workplace

How to Trade Retirement for More Time Off

Houston tax attorney David Shoemaker doesn't want to wait around for retirement. Instead, he has opted for a job that gives him three months off each year so he can enjoy life now. Here's how he traded his future retirement for quality of life today.

Why Workers Are More Stressed Out Than Ever

After years of recession and a less than stellar economic recovery, growing numbers of worker are feeling the emotional toll. More of them than ever feel undervalued, stressed out, and dissatisfied with their jobs, a new survey finds.

People@Work: Winter's Blasts Affect Not Only Hiring but Output, Too

It's hard to fathom that something as mundane as weather could affect employment statistics. But it clearly does. And it also has big impact on how much work actually gets done. And beyond the snows of winter, there's distractions like the Super Bowl that keep worker from their duties.

People@Work: Boomers Are Turning 65 -- but Staying on the Job

The dawning of 2011 marks a milestone: The first of the nation's 76 million baby boomers turn 65, the traditional retirement age. New polls, however, show that for a range of reasons few boomers of this age are ready to retire. In fact, some don't ever expect to stop working.

UBS to Employees: You Must Dress Like Bankers

In a bid to promote a more polished image, Swiss-banking giant UBS is giving employees a 43-page guide that advises them on how to dress to impress when dealing with clients, in extreme detail. Do: Wear jackets buttoned. Don't: Let underwear be seen.

Millions of Unemployed Face a Loss of Benefits

Americans who have been jobless for long periods are keenly awaiting congressional action on the latest extension of benefits. With a midnight deadline looming, some 2 million people face losing their only source of income.

Tribune CEO Randy Michaels Expected to Resign This Week

Tribune CEO Randy Michaels is expected to resign after The New York Times reported he has fostered a sexist "frat house" culture at the news company. Employees said he encouraged sexual innuendo, profanity, poker parties and other bawdy behavior, according to the story.

The Lawsuits That Could Unravel American Apparel

The renegade clothing maker and retailer led by the outrageous Dov Charney faces high-drama legal problems worthy of a daytime soap: sexual harassment suits, a wage-and-hour suit, immigration problems and shareholder suits. But federal probes into accounting issues could be the biggest threats to its existence.

Lawsuit Accuses Citigroup of Favoring Men in Layoffs

A lawsuit filed Wednesday accuses Citigroup of discrimination by laying off a disproportionate number of women during the financial crisis. In the company's Public Finance Department, for example, the percentage of female managing directors and directors fell from 11% to 7%, according to the suit.

Obama Launches Initiative to Boost Worker Skills

In an effort to boost worker skills to better match the needs of employers, President Barack Obama today unveiled Skills For America's Future, a new initiative to increase workforce development, worker training and job placement.

The Growing Strains Between Employees and Employers

A new report highlights a growing tension between employers -- many of which are struggling to stabilize their financial situation -- and employees, who are showing fatigue in response to a lengthy period of stress, uncertainty and confusion brought about during the recession.

People@Work: Today's Independent Workers Need a Safety Net

Freelancers like to work how and when they want. But that flexibility entails more than a few downfalls. A new Freelancers Union's report shows 81% of independents had little or no work, 40% had trouble collecting wages from clients, and 39% had either cut back or ended health coverage.

For Many Americans, a Job Means Health Care

A recent study finds that Americans are less willing to leave an existing job. Workers had lots of reasons for staying put, but a big one is fear of losing employer-provided health coverage. Would passage of the health care overhaul change that?

American Companies Keep Getting More Gay-Friendly

Despite the cutbacks resulting from the Great Recession, more employers than ever are finding reasons to adopt policies that make workplaces better for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people, according to a recent Human Rights Campaign Foundation survey.

Do You Want Washington's Birthday Off, or Your Own?

Only about a third of private-sector employers give employees a break on MLK Jr. Day or Presidents' Day, and even fewer close for Columbus Day or Veterans Day. But do their employees care? Nearly half of office workers surveyed said they preferred a floating holiday that allowed them take off for their own birthdays.

Happiness Coaching: Is it a Positive or a Negative?

A growing list of companies have jumped on the "happiness coaching" bandwagon. To its practitioners, it is a proven method that can lead to changed lives. But to its detractors, its just another gimmick for squeeze more work out of dispirited employees.

Obama Has Plenty of Work to Do on Jobs

With his health care insurance overhaul sidelined for the time being, President Obama has turned his focus to lowering the nation's stubbornly high unemployment rate. For millions of jobless Americans, that shift comes none to soon.

Career-Management Tips for 2010

Though the odds may seem daunting, job seekers shouldn't view finding new employment as an impossible goal, says workplace expert John Challenger, chief executive at employment consultancy Challenger, Gray & Christmas. "The key to success is to take an active approach and make your own opportunities," he says.