The U.S. is now 24 months into the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression. Over the course of those two years, we have lost 8.1 million jobs and 17.5 percent of the workforce–27.4 million workers–are unemployed, underemployed, or have given up looking for work. Economists surveyed by Bloomberg forsee the unemployment rate remaining at …
Putting People Back to Work and Obama’s Jobs Summit Read More »
Everybody’s favorite vampire squid, Goldman Sachs, has practiced a form of virtual class warfare for a long time now. But Bloomberg reports today that top execs there are now arming themselves for the real thing: “I just wrote my first reference for a gun permit,” said a friend, who told me of swearing to the …
When The Revolution Comes, Your 401(k) Will Be First Against The Wall Read More »
A labor dispute is threatening NBC’s “Christmas in Rockefeller Center” telecast. The National Association of Broadcast Employees and Technicians (NABET-CWA) Local 11, which represents nearly 3,000 of NBC’s producers, writers, and technicians, vowed Tuesday to “pull the plug” on Wednesday’s Christmas special -— which includes the lighting of the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree — over …
NBC Labor Dispute Threatens Rockefeller Center Christmas Special Read More »
In the last couple of weeks, there’s been a rise in the debate over H1N1 and paid sick leave policy. Emergency H1N1 legislation has been introduced by Sen. Chris Dodd that would require employers with more than 15 workers to provide seven days of paid sick leave if they or their children come down with …
An old UK study found that 81% of people had their best ideas outside of the office (but you’ll have to guess what percentage found them in the bathroom!). Visit any business web site, read current business magazines or listen to business gurus and it’s all about the “ideas”. In fact, it sometimes feels like …
Why Do Ideas Have Such a Hard Time Surviving at Work? Read More »
According to a survey of hiring managers, 44% reported that they were surprised that workers were different on the job than in an interview. Duh! This intrepid blogger decided to dig deeper; to explore this disparity from both the point of the view of the hiring manager and from the job seeker to find out …
Hiring Managers are from Mars and Job Seekers are from Venus Read More »
Judgment For Employee Due To Employer’s Failure To Accommodate I don’t remember ever reading a case quite like this one. The facts are quite graphic so be prepared. The story revolves around an incident of a store’s failure to accommodate a disability which led to a tragic result. What Happened In The Case A woman …
One Shocking Incident Of Disability Discrimination Supports Verdict For Employee Read More »
We’re accustomed to reading statistics from the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration about workplace injuries. Every year, for instance, there are 4 million work-related injuries. But ever wonder where OSHA gets those numbers? According to a new report by the Government Accountability Office, the Department of Labor and OSHA may not be doing enough …
Workers, community leaders and religious activists are holding rallies, prayer vigils and other actions in more than 40 cities around the country today as part of a National Day of Action to Stop Wage Theft. Wage theft is a national epidemic, which robs millions of workers of billions of dollars they’ve worked for but never …
Yesterday, the House Education and Labor committee took a look at sick leave policies and their contribution to the spread of the H1N1 virus (swine flu). Public health experts have been voicing concerns that H1N1 is going to be transmitted by ill employees attending work, so Rep. George Miller (D-CA) has crafted a bill that …
Madeline Messa is a 3L at Syracuse University College of Law. She graduated from Penn State with a degree in journalism. With her legal research and writing for Workplace Fairness, she strives to equip people with the information they need to be their own best advocate.
