Part-time employment is a formalized work arrangement where an employee works fewer hours than what an employer judges to be customary for a full-time employee. For legal and comparative purposes, the U.S. Department of Labor defines part-time employees as those working 1-34 hours during a typical work week and full-time employees as those working 35
Electronic employment screening (EES) is preemployment assessment using any electronic hardware or software, including the Internet. EES is typically conducted by employers or others with whom the employer contracts. For practitioners, EES includes electronic applications, resume scanning and tracking, online interviewing and videoconferencing, and electronic database access for inquiries into applicants’ backgrounds. These background assessments
Age discrimination is one of the fastest-growing areas of employment law. The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the federal agency charged with administering the law, has received upward of 19,000 claims of age discrimination per year over the past several years. This growth is most attributable to the increasing number of aging employees in
Although much more is written about effective resumes and interviewing, written or oral statements about an individual’s suitability for a position, commonly referred to as references, should not be underestimated as tools in the job search process. In fact, references may well tip the scale in favor of an applicant in a job interview or
Employment advertising is a medium for posting employment opportunities through ads that appear in public media, most notably newspapers, magazines, and Internet sites. Ads appear in all countries in the Western world and to a lesser extent in other parts of the world, generally in dedicated sections of newspapers, typically in proximity to sections covering
Unlike many years ago, when employers and employees began the working relationship with a simple trusting handshake, today’s employment often begins with lengthy employment contracts and careful scrutinizing, discussion, and negotiation. Such contracts are often necessary to reduce the potential for expensive litigation on a multitude of issues, although in many cases, it is advantageous
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) is a five-member commission appointed by the president of the United States and confirmed by the Senate. The EEOC was created by Congress to be the primary enforcement mechanism of Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act. Title VII prohibits discrimination in hiring, terms or conditions of employment
Contingent employment has become pervasive in contemporary society. It is a multifaceted phenomenon with significant implications for career development, occupational and economic opportunity, and employment security. The employment of people on a contingent basis is a trend found in all the advanced industrialized countries of the world. Understanding the many faces of contingent employment, therefore
As the workforce ages, career counselors will increasingly be working with older workers, especially adults who work during retirement. Career counseling can now extend to a client’s retirement. Some individuals do take the traditional retirement route (i.e., move from full-time work to full-time leisure), but a substantial number of older Americans remain in the labor
The employment interview is one of the most common methods organizations use to recruit, screen, and select employees. Few individuals are hired without going through at least one interview. Generally defined, an employment interview is an interpersonal exchange between a job candidate and one or more organizational representatives who attempt to assess the candidate’s job-relevant
Since the late 1800s, absent a contract specifying otherwise, an employment agreement generally has been regarded in the United States as being terminable at will by either employee or employer. In practice, the doctrine primarily inured to the benefit of the employer, who was able, according to one court, to discharge or retain employees with
The Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) of 1967 (amended in 1986) is a U.S. federal law that prohibits discrimination in employment against individuals who are at least 40 years old. It was enacted by the Congress to promote the employment of older people based on their ability and to prevent intentional and nonintentional forms