Employee Participation

From California to Maine, unions used their political muscle to help install Democratic governors, build labor-friendly majorities in state legislatures and defeat ballot initiatives against them.

Despite all the peace, love, joy and retail this time of year brings, it can be a tricky one for businessesat bestand a downright logistical nightmareat worstfor employees and their employers.

Finding the right talent isnt always as easy as it sounds. Simply throwing together a basic job description and pairing a resume might find a candidate who can complete the duties on paper, but it doesnt necessarily mean they're a good match for the position or company.

Many websites exist to provide reviews of what its like to work at a particular company, such as GlassDoor.com; however, organizations must keep an eye on what's said on these websites as fraudulent claims often slip through.

Among employers that block social media websites, 77 percent say they do so to protect from security threats while 67 percent say it is to prevent decreased productivity.

To improve corporate culture, 72 percent of employers say they use employee assistance programs, according to a survey by the Society for Human Resource Management and Globoforce.

Superstorm Sandy drove the number of people seeking unemployment benefits up to a seasonally adjusted 439,000 last week, the highest level in 18 months.

The ranks of America's poor edged up last year to a high of 49.7 million, based on a new census measure that takes into account medical costs and work-related expenses.