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Chart: most popular benefits

I think this snapshot of what workers really want (besides pay) is fascinating…

Most Popular Benefits – Country: United States (United States)

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Ready for disposal: vacation?

Vacations are supposed to relieve anxiety, not cause it. Yet many people are stressing out about vacations — particularly about whether or not to take them.

Whether it’s the cost of traveling or the fear of losing your job once you’re gone, many Americans are deciding to scrap their vacations this year.

Recession Victim?

When asked how the recession has changed their 2009 vacation plans, 61% of Yahoo! HotJobs site visitors responded that they are not taking a vacation at all. An additional 7% said they are taking less vacation time this year.

The informal online poll, conducted in the second week of May with over 6,000 responses, includes participants who are unemployed.

Last year we saw a similar trend, when 51% of respondents planned to skip vacation.

“Vacations are usually the first thing to go when people feel job or economic pressure,” says Joe Robinson, a trainer in work-life balance and author of “Work to Live.” He continues, “We’re programmed to believe that free time is worthless, a frill to shove aside, but vacations are as important as watching your cholesterol or getting exercise.”

Rescue Plans

Experts have offered some great tips, including:

• Remind yourself: Vacation is not a luxury.
• Put aside some funds each week. Even $20 or $50 will help finance a small trip.
• Plan leisure activities near home.

Some employers are also forcing workers to take vacation this year, which can save the company money — especially through a forced shutdown, as at the holidays. It can also be good for workers, especially ones who might be hoarding vacation time as a hedge against possible unemployment. (An understandable impulse, to be sure!)

For more on how to safeguard your vacation, see the article “Vacations Take a Hit from Recession.”

Stimulus adds help for jobless

The (mostly) bad news keeps coming this week about unemployment. The Labor Department reported that first-time applicants for unemployment benefits rose to 667,000 last week, up from 631,000.

The number of people collecting unemployment benefits is just over 5 million, according to the Department of Labor. (Although there were fewer mass layoffs in January than December.)

I say “mostly” bad news because the stimulus plan has some items in it that can help people who are unemployed. You can get the full scoop from Kathleen Pender’s column in today’s San Francisco Chronicle.

I’ll call out some highlights:

1. You can qualify for extended unemployment benefits if you run out of your current benefits before Dec. 31, 2009.
2. Everyone receiving unemployment benefits gets a $25 per week raise.
3. You don’t have to claim on your federal income taxes the first $2,400 you receive in unemployment compensation.
4. People who lost jobs after Sept. 1, 2008 can get COBRA from their previous employer without paying the full monthly premium. If you qualify, you only pay 35%, while the government pays 65% for nine months.

That last item about COBRA is huge, because paying for health insurance takes a huge bite out of any unemployed person’s budget. People who’ve been laid off recently should check into this!

In related news from AP, Nielsen Online is reporting today that job sites saw a 20% increase in January (49.5M vs. 41.5M in 2008) in terms of unique visitors. The top two sites were CareerBuilder and Yahoo! HotJobs.

Best, worst cities for unemployment pay

It’s easy to forget that unemployment benefits vary within the U.S., so a layoff in some parts of the country could hurt even worse.

The payout in Phoenix is much less than in Boston, for example.  But of course the cost of living in Boston is higher.  Nonetheless there appears to be no distinct pattern among the cities considered best and worst in this arena.

The 10 best cities include “expensive” places like Boston, but also more moderately affordable cities like Houston or Salt Lake City.  The 10 worst list includes San Francisco, Nashville, and Orlando, Florida.

You can find out more in this article. While I doubt it will influence many relocations, it’s good info to have in case you need to access unemployment benefits.

Poll: Americans support paid vacation law

A new poll finds that more than two-thirds of Americans (69%) support a law that would guarantee paid vacations for American workers.

The poll, conducted by The Opinion Research Company for the Take Back Your Time organization, involved 1,002 Americans contacted by phone during the week of June 23.  You can see more results at the organization’s new site, www.right2vacation.org.

Take Back Your Time (TBYT) is pushing for a bill that would guarantee three weeks paid vacation for anyone who has worked at a job for a year or more.

“The United States is the only wealthy country without a paid vacation law,” said Joe Robinson, author of Work to Live and a leader in the TBYT campaign. “We’re the capital of burnout and it’s costing billions of dollars a year in medical bills and productivity losses.  We can change that with a law guaranteeing vacations to workers.”

Some companies are going much further by allowing workers to take as much vacation as needed — as long as they meet all their performance goals.  See more in this BusinessWeek article. I hope that trend catches on!

Burnout and recession fears are big threats to vacations this year, as I’ve reported earlier.

I’ll leave you with one interesting statistic from TBYT: According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average American works one month (160 hours) more today than in 1976.

Four-day work week gains steam

Utah has become the first state to institute a mandatory four-day work week for state employees, according to a USA Today article.

“Most states have a four-day work week option for their employees, but Utah is the first to go to a mandatory four-day work week,” said Leslie Scott, executive director of the National Association of State Personnel Directors. “A good number of the states are encouraging their agencies and managers to offer a four-day work week whenever possible.”

The move is designed to save money and energy, and I suspect it will boost morale and possibly productivity. I know plenty of people who work in the private sector who long for this option!

Rising gas prices are making the four-day idea much more attractive across the board. Last week we asked Yahoo! HotJobs site visitors to weigh in on the issue, and here are the overwhelming results.

Q	Do you think you would be more productive if you had a four-day work week (40 hours)?
Yes	87%
No	13%
18625 Votes to date

Easing commuter shock: the new priority

As a new poll suggests that rising gas costs are a hardship for 9 in 10 adults, many workers are struggling with commuting issues.

“We’re making job offers that are being declined because of gas prices,” said Kerry Kiley, Bay Area regional operations manager for staffing giant Adecco. “It’s happening daily, for positions that pay up to $50,000 or $60,000. People are looking for jobs closer to home.”

That quote comes from a San Francisco Chronicle article that explores how some Bay Area residents are coping with the higher commute costs by taking lower-paying jobs that are closer to home.

Some employees are seeking help from employers in the form of public transit discounts, flexible schedules, and telecommuting. Experts suggest that workers prepare a “positive spin” for such requests, highlighting how the incentives can boost the company’s reputation for being environmentally conscious and employee-friendly.

Easing commuter shock is an increasing priority for workers and job-seekers, and this article offers good advice for getting help from your employer.  Also check out this piece on ways to cut commuting costs.