"Job Angels" on Twitter

Like the Angel who aids a depressed banker played by James Stewart in the movie classic. . .

JobAngels are people volunteering to help today’s pink-slipped souls get back to work through Twitter.

See the great article by Ed Frauenheim on Workforce Management.

Laid Off? Picking Up the Pieces

Picking Up the Pieces When You Find Yourself Jobless . .

is a great article by Rachel E. Pine. Here's a blurb:

"It's not fun. It's not easy. It's certainly not something people like to think about. But companies can and do go belly-up. Flop. Fold. Cease to exist. And other companies can and do lay off even their most loyal and talented employees. For the now formerly employed employee it's time to do some quick thinking and planning. Mourning with your co-workers may be cathartic, but it will only make you feel better for a couple of hours. After that you'll need to make some pretty quick decisions about medical coverage, severance, outplacement, recruiters, referrals and unemployment insurance. But relax, really. Things may be much better than you think."

Pine then hits seven specific steps the newly unemployed might consider, from ideas on medical coverage, to getting reimbursements for expenses, to gathering information for unemployment insurance. Take a look at her full article here, as originally found on Vault.com.

I would add to her tips that a good employment lawyer can be invaluable in helping workers to review severance agreements, negotiate favorable terms, avoid the potential pitfalls, and explain responsibilities and legal rights.

There is hope for a brighter future.

Layoff Reality Show?

Struggling companies to let employees ax each other on national television?


The National Law Journal reports of a proposed new Fox show called Someone's Gotta Go in which actual, struggling companies with about 15 to 20 employees will let their staffs decide who gets laid off. The employee-judges will use confidential information — salaries, job evaluations — to make that final call on the show.

Has reality TV gone too far? I wonder whether they will educate these employees about employment discrimination laws and employers' legal obligations to employees before they let them hand out the pink slips.

Thanks to The Workplace Prof Blog for the tip!