The recent economic turmoil has put tremendous pressure on organizations to explore ways to reduce costs across all areas of their business—and IT is no exception

The recent economic turmoil has put tremendous pressure on organizations to explore ways to reduce costs across all areas of their business—and IT is no exception

Do you have employees who clock in before their shift starts, then stand around drinking coffee for a half-hour? How can you cut down on this “on-the-clock-but-standing-around” time? ...

The end of the year came and went without formal approval of the “Tax Extenders Act of 2009.” But once enacted, the new law would retroactively extend a bunch of key tax provisions that expired after 2009. Generally, it will preserve these tax benefits for one more year. Here are the main tax winners for individuals and businesses:

Be honest with yourself: Do you have a love/hate relationship with Excel? You know the power it wields, but does Excel end up costing you time and stress? Here are a few tips on how to navigate and maximize your spreadsheets:

Help a boss avoid “death by PowerPoint” by stealing presentation tips from the famously charismatic CEO of Apple, Steve Jobs. Jobs is a gifted speaker, not necessarily because he was born with talent, but because he sticks to several strategies. Jobs uses presentation software as a tool to visually complement his stories.

Mission statements can be valuable if they articulate real targets. Otherwise, they sound too much like a corporate Hallmark card. Consider Microsoft’s big goal of “A computer on every desk and in every home, all running Microsoft software.” Or Amazon’s goal for the Kindle: “Every book ever printed, in any language, all available in less than 60 seconds.” Both statements do something crucial: They quantify the goal.

Hold a shorter, more effective meeting by remembering the three purposes for having a meeting in the first place: to inform, to gather input or to ask for approval ... Read faster using this technique developed by reading expert J. Michael Bennett: rhythmic perusal ... Try this remedy for a foul-mouthed boss ...

Here are three great tools for creating to-do lists, collaborating on documents online, and viewing and modifying PDFs: 1. Best for tracking tasks: Doomi. 2. Best for word processing: Zoho Writer. 3. Best for viewing PDFs: Foxit Reader.

Good note taking is essential, whether in a meeting, a training session or a seminar. The mental concentration will keep you focused, and the very act of writing will help you remember what the group decides. Here’s how to do it better:

Employees who complain about discrimination can win retaliation cases even if it turns out their underlying complaint didn’t amount to discrimination. That’s why it’s so important to review all post-complaint discipline—to make sure it’s fair, justified and not potential retaliation.

You know a presentation is going badly when audience members start tapping on their BlackBerrys. These days, especially, it isn't easy to capture and hold a group's attention. Keep your presentation clear and effective with these PowerPoint tips:

Mindful of his fast rise, Matt Mullenweg has given some thought to leadership. The idiosyncratic 25-year-old founded Automattic, parent company of the blogging tool WordPress, which powers 12 million blogs. Some of his priorities:

Technology is blurring the lines between work and leisure and revealing real tensions between Gen Y, Gen X and baby boomer employees. The generations have very different ideas about what is and isn’t an appropriate use of technology in the office. Here's one simple solution for bridging the gap.

When creating a form letter or other document template, the field code feature in Word versions 97 and higher can come in handy. With dozens of field codes available, you can manage everything from inserting information that is automatically updated to creating drop-down lists that allow users to choose which information to insert.

Overtime is lower at equipment rental chain RentalMax than it has been in a dozen years—and it’s not because of the economy. The Chicago-based firm reduced overtime by 70% by using time-tracking software ...

The California Division of Workers’ Compensation is acting to help small employers that need financial assistance bringing injured employees back to work. Small employers can apply for reimbursement of up to $2,500 for special equipment or other products needed to help accommodate the needs of injured workers returning to the job.

In January 2009, the DOL issued new FMLA regulations that incorporated the National Defense Authorization Act of 2008, which granted new leave rights to family members of employees in the military. The regulations, for the first time, defined what a “qualifying exigency” is under the law that entitles military families to take leave. Qualified exigencies are divided into seven categories:

Halloween may be over, but “ghost work”—the work left behind after colleagues are laid off—still haunts the employees who remain. According to a recent survey by the International Association of Administrative Professionals, admins are hit particularly hard by the spectre. Here are three tips to help you gain control of "ghost work":

You expect colleges and universities to prepare your youngest workers for their new jobs. But are you prepared for them? These digital natives quickly grow impatient with last year’s hardware and software. Hiring them puts more pressure on your organization to keep its technology ahead of the curve.

Blogs are spreading faster than kudzu in the business world, and for a reason: They help build relationships with customers, something every business and boss want to see. Here’s how to write blog posts for your company, without spending too much time, according to Stephanie Lloyd, founder and CEO of Radiant Veracity.

Technology is blurring the lines between work and leisure and revealing real tensions between Gen Y, Gen X and baby boomer employees. A recent LexisNexis survey reveals divergent ideas about what is and isn’t an appropriate use of technology and software in the white-collar workplace:

Add a grain of salt to the conventional wisdom that says web sites with the lowest prices win the battle for online shoppers. To truly prosper online, you need to create trust in your brand name. That's why you shouldn't aim to compete online on price alone. To boost your brand's visibility online, follow these four steps:

A Rhode Island software company has created a system for new ideas that’s as transparent as they could make it. They call it an idea market. CEO Jim Lavoie and President Joe Marino of Rite-Solutions have leveled the playing field so all employees have a shot at putting their ideas on the table.

Imagine typing only about half of what you do now. With typing-expansion software, you can turn words you type often into abbreviations. For example, type “t” for “the,” and “ty” for “thank you.” What shorthand did for handwritten note-taking, this software can do for typing.

Q. One of our employees was issued a company laptop and later corrupted it by downloading games and other nonbusiness software. Can we recover the value of the damaged property from this employee’s next paycheck?

Question: “I work for a rural hospital and struggle every year on the best way to track and file nursing competencies. Does anyone have any ideas on how to track nursing competencies easily by using software such as Excel?” — Tracy Fehd

Question: “I've just learned the mail merge application on Microsoft Office/Word 2003. After the salutation, the software automatically inserts a comma (i.e., Dear Mr. Jones,). I was taught to use a colon rather than a comma.  Now that we are in the 21st century has the colon been dropped in favor of the comma? My mail merge will not let me substitute a colon for a comma.” — Anonymous

The so-called “manufacturing deduction” isn’t limited to companies that manufacture products only in the traditional sense. It’s available to a wider range of business operations. Strategy: See whether your company can squeeze through one of the Section 199 loopholes. If you qualify, you are eligible to deduct up to 6% of your qualified production activity income (QPAI) for the year.

How many times have you come up with a more efficient way to accomplish something and wished you could quickly share it with co-workers? You can with collaborative tech tools, says Richard Laermer, media consultant and author of Punk Marketing.

SmartMoney.com recently posted an article about “hidden” tax truths. Here’s a condensed and updated version of "10 Things the IRS Won't Tell You":

Large organizations have long realized that HR interns contribute to the bottom line. They’re inexpensive, productive and eager to impress. Now, with budgets cut to the bone, HR departments can use all the talented, low-cost staffing they can get. That’s especially true for small and midsize HR departments. Here are the best ways to find HR interns:

According to a recent survey, 22% of employees say they use some form of social networking five or more times per week, and 15% admit they access social media while at work for personal reasons. Yet, only 22% of companies have a formal policy that guides employees in how they can use social networking at work. Here are seven key questions to ask when drafting a social networking policy for your workplace.

Innovation never rests, despite the down economy. Designing applications for mobile phones is the latest way to make money hand over fist. Consider the Bloomberg app, which tracks finances. Consider Mint and Wesabe, which track your finances. Consider Ocarina, which lets you play your phone like a flute.

A New Jersey court has held that e-mails employees send to their attorneys via work computers are not protected by the attorney-client privilege. The court’s willingness to rule that an employer’s right to control how employees use its computer equipment trumps attorney-client privilege is significant. The decision makes it clearer than ever that employers should carefully consider the language they use in their employee handbooks.

Create an organizational chart for your office using a new wiki from Forbes ... Find templates, photos, animation effects and more ... Don’t waste time tracking down government and legal forms or creating your own form letters.

Using PowerPoint visuals that only Einstein could decipher doesn't make the presenter look smarter. Complicated visuals will cause an audience to focus less on what the presenter is saying and more on trying to figure out the images. Here are seven rules for keeping visuals clear and powerful:

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 gives small business owners a second chance at a “one-time” tax-saving opportunity. It revives the enhanced Section 179 deduction and “bonus depreciation” tax breaks that officially expired after 2008. These two tax goodies can be combined so that your small business can write off most, if not all, of the cost of new assets placed in service this year.

What does an Oreo cookie cream filling have in common with administrative professionals? Everything! Without that cream, there’s no magic center that holds it together. You’re left with two chocolate disks sitting there waiting for something special to happen. The special ingredient: you.

Thanks to Google’s policy of allowing employees time each week to work on pet projects, the company is forever unleashing new tools to improve your googleability. These four new tools could make you more fluent, more efficient and better-informed.

You’re already printing on both sides of paper and recycling. Now, what can you do to inspire your less-green co-workers? Tips from Tim Sanders, author of Saving the World at Work:

If filing your taxes this spring made you realize that you need a better way to keep track of all your receipts, turn to one of these nifty services for cataloging, organizing and accessing receipts.

Odds are your desk is a hub of organization. If that’s the case, you’re in the ideal position to create more value for your company by coaching others on ROO, or Return on Organization. Your task: Identify a few valuable tips, then share your expertise with others by offering a Lunch ‘n’ Learn on the topic, writing an article in the company newsletter or posting tips through e-mail.

You’re already doing your part to be “green” at the office by printing on both sides of paper, recycling and steering clear of bottled water. Now, what can you do to inspire your less-green co-workers? Tips from Tim Sanders, author of Saving the World at Work:

Add another big company to the list of those accused of shorting employees for overtime pay. A sales representative who worked for anti-virus software publisher McAfee recently filed suit claiming it violated the FLSA by failing to pay him overtime.

When we think of class-action lawsuits, we usually think big. Such lawsuits can involve thousands of employees and millions of dollars. But they can also involve just a handful of employees, as a federal judge just ruled.

Good news when it comes to disciplining disabled employees for breaking behavioral or dress code rules: You can and should hold the disabled to those rules, along with everyone else.

By now, you have probably adjusted your payroll software and hourly wage information to reflect the new Ohio minimum wage of $7.30 per hour, which took effect Jan. 1.

By now, you have probably adjusted your payroll software and hourly wage information to reflect the new Florida minimum wage of $7.21 per hour, which was effective on Jan. 1 ...

When two workers complained to two co-workers that their employer wasn’t providing protective gear while they installed insulation, it started a chain of events that led to their firings.

Rather than wait for your company to foot the bill for a class or conference, turn to online sources, such as eHow.com and good-tutorials.com, or the instruction manuals shelved in your IT department.

If the worrisome economy is keeping your employees up at night, offering them a place to nap during the afternoon could help them get their work done. Nearly 30% of employees admit they have fallen asleep on the job, and 12% say fatigue has made them late for work, according to a National Sleep Foundation poll.

Two companies headquartered in North Carolina have made Fortune magazine’s 2009 “100 Best Companies to Work For” list. The two, both headquartered in Cary, are engineering firm Kimley-Horn & Associates and software giant SAS.

Attention, filing procrastinators: The IRS is opening up free e-filing to all individual taxpayers on 2008 returns. Should you do it? Our advice: Weigh the pros and cons. While filing electronically certainly has advantages, there are drawbacks, too. It’s not for everyone.

Pick up know-how swiftly by swapping spots with someone. Here are two ways to do it, stolen from two company playbooks.

More than half of employees who lost or left their jobs in 2008 took company data with them, according to a study conducted by Ponemon Institute and cyber-security software maker Symantec. A shocking 59% of respondents claimed they had copied or e-mailed company data.

Foster more connections among employees by playing “switch-a-seat” ... Become known as a more inventive leader by using the future-leaning word “will” more often ... Never waste a crisis ... Stay tuned to market and cultural trends ...

When you need an answer to a burning question (How do I use this new software? How do I remove ink marks from a white shirt? Can my iPod be fixed?), turn to these eight how-to sites on the web, rated the best by PC World.

A New Jersey appeals court has held for the first time that an employee has no reasonable expectation that personal information stored on work computers is private—even if the employee has created a separate password to protect the information. Employers have the right to search work computers.

Raise your skepticism a few notches. Résumé fudging is on the rise again. Fueling the trend: recent layoffs and the tanking economy. Applicants who feel more desperate tend to add that extra punch to their résumés.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is actively encouraging employers to use computerized versions of the federal I-9 employment eligibility verification form. Is it time for you to ditch your paper I-9s? These pros and cons will help you decide.

Corporate innovation requires seamless collaboration across departments. Unfortunately, at many companies, silo mentality resists cross-functional cooperation. That’s one reason Sony can’t catch up with Apple in delivering supercool gadgets.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has signed a bill that will eliminate overtime pay for certain computer professionals. Assembly Bill 10 creates an overtime exemption for computer professionals working in California who are engaged in “intellectual or creative” work ...

The Kaiser Foundation Health Plan has agreed to settle a class-action wage-and-hour lawsuit brought by 770 California employees. Under the terms of the settlement, Kaiser agreed to pay $5.4 million, $3.7 million of which will go directly to the class members who claimed they were misclassified ...

HR Law 101: Employees who want to take FMLA leave must give their employer 30-day advance notice when the need for leave is foreseeable. Employers should respond in writing within five business days to their leave requests ...

Try to track the details of a complex project on a whiteboard, and you may quickly run out of white space. Here are five project-tracking software tools that can come to the rescue.

When it’s time to reinvigorate your company, what do you do? Whose ideas do you listen to? How do you know whether your customers will stick with you through change? Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz is in the process of using customers’ advice to update his recently battered brand ...

Use your laptop to squeeze more productivity out of meetings: Share data; brainstorm better; take and distribute meeting notes digitally.

If your organization hasn’t moved beyond “reply all” e-mails as its sole means of online employee interaction, promote any of these three options to spark more interaction and productivity ...

Watch out for deductions that fall through the cracks. Here’s a list of out-of-the-ordinary deductible business expenses you might overlook.

These days, most small businesses rely—either somewhat or heavily—on software applications. According to a new report by PC World magazine, here are 15 of the best free and low-cost software tools for powering any small or midsize business.

Nobody’s perfect, but any mistakes you make on your tax return can come back to haunt you in penalties, interest and missed opportunities. What are the 10 most common errors? Here’s what the tax pros say.

Whether or not you’re actively looking for a job, it pays to ratchet up your professional image outside your office. (After all, you never know who might google your name.) For that, the e-portfolio can be your most powerful tool.

Drowning in information overflow? Try managing your Outlook with these handy little helpers.

From surveys of employees' lifelong dreams to alumni reunions to baby showers for moms-to-be, here's a rundown of seven innovative benefits practices employers are using to reward and retain the staff they need. They're compiled from the popular "What's Working" pages of HR Specialist's Compensation & Benefits newsletter.

Your boss's desk stands awash in paper and her bookcase is bursting, but she may not even realize that the clutter is distracting her. Help a messy boss declutter her office—and boost your productivity—with these simple tools.

Thanks to flashy tools, you can compose and distribute business slide shows online in novel ways. You may have heard about Google’s web-based presentation tool, where several collaborators can work on a slide deck simultaneously in real time. Here are other ways to give your bullet points added impact.

Here's a New Year’s resolution that's productive and easy to keep: Once and for all, take control of your e-mail! These five tips will help you stay organized, free up time and server space—and keep you from committing career suicide.

What are the best online tools to help you get things done smarter and faster? Gina Trapani, lead blogger for Lifehacker.com and author of Upgrade Your Life, is an expert at helping people master modern technology. Here’s how everyday Joes and Janes can be like master geeks, she says.

If you're spending too much time managing who can use which meeting room when and what equipment they will need, turn to software for a solution.

Like a mother who has just given birth, the parent who adopts a child needs time to bond and adjust to a household that’s been turned upside down by the arrival of a new family member. According to Hewitt Associates, that’s the consensus of the approximately 45% of U.S. companies that offer money or paid time off to adoptive parents. Here are six ways to make the most of an adoption benefit for your employees ...

Small business owners can quickly become buried under paperwork and “to-do” lists if they’re not organized. Technology can help … if you know how to use it.

To do your job well, you probably need to remember a gazillion things —and the same goes for the others on your team. Wouldn’t you love to share all that knowledge and expertise? One idea: an e-mail newsletter just for your admin team.

What are the best online tools to help you get things done smarter and faster? Gina Trapani, lead blogger for Lifehacker.com and author of Upgrade Your Life, is an expert at helping people master modern technology. Here’s how everyday Joes and Janes can be like master geeks, she says ...

Say your CEO tasks you with cutting HR department costs. You know technology can help slay that cost dragon, but you have no idea where to start. Instead of combing through hundreds of vendor web sites, use these nonbiased resources to search for the right HR tech products.

Google Spreadsheets is Web-based software that allows you to create new spreadsheets online, or to import and share existing Microsoft Excel files.

Do you have employees who live and work in another state, but whose jobs sometimes bring them to California? Then you may be making a big overtime mistake if you pay them as if they were working in their home states.

Team building is a core value at DAXKO in Birmingham, Ala., where each employee gets $50 per quarter to participate in a group activity with co-workers. Teams have gone white-water rafting, wine tasting or horseback riding ...

Haven't figured out yet what all the Web 2.0 tools can do for you? Here are two tools that, when used together, can direct you to better information—not just more information—on the web.

More than half (56%) of corporate IT employees report that, in a typical month, they have to troubleshoot an employee’s food-related computer mishap, according to a Sunrise Software survey ...

As baby boomers prepare to retire, offices are left to figure out: “How do we make sure all their know-how and institutional memory are left behind?” Here are a few tips for capturing admin knowledge before it walks out the door, and making sure it sticks with younger generations ...

The average worker spends about two hours every day dealing with unnecessary interruptions, which cost businesses $590 billion a year in lost productivity. HR professionals can help solve this problem. In fact, it could be the latest work/life benefit: time to pay attention.

The economic stimulus law creates a tax incentive to buy business equipment this year. Under the new law, your business can claim “bonus depreciation” for qualified new (not used) business assets placed in service before 2009. But you may not derive any tax benefit from year-end purchases if you expect a loss this year ...

Raise your skepticism a few notches. Résumé fudging is on the rise again.The percentage of applicants who falsify their educational credentials and job experience typically goes up when the economy heads south. Here are six ways to root out résumé fraud.

Exercise extreme caution when terminating employees with knowledge of your IT systems. More than eight in 10 IT security professionals admitted that, if laid off tomorrow, they’d take valuable and sensitive company information with them, according to a new Cyber-Ark Software survey.

Do you have employees who live and work in your home state, but whose jobs sometimes take them to California? Then you may be making a big overtime mistake if you pay them as as usual. A federal court has just issued a key ruling on California's generous OT law.

Seating arrangements become the top priority when planning a successful off-site meeting. Here’s how to set up the room—no matter what the meeting’s size—to make sure attendees can see, hear and be heard.

For the boss whose drawers and briefcase are whitened with business cards and receipts, it might be time for this tech solution: Neat Receipts (www.neatreceipts.com).

Here are three productivity tools from Google that are worth trying.

Many managers can muster up praise for their workers only during annual reviews ... if at all. That's why you need to teach supervisors how to give employee recognition and give them the tools to make it easier. Here are the six steps ...

The Container Store has an entirely paperless payroll department. The transition to a paperless system began five years ago when the Texas-based company adopted new payroll software that allows employees to change their information online ...

Even if your HR department has only two or three employees, it can still incorporate some of the best approaches to HR management used in the country’s top HR departments. “You don’t have to be well-funded to focus on what’s good for your employees or the right thing for your business,” says Charles Tharp, co-director of the HR management department at Rutgers University ...

You expect colleges and universities to prepare your youngest workers for their new jobs. But are you prepared for them? Twentysomething employees expect the workplace to greet them with technology that is no less cutting edge than the tools they use in their personal lives and on campus. Here are seven ways to use technology to retain Gen Y’ers ...

Q. Our IT manager wants to install software onto our company computer system that will allow us to monitor Internet and e-mail usage on company equipment. Our employee handbook prohibits the use of company equipment or the Internet to surf inappropriate web sites, but does not specifically warn staff that management may monitor their use. Do we need to amend our computer-use policy before installing the monitoring software? ...

Searching for a way to send and receive faxes through e-mail, so you can banish the time-consuming, paper-eating fax machine?

One brainy, effective method to gain respect within your organization is to build up your profile in the outside world. These approaches can help.

California workers who earn the minimum wage will see their pay increase to $8 per hour starting Jan. 1, 2008. California and Massachusetts have the nation’s highest state minimum wages ...

Question: “We’re updating our employee handbook. Does anyone have advice on setting a policy regulating employees’ personal use of our electronic equipment and resources, such as PCs and the Internet?”—David, NY

(Feel free to post policy language if it’s relatively brief. Web links to your handbook are welcome too—if your own policies permit it.)

Your organization could be missing out on some top talent if you shrug off the new high-tech applications and résumé tools that could someday make paper résumés obsolete. Here are some of the more popular high-tech methods that candidates (especially young ones) are using to market themselves, plus some of the advantages and disadvantages of welcoming them ...

Complaints from employees, customers and competitors are nothing new in the business world. Until recently, if complaints crossed the line from mere opinions to false statements—that is, downright lies—companies could threaten a defamation lawsuit. Often, the mere threat of litigation will cause a disgruntled critic to back off. Today, however, companies face a more insidious and growing problem: Internet libel, commonly known as “cyber-slander.”

The federal Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA) requires employers to reinstate employees who take military-related leave. It also prohibits job discrimination against military or ex-military personnel. But a lesser-known USERRA provision deals with how employers must handle soldiers who return from active duty with injuries or other disabilities. USERRA is similar to the ADA ...

Corporate HR offices across the country began receiving e-mails last month that appeared to be from the EEOC but were actually bogus—and potentially dangerous ...

Florida’s minimum wage rises to $6.79 per hour on Jan. 1, 2008. Florida law requires the Agency for Workforce Innovation to adjust the minimum wage annually to reflect changes in the U.S. Consumer Price Index for urban wage earners and clerical workers in the South. The index rose 1.85% in the year ending Sept. 1, 2007 ...

Do you spend a good part of your day trading stocks? Elect stock-trader status.

Issue: Employees too often see their base salary as their bottom-line compensation. Risk: Without a clear view of their total compensation package, employees become disillusioned and seek greener ...

Q. Our company recently offered a job to a highly skilled software designer. Upon offering the worker a position, she informed us that she had accepted a similar position with one of our competitors. However, she told us that she would rather take our offer. What should we do? ...

Yung-Hsun “Andy” Lin, a former systems administrator at Medco Health Solutions, pleaded guilty to planting a “logic bomb” on the company’s computer network because he suspected he was about to be laid off. The malicious software, a string of coding that would have wreaked havoc on the company’s systems, was set to detonate on Lin’s birthday ...

The Family and Medical Leave Act entitles eligible employees to take up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave per year for their own “serious health condition,” care of a spouse, child or parent with a serious health condition, or for childbirth or adoption.The U.S. Labor Department recently collected 15,000 public comments about the pros and cons of the law. The department may use those comments to help develop regulations that clarify the confusing parts of the law, but no regulations are imminent ...

Q. My company bought vital computer software in 2006. Can we deduct the entire cost under Section 179?

Bonus-depreciation deductions are a thing of the past. But that doesn’t mean you can’t pump up deductions for business assets this year. Take advantage of enhanced Section 179 provisions.

The U.S. Labor Department has ordered Technologies500, of Iselin, to pay $537,189 in back wages to 36 computer programmers it hired under the H-1B visa program. The software company, also known as Cybersoftec.com, failed to pay the workers prevailing wages from January 2004 to November 2005. The department also levied fines of $162,750 ...

CA Inc., a software company in Islandia, has filed a $200 million lawsuit against rival Rocket Software of Newton, MA, alleging Rocket stole computer source codes and other trade secrets from CA and used the information to develop almost identical products ...

It’s a perennial HR challenge: Determining whether an employee is exempt from the overtime requirements of the Fair Labor Standards Act. We make the job easier with HR Specialist's free checklist, as well as a free white paper detailing how to comply with the law.

How current are your Internet skills? For efficiency, take advantage of these often-overlooked Internet tools.

The New Jersey Supreme Court has ruled that the Conscientious Employee Protection Act (CEPA) protects many independent contractors. The court said the law covers “any individual who performs services for and under the direction of an employer for wages or other remuneration” ...

Demand for Michigan information technology analysts and engineers will grow faster than any other career for the next five years, according to statistics compiled by the Michigan Works! Association. Here are the state’s 25 hottest jobs, along with projected demand growth rates ...

The bad news: You don't earn as much as your male counterparts. And no one wants to hear you ask for a raise. The good news: You can reinforce "Brand You" by writing a personal annual report. Here's a six-question template ...

The new federal minimum wage of $5.85 per hour means you need to put up new posters – even if your state's minimum wage is higher. We're making it easy to comply. You can download and print official U.S. Labor Department posters – for FREE – directly from the HR Specialist web site.

Under California law, employees are entitled to overtime payments unless the law exempts them from protection. But It’s up to employers to justify each exemption they claim ...

When the U.S. Senate failed to pass comprehensive immigration-reform legislation last month, the problem didn’t go away. Now states are stepping in to craft local solutions to problems related to undocumented immigrants. Employers are likely to bear the enforcement burden.

The first phase of the Georgia Security and Immigration Compliance Act came online July 1, when public employers and government contractors with 500 or more employees were required to begin conducting work-eligibility checks on their employees ...

Because of a quirk in the way the Equal Pay Act and the Fair Labor Standards Act have been amended over the years, female workers classified as exempt computer professionals under the FLSA can’t sue their employers for EPA violations ...

Religious discrimination need not be based on bias against an employee’s religion. The reverse is also possible ...

HR can waste lots of time and energy hounding supervisors to complete their performance reviews. Choose the best mix of incentives and penalties to inspire managers to do reviews right and on time ...

Should your organization buy a computer, pay for Internet access and maintain the equipment that your teleworkers use in their home offices? The federal government recently authorized its agencies do all of that for their teleworkers. And that may be the smart play for your organization, too ...

More than half (52 percent) of 1,000 college students surveyed said they believe it's OK, even in the workplace, to download or swap illegal software or files, according to a Business Software Alliance report ...

Each year, several respected organizations rate the top HR technology, software and Web-based products. But it's difficult to know which products are best because no two rating systems are the same, and they're often contradictory ...

Two-thirds of people responding to a Vault.com survey said they've taken office supplies from work, and a majority said they don't consider it stealing ...

Web-based surveys let you collect employee feedback on everything from benefits to where to hold the holiday party. Online surveys are cheaper and easy to administer. Here are some of the best online survey sites ...

Three quarters of employers responding to a new American Management Association survey said they monitor how employees spend their time online at work ...

The immigration reforms being debated in the U.S. Senate could burden employers and HR professionals with an unwieldy and complex worker-verification system, say HR advocacy groups. Here are their specific concerns, plus how the legislation could affect you ...

When it comes to evidence presented to win or defend against civil lawsuits, employers no longer can play a game of hide-and-seek. The new game in town is 1-2-3 Show M’e-discovery ...

The Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) recently announced that the agency has recovered nearly $1.8 million in unpaid unemployment insurance taxes from employers ...

Question: I want to learn more about contract management processes, from the perspective of maintaining files and records. Can someone direct me to a Web site, a book or an online course that would help?  -- Marie

HR Law 101: Under the ADA, a "reasonable accommodation" enables a qualified individual with a disability to perform the job's essential functions. But an accommodation is considered unreasonable when it causes the employer an undue hardship ...

Question: I have a boss who is very “hands on.” As a result, I lack the skills necessary for advancement. Can someone tell me a quick and easy way to become a PowerPoint expert? Is there a Web site that I can use for tutoring?  -- Anonymous

HR Law 101: The EEOC has taken a proactive approach to enforcing the ADA's protections for disabled workers. In addition to issuing enforcement guidelines, the agency has settled many cases for substantial sums.

HR Law 101: Employers have any number of legitimate reasons to monitor employees’ e-mail and Internet usage. Beyond personal productivity issues, you risk significant loss should an employee download a virus or other damaging software or engage in illegal activity conducted on company computers ...

HR Law 101: There are two important reasons you need to protect your company’s trade secrets: (1) You make it less likely that confidential information will be misappropriated. (2) It will be easier for you to seek relief in court if your secrets are stolen ...  

HR Law 101: Several sources of financial assistance are available to help businesses make reasonable accommodations and comply with ADA requirements. 

Q. We terminated an employee after we caught him downloading software and movies onto his own CDs and DVDs. After he left, we found discs that contained copied movies in his desk. Now he's asking for his belongings back. Are we required to return the discs? —D.V.

Q. About a year ago, our company replaced manual time clocks and punch cards with a computerized system, so each employee would punch in and out on the computer. The information is downloaded directly to the payroll department. Despite numerous reminders, from stickers to manager meetings, we still have a chronic problem of employees failing to clock in or out of work. Any suggestions? —M.M., Minnesota

Q. Some of our employees have been getting a lot of spam e-mail that advertises porn sites. I'm concerned that an employee will consider this junk as creating a hostile work environment. What can we do to protect ourselves? —M.C., Minnesota

This coming holiday season, the state of Florida has a gift planned for workers. Effective Jan. 1, 2007, the Florida minimum wage is set to increase in accordance with the state constitutional amendment approved by voters in 2004 ...

Don't write off employee training just because your training budget is somewhere between slim and none. You might think affordable (or free) training is hard to come by, but that's not true, says Linda Newell, director of learning and development for Policy Studies Inc. ...

While the Fair Labor Standards Act says certain computer professionals are exempt employees, be ultra-cautious about applying this exemption. Courts are littered with cases of employers being punished for wrongly applying exempt status to lower-level IT workers, such as help-desk staff (aka “IT support specialists”) ...

Some of your organization’s employees may be eligible for a larger tax refund without knowing it. You can do them a huge favor (and earn some good will) by introducing them to those tax savings ...

The community relations department at Texas-based National Instruments organizes volunteer opportunities for the company’s 2,200 U.S. employees and has 40 staffers engaging workers in volunteer efforts. But that’s just the beginning. ...

The U.S. Labor Department revamped the FLSA regulations in 2004 to help employers and employees understand the rules better. But, so far, the HR world has only seen more overtime lawsuits, not less ...

Courts have consistently ruled that deaf employees are entitled to sign language interpreters during training sessions.... They may also need specialized equipment or software to perform their jobs. But do you need to provide an interpreter or specialized equipment during a disciplinary meeting? ...

When employees use their work computers for inappropriate purposes, such as scouring the Internet for pornography, interacting with minors for sexual purposes or transmitting pornographic images, they violate the law and put their employers at risk ...

That dedicated employee working through her lunch period, even though she’s clocked out, could be a Florida employer’s biggest future liability ...

Both federal and New Jersey state statutes hold perpetrators criminally liable for the possession or viewing of child pornography. But a recent New Jersey Appellate Division decision opens the door for employers to be held civilly liable for failing to prevent these acts ...

If you’ve been filing paper tax returns for years or you simply let your accountant handle the whole thing, preparing and filing your return online this year may intrigue you. Should you do it?

HR Law 101: When a new hire comes on board, you must determine whether to classify him or her as exempt or nonexempt under the FLSA. The key consideration: Exempt workers aren’t eligible for overtime pay. Rather, they’re paid for the job they do, not the hours they keep ...

HR Law 101: To be considered exempt from overtime, an employee must generally be paid on a salary basis and his or her job duties must meet the Labor Department’s standards for one of the six exemption categories. Use this self-audit to test whether you’re properly classifying your workers as exempt under the FLSA ...

The software includes a new category coloring feature that helps you locate, manage, prioritize and respond to e-mail messages more easily.

Question: Does anyone know of a software program that works similar to MS Binder?  -- Anne Smith

HR Law 101: Your contract with an independent contractor establishes payment rates and methods, the nature of the work to be completed, the deadline for completing the job and performance standards. No matter how casual the relationship or how well you know the contractor, you should always have a signed contract describing the work to be done ... 

Question: My boss has several direct reports that he meets with individually each month. After each meeting, my boss gives me his notes and I use them to assign tasks. We are looking for some software or a system to track when the tasks are assigned and a reminder when the deadlines have occurred.

Question: My boss is the head of my company and a genius-engineer type. He must have his contacts in a book rather than an electronic format. Currently, I use Outlook 2003 and have created a contact binder with tabs for Home, Personal, Medical, Business, etc.

My boss wants several contacts from the same company to be seen under one company view (one contact name under the other with phone numbers under the master company header), instead of several separate views. He also would like to see the database sorted in different ways, but he wants more configurable views rather than the several choices of view from Outlook.

In relation to this, I have several questions to other admins.

1. Would a skilled Outlook user be able to change the contact format and contact views into a more easily read format? If so, where could I get the training/knowledge (i.e., training CDs, courseware or live training) to do this?
2. Does anyone know of any other database program out there for personal contacts that is very detailed, flexible and configurable? (We've already scrapped Access.)

Thanks for any help.

-- Karen Kosmoski

Question: I'm the HR representative in a small financial-planning firm. We're looking for a really good executive assistant to support our three principals, but we're having trouble weeding out the candidates who sound good from the ones who really are.

Has anyone used a type of skill test to give at an interview, or can you point me in the right direction?

We're not asking for anything more than a very good, competent, organized person, and I know they're out there. Does anyone have any advice for this situation?  -- jodietz

Question: I’m trying to buy a Microsoft Office 2003 exam-preparation CD bundle with all Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS) simulation questions/answers for Microsoft Certification.

I’ve done a little research and found a few companies that advertise themselves to be the best in passing the exams, etc. The ones I found are: Transcender exam practice, Measure Up, Go Certify and Self Test Software, by Kaplan.

Before I invest, I'd like to ask:

1. Has any one of you used any of these products and, if yes, which one would you recommend and why?

2. How much did you pay for the bundle CD for Office 2003? How many CDs did you get in the pack, and where did you buy it from?

3. Does anyone know of any Web sites that discount any of these products?

4. Can anyone recommend where to buy the exam vouchers? Or do any Web sites offer discounted or free vouchers with product purchase?

5. Do any government Web sites in Texas offer any prep materials/resources for this kind of certification?

Question: I just was given the job of scheduling parent/teacher conferences and I am looking at streamlining the process for next year. Currently, the job is done manually and is very cumbersome. It also has the potential for errors, as the same information is entered into several different documents.

I've looked on the Internet and found a number of software companies that offer parent/teacher conference software. I've noticed that some software allows the parents to schedule their own meetings on the Internet. At this time, this portion of software would not be an option for us to use.

My question is: Does anyone have any suggestions/experience with this type of software?

Thank you in advance for any feedback.  -- Cindy, British Columbia

Question: I have worked for my employer -- a large company with more than 1,400 employees -- for eight years now. When I started working here, the amount of contracts we processed yearly was manageable. More recently, the number of contracts processed annually has tripled, and keeping track of them has become a task that isn't really assigned to one person.

Getting a contract through the process and returned signed and completed takes constant reminders to the individual responsible for that particular contract. On average, we have to send four reminders to an individual for each contract to be reviewed or completed.

The executive assistant to the CEO has been undertaking much of the responsibility, and I have been pitching in when I have spare time, which is hardly ever.

Does anyone have an easy process to track contracts when routing for various signatures or reminding different managers/directors/VPs when a contract is due for renewal or review and then following up with them to make sure it was completed? Do you have one person who over sees this task? What is his or her title? Does he or she have any other job duties?  -- Lindsay Anderson

Question: I was promoted recently and am responsible for training my replacement, a transfer from another department. I was the first person to fill this position, so all of the processes are ones that I created. The documents handled in this department are very sensitive and become legal documents.

This person was hired without my input and while the supervisor of the department was out of the country. We were informed rather than asked about these changes by upper management.

My replacement has very little Word or PowerPoint experience, and almost no Excel experience. The position prepares PowerPoint presentations for the corporate officers and board of directors, as well as for international branches of the company.

My frustration stems from the fact that she thinks she knows so much more than she does and doesn’t ask questions; she assumes she knows what she is doing. I have prepared instruction books and step-by-step manuals for her to walk her through the processes, but she won’t use them. I have asked her what I can do to help her; she acknowledges that she isn’t using the tools she has. I have suggested that, in her slower time, she play in her software programs and learn them. She has label-making down pat, and her files are beautiful, but she still doesn’t know how to work her scanner. (Yes, I have gone over it with her ... more than once.)

She has been working in this department now for six weeks and is still making the same mistakes she made the first week. Her supervisor is out of town frequently, and it's up to me to "teach" her. I've been keeping a log of things we go over each day and problems that arise and have gone over this with her supervisor. He is currently back in town for a while and wants to start throwing things at her to see how she deals with it. He's still asking me to help him out.

I am very busy in my new department and really don’t have time to do my job and hers. I'm getting to the point that I just want to watch her sink on her own but still feel very responsible for the documents that are being sent out. I don’t feel comfortable going to upper management, since her supervisor is taking a wait-and-see attitude, but it’s killing me to see what she's sending out.

Has anyone else dealt with a situation like this? Any advice at all would be appreciated!  -- Pam from Oregon

Question: I use Excel to post and track updates on an action-item log that I maintain for our weekly meetings. It has seven columns and is laid out in landscape format. Lately, I've run into a problem with the text not wrapping.

It starts out OK, but if the verbiage gets too long, it stops wrapping inside the cell. It sometimes looks OK in the spreadsheet, but cuts off the text on the right-hand side of the cell.

I tried expanding the cell horizontally -- and vertically -- but nothing helps. It was suggested that I post the updated notes in the row directly below, but if I do a filter on all closed action items, the second cell directly below the original doesn't show up.

I'm considering posting my action-item log in another program, i.e. Word, but I'm wondering if I should consider another software program. Excel and Word are the only two software programs I have; anything else would need to be purchased.

I need something that will allow me to add very lengthy verbiage in one cell and still print out, so all can be seen.

Thanks.  -- Susan

Question: I have had MS Access software training in the past but until now had no need to create a database. Now, I need a quick refresher course on it.

I was sent an Access database already created with the information that I need. All I need to do is remove the information that I don’t need and put it into a format that is more conducive to my needs. And of course, I have a very short period of time to do this.

Any suggestions?  -- Lori

Question: I have to create a single detailed schedule of several major projects to be completed over the next several months. What's the best software to use: Excel? Outlook?  -- Novice in Virginia

Question: I am attempting to get information as to how other organizations are maintaining personnel files, medical files, workman's comp files, training files, etc.  All recommendations and current procedures your company follows would be greatly appreciated.  -- Jennifer

Question: I am in a position where my workload is very low. Sometimes, I have nothing to do, except maybe a little photocopying or handling the mail.

Sometimes, I have to create work, if I can. But there is only so much work a person can create.

The classes that I took in the past (Excel, PowerPoint) go unused because I’m never asked to work in Excel or PowerPoint.

Because I have been in this department so long, I’m afraid to move on because my skills have gone down and I’m a bit afraid that I may not be able to handle the next job. Plus, some bosses don’t treat assistants well. I would hate to lose my job altogether.

I need some encouragement or advice as to what I should do while I’m here in this position. I’m at a loss. Thank you.  -- Anonymous

Question: I'm trying to find an essential tool I use every day and can't find it anywhere, and am hoping my fellow admins might be able to help me.

I have accumulated well over 600 3" x 5" Rolodex cards over the years. My problem is, I have room for only 500 on my open "flip"-style Rolodex. I've had to start rubber-banding the extras together or they all fall out whenever I need a phone number or address.

I would prefer a rotary metal Rolodex (the metal ones with a knob you twist around to the card you need).

The only 1,000-card Rolodexes I can find are:

1. A rotary one with MUCH smaller cards. (I'm not going to retype all 600 cards just so they fit on the new 2 1/4" x 4" cards!)

2. A 1,000-card "open file" holder like the one I have.

Does anyone know of a rotary-style Rolodex holder that holds 1000-plus 3" x 5" Rolodex cards?

Thanks, in advance, for your help.  -- Busy Executive Assistant, Rochester, N.Y.

Question: My boss, I believe, has a problem with ADHD. Sometimes, he bounces off the walls and is very difficult to keep up with. I try to keep up with him, but lately, I am exhausted by mid-afternoon. I am at the point that I am so frustrated because I am running in circles most of the time.

My boss will tell me he needs to schedule a meeting or various meetings throughout the day. Then, two minutes after we have met regarding his files/meeting requests, etc., he asks me if I have set up the meeting regarding a topic that he never asked me to schedule. So, I continually have to check and re-check my notes for who the invitees are for meeting A or B; then, I have to ask him if his question relates to scheduling meeting A or B. His normal reply: "Oh, no. This is another meeting I am talking about."

Many times, he forgets to give me all of the details.

Are you aware of any books that would help administrative assistants who work with bosses with ADHD? I would like to know how to set up boundaries with my boss, who cannot seem to focus.

I have set up color-coded files; I print meetings from his calendar and attach to the top of a folder for each and every meeting; I arrange files on his credenza; I keep a large, orange "Please sign" file for signatures; and we meet daily to plan meetings, plan projects and to follow up regarding unfinished projects.

I need some help as to how I can become a more efficient assistant to my boss. Any suggestions?  -- Frustrated in Michigan

Question: Our office has a custom letterhead template with text boxes at the bottom for each office location to insert its address, phone and fax numbers. Each time we open this template, the cursor is automatically positioned in this text box, no matter where the cursor was in the document the last time the template was updated and saved.  How do we force the cursor to appear in the addressee line at the top of the template each time it's opened?  -- Ann in Wausau

Question: "Last week, one of our newer employees  -- let's call him 'Nat' -- asked me to show him how to compile a monthly report that I've been doing as part of my job for years. Nobody had mentioned this to me before 'Nat' approached me.

"I showed him how to compile the report. He thanked me and went back to his desk. But now, I'm worried that I'm going to start losing responsibilities.

"I don't know how to bring it up to my boss.

"How would you approach this situation?"  -- Rhoda, Virginia

Question: Has anyone put together a group program for the administrative assistants at their company to promote communication, education, training, etc? I have been asked to organize a quarterly meeting and I need a starting point. If anyone has done this and has suggestions or ideas, I would greatly appreciate the help!  -- Anonymous

Question: Recently, the president of our company asked me to buy self-help and instructional CDs, along with several iPods, the purpose being to download materials from the CDs to the iPods and distribute them with our marketing materials to trainees who pay for training at our for-profit institute. I explained to my direct supervisor, who is the COO, that this may constitute copyright infringement, and therefore, could be an illegal activity.  She relayed this to the president of our company, who did not seemed concerned and, in essence, ordered me to copy these materials.  My question: If I do not copy the materials, am I being insubordinate?  -- Anonymous

Translate a small amount of text from English to Spanish (or one of seven other languages) using Google's Language

Question: I recently applied for a position as executive assistant.  I was not selected for the position and one of the reasons was that I did not provide any examples of my work.  The person I interviewed with suggested that I create a portfolio with various samples of my work using different software programs.

Has anyone ever create such a portfolio? How would I get started?  -- Karyn,  Buffalo, N.Y.

Question: Our company’s administrative assistant team will be creating a company-wide notification system to remind each department of critical deadlines that could result in a business penalty if missed. Do you know of a good software or computer program to use for this notification?  -- Anonymous

Are you ready for a computer upgrade? If the answer is "yes," don't just toss out your old equipment.

Congress often tinkers with the tax code, but rarely does it throw business owners a brand-new deduction. That's why last year's tax law—the American Jobs Creation Act— created such a stir. Starting in 2005, the law authorizes a new write-off for qualified manufacturers that could eventually amount to a 3 percent rate cut.

Question: I read Personal Report for the Administrative Professional every month for career and work tips. But what other resources are out there for an ambitious admin who wants to better herself?  -- Josie, Virginia

Question: Not really a problem; more of a call for advice. Starting with the August issue, I’ll be the new editor of Personal Report for the Administrative Professional. I’d like to hear from you as to what you’d like to see more of — and less of — in the newsletter each month. What tough issues would you like me to tackle in the coming months? In the coming year?

Thanks, in advance, for your guidance.  -- Alice Bumgarner

The bonus-depreciation deduction was great while it lasted, but it's gone for 2005. Still, you can generate top-dollar deductions this year when buying equipment and other business assets. That's because your not-so-secret weapon—the Section 179 expensing allowance—lets you write off most or all of the cost of most business assets in the very first year of ownership! Here's the lowdown on the rules and four ways to maximize your deductions.

Question: I wanted to know what other companies do for time off.  Our company offers 2 weeks' vacation (3 weeks' after 10 years) plus 5 sick days each year, which can accumulate up to 30 days (sick leave only).  I have used all my vacation due to an emergency with my father-in-law and took a week's vacation.  I am short one day to attend my niece's wedding and was going to take the day off without pay.  Evidently, we are not allowed to due this.  If I do decide to take this off, then it will affect my review.  Can you take time off without pay if you want?

Related question: How does your company offer time off for doctor appointments? Can you use sick leave by the hour or can you take only in 4- or 8-hour increments (1/2 or full day off)?  -- Kenda

Have you joined the millions of taxpayers who use computer software to complete their tax returns? For do-it-yourselfers, it's usually faster and easier than plowing through the paper version, and at a relatively low cost.

Question: I have taken on the task of creating an internal newsletter.  We have 14 employees (4 professional engineers, 7 consultants and 3 admin staff) located in 7 different states.  Our internal communication is very weak due to workload and the geographical distance.   Our company consisted of 5 employees in the same office until 2 years ago.  I feel that an e-mailed newsletter would be a good way to communicate with everyone.

Issue: U.S. employers lose nearly $60 billion each year due to trade-secret theft, but many still often overlook this risk.
Risk: Your organization can be ruined if competitors gain access ...

Question: “I don’t want to be the office computer expert for the nonprofit organization where I work. I’m tired of helping people who don’t have computer skills. This is a small office, and none of the people asking for help is in my department or in any way associated with what I do. “Most of the time the questions aren’t related to work. They want me to show them how to download pictures of their grandchild from an e-mail or how to rotate an image. They also want me to show them the advanced features of Word, such as mail merge. “I’ve paid my own money to take computer classes. I also obtained an office automation certificate while I was unemployed. I buy books on computer topics and read several magazines. These people don’t do any of these things. “Since I won’t share my computer skills, they’ve tried a slow down. If I need something, they delay or try to ignore my request. What should I do?” -- Anonymous

Las Vegas—The most negative opinions you hear at work may be coming from—surprise!—you. Listen closely to what you tell yourself and others, and then slash the negative attitudes that hold you back.

Even if IT support doesn't appear anywhere in your job description, office mates may tap you to troubleshoot their computer problems.

The IRS says your company can provide free e-filing of employees' tax returns.

IRS won't save you from high gas prices

Don't let tax tail wag the investment dog

Get dates straight on tax-prep deduction

Don't jump ship on muni bond funds

Show some trust in REITs

What is RFID? If you don't know, you'd better learn. It may not be long before a large business customer asks you to start implementing it into your inventory for easier logistics management.

Even in the Internet age, consumers still have a love affair with coupons. And now may be a good time to jump into the growing trend of electronically delivered coupons.

Many employees forget—or don't realize—that employer-provided benefits make up a big portion of their compensation.

Your company can claim the disabled access tax credit for money spent making the business more accessible to disabled people.

Big companies employ "customer relationship management" (CRM) software to track and categorize service and sales records.

If spending time figuring out how to reset your computer features seems like too much trouble, Microsoft makes it easier with "Tips for the Awkward Age of Computing," at www.microsoft.com/enable/aging.

A well-written job-offer letter can clear up miscommunication about the compensation and job duties, plus it gives candidates a sense of security when resigning from their current job to join your company.

Here are your best options

Thanks to the recent Bush tax acts, you can deduct on your 2003 tax return either 30 percent or 50 percent of the cost of qualifying new assets that you bought and placed in service last year. The remaining amount is then depreciated using standard tax rules.

Millions of taxpayers now file their tax returns via the Web, and the number is likely to grow. Should you join the crowd?

You know that some employees slack off at work by cruising the Web. But did you know that some Web sites actively encourage it—and give users ways to deceive their bosses?

If you make, sell or even use security equipment that can help guard against terrorism, tap into the federal government's protection against lawsuits resulting from terrorist attacks.

You’ve now got the staff to do the work you once did yourself, but you’ve been a workhorse for so long that you don’t know how to steer the team.

Take advantage of free energy audits from utilities and government groups, which are more plentiful for small businesses these days.

If your company offers a retirement plan, the federal government says you must retain a "fiduciary responsibility" over those employee accounts.

Just one hip-hopping employee downloading tunes all day can sap your computer resources and expose you to legal problems, not to mention kill that worker's productivity.

Making a sale is worthless if you never receive payment. Many companies make the fatal mistake in their collection process of either letting debtors off too easily or turning them off for good.

Raise your skepticism a few notches. RÃ?sumÃ? fudging is on the rise again. The so-called Liar's Index, the percentage of applicants who falsify their educational credentials, has risen steadily ...