Wage growth slowing despite recovery
American workers are earning more money than they used to, but the rate of wage growth has been slowing down since the Great Recession technically ended in 2009. According to a report released Thursday by worker advocacy group the National Employment Law Project, the rate of wage growth has declined steadily during our nearly three-year recovery. And in real terms, wages have actually declined slightly.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/05/03/wage-growth-slows-recovery_n_1471940.html
Study: CEO pay increased 127 times faster than worker pay over last 30 years
Compensation for chief executives at American companies grew 15 percent in 2011 after a 28 percent rise in 2010, part of a larger trend that has seen CEO pay skyrocket over the last three decades. Workers, on the other hand, have been left behind. Since 1978, CEO pay at American firms has risen 725 percent, more than 127 times faster than worker pay over the same time period, according to new data from the Economic Policy Institute.
http://thinkprogress.org/economy/2012/05/03/475952/ceo-pay-faster-worker-pay/
Illinois long-term unemployment benefits ending as jobless rate falls
As the Illinois unemployment rate continues to fall, Gov. Pat Quinn and other state lawmakers have been celebrating. But the rosy numbers are bad news for some Illinoisans — specifically those who have been out of a job for more than 79 weeks. On Wednesday, the Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES) announced that an Extended Benefits program that started assisting the long-term unemployed in 2009 will end May 12 due to the falling jobless rate, according to the Associated Press.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/05/03/illinois-long-term-unempl_n_1473981.html
Protecting vulnerable workers on the job in Chicago
I felt a sense of justice when the court recently issued a default judgment against Skokie Maid for more than $500k in unpaid wages and damages for 75 workers the company had misclassified as independent contractors. From an investigation standpoint, this was a tough case. The employer was not cooperative and was adamant from the start of the investigation, that she truly believed the workers were independent contractors and that she was not in violation of federal wage laws.
http://social.dol.gov/blog/protecting-vulnerable-workers-on-the-job-in-chicago/
Obese women are discriminated against in the workplace; Heavier females denied jobs, offered lower salariess
Larger sized women are likely to come face-to -face with some heavy discrimination in the workplace. Obese women were more likely to be denied employment, receive lower salaries, and perceived to have less leadership potential, according to research published in the International Journal of Obesity.
http://www.nydailynews.com/life-style/health/obese-women-discriminated-workplace-heavier-females-denied-jobs-offered-salaries-article-1.1071177
91 miners died 40 years ago at Sunshine Mine in Idaho
Lyle Findley was one of 91 miners who perished from carbon monoxide poisoning in the Sunshine Mine fire on May 2, 1972. The Sunshine fire led to reforms that helped make mining a safer occupation. Safety training improved; the federal Mine Safety and Health Administration was established; and underground workers now carry self-rescuers, devices that allow them to breathe in bad-air situations. But hard-rock mining remains a dangerous job.
http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2012/may/03/a-fire-never-forgotten/
Employers asking job seekers for W-2 or tax return
In a weak job market, employers have been asking job applicants for a lot of new information about themselves including, in some cases, their social media passwords. But Kevin T. of San Francisco was shocked when a prospective employer asked him to verify his salary by providing a copy of his W-2 form.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2012/05/02/BUMN1OBQJ6.DTL
