Relocation Announcement

Solera Holdings Inc., which helps process car insurance claims, will move its corporate headquarters from San Diego to the Dallas-Fort Worth area by the end of August.

Posted via email from hrstrategist@Net-Speed

At Will Employment clarified

According to a posting by Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE Barker Olmsted & Barnier attorneys at law, in the case of Singh vs Southland Steel, in California at least At Will Employment applies to all employment actions including demotions and compensation decreases. According to the court ruling the tennant of at will emplyment means that either party may terminate the relationship at any time, with or without cause, for any lawful reason or no reason at all (assuming, of course, that there was no violation of public policy involved). There is no requirement that the party terminating an at-will employment act in good faith or with good cause. Based on this line of thought the employer may apply the same logic to demotions or compensation.

There is an old adage that says as California goes so does the rest of the country. In consideration that the majority of states operate under the At Will employment relationship, it would seem that the same arguement could be brought across the country. Would suggest that you talk to your labor counsel for further determination as to whether this applies in your state.

Posted via email from hrstrategist@Net-Speed

Relocation Announcement

Heartland Automotive Services, Inc, the owner of Jiffy Lube, is moving its corporate headquarters from Omaha to Dallas by December 2010.

Posted via email from hrstrategist@Net-Speed

E-Verify Redesigned

The Immigration and Custom Service has posted a new design to the E-Verify website. The reuslt is upon your first sign in after June 13 you will be required to complete a 20 minute tutorial on the new system. Be sure that you do so promptly before you start to ramp up your hiring efforts.

Posted via email from hrstrategist@Net-Speed

Is your Social Media Policy clear enough?

According to the Associated Press, Best Buy took disciplinary action against an employee who made two snarky online videos poking fun at zealots of the iPhone and the Evo phone, He thought it was just a good way to vent some of the frustrations inherent in selling smart phones. Best Buy, thought otherwise, even though the retailer, which sells both phones, isn't mentioned in either video. The company was mentioned, though, in videos the employee had made earlier.

The employee  who had been selling phones at a Best Buy store since 2007, said Friday he was suspended from his part-time job after posting two YouTube videos that slam fans of Apple Inc.'s iPhone 4 and HTC Corp.'s Evo 4G.

The employee was told Thursday he had a "choice to either quit or the HR people can decide what they want to do." He said he would not quit and was told he could be fired over the matter.

Strategy:In this globally connected world, it is critical that every corporation have in place a clear social media policy. The policy must explain to the employee that there are some expectations of how they will use social media both in the office and outside. It should also explain that in any situation where the employee makes any mention of your organization there is no expectation of privacy. Contact us for further guidance on what needs to be in your social media.

Posted via email from hrstrategist@Net-Speed

Is it a sign of reality settling in?

The state of Oregon has implemented legislation which prohibits the use of credit checks as a factor in the process of hiring, firing, demoting or suspending employees, unless they can establish that it's substantially related to the job. This is an attempt to ensure that credit status is not used to discrimiante in the hiring process.

Posted via email from hrstrategist@Net-Speed

Are We Next?

According to CNN, as of today, the citizens of Finland have a legal right to receive reasonably priced broadband service. The rate will be established by the Finnish Communications Authority and these rates must be adhered to by the broadband providers in Finland. Could we be the next to eliminate the digital divide by liekwise saying it is our right as citizens to have access to the internet? The President either has or is about to put in place the requirement that the bandwith of the broadband services in the US be expanded.

There are trends which indicate that more and more employers are taking advantage of the growth of social media to find new ways to attract the talent they need. Access to the internet will expand the available talent opportunities to these employers.

Posted via email from hrstrategist@Net-Speed

May Cost of Funds Index

The Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco announced June 30, 2010, that the 11^th District Monthly Weighted Average Cost of Funds Index (“COFI”) for May 2010 is 1.791%. The index for April 2010 was 1.825%.

Posted via email from hrstrategist@Net-Speed

Relocation Taxes, LLC sponsors Tax, Legal and Payroll Seminar

Relocation Taxes LLC, a sponsor of our CRP review seminar, is hosting a 2-day seminar to explore the latest tax, legal and payroll seminar which will carry continuing education credits for renewal of your CRP designation. The semin ar will be held October 4th and 5th at the Airport Marriott Hotel in San Francisco, CA. For more information contact Relocation Taxes LLC at http://www.relotax.com

Posted via email from hrstrategist@Net-Speed

Americans with Disabilities Act Clarification

According to an update from the Littler Mendolsohn PC law Firm the federal courts have handed downa ruling involving vacant positions and accommodations. In the ruling the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit  considered whether positions filled by temporary contract workers are "vacant" for purposes of reassignment as a reasonable accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). In Duvall v. Georgia-Pacific Consumer Products, L.P., No. 08-7096 (June 9, 2010), the court held that, because similarly situated nondisabled employees could not apply for or obtain positions filled by temporary contract employees, the employer was not obligated to reassign a disabled employee to such nonvacant positions.

Posted via email from hrstrategist@Net-Speed

Training Advice

The U.S. Department of Justice and the U.S. Department of Education have sent a letter to colleges and universities about the use of electronic book readers that are not accessible to students who are blind or have low vision. The letter points out a serious problem with some of these devices that do not have an accessible text-to-speech function. Requiring use of an emerging technology in a classroom environment when that technology is inaccessible to an entire population of individuals with disabilities--individuals with visual disabilities--may constitute discrimination prohibited by the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (Section 504).

I understand that you are not an institution of higher learning but if DOJ is concerned about the use of these devices, be careful as to how you use them in your training programs. However int he rush to keep up with the ever expanding training medium, it is the urge to start to utilize the Kindles and Nook's of the world but you need to be aware of the possibility of a request for accommodations from disabled employees who are unable to use the new devices. It is cost effective for you to make the accommodations instead of risking a visit from OFFCP and the EEOC because you insisted on using the new devices.

Posted via email from hrstrategist@Net-Speed

ADA in Action

A U.S. District Court in Jacksonville has ruled that the state of Florida must provide Michele Haddad with services that will let her stay in her home.  Haddad, who has quadriplegia from a motorcycle accident with a drunk driver in 2007, has successfully resided in the community since the accident, but is at risk of having to go to a nursing home due to changes in her caregiver situation. Haddad has been on the waiting list for Medicaid community-based waiver services for two years, and she told the state of her increased need for services.  She was informed that community services would only be available if she was willing to enter a nursing home for 60 days. The court ordered the state to provide community-based services as required by the Americans with Disabilities Act's (ADA) integration mandate as set forth in Olmstead v. L.C. (Taken from Disability.gov)

Are you looking toward the future?

This week the US Supreme Court handed down it's ruling in Ontario v. Quon which stated that employees have no expectation of privacy for computer use of employer owned equipment. It would be prudent for every Human Resource Manager to undertake one of two actions fairly promptly:

Option 1: Review your current social media policy to ensure that your employees understand that what they post in regards to your organization is fully available for you to review and take action on.

Option 2: Create a social media policy and disseminate to your entire staff. If you are creating a policy insure that you lay out specific guidelines on what employees can and cannot do when posting on social media sites. This should include the caveat that at no time without prior permission should employees create any perception that they represent your organization.

Need some ideas of policy components contact us for some ideas collected from other organizations who have already created their policies.

 

Supreme Court weighs in on question of arbitration

Many corporations today have included in their employee policies that in case of a dispute over contract terms it must be sent to arbitration. Yesterday the US Supreme Court ruled that the requirement that the arbitrator has full responsibility for the solution is enforceable. This means that the requirement for a court to decide if it is enforceable is no longer the rule of the land. It would be prudent on your part to investigate the wording on your arbitration clauses to determine whether the wording is in line with the supreme court ruling.

Bureau of Labor Statistics releases March Cost of Employment Figures

On June 9 the Bureau of Labor Statistics released the March 2010 cost of Employment figures. The results indicated that the cost of benefits were worth 30.4% of the total compensation, The link to the entire report can be found at http://bls.gov/news.release/ecec.toc.htm

Supreme Court details right to privacy

CNN reports that the US Supreme Court has determined that Public employees who send personal messages on their state-issued communication devices do not enjoy a "reasonable expectation" of privacy, The justices unanimously concluded that state officials had the right to review the review the records of a California police officer who exchanged hundreds of personal messages - some of a "sexually explicit" nature - on his department text pager. "Because the search was motivated by a legitimate work-related purpose, and because it was not excessive in scope, the search was reasonable," Justice Anthony Kennedy noted in the court's decision. The question can be asked if this could also apply to social media postings by employees on corporate owned equipment. Time will tell.

Supreme Court potentially overturns 600 NLRB decisions

Earlier today the U.S. Supreme Court issued its ruling in NEW PROCESS STEEL, L. P. v. NATIONAL LABOR RELATIONS BOARD determining that the National Labor Relations Board operated without a legal quorum for a 27 month period. As a result over 600 NLRB decisions maybe in jeopardy. These decisions included  those dealing with  concerns about representation petitions and unfair labor practice proceedings. A number of labor attorneys have suggested that employers covered by the NLRB should review their programs based on this decision.

Relocation Announcement

NERC President and CEO Gerry Cauley announced plans today to move NERC’s headquarters from Princeton, NJ to Atlanta to attract high-quality employees and to be more accessible to its stakeholders. To encourage extensive interaction between NERC and key governmental and regulatory authorities, NERC will also be expanding its DC office.

Health and Human Services releases new rules for health care

Here’s how the new rule will work:

• Starting with health plan or policy years beginning on or after September 23, Americans with private health insurance plans will get some new consumer protections.  For example, insurance companies will be prohibited from putting lifetime limits on your coverage.  And they’ll no longer be able to cancel your insurance when you get sick just by finding an error in your paperwork.
• Health coverage that was in effect when the Affordable Care Act was enacted will be exempt from some provisions in the Act if they remain “grandfathered” under a provision in the law.  Under the rule issued today, employers or issuers offering such coverage will have the flexibility of making reasonable changes without losing their “grandfathered” status.  For example, employers will be able to make some changes to the benefits their plans offer, raise premiums or change employee cost-sharing to keep pace with health costs within some limits, and continue to enroll new employees and their families.
• However, if health plans significantly raise co-payments or deductibles, or if they significantly reduce benefits – for example, if they stop covering treatment for a disease like HIV/AIDS or cystic fibrosis – they’ll lose their grandfathered status and their customers will get the same full set of consumer protections as new plans.

The bottom line is that under the Affordable Care Act, if you like your doctor and plan, you can keep them.  But if you aren’t satisfied with your insurance options today, the Affordable Care Act provides for better, more affordable health care choices through new consumer protections.  And beginning in 2014, it creates health insurance exchanges that will offer individuals and small businesses better, more affordable choices.

New perspective on social media

I have recently subscribed to a website called Writing on the Web and the author published an interesting question, so much so I want to pass it on to you:

Experience blindness – A simple screen reader experience for the sighted (Part 1)

May 18, 2010 by Reuben Jacob

Ever wondered how a person with a visual impairment uses a computer? Surf the web? Read a book or an article? I know many people who shy away from asking these questions. The important thing is to realise that there’s no harm in asking these questions. The real harm is in not bothering to find the answers to these questions. A request to our visually impaired readers: please pass this article on to all your sighted friends. And dear sighted readers, walk with me through this simple simulation of the experience of a visually impaired person.
The most popular, specialized software program used by people with visual impairments to consume electronic content - documents, web pages and other computer programs is a type of computer software known as a screen reader. The screen reader has two major functions – Navigation and Text-to-Speech (TTS).
A screen reader aids in navigation by guiding the user in moving from one page to the other, from one paragraph to the other and so on. It aids in TTS by converting electronic text to sound – basically it reads out text. The biggest stumbling block for screen reader software are programs and content that is difficult for navigation.

A large majority of computer programs and electronic content that are used by the visually impaired, are created by sighted people – programmers, content writers, editors etc. If you happen to fall into this category of very powerful people, and if you are unfamiliar with screen readers, I would definitely encourage you to try this little experiment. Now, if you don’t, you might still want to do it – because it can open your eyes a little bit into an unfamiliar world. All you need is a computer, working eyes and an old newspaper.
Here you go:

1. Turn on your computer
2. Browse to Google news or your favorite online haunt OR open a large word document
3. Now get an old newspaper – take one full sheet and open it up
4. Make a rectangular incision 3 inches long and half inch wide at the center of the paper
5. With both hands, hold this newspaper against and in front of your computer display, so that you can see the screen through the rectangular hole
6. Now start reading through the hole. Move the paper to the right to continue reading
7. Try to jump to sections that you are interested in by moving the paper around
8. Read the whole page
9. Rinse and repeat with familiar and unfamiliar pages
10. That’s it.

What are you doing to be inclusive?

Relocation Announcement

Medline is closing its Clearwater, FL plant and the jobs are being shifted to Mexico and Waukegan, IL by the end of 2010. Displaced employees will have the opportunity to apply for positions in other facilities within the company.

A disservice to the economy

I received an email this morning from a trusted source which indicated that a growing trend among some employers is to state in the ad for an open position " the unemployed will not be considered." Corporate America is faced with the real possibility of a labor shortage in some areas whether you believe it or not.  From the Huffington post was this note:

n a current job posting on The People Place, a job recruiting website for the telecommunications, aerospace/defense and engineering industries, an anonymous electronics company in Angleton, Texas, advertises for a "Quality Engineer." Qualifications for the job are the usual: computer skills, oral and written communication skills, light to moderate lifting. But red print at the bottom of the ad says, "Client will not consider/review anyone NOT currently employed regardless of the reason."

In a nearly identical job posting for the same position on the Benchmark Electronics website, the red print is missing. But a human resources representative for the company confirmed to HuffPost that the The People Place ad accurately reflects the company's recruitment policies.

"It's our preference that they currently be employed," he said. "We typically go after people that are happy where they are and then tell them about the opportunities here. We do get a lot of applications blindly from people who are currently unemployed -- with the economy being what it is, we've had a lot of people contact us that don't have the skill sets we want, so we try to minimize the amount of time we spent on that and try to rifle-shoot the folks we're interested in."

The goal of any talent management effort is to  find the right person for the right position at the right time, and by stating that the unemployed will not be considered you may very well eliminate the very source to solve our problem.

 Many organizations have made the decision for "economic reasons" to let go some of the best talent in the country. When we need to stay competitive with the rest of the world, this is not the time for any employer to set out to decide that because someone got caught in the downturn they are no longer valuable talent to the organization.

Manpower releases new survey data on job market

Employers provided a seasonally adjusted Outlook of +6%, up from -2% during the same period last year. Ninety-eight percent of U.S. states have a positive hiring Outlook and 95 of the nation's 100 largest Metropolitan Statistical Areas have a positive Outlook for Quarter 3 2010.

"We have been waiting for the labor market to show signs of a sustained recovery," said Jeff Joerres, Manpower Inc. Chairman and CEO. "The survey results for the third quarter are indicating a trend of hiring intention that has historically proven to be the positive inflection point of accelerated job growth."

Of the more than 18,000 employers surveyed, 18% anticipate an increase in staff levels in their Quarter 3 2010 hiring plans, while 8% expect a decrease in payrolls, resulting in a Net Employment Outlook of +10%. When seasonally adjusted, the Net Employment Outlook becomes +6%. Seventy percent of employers expect no change in their hiring plans. The final 4% of employers indicate they are undecided about their hiring intentions.

"Manpower's survey results show a positive trend in employers' hiring plans," said Jonas Prising, Manpower president of the Americas. "Although we are still facing a difficult labor market, more employers indicate confidence about the direction of their businesses, and with that comes an intention to increase their workforces. We are in the early stages of the jobs recovery, and although we have a long way to go, the job market will continue to improve from here."

Employers in 11 of the 13 industry sectors surveyed have a positive Outlook for Quarter 3 2010: Leisure & Hospitality (+20%), Mining (+17%), Professional & Business Services (+15%), Wholesale & Retail Trade (+15%), Nondurable Goods Manufacturing (+12%), Financial Activities (+11%), Information (+10), Durable Goods Manufacturing (+9%), Transportation & Utilities (+9%), Construction (+8%) and Other Services (+8%). The July - September Outlook is -2% for two of the surveyed industry sectors: Education & Health Services and Government.

Cost of Funds Index Drops

The Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco announced May 28, 2010, that the 11^th District Monthly Weighted Average Cost of Funds Index (“COFI”) for April 2010 is 1.825%. The index for March 2010 was 1.859%.

The COFI is computed from the actual interest expense reported for a given month by the Arizona, California, and Nevada savings institutions members of the Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco that satisfy the Bank’s criteria for inclusion in the COFI (“COFI Reporting Members”). Changes in interest rates on adjustable rate mortgage loans offered by many financial institutions are tied to changes in the COFI.

Executive Order 13496 activates June 21, 2010

The Executive Order requires new posting requirements within the workplace dictating your employees rights to seek representation. Below is the wording of the notice that must be given to your staff:
  RIGHTS OF EMPLOYEES
UNDER THE NATIONAL LABOR RELATIONS ACT
"It is the policy of the United States to encourage collective bargaining and protect the
exercise by workers of full freedom of association, self-organization, and designation of
representatives of their own choosing, for the purpose of negotiating the terms and
conditions of their employment or other mutual aid and protection.
"Under federal law, you have the right to:

• Organize a union to negotiate with your employer concerning your wages, hours, and other terms and conditions of employment.
• Form, join or assist a union.
• Bargain collectively through a duly selected union for a contract with your employer setting your wages, benefits, hours, and other working conditions.
• Discuss your terms and conditions of employment with your co-workers or a union; join other workers in raising work-related complaints with
• your employer, government agencies, or members of the public; and seek and receive help from a union subject to certain limitations.
• Take action with one or more co-workers to improve your working conditions, including attending rallies on non-work time, and leafleting on non-work time in non-work areas.
• Strike and picket, unless your union has agreed to a no-strike clause and subject to certain other limitations. In some circumstances, your employer may permanently replace strikers.
• Choose not to do any of these activities, including joining or remaining a member of a union.

"It is illegal for your employer to:

• Prohibit you from soliciting for the union during non-work time or distributing union literature during non-work time, in non-work areas.
• Question you about your union support or activities.
• Fire, demote, or transfer you, or reduce your hours or change your shift, or otherwise take adverse action against you, or threaten to take any of these actions, because you join or support a union, or because you engage in other activity for mutual aid and protection, or because you choose not to engage in any such activity.
• Threaten to close your workplace if workers choose a union to represent them.
• Promise or grant promotions, pay raises, or other benefits to discourage or encourage union support.
• Prohibit you from wearing union hats, buttons, t-shirts, and pins in the workplace except under special circumstances, for example, as where doing so might interfere with patient care.
• Spy on or videotape peaceful union activities and gatherings or pretend to do so.

It is illegal for a union or for the union that represents you in bargaining with your
employer to: discriminate or take other adverse action against you based on
whether you have joined or support the union.

"If your rights are violated:
Illegal conduct will not be permitted. The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), an agency of the United States government, will protect your right to a free choice concerning union representation and collective
bargaining and will prosecute violators of the National Labor Relations Act. The NLRB may order an employer to rehire a worker fired in violation of the law and to pay lost wages and benefits and may order an
employer or union to cease violating the law. The NLRB can only act, however, if it receives information of unlawful behavior within six months.
"If you believe your rights or the rights of others have been violated, you must contact the
NLRB within six months of the unlawful treatment. Employees should seek assistance from the nearest regional NLRB office.
This applies even if you are a subcontractor of federal contractor with more than $10,000 in contract awards.

And the story keeps turning

First we had the Hartford, CT case of fireman who felt that they were discriminated against bases on test scores. The Supreme Court found that the City of Hartford had violated the rights of the fireman. In a similar case the City of Chicago lost a ruling to the same court  which stated that Employers who use tests that have the effect of ruling out disproportionate numbers of women and minorities may be sued each time they use the results to hire, the Supreme Court ruled Monday.

Relocation Announcement

Mage Solar GmbH, a Ravensburg, Germany-based manufacturer of solar energy products, will locate its North American headquarters and production facility for photovoltaic modules in Dublin, Ga.

Is the change of HR over?

This post was reposted from Rehaul Blog and is well worth reading and pondering

#HRevolution Is Over. Now What?

by Lance Haun on May 8, 2010

Hello there! If you are new here, you might want to subscribe to the RSS feed for updates on this topic.

Note: In working on this post, I realized much of it was rehashing what Laurie and I spoke about at the closing session. For those who weren’t there, it is a good taste as to what was discussed. For those who were there, I went off both the notes and the comments we received during the end session.
Now the easy part is over.
That’s right. Simply coming to #HRevolution might have been a step in the right direction but it was an easy step. Maybe for some attendees, that was a tough step too. It isn’t going to be any easier going forward.
We talked a good game about the future of the HR function, social media, technology and other issues hitting our collective worlds. The question on everyone’s mind at the end of the day was “Now what?” Loads of information was shared. Debates and discussions flowed over into hallways, tweetups and dinners. And tonight people started flowing out of Chicago as quickly as they came in. The question I want to ask when you get to your desk Monday morning: Will your behavior change at all or are the things that inspired you getting shelved until you have more time (which ends up being never)?
While you can get other benefits from attending the unconference, the primary purpose of the unconference style is to get more participation from the audience. Participation demands action.
The hard thing for me is I can’t do these things. I’m not in HR anymore. And when someone asked me about how not being in HR anymore changes my credibility, I had to be honest.  I can inspire action. I can help with finding business cases or contacts or speakers or educational material. But I can’t lead an organization through the fire.
You can.

Making The Choice

Productive change isn’t accidental. You have to make the choice to alter your actions (even slightly). When we talked about breaking out of the social media echo chamber, I tried to emphasize that you have to actually first want to break out of the echo chamber in order to do anything else.
We have a strong group of core people right now but we need your boss, your peers and the people you know from around HR to become a part of this group. And part of the point was introducing them to social media on their terms and in their language. Instead of telling people to go to a blog, copy and paste the content into an e-mail and send it to them. Instead of saying my Twitter friend, say my colleague so and so.
All of these things are small things but they are the result of a conscious choice to provoke change.

Credible Activism

Becoming a credible activist in your own organization for your proposed changes is a risk. A risk that you should be ready to take. Jason Seiden said it best today when talking about facing the fear of failure whenever you first make that choice. You can alleviate that fear by just a tiny bit by being prepared to talk to them about the change on their terms.
Consuming content from the Wall Street Journal, Harvard Business Review and The Economist may not sound like the best use of an HR person’s time but it is actually one of the best ways to learn about the issues that your boss probably cares about. And that’s where a conversation can start.
Interested in additional education? It looked close to unanimous at the unconference that people believed getting a MBA was superior to getting an HR certificate when it comes to building organizational credibility.
Are all of these silver bullets? No. Your organization will have specific ways that you build credibility (which may mean doing things in a traditional way).

Influencing Beyond The Organization

There was a bit of a debate over whether job titles matter. They do, especially when you’re talking about building influence beyond your organization. There are certainly some caveats there but the biggest one is this: don’t waste the opportunity to leverage that title to positively influence. That means when you have the title, you step up to the plate and you take your best swing.
Here’s the main dig with that: when you’re talking about reaching out to those higher level executives and influencing their thinking and behavior, they want to hear it from someone like them. For someone you can’t get to know deeply, a job title that conveys authority can open their mind to ideas that they might have otherwise rejected. That’s unfair but true.
I wish we could have gotten more into how you can do it if getting that title is either impossible or if you’re just uninterested in it. When you’re in that position, you’re fighting the battle of of one by one. Instead of being a speaker where you can influence hundreds at a time, perhaps you can get a dozen or so people in the best case scenario. That’s still a useful function and I didn’t want anybody to get the impression that I was downplaying its importance.

What We Didn’t Say (On Purpose)

We didn’t say:

• Start or keep blogging
• Become a Twitter superstar
• Look at every new piece of technology that comes out
• Sell social media as the solution to everything

We don’t mention it because it is certain to continue whether we want it to or not. The battle to get our community of likeminded HR folks isn’t going to be won on that front. It is going to be won through reaching out to people who are generally unreachable through traditional social media using language that makes sense to them as well as building your credibility and influence.
Are you ready?

Relocation Announcement

Sky King has announced that it is moving its operational headquarters from Sacremento to Lakeland, Florida

Our Common Future

I am writing this while sitting watching the reports on the pending catastrophic events in the Gulf of Mexico. The word of the time is that of sustainability. In that regard we have over the last several months have almost every night been subjected to an energy industry sponsored TV spot talking about how safe the drilling for oil in the gulf was. How environmentally sound the process was .How the drilling would provide 92 million jobs. Now that is all in jeopardy because the process was not as safe as we were lead to believe. So what do we do now? I would suggest several tactics:

1) Corporations need to find ways to reduce their carbon footprint so we do not need as much oil

2) We as individuals should follow in step to our corporations by reducing our energy use at home

For the immediate future, check with your individual hairdresser and ask them to contribute to A Matter of Trust (http://www.matteroftrust.org) which is collecting hair to be donated to the clean-up effort. The hair cuttings are put in nylon tubing to be used as buoys to stop the spread. Check and see if you can donate time, money or materials to one of the organizations gearing up to help save the ecosystem of the gulf and possibly the Atlantic coast of the US.

We all have a responsibility to ensure that the environment is not destroyed so that the future of our living space is not endangered. It is our responsibility to make sure we are using our assets reasonably in the future.

What was once old is new again?

I received my email from the Wharton School today and in it was an article about the nature of the HR profession as conducted in a study for PricewaterHouseCoopers. The finding of the research showed that
if you "step into the office of the head of corporate human resources today and the odds are you will find a 53-year-old man with a bachelor's degree who has been with his current employer for 15 years. He has spent about half his work life in HR roles, most often in workforce development. And he would not be that much different from the man holding the job a generation earlier. While the face of corporate human resources departments is changing as more women and more executives with international expertise ascend to the top HR positions, predictions that HR leaders would increasingly come to their jobs with broad and diverse front-line management experience have failed to come true. Indeed, HR leaders are even more likely to rise up from their own ranks than a decade earlier, according to a new Wharton research paper titled, "Who Gets the Top Job? Changes in the Attributes of Human Resource Heads and Implications for the Future." Click the link to see the full report.

What are they Thinking?

How many of you have teenagers or adolescents at home or even young adults? Ever tried to figure them out? Not going to happen you say? I am in the middle of reading a fascinating new book entitled the M-Factor. Written by Lynne Lancaster and David Stillman of Bridgeworks, it talks about the benefits and the pitfalls of working with Millenials ( born between 1981 and 1999). Gives you a real look at their wants, desires and the benefits that they bring to the workplace. It is an excellent follow up to their first book "When Generations Collide."

Life's Journey

Good afternoon from not so sunny Florida,

Ever since I was a child, I have been told that life is a journey. The only catch is that the journey defies science in that it is not the shortest route between two points. Life brings to us a whole collection of twists and turns along the way. Back in 2008 I had made the decision to achieve two goals both of which I achieved in 2009. The first was to go back to school ( who would have thought being older than most of the students in the classes) and get trained in the six sigma methodology. We completed this in May of 2009 getting the Six Sigma Black Belt from St Petersburg College. The other goal was to finally bite the bullet and earn my SPHR certification. We accomplished this in June of 2009. Our initial goal was to return to corporate America where I could put these new skills and knowledge to work on a daily basis. However as fate would have it, corporate America decided that since I have been a consultant since 1980, I did not fit into the “corporate square peg.”
As a result we have made the decision to return to the consulting arena and expand our services beyond just strictly corporate mobility. We have expanded our services and am currently assisting a non-profit organization in rewriting their policies manual. Our emphasis is going to be in the arena of the under 100 employees particularly those about to break the barrier of 50 or more employees.

We invite you to visit our reconfigured website at http://www.dbaiconsulting.com and see what we can now offer. If you have or know of a connection that might be in need of these services let me know how I might be of assistance to your network.

What Will They Think?

Twitter Donates Entire Tweet Archive to Library of Congress

Twitter is donating its digital archive of public tweets to the Library of Congress. Twitter is a leading social networking service that enables users to send and receive tweets, which consist of web messages of up to 140 characters.

Twitter processes more than 50 million tweets per day from people around the world. The Library will receive all public tweets-which number in the billions-from the 2006 inception of the service to the present.

From our client family

 Today Oakwood announced the promotion of T.J. Spencer to Vice President, Relocation & Managing Director, International. In her new role, Spencer leads the international sales effort, the operation and expansion of the Global Alliance Network, and maintains her responsibility for relocation industry sales.

Iowa enacts State version of WARN Act

The Jackson Lewis Law Firm reports that New legislation requiring employers to provide notice of business closings and mass layoffs or face penalties for failing to do so has been enacted in Iowa.  The “Iowa Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act” (House File 681) was signed into law by Iowa Governor Chester Culver on March 22, 2010, and will become effective July 1, 2010.

Covered Employers

The Iowa WARN Act applies to any person who employs 25 employees or more, excluding part-time employees. (Part-time employees are those who are employed for an average of fewer than 20 hours per week, and those employees who have been employed for fewer than six of the 12 months preceding the date of the required notice.)

Covered Actions

A “business closing” means the permanent or temporary shutdown of a single site of employment or one or more facilities or operating units that will result in an employment loss for 25 employees or more, other than part-time employees.
 
A “mass layoff” means a reduction in employment force that is not the result of a business closing and results in an employment loss at a single site of employment during any 30-day period of 25 employees or more, other than part-time employees.

Required Notice

Covered employers must provide at least 30 days’ written notice prior to the effective date of any mass layoff or business closing.

Notice Recipients

The notice must be provided to all affected employees, or their representatives, and the Department of Workforce Development (DWD).

Incentive to Hire New Employees

From the Worldwide ERC this notice was received- On March 17, 2010, President Obama signed legislation that provides incentives for businesses to hire the unemployed. Under the “Hiring Incentives to Restore Employment Act” of 2010, employers that hire new workers after February 3, 2010 and any time during the rest of 2010 will be exempted from the employer’s 6.2% share of FICA for those workers, provided the workers were unemployed for the 60 days before starting work or worked less than full time (40 hours per week) for someone else during that period. The workers must be new workers, rather than replacements for existing workers, but new hires filling existing positions that are vacant will also qualify so long as the previous worker left voluntarily or for cause. For a worker at the maximum social security wage base of $106,800, the saving to the employer would exceed $5,000. In addition, if the new worker is retained for a full year, the employer will receive an additional $1,000 general business tax credit. The IRS said it will be providing necessary forms and instructions within the next few weeks, but that in the meantime employers should obtain from each new employee a statement indicating that the new employee meets the requirements outlined above.

Relocation Announcement

Signature HealthCARE LLC, a long-term healthcare facility operator based in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, will relocate its national headquarters to Louisville, Kentucky

According to the global Manpower Employment Outlook Survey results released today by Manpower Inc. (NYSE: MAN), employers in most major labor markets expect to hire in the second quarter at a pace equal to, or stronger than, the same period last year. However, many have yet to reach a pre-downturn hiring pace. Job prospects in the Asia Pacific region remain strong, with the exception of Japan, and hiring outlooks continue to improve modestly in most of the Americas region. In Europe, hiring patterns remain mixed with employers in eight countries indicating modest improvements compared to three months ago and the same period last year. Employer hiring intentions are strongest in India, Brazil and Taiwan, while in the U.S. they are similar to three months ago, but more optimistic compared to last year at this time

Hiring to begin the upswing

According to the global Manpower Employment Outlook Survey results released today by Manpower Inc. (NYSE: MAN), employers in most major labor markets expect to hire in the second quarter at a pace equal to, or stronger than, the same period last year. However, many have yet to reach a pre-downturn hiring pace. Job prospects in the Asia Pacific region remain strong, with the exception of Japan, and hiring outlooks continue to improve modestly in most of the Americas region. In Europe, hiring patterns remain mixed with employers in eight countries indicating modest improvements compared to three months ago and the same period last year. Employer hiring intentions are strongest in India, Brazil and Taiwan, while in the U.S. they are similar to three months ago, but more optimistic compared to last year at this time

Hiring to begin the upswing

According to the global Manpower Employment Outlook Survey results released today by Manpower Inc. (NYSE: MAN), employers in most major labor markets expect to hire in the second quarter at a pace equal to, or stronger than, the same period last year. However, many have yet to reach a pre-downturn hiring pace. Job prospects in the Asia Pacific region remain strong, with the exception of Japan, and hiring outlooks continue to improve modestly in most of the Americas region. In Europe, hiring patterns remain mixed with employers in eight countries indicating modest improvements compared to three months ago and the same period last year. Employer hiring intentions are strongest in India, Brazil and Taiwan, while in the U.S. they are similar to three months ago, but more optimistic compared to last year at this time

HR Strategist@Net-Speed: Are we really watching the health of our organization?

In watching the posts in the social media and in talking with a colleague last week, we are seeing a very concerning environment being created. One that makes one wonder about the vitality of our organizations. As a member of management you are presented with dual responsibilities. The first is to enhance the investment of the shareholders int he organization. The second is to ensure that you have the right person, in the right position at the right time. The problem is that contrary to current belief they are not mutually exclusive. They both play a vital part in the health of your organization. Let's break it down a little.

First responsibility is to enhance the investment of the stakeholders. Your stakeholders are looking for a return on their investment, to indicate that the organization is growing. Growing in sales. Growing in revenue. Growing in profit. How does this come about? The organization increases this investment by becoming better than the competition for your product or service. By becoming known as the best in class for the way you run your operation. One key to reaching this sought after level is based on the human capital resources where you are the employer of choice.

This brings us to the second responsibility of making sure that we have the right person in the right position at the right time. We have, during these tough economic times, seen organizations make what we believe to make some very serious strategic decisions that could hinder the health of the organization. Make no mistake about it, we will have a talent shortage in the not too distant future. When we cut staff solely based on financial measures we risk down the road putting ourselves in jeopardy. Point in evidence, I attended a seminar recently where it was described that in order to reduce costs, an organization offered early retirement to anyone with over 20 years experience. Lo and behold everyone offered the package accepted. The company was out of business in 6 months. Way too often managers in this market are looking for that right person by trying to fit them into square hole when they need that round peg. Both internal and external recruiters need to get back to looking for those individuals who can positively contribute to the health of the organization. This means looking outside of the box most managers are in today and look at what skills and attributes the person can bring to the table.

Do you agree or do you have another focus on this perspective?

If We Only Knew

Like many of the readers of this blog, we all have been besieged by our parents as youngsters to get rid of the excess "junk" in your rooms. Today you get besieged by your management to maintain an uncluttered workplace. Now we learn that if you had kept that 1938 Action Comic with Superman involved for the firs time, you could have gained a cool million for a minimal investment of a dime. How's that for a return on investment?

Promotion Announcement

Bruce A. Michaels has joined Sudath Relocation Systems of Fort Lauderdale as director of relocation management. He brings more than 30 years of relocation industry experience to Suddath Relocation Systems, a leader in worldwide corporate and household relocations, corporate facility moving, warehousing and logistics.  In his new role, Michaels is responsible for bringing South Florida businesses customized solutions for a range of needs -- from streamlining office and industrial moving and managing furniture, fixture and equipment (FF&E) issues, to providing flexible, cost-effective warehousing and logistics support.   He is based at Suddath Relocation Systems of Fort Lauderdale’s state-of-the-art commercial warehousing facility in Deerfield Beach.

Relocation Announcement

Lucy is moving to the Bay Area. The Portland, Ore.-based activewear clothing company and retailer will relocate its headquarters to San Leandro, which is also home to VF Corp.-owned North Face. Only about one dozen of Lucy’s 95 headquarters employees are expected to move with the company. That means Lucy will hire about 50 people in the Bay Area for product, retail, marketing and operations positions. The move will take place by the end of August, and Lucy will need to lease additional office space, said Paul Mason, a spokesman for VF Corp. ( From the San Francisco Business Journal)

Manpower hints at social media change

Social networks are morphing into "commercial networks" for businesses and will transform the world of work with the profitable opportunities they hold for both individuals and prospective employers, according to Manpower Inc. (NYSE: MAN), a world leader in the employment services industry. Organizations can tap previously invisible and inaccessible pools of talent in the form of virtual workforces via the connective power of social media.

"Social networks are really a misnomer because they are turning into commercial entities and changing the way companies do business," said Jeff Joerres, Manpower Inc. Chairman and CEO. "Groups of individuals who, in the past, could not participate in the traditional workforce for religious or cultural reasons, or because of disabilities can now work virtually through social networks. These untapped but highly-skilled workers are critical in the face of an aging global workforce and worsening talent mismatch."

It is that time of year again

Yes, it's that magical time of year again when the Darwin Awards are bestowed, honouring the least evolved among us.

Here is the glorious winner:

1. When his 38 calibre revolver failed to fire at his intended victim during a hold-up in Long Beach , California would-be robber James Elliot did something that can only inspire wonder.  He peered down the barrel and tried the trigger again.  This time it worked.

And now, the honourable mentions:

2. The chef at a hotel in Switzerland lost a finger in a meat cutting machine and after a little shopping around, submitted a claim to his insurance company.  The company expecting negligence sent out one of its men to have a look for himself.  He tried the machine and he also lost a finger.  The chef's claim was approved.

3. A man who shovelled snow for an hour to clear a space for his car during a blizzard in Chicago returned with his vehicle to find a woman had taken the space.  Understandably, he shot her.

4. After stopping for drinks at an illegal bar, a Zimbabwean bus driver found that the 20 mental patients he was supposed to be transporting from Harare to Bulawayo had escaped.  Not wanting to admit his incompetence, the driver went to a nearby bus stop and offered everyone waiting there a free ride.  He then delivered the passengers to the mental hospital, telling the staff that the patients were very excitable and prone to bizarre fantasies.  The deception wasn't discovered for 3 days.

5. An American teenager was in the hospital recovering from serious head wounds received from an oncoming train.  When asked how he received the injuries, the lad told police that he was simply trying to see how close he could get his head to a moving train before he was hit.

6. A man walked into a Louisiana Circle-K, put a $20 bill on the counter, and asked for change.  When the clerk opened the cash drawer, the man pulled a gun and asked for all the cash in the register, which the clerk promptly provided.  The man took the cash from the clerk and fled, leaving the $20 bill on the counter.  The total amount of cash he got from the drawer... $15. [If someone points a gun at you and gives you money, is a crime committed?]

7. Seems an Arkansas guy wanted some beer pretty badly.  He decided that he'd just throw a cinder block through a liquor store window, grab some booze, and run.  So he lifted the cinder block and heaved it over his head at the window.  The cinder block bounced back and hit the would-be thief on the head, knocking him unconscious.  The liquor store window was made of Plexiglas.  The whole event was caught on videotape.

8. As a female shopper exited a New York convenience store, a man grabbed her purse and ran.  The clerk called 911 immediately, and the woman was able to give them a detailed description of the snatcher.  Within minutes, the police apprehended the snatcher.  They put him in the car and drove back to the store.  The thief was then taken out of the car and told to stand there for a positive ID.  To which he replied, "Yes, officer, that's her.  That's the lady I stole the purse from."

9. The Ann Arbor News crime column reported that a man walked into a Burger King in Ypsilanti , Michigan at 5 A.M., flashed a gun, and demanded cash.  The clerk turned him down because he said he couldn't open the cash register without a food order.  When the man ordered onion rings, the clerk said they weren't available for breakfast.  The man, frustrated, walked away.
 [*A 5-STAR STUPIDITY AWARD WINNER]

10. When a man attempted to siphon gasoline from a motor home parked on a Seattle street, he got much more than he bargained for.  Police arrived at the scene to find a very sick man curled up next to a motor home near spilled sewage.  A police spokesman said that the man admitted to trying to steal gasoline, but he plugged his siphon hose into the motor home's sewage tank by mistake.  The owner of the vehicle declined to press charges saying that it was the best laugh he'd ever had.

Are we our Brothers Keeper?

Found a notation on line that made reference to the fact that in many cities, those families who are now receiving assistance have at least one person in the household who is working full time. The full article can be found at http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2010/feb/03/workers-hungry-too-study-finds/

Amazing Data Point

In 1990 Worldwide ERC created the Certified Relocation Professional designation to demonstrate the acquisition of the body of knowledge of the industry. Today in the mail I received an announcement that at the National Relocation Conference they will unveil a new pin to show those who have reached the point of having held their designation for 20 years. Of all the people who took the exam in May and October of 1990, there are only 300 remaining professionals who still are certified. Congratulations to those who have reached this distinguished level.

HR Strategist@Net-Speed: What are we here for

While recently looking at some of the available human resource positions, across the country, we came across an ad which was seeking a hands on HR professional. This is fine but it was the punch line that really caught my eye. In the job requirements, this organization specifically stated that it did not want an HR strategist. So my question is if we are not supposed to look at the HR function as being part of the overall organization, then what are we here for?

Human resources can no longer effectively contribute to the organization if we are expected to be a silo within the organization.  The human resource management arena is not the same as it was five years ago, or even ten minutes ago. Laws have changed. Focus has changed. There are new challenges being faced everyday. Here is my take on the content of the job positing.

I see the role of the HR manager in today's organization being one of not only coordinating the daily needs of the employee base, but looking at how the HR management arena is part of how the organization utilizes its brand. If we are being told by management that our role is to sit in our little cubical or the office and just pass the time away handling the mundane aspects of our job, then it is no wonder that many of our peers are finding themselves being one of the first out the door when economic times get uncomfortable. If on the other hand we expect a seat at the management table, then we can not sit idly by and not demonstrate the truly strategic role that we play within the modern organization.

What are your thoughts? Do we belong in the corner or are we a vital part of the modern organizational management structure?

Merger Announcement

Realogy Corporation, a leading global provider of real estate and relocation services, today announced that its relocation services subsidiary, Cartus Corporation, has acquired Primacy Relocation, a prominent relocation and global assignment management services company based in Memphis, Tenn. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

"This is a strategic acquisition for Cartus -- one that will enhance its domestic operations, substantially broaden its global capabilities, and firmly position it as the leading relocation services provider to the government sector," said Richard A. Smith, president and CEO of Realogy. "This acquisition positions Realogy for strategic growth across our international and domestic businesses."
---From AJaxMag.com

HR Strategist@Net-Speed: Talent War

Several years ago Dr. John Sullivan, the guru of recruiting, posed the question as to who won the war for talent. With the current unemployment numbers, the answer may not be as obvious as one thinks. In times of economic trials, many companies think that the path to monetary strength is to cut the employee overhead. We would suggest that this may only be a temporary fix.

We have moved from a marketplace based on what we produce to what we know. As a result, the knowledge of our employee base can determine whether an organization survives into the future. I had recently attended a meeting in which the presenter discussed a corporation which thought the road to prosperity was to offer early retirement to any employee with more than 20 years seniority. Every one of the employees in question accepted the buy out. The company went out of business in 6 months.

There is another way. In his book "Reaching the Goal", John Ricketts suggests that instead of conducting layoffs, create project skill benches. Employees are put on projects to completion. Then they come back to the skill bench and if business is slow, then send them for additional training. Upon completion of the training they come back to the skill bench for the next project.

All to often we forget that the employees are what keeps our customers satisfied and therefore adding to the bottom line. If you find that your revenue is slipping the answer is to check with the voice of the customer, not cutting staff. Make sure that you are meeting the needs of the customer which will relate to the level of employee involvement required.

CRP 2010 Update

As of this writing, we have the list of articles and have ordered the primer. The expected release date for the primer is February 28. We are accepting reservations for spaces in the review currently. Finished Manuals should be mailed the middle of March. For further information visit our website at http://www.dbaiconsulting.com and look under the Seminar Tab for the CRP information.

Promotion Announcements from our clients

 Joyce Dillenburg has accepted a partnership with Gables & Gates in Knoxville, TN . She will be the VP of Relocation and Business Development. Gables & Gates in Knoxville, TN( From Facebook)

 Helen Maracle has joined Alliance Relocation as a member of our sales team.  Helen, who has more than 15 years experience in the corporate relocation industry, will be responsible for directing and coordinating new business development activities for Alliance. She will also manage a number of Alliance's strategic accounts. ( From Alliance E-mail)

Is the reason for the movement

In an effort to supplement my income, I took a position with a retailer in their corporate sales area. During the five years that I worked there I received excellent Medical Insurance from Aetna. In June of 2008, I was caught in a reduction in force and accepted COBRA coverage for the following 18 months. That period came to an end at the end of 2009. In order to continue medical coverage, I tried to convert the policy to an individual plan. Aetna declined the coverage for the very medical conditions that they have covered for the past five years. And you wonder why we need healthcare reform?

Relocation announcement

Defense contracting giant Northrup Grumman Corp will move its corporate headquarters from Los Angeles to the Washington area by 2011, the region's latest economic development coup and another symbol of its economic prowess.

2010 New Year New Opportunities

Simple Truths sent me a message this morning regarding the greatest gift we can give. It has such meaning in these difficult times I wanted to share it with all of you. The message can be found at http://www.eaglesneedapush.com/

End of 2009 Year Random Thoughts

As we reach the end of the first decade of the 21st Century we have seen a lot of changes happen in our world. There have equally been changes in our profession. This final post for 2009 contains my thoughts on these changes and some view of where I think we are headed going into the next decade.

Corporate Etiquette - There is not a day gone by that I  don't find examples of corporate lack of propriety. Whether it is corporations who make no attempt to hide their discriminatory practices or employers who have not recently reviewed their HR processes. I saw an application today from a state agency who actually asked for the candidate to supply First Name, Middle Name, Last Name and Maiden Name if applicable. The maiden name question is blatantly illegal and with EEOC increasing the enforcement actions in the coming year this is an accident looking to happen.

Clueless Corporate Insight - I have found two incidents in the past several months where corporations decided that the economic path to travel was to "vaporize" the positions of the leading HR officer. We will come out of this recession, it is just a matter of time. The problem is when we do, there will be a talent war for the replacement of the staff we let go in the name of economics. These very corporations are going to need the services of the HR professional and they will not be there when they are needed.

Human Capital Engagement - Corporations complain that employees have no work ethic left. They complain that the sense of loyalty in employees is gone. Employees counter by saying that the employer no longer appreciate the efforts they put in for the company. I have a friend who has been told that they on a regular basis expect their employees to work 60 hour weeks without the necessary support to get the work done in a timely matter. We need to rethink the terms of the employer-employee contract to more efficiently make the system work to the advantage of all. It also means that we need to gain a reintroduction of the needs of the employee when we are in the recruiting process.

Changing Workforce - Charles Handy in his book Age of Unreason, suggested that we woiuld no longer have unemployment. In its place we would all be self -employed taking on projects with a corporation and moving on to a new project when it is done. With the nature of the economic times it is possible that this is the time to look at Handy's model. The employee can sign on to a project which best uses their skills and work as they want to work. Some models in the past couple of weeks have suggested tha this is the very area that will see the initial increase in hiring in the months to come. Hire on to handle a crisis and move on to the next crisis. They can live where they want to and relocate for the project and then return to home base.

The coming months will see a huge amount of changes. Some would suggest not for the better. Others would say that in order for this country to maintain its place in the world we have no choice but to make the changes. It is going to be one of the most dynamic times in my life time and it will require us to think in new ways on the role of the citizens in this economy. The global market will continue to cause offshoring of jobs, but AT&T and Sprint have already found that it costs more in poor client relations to send those jobs out. They have in return brought those jobs back to this country. We need to remember that we all are part of a team and need to function as such. This means that management needs to change their focus and place more contgrol in the hands of our teams.

To my clients, business partners and readers of this blog we extend our hopes that 2010 will be a year of better work environments for all.

Relocation announcement

Telkonet Inc. is moving its Maryland headquarters and 50 jobs to Wisconsin, a move the energy-management company says will help cut costs. The company said in a statement Monday it's moving about 50 jobs from Germantown, Md. to its satellite office in Milwaukee by next year.

Relocation announcement

Charlotte Business Journal is reporting that Electorlux has decided to move its headquarters to Charlotte bringing at least 730 jobs to the metro area. Electrolux North America says it will invest $8.3 million in the new headquarters and hiring is slated to begin at the end of the first quarter. Most of the jobs are expected to be filled by relocating workers.

Relocation announcement

Foster Wheeler AG announces that its Board of Directors has approved management's proposal to relocate the company's operating headquarters from Perryville, New Jersey to Geneva, Switzerland. The company will continue to remain domiciled in Zug, Switzerland.

Relocation Announcement

The Baton Rouge, La.-based consulting firm, IEM announced Monday that it will move its headquarters to Durham's Research Triangle Park, bringing up to 350 workers with it and creating 430 more local jobs over the next six years.

Possible Relocation Announcement

Signature Health Care is in discussions with Nashville and Louisville, KY along with their current location of Palm Beach Gardens for a possible relocation of their corporate headquarters. The move, planned for early summer could include up to 100 jobs.

Relocation announcement

Republic Airways is moving 300 jobs from Denver to Indianapolis as they complete the purchase of Frontier Airlines.

Can you or can't you?

Lakeland, FL Ledger runs article about the questions that you can or can't ask in an interview situation. Read the full article at http://www.theledger.com/article/20091206/NEWS/912075002/1326?Title=Some-Job-Interview-Questions-Are-Unlawful

IRS announces 2010 mileage reimbursement rates

From the Worldwide ERC

The new rates, which the IRS said reflect lower costs of operating vehicles compared to a year ago, are 50 cents per mile for business use (down from 55 cents per mile in 2009), and 16.5 cents per mile for moving (down from 24 cents per mile in 2009).  The reduction in the rate for moving is particularly large, and results in the lowest such rate since 2005.

Worldwide ERC® Tax Counsel Peter K. Scott noted that “Companies are reminded that if they reimburse transferees for use of an automobile in moving at a higher rate than 16.5 cents per mile in 2010, they will need to include the excess in the employees’ wages."

Where has civility gone?

The other day I was involved in a discussion with a fellow professional who was lamenting on the loss of civility int he marketplace. Specifically he was referring to corporations not responding to phone calls or letters. The real question here is not what is happening to the job seekers (who are the ones who complaint the most), but to business as a whole. Have we gotten so comfortable into our own worlds that we have forgotten the simple courtesies of personal relations? What happened to the concepts that are parents taught us on how to involve ourselves with those around us? Dr. Tony Alessanadra in his Platinum Rule concept exhorts us to "treat others as THEY would like to be treated." Have we forgotten how we would feel if the same kind of treatment was given to us? Let me know your thoughts.

What Did You Search For in 2009?

Search engines announces their list of the top searches for the past year. The list included the following
Yahoo

1. Michael Jackson
2. Twilight
3. WWE
4. Megan Fox
5. Britney Spears
6. Naruto
7. American Idol
8. Kim Kardashian
9. NASCAR
10. Runescape  

Google

1. michael jackson
2. facebook
3. tuenti
4. twitter
5. sanalika
6. new moon
7. lady gaga
8. windows 7
9. dantri.com.vn
10. torpedo gratis

Did these agree with your personal choices. Feel free to let us know how close your searches were.

Holiday wishes

To clients and other HR professionals who read this blog we extend our best wishes for the beginning of the holiday season with Thanksgiving tomorrow. I hope each and every one of you and your families enjoy the meals and family time. I would also would like to share with you a new video from Simple Truths which provides us some thoughts for these tough times we find ourselves in:

http://www.bestwayout.com/

Relocation Announcement

With the purchase of Vitality Beverages, Nestle Professional is moving it's corporate headquarters from Glendale, CA to Tampa, FL.

Relocation announcement

According to Automobile Magazine and the Bloomberg Report, Toyota over the next several months will complete the decision process to move its accounting, product planning and travel and data centers to either Kentucky or Michigan. The move would place the departments closer to the company's North American engineering and assembly sites and cut their overall operating costs.

Relocation Announcement

Cell phone handset maker Sony Ericsson will move its North American headquarters from North Carolina to Atlanta and close a half-dozen sites worldwide as it retrenches against what it expects will be a tighter market and cuts about 1,600 jobs globally.

Relocation Announcements

Dover Corporation moving it's corporate headquarters from New York City to Downers Grove, IL

Mega Merger Announcement

The principals of GMAC Real Estate and Real Living have announced that they have agreed to merge the two organizations in to a single organization. The new organization will use the name Real Living with Harley Rouda Jr assuming the position of President of the new operations. The combined organizations will consist of 30,000 agents across North America.

Are we really getting the message across?

I recently entered into a discussion with Michael Vandervort (http://www.thehumanracehorses.com) regarding the fact that we need to get across to management that HR people are the smartest people in the room. My question in return was why doesn't management believe us..to which Michael stated that we are not telling the message loud enough. We are the ones who know how to utilize the human capital to the best advantage of the organization. The problem is that in most corporations the human capital experts --US-- are considered nothing more than an expense item. Therefore when times get tough, we all know that we are among the first ones to be cut.

The goal that we need to look at is how to demonstrate in constructive ways that we have more to offer to the organization then a bottom line number. We are the ones who can identify lapses in the way people assets are assigned, utilized and developed. we are the ones who can show how to engage the workforce in the change process to make the organization stronger.

So my question is how are you getting the message across to management? If you are not getting the message across why not? What could you do differently to change the perception of what you do?

Relocation announcement

the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Arthropod-Borne Animal Disease Research Laboratory is moving to Manhattan, KS from Laramie, Wyo.

Ineo Promotion Announcement

 Ineo Relocation Technologies announced that Mary B. Reilly has joined the company in the newly created position of Senior Vice President of Global Business Development. In this role, Mary will oversee Ineo Relocation Technologies sales, marketing and client relations efforts and will work with the technology team to represent the "voice of the client."

Microsoft changes Relocation Policy

According to Afro Press, Microsoft Corporation has changed its Relocation Policy to extend the payback agreement for those transferees who leave the company. Going forward if an employee joins the Microsoft Corporation, they will be asked to sign a payback agreement that calls for repayment of relocation expenses to the corporation if they leave prior to 24 months. This is in part due to the housing market conditions.

DBAI creates Social Media 2.0 Presence

In addition to our presence here on Blogger you can now find information about our services on LinkedIn, Plaxo, Facebook and Twitter. You are invited to visit one or all of the sites for the latest news from our marketplace.

Thank you for your continued business.

Do You Really Know Your Hiring Practice?

Over the past year I have had the opportunity to look at a wide range of employment applications and a fairly common characteristic is that employers have not truly looked at the information that they have generated with their Applicant Tracking Systems. Now with the introduction of the Genetic Identification Non Discrimination Act it become even more critical that we review the information you are gathering. Your key should be is whether the information you are requesting is truly a valid indicator of whether the candidate can perform the duties of the position for which they are applying for.

Let me give you some recent examples I have come across:

A) An employer on the application, right at the top asked for who to contact in case of an emergency and the candidates social security number

B) An employer asked ,with a must answer stipulation, the date the candidate graduated from college

C) A government agency asked for required dates of your education. When questioned about the reasons for asking for the information, stated that the State AG had said it was okay.

With the dramatic increase in the number of discrimination suits and increased enforcement by the EEOC of these issues, it is to the detriment of your organization if you don't ensure that your application is asking questions which are bona-fide occupational qualification questions. Failure to do so can mean that financially you might be in worst shape.
While we are discussing your applications it is also critical that you check the system used by your outsourced applicant tracking system. They maybe asking questions which you are unaware of. The fact that you did not know the question was being asked is no excuse for asking questions that could lead to discriminatory practices in your talent management program.

Relocation Announcement

From Twitter was this notice:

Premier Inc., a health care purchasing and data company, announced Wednesday it's moving its headquarters from California to Charlotte while increasing its work in North Carolina's largest city by 300 jobs. A state economic incentives panel approved an agreement with Premier that could pay the company $4.1 million over the next nine years if it creates the jobs over the next five, keeps them through 2018 and meets investment targets. Premier, with 750 of its 1,250 workers already based out of Charlotte, will shift its headquarters from San Diego to Charlotte in part because many executive team members and its three divisions already are there, company spokesman Alven Weil said.

Relocation Announcement

Lennox Hearth Products has announced plans to relocate the headquarters and Research and Development operations of its Orange, Calif.-based hearth products company to Nashville and to consolidate both customer and technical service departments to Union City.

Stiefel Laboratories Inc. has announced it will shutter its 200-plus employee operation in Duluth, Ga. and move the work to Research Triangle Park, where it owns a 155,000-square-foot research and development facility.

Can We Run Our Relocation Program Faster, Cheaper and Better?

Daniel Bloom authored an article appearing in the October issue of Mobility Magazine regarding how to remove the wastes from the processes. Read the full text of the article at http://bit.ly/aqgXq
It applies the basics of the six-sigma methodology to the relocation process. Have other ways to improve the way we operate, let's talk about it.

20th Annual CRP Review Seminar Dates Announced

2010 Edition of Our CRP Review Seminar is set for May 16-18 in Orlando. The registration for the class is now open and further information can be obtained by emailing dan@dbaiconsulting.com.

What Do We Do?

In the course of my reading and travels, I am constantly hearing professionals with a number of questions about what they do with this thing we call Social Media. First let's be clear, it is here to stay, it is not a fad. But that still leaves the begging question about how we handle social media 2.0 in the workplace. The Wharton School published an intriguing Article covering this topic in their weekly knowledge@wharton blog. The whole article can be read at
http://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/article.cfm?articleid=2349

Despite what we think about this new frontier, we need to recognize both its benefits and its drawbacks. At the same time we need to develop strategies for the use of the medium both to the outside world and internally to our operations.

What Direction are We Headed In

A friend recently loaned us a copy of the four seasons of the show 4400. In one of the episodes a teacher is charged with child abuse because she inspired her students to utilize their talents. Right after watching the episode we downloaded two reports --Preparing the Workers Today for the Jobs of Tomorrow and The Ill-Prepared U.S. Workforce. We also watch as a segment of the population argues against the President talking to school children about making a difference in their world. The two reports mentioned above says that many employers are reporting a segment of the workforce is neither trained for tomorrow's jobs nor or they prepared for the jobs of today. When we look at the available training opportunities we need to really look at just what we are teaching our business leaders of tomorrow. Dr. Richard Florida, in his book Flight of the Creative Class, suggests that many of the world's talent are forsaking the U.S. job market because they can find better opportunities elsewhere. If they are not williong to come here, some may suggest that we have the talent locally to fill those positions. However, if they are not prepared for the demands of those jobs, what are we telling our customers? What are we telling the global marketplace? How do we expect to compete against the changing world? For those of you who believe we are doing fine just as we are (and I know there are some out there who think that way) I would suggest that you look at the You Tube presentation http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pMcfrLYDm2U and
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jpEnFwiqdx8

New Years Wishes

To all of our Jewish  clients, we wish you and your a happy Rosh Hashanah as we begin the Jewish High Holy Days

Employer May Be Liable for Hiring Done by Independent Contractor

2nd Circuit - Employer May Be Liable for Hiring Done by Independent Contractor 09/16/2009

by Maria Greco Danaher, Ogletree Deakins (Pittsburgh) The Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) makes it unlawful to discriminate against an individual over the age of 40, and specifically includes a prohibition against failing to hiring someone based on his or her age.  The 2d U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals recently pointed out the expansive nature of that prohibition by holding that an employer may be held liable for discrimination by third parties - including an independent contractor who is authorized by the employer to make hiring decisions on its behalf.  Halpert v. Manhattan Apartments, Inc., 2d Cir., No. 07-4074-cv, September 10, 2009.  In October 2001, Michael Halpert interviewed for a position to show rental apartments for Manhattan Apartments, Inc. (MAI).  The interview was conducted by Robert Brooks, an independent contractor/broker who allegedly told Halpert that Halpert was “too old” to work in the prospective position, and asked why the placement center had not sent a younger applicant.  Halpert was born on September 19, 1957.  In response to a lawsuit filed by Halpert, MAI filed a motion for summary judgment which was granted by the district court.  The district court found that MAI as not an “employer” under the definition of the ADEA, and dismissed the case against MAI.  That decision was reversed by the Second Circuit, which remanded the case for trial.  The Second Circuit based the reversal on the fact that the ADEA’s prohibitions against discrimination apply to the hiring process, whether a company uses its own employees to interview applicants, or asks an independent contractor to fill that role.  If a company gives someone authority to interview applicants and make hiring decisions on behalf of the company, the company may be held liable if that contractor discriminates against an applicant because of the applicant’s age. MAI’s potential liability under the ADEA turns on whether Brooks was hiring Halpert to work for him as a fellow independent broker, or was making the hiring decision for MAI as its agent.  The Court pointed out that MAI sponsored a training program for individuals hired to show the apartments, that the successful applicants would earn commissions from MAI, that the interview took place at MAI’s offices, and that the placement person who sent Halpert to the interview testified that she believed that he was being interviewed for a position with MAI.  The Court held that there were disputed issues of material fact that precluded dismissal of the action. The controversy in this case was not whether MAI was liable for discrimination against an independent contractor (an action typically not protected against under the ADEA), but whether MAI can be held liable for age discrimination by an independent contractor when that person works as an agent for MAI.  The Court found that the answer to this question is an unequivocal Yes.  Based on a posting on the Employment Law Information Network

From Our Client Family

National Corporate Housing is seeking an Account Executive in our Herndon, VA office. Please forward this on if you know of anyone that might be a good fit for this position. For more information contact:

Misty Gregarek
Human Resource Director,  PHR, CRP
tel: 303-863-7002   
email: mgregarek@nationalcorporatehousing.com
web: www.nationalcorporatehousing.com

10 Best U.S. Cities to Earn a Living

ABC News has released their list of the best places to earn a living in today's employment market. The cities are:
Dallas, Tx
Houston, TX
Minneapolis, MN
Austin, TX
Washington, DC
St Louis, MO
Seattle, WA
Atlanta, GA
Kansas City, MO/KS
Denver, CO

If this is correct, may lead to an influx of new transferees for your businesses. The full story can be found at

http://abcnews.go.com/Business/best-us-cities-earn-living/Story?id=8520018&page=1

Be careful of what you wish for

In today's edition of the Employment Law Network email magazine, there are a number of articles that discuss the broadening of the anti-discrimination laws in the US due to recent legal decisions. We have all heard the saying it is not who you know, but who knows you when we are talking to those individuals who are looking for new work opportunities. It seems from these recent decisions, that it has now carried over to the employee base as a whole. For example consider the cases below from the Jackson and Lewis Law Firm:

1. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, in New York, in a case involving the allegations of a Caucasian assistant basketball coach who had claimed he was discharged because he married an African-American woman. The Court held, “[w]here an employee is subjected to adverse action because an employer disapproves of interracial association, the employee suffers discrimination because of the employee’s own race.”
2. In a Sixth Circuit decision, three Caucasian women sued their employer, alleging they were discriminated against based upon their friendship with, and advocacy for, African-American co-workers. Examples of the allegedly racially discriminatory incidents included: overhearing co-workers using racial slurs and telling racist jokes, being told “missed you ladies at the [Ku Klux] Klan meeting last night”, viewing racial graffiti in various places in the plant, being “snubbed” because of the employee’s association with African-American employees, receiving less desirable work assignments, and not being considered for promotions.
3. the Seventh Circuit overruled the District Court’s grant of summary judgment in favor the employer, holding that “an employee, fired because her spouse has a disability that is costly to the employer (i.e., he is covered by the company’s health plan) is within the intended scope of the ‘associational discrimination’ section of the ADA.” A jury was allowed to consider the plaintiff’s claim because she had established that direct evidence of “associational discrimination” may have motivated the employer’s decision to fire her.
What does this mean to you? It means that you need to add to your consideration all factors involved in a reduction in force to be sure that you clearly state your case and are not walking that thin line between business necessity and discrimination.

Violation of Free Speech or Citizenry Protection

Because of new guidelines on advertising and blogging under review by the Federal Trade Commission, some HR blogger practices are coming under scrutiny, including questions about reporting standards and the disclosure of conflicts of interest, reports Workforce Management.
Here is the question-- are they violating our right to free speech or are they trying to reduce the number of blog entries which have either misleading information or do not disclose the bandwagon they are on?

IMPORTANT NOTIFICATION

Effective today, September 9, 2009, federal contractors and subcontractors are required to begin using E-Verify for all employees both current and future.

Mobility Article

In the October 2009 issue of Mobility Magazine, the official journal of the Relocation Industry, there will appear an article entitled In Plain Sight written by Daniel Bloom, discussing six sigma and how it can improve the relocation industry. Let us know your thoughts.

Tip for the marketplace

Monster has said their August numbers showed the best month for job openings in four years . SHRM, the HR trade association, announced today that their survey of hiring officials are foreseeing a very strong September for new hiring. So here is a tip to gain competitive advantage on the market.
Step 1: If you have not already done so, open a free account on Twitter ( you can follow us at Dbainc)

Step 2: Download Tweetdeck (http://www.tweetdeck.com)

Step 3: When you have the tweetdeck fully synced with your facebook and twitter accounts, locate the search icon in the tool bar. In the search field, enter the following terms (I would recommend one at a time): Human Resource, Relocation, and any other associated terms that you choose.

Step 4: Keep tweetdeck open inthe background on your computer. Everytime a Tweet is posted regarding your search terms, it shows up in Tweetdeck. You can find jobs, other vendors and news.

Try it and enjoy.

Relocation announcement

Special Devices Inc., a California-based company that makes air bag igniters and other pyrotechnic devices, is consolidating its North American auto business in Mesa and relocating 250 positions here in the process.