For new dads, Father’s Day doesn't consist of cracking open a cold one with junior back from college. Instead, it's a less laidback affair involving tending to the newest 'mini me's' every waking need – but how can a new dad be there for his newest addition if his company doesn't offer any paternity leave? Child rearing is mankind’s greatest passion – and challenge – but the country’s paid family leave policies fall well short of what new parents deserve. According to a report from the Society of Human Resource Management, about 58% of women – but only 15% of men – get replacement pay for leav... view article details

Q: I was awarded 25,000 options at my last job. Recently, the company laid off 100 employees, including me. I was not vested at this time and the company took away all of my shares. Is this standard practice? A: Yes. It is customary for a company to take back unvested options when an employee leaves the company for any reason. In fact, this is probably included in the stock option agreement you received when you were granted the options. Sometimes, however, companies have a severance policy that provides special benefits (e.g., accelerated option vesting) for situations like layoffs. Be sure... view article details

We can Google a checklist for anything these days, and workplace diversity is no exception. Diversity checklists from numerous countries show up in the search, reminding us that workplace diversity is of global interest—we are working within a globalized economy and within a multicultural workforce. Organizations that do not have a strong diversity and inclusion culture may invite lower productivity, higher absenteeism, and higher turnover resulting in higher costs to the company, as well as lose-out on valuable diversity of thought and talent. Does your company have its own diversity and... view article details

Q. Our company has filed under Chapter 11 with no financial backing. The company is being sold. Our accounts payable supervisor got another offer and put in her notice, but the company countered with a pay-to-stay package. She gets six months of severance pay with three months up front.I am very angry, since I was committed to working until the end after taking a 10 percent cut in pay with hopes of staying on with whoever buys us. How do I confront the CEO who offered her this package to get the same deal? Currently we have no severance package.A. Companies can offer employees incentives to st... view article details

Q. I have been running a small startup company for almost four years. Four of us are consulting to the company in various executive roles. I'm the founder and president, handling a wide range of duties, but mostly in business development. I have the skill set and experience of most directors of business development or higher positions. My role has also exposed me to areas in which business development professionals are not typically involved.In considering other employment opportunities, how do I know which executive level I qualify for given my diverse background? Will companies discount my s... view article details

Q. I am working as consultant for a company and have been asked to join as an employee. How does the fee I receive as a consultant relate to the salary I would get as an employee?A. The answer depends on two things: the way you're currently charging the company; and the role you're being asked to take on as a full-time employee.First, there is the matter of expenses. Consultants typically work off site and are on company premises principally for meetings. Such consultants may charge their customers fees that cover overhead in addition to the fees for the services being performed. Consultants' ... view article details

Q: My facility just was closed. Approximately 80 hourly employees were eliminated, as well as 90 percent of the salaried workforce. I am one of the lucky 10 percent who are being offered postions at a different location. I currently live in a state that has a low cost of living and will most likely be asked to move to a state that has a much higher cost of living. Would it be out of place to ask for that increase in my salary?A: The first thing I would do is speak to my Human Resources Representative and find out what the company's compensation philosophy is. A company's compensation philosoph... view article details

If you take a job in a small, publicly held company, should you expect to earn less than at a large, public company? The surprising answer is no. Compensation survey data shows that a person working in a company with, say, $50 million in annual revenue should be making the same amount as a person doing the same job in a company with $500 million in revenues. 'The overall job market, not the size of the company, determines the value of the job,' said Erisa Ojimba, compensation consultant at Salary.com.Executives' pay may be the exception, she said, because of the mix of executives' pay in small... view article details

Q. I began working at my company one month after the beginning of our fiscal year. I recently received my first salary increase (over a year later) and found that it was much lower than I had expected. I realize the current market conditions may have driven this lower increase, but I was told that perhaps it is also because I had not yet worked a full year (only 11 months, instead of 12) when raises were decided. Would this lower my salary increase percentage significantly? If so, is it appropriate for me to ask for a mid-year review (for my second year of employment)? My company tends to have... view article details

An interview is the only time during the hiring process when you and your interviewer can form a mutual relationship based on observation and communication. You're both on the same level: the interviewer wants to do his or her best to get to know you, answer your questions, and find out if you would be a good fit for the job and the company.Despite its etiquette and formality, your interview can yield a wealth of information. The key to a successful interview is to bring some knowledge with you yet keep your eyes open for the intangibles, such as office culture and the staff's personalities. Y... view article details