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Health Care: California Health Care Reform Gets a Step Closer

The California Assembly has voted in favor of a landmark health care reform measure—A.B. x1 1, the Health Care Security and Cost Reduction Act—which is backed by Gov. Schwarzenegger. The bill now heads to the Senate for consideration. If approved there and signed by the governor, the bill would then go to voters in November […]

Is There ‘Unconscious Discrimination’ at Your Workplace? EEOC Wants to Know

Does your workplace discriminate “unconsciously?” Courts aren’t sure, says Fortune magazine. But the EEOC isn’t waiting to find out. Despite years of the government, courts, and society in general fighting it, patterns of discrimination still exist at many businesses. Workers seem to be held down based on race, gender, or other factors. But while some […]

Laugh Your Way to Wellness, Part 2: What You Can Joke About

Humorist David Granirer says that humor helps us stay well but that several topics are verboten in the workplace. Today we look at topics you can joke about. As noted in yesterday’s Advisor, humor at work can lead to both healthier employees and a healthier bottom line. But there are some forms of humor that […]

Hot List: New York Times Bestselling Business Books

The following is a list of the bestselling hardcover business books as ranked by the New York Times on December 17. 1. The World Is Flat, by Thomas L. Friedman. (Picador, $16.) A columnist for the New York Times analyzes 21st-century economics and foreign policy and presents an overview of globalization trends. 2. The Tipping […]

Laugh Your Way to Wellness? Expert Says ‘Yes, You Can’

Wellness is a serious topic, says corporate humorist David Granirer, but a little humor might be just what the doctor ordered. We’ve all been trained that “work isn’t supposed to be fun” and that “no pain, no gain” should be our motto. However, says corporate humorist David Granirer, blogging on about.com, we’re starting to realize […]

Follow Up On The Picket Line

It is not that I don’t support the writers of The Office.  I do.  But I also think their situation is different than most other industries in the private sector.  When I look at the issue of unionization from a more global perspective, I firmly believe that most employees and companies are better off without […]

Lordy, Lordy, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act Turns 40

by Boyd A. Byers Forty is a mystical number in many cultures. In ancient Babylonia, the number was known as kissatuin, meaning “the excellent quantity.” The great flood described in the Bible resulted from 40 days and 40 nights of rain. Forty is the only number, when spelled out in English, whose letters are in […]

Discrimination: Do You Have Any Tips for Avoiding Discrimination Lawsuits?

Fortunately we haven’t been accused of discriminating against our employees or potential hires. But with all the lawsuits we’ve been reading about lately, we want to be proactive. Do you have any strategies or advice for preventing possible discrimination claims? —Kris R., HR Director, San Jose   Discrimination is a big—and often costly—issue faced by […]

Talent Suites: Next Best Hope for HR, or Not Ready for Prime Time?

By BLR Founder and CEO Bob Brady Based on the recent HR Technology Conference and Exposition our CEO attended, it’s clear vendors think they know what HR needs: Talent Suites. Talent suites (at least theoretically) are integrated applications for things like sourcing and recruiting, performance management, succession planning, and compensation. They pick up where administrative […]