Dear Annette,I know you're not supposed to burn bridges, but I'm so tempted to tell my former employer what they can do with their pink slip. Is it ever OK to act out when leaving a company?Disgusted in DallasDear Dallas,On a hot California day, down by my private beach, I love to have my People hire an upcoming international design sensation to build split-level sandcastles with marvelous feng shui while I sip something bitter and refreshing from the Far East, hoping my straw hat doesn't blow away. Invariably, as my dog Dickie supervises the construction crew, my thoughts turn to the 1957 cla... view article details

Job descriptionLaw enforcement officers, including both state officers, federal agents and detectives, protect our lives and personal property from harm. There are many different areas of law enforcement, and duties performed by officers and detectives will depend upon their area of focus and the size and type of organization for which they work.The majority of law enforcement officials, about 65 percent according to the bureau of labor statistics, are uniformed personnel. These officers work for police departments in towns and cities across the country or for the State as State troopers and h... view article details

Tips for Living within Your Means'It's not like I'm disorganized,' said Michelle E., a 28-year-old paralegal from Aurora, Colorado. 'My friends even joke about my CD collection being alphabetized. Yet my savings account is always empty and I never manage to pay down my credit cards,' she said.Cathy W. is 36, single, and facing a similar dilemma. 'I'm a freelancer in computer graphics based out of San Francisco. I think I make decent money, but there's never any left over. I don't see how I could ever afford my own home - certainly not in this town. I have no investments, never mind retirement ... view article details

Dear Annette,Please tell me what to do about coworkers' kids in the office. I could understand if people brought their children in when there was an emergency, but everywhere I look there seems to be some toddler. The noise and distraction are affecting my work. I can't get away from it because we are all in cubes, but I need some way to tell my coworkers that the office is not a daycare center!RattledDear Rattled,It's not surprising that today's office has become so alluring to the young, with its bright colors, foosball table, and all the soda you can drink.I myself have only recently recove... view article details

Salary.com's Annual Father's Day Survey Reveals Dad's Parenting PaycheckNo longer relegated to the role of babysitters, modern-day dads are putting in long hours performing various jobs on the homefront.Salary.com conducts an annual survey which determines how handsomely dads would be compensated if parenting came with a paycheck. Using a hybrid Job Valuation Tool and based on Certified Compensation Professional benchmarking principles that determine the value of jobs, salaries for 1,074 stay-at-home and working dads were created using the 10 most common 'dad jobs' including: day care center t... view article details

Employees versus independent contractors. Sometimes it's difficult to know what camp you fall into as a worker. But when you consider health benefits, compensation and tax purposes, knowing the differences between the two is an absolute necessity. But what exactly are the differences between employee status and being an independent contractor? Our salary expert, Jack Chapman, has your answers.Question: When am I considered an employee and when am I an independent contractor?Answer: You’re an independent contractor when you have services you sell to a company. The biggest difference concerns wh... view article details

Today's seniors may either feel the pinch of the economy or be bored at home initiating the desire to return to the workforce. Volunteer work has been the standby for many retirees, but many are looking for second careers and, in some cases, a way to supplement their retirement income. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 20 percent of Americans 55 years and older will be working by 2015. Many post-retirees want to utilize their experience while allowing part-time or flexible hours. Here we suggest some employment alternatives for seniors looking to get back into the workforce... view article details

Today’s seniors may either feel the pinch of the economy or be bored at home initiating the desire to return to the workforce. Volunteer work has been the standby for many retirees, but many are looking for second careers and, in some cases, a way to supplement their retirement income. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 20 percent of Americans 55 years and older will be working by 2015. Many post-retirees want to utilize their experience while allowing part-time or flexible hours. Here we suggest some employment alternatives for seniors looking to get back into the workforce. Of... view article details

Time wasted by employees at work is down from 2005, but it is still costing companies billions in 2006. According to the 2nd annual survey by America Online and Salary.com, the average worker admits to squandering 1.86 hours per 8-hour workday, not including lunch and scheduled break-time, which is down from 2.09 hours in 2005. As a matter of practice, companies assume a certain amount of wasted time when determining employee pay. However, the 2nd installment of the survey indicates that employees are continuing to waste about twice as much time as their employers expect. Salary.com calculates... view article details

at Is Dad's Job Worth?   Working Dad vs. Stay at Home Dad Salaries For 2006    Salary.com has revealed that dads would be taking home a pretty hefty paycheck if they were paid an annual salary for the many 'dad jobs' they do for their families. Salary.com consulted with Stay at Home and Working Dads, and used the survey results to rank the top 10 jobs that make up a dad's job description. The analysis showed that if paid, Working Dads would rake in a total of $71,160 in addition to their day job salary, while Stay at Home Dads would earn $125,340 annually. See below for the top 10 most common ... view article details