Q. Three weeks before my scheduled date of resignation, I got sick. After spending a Friday in the hospital and the rest of the weekend at home, I told my supervisor I expected to be in by the following Friday at the latest. She then told me I would be laid off because I had been absent too many times. Is it legal to fire someone because they've been out sick for several days? Is there anything I can do?A. I would suggest you read your company's sick policy first to see what steps your company expects you to take when you are sick.Time off and sick policies vary among companies. Yours may have... view article details

Got your eye on a cute coworker? You're not alone. Roughly half of all Americans have hooked up with a colleague, with a third of those admitting to steamy episodes in the office itself.  It's no surprise, given that most of our waking hours are spent at work.The good news is: A quarter of these office romances lead to long-term commitment or marriage. The bad news: Many more end up on the rocks. Here are some simple guidelines to help you navigate love without losing your cool at the office.1. Choose wisely First and foremost: Do not randomly hook up with a colleague at the company C... view article details

Last year, a Boston-area high-tech company saw its stock plunge from a record high of $58.75 on January 20, to a low of $1.13 exactly 11 months later in November. One employee, who chose to remain anonymous for this article, exercised 1,000 options at $10 a share when the stock reached its peak. With April 16 nipping at her heels, she still owns the shares. Imagine her terror upon learning that the spread of $48.75 multiplied by the 1,000 shares - a total of $48,750 - is subject to a parallel tax system called the alternative minimum tax, or AMT, at a rate of up to 28 percent. Even though her ... view article details

Delta – the second largest commercial airline in the world – is encouraging its internal pool of non-pilot workers, college students at certain universities, and even younger folks to consider taking their talents to the cockpit. By tapping into these various niches, Delta hopes to slowly erase a significant shortage of pilots over time. Baby boomers are already retiring at a staggering rate, and Delta’s 13,000+ pilots are required by federal law to lay down the keys at 65. Some pilots are leaving for other companies – another trend indicative of the war for talent. Delta expects to hire mor... view article details

For Tony Danza, having a thick regional accent keeps him working. But for the rest of us who are interviewing and looking for jobs, sounding like Snooki from Jersey Shore or Matt Damon when he played that 'wikkid smaht kid,' is not helpful. Research indicates human resource professionals hold biases against different accents, and it affects their decisions. But which accents are the worst offenders and what can you do to make sure you avoid being screened out simply for the way you talk? Read on, we've got you covered.Address the Accent All it takes is one higher-up ma... view article details

Q: I was hired by a software company at an entry-level sales position. I have a four-year degree and sales experience.I was brought on board at a salary of $27,000 per year, plus a monthly bonus. After my first week on the job, I was moved from an inside sales position to a regional sales manager position with no increase in pay.I've been in this position for three months, and I have had to learn everything on the fly. I've maintained my territory with flying colors, and have increased sales from last year's numbers. Coworkers have told me the man I replaced was making $73,000, with no four-ye... view article details

Have you always been passionate about pursuing a career in education? There are many different roles that come with nice paychecks for you to explore in this realm. Using Salary.com data, we provided the average salaries of 10 in-demand jobs in the education space. We also provided job description summaries so you can determine if your skillset matches up: 1) High School Teacher Average salary: $59,639 What you’ll do: Prepare lesson plans, instruct adolescents, and evaluate and monitor student performance. This role requires a bachelor's degree and 2-4 years of experience in the field or in a ... view article details

How to Let Employees Go With Dignity & Keep Morale High at the Office If you're an employer, you’ve likely had to fire people. It's never easy and the process can be fraught with hazards. Keep in mind these nine tips for firing an employee: 1. Do: Consider the need to terminate an employee carefully. If the decision is sound and rational, act quickly so the potential damage to your business and/or staff morale is not allowed to linger any longer than necessary. 2. Don't: Assign the task to someone who doesn't directly supervise the employee. Putting the unpleasant duty on someone who has... view article details

With the growth of accredited colleges that offer online accredited degrees, starting or finally finishing a college degree could be a breeze. Before selecting an accredited online university, there are some important steps to take for ensuring educational success. Accredited colleges are schools that receive the stamp of approval from education boards. These boards carefully scrutinize to determine if the programs and policies meet specific criteria. If the school fulfills the minimum criteria, it then can market itself as an accredited online college. The 6 approved accreditation organizatio... view article details

 At the end of the performance review, you and your manager will sign a form documenting the results of the meeting and citing changes and plans for the future. Your manager will also collect your self-appraisal to submit to the human resources department with the other paperwork for your employee records.Employers keep records of performance reviews for their protection in case of contested terminations, failure to promote, and contested training opportunities that could arise in the future. Your employee file protects you as well since it can prevent unfair assessments and ratings in future ... view article details