According to the International Labor Organization of the United Nations, the United States is currently the only country in the developed world without paid maternity leave as mandated by the government. In most cases, paid maternity leave is included as part of Social Security programs so that companies are not forced to bear the cost.

Maternity Leave a Rare Commodity in U.S. Companies

The Labor Department has reported that state and corporate benefits only cover approximately 12 percent of all private employees. Few U.S. states – Rhode Island, New York, New Jersey, Hawaii and California – currently have paid-maternity-leave laws on the books. The ILO has performed numerous studies that demonstrate how difficult the transition can be for mothers who have insufficient maternity leave. Forced to return to the office or face serious consequences, mothers often compromise their health and the health of their newborn babies. The major issues cited in these studies include higher rates of hospitalization and infant illness, challenges with breast-feeding, and bouts with postpartum depression. [Read more…]

By encouraging employees to take a break now and then, businesses can improve productivity and output, according to a new study.

Staples conducted a study of U.S. employees and found that over 85 percent of employees believe occasional breaks would make them much more productive. Over one-quarter of these employees currently count lunch as their only time of rest during the workday.

Guilt was cited as the most common reason (19 percent) that employees failed to step away from their desks. Meanwhile, 55 percent of respondents said they don’t have the time necessary for taking a break. [Read more…]

In 2013, several education trends took center stage, including an increase in online courses and new evaluation processes for colleges, universities and educators.

The White House, foundation funders and state governments, have all begun pressuring colleges to reduce the time required for students to graduate. The most prominent strategies in the past year: offering students class credit for work experience, and advancing students based on achievement.

In the first scenario, students may receive college credit for military and on-the job training, as well as volunteer experience. Credit is generally granted through portfolio assessment and placement tests, though the American Council on Education can also make these recommendations. Some colleges and employers have developed partnerships that exchange workplace training for college training. One example: Starbucks. [Read more…]

Time is relative. An hour in the dentist chair can seem like an eternity, but turn around and in an instant your toddler is graduating college. All time passes equally, so why does it seem at times so different? The answer to that question is perhaps the reason it is so difficult to manage time. Time flies when you are doing something you enjoy and it drags when you’re doing something you dislike.

If you don’t have enough time for the truly important things in life, maybe it’s because you haven’t taken the time to prioritize your time. If you think you’re too busy to do that, you are probably too busy not to. If you have problems prioritizing or if you tend to procrastinate, the standard time management suggestions may not work for you. Time management is really self-management, so if typical time management seminars and systems haven’t worked for you, maybe it’s time to try something different.
 
You could start by doing things you dislike first. When you dread something, you spend more time thinking about it and procrastinating than if you simply went ahead and completed the detested chore. You will find you are more productive if you get those items out of the way first and then move on with your day. [Read more…]