Blog

25 Jul U.S. Ranks Near Bottom Of 13-Country Salary Increase Survey

Just two countries, Spain and Japan, rank worse than the United States when it comes to projected salary increases for 2013 – and they are not even close to the leaders.

With a projected average salary increase of 10.7%, India leads all countries for the second straight year, according to a 2012-2013 Salary Budget Survey conducted by WorldatWork, a nonprofit organization that provides informational resources to HR and Benefits professionals.  India is followed closely by China and Brazil, who are projected to see 8.8% and 7.2% salary increases, respectively.

According to the survey, which gathered from 4,299 responses from 13 countries representing 17 million employees, the bottom of the list projections are theUnited States, with an average projected salary increase is 3%; Spain, with a projected increase is 2.9%; and Japan, for which the projected increase is 2.7%.

The projected 2013 salary increases for all of the other countries surveyed (Singapore, Australia, Canada, Germany, the U.K., France and the Netherlands) fall somewhere in the 3% to 4.3% rage.

The fact that projected salary increases in the U.S. are lagging so far behind others suggests there is still a ways to go on the road to economic recovery.

24 Jul Strange, But True

From HR Daily Advisor and CareerBuilder we bring you the following:

Imagine you are reading a résumé and the applicant calls himself out as a genius and proceeds to invite you to his apartment to interview him. Would you take him up on the offer?

That is just one of the many responses to CareerBuilder’s recent survey about hiring managers’ real-life outrageous résumé experiences.

While the list is long, here are a few of our favorites:

Affiliations: Candidate’s cover letter talked about her family being in the mob. 

Skill set: Candidate applying for a management job listed “gator hunting” as a skill. 

Presentation: Candidate specified that her résumé was set up to be sung to the tune of “The Brady Bunch.” 

Accomplishments: Candidate highlighted the fact that he was “Homecoming Prom Prince” in 1984. 

Objectives: Candidate listed “to make dough” as the objective on the résumé. 

Language Spoken: Candidate claimed to be able to speak “Antartican” when applying for a job to work inAntarctica.

19 Jul Preparation for Unemployment Hearings

No matter what the circumstances are, every employee (and employer) has the right to request an unemployment hearing in order to influence a determination for benefits.  Success at these hearings, therefore, is an important ingredient in a comprehensive and successful program to control unemployment costs.

Every person getting ready to attend a hearing ought to make sure they understand the following:

• Person(s) selected to attend a hearing should have firsthand knowledge of the reason for separation and the facts leading to the separation. Hearsay testimony is generally not persuasive.
• Three copies of documentation (e.g., personnel file, records or statements) relevant to the separation are necessary for an in-person hearing. It is customary to provide copies for the hearing officer (or Administrative Law Judge), claimant (the terminated employee) and the Prestige representative. Procedures may vary according to state or for telephone hearings.
• Bring copies of relevant company rules and policies, including (if applicable) rules found in a collective bargaining agreement if the claimant is a union member. Also produce evidence that rules were received by the claimant, e.g., acknowledgments.

Hearings are not trials, so you don’t have to observe all of the formalities of a courtroom.  But hearings are legal proceedings where witnesses swear to tell the truth, witnesses can be cross-examined and documents can be entered into evidence.

If you have questions concerning this, or any other unemployment issue, contact Prestige Employee Administrators, Inc.

13 Jul Friday Fun Facts

What could be more fun on a summer Friday afternoon than to take a break from work to have a little fun testing your HR knowledge?  We’re not keeping score, but the answers are provided in case you wish to.

1. How many applicants seriously misrepresent themselves on employment applications or resumes?
a. 5%
b. 11%
c. 17%
d. 21%
e. 25%

Answer:  Surveys estimate that as many as 25-33% of applicants seriously lie on their resumes or applications. Length of employment, past salary, criminal record, and past job title are the most commonly falsified pieces of information. Because good hiring decisions require as much information as possible, and to prevent potential legal problems, we strongly encourage clients to implement a comprehensive reference policy. The question really isn’t “should” you check references but “how.”

2. On average, how many sick days do employees average annually?
a. 3.5
b. 4
c. 5
d. 6
e. I’m not sure, but if I knew it would probably make me sick.

Answer: According to a William Mercer study, Employers’ Time-off and Disability Programs, the answer is C. 5.   Some studies have found the number to be closer to 4.  Other studies have found that an increasing number of employees view use of sick leave as an entitlement, often unrelated to illness or injury.

3.  What percent of employees use the Internet for personal reasons each day?
a.  17%
b.  28%
c.  48%
d.  72%
e.  90%

Answer:   E. Recent surveys have indicated that 75-80% of employees have Internet access at work.  Of those with access, 90% used the web for personal use each day. Forty-seven percent indicated that they used it 30 minutes or more. More than ½ indicated that they sent 5 personal e-mails daily and 1/3 received over 10 personal e-mails.   Many companies have responded to this trend by restricting personal Internet use.

4. What percent of employers monitor internet activity?
a. 5%
b. 19%
c. 31%
d. 62%
e. No time to answer, I need to quickly delete my Internet History and old E-mails.

Answer:  D. 62% according to a survey by the ePolicy Institute and American Management Association.  47% monitor employee emails.

5. According to a survey by a worldwide HR consulting firm, which executive personality weakness was found to have the most negative impact on leadership success.
a.  Inability to understand others’ behaviors and motivations
b.  Arrogance
c.  Self-promotion
d.  Volatility
e.  No. You can’t say “all of the above” even though you may be thinking it.

Answer:  A. Inability to understand others. The bigger question is: what can we all do about it?

6. According to the Department of Labor, what percent of Americans hold jobs that were technically nonexistent 20 years ago?
a. 15%
b. 35%
c. 55%
d. 70%
e. I probably knew this at some point but most of my knowledge is obsolete.

Answer:  D. 70%

7. What percent of employees have worked for their current employers for less than 1 year?
a. 10%
b. 15%
c. 25%
d. 30%
e. I don’t know.  I just started working here last week.

Answer:  C. 25%.  Studies also show that an effective employee orientation can greatly impact employee success in the job.  How effective is your orientation program?

09 Jul GUIDELINES FOR TERMINATIONS DUE TO MISCONDUCT

You can successfully protest benefit claims if you terminated a former employee for misconduct, and if you can prove misconduct* to the state. 

• FINAL INCIDENT – The final incident is extremely important in misconduct cases. The final incident cannot be trivial or outside of the employee’s control. 
• IMMEDIATE ACTION – If termination is warranted because of a final or major act of misconduct, discharge should not be delayed for reasons of convenience. A significant delay may cause the state to question the true reason for discharge. 
• AVOID HEARSAY – Terminations should be based on firsthand knowledge and competent evidence, not hearsay or conjecture. Also, the evidence should be reviewed with the employee to afford an opportunity for a response. 
• EXPLAIN DISCHARGE – Specific reason(s) for discharge should be given after reviewing the facts with Prestige, and the reasons should be documented effectively. 

NOTE: The burden of proof is on the employer if the discharge is for alleged misconduct. You must have documentation to prove your case. When dealing with the state unemployment agencies, appropriate written documentation is generally crucial to determining a claimant’s ineligibility for benefits.

* States define “misconduct” in the unemployment process differently. Make sure you understand exactly what is required in your state.

If you have questions concerning this, or any other unemployment issue, contact Prestige Employee Administrators, Inc.

02 Jul Independence Day Trivia

Wednesday is Independence Day.  It’s the day we celebrate our history; the day we honor those who fought forAmerica’s independence so very long ago. It’s also the day millions of Americans fire up the grill, pack the car with beach gear and head downtown to the nearest fireworks display.

More than 160 million people who intend to participate in holiday festivities will celebrate the 4th of July by hosting or attending a cookout/barbecue and/or picnic.  As for the fireworks, what would Independence Day be without the fireworks?!  Nearly 115 million people will attend a fireworks or community celebration, and another 35 million will attend a parade.

With Independence Day also being a Federal holiday, millions of people will celebrate their special day off work by taking extra time off to head to the beach, go and see family or simply stay indoors by the air conditioner at home. Approximately 30 million people will brave the traffic this year to escape town for the 4th of July.

No matter how you choose to celebrate, why not take a moment to test your knowledge of the good oleUSAwith this list of 20 Independence Day trivia questions. Don’t worry if you don’t know the answers; they are below.

1. What are the first seven words of the Declaration of Independence?
2. How many red stripes are on the American flag?
3. How many white stripes are on the American flag?
4. Name all of the original thirteen colonies.
5. In what year did our current flag with 50 stars and 13 stripes become the current national flag?
6. Where did the lyrics for the “Star Spangled Banner” originate?
7. Where did the tune come from for the “Star Spangled Banner”?
8. Although we only sing once stanza, how many stanzas are there actually in the original “Star Spangled Banner”?
9. Where was the first battle of the Revolutionary War fought?
10. Where was the final battle of the Revolutionary War fought?
11. How was the crack in the Liberty Bell made?
12. What was the major objection of the American colonists that they deemed the reason for the Revolutionary War?
13. When and where was the first Independence Day celebrated?
14. Where did the word patriotism come from?
15. Two significant American patriots died on July 4th, 1826. Who were they?
16. Who was the last signer to the Declaration of Independence in January of 1777?
17. True or False? The names of the first signers of the Declaration of Independence were not made public until after the colonies won their independence from Britain for fear if the names were revealed and the colonies lost, the signers would be prosecuted for treason; a crime punishable by death.
18. When did Congress declare the 4th of July a federal legal holiday?
19. Which of the following was not one of the 13 original colonies?Georgia,Virginia,Massachusetts, orVermont?
20. To show their dislike and disgust regarding British taxes, the colonists threw what imported commodity into theBostonHarborin 1776?

Answers:

1. When in the course of human events
2. 7
3. 6
4. In alphabetical order, they were:Connecticut,Delaware,Georgia,Maryland,Massachusetts,New Hampshire,New Jersey,New York,North Carolina,Pennsylvania,Rhode Island,South Carolina, andVirginia.
5. In the year 1960 whenHawaiiofficially became the 50th state on August 21, 1969
6. The lyrics came from a poem called “Defense of Fort McHenry written in 1814 by Francis Scott Key
7. An old British drinking song
8. Four
9. TheBattleofLexingtonandConcordinMassachusetts
10. TheBattleof Yorktown inVirginia
11. The Liberty Bell cracked when someone rang it for the first time
12. Taxation without representation
13. The first Independence Day was celebrated on July 8, 1776 inPhiladelphia,Pennsylvania
14. The word patriotism comes from the Latin word “patria” meaning “homeland” or “fatherland”
15. Thomas Jefferson and John Adams
16. Thomas McKean
17. True
18. 1941
19. Vermont
20. Tea

So, how did you do? Did you get a lot right and demonstrate your knowledge of Independence Day Trivia questions? Challenge your friends to see who can get the most right for a great Fourth of July fun-time!  Happy Independence Day from Prestige.

28 Jun Healthcare Reform Upheld in Supreme Court Ruling

The United States Supreme Court upheld a critical portion of the federal health care reform law – the individual mandate – and the four issues before it:

I. Issue – Anti Injunction Act: Does the federal Anti-Injunction Act bar Court action until the tax imposed for not having coverage until that provision of the Act is effective? Held: NO

II. Issue – Individual Mandate: Is the individual mandate to purchase health insurance constitutional? Held: Constitutional under the taxing authority of theUnited States.

III. Issue – Severability: Is the Act severable if portions are unconstitutional (i.e. can portions not related to the mandate stand)? Held: Yes

IV. Issue – Medicaid Expansion: Are the burdens imposed upon the states by the Medicaid expansion portions of the Act constitutionally permissible? Held: The power of the federal government to cut-off Medicaid funding entirely is limited but the provisions are otherwise upheld.

In the five to four decision, Chief Justice Roberts sided with the four liberal justices of the Court (Ginzberg, Kagen, Sotomayor, and Breyer).

Click here to see the complete Supreme Court ruling.

27 Jun Attrition Rate Is 3.3% Higher At Firms That Don’t Offer Recognition Programs

According to a study of 573 human resources professionals and 261 employees, companies experience a much higher turnover rate if they do not offer recognition and rewards programs. 

Specifically, companies with subpar appreciation programs have an average attrition rate of 10.5%, compared to the 7.2% attrition rate at companies with top-notch programs.  The study, conducted by the research and advisory firm Bersin & Associates, also showed that to be an effective program, rewards and recognition must be given to employees for achieving business goals or exemplifying the company’s mission and value, rather than focus on tenure.  Unfortunately, 87% of the HR professionals who took part in the study said their company’s recognition programs focus on tenure. 

So how can you boost employee morale?  The study showed that most employees value recognition that speaks to a specific action they took rather than general praise for a job well done.  Also, recognition doesn’t have to come from managers for it to have an impact.   It can come from co-workers, too.

If you would like help in implementing recognition and rewards programs in your organization, contact a Prestige HR Business Partner.

21 Jun CONFRONTING HARASSMENT CHARGES

How a manager investigates a sexual harassment complaint may determine the outcome of the lawsuit, if there is one.  Here are nine key points to remember when one of your employees comes to you with charges of harassment: 

1. Take every complaint seriously.
2. Contact Prestige immediately to review company policies. 
3. Remember: You’re not a judge or jury.  The manager’s job is to collect the facts. 
4. Keep your investigation confidential. 
5. As you investigate, document everything: memos, conversations, reports, etc. 
6. Evaluate yourself: Do you have any bias about the complaint? 
7. Don’t take the easy way out.  Some managers solve harassment problems by transferring the person who made the complaint.  This doesn’t serve the accused or the victim, and can lead to serious legal trouble. 
8. Do the follow-up: Make sure the harassment has stopped, and that the employee who complained is comfortable in the workplace. 
9. Schedule Sexual Harassment & Discrimination training for all your employees (Prestige offers this, and other training programs, in-person and via live web cast).

 If you have questions concerning this, or any other Human Resource issues, contact Prestige Employee Administrators, Inc.

13 Jun Seven Employer Danger Signs: When to Turn Down a Job Offer

According to the US Department of Labor, the average employed adult spends 7.5 hours a day on the job. Over time, that adds up to a significant chunk of your life, so (as many people know from experience) an unhappy work situation can make the rest of your life pretty miserable as well.

For that reason, you’ll want to avoid working for a miserable company. But how can you spot a bad company to work for? By doing your research and looking for the following seven warning signs during the hiring process. Of course, one or two of these signs aren’t necessarily cause for alarm, but more than a couple should set off alarm bells.

1. Communication with you is unprofessional or disrespectful.

Your treatment during the hiring process is a clue as to how you’ll be treated as an employee. Once you’ve started a dialogue with a hiring manager or recruiter, you should expect to be treated with courtesy and respect. For example, your questions about the hiring timeline and your application status should be answered forthrightly. If that isn’t the case — if emails and phone calls consistently go unreturned, or if interviews are canceled at the last minute without apology — you may want to take your business elsewhere.

2. The recruiters and hiring managers actively distrust you.

Just as you don’t want to make a bad career move, employers don’t want to make a bad hire — so expect a background check and reference check. And if your job will involve working with sensitive information or company finances, expect a bit more scrutiny. But these checks should all be carried out in a nonaccusatory manner. Companies that don’t trust candidates probably don’t trust employees either — and an environment of distrust is no place to spend nearly eight hours a day.

3. The workplace seems unhappy.

You shouldn’t take a job without paying a visit to where you’ll be working. Note the attitudes and interactions of the workers there as well as the overall environment — including employee common areas. Warning signs include unclean or unsafe-looking workspaces, angry-looking posters (such as “ALL EMPLOYEES MUST WEAR BADGES!”) and disgruntled faces on employees. If a visit to the office is depressing, you won’t want to work there for several hours a day.

4. The company has a bad reputation.

The Internet makes it easy to find out what former and current employees have to say about a company. Doing your research into this aspect of an employer — as well as into its financial situation — should be part of how you prepare for a job interview. Several Web sites provide forums where employees can rate companies, but also reach out to networking contacts to get their insights into any prospective employer.

5. You don’t think you’ll get along with your boss or colleagues.

Having a boss you click with can really make a difference in your on-the-job happiness. Be sure to discuss work styles and communication styles with the hiring manager to make sure they’re at least compatible with yours. But trust your instincts. If you actively dislike the manager after the first interview or two, you might not want to take the job.

6. The job’s duties are unclear, or your interviewers can’t define what success in the role will look like.

After you’ve interviewed with one or two people, you should have a clear idea of how your job performance will be measured and what your key objectives will be in your first few months on the job. Walking into a situation where different people give you different answers about job duties, or where there are no clear goals for you to work toward, can lead to a confusing and ultimately disastrous job situation.

7. They want to hire you right away, without any interviewing or reference checks.

This happens for good reason sometimes — for instance, in seasonal jobs that don’t require a lot of experience. But in many cases, desperation on the employer’s part is a danger sign.

In the hiring process, recruiters and managers often rely (at least a little bit) on their “gut” when making decisions about candidates. Trust your gut, too. If it doesn’t feel right, do a bit more research before accepting a job offer.

This article was written by Charles Purdy, Monster Senior Editor, and appeared online (http://career-services.monster.com/yahooarticle/bad-company-signs#WT.mc_n=yta_fpt_article_bad-company-signs) on June 13, 2012