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I created this weekly e-mail based newsletter in 1999, and wrote it until I left SHRM in 2001. In that time, it had a subscription base of approximately 20,000. The following is the entire October 10, 2000, edition. SHRM E-BULLETIN, VOL. II, ISSUE 10 October 10, 2000 1. Headlines from HR News     --Clinton to Sign High-Tech Visa Bill     --EEOC Issues Benefits Discrimination Guidelines     --Survey: Employers Fear Rising Health Care Costs     --California Court Upholds At-Will Employment     --Domestic Partner Coverage Raises Tax Liability     --More Headlines 2. HR MAGAZINE: HR Pay Keeps Rising 3. Election 2000 4. SHRM Book Awards 5. The Impact of Diversity Initiatives 6. Diversity Initiatives Face Resistance 7. Talking Ethics 8. This Week's Chat: Corporate Recruiting 9. ABOUT OUR SPONSOR: Vault.com (http://vault.precision-email.com/go/shrm_vault_o/direct/01) 10. SHRM Membership Sale 11. Join SHRM 12. Subscribe/Unsubscribe to the E-Bulletin 13. Fine Print *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*- 1. HEADLINES FROM HR NEWS *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*- CLINTON TO SIGN HIGH-TECH VISA BILL After both houses of Congress passed legislation expanding the number of annual H1-B visas, President Clinton indicated that he would sign the law. The new bill increases the number of H1-B visas issued by the Immigration and Naturalization Service to 195,000 per year, from its current level of 115,000. Also under the law, the fee imposed on employers applying for H1-B visas remains at $500. The Clinton administration and others had called for raising the fee to $1,000, in part to pay for domestic training programs.     ==> Full story: http://www.shrm.org/ebulletin/issues/1010a.htm EEOC ISSUES BENEFITS DISCRIMINATION GUIDELINES On Oct. 3, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) issued a new enforcement guideline for benefit discrimination claims filed under the Civil Rights Act, Americans with Disabilities Act, Age Discrimination in Employment Act and Equal Pay Act. The new guidance affirms the agency's intent to pursue discrimination in fringe benefits. "This guidance makes clear that employers are never allowed to consider employees' race, color, sex, national origin, or religion...in connection with their benefit plans," EEOC chairperson Ida Castro says.     ==> Full story: http://www.shrm.org/ebulletin/issues/1010b.htm SURVEY: EMPLOYERS FEAR RISING HEALTH-CARE COSTS Although health and retirement issues have been at the forefront of the presidential debate, "the viewpoint of those who manage and pay for the benefits has not been heard," according to James A. Klein, president of the American Benefits Council. Klein made his statement during a press conference to release the results of a recent Harris Interactive Internet survey of council members about benefits policy. Rising health costs were a top concern of survey respondents, with 92 percent saying they were somewhat or very concerned that the U.S. economy would suffer an adverse effect if health care costs continue to rise at their current rate. An almost identical amount -- 95 percent -- feel that the continued rates of increase would have an adverse effect on the ability of employers to provide quality health coverage to their employees.     ==> Full story: http://www.shrm.org/ebulletin/issues/1010c.htm CALIFORNIA COURT UPHOLDS AT-WILL STATUS A ruling by the California Supreme Court on Thursday will make it more difficult for laid-off workers to sue their former employers. The Court ruled 6-1 that employees laid off by private, non-union workplaces cannot sue for age discrimination simply because younger workers were retained. According to the Los Angeles Times, many California employment lawyers are now advising their clients with discrimination cases to take their claims to federal, rather than state court.     ==> Full story: http://www.shrm.org/ebulletin/issues/1010d.htm DOMESTIC PARTNER COVERAGE RAISES TAX LIABILITY Much has been written about the growing number of companies that offer benefits coverage for unmarried employees' domestic partners. But, many employees don't realize that such benefits come at a price: The IRS considers the additional coverage to be income, rather than benefits, and taxes it accordingly. For example, reports USA Today, if the domestic partner benefits coverage equaled $300 month, the employee would be liable for federal income, Social Security and Medicare taxes, totaling about $1,200 in additional taxes.     ==> Full story: http://www.shrm.org/ebulletin/issues/1010e.htm ALSO MAKING HR NEWS THIS WEEK: BENEFITS     Retirement Survey Could Hold Answers for Politicians (10/6)     More Companies Aid Employees Who Want to Adopt (10/6) COMPENSATION     Christmas Bonuses Alive and Well (10/2)     Oregon Drops Workers' Comp Rates (10/5) DIVERSITY     Jennifer James Launches SHRM Diversity Conference (10/2)     Gannett Makes Diversity a "Core Value" (10/4) EMPLOYEE SCREENING     Drug Tests Are Multiple Choice at Tech Firms (10/2) HEALTH/SAFETY     Cost of Stress, Unhealthy Habits Adds Up (10/3)     October Is Domestic Violence Awareness Month (10/5) LABOR DEPARTMENT     DOL Proposes Changes to Veterans Employment Act (10/5)     OSHA to Blitz Dallas (10/5) LEGAL/LEGISLATIVE     House, Senate Pass H1-B Legislation (10/3)     Supreme Court Declines Pension Case (10/3)     House Loosens Limits on Training Reimbursements (10/4)     Court: Bisexual Come-Ons Aren't Discriminatory (10/4) MANAGEMENT ISSUES     Redefining Corporate Citizenship (10/4) RECRUITING     Employees See Benefit in Military Experience (10/2) RETENTION     Workers' Allegiance to Jobs Declining (10/2) All of these stories, and more, are available from SHRM's HR News, http://www.shrm.org/hrnews. To access these stories, click in to the corresponding dates. HR News Online provides daily updates on the events affecting the world of HR management. SHRM members also receive the monthly print edition of HR NEWS, with expanded coverage of events. *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*- 2. HR MAGAZINE: HR PAY KEEPS RISING *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*- Base salaries for HR professionals continue to climb faster than overall salary increases in the United States, with HR pay rising 5.4 percent in the past year against a 4.2 percent rise in overall U.S. salaries, according to the 2000 Human Resource Management Compensation Survey sponsored by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) and published by HR consulting firm William M. Mercer Inc. Details of the study are included in the October issue of HR MAGAZINE. The study found that, while base pay keeps rising, more HR professionals also are earning incentive pay reflecting their contributions to organizational success. Details are available at...     http://www.shrm.org/hrmagazine *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*- 3. ELECTION 2000 *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*- On Nov. 7, voters around the country will vote in national and local elections that will have a significant impact on public policy affecting employers. HR NEWS ONLINE (http://www.shrm.org/hrnews) has unveiled a special online area for users interested in the HR perspective on the coming election. ELECTION 2000 includes analysis of employment-related issues, news stories, online polls, links to campaign web sites and the skinny on how Senators and Representatives voted on HR legislation. The site is open to anyone at...     http://www.shrm.org/vote *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*- 4. SHRM BOOK AWARDS *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*- Nominations for SHRM's 2001 Book Awards are due no later than November 30, 2000. For more information regarding the award and nomination process, please visit...     http://www.shrm.org/committees/awards/2001book.htm. *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*- 5. THE IMPACT OF DIVERSITY INITIATIVES *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*- How do HR professionals and jobseekers view diversity initiatives? That's the focus of a new study released last week by SHRM's Survey Program and CareerJournal.com. Now, SHRM members can download the complete results of this survey. The report is available at...     http://www.shrm.org/surveys/results/diversitypoll.asp ....For details on SHRM's Survey Program and access to other studies, visit...     http://www.shrm.org/surveys *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*- 6. DIVERSITY INITIATIVES FACE RESISTANCE *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*- As companies strive to establish effective diversity training programs, they face a variety of challenges. One that is often overlooked is the myriad of diversity resisters that can impede, and even derail, diversity initiatives. The latest issue of MOSAICS, an online publication of SHRM's Workplace Diversity Initiave, explores ways companies can overcome this resistance. This month's MOSAICS also has features on religion in the workplace, dealing with diversity council members and local diversity initiatives. This newsletter is available exclusively to SHRM members at...     http://www.shrm.org/diversity *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*- 7. TALKING ETHICS *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*- Last week's live chat focused on the topic of workplace ethics. Participants were provided with a variety of scenarios and then asked how they would handle such situations. An excerpt: SHRM ONLINE: The CFO, your boss, came in and asked you to terminate an individual so that a position can be made for the child of a major client. This would be in accordance with the client's request (to hire the child), although you are reasonably sure that the client didn't intend for someone to be terminated. The individual on the chopping block is white, male, and 33 years old. You tell the boss you can't do this "It's illegal." The boss says "Prove it." You are in an at-will state, the individual is not in any type of protected class and the termination would probably not violate any state or federal statutes. What do you do? Do you terminate the employee and hire the client's child? Valerie: Although this situation may not fall under any specific state of federal statutes re discrimination or protected status; this is obviously inappropriate to me. I would be hard pressed to follow that directive. I would try to offer alternative suggestions (do we have any other vacancies?, could we consider an internship position - if we are willing to spend money to keep a client happy). But, in a general sense what does that say about the environment of the company? I'm confident it is not one where I could really support and sell and would quite probably have to make a choice if my alternatives did not work. parmesean: My answer is as an officer of the company I guess I'd follow the boss's command. But, I'd offer my resignation afterwards. trinaka: why not before? parmesean: Because I got paid a good salary to do the work of an HR manager. This is part of what this wacky company says an HR manager will do. I can make my arguments, but if I lose, I feel an obligation to do what I was paid for. And, if I don't like doing it, I should quit----AND WOULD! A full transcript of the chat is available at...     http://www.shrm.org/hrtalk/chat/100400transcript.htm *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*- 8. THIS WEEK'S CHAT: Corporate Recruiting *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*- Competing for talent in a tight labor market is tough and getting tougher. Join us for a timely chat with Tom Darrow, founder of Atlanta-based HR Connections & Consulting, Inc., will lead this session designed to help you examine your recruiting infrastructure to maximize your recruiting potential. The chat gets underway at 3 p.m. ET/12 Noon PT on Wednesday, October 11. The chat is open to all. To participate, visit...     http://www.shrm.org/hrtalk/chat *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*- 9. ABOUT OUR SPONSOR: Vault.com *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*- Win a 17-Day Safari to Africa for Two! Learn how you can win a trip to Africa simply by becoming a Vault member and referring your colleagues to our services:     http://vault.precision-email.com/go/shrm_vault_o/01 Your free Vault membership allows you to:     --Post jobs FREE on Vault's Job Board     --Post jobs on top job sites and newspapers with one click     --Network with other HR professionals     --Receive Human Capital, Vault's free HR e-newsletter Vault.com: the insider career network *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*- 10. SHRM MEMBERSHIP SALE *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*- The October 2000 SHRM membership special is now in progress. All new members who join SHRM using our online member application through October 31, 2000 will receive the special introductory rate of $145 for the first year of membership. After submitting the online application, you will join 145,000 others who enjoy all the benefits of SHRM membership, including access to members-only portions of our web site. Join today and save! Visit...     http://www.shrm.org/join *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*- 11. JOIN SHRM *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*- The E-Bulletin is presented to the HR community by the Society for Human Resource Management. If you don't belong to SHRM, the world's largest HR association, you can learn more about the many benefits of membership by visiting...     http://www.shrm.org/join *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*- 12. SUBSCRIBE/UNSUBSCRIBE *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*- Do you know someone who would like to receive this free e-mail newsletter? Refer your colleagues to the E-Bulletin home page at www.shrm.org/ebulletin. *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*- 13. THE fine PRINT *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*- The SHRM E-Bulletin is published most Sundays by the Society for Human Resource Management. Descriptions of our sponsors are furnished by these advertisers, and do not represent an endorsement by SHRM. Privacy statement: The e-mail addresses that make up the E-Bulletin distribution list are confidential; SHRM does not furnish these addresses to advertisers or sponsors, nor does it use this distribution list for any purpose other than mailing the E-Bulletin. SHRM directly distributes the E-Bulletin only to users who have subscribed either by e-mail (join-shrm-ebulletin@lists.shrm.org), or via our home page (www.shrm.org/ebulletin). Once you remove your address from the E-Bulletin distribution list, there is no record of your address in the E-Bulletin distribution list. If you no longer wish to receive the E-Bulletin, send e-mail to leaveshrm-ebulletin@lists.shrm.org, with this message ONLY: unsubscribe shrm-ebulletin You can also unsubscribe on the E-Bulletin home page, http://www.shrm.org/ebulletin. If you have further concerns, please contact Mike Frost, mfrost@shrm.org, 703/535-6153. All contents copyright 2000, SHRM. Visit us online at http://www.shrm.org Copyright © 2000, Society for Human Resource Management

[ WRITING SAMPLES || Home Page || About Mike Frost ||
Editorial Experience || Effective Web Sites || Contact || Portfolio ]

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MIKE FROST · GOLETA PUBLISHING 3004 Mt. Vernon Avenue Alexandria, Virginia, 22305 Phone: 703/346-3170 · Fax: 603/299-0351 E-mail: mfrost@goletapublishing.com AIM: mikesfrost · YIM: msfrost © 2003, Goleta Publishing, unless otherwise indicated.