Religious Discrimination on the Rise @ Work

Complaints of religious discrimination at work are on the rise, but civil rights advocates don't believe the reason is due to corporate intolerance. Instead, they think it has to do with more religious minorities becoming aware of their rights and being willing to stand up for them.

Read more at Beliefnet.

It's All Right to Cry...

In her column The Brazen Careerist, Penelope Trunk offers up five bits of advice she's sick and tired of people handing out to women, one of which is "Don't cry at work".

Find out why she thinks you should let those tears rips -- and what else is irritating her lately -- at The Hook.

Metro-North Parking in Orange Co. Gets Changes

Do you take Metro-North from stations in Orange County? Have you been unhappy with certain aspects of the station parking lot, including snow removal or other maintenance?

Take heart. The management company for those lots will be changing as of April 1, 2009.

Read more.

Decaf at Starbucks? Prepare to Wait.

Starbucks has announced it's going to stop brewing fresh decaf in the afternoons. They say the demand for decaf lessens as the day progresses, and they're left with a lot of waste.

Instead, if you want decaf in the afternoon, you can still get it -- but it'll add at least four minutes to your wait. They'll have to brew it specially for you.

Read more here.

Obama Wants to Change Your Work Experience

President Obama has proposed changes that would positively affect the average American worker.

As a sampler, he wants to raise the national minimum wage to $9.50 and guarantee all employees seven days of sick leave per year.

Source: PLI SmartBrief

Your Office is Full of Sick People.

We know, we know...tell us something you didn't already know, right?

Oh, wait -- we're talking about the flu. What are you talking about?

According to a new survey by OfficeTeam, more than 40% of office workers said they often go to work when they feel under the weather.

Only 17% of bosses, on the other hand, believed this was common practice among their employees.

In our humble opinion, this just screams for more paid sick days for everyone, period.

Source: Memphis Business Journal

Are YOU a Pain on the Train?

Did you ever stop to think that you might be annoying your fellow bus or train riders? Sure, we're all quick to find fault with a fellow passenger when we're the ones being inconvenienced. But have you examined your own behavior?

Check yourself with the help of our neighbors at Baruch College.

Workers Dismissed Early to Go Make Babies

In Japan, 12-hour workdays are the norm. But at Canon headquarters, employees are now being urged to leave at 5:30 sharp two days a week, with a very specific purpose. Workers are being encouraged to make more babies.

Find out why at CNN.

Share Cab with a Stranger to Save $$$?

Enjoy the conveniences of taking taxis, but the meter's taking too big a bite out of your wallet?

You may not have to forego the luxury completely. Mayor Bloomberg is proposing a system of cab-sharing stations throughout the city.

Read more in the New York Times.

Women Like Dressing Like Ho's to Get Ahead

A recent survey conducted by fashion forum site TheRagTrader revealed that most women have no qualms about dressing provocatively in order to get a promotion at work.

In fact, 1 in 20 women are already dressing to highlight their feminine charms in order to stay in the boss's good graces.

Read more.

Make Your Job Recession-Proof

Is there anything you can do to protect your job in a recession?

Yes! Don't just sit around waiting for the axe to fall. Be proactive. Some friends in Kansas offer this advice.

You CAN Get a Raise in a Recession!

We know of at least one legal secretary who not only got a very nice raise last week, but her end-of-year bonus in 2008 wasn't too shabby, either. And she works for a company supposedly in dire financial straits.

(And no, she didn't sleep with anybody -- get your Tuesday morning minds out of the gutter!)

It is possible to get a raise in an economy like ours. But how?

Learn from the Wall Street Journal.

Staff Lay-Offs at Akin Gump

Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP is laying off 65 staff across its US offices.

Stay abreast of developing news here.

Bedtime Gets an Upgrade

A Just A Sec Exclusive!

At Just A Sec, we believe in making weeknight bedtimes as cozy and welcoming as possible.

Drifting off into a heavenly, quality sleep goes a long way towards having a happier workday the next day. When you sleep well, you feel better. Tasks seem closer to effortless. You're nicer to people, so they act nicer to you.

So why aren't you looking forward to your bedtime?

Angeline is a secretary in midtown who, for months, wasn't getting enough sleep, and the quality of sleep she was getting was poor. She volunteered to test our drug-free, three-step formula for giving the end of the day a well-deserved upgrade. Here's her feedback:

Step One: The Happy Company Sleep Mask



First, we advised Angeline to sink into her own private world with The Happy Company's Sleep Mask. Not only would it block out any annoying light from streetlights, a too-full moon, etc., but the soothing lavendar tucked inside the lining would calm her senses, aromatherapy-style.

"I've never worn a sleep mask in my life," said Angeline. "It's not something I ever thought I needed. I always imagined they'd be kind of uncomfortable, anyway. Like why would you want to sleep in one of those?" But Angeline's experience with The Happy Company's sleep mask changed her mind. "This is really nice. I'm hooked now," she admitted. "It's really soft, it smells wonderful, and it wasn't tight like I imagined a sleep mask would be. It fit really comfortably, and the sensation of having the mask on my face turned out to be really comforting. It was very light and soft. It was like someone gently encouraging my eyes to rest."

The Happy Company's sleep mask is made of 100% cotton flannel. features a "lights out" lining, and fluffy-as-a-cloud filling with lots of lavender. It has fouble elastic straps and comes in two color choices: lavendar or cream. Cost: $8.95. Find out how to get yours at www.thehappycompany.com.


Step Two: The Happy Company Body Wrap



Next, we prescribed the sleep mask's perfect companion: The Happy Company's soft flannel Body Wrap. It features a grain-filled insert which can be heated in the microwave for steady, long-lasting heat comfort. And like the sleep mask, it too contains lavendar for sweet, soothing aromatherapy.

When we asked Angeline about her experience with the Body Wrap, she rolled her eyes and sighed. "If I'd known about one of the these, I would've used one a long time ago."

"It seems like in the old days, people went to bed with hot water bottles a lot. But that never struck me as especially soothing," Angeline told us. "(The Happy Company Body Wrap) is another story. It really melted away my tension. I felt like a happy little infant drifting off in her crib! Most of the time I fall asleep with it flat under my shoulder blades, while I'm laying on my back. But occasionally I'll curl up on my side and just hug it to me." "Oh, and it's really nice when you have menstrual cramps," she added. "Is that TMI?"

The Happy Company Body Wrap has a machine washable cover, which comes in your color choice of lavender or cream. Cost: $16.53. Find out how to get yours at www.thehappycompany.com.


Step Three: Sound Oasis Sleep Therapy Pillow with Sound Therapy System




"This was the magic ingredient," Angeline said of the Sound Oasis Sleep Therapy Pillow and Sound Therapy System. "This changed my world."

"I used to stay up late every night watching TV shows I really didn't care that much about. And here's the stupid reason: I felt like by going to bed, I might be missing something. Not on TV, I mean just in general. Like life was passing me by if I went to sleep. Meanwhile, I'd be getting so freakin' tired. I told you, it was stupid. It was completely psychological and made no sense. Total anxiety."

Sound Oasis made its first difference for Angeline by making her look forward to going to bed. "Oh. Oh, you don't know. I value that time so much now. It's my time. Better than a trip to a spa, I'm not kidding."

The Sound Oasis Sleep Therapy Pillow is a standard-size pillow with two slender speakers buried inside. A plug extending from the side of the pillow attaches to the Sound Oasis Sound Therapy System, a small, sleek machine that produces sounds scientifically designed by doctors to relax and/or induce sleep.

When laying one's head on the Sleep Therapy Pillow, the sounds from the Sound Therapy System gently surround you in ambient music or sound effects. There's also a button to optionally launch Sound Oasis's patented Sleep Enhancement technology, which alters your chosen sound to specifically lull you into sleep, rather than just relaxing you.

Angeline reported that since using the Sound Oasis Sleep Therapy Pillow and Sound Therapy System, she's been getting more sleep, and sleeping much better through the night. She's "less grumpy in the morning" and more attentive during the day. She also told us her frequent headaches have disappeared.

The Sound Therapy System uses tiny sound cards, each loaded with 12 amazingly soothing sounds. The system comes with the "Sleep/Relaxation/Wellness" sound card. Others are available, including "Ear Therapy" and "Spa Retreat".

"I'm not sure I can pick a favorite (sound)," said Angeline. "There are a few I use all the time. I like the ocean, thunderstorm, and some of the musical ones."

Angeline described her experience with the product. "This is the most relaxing thing in the world. Every night I lay my head on that fabulous pillow, and I get completely lost in the sound. The speakers are positioned just right, so you really feel surrounded. I find it works best when I lay on my back. You get real stereo that way. But it's still great when I sleep on my side."

"I never feel the speakers," she added. "It's not uncomfortable at all. You would think you'd feel these hard speakers in there, but you don't."

"I find that the SE button really works to put me to sleep." (She means the "Sleep Enhancement" feature.) "On the weekend sometimes I just lay down for a while and chill out, but I don't press the SE button, and I find I'm able to relax, but not drop off into a nap when I don't really want one."

Angeline uses her Sound Therapy System with its timer feature. You can program the machine to play the sound of your choice for 30, 60, or 90 minutes before gently fading away to silence. This way, it doesn't run all night while you sleep.

The Sound Therapy System also works like an alarm clock, allowing you to wake to a buzzer or your favorite sound.

"It's not for couples," Angeline cautioned. "If you're sleeping next to someone, they can hear the sounds too. The speakers don't work like private earphones. So it's best if you sleep alone, or if your partner doesn't mind the sound therapy. Actually, they'd probably enjoy it."

Here are a few other things you should know:

-- Pillow speakers are removeable, and the pillow is washable.
-- Pillow speakers don't just work with the Sound Therapy System -- you can plug them into your MP3 player, CD player, or TV!
-- You can buy the pillow and Sound Therapy System separately
-- The Sound Therapy System comes with an AC adapter for plugging into the wall, but it will also run on batteries for portability
-- Pillow has hypoallergenic polyester fiberfill

The Sleep Therapy Pillow costs $49.99. The Sound Therapy System retails for $99.99. Buy directly from Sound Oasis at www.sound-oasis.com.

Automatic Back-Up Copies of Your Work in MS Word

You're working on a big, important document. Then by some computer glitch from hell, you lose the whole thing.

If you're using MS Word 2003 or 2007, there's a simple setting that can prevent this all-too-common disaster. Find out how it works.

Rail Tunnel Gets OK from Feds

On Wednesday, the federal government issued final approval for a second commuter rail tunnel beneath the Hudson River, clearing the way for a project transportation officials and lawmakers say will create thousands of jobs, take cars off the roads and make commuting easier for hundreds of thousands of people.

Read more at the Star-Ledger.

Should MySpace & Facebook be Banned at Work?

Some people argue that blocking the use of social networking sites like MySpace and Facebook at work is a good idea, because in theory it would prevent employees from wasting their time.

But could such bans backfire on employers and be worse for them in the long run?

Read more.

Quicker Accented Letters -- Á, Ñ, É, Ü, -- in MS Word

Sure, you can insert characters with accents and other punctuation in Microsoft Word. For example, Á, Ñ, É, Ü. But it takes time going into the "Symbols" menu and breaks your stride.

Is there a faster way?

Yep. And believe it or not, the answer comes from the New York Times.

Free MetroCards from Dunkin' Donuts

As part of its new "You Kin Do It!" campaign (which encourages working stiffs like you and me to keep America running during the current economic crisis), Dunkin’ Donuts is handing out free subway rides at four Manhattan subway stations.

DD reps will hand out free Metrocards between 6:30 am - 9:30 am on the following dates, outside these stations:

Monday, January 12th @ Lexington Ave/ 53rd Street
Tuesday, January 20th @ 14th Street/ Union Square Station
Monday, January 26th @ Grand Central Station
Monday, February 2nd @ Times Square/42nd Street

Love Your Cubicle -- It's Keeping You Healthy

On those days when your cubicle makes you feel like a lab rat stuck in one drab corner of a maze, look on the bright side: an open office plan would be much more likely to make you sick. Curious? Read more.

One Blogger Agrees: Ladies, Stop the Petty Abuse!

Earlier this week we pointed you to an article about women mistreating one another in an office setting. This writer responded and agreed. Ladies, it's up to us to support one another! It begins with you.

NJ Woman Sues Employer Over Perfume @ Work

A New Jersey woman is suing her employer claiming she became ill when a co-worker sprayed perfume near her. The perfume, she says, exacerbated her lung condition.

Read more at The Daily Record.

How to Request a Letter of Recommendation

Leaving your job? It's always smart to get a letter of recommendation from your boss before you hit the road. But how do you ask?

If you feel awkward about making the request, read this advice first.

Women: Their Own Worst Enemies at Work

If you're a woman with a female co-worker who's a bully, watch your back, sister.

A recent study by the Workplace Bullying Institute examining office behaviors — like verbal abuse, job sabotage, misuse of authority and destroying of relationships — found that female bullies aim at other women more than 70 percent of the time.

Bullies who are men, by contrast, tend to be equal-opportunity tormentors when it comes to the gender of their target.

Read more in the New York Times.

Employers Increasing Work Week from 35 to 40 Hours: Is it Legal?

In the current economy, it's becoming increasingly common for employers to start increasing the required number of hours its employees work weekly from 35 to 40 hours -- but without offering up additional hourly pay. Companies are looking for ways to squeeze more out of their workers without forking over extra money.

For salaried workers, this amounts to a decrease in their hourly wage.

Is this legal?

Find out from Newsday.

The Second Half of Your Day: Getting a Boost

Feel yourself slacking off after lunch? Want to give your productivity a boost in the second half of your workday?

The Boston Herald offers some tips you may not have thought of before.

Metro-North Unveils Bike Rack Ideas

Cyclists from Connecticut, Westchester County and Long Island got a first look Tuesday at a custom-made bicycle rack system being considered for the new rail cars on Metro-North's New Haven Line.

Get a look at the prototype and read all about it at The Advocate.

Head and Neck Pain? A Quick Fix.

Working at a desk can routinely cause head and neck pain. But here are some exercises you can do right there in your chair that may alleviate some of your misery. Take a minute every day to do them and give yourself a break, in more ways than one!

5 Ways to Handle an Insane Boss

They can be vicious and vindictive, erratic and unorthodox, scatterbrained and dysfunctional.

Insane bosses can drive their workers crazy.

But there are ways to handle bad bosses. Find out what they are from Fox News.

Lottery Pool Snags

Office workers won a $207 million Mega Millions jackpot, but are hitting a snag -- they're being sued by four employees who were out sick that day and say they "would have played" if they'd been there.

Hey, it could happen to you, too. Read more and you might change the way you handle office lottery pools in the future.

Even in a Recession: Keep Your Job, or Find New One

Even in a recession, it's possible to find a new job. It just might take more effort, or perhaps different efforts, than you'd normally put forth.

And if you're worried about losing your job, don't just sit there like a bump on a log! There are things you can actively do to increase your chances of sticking around.

Read more, all of ya!

Welcome Back! Time to WIN!

Welcome back, administrative superheroes, and Happy 2009! Don't forget to enter to win a goody box filled with fine things to make your work day more pleasant -- from Just A Sec!

E-mail justasecnyc@yahoo.com. Type "Package o' Perks" into the subject line, and include the following info in your e-mail:

Your name
Mailing address
E-mail address
Age
Job Title (if you have one).

We will not share your information with any outside parties.

Yes, if you've entered before, you must enter again for a new chance to win!

We must receive your e-mail no later than midnight EST on January 30, 2008. A random winner will be chosen and notified by e-mail shortly after the deadline.

Congratulations to Alva P. from Staten Island, NY, winner of our December Package o' Perks!

Good luck!

The Tricked-Out Desk: Winter Duo!

A Just A Sec Exclusive!

During the work week, you spend more waking hours at your desk than you do in the comfort of your own home. So why not make your desk as homey as possible?

Here are two new goodies that Just A Sec loves. They make our workspaces healthier, happier places to be. Check 'em out!:

Beat The Winter Blues:
The Sunlight 365 Mood-Enhancing Light Box



Most of us have heard of "SAD" -- Seasonal Affective Disorder. When winter sets in, some of us suffer from SAD symptoms like depression and fatigue. An increasingly common treatment for SAD is light therapy -- that is, exposure to bright lights that mimic natural sunlight.

Seasonal depression, ay? Like you needed another reason to feel like crap at work! But the good news is, you could feel a lot better every day, starting now -- with a Sunlight 365 by Zadro.

The Sunlight 365 is the perfect size for your desk -- it fits in the palm of your hand -- about the size of a pocket calculator. It has a built-in stand that props the Sunlight 365 up on your desk surface and bathes you in therapeutic light while you work. A simple-to-use control panel allows you to make adjustments to the intensity of light and how long you're exposed. You can choose to let the Sunlight 365 run for 15, 30 or 45 minutes at a time, and then the light shuts off automatically. In fact, the Sunlight 365 even lets you create and save three different "programs", or combinations of intensities and lengths of exposure. It plugs into an electric outlet. The Sunlight 365 also comes with a soft carrying case -- handy for taking it home for a happier weekend!

Save a fortune on anti-depressants -- get your Sunlight 365 for $59.95 today from Zadro.


Your Secret Weapon:
The Sunpentown Personal Humidifier



A humidifier can keep you healthy, beautiful and feeling your best. It adds moisture to the air and helps eliminate itchy, cracked skin, a dry nose and allergy and asthma problems. And did you know that many viruses that cause sickness can only live in a low humidity environment? That means they'll die out in an environment where the moisture level is raised by a humidifier.

All great reasons to use one -- but who wants to hook up a big, clunky humidifier on their desk? How many of us have that kind of room?

Sunpentown has a treat for you! Their Personal Humidifier is the cutest thing we've ever seen, and it's got substance behind its style. This tiny humidifier is about 4" long and 2.5" wide!! And get this: it works with an ordinary plastic water bottle. That's right -- there's no tank. Just keep a small bottled water bottle on-hand, fill it at the water cooler, and attach it to the Personal Humidifier. This smart little device comes with two different adapters to fit small and large water bottles.

We were impressed by how efficiently this baby works. It quietly emits a steady stream of cool mist, which is adjustable with a low-to-high dial. There's even a light-up indicator to let you know when it's time to refill the water. The Personal Humidifier plugs into an electric outlet. Choose from three colors: all-white, black-and-white, or pink-and-white.

Your overall well-being is priceless -- so invest in your Personal Humidifier for $59.00 today at Sunpentown.

New Park & Ride Bus Service, Nassau to NYC

Starting today, the Long Island Transit Bus Company is offering a Park and Ride bus program from Nassau to Manhattan to help ease road and rail congestion. The coach buses will take commuters to Wall Street and Midtown from two locations in Nassau County where free parking is offered. Get the details here.

When You're Trapped in a Job You Hate

This isn't the best time to be looking for a new job, admittedly, although anything can happen. Still, if you absolutely HATE where you are and are having trouble finding something better, here are some survival tips that may help you sit tight until the job market gets better.