like the first day back at school after summer vacation, except in this case it's not even summer yet and I'll be starting a new job, not school, today. I hope it lasts longer than the last few jobs! I have had a string of incredible bad luck over the past decade through no fault of my own, I swear. :)I guess it started with tha... read more
A WEEK OF TESTING( life / money / employment )
Took a test yesterday. Hope I passed! New job depends on it! Hope I did better than the previous day's job-related test. That one was on Windows 7 and Server 2008 techie stuff, and I just haven't kept up with Win 7, not as a tech, especially in regard to its various corporate scenarios. The test only served to remind me how tired of bein... read more
GORE VIDAL QUOTE( life / money / employment )
Depressing but true.The genius of our ruling class is that it has kept a majority of the people from ever questioning the inequity of a system where most people drudge along, paying heavy taxes for which they get nothing in return. -- Gore Vidal... read more
ECONOMIC INEQUALITY IS NOT SUSTAINABLE( life / money / employment )
A Top Heavy 1 Percent Will Topple Without a Stable Middle Class. Focusing exclusively on deficit reduction is the wrong policy. Focusing solely on cutting spending is the wrong policy. Focusing on jobs is the right policy now and in the future.Read, listen or... read more
IMMELT MOVING JOBS AND ECONOMIC INFRASTRUCTURE TO CHINA( life / money / employment )
The hypocrisy would be laughable if not such a serious problem.: theeconomiccollapseblog.com/archives/ge-ceo-jeffrey-immelt-the-head-of-obamas-jobs-council-is-moving-jobs-and-economic-infrastructure-to-china-at-a-blistering-paceGE CEO Jeffrey Immelt, The Head Of Obama's... read more
THESE TWO PHRASES ON YOUR RESUME ARE WHY IT JUST HIT THE TRASH CAN( life / money / employment )
They might be right about greatresumesfast.com/this . Worth a shotDoes your resume read like a job description? Is it one long list of bullets that contain the phrases duties included or responsible for? Sought-after candidates (the ones whose phones are ringing off the hook for ... read more
VERIZON TO LAY OFF 1,700 WORKERS AFTER PAYING CEO $22 MILLION LAST YEAR( life / money / employment )
Yes, large corporations really are that stupid, short-sighted and corrupt. If this CEO had any decency (as if), he would have said, No, give me one million and split the rest with those 1700 laid-off workers. It would have come out to roughly $12,000 per employee. America's largest wireless service provider ... read more
WHY FAKING ENTHUSIASM IS THE LATEST JOB REQUIREMENT( life / money / employment )
I hate when companies do this. Create a better environment for your employees, don't require them to be a pack of phonies!: fastcompany.com/3005419/why-faking-enthusiasm-latest-job-requirementWhy Faking Enthu... read more
GIRL QUITS JOB( life / money / employment )
This is an instant classic. Girl quits her job on dry erase board, emails entire office (33 Photos): thechive.com/2010/08/10/girl-quits-her-job-on-dry-erase-board-emails-e... read more
EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT, WHY IT'S IMPORTANT( life / money / employment )
It doesn't matter if managers are introverted or extroverted, timid or bold, loud or quiet, as long as they are making people feel like they are growing, appreciated, and confident in their future at the company ...... read more
WHIRLPOOL THREATENS PENSIONS( life / money / employment )
Unfortunately, we've just had another open theft of retired worker's benefits, this time Whirlpool management stealing the health care coverage of retired former Hoover workers and their families. Once again, we see Carpetbag managers brought in from outside our community, Whirlpool, which took over the Hoover plant, comin... read more
US CORPORATE PROFITS VS EMPLOYEE WAGES( life / money / employment )
In Japan the ratio of pay for a CEO compared to that of the average worker is approx. 11 to 1. In Germany that ratio expands to a dizzying 12 to 1. And in the United States it's 475 to 1.: https:... read more
JOB HUNTING( life / money / employment )
Can't companies at least send a denial letter/email? It's rude to leave us twisting in the wind. ... read more
FREELANCERS UNION, A FEDERATION OF THE UNAFFILIATED( life / money / employment )
Freelancers union, a federation of the unaffiliated. Looks like a good idea. We're working to secure a better future for independent workers. Join usmembership is free! freelancersunion.org/Freelancers Union ... read more
FOR ALL BOSSES WHO DISLIKE DIRECTNESS( life / money / employment )
...and are afraid of offending anyone...
Simon Sinek says, Bad leaders may edit the truth for fear of causing discomfort. Good leaders accept that the truth is often uncomfortable.: h... read more
THE MINIMUM WAGE POPULAR WITH THE PUBLIC BUT NOT THE DONOR CLASS( life / money / employment )
The minimum wage, popular with the public, but not the donor classfrom commondreams.org/The Minimum Wage: Popular With the Public, But Not the Donor Class One of the best proposals to come out of the State of the Union was the President's proposal to raise the m... read more
MICRO GIGS( life / money / employment )
Interesting article on micro gigsA crush of apps allowing us to do discrete tasks for small sums of money might be the future. But the atomization of paid labor leaves workers vulnerable.: target... read more
ROMNEY'S BAIN CAPITAL SENDING MANY JOBS TO CHINA( life / money / employment )
On the day before an election that's supposed to hinge on jobs, taxes and the middle class, Bain Capital, the company Mitt Romney founded, will close the doors of a factory in Freeport, Illinois, and ship 170 good, high-tech jobs to China.Read, listen or watc... read more
GOOD NEWS FOR BAD REFERENCES( life / money / employment )
Picture this scenario: you've been seeking new employment at a company, but without success. Your employment credentials are excellent and while you've been able to land the interviews -- sometimes more than one with a prospective employer -- that job for which you're well qualified, continues to elude you. Even more omi... read more
SELFISH CEOS( life / money / employment )
alternet.org/economy/148035/hiddencorporatescandal%3Aceoswholaidoffthemostworkersrakeinthemosttreasure/?page2CEOs who lay off the most people rake in the profits ... read more
5 WAYS YOUR BOSS IS KILLING YOUR COMPANY CULTURE( life / money / employment )
I agree. And a big reason for this, I believe, is that hiring-managers hire based on likability, enthusiasm, and an applicant's degree (no matter what that degree is in) rather than on experience and intelligence. So, the people who end up running things often have no real idea what they're doing, but, darn it, they're en... read more
LAYOFFS ARE FOR LAZY CORPORATE OVERSEERS( life / money / employment )
management.fortune.cnn.com/2013/03/05/layoffs/Why layoffs are for lazy corporate overseers -- Fortune Management .Layoffs are often a sign of failure by top executives to properly manage a business and forecast needs.The corporate movement away from job security coincided with the advent of targetblank... read more
THE CASE FOR A 25 HOUR WORK WEEK( life / money / employment )
Whatever you may think of this theory, there are certainly many who think (including Sheryl Sandberg) the status quo 40/50...: inc.com/laura-entis/25-hour-work-week-an-argument-for-redi... read more
EMPLOYMENT PAGE( life / money / employment )
oneoc.org/Non-profit job listings taprootfoundation.orgTap Root catchafire.orgCatch Afire idealist.orgIdealist href... read more
IBM'S INTERNAL PLAN, FIRE MOST U.S. EMPLOYEES( life / money / employment )
The primary method for accomplishing this feat, according to the plan, will be by reducing US employee head count by 78 percent in that time frame.: cryptogon.com/?p28682IBM's Inter... read more
THE 10 MOST HATED COMPANIES IN AMERICA( life / money / employment )
Facebook currently has more than 800 million users. Any company of this size is sure to have some detractors. Compared to other leading social media sites, however, Facebook has the lowest customer satisfaction score from the American Customer Satisfaction Index. The site has repeatedly irked users by neglecting personal privacy. ... read more
SAVING THE RICH, LOSING THE ECONOMY( life / money / employment )
US politicians such as Buddy Roemer blame the collapse of US manufacturing on Chinese competition and unfair trade practices. However, it is US corporations that move their factories abroad, thus replacing domestic production with imports. Half of US imports from China consist of the offshored production of US corporations.... read more
BOYCOTT VERIZON IF AT ALL POSSIBLE( life / money / employment )
They're intrepidreport.com/archives/2937forcing pay cuts for the people who do the actual work there while their executives get millions in bonusesLast year Verizon.comVerizon made $12 billion in profits, got $1 billion in gover... read more
CEO SALARIES( life / money / employment )
Just warms your heart, doesn't it? Not. It turns out that the good times are even better than we thought for American chief executives. : nytimes.com/2011/07/03/... read more
BATTLING THE CORPORATE "ELITE"( life / money / employment )
... one major role of the US government in the corporatocracy is to serve as a scapegoat to deflect rebellion against the corporate elite. (prepare for so many popups, they'll cover the entire screen): ... read more
FLORIDA CUTS UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS TO PAY FOR CORPORATE TAX CUT( life / money / employment )
I worked for this jackass years ago when he was CEO of Columbia/HCA. He was an out-of-touch elitist primadonna back then, and hasn't changed much, only now has less hair.In the last few months, conservatives in several states have moved to limit unemployment benefits, even with the national unemployment rate at 9 ... read more
NEW JOB STARTS TODAY( life / money / employment )
I hope I like it. UPDATE (2 years later):I didn't. /pages/first-day-of-school-i-mean-workFirst day of school I mean work ... read more
CORPORATIST AMERICA( life / money / employment )
A battle over the budget is closing our schools, our libraries, firing our teachers and taking away collective bargaining rights. While the banks and largest corporations are also not paying any taxes, including Bank of America, Exon Mobil, and GE.Read, listen or... read more
NEW JOB STARTING NEXT WEEK( life / money / employment )
I'm starting a new job next week, so I ran a test of how long it would take to get there after dropping Elizabeth off at school. It was 7:42 when they started letting the kids inside, allowing me to leave. I could do like a lot of parents and just drop her off and take off, but I like to make sure she's safely inside before I go. Other p... read more
CHECK OUT A COMPANY BEFORE APPLYING THERE( life / money / employment )
CUSTOMER SATISFACTION SURVEYS( life / money / employment )
When given one of those customer satisfaction surveys, always try and give a glowing report about the individual who helped you (unless they were terrible, of course) because those surveys are just another tool for corporations to harass their already under-paid, under-appreciated employees.You don't want to be responsible for getting som... read more
WE ARE RULED BY HUGE CORPORATE MONOPOLIES( life / money / employment )
We are ruled by huge corporate monopolies that replicate the political and economic power, on a vastly expanded scale, of the old trading companies of the 17th and 18th centuries. walmart.comWalmart 's gross annual revenues of $250 billion are greater than those of most small nation-states. ... read more
OLD AGE DISCRIMINATION SUIT VS GOOGLE( life / money / employment )
The California Supreme Court unanimously agreed that a trial court erred in dismissing a complaint by Brian Reid, who was hired in 2002 as a director of operations and engineering, and fired less than two years later at age 54 after being told he was not a good cultural fit. reut... read more
LIKE A CANCER( life / money / employment )
A business plan requiring constant expansion is, almost by definition, a cancer, and equally unhealthy.... read more
IT'S THE JOBS, STUPID( life / money / employment )
Good article here. Read the quote from the lifelong Republican who was a victim of a mass layoff and now can't find a job. blog.aflcio.org/2010/06/01/its-the-jobs-stupid/blog.aflcio.org/2010/06/01/its-the-jobs-stupid/ ... read more
THE JOB MARKET( life / money / employment )
When I applied and scheduled an interview for a job at the financial arm of the Methodist Church, I knew I was not a right fit for them. After all, I'm not only not Methodist, I'm not even Christian. When the HR manager called a couple days later to cancel the interview, I had a strong suspicion her excuse was concocted.I'm g... read more
ANOTHER INTERVIEW( life / money / employment )
I went to another job interview yesterday. It was downtown visitmusiccity.com/Nashville in the once trendy Cummins Station building. I've had a few consulting clients there over the years. The company interviewing me shall remain nameless. Coincidentally, a few hours before the interview I received ... read more
LETTER TO A FORMER CO-WORKER( life / money / employment )
I'm glad you and Cathy are doing well. Our daughter Elizabeth is doing well, too. She spent last night with a cousin north of town so she can attend that little girl's birthday party today. Elizabeth's own birthday party was last month. I'm sort of employed, working for myself doing computer consulting fixing people's co... read more
HOW COMPANIES SHOULD CUT BACK( life / money / employment )
When faced with too many expenses and not enough income and you have run out of expenses to reduce, rather than firing employees, the fair and socially-responsible way to cut costs is NOT to fire employees who had nothing to do with those costs getting too high. The FIRST target of cost-cutting needs to be ...I think I originally suggested ... read more
IN THE WAITING ROOM( life / money / employment )
I went to a pre-employment drug screening this morning. Last week, I had interviewed for an IT instructor position. Had to give a mock class, and everything. I chose the subject of securing your home wireless network . It was fun. Anyway, no, I haven't been hired ... yet. They require this test before even thinking about hiring me.
... read more
LAID OFF( life / money / employment )
It's been almost three weeks now, and I'm finally able to talk/blog about my layoff. After the merger and corporate restructuring at work, it was finally my turn to have my position eliminated. I instinctively felt it coming. In fact, I couldn't sleep the night before, worrying about it. No one had said anything to me, it was just ... read more