Corporate Culture
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A Poor Dating Policy Could Break a Company's Heart—and Wallet
With employees and companies becoming more accepting of office romances, companies should make sure they protect themselves from any potential sexual harassment or discrimination lawsuits.
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Homeward Bound
For years companies have looked to outsource jobs to cut costs, but now more U.S. employers are looking to beef up operations domestically. It's a trend known as 're-shoring.'
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It’s All in the Wrist—and in the Back
Emphasizing ergonomic workspaces can lead to a healthier workforce, lower costs and a stronger business overall.
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When Innovation Turns Into Exasperation
Failed inventions and initiatives can give rise to painful—unproductive—“innovation trauma.”
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Not Your Grandfather's Industrial Lab
Nowadays, companies ranging from high-tech firms to service companies have invested in a new generation of idea factories. They share one trait: a mantra that time equals money.
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Innovative Thoughts on Innovation
Key takeaways from experts in the innovation arena
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Survey Shows Lack of Innovation Motivation
Four in 10 organizations see themselves as ineffective at fostering innovation, and there's a mismatch between what companies are doing and what they say is effective when it comes to inspiring inventiveness.
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Workforce Game Changers Call for More Attention to Innovation
To round out our exploration of innovation in the workforce, we turned to our Game Changers. Below are questions we asked them and some of their provocative answers.
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Brighter Ideas
To cook up greater creativity, organizations ought to update their approach to collaboration, compensation and culture.
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Risky Business People: Study Finds 1 in 8 Workers Bring Potential Peril to Their Company
Organizations need to recognize the advantages and disadvantages of behavioral risk of all employees. Doing so allows an organization to manage risk in a constructive way, according to a study published by SHL, an Atlanta-based talent management company.
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No Joke: Stand-Up Comedy Training for Employees Can Improve Workplace Culture
Infusing comedy into workplace culture has the potential to improve employee communication skills, build a tight-knit team of employees and lower turnover rate.
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SAP Looks to Spread the Word
SAP employees become social brand ambassadors while participating in corporate social responsibility programs.
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Your Brand, Their Words, Your Reputation: Keeping ‘Brand Ambassadors’ on Point
How to make your most prolific employees a positive representative of your brand.
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White Men Can’t Jump to Conclusions on Minority Issues
Rockwell Automation discovers the key to diversity training.
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What’s Wrong With Your Diversity Training?
Most diversity programs only focus on the experiences of women and people of color, and there is rarely any role for white men beyond making them feel guilty, an expert says.
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Catalysts of Creative Destruction
Despite the hype about private equity and job loss, they have little net effect on employment levels.
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Private Equity Turns and Burns … Its Past
While horror stories exist, in some cases private equity takeovers can lead to healthy updates to management methods and practices.
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Drama Discussions a Drag for Workers and a Bother for Bosses
Of the nearly 300 corporate executives, managers and employees who took a recent survey, nearly 40 percent said sex and relationships were the most taboo workplace topic.
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Chicago Boardrooms Lag Nation in Diversity
Overall, minorities account for only 12 percent of the boards of directors at Chicago's 50 largest firms, versus 15 percent at the 200 largest S&P 500 firms, said a new report by Chicago United, a not-for-profit group that advocates diversity in executive ranks.
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Learning Contributes Directly to Bottom Line: Study
Oakland, California-based research firm Bersin & Associates says companies with a sophisticated approach to employee development averaged three times higher revenue growth from 2008 to 2011.
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Democrats and Republicans Agree—Workplace Flexibility Key to Job Satisfaction
Congressional staff members and 25 members of Congress participated in a SHRM survey, which found that 55 percent feel that ‘flexibility to balance work and life issues’ is very important, but only 26 percent are very satisfied with the flexibility in their own workplace.
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Expedia Constructing Work-Site Clinic at Headquarters
The clinic is being constructed by Qliance Medical Management Inc., a Seattle-based health care firm that contracts with employers to provide primary care to employees and their dependents through its network of clinics.
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Business Spells COO a New Way: MIA
Across Chicago and the rest of the U.S., chief operating officers are being erased from the org chart. The disappearing act is part of the evolution toward flatter business structures as well as get-lean pressures that have companies looking twice at any personnel expense.
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Meet Marissa Mayer, Yahoo's Recruiter-in-Chief
The new CEO aims to turn the company around by fixing its people problems.
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Yahoo's Executive Shake-up: a Timeline
New CEO Marissa Mayer made key hires, mapped out talent plans before starting a brief maternity leave on Oct 1.
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Looming Strike in India a Threat to U.S. Companies?
Trade unions there called for a nationwide strike to protest India's opening of its retail sector to international retailers Walmart and Tesco.
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The Motherhood Penalty
Why women with kids are having a harder time finding work.
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Ex-Morgan Stanley Smith Barney Exec: I Was Fired for Whistle-blowing
Clifford Jagodzinski alleged in a complaint filed last month that his firing in April by MSSB was “an action for unlawful retaliation under the Dodd-Frank Act,” as well as claims under state law.
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Hobby Lobby Lawsuit Seeks to Block Enforcement of HHS Contraceptive Coverage Rule
Oklahoma City-based Hobby Lobby Stores, a privately held, self-described Christian-owned and -operated retail chain with more than 500 stores and 22,500 employees in 41 states, says it is the first non-Catholic owned business to challenge the HHS edict.
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How to Avoid Ethics Scandals
The only way to create an ethical workplace is by rewarding the right behavior—even if it means losing business.
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Penalty for Not Completing Health Risk Assessment Does Not Violate ADA: Court
Broward County began offering an employee wellness program in 2009 through its group health insurer. The county required all employees to take a health risk assessment and provide a blood sample to determine glucose and cholesterol levels.
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Demand Up for Recruiters with Social Media Skills
Recruiters with social media skills are most frequently recruited for jobs located in New York City, Chicago, Washington, Boston and Los Angeles.
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Love Takes Work, but Can Work Take Love?
Experts say companies should define their policies around co-workers dating, particularly when it comes to managers dating subordinates.
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General Motors' CEO Dan Akerson Urges Employees to 'Behave With Integrity'
Akerson told employees he wants to focus GM more on brands and customers, and better position the company to survive the next 50 or 100 years.
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More Companies Linking Rewards, Penalties to Wellness Program Results
Fifty-eight percent of employers offering wellness incentives pegged rewards to completion of lifestyle modification programs such as weight loss, smoking cessation and physical fitness.
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The Young and the Carless
Among millennials, the love affair with the automobile is turning chilly.
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HR Not Whining About Winemaker's Sustainability Rating
Companies nationwide are learning that sustainability has taken on a new holistic view of how the company treats the Earth and its inhabitants—particularly employees, stakeholders and customers.
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Meeting in the Middle
It's well known that more and more women have entered the workforce over the years. Data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics show that about 31 percent of adult women were employed in 1948, but that figure, which has dipped in recent years, jumped to 55 percent by 2011.
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Former United Flight Attendant Files Whistle-Blower Lawsuit
Malcolm Hamilton alleged he was fired after reporting to the Federal Aviation Administration that United had an “unofficial, unspoken policy” requiring flight attendants to file false reports.
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Poll: Social Life, Not Social Media, Is Work's Biggest Distraction
A new ComPsych poll runs contrary to other surveys that indicate that tools such as Facebook distract employees during work hours.
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Big Brother Is Watching: Why Social Media Policies Make Good Business Sense
Social media policies that define what employees can talk about and how employers will monitor them help organizations protect their intellectual property while giving workers a framework for online communication.
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Five Things Every Social Media Policy Should Do
Among other things, a policy should explain why breaking the rules could hurt the company.
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Analysis: Corporate Leaders, It's Not About Them. It's About You.
An executive must win the respect of those around him every day to be effective. Failure to do so undermines his or her success.
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The Last Word: Bulletin Board Material
Greg Smith's high-profile farewell may indeed offer inspiration to a generation of young financiers, becoming the article that's tacked to a bulletin board—or more likely a Facebook wall—as a daily reminder to do the right thing.
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Companies Bring Bring-Your-Own-Device Policies to the Party
More and more companies are establishing bring-your-own-device policies. Once they get past the initial security concerns, most company leaders are finding little downside to allowing employees to use their own smartphones and tablets for work.
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Cultivating a Virtual Culture
Startups operating as virtual enterprises from Day One, companies sending employees home to telecommute, and businesses hiring more mobile workers are changing the conventional wisdom about how to create corporate culture.
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Worker Confidence Hits 4-Year High
The index is based on an online survey conducted by Harris Interactive on behalf of Randstad. It surveyed 1,399 employed U.S. adults, 18 years old and older between March 13 and March 15.
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Gen Y Execs Shake Up Office Culture
Young, tech-savvy CEOs are transforming the workplace at New York startups.
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Doctors, Lawyers, Polish Online Image
Reputation management firms help professionals defend against bad reviews.
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Turning Off Email, Turning Up Productivity
Execs find the best way to promote efficiency is to minimize online distractions.
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Extreme Close-up: Report Says Workers Fired After Complaining About Camera
Two garbage workers in British Columbia say they were fired because they complained publicly about a surveillance camera being installed in their truck.
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Norwegian Insurance Company Monitors Workers' Bathroom Breaks
Norway's chief workplace ombudsman Bjorn Erik Thon told a media outlet that one firm required employees to wear a red bracelet during their menstrual cycles to indicate the need for more restroom visits.
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EEOC Files Sex Bias Suit Against Mavis Discount Tire
Filed Jan. 31 in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, the suit accuses Mavis Discount Tire and its allied companies of violating Title VII of the Civil Rights Act.
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Together at Last: How HR and Finance Are Working Together to Rein in Costs
HR may lead discussions about which health benefits programs to invest in, but finance is playing a larger role in the final decisions on where those dollars will be spent.
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Older Workers Affect Workers' Comp Loss Costs Less Than Expected
Despite an increasing number of aging U.S. workers, older employees have had a smaller-than-expected effect on workers compensation loss costs, according to NCCI Holdings Inc.
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How Big Is Your Year-End Bonus?
Nothing says more about China's booming auto market than the generous bonus given by the FAW-Volkswagen Automotive Co. The joint venture carmaker awarded its employees with a bonus that equals to 27 months of salary. On top of that, employees also received double salary for eight months this year.
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Preventing Employee Burnout: Customized Solutions
Employers are demanding more while employees are engaging less, but there is one way to keep your best workers from checking out completely—recognizing who they are and rewarding them accordingly
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EAPs: First Responders in a ‘Work-More Economy’
Employee assistance providers say they continue to see a continued spike in employee calls for help in coping with added work pressures.
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Worker ‘Gas Tanks’ Close to Empty
Scholars say employees have a reservoir of physical and psychological resources for fueling their work contributions—and those tanks are running low.
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Companies Pushing Workers Over the Limit
Like Charlie Chaplin's character in the comedy Modern Times about an assembly-line worker who loses it after tightening one bolt too many, HR consultant Art Quinn says that when employees are pushed to their limits, the workplace can be a dehumanizing place.
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Perhaps Your Workers Are Entitled to New Titles
A promotion can do a lot to make up for the longer hours and extra duties that many workers have wrestled with in the past couple of years. But firms often fail to see where employees who are learning on the job might fit into new roles.
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Democracy at Work: 5 Questions With Traci Fenton, Founder and CEO of WorldBlu
Many people like to keep politics out of the workplace. But to Traci Fenton, what workplaces badly need is the infusion of a political idea: democracy.
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Secret Santa? Scary!
Someone brought up a previous job they'd worked at and how the company would hold a Secret Santa event. I immediately felt this chill, like a nor'easter howling off Lake Michigan through an open window. Secret Santa? Oh man. Call in our EAP. I've harbored a Secret Santa humbug for years.
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Suit Claims Worker was Fired for Refusing to Wear '666' Sticker
In March 2010, as a company's accidnt-free tally approached the number 666—identified in the 'Revelations' book of the Bible as 'the number of the beast' and a representation of Satan—the employee informed his supervisors that his religious beliefs wouldn't allow him to wear that number.
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OSHA Issues Safety Guidelines for Black Friday Retailers
In a tip sheet posted Nov. 17, OSHA said workplace injuries during jam-packed holiday sales have increased, and cited the 2008 death of an employee trampled by Black Friday shoppers.
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Patagonia Fills Payroll With People Who Are Passionate
Perennially recognized as a good workplace for mothers, the California company also has earned a reputation for employee loyalty at a time when other apparel retailers commonly see turnover of more than 100 percent annually.
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Analysis Shows Most Employers Restore 401(k) Match
The suspensions occurred from January 2008 through January 2010, though most occurred during the first half of 2009, which was the peak of the Great Recession, according to research by Towers Watson.
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Health Care Cost Hikes Increasing, Expected to Continue
The key difference between the Kaiser Family Foundation and Aon Hewitt surveys is that the KFF survey included more fully insured plans, 40 percent, and more small and midsize firms, 85 percent, with fewer than 5,000 workers.
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Principal Financial Group's 10 Best Companies for Employee Financial Security—2011
These companies have shown that a commitment to outstanding benefits can be a factor in having a successful business.
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Investing in Employees
Despite a tough, volatile economy, 10 small to midsize companies have been able to run successful businesses while bringing stability to employees through strong benefits programs.
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Aon Hewitt CEOs Discuss Future Plans for Firm
One year ago, Aon Corp. completed its $4.9 billion acquisition of Hewitt Associates Inc., Aon's largest acquisition and the biggest deal ever involving a benefits consultant.
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Successful Staffing Strategies
Staffing firms and corporate human resources executives offer their best practices on developing a contingent labor strategy.
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EEOC Sues Fashion Boutique Delia's for Pregnancy Discrimination
The suspected harassment included constant questioning about some employees' ability to perform their jobs because they were pregnant, recommending they take leaves of absence or forcing them to take maternity leave early.
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NYC's Most Powerful Women: How They Did It
The best career decisions sometimes come from ignoring the worst advice, several of New York City's top women executives said at a Crain's New York Business luncheon Sept. 19.
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Multiple Choice Unrest: HRCI-SHRM Link Leaves Many Stumped
A low pass rate on exams and high cost for study materials have HR practitioners seeking to earn their credentials questioning the blurry relationship between SHRM and HRCI.
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‘People Pleasers,’ a Worker’s Best Friend?
Benefits plan administrators are discovering that lifestyle benefits are becoming more important, and employees are willing to eat the cost.
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The Goods on the 'Good Employer'
In an essay based on their new book, Workforce Management senior editor Ed Frauenheim and his co-authors, Laurie Bassi and Dan McMurrer, say workplaces must be at once caring, exacting, and stirring in the emerging "Worthiness Era."
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The Global Job Satisfaction Crisis
While there are many variables that can foster employee engagement, in general it comes down to three things. People want growth, recognition and to be able to trust their leaders.
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Report: Preparedness Lacking for Many Firms as Sept. 11 Anniversary Nears
One-third of companies report feeling well prepared for a potential threat or disaster, according to a recent poll by the Society for Human Resource Management.
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Court Rules Against Wal-Mart in Sexual Harassment, Retaliation Case
Jorge Pérez-Cordero filed a lawsuit in October 2001, alleging sexual-based discrimination and retaliation in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Puerto Rico law.
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Study: Stocks Sizzle When Staff Goals Are Met, but Some Are Skeptical
A new study bolsters the case that smart people management practices produce better business results.
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Jobs' Hush-Hush Succession Plan Unveiled as Apple CEO Steps Down
Tim Cook, who took over Apple’s day-to-day operations after Steve Jobs went on his third leave of absence because of ongoing health problems, gets Jobs’ recommendation for the company’s top post.
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5 Questions for Ravin Jesuthasan: Out of Job Site, Out of Mind
To Ravin Jesuthasan, continued high unemployment in America isn't just about tough times for jobless workers. Jesuthasan, global practice leader for talent management at consulting firm Towers Watson & Co., says it's also about bias and missed business opportunities.
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Avoid Culture Shock When Rewarding International Employees
When properly executed, employee recognition programs and rewards can go a long way in inspiring employees, especially during difficult economic times.
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A Culture of Proactive Employees Will Let the Boss Know if His Fly is Unzipped
In other words, are employees willing to disagree with management? Will they engage in a discussion about it and assert their opinion? Are they comfortable enough to bring difficult issues and concerns to their leader’s attention?
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Solving the Diversity Puzzle
Lecturing employees about diversity is one thing, but some companies are taking training a step further. Strategies include engaging employees in teamwork exercises and having workers simulate disabilities.
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The Last Word: Misery in Your Company
While other films, such as 9 to 5 , have depicted office dictators, the storyline in Horrible Bosses is especially resonant in the job market of 2011.
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Lawmakers Wrangle Over Labors Definition of Fiduciary in Retirement Plans
Labor Department officials say that extending the standard would better protect workers and retirees. Opponents contend that it would raise liability costs and force broker-dealers to abandon the individual retirement account market, leaving smaller investors without investment advice.
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Ex-Wells Fargo Adviser Claims She was Fired for Whistle-Blowing
The complaint states that the human resources department refused to take action to stop the retaliation and the compliance department told her that the Securities and Exchange Commission wouldn’t be interested in the insider trading allegations because ‘no one made a lot of money.’
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Chrysler wont hike exec pay indiscriminately as U.S. caps end, CEO says
The Detroit automaker was restricted from paying executives more than $500,000 as part of a 2009 rescue package financed by the U.S. Department of Treasury’s Troubled Asset Relief fund. General Motors remains under similar restrictions as part of its government rescue.
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Optimas Award Videos
See and hear what winners from 2010 are saying as they explain what the Optimas Award means to their company.
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The Last Word Cultural Awareness
Many people yearn to belong to an organization whose principles they share and can embrace in their daily work. And if corporate stewards tend the culture well, they can count on an engaged and committed workforce for many years to come.
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Third-Party Carriers to Employee Benefits Plans Can Be Sued Under ERISA
The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals circuit court June 23 decided that retirement-plan participants can sue third-party insurers under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974.
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SHRM Agrees to Meet With Protest Group Regarding Differences
The announcement was made across the street from the Las Vegas Convention Center where the world’s largest HR professional association is holding its 63rd annual conference from June 26 to 29.
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Students Irk Prosecutor With Insider Trading Query
The U.S. attorney cracking down on Wall Street is bringing his message directly to MBA students. Problem is, they're asking precisely the wrong question.
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Benefits Managers Turning to HR Blogs for Advice and Insight
Are benefits managers following blogs or social media to help them make informed decisions, and if so, which ones are they following? Which human resources bloggers do they trust and what kinds of information are they seeking?
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The Last Word: Fathers Figure
Men are more likely to go to their kids’ games and not say why they left the office early.
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Survey Shows Talent Shortage Grows Despite High Unemployment
The annual Talent Shortage Survey shows that 52 percent of U.S. employers are experiencing difficulty filling key positions within their organizations, up from 14 percent in 2010.
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Workplace Retaliation Lawsuits Don't Have to Take an Eye for an Eye
What is retaliation? Retaliation occurs when an employer takes negative action against an employee who has alleged or reported unlawful activities—for example, harassment or discrimination.
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Is There a Bias Against Hiring the Jobless?
Experts contend that employers increasingly discriminate against jobless Americans in hiring decisions, and such practices could violate equal opportunity laws.
