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How to Keep People Like Me Out of Your Workplace

“You’d like to keep people like me out of your workplace,” says Attorney Donna M. Ballman, who often represents employees. “Try treating your employees as an asset, not an expense. A little attention now will help you avoid litigation later,” she says. Ballman is the lead partner in the Fort Lauderdale, Florida law firm Donna […]

Alternatives to H-1B status and the H-1B cap

by Leigh Cole H-1B nonimmigrant status allows U.S. employers to hire international workers in “specialty occupations” that require at least a bachelor’s degree or equivalent vocational preparation. Most H-1B applications are subject to an annual limit on H-1B approvals known as the H-1B cap.   Some employers are exempt from the cap, but most H-1B applications […]

Silicon Valley sex discrimination case shows the real win is not getting sued

by Mark I. Schickman For the past month, the most interesting show in San Francisco has been the trial of Ellen Pao’s sexual harassment and sex discrimination case against investment firm Kleiner Perkins. Pao, who engaged in a sexual relationship with a Kleiner Perkins partner early in her career, claims that the firm is a […]

What Does It Take To Be A Leader?

A lot is written about leaders. Go to your nearest bookstore and you will find shelves full of books written by politicians, businesspeople, and athletes on how to be a leader. Is there a secret recipe that if you follow every step will make you a leader? I don’t think so. But there are some […]

Appellate Court Upholds Pension Plan’s Right to Stand by Employee’s Withholding Choice

A recent federal appeals court decision serves as a reminder that communicating with employees about their options for benefits calculation methods in defined benefit retirement plans is a very important aspect of preparing them adequately for retirement. Some DB plans offer more than one way to accumulate assets, and allow participants to choose the method […]

DOJ says Title VII doesn’t apply to sexual orientation discrimination

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has filed an amicus (friend-of-the-court) brief in a case in which an employee claims his employer violated Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 by discriminating against him based on his sexual orientation. The DOJ’s brief asserts that Title VII’s prohibition of sex discrimination does not extend […]

The Problem With Saying ‘No problem!’

The following is not about manipulation. No, it is about thriving in a workplace environment, always being your own best advocate, and leveraging every opportunity to do so. The following is a mash up of advice from @iqra on X and Robert B. Cialdini from his book Influence: Science and Practice. As Rabbi Hillel observed […]

Leading with emotional intelligence

by Jimmy Daniel 75% of careers are derailed for reasons related to emotional competencies, including inability to handle interpersonal problems; unsatisfactory team leadership during times of difficulty or conflict; or inability to adapt to change or elicit trust. —The Center for Creative Leadership It does not matter what your IQ is or how smart you […]

No silver bullet, but HR seen as key to solving talent shortage

More and more employers are suffering from a shortage of talent at the same time jobseekers are struggling to find work. That seemingly implausible situation has become the reality in many fields as the world of work deals with a still-struggling economy and epic change brought on by rapid technological advances.  A study from workforce […]