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Friday, July 29, 2011

Are You Too Old To Get Hired?

Age discrimination is an unfortunately reality of today's job market. Here are some suggestions to beat it and walk away with the job.

Are You Too Old To Get Hired?

Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Why Companies Won't Hire the Unemployed

It's easier to find a job when you have a job. Some companies are taking this principle to the extreme and excluding the unemployed. Here's why.

Click here to read Why Companies Won't Hire the Unemployed

Monday, July 25, 2011

Unemployed For a Long Time? Try This

If you've been out of work a long time, you're not alone. Here are 10 suggestions to help you get a job, even in the face of long term unemployment.

Click here to read: Unemployed For a Long Time? Try This

Friday, July 22, 2011

Employers Hunt Down Your Bachelor Party Pics on Facebook

More companies are conducting internet background checks to scrape up everything you've ever said and done. Should they? And should you care?

Keep reading: Employers Hunt Down Your Bachelor Party Pics on Facebook

Thursday, July 21, 2011

Want a Job Where You’re More Likely to Die Than be Fired? Try the Government

Are you the type of person who doesn't like to try very hard? Who, once you get a job, like to kick back and relax, assured that it's very unlikely you'll ever be terminated? Then check this out.

click here to read on: Want a Job Where You’re More Likely to Die Than be Fired? Try the Government

Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Is Your Sense of Entitlement Ruining Your Career?

Everything should be fair. Scratch that, everything should be set up to benefit you and your needs. If you believe that, you may be damaging your own career. Here's why.

To read more click here: Is Your Sense of Entitlement Ruining Your Career

Monday, July 18, 2011

Whiny, Entitled Employees? Blame Their Professors

Is your office plagued by whiny, entitled employees? Turns out they've had years of grade and ego inflation. Here's how to restore peace and tranquility to your staff.

To read more click: Whiny, Entitled Employees? Blame Their Professors

Friday, July 15, 2011

How to Land Your Employees In Therapy

You want to be loved by your staff, so you're nice. But being too nice may end up being just as harmful as being too mean. Here's why.

To read more click: How to Land Your employees in Therapy

Wednesday, July 13, 2011

Stop Being a Lazy Job Seeker

People who are laid off, often complain that it’s that evil outsourcing that caused their job to go away. So, then, what do they turn to while searching for a job? Outsource the process, of course. Apparently, it’s the American way.

To read more click here: Stop Being a Lazy Job Seeker

Tuesday, July 12, 2011

Why America Needs More Bad Jobs

Everyone agrees--America needs more good jobs. But what if good jobs aren't enough? What if we really need more bad jobs?

Read Why American Needs More Bad Jobs

Monday, July 11, 2011

Does My Employee Have a Medical Problem or a Performance Problem?

Dear Evil HR Lady,

I have an employee who drinks a LOT of water - probably well over a gallon a day while she’s at work. This means that every 30 minutes she’s either in the bathroom, or filling her water glass. I’ve

recommended combining these into her break or bringing a jug to keep at her desk, but then she’ll ask if that means I’m not going to allow her to go to the bathroom when she needs to.

Notes:

We’re a health oriented company, so telling an employee they can’t drink as much water as they want kind of goes against our wellness ideals.
This person is struggling to get her work done and has a hard time focusing on her tasks, and I believe that the constant water/bathroom breaks have become an excuse to get away from her desk.
This person is also pregnant, but the water issue has been going on for months before she found out about the baby. It’s just gotten worse, because she’s now three months along and using that as another excuse for her constant bathroom breaks since the day after she took the test. It could be legitimate as I’ve never been pregnant, but the other moms in my department have clearly stated that they didn’t experience the bladder pressure until much later in their pregnancies. Yes, the rest of my team is noticing and commenting. But I’m not a doctor so I can’t diagnose this as a pregnancy-related symptom.
We’re a phone based department, so coverage is an issue.

I’ve been addressing the performance issues with her, but am afraid that if it gets to the point where we let her go, she’ll come back with some type of wild discrimination issue over not being able to go to the bathroom/drink water. I wouldn’t be surprised if she tried a pregnancy discriminahttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.giftion suit, though I have had other pregnant women in the department in the past where we were able to work out very successful plans to accommodate them reasonably - but they were still performing at a high level. I don’t want to go to our HR department without a good idea of what to do as they tend to be ineffective.

I have asked if there is a medical reason why she needs so much water. She says no, that she just likes water.

What would you advise? Am I missing something here? I’m stumped!


To read the answer click here: Does My Employee Have a Medical Problem or a Performance Problem?

Sunday, July 10, 2011

Why Your Annual Review is Unfair

Dear Evil HR Lady

It’s employee evaluation time again, and I am feeling very frustrated. For the past two years my boss has given me the highest possible evaluation. He has said I am the best employee he’s had for 15 years and he can’t think of any suggestions for improvement. But then he has given me 2s and 3s as ratings (1 is the highest and 5 is the lowest). When I asked him about it, he said that he was told to do so (he actually had to lower the initial ratings he gave me) because if he gave me all 1s then he’d have to give me a raise, and he has been told he can’t give raises. This is company policy that I don’t think he can do anything about, but it’s extremely disheartening. Do I just shrug my shoulders and go along with this unfair system? How common is this?


To read my answer click here: Why Your Annual Review is Unfair

When Your Company is Breaking the Law

Dear Evil HR Lady,

Currently I’m quite frustrated with how my boss is handling payroll. Understand, this is a small business consisting of only eight other employees and the issue may be victim to this fact. The pay schedule is set on the first and fifteenth, however, the total hours paid are determined by the previous time period. To explain further:

For the paycheck on July 1, 2011 I will be paid the hours worked from June 1,2011 through June 15, 2011.

Hours worked June 1 - June 15, paid July 1
Hours worked June 15 - June 30, paid July 15

California labor law clearly states that first and fifteenth pay schedules are to be paid no later than the 26th of the month for hours worked through the 1st and 15th and hours to be paid no later than the 11th of the following month for hours worked from the 16th to the following period.

This had not been discussed at any time during the hiring process and nowhere in my training. I’m typically an understanding person when it comes to issues of these sorts but having just gotten back to work after being laid off in January, I am in need of these hours to be paid in order for me to start paying off my past due bills. I’m looking for advice on how to approach this issue with my boss.


To read my answer, click here: When Your Company is Breaking the Law

Sunday, July 03, 2011

What Should I Wear to a Job Interview

You've through all the hoops and now it's time for the face to face interview. What on earth do you wear?

What Should I Wear to a Job Interview

Friday, July 01, 2011

What Perk Would Keep You At Your Job?

Employee perks are coming back. Is that enough to keep you at a job? What perks would make you stay, even if you could get more money somewhere else?

What Perk Would Keep You At Your Job?

And The Winners Are

The winners of the stupidest title are:

Michelle with her "Decision Support Professional."

TheAssistant with "Outreach and Communications Guru." Any title with "Guru" in it, is a bad one.

And Anonymous with the "Large and Complex Team Leader."

It was really, really, hard to choose and I thank you all. I wanted to include the Dam Supervisor from Tales of a Young Recruiter, but it actually is a very good title. Now I want to go work for a HydroElectric plant so I can be Dam HR Manager.

Michelle, The Assistant and Anonymous (the large and complex one), send your addresses to EvilHRLady@gmail.com and I will send you your official Swiss Chocolate!

Thanks to everyone who participated. I love you all.