HRWorld.ca - Welcome to HR World

HR NEWS

Most Workers Trust that Employers Protect Personal Info

Eighty-eight percent of employees are confident their company protects their personal information from identity theft, according to a survey by the American Payroll Association. The survey found that employees are confident in the current methods used by employers to secure sensitive information such as social security numbers, wages and salaries, and bank account numbers.

Telecommuting: Boon Or Bane?

The last time telecommuting was encouraged by employers was during the 1970s, due to the oil crisis and economic recession, said Susan Ascher, president and CEO of The Ascher Group, a national provider of human resources contract professionals and a specialist on workplace and job market issues.

Stop a Harper Majority, CAW Urges

The CAW is urging its members to get involved in the federal election campaign. The union is moving ahead with campaign materials that include a series of election town hall meetings, fact sheets and an election factbook on its newly redesigned website.

Disputes Inquiry Board makes recommendations for power plant labour dispute

Edmonton... A Disputes Inquiry Board appointed to help reach a collective agreement for 448 workers at three Alberta power plants, has made its recommendations in a report to Employment and Immigration Minister Hector Goudreau.

Report: Economy Is Weakening Job Candidates' Bargaining Power

According to a new report, the current state of the U.S. economy is "casting a shadow on the psyches of job candidates," as they have become less aggressive when it comes to bargaining for starting salaries when looking for a new job.

Many Job Prospects Torpedoed by Information on Social Networking Sites

Thirty-four percent of hiring managers who admit that they have screened job candidates via social networking profiles say that they found content that caused them to dismiss a candidate from consideration, according to a survey by CareerBuilder.com.

30% of Employers Don't Update Employees on Financial Results

Thirty percent of employers say they either never update employees or keep their employees "in the dark" on financial results, according to a recent survey on HR.BLR.com and Compensation.BLR.com.

CAW Supports the Windsor University Faculty Association (WUFA)

Windsor area CAW locals are giving their full support to striking faculty at the University of Windsor. The faculty has been on strike since 2 a.m. on September 17. "We have excellent relations with WUFA and their leadership and will provide whatever assistance they request," said CAW National President Ken Lewenza.

HR NEWS

PA Clean Indoor Air Act Goes into Effect

Effective September 11, 2008, the Clean Indoor Air Act (SB 246) prohibits smoking in most public places and workplaces, including restaurants. "Public places" are defined as places where the public is invited or permitted, including public transportation vehicles and terminals and vehicles for hire. Read more..

Poll: Upper Management Is #1 HR Headache

Who causes the most headaches for human resources professionals? According to the combined results of a recent HR.BLR.com/Compensation.BLR.com poll, it's upper management. When asked "What/who gives you the most headaches in your HR job?," nearly 1 in 3 (31 percent) responded "Upper management." Read more..

Court Refuses to Halt Gun Law

Florida employers will be expected to comply with the employment-related provisions of the state's controversial "Bring your Guns to Work" law, Chapter 2008-7 of the Laws of 2008, now that a federal judge has refused to halt their operation. Two prominent employer groups, the Florida Retail Federation and the Florida Chamber of Commerce, had challenged the law in federal court, claiming that it conflicts with the U.S. Read more..

There's New Guidance on Religious Bias

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) recently issued a lengthy and informative new set of guidelines to help employers avoid charges of religious discrimination. The information comes at a time when such employee claims have risen sharply and religious diversity is increasing across the country. We asked BLR Legal Editor Joan Farrell to talk with us about this latest guidance. Read more..

Is Employer Liable for Injuries in Workplace Robbery?

Under what circumstances is an employer liable for an employee's injuries sustained during a workplace robbery? Does it matter if the same workplace was also robbed twice in the recent past? The Ohio Court of Appeals recently faced that question. Read more..

Group Drops State Ballot Fight for Paid Sick Days

Organizers of a paid sick leave initiative in Ohio have dropped their effort to have it appear on the ballot in November. Ohioans for Healthy Families, the coalition of labor groups and other organizations that pushed for the ballot initiative, said they would fight for paid sick leave on a national level instead. Read more..

Investment in international educational opportunities for students

Students at Fanshawe College of Applied Arts and Technology will have greater opportunities to study and learn new skills abroad through a new international student exchange project sponsored by the Government of Canada announced by Joe Preston, Member of Parliament for Elgin-Middlesex-London, on behalf of the Honourable Monte Solberg, Minister of Human Resources and Social Development. Read more..

The Government of Canada continues Employment Insurance pilot projects

Mr. Rick Dykstra, Member of Parliament for St. Catharines, responded to the announcement from the Honourable Monte Solberg, Minister of Human Resources and Social Development, that the Government is continuing three Employment Insurance (EI) pilot projects to further assess their effects. Read more..

New Tool Offers Tips for Greener Workplaces

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has created a new online tool to provide Americans with tips and information on how to save energy and protect the environment in the workplace. Energy use in commercial buildings and manufacturing plants accounts for nearly half of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions and nearly 50 percent of energy consumption nationwide. Read more..

HR NEWS

The Government of Canada supports career opportunities in agriculture

Mr. Pierre Lemieux, Member of Parliament for Glengarry-Prescott-Russell, on behalf of the Honourable Monte Solberg, Minister of Human Resources and Social Development, announced funding to promote career opportunities in the agricultural sector. Read more..

6 in 10 HR Professionals Think They're Underpaid

Well over half of human resources professionals believe that they are underpaid, according to the combined results of a recent HR.BLR.com/Compensation.BLR.com poll. When asked "How do you feel about your pay?," 60 percent responded "I am underpaid." Meanwhile, 38 percent responded "I am paid just about the right amount." Just 2 percent responded "I am overpaid."

The Honourable Diane Ablonczy, Secretary of State (Small Business and Tourism), on behalf of the Honourable Monte Solberg, Minister of Human Resources and Social Development, and the Honourable Hector Goudreau, Minister of Employment and Immigration for Alberta, signed a new agreement to help Alberta workers improve their skills, and to prepare them for the jobs of the future. Read more..

Old Age Security benefit rates effective October 1, 2008

Human Resources and Social Development Canada has announced the latest benefit rates for Old Age Security (OAS). As of October 1, 2008, the basic OAS pension, paid to people 65 years of age and over, will be $516.96 per month. This is an increase of 2.2 per cent over the previous quarter. Read more..

Mandatory Training, Fines for ID Theft Exposure

In the wake of identity theft scandals, two Texas employers, a healthcare provider and a retailer, have now entered agreements with Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott which require them to undertake mandatory employee training annually for the next 5 years. Read more..

Former NFL Player Offers Training Tips

Rich Thompson, a former professional football player, is currently vice president of training and development at Adecco. In a recent interview with BLR's Training Forum newsletter, he addressed the questions: Did you ever have to deal with heckling football fans, and did that experience teach you anything about engaging skeptics during training? Read more..

E-Verify: What Federal Contractors Need to Know

In accordance with an executive order signed on June 6 by President Bush, all organizations working under contract to the federal government are required to use the Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) E-Verify system to check that new hires are eligible to work in the U.S. Read more..

Sexual Harassment Policy = Protection from Liability?

If an employer maintains a sexual harassment policy and an employee doesn't use it, is the employer then exonerated from liability for sexual harassment? A federal court sitting in Pennsylvania recently faced that issue. Read more..

New Guidance on Performance and Conduct Issues Under ADA

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has published a guide addressing how the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) applies to a wide variety of performance and conduct issues. Read more..

HR NEWS

Minister Blackburn recognizes contribution of Canadian workers on Labour Day

On September 1, workers in Canada celebrate Labour Day. The Honourable Jean Pierre Blackburn, Minister of Labour and Minister of the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec, wishes to acknowledge the contribution of all workers to the well-being of our country.

Researchers have found a link between good leadership and increased employee well-being, including decreased sick leave and disability, reports the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine.

The Department of Justice has revised its guidelines for prosecuting corporate fraud by halting two controversial tactics that were aimed at ensuring greater cooperation from employers during investigations. Read more..

More Employers Helping Employees Deal with Gas Prices

More than 40 percent of employers have taken steps to help employees deal with higher gas prices this year, up from 25 percent in 2005, according to a poll on HR.BLR.com and Compensation.BLR.com. Read more..

The Government of Canada helps open doors to higher education

It's getting easier to keep learning! Canadians interested in pursuing post-secondary education will now have access to more opportunities then ever, as details of the recent changes to student financial assistance were unveiled. Read more..

Workplace Fatalities Dip

A total of 5,488 fatal workplace injuries were recorded in the United States in 2007, a decrease of 6 percent from the revised total of 5,840 fatal work injuries reported for 2006, according to a report by the Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics. Read more..

Feds Arrest 595 in Immigration Raid at Employer

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) special agents arrested 595 individuals this week at Howard Industries, Inc., in Laurel, Mississippi, after executing a federal criminal search warrant and a civil search warrant. Read more..

Government funds innovative new program to tackle labour shortages in the mining industry

Canada's Government is taking action with an innovative new program to address the projected shortage of up to 92,000 workers in the mining sector. The Honourable Gordon O'Connor, Minister of National Revenue, on behalf of the Honourable Monte Solberg, Minister of Human Resources and Social Development, announced a project that will help employers in the mining industry access untapped labour pools. Read more..

HR NEWS

Health Company Promotes Walking, but with a 'Green' Twist

American Specialty Health (ASH), a provider of employee health solutions, recently challenged its own workforce to better its own well-being. Nearly 370 employees participated in "Go Green with Your Routine," which was designed to boost wellness and environmentally friendly physical activity.

Workers are more likely to say they are underpaid for the work they do than say they are paid appropriately for the work they do, according to a Gallup Poll. The poll found that 51 percent of workers claimed they are underpaid for the work they do, compared with 46 percent of workers who say they are paid about the right amount for the work they do. Read more..

Run-of-the-Mill Education

How many bogus documents can a single diploma mill sell? A lot. The Justice Department says a diploma mill in the state of Washington sold more than $6.2 million in fraudulent academic documents to more than 9,000 individuals. Read more..

Is 'You're Too Young to Retire' Age Bias?

A long-time Iowa math teacher applied to take advantage of her school system's early retirement incentives--continued group rates for healthcare coverage and a large deposit into a savings account. However, the incentives offered for the 2004-2005 school year required that she turn 55 by June 30, 2005. Thereby hangs this tale. Read more..

Changes Proposed for H-2B Worker Program

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has proposed a series of changes to the rules under the H-2B program, saying the revisions would streamline procedures for hiring workers. The proposed rule, which has been sent to the Federal Register, supplements the reforms of the H-2B program already proposed by the Department of Labor in its proposed rule published on May 22.

The Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination (MCAD), the agency that enforces the state's anti-discrimination laws, recently announced a new interpretation of the Massachusetts Maternity Leave Act (MMLA), which requires employers of six or more to offer 8 weeks of unpaid leave to women after the birth or adoption of a child. Read more..

Report: Nearly Half of Web Traffic in Workplace Is Non-Work-Related

Web security provider ScanSafe has released a report that says 49 percent of the corporate Internet traffic that the company scanned was non-productive, such as requests for gambling, music, and Webmail sites. Read more..

HR NEWS

Canada's Government and Saskatchewan improving the temporary foreign worker program

The Honourable Monte Solberg, Minister of Human Resources and Social Development, and the Honourable Rob Norris, Saskatchewan Minister of Advanced Education, Employment and Labour, announced that Canada's Government and the Government of Saskatchewan are working together on several fronts to make improvements to the Temporary Foreign Worker Program. Read more..

Building an employment brand: Responsibilities of a HR executive

A great work place is where each one of us wants to find ourselves in. But which is the right place? Your prospective employee will also have this question in his mind. If you want your company name to pop up in his mind, get ready, you have a great deal of work to do - Build an employment brand for your company. Read more..

Workday Trends Blur Overtime Rules

What is overtime and who is entitled to get paid for it? It's a heated question that has set off alarms for employers and spawned hundreds of lawsuits in courts nationwide. And it will only get more attention as employers squeeze productivity from workers and lawyers cash in on the most lucrative area of employment litigation. Read more..

Poll Shows Support for Cell Phone Restrictions

Eighty-nine percent of Americans say that businesses should be allowed to restrict cell phone use, according to a recent poll. The poll was based on a report in the issue of Parade magazine describing how many hospitals and doctors' offices are prohibiting cell phones in waiting rooms, and how some restaurants and other venues are charging customers who disturb others by chatting. Read more..

7 Tips to Green Your Office

More and more companies are jumping on the "green" bandwagon as they see eco-conscious consumers taking steps to live more environmentally sustainable lifestyles. Companies are now finding that being eco-friendly puts them at a competitive advantage. Read more..

Higher Gas Prices Lead to Greater Use of Mass Transit

Higher gas prices have fueled a significant increase in the use of public transportation, according to the American Public Transportation Association (APTA). During the first 3 months of 2008, Americans took 2.6 billion trips on public transportation--an increase of 85 million compared to the same time period in 2007, according to the organization. Read more..

Reverse Religious Discrimination Nets Worker $6.5 Million

Religious discrimination lawsuits typically involve situations where an employee was refused an accommodation, such as time off, for religious purposes, or discriminated against because of their particular religious beliefs or practices. But a recent case in which an employee won a multimillion-dollar verdict from a Sacramento jury puts a different spin on the problem of religious bias. Read more..

HR NEWS

Workers Cut Back to Buy Gas for Commute

Forty-seven percent of workers who say they drive to work report that they have had to give up something in order to afford the gas needed for their commute, according to an online survey. Read more..

CAW President says Harper inaction on manufacturing job loss is appalling and shameful

CAW President Buzz Hargrove considers the announcement of 55,000 manufacturing job losses in the month of July absolutely devastating. The latest figures, released by Statistics Canada on August 8, are one of the worst monthly job loss totals for Canadian manufacturing on record. Hargrove points the finger directly at the Harper government. Read more..

Internet Potential in India : India's foray into web-development

India was a latecomer to the Internet owing to low PC penetration, lack of infrastructure and high Internet costs. This scenario changed soon enough, and Internet usage grew at an exponential rate. Cyber cafes played a key role in making the Internet accessible, which helped a great deal. Read more..

Who Wants to Keep Their Job?

A recent survey identified which industries have the greatest percentage of workers who would prefer to remain with their current employer. The survey, conducted among 3,342 employees by global consultants BlessingWhite asked the following question: "Assuming you have a choice, do you plan to remain with your organization through the 2008 year?" Read more..

6 Reasons Background Checks Are Essential

CheckPoint HR, LLC, has released a list of reasons employers should make background checks a standard practice in their hiring process. "By hiring a new employee, you are entrusting them with your company and your clients," said Michelle Moylan, HR Specialist for CheckPoint HR. "Therefore it's your corporate responsibility to ensure a safe work environment and protect your company's assets" Read more..

Employers Holding Steady on Benefits, Despite Economy

The latest edition of an annual study of employee benefits offerings reveals some revealing and surprising trends. "There has been surprising stability in many of the practices, policies, and programs of U.S. employers over the past 10 years," according to Families and Work Institute president and founder Ellen Galinsky in announcing the recently released 10th edition of the Institute's "National Study of Employers (NSE)." Read more..

New Governor Appointment to the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety

The Honourable Jean-Pierre Blackburn, Minister of Labour and Minister of the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec, announced the appointment of Mr. Sylvester Wong as governor representing the Northwest Territories on the Council of Governors of the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety Board (CCOHS), effective immediately. Read more..

Labour Force Survey

Following gains at the beginning of 2008, and little change from April to June, employment dropped by 55,000 in July. The unemployment rate edged down 0.1 percentage points to 6.1%, as many people, particularly youth, left the labour force. Read more..

HR NEWS

Study: Bored Employee More Disgruntled than Overworked Employee

Bored employees have more of a negative effect on employers than overworked employees, according to research by Sirota Survey Intelligence. Employees who report having "too little work" have by far lower job satisfaction, sense of accomplishment, and pride in their employers compared with all other workers, according to the research, which is based on a survey of more than 1 million employees. Read more..

Ten Biggest Telecommuting Mistakes

As gas prices hit record highs and worries rise about the prospect of gas at over $5 a gallon, companies can expect to face increased pressure to consider telecommuting. But before they do, Karol Rose, author of five books on human resources issues and an executive with a Web-based provider of workplace flexibility solutions, warns both individuals and companies to avoid the following mistakes. Read more..

Demand for HR Execs on the Rise as Economy Slows

Demand for human resource executives is on the rise, according to a report by JobFox. Human resource executives are now the 25th most wanted profession, according to the Jobfox rankings report for June. Recruiting/staffing professionals ranked 24th--the second-consecutive month that recruiters have held this position. Read more..

Google Top Choice for MBA Students

MBA students have chosen Google as their most ideal employer for the second year in a row in a survey by Universum. The survey found that the top 5 choices for MBA students are: Google (23.65 percent of respondents) McKinsey & Company's (15.84 percent) Goldman Sachs (14.98 percent) Apple (13.68 percent) The Boston Consulting Group (12.12 percent). Read more..

Diversity at CTV Inc. and the Toronto Region Immigrant Employment Council

The Honourable Jean-Pierre Blackburn, Minister of Labour and Minister of the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec, is in Toronto to recognize two organizations that have achieved great success in promoting diversity in the workforce - CTV Inc. and the Toronto Region Immigrant Employment Council (TRIEC). Read more..

Minister Blackburn renders his decision on Air Canada

The Honourable Jean-Pierre Blackburn, Minister of Labour and Minister of the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec, rendered a decision not to grant Air Canada a waiver from the group termination provisions of the Canada Labour Code, in the event that group terminations take place at Air Canada on November 1, 2008. Read more..

Government of Canada Helps New Canadians Get Jobs

Skilled workers who are new to Canada will get the help they need to integrate into the workforce and their communities through a new project funded by the Government of Canada. Senator Hugh Segal announced on behalf of the Honourable Monte Solberg, Minister of Human Resources and Social Development, an investment of over $800,000, in partnership with the Maytree Foundation. Read more..

A Key to Staying Safe While Working in the Heat: Acclimatization

One of the best defenses against heat-related illnesses and fatalities is allowing employees to acclimate to the heat, says the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health, also known as Cal/OSHA. Letting workers to adjust to changes in weather by gradually increasing their exposure and physical activity likely reduces the risk of heat-related issues, the agency says. Read more..

HR NEWS

New Program to Better Protect Canadian Workers

The Honourable Jean-Pierre Blackburn, Minister of Labour and Minister of the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec, announced that the Wage Earner Protection Program (WEPP) is now in force. The program will protect workers' wages when their employer is declared bankrupt or is subject to receivership. Read more..

GM to lay off salaried workers

General Motors Corp. will lay off salaried workers, cut truck production, suspend its dividend and borrow $2 billion to $3 billion to weather a severe downturn in the U.S. market. Read more..

Employers Add Benefits to Help Employees with Rising Gas Costs

More employers are offering telecommuting, flexible schedules, and other benefits to help employees offset the costs of rising gas prices, but few employers are increasing pay to help employees, according to a survey by the Society for Human Resource Management. Read more..

Aging workforce creates talent gaps

Global Survey of 4,741 Executives in 83 Countries, Conducted by the Boston Consulting Group and the World Federation of Personnel Management Associations, Identifies HR Priorities of Today and the Future. Read more..

Workplace Injury rate down by 20%

Ontario Government Introduces New Plan To Build On Success Ontario has achieved a 20 per cent reduction in the annual rate of workplace injuries. To build on this success, Ontario is launching a new four year plan--Safe At Work Ontario. Read more..

Air Canada to lay off 632 flight attendants

The union representing Air Canada's flight attendants said its members are bearing a disproportionate burden as Canada's largest airline announced 632 in-flight workers in Vancouver, Winnipeg and Halifax will lose their jobs in November as it chops capacity in the face of soaring fuel costs. Read more..

Bush Signs Bill Barring Genetic Bias

President Bush has signed into law the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA) that protects the confidentiality of individual genetic information. Under the law, "genetic information" is defined to include information about an individual's genetic tests, genetic tests of family members, and a disease or disorder in the family. GINA applies to both insurers and employers. Read more..