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EMPLOYMENT BRIEFS: Helpful tools; Faith at work; Women's troubles; Web warning

Source: Tribune Media Services

Helpful tools

The U.S. Department of Labor has established a one-stop online tool offering a number of resources to assist those negatively impacted by recent turmoil in the economy. Affected workers and employers can visit the federal government’s Economic Recovery Web site at www.economicrecovery.gov to access information on benefits, eligibility, locations of career service centers, unemployment insurance by state and other available assistance from government agencies. “We want to make information easily accessible and quickly available to American workers affected by the economic downturn,” says Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao.

Faith at work

The Society for Human Resource Management has released a study indicating that a predominance of employees throughout the country bring a diversity of religion and spirituality to work. According to the survey, only 12 percent of HR professionals reported no religious or spiritual diversity among their organizations’ employees. Plus, where there is diversity, nearly all organizations (98 percent) reported that employees worked together cooperatively. “Religious diversity in the workplace has been a rising trend for several years, driven by such powerful factors as immigration and globalization,” said China M. Gorman, the society’s chief operating officer. “HR professionals recognize that cultures that respect and value religious views benefit from higher employee performance and loyalty.” According to the survey, employee morale and retention are most affected when an organization provides a workplace that offers religious accommodations.


Women’s troubles

The declining state of the nation’s economy is taking a physical and emotional toll on people nationwide, yet it is women who are bearing the brunt of financial stress, according to the American Psychological Association. When asked about the financial crisis, almost half of Americans say they are increasingly stressed about providing for their family’s basic needs. Eight out of 10 say that the economy is a significant cause of stress, up from 66 percent in April. Women are most likely to report stress related to the economic climate. Compared with men, more women say they are stressed about money (83 percent vs. 78 percent), the economy (84 percent vs. 75 percent), job stability (57 percent vs. 55 percent), housing costs (66 percent vs. 58 percent) and health problems affecting their families (70 percent vs. 63 percent). “With the deteriorating economy dominating the headlines, it’s easy to worry more about your finances than your health, but, stress over money and the economy is taking an emotional and physical toll on America, especially among women,” says psychologist Katherine Nordal, PhD, APA’s executive director for professional practice.

Web warning

It’s nearly impossible to visit a Web site without seeing an ad for an online degree program. The ability to earn a degree from home is truly beneficial to some, however, it’s important to do your homework before signing up. “Not all online programs are created equally,” says Mary Ann Shurtz, executive vice president of Stratford University. “Because of this, the value of the degree and education one receives will be greatly influenced by the program they choose,” she says. “It’s important that they choose wisely to get the most out of their experience.”

© 2009, Tribune Media Services