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3/21/04
DISCRIMINATION Bias remains a critical issue in the nation's workplaces even as the number of discrimination charges filed last year declined, according to a report issued last week by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. In all, 81,293 charges were filed with the federal agency nationwide in the 12 months ending last Sept. 30, down from 84,442 in 2002, said spokeswoman Jennifer Kaplan. She said $236 million in monetary damages and other financial relief or benefits were paid to complainants last year, down from $258 million the previous year. Commission chairwoman Cari Dominquez said workplace bias still plagues workers despite the drop in the number of charges filed. "Discrimination continues to be a problem in too many of today's workplaces," said Dominquez in a statement. "It is evident that much progress has been made over the past four decades. Nevertheless, there is still much to do before we fulfill the EEOC's mission and mandate to eradicate unlawful discrimination from our nation's workplaces and ensure the freedom to compete for all individuals." Race-based charges were the most frequent type of discrimination alleged by complainants, according to the commission, representing 35 percent of the total charges. Sex or gender-based discrimination was the second most frequent charge. The two categories represented 30 percent of the charges filed in fiscal 2003. The commission reported that about 20 percent of all charges filed resulted in a favorable outcome for the person who brought the complaint. However, 63 percent of all charges filed were found to have no reasonable cause and were dismissed. Additionally, 13,566 sexual harassment charges were brought in fiscal 2003, down from 14,396 in the prior fiscal year. At the same time, 4,649 pregnancy discrimination charges were filed, down from 4,714 in fiscal 2002. Those charges were filed with EEOC offices as well as state and local fair employment agencies such as the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination. -- DIANE E. LEWIS
UNEMPLOYMENT The jobless rate for the nation's electrical engineers averaged a record 6.2 percent last year, 2 percent higher than in 2002, according to the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers USA.The national unemployment rate for all workers was 5.6 percent in 2003. Last year's jobless rate was three times higher than the 2 percent reported in 2001, according to the professional association, which relied on data from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics. In 2000, only 1.3 percent of these technical professionals were out of work. "The continuing high levels of engineering employment are not surprising considering the trend toward outsourcing of high-tech jobs overseas," said IEEE-USA president John Steadman."This offshoring of high-paying jobs may look good on the bottom line of a quarterly financial report, but it's certainly not good for the skilled technical professional who can't find a job." Federal labor statistics show that there were 386,000 employed electrical engineers in the second quarter of 2003. By the fourth quarter, however, the number had dropped to 349,000, a decline of 37,000. Also last year, the jobless rate for computer scientists and systems analysts rose to 5.2 percent, up .2 percent over 2002, the group said. -- DIANE E. LEWIS
CAREER MOVES A poll of 569 senior executives shows that 45 percent say they expect to pursue career opportunities in a new industry. Only 55 percent expect to stay in their current industry. The Association of Executive Search Consultants, www.aesc.org, the professional association for retained search firms, conducted the poll last month. "For the past few years, executives have been reluctant to leave their current positions, let alone their current industries," said association president Peter Felix. "Now with the economy improving, executives will look at new opportunities with an increasingly broad perspective." -- DIANE E. LEWIS
JOB APPOINTMENT For the first time in its 132-year history, the Warren Group, the Boston-based publisher of Banker & Tradesman, will have a non-family member as its president. David Lovins has been promoted to president and chief operating officer. Timothy M. Warren, Jr., who served in that role for 16 years, has been appointed chief executive officer of the growing publishing and information services company. Warren was the fourth generation of the family to hold that position. As CEO, Warren will focus on developing new products and expansion to the northern New England states. As president, Lovins will manage the day-to-day operations of the business including sales and marketing efforts and production of the companys 12 real estate and financial publications. "Were a growing and energetic regional company. We've added 10 new positions to bring our workforce to 75 employees," Lovins said. Since its founding in 1872, The Warren Group has provided real estate news and data to businesses and consumers. --THOMAS GRILLO
FOREIGN WORKERS Some Cape Cod employers are worried that new enforcement of a federal immigration quota could reduce the number of foreign employees who come to the Cape for summer work. The US Citizenship and Immigration Services said earlier this month that it would stop processing employer requests for unskilled foreign workers under its H-2B program because the agency has received enough employer requests to guarantee its 2004 quota of 66,000 visas. The quota has been in place since 1991, but this year is the first that the federal government has enforced the cap on the number of the visas. The change could prove to be trouble for employers on the Cape, where about 25,000 temporary employees work each summer. In fiscal year 2003, 700 Cape and islands employers filed petitions with the Massachusetts Division of Career Services to fill 5,000 jobs with H-2b's, according to Wendy Northcross, Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce executive director. A federal immigration spokesman said the agency had received petitions requesting more than 66,000 H-2B visas. "We take into account that there will be some that will not make it through to the issuance process," said Chris Bentley of USCIS. --Associated Press
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