In a new SnagAJob.com survey, 39% of Americans who’ve been laid off or had a spouse laid off since December 2007 say the ax was a “blessing in disguise.”

So says a new Nucleus Research study, which also estimates that nearly two-thirds of Facebook users access Facebook at work. On average, they spend 15 minutes on the site during work hours ...

Managers and supervisors are at the front lines of making decisions that often trigger lawsuits—promotions, pay raises, terminations and job assignments. But the most legally dangerous of all those situations is interviewing job candidates. Here are five questions that can reveal more about job interviewees, without risking a hiring discrimination charge.

More than 33 million Americans now work remotely at least one day per month, according to the “Telework Trendlines 2009” survey report. Still, most managers have been trained to work with employees who are only physically present to them. How can you manage what you can’t see? Here are some tips for bosses who manage teleworkers:

If you read only headlines, you may think U.S. employers are slashing employee benefits to the bone. Not so. But the weak economy is forcing organizations and their employees to make some tough choices, particularly in compensation and benefits. Here are seven key HR trends to look for, plus tips on how to respond.

Late-night talk show host David Letterman came under fire earlier this month after admitting—to ward off a blackmail plot—that he’d had sexual relationships with several female staff members. While Letterman is unlikely to make any Top 10 Lists of good bosses, does his misbehavior rise to the level of sexual harassment? And what’s the lesson from all of this?

Not all the action on health care reform is happening in Washington. Plenty of employers are focusing closer to home, creating wellness programs that lower health care costs—and don't break the bank.

As the recession drags on, many employers have begun trimming compensation. If you plan to cut pay for exempt employees, do so with care. Handle it wrong, and you could run afoul of the Fair Labor Standards Act, the federal law governing wage-and-hour practices. The worst-case: Cutting pay and hours could turn exempt employees into nonexempt hourly workers.

Six of 10 employers anticipate that their health care costs will increase as a result of the new federal COBRA subsidy law, says an Aon Consulting survey.

The FMLA seems straightforward in theory, but in real life, it’s full of tricky and delicate nuances. For example, what happens upon the death of a relative for whom an employee on FMLA leave has been providing care? How does compassion square with the law’s requirements?

Interview questions range from the simple (“Tell me about yourself.”) to the silly (“If you were an animal, what kind would you be?”). Here are some suggestions of effective questions from readers of The HR Specialist Forum.

HR professionals are often in the position of having to say "no" to employees. Don't make that negative perception worse with the nonverbal cues you may be inadvertently giving off. Here are five negative "microexpressions" common to women ...

Under the FMLA, employers with 50 or more employees within 75 miles of the company’s work site are required to provide FMLA leave to their employees. But even if you're a small employer, innocent mistakes could make the “50/75 rule” meaningless to you — and force you to provide FMLA leave. Learn how to avoid that trap.

The United States is facing a swine flu outbreak that has caused the government to declare a public health emergency. Recently, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) published new guidelines to help employers prepare for flu season and prevent the rapid spread of the H1N1 influenza. Here are the CDC's suggestions, plus insight on your risks and obligations as an employer ...

In past recessions, furloughs—requiring employees to take a certain number of unpaid days off—were mostly limited to blue-collar workers. But this downturn is different. In the past two years, everyone from tech firms to state government has furloughed their white-collar employees. Experts offer the following options for furloughs:

More than half of HR professionals report that gossip and rumors have increased at their workplaces since the recession began, according to a SHRM study. And 23% say they’ve had to address more frequent “eavesdropping incidents.” The solution? The times call for stepped-up communication, says Steve Williams, director of research for SHRM. His suggestions:

Here are four ways managers can make sure they really hear what their employees are saying. The payoff: fewer costly mistakes, less wasted time and better quality and service. Feel free to pass this article along to your supervisors.

Starting Sept. 8, federal contractors and subcontractors must begin using the government's E-Verify system to confirm their employees’ eligibility to work in the United States. After a year's worth of court delays, the Internet-based employment-eligibility verification system is now mandatory for companies doing business with Uncle Sam.

If you have a fairly informal application process, now’s the time to firm it up. The prolonged economic downturn means you’re receiving many more applications and résumés than normal. And that means more potential for lawsuits from unsuccessful job-seekers.

This spring’s swine flu scare might have been just a warm-up act for a far more serious flu pandemic this fall. If you took steps to prepare your workplace for an outbreak in April, dust off those plans and check them against our list of things to do to make sure your organization keeps running in the coming months.

The practice of sending job-offer letters to successful applicants is well established and well intentioned. But is it wise? Learn what to consider before you dash off an offer letter—plus six more tips on making legally smart job offers.

The high-voltage debate over health care reform has consumed headlines in recent months, but employers shouldn’t overlook a more immediate change: The Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act that takes effect next month will mandate new coverage limits—and potentially lead to higher costs.

The Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008 takes effect beginning Oct. 3, ushering in a new era of health insurance coverage—and potentially higher costs for employers. Is your mental health coverage on a par with your coverage for physical conditions? Now's the time to begin working with your carrier or broker to integrate your plan coverage.

The worst part of going on vacation is all the work that happens before and after. Here’s good advice to pass on to your organization’s employees—simple tips to make sure the crush of work doesn’t snuff out the post-vacation glow.

Job discrimination claims are running at record-high levels in the past two years. Way too many problems start when hiring managers ask the wrong questions during job interviews. Here's how to ask five key questions without risking a hiring discrimination charge. (Plus 16 questions no one should ever ask.)