Check ‘em out. (more…)

Here’s the Corporate BS for May 25-31: (more…)

I’ve previously written a series of “No Shame” posts about extravagant CEO compensation.  (Click here, here, here, here and here.)  A recent headline in the Los Angeles Times (“For CEOs, a reversal of fortunes”) made me wonder if my posts had become obsolete  The article under the headline describes hard times for CEOs in the 100 largest corporations in California.  On average, they were paid 10% less in 2007 than in 2006.  On balance, however, the article demonstrates  that “No Shame” has become a way of life for CEOs, at least for those in the big companies where large numbers of employees work.

The biggest CEO comp cuts occurred in the troubled housing and mortgage industries.  Countrywide Financial (which posted a $704 million loss in ’07 compared with a $2.7 billion profit in ’06) slashed–slashed–the CEO’s total pay from $48.1 million to $10.8 million.  Will the poor bugger survive?  But not all troubled companies followed suit.  KB Home lost $929.4 million in ’07 compared with a profit of $482 million in ’06 but increased the CEO’s total pay from $5.9 million to $16.4 million.  Well, well. (more…)

For this week’s song, we turn to the soulful Sam Cooke with one of his legendary hits.  He’s singing about some of the hardest work there’s ever been.

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I’ve borrowed this post’s title from a piece on “the financial page” of the New Yorker written by James Surowiecki.  Obviously, an open secret isn’t a secret.

It’s often said that what employees want most at work is respect, something human resources professionals often write about it.  Some experts argue that focusing completely on respect misses the mark–that it’s more important for employers to be in touch with the changing concerns of employees.   Either way, employees and their point of view need more attention.  Employment lawyers know that if employees receive this attention, there will be less work for employment lawyers to do: fewer union campaigns, discrimination charges, and employment lawsuits. (more…)

Ever had an employee ask you that? As this video clip shows, if an employee asks you that for no apparent reason, you probably should say yes.

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Goddess or not, GINA is the acronym for our latest employment law. GINA (Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act) was signed by President Bush on May 21 and is indeed supposed to be the goddess of genes, but that remains to be seen. I was amused by a recent news blurb about the new law, predicting that GINA would produce a lot of litigation. You think?

GINA is an important piece of legislation, arguably the first civil rights law of the 21st century. However, until the litigation occurs, we won’t know for sure that the law has accomplished what’s intended: make it possible for employees to have genetic testing done to determine their predisposition to diseases and medical conditions and then take preventive measures without having to worry about losing health insurance or their jobs. Rather than using space to explore the nooks and crannies of GINA (plenty of time for that since, as noted below, the law isn’t immediately effective), I’ll instead highlight what appear to be omens of trouble. (more…)

When I did the Memorial Day post about the holiday being first called Decoration Day as the Civil War drew to a close, I decided to find a quote from a notable soldier who fought in that war.  Though a Southerner, I thought of a Union general, not so much because he was the hero of Gettysburg but because he gained the South’s lasting respect by the way he presided over the parade of Confederate soldiers who marched into Appomattox where Robert E. Lee gave his formal surrender.  Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain ordered his men to come to attention and “carry arms” as a show of respect to the defeated Confederate army.  Although suffering from wounds he received during the war for the rest of his life, Chamberlain lived to be 85 and served as President of Bowdoin College and Governor of Maine.

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Part I laid the foundation for a discussion of employee theft.  Part II dealt with what an employer can to do prevent or control employee theft.  Part III is concerned with what you do when you think you have a thief.

Once you think that, be careful.  Can you hear the lawyer in me?

Accusing an employee of theft is serious stuff.  Firing an employee for theft is even more serious.  You can be sued for wrongful discharge, invasion of privacy, intentional infliction of emotional distress, or defamation–unless you have your ducks in a row. (more…)

Here’s the Corporate BS for May 18-24: (more…)

Check ‘em out. (more…)

For some, Memorial Day weekend has already begun.  Although some employees don’t get a holiday on Memorial Day, most of us will take it on Monday, May 26.  While it’s nice to have a day off, it’s important to remember the purpose of the holiday we’re taking.  Traditionally, Memorial Day is a time to honor those who have given their lives for our country, which seems particularly appropriate this year. (more…)

The Seven Dwarfs provide us with one of the greatest work songs ever.

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Earlier this week, I did a post about gender bias experienced by Senator Clinton during the current presidential campaign and still experienced by women in the workplace.  Although that may be the case right now, new reports from 60 Minutes and other sources say that it’s boys and young men who’re getting the short end of the stick.

The evidence of this about face is found in all high schools, colleges and universities, and  graduate schools.  All of a sudden it seems, males are dumb, confused.  Females are smart, together.  Girls are taking virtually all of the advanced  placement courses in high school.  They’re winning all the academic prizes.  They’re the valedictorians. They’re dominating medical schools, law schools, and business schools.  They’re taking over. (more…)