The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that by the year 2008 there will be 160 million job openings and only 154 million qualified personnel. With the cost of living out of reach for many Americans in high-priced cities such as San Francisco and Seattle, many employers are rethinking their strategies for attracting critical talent. Internet businesses, failing to turn a profit, have lost favor with venture capitalists, forcing many to dismiss large portions of their staffs to stay afloat. Michael Lotito Michael Lotito has seen a lot of development in the nearly 20 years he has been involved with The Society for Human Resources Management. But this year has been marked by a number of significant changes that the chair of SHRM's board of directors has had a hand in accomplishing.
Many employers have policies that forbid employees from discussing their salaries with each other.
According to a recent federal case, however, such a policy may violate federal law. Paying a Legal Rate May Require Looking Beyond the FLSA, Minimum Wage Laws Not so long ago, determining the appropriate minimum wage only required keeping abreast of the rates established by state laws and the Fair Labor Standards Act. Because of the living wage movement, however, ensuring compliance now requires a review of applicable local laws. And for employers who do business with the federal government, a proposed federal law may add an additional wage rate requirement. Naudon Keeps Maxager Connected Competing for employees with information technology skills has been a key challenge for HR professionals for years.