Archive: November 2008
Forget the gifts, honey. Let's give a little extra to the food bank this year.
I enjoyed Paul Nyhan's piece in the P-I this week about how holiday traditions are changing in light of the recession. As Nyhan writes, "Goodwill is the new toy store, philanthropy is replacing Hanukkah presents and annual dinners are now potlucks." Earlier this month, I wrote about the ways folks I've spoken with are scaling back on the usual year-end gift-giving orgy. I'm especially interested the point Nyhan makes about holiday revelers substituting shopping with charitable donations this year. A few people I know are doing this. Earlier this week, a...
New federal website offers resources for dealing with the recession
Sometimes the federal government is helpful. Last month, for example, the U.S. Department of Labor compiled some useful resources onto a new website, EconomicRecovery.gov. What you'll find there: A guide to avoiding (or dealing with) foreclosure, including tips for talking with your lender, contact info for local housing counselors, and warnings about foreclosure recovery scams Contact info and links for each state's unemployment insurance department and One-Stop Career Centers (many of which offer free career counseling, resume assistance, and job leads) Explanations of how an employer's bankruptcy can affect your benefits, especially those all-important retirement accounts and health insurance plans A...
What you need to know about your extended unemployment benefits
If you're one of the many whose unemployment checks are about to run out, you've probably heard the good news by now: President Bush signed a law today that will extend your unemployment benefits seven more weeks. That should make the holidays a bit cheerier. Things you should know about the extension, and unemployment benefits in general: It's best to file for unemployment immediately upon losing your job, as the benefits can take a few weeks to kick in. (Incidentally, the Associated Press reports that unemployment checks average $300 a...
The Obama administration job application: Is keeping your nose clean online and off so much for a high-profile employer to ask?
How far would you go to secure the job of your dreams? Would you be willing to provide piles of personal and professional records, as well as those of your immediate family? How about all traces of your digital footprint -- from blogs posts to text messages to social network pages? That's what hopeful high-ranking officials in the Obama administration are being asked to provide. According to the New York Times: "The vetting process for executive branch jobs has been onerous for decades, with each incoming administration erecting new barriers in an effort to avoid...
How are you cutting back on holiday spending this year?
Whether they're employed or looking for work, everyone I know is buzzing about how they plan to trim their December holiday traditions this year. You might think that the person who suggests cutting back on holiday travel, menus, or gift exchanges would be labeled a Scrooge by family and friends. But with year-end bonuses a quaint memory and competition for seasonal jobs at an all-time high, all I'm hearing is that the first person to suggest scaling back on holiday expenditures is met with a collective sigh of relief. For most, the mad December dash to the...
Seattle job fair Tuesday, November 11
If you're out of work and reading this post, you're in luck: There's a career fair from 11 to 3 at the Seattle Center today. You can register and get directions here. The dozens of companies at the fair span multiple industries and include Aflac, Bank of America, King County, Princess Cruises, Snohomish County, Verizon, and Volt. Positions available range from account executives and business managers to cocktail servers and security officers. You can learn more here. A few tips for job fair attendees: Look sharp. Dress as though you're headed to the office. Bring plenty of resumes....
Have the election results changed your career plans?
I have a friend in another part of the country who's been telling me for the past 20 years that, other than being a mom, she doesn't know what she wants to be "when she grows up." Along with many of her college pals, my friend spent her twenties working in television production. But the hours were long and the pay was low. So in her thirties she moved into web development, working as a producer for the sites of various corporate conglomerates. Not only did the pay improve, but the hours did...
Do you know where your candidate stands on family-friendly work?
As I mentioned earlier this month, this is the first election we're seeing work/life balance issues addressed in the economic platforms of both major-party presidential candidates. But do you actually know where Barack Obama and John McCain stand on flexible and family-friendly workplace policies? If the answer is no, not to worry. This recent NPR story, based on an investigation by the Families and Work Institute, breaks it down for you. For example, the U.S. Family and Medical Leave Act mandates that workers at companies with 50+ employees get 12 weeks of unpaid leave if they're...
A couple of headlines do not an end to flexible work make
Two news snippets really stuck in my craw this past week. (1) In the UK, the secretary of state for business and enterprise, Peter Mandelson, wants to scrap plans for flexible workplace reform. According to The Guardian, "he suggested that the government may try to ease the impact of the recession by delaying plans to extend rights to flexible working and better maternity leave." And from that same Guardian article: "The Department for Business had been due to extend the right to ask for flexible working from parents with children under six...
Freelance writer Michelle Goodman is the author of "My So-Called Freelance Life" and "The Anti 9-to-5 Guide." E-mail Michelle
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