Do you know GINA?

December 21, 2009

Have you heard about GINA, one of the most important new anti-discrimination laws that went into effect on November 21, 2009?

The Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA) prohibits employers from requesting genetic testing or considering someone’s genetic background in hiring, firing or promotions. As defined by the law, “genetic information” is defined to include an individual’s genetic tests and the genetic tests of an individual’s family members (i.e., family medical history). The law applies to employers with 15 or more employees.

Employers should not inquire about family medical histories and make sure any forms do not elicit genetic information. For example, bereavement leave request forms must not ask how the person died. Also, for businesses that offer wellness programs, providing a reward for completing a health risk assessment that collects family medical history would be a violation of GINA.

An employer that sponsors a group health or wellness plan and meets the GINA requirements should take the following action to ensure compliance with this new law:

  • Post the official notice informing employees of their rights under GINA. Download official EEOC poster supplement.
  • Review benefit plan documents and administration for compliance with these new rules prior to January 1, 2010.
  • Avoid requesting or requiring any genetic testing or genetic information from employees.

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Posted by HR Diva

Looking for a Job? Get an edge.

December 20, 2009

In the midst of an uncertain economy, jobseekers must keep a competitive edge. Consider the following actions to increase your job-search success in an uncertain economic climate. If you want to improve your chances, these are effective ways to become more qualified:

Continue your education: Adult learning centers, vocational schools, community colleges and universities offer certificate and degree programs which can make you more attractive to employers.

Volunteer: Doing volunteer work or internship or externship programs can broadly increase industry experience and provide valuable on the job experience.

Assignment Work: Through employment agencies like ALTRES Staffing, you can also acquire valuable industry specific experience and skills while still allowing you the flexibility to decide on a career.

Become an Expert: If you have unique skills or expertise, try getting published in your community newspapers, in on-line communities or even start your own newsletter.

Earn a Track Record: Most importantly, show stability and responsibility in your past and current employment.

Hone and utilize your “elevator pitch”: Prepare a 30-second summary of your professional assets.

Make a daily effort: Do one thing each day — like emailing a new contact or attending a networking event — that moves your job search forward.

Improve yourself and it may improve your outlook on job hunting.

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Posted by HR Diva

Resume Types Revealed

December 19, 2009

There are three major categories for resumes – the chronological, the skills resume, and the creative/combination resume.

The most common and most useful is the first – the Chronological resume. The key feature of this type of resume is the listing of your jobs held from the most recent position held on the top to the oldest. Be sure to list dates, job title, name of the organization, address, and your description of duties and responsibilities. Use action verbs that are transferable to the work you are seeking. The other sections of the resume – education and affiliations should also follow the chronological format with the most recent achievements listed on top.

The second type of resume is the Skills resume. This approach is more successful for individuals who have limited paid work experience, are in career transition, or who have not worked for awhile. This type of resume will help you to present your strengths and avoid displaying your weaknesses. In the skills resume, you will group your experiences under your major skill areas. For example, if one of your strengths were accounting or bookkeeping skills, then you would list your activities from jobs, schooling, or volunteer opportunities that support this. The skills resume only makes sense when your major skills help to qualify you for the job you are seeking.

Finally, the creative/combination resume is the most volatile style. This type of resume is not encouraged unless the position you are seeking welcomes creative flair and ingenuity, and even then they can be risky. These resumes may combine chronological and skills techniques but defy traditionalism and may stray from the norm by using unusual paper colors, sizes and shapes, or art and decorative borders. The creative resume may be very successful for a small niche of jobseekers, but for most positions a chronological resume is preferred.

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Posted by HR Diva

JobsFreeForAll New Release — “Jobseeker Profile Wizard”

December 19, 2009

We are pleased to announce the latest release of the JobsFreeForAll.com website: ‘Jobseeker Profile Wizard’

The same intuitive user interface that employers use for posting a job is now available to the jobseeker for creating a profile.  If you don’t have a jobseeker profile, now would be a great time to create one.  Creating your profile is easier than ever.  If you set your jobseeker profile to be “Searchable By Employers” that means employers can find you.  Employers really do use the jobseeker search feature of our site, so don’t miss any opportunities!

This release makes some structural improvements “under the hood”, some search engine optimizations, and the usual laundry list of incremental improvements and fixes.

As always, we want to hear from you, especially how we can improve the site, and make it fit your needs even better.

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Posted by Kode Kommando

Smart-Size Your Business

December 18, 2009

Many organizations in Hawai`i are restructuring, downsizing or simply waiting and worrying. “Smart-sizing” might be a better response. It’s a phrase from the most recent white paper published by ALTRES, “Staying Ahead of the Downturn: A How-To-Guide for Hawai‘i Employers” and means taking a thoughtful approach to doing what’s best for your business. Here are some tips about how you can start “smart-sizing” your business.

1. Make sure you have the right people in the right positions.

The most successful companies have the “right people on the right seats on the bus.” Employees should be hired (and retained) according to how they “fit” into the organization rather than hired simply based on existing skill sets.

 2. Assign staff to new or overdue projects.

 This is a great opportunity to work on projects that may have been put aside during busy periods. Also, why not re-assign some of your people resources from one area of the business to another, or commit them to special projects?

 3.  Cross-train your staff.

 This is an excellent time for cross-training. For example, you may have employees who may have the potential to work in sales. Why not let them shadow existing sales reps on appointments? In addition to increasing efficiency, cross-training offers your employees opportunities to learn and grow.

 4.  Determine the right mix of permanent and temporary employees.

 Consider hiring temporary, part-time or contract employees to handle additional tasks or assist with projects that are not directly related to your core business. Temporary employees can provide extra help without the financial and administrative burden required by full-time hires.

 For more tips on how to deal with a down economy, visit www.simplicityHR.com and download the complete white paper.

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Posted by Biz Dev

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