Ditching Desktop Phones

More companies are using cell phones - exclusively - in the work place. Of note - about 8,000 employees at Ford Motor Company are going the cell phone route.

Details at hr.blr.com.

H-2B Changes Proposed

The Departments of Homeland Security and Labor have proposed changes that they say will make the process smoother for filling short-term jobs. There is nothing in this proposal that will change the current cap on H-2B visas.

Details at hr.blr.com.

Decline in J1 Visas from Ireland ~ Insights from Overseas

The "Irish Times" reports that applications for the J1 program dropped from 6,500 to 2,800 in 2004. Factors thought to contribute to the decline are:

• anti-US sentiment due to the war in Iraq
• increasing interest in other countries such as Australia
• a stronger economy in Ireland
• tighter security controls for entering the US since September 11

Read the article.

Employer Healthcare Costs Projected to Increase 12%

According to Hewitt Associates.

Details at HR.BLR.com

Proposed Legislation Would Add Some HURT to Hiring Illegals

"Rep. David Dreier, chairman of the House Rules Committee, introduced legislation this month that increases fines for knowingly hiring an illegal immigrant to $50,000 per offense. Employers also could face up to five years in jail."

Quote from BizJounals - Click for Full Story

Online Social Networks & Job Hunting Intro

Have you heard of, and wondered about, sites like Friendster, LinkedIn, and the everpresent ClassMates.com?

They are just some of a growing number of "Social Networking" websites that make it easier for people to find other people online: old classmates, old co-workers or to chat up someone who has, or is, working for a company that you're interested in. There is job hunting value in all of these - connections work that way. Wrapped into this is the notion of "Alumni Networks" - which we've been intrigued by for some time; the ability of the web to allow past employees to stay connected, leading to:

• boomerang hires - they worked for you as college students on break, hire them again in their retirement.
• son, daughter, grandkids, niece, nephew etc hires
• keeping the connection and loyalty flowing for between-season seasonal staff
• letting would-be applicants see what your alumni, and/or staff, are talking about to share the culture and sell the company

Read more in the Wall Street Journal.

Then track what the Web Recruiting experts at CareerXRoads have to say about "Alumni Sites", which they identify as a trend for 2005.

EEOC Provides Info in Spanish on the Web

Check it out at http://www.eeoc.gov/es/

H-2B Visas Run Out for 2005

H-2B applications are no longer being accepted because enough have been received already to meet this year's cap of 66,000 new workers. The cap was reached in March last year.

Read on at HR.Blr.com.

Disaster Relief Coming from All Types of Employers

Large and small companies are looking for ways to help provide relief to the victims of the Tsunami. Cash is still king as the massive relief effort continues. Check out USA Freedom Corps for some vetted organizations to donate to. Read what other employers are doing here.

Most Employees are Looking for New Jobs

"Seventy-five percent of all employees are looking for new jobs, according to the 2004 U.S. Job Recovery and Retention Survey released by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) and CareerJournal.com."

Read on at About.com

Tracking Your Workforce with GPS

More employers are doing this. With some of you folks in such remote locations are any of you doing any tracking of trucks, people, things via GPS? Interesting possibilities abound.

Check it out at HR.BLR.com