Blog: Daniel Bloom

With the dramatic increase in the number of discrimination suits and increased enforcement by the EEOC of these issues, it is to the detriment of your organization if you don't ensure that your application is asking questions which are bona-fide occupational qualification questions. Failure to do so can mean that financially you might be in worst shape.
While we are discussing your applications it is also critical that you check the system used by your outsourced applicant tracking system. They maybe asking questions which you are unaware of. The fact that you did not know the question was being asked is no excuse for asking questions that could lead to discriminatory practices in your talent management program.

Americans with Disabilities Act: Crisis or Opportunity?

By

Daniel T. Bloom SCRP

Attention HR Managers: Still having problems locating that much needed IT employees? Exhausted all the obvious sources for locating those candidates? There very well might be an acre of diamonds out there, which is being overlooked.

In 1990, President George Bush signed into law the American's With Disabilities Act. The purpose of the act was to prohibit discrimination in hiring of the disabled. Since then many employers have gone out of their way to avoid looking at resources for hiring the handicapped because of the presence of a myth, which says that it is too costly to hire them. However, the law plainly states that an employer is only required to make reasonable accommodations for the needs of a handicapped employee. So what constitutes a reasonable accommodation?

Before we answer that question, it is appropriate to look at the definition in the law. The law specifically states that a reasonable accommodation means a) modifications or adjustments to a job application process that enable a qualified applicant with a disability to be considered for the position the qualified applicant desires; b) modifications or adjustments to the work environment, or to the manner or circumstances under which the position held or desired is customarily performed, that enable a qualified individual with a disability to perform the essential functions of the job. Your best clue as to what a handicapped employee requires in order to perform the essential function of the position is the employee, himself or herself. The other important factor is that most accommodations can be done relatively inexpensively. Information regarding accommodations is obtainable from the Job Accommodations Network (http://janweb.icdi.wvu.edu/).

Here is the problem confronting you. You have a number of critical positions open that can not be filled and you need a new source for recruiting. The size of the handicapped market indicates that there may be a number of qualified individuals in that population that can perform the work that needs to be done. How do you reach them?

Here are some sources for reaching the handicapped pool of qualified employees:

• Local Chapter of the National Easter Seals Society

• State Vocational Rehabilitation Agencies

• United Cerebral Palsy Associations

• Veteran Service Organizations

• State Employment Agencies

• Goodwill Industries

In this era of supposed lack of employee loyalty to the organization, hiring the handicapped can bring you some of the most loyal employees you will ever have. In addition there are some very good cases of instances where the handicapped have outperformed the rest of the population. Take in to consideration Albert Einstein, Thomas Edison and Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Each was in their own right considered handicapped under ADA and yet they have made long lasting contributions to the society in which they lived and to the future. A handicap does not mean that the person can not contribute to you organization in a highly valuable fashion.

Originally posted on the Brainbuzz.com website

Primacy Relocation and Worldwide ERC release the 2008 List of Best Places for Single Employees

In the fifth and final survey, Primacy identified the best cities for relocating Singles. In this years survey the top cities were in order of preference:
1. Boston, MA
2. Nassau/Suffolk County, NY
3. New Haven, CT
4. New York Metro Area
5. Edison, NJ
6. Atlanta, GA
7. Raleigh, NC
8. San Francisco, CA
9. Santa Ana , CA
10. Newark, NJ
11. Tampa, FL
12. Los Angeles, Ca
13. Orlando, FL
14. Virginia Beach, VA
15. Camden, NJ
16. Charleston, SC
17. Providence, RI
18. Washington, DC
19.New Orleans, LA
20. Philadelphia, PA

Ever hear this statement? It is a saying that has been in our vernacular for as long as I can remember. It is equally true when we look at looking for new positions and considering the whole idea of relocating.   Let me give you a true life experience which was not done the way I would recommend it be done. I worked with a transfer several years ago, who came to town. He looked for the right area, the right amenities, the right house and his wife never saw the house until they closed on the sale at the title company. His arrangement with his other half was that he made the critical decisions of where, how and why and she got to decorate the end result. In this case it worked out, but it could have been a nightmare . The worst thing for both sides of the equation is to hire the new employee and have them leave after six months because Mommy says enough is enough and return home. In almost every survey that has been done, the number one reason why relocation's fail is because the spouse and dependents can't or won;t adjust to the new area.     So how do we counter the bump in the road?     There are several suggestions that might help.       Spouse Involved in the Planning of the Move - From the point the job offer is extended the spouse needs to be involved in every stage of the move. This includes setting the moving time table. Want to see panic? When we moved to Florida in 1980, we drove down from New York for the interview and was made an offer on a position contingent on my being back to work within three weeks. That gave us two and a half days to find a place to live, drive back to New York, pack and return to Florida. Not an easy task.     Dependents involved in house hunting trips - Bring your children along on the house hunting trip and make sure that your tour includes a stop at the local schools and the recreational opportunities.     Locate a Mentor - Find someone at your new employer or in the new community who recently has gone through this process and ask them to be a resource for the questions you have about the new community.     Know the Needs of the Family - Make sure you take into consideration all the needs of your family before agreeing to the move. This would include the needs of your pets, elderly relatives and any children who might be away to school. Don't be like the parent I heard of who called their son at boarding school just before Christmas break, and said you know the key you have to the house, don't use it we don't live there anymore.     Relocation to an new community can be an opportunity for a whole new world of experiences, way of life and new friends. But if one part of the process is unhappy the relocation won't go well for anyone.  

• Womb to Tomb - While not totally gone, this cultural view says that what is important is getting the employee to the job and productive and the corporation will do whatever it takes to do so. The sky is literally the limit.
• Cost Conscious - Similar to the Womb to Tomb, it offers to employees a package of relocation benefits which stays within a set boundary of cost parameters.
• Rough Justice - This is the bare bones policy structure. In example, we talked with the CPA firm whose relocation package was here is $2500 and welcome to the Florida sunshine.

Having laid out this scenario we can move to answer the question from the title of this blog. Listed below is a review of what the industry as a whole is offering various types of employees in the way of relocation benefits. The information shown below is based on surveys of the industries conducted by Worldwide ERC, the Corporate relocation trade association:

New Hires - Usually they receive the least amount of relocation benefits, however they all receive the following basic package (percentages refer to prevalence based on the level of new hire-entry level,experienced and executive):

• Preview of new location (most likely for experienced or executive level)
• En-route expenses (Fully tax deductible, offered at all levels)
• Shipment of Household Goods (All levels)
• Temporary Living (most likely at experienced or executive levels)
• Homefinding Trips (Most likely at experienced or executive levels)
• Miscellaneous Expense Allowance (Most likely at experienced or executive levels)
• Childcare Assistance (Executive level)
• Elder Care Assistance (Executive level)
• Employment Assistance for Spouse/Partner (Experienced or executive level)
• Homesale Assistance (Experienced or executive level)
• Home Marketing Assistance (Experienced or Executive level)
• Home Sale Bonus (Executive level)
• Purchase Closing Costs (Executive Level)
• Federal Tax Liability Protection (Across the board)