Tomorrow is Bank Transfer Day. By this date, people all across America are shutting down their accounts at large, costly, name-brand banks and transferring their funds to new bank accounts at their local credit union or community bank. Here is an excellent video made in Portland that follows along with several different people as they close their bank accounts and give their reasons for doing so. One person wants to save money, another disagrees with the bank’s foreclosure practices, a third is mad about the bailouts, and the last is a union withdrawing its funds to show solidarity with holding Wall Street accountable. [More]
jobs
1 In 15 Americans Classify As Poorest Poor
By 11.3.11
A record number of Americans classify as the poorest poor, according to a new report. Right now, 1 in 15 Americans live at least 50% below the official poverty level of $22,314 per annum for a family of four. That’s making do with about $11,000 a year split between four people. [More]
US Economy Grew 2.5% In Third Quarter, Department of Commerce Report Says
By 10.27.11
Buoyed by brisker consumer and business spending, The American economy grew at an annualized rate of 2.5% in the third quarter, according to a report released this morning by the U.S. Department of Commerce, [More]
Groups Call On TransUnion To Stop Selling Employee Credit Reports To Employers
By 10.26.11
Employers pull the credit reports of prospective employees as a way to determine whether they’re trustworthy and good at managing money. But now more than 25 civil rights groups, labor unions and consumer groups have banned together to demand that TransUnion stop selling credit reports to employers. They say the practice is invasive, discriminatory, and worst of all, doesn’t even work. [More]
Stay Relevant In A Changing Job Market
By 10.24.11
The longer you work the same job, the more likely it is that you’ll lack the skills to do anything else when you’re unexpectedly kicked to the curb. Everyone is a tap on the shoulder away from unemployment, so do your best to make sure you’ve got the tools it will take to claw your way back into another role. [More]
3 Tips For Fighting Bullies
By 10.19.11
People are talking more about bullying these days. It can happen at school, in the workplace, or online. How do you combat it? Educator and author Natasha Deen offers these three tips. [More]
Photographer Looking For People To Do Their Jobs For Free
By 10.11.11
Deciding to turn the tables, one Atlanta photographer has posted an ad to the talent gigs section of Craigslist looking for people to do their jobs for him for free. “I am a photographer and since people are always looking for free shoots I assume that they must also do their job, or provide their services, for free,” the post reads. “Just think, you will gain more experience, and I will put the word out for you and let everyone know what wonderful work you do.” Here’s the full ad. [More]
8 States Hike Minimum Wages
By 10.4.11
Eight state governments are forcing bosses to give low-rung workers pay raises, thanks to automatic annual raises in minimum wages. Washington state leads the way, scheduled to up its minimum wage 37 cents an hour to $9.04 next year. Burger flipping in Colorado will still only pay $7.64 in 2012, but at least that’s better than the $7.36 it pays now. [More]
"Guess The Next Cashier To Be Fired!" Contest Not Good Morale Booster For Cashiers
By 10.3.11
A judge has ruled that the “guess the next cashier who will be fired” “contest” concocted by a convenience store manager created a hostile work environment. Several of the employees left after it and the judge ruled that their unemployment claims could not be dismissed on the basis of the workers leaving voluntarily. Here is the text of the kooky contest memo: [More]
680 lb Man Fired For Being Obese
By 9.29.11
Ronald at one point weighed 680 lbs, a fact that never interfered with his ability to do his job. He received high marks in his performance reviews. Despite this, he was fired for his weight. [More]
Senators Blumenthal And Franken Ask Social Intelligence Corp About Using Your Facebook Photos In Employer Background Checks
By 9.26.11
Senators Blumenthal and Franken have figuratively posted on Social Intelligence Corp’s Facebook wall a poll asking the company to answer several questions about its background check business. What makes this company’s service unique is that it scours the internet profiles of prospective employees and flags them for things like holding drinks or holding guns. [More]
Fed Expected To Launch Next Monetary Easing, "Operation Twist"
By 9.20.11
The Fed is widely expected to tomorrow announce the latest round of monetary policy tweaking designed to loosen up markets. It has the cute name of “Operation Twist.” Here’s how it works. [More]
Bank Of America Confirms 30,000 Jobs To Be Cut In Coming Years
By 9.12.11
Only a few days after a report that Bank of America could be looking to axe upward of 40,000 employees in the next few years, the bank has released a statement today that gives the actual number of positions to be eliminated as 30,000. [More]
Obama Calls For Congress To Quickly Pass Jobs Bill
By 9.9.11
Last night, President Obama addressed Congress and urged them to pass the American Jobs Act immediately. Here are some of the highlighted proposals: [More]
US Jobless Claims Unexpectedly Rose To 414,000
By 9.8.11
Claims for unemployment benefits rose by a surprise 2,000 to 414,000 last week, sending stocks downward. Economists had predicted a drop in claims to 405,000. [More]
Employers Added No Jobs In August, Unemployment Still 9.1%
By 9.2.11
A dismal jobs report sent all three major stock indexes, the barometers by which the nations measures its self-esteem, tumbling early morning Friday. The government reported that employers added no jobs in August and the official unemployment rate remained unchanged at 9.1%. The last time the headline employment rate was zero was February 1945. [More]
Verizon Strike May Be Over, But Work Stoppage Will Hit Jobs Report
By 8.23.11
The 45,000 striking Verizon workers agreed to return to their jobs earlier this week while a contract is ironed out, but the time away from their posts could have far-reaching effects on the economy. Because the workers were off the job the week the Labor Department surveyed employers, they won’t count among the ranks of the employed for the August jobs report. [More]
Google+ Circle Forms Jobs Blog For Ex-Borders Workers
By 7.28.11
Borders shutting down means 11,000 nice bookworms are out of a job. That’s a pretty sad thought so a couple of friends started musing together on Google+ about how someone should help these folks out. So they started a new blog, “Help Ex-Borders Employees” where people can post job listings for these newly unemployed. [More]
