Summer is on its way out. School is starting and fall is looming. But at least you got a nice relaxing vacation before your life kicks back into high gear.Wait, what's that you say? You didn't get a vacation? Too much work to be done? You're not alone.Depending on how you look at the numbers, Americans are some of the world's most industrious and dedicated workers, or we are profoundly overworked, our stress-fried brains in desperate need of some time away from the cubicle. Or maybe it's both.There's no doubt that American workers put in their hours: 1,741 per year, on average, according to th... view article details

Dear Jack,After 25 years working for same company, I still only get 2 weeks a year paid vacation. I take no sick days off and I work overtime, but this year no vacation? Or not one sick day and my four 10-hour workdays have turned to five 10-hour days -- sometimes as high as 14 hours -- and I don't get overtime? What are my rights here?? After 25 years do I get my vacation pay because I did not get a day off?? I'm not sure this is a matter of 'rights.' While two weeks vacation is almost universally acknowledged as the minimum vacation time, even that is at the discretion of your employer, and ... view article details

Dear Annette, I've been working on my income taxes, and my files are getting pretty big. How much of this stuff do I have to keep? Form 1-too-many Dear Form, When I found out a few years ago that Dickie and I were going to prison for failing to pay taxes on three years' worth of his a income from selling cosmetics door-to-door, my first thoughts were, What should I pack? Will there be mints under my pillow? Will there be someone to do the floors and bath? And why does an undocumented Maltese owe taxes in the first place? (After all, he does have his shots.) But I quickly realized incarceration... view article details

Q: Do I have a right to view the compensation band for my title?I've just been promoted to MIS manager and I know my new base salary is $22,300 less than the minimum starting salary for my title. Online market surveys support this claim. I can't admit that I have seen the comp band for my title because it would aversely affect the person who showed me.My boss refuses to discuss my salary, except to say I don't have enough experience and he doesn't expect as much from me as others with my title. What are your thoughts?A: I'm not an attorney, but I don’t know of any law that requires a company t... view article details

Q: 'My husband was offered a job in Florida. They flew me and him out there for a weekend and interviewed my husband. They offered him the job but their relocation of $5,000 was too low. We would be relocating ourselves, three kids and dog from Seattle, Washington. My husband asked for $8,000 and also itemized what we were using that amount for. First, last, security deposit on a house, ship one car and travel costs to drive while towing our third car and belongings. He was happy with the annual salary as cost of living is cheaper in Florida. My question is were we reasonable to counter their ... view article details

There is no escaping the fact that college costs are rising. The College Board reports that most students and their families can expect to pay, on average, from $95 to $1,440 more than last year for this year’s tuition and fees, depending on the type of college attended. Average College Costs for 2007-2008: Private four year $23,712 (up 6.3 % from last year) Public four-year $6,185 (up 6.6 %from last year) Public two-year $2,361 (up 4.2% from last year) Financing Options Families are encouraged to seek federally backed loans first, then shop for private loans, based in part on the recommend... view article details

Pace Yourself How can an introvert get into the zone more quickly when giving a talk? First, quick is a relative term. An introvert's quick could be an extrovert's slow. Not that we're sluggards and dullards---we just need to go at our own pace.Get Some Rest While an extrovert might blast out onstage after schmoozing all day, get a further charge from all the people in her audience, and then give a speech worthy of the Academy, that combination of activities could deplete an introvert, making him feel like ducking for cover. Remember: an extrovert's fuel can be an introvert's... view article details

Positive Conflict in the Workplace If everyone agreed all the time, there would be no reason to consider different perspectives or look for new ways to handle situations. The best ideas often emerge from the creative problem-solving process that has to occur to reach conflict resolution. Here are five benefits of conflict in the workplace: 1. As team members work through conflicts, they are able to make progress toward accomplishing goals that need to be reached. This is true in terms of project-specific goals, as well as the goal of becoming a stronger, more unified team. Team members ... view article details

Adopting a pet is a big commitment. When it comes to bringing a new friend home, it’s important to make the transition as smooth as possible so your pet feels secure in their new environment. Setting up a routine for your new roomie is key, but it can be hard to do so if you’re at work for eight hours a day. According to a Nationwide/HABRI survey of 2,002 full-time workers in the U.S., 90% of employees in pet-friendly workplaces feel highly connected to their company's mission, engaged in their work, and are willing to recommend their organization to others. This may be a big part of why somet... view article details

The young people of America are taking jobs they don't want, moving back in with their parents, and delaying marriage and children as they struggle with a still-uncertain economy, according to survey results released recently by the Pew Research Center. And yet, despite the economy's ill effects, young adults remain optimistic about their financial future, the report concluded. In 2011, young people had a harder time finding work than any other age group. While the overall unemployment rate last year was 8.8 percent, young adults from age 18 to 24 had a jobless rate of 16.3 percent, according ... view article details