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Thanksgiving: It’s not just an American celebration
Dave G. Houser Recreation & LeisureIt seems like an all-American holiday, but Thanksgiving is more universally celebrated than we might think. Nearly a dozen countries observe such a day of gratitude, usually in the fall, and traditionally held in recognition of a bountiful harvest. Although dates and specific traditions vary, here are some of the countries that have a designated holiday for giving thanks.
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One step closer: Price transparency in healthcare
Dr. Jonathan Kaplan Healthcare AdministrationIt's official: Price transparency in healthcare is closer to reality. On Nov. 15, the Trump administration released new rules requiring hospitals to publish their charges and negotiated rates. You may be thinking, "Oh, this doesn't affect me! It only affects hospitals and their employed physicians." But make no mistake, this affects all physicians.
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EPA changes impede environmental justice research
Michelle R. Matisons Waste Management & EnvironmentalEnvironmental justice emphasizes the impacts of environmental deterioration on social groups and the communities on the front lines of climate change. As the concept mainstreams, it clashes with a possible new Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) policy that undermines public health links to industrial pollutants, adverse weather events like hurricanes and wildfires, and other climate change factors. Meanwhile, the U.S. has begun official proceedings to withdraw from the Paris Agreement, and a new medical report warns of sustained public health problems due to increased temperatures and other climate-related challenges.
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Companies loosen job requirements, but are they going too far?
Terri Williams Business Management, Services & Risk ManagementUnemployment is at historically low rates, which is great for employees and the economy. However, when the job market is at — or past — full employment, companies struggle to recruit workers. "In short, companies cannot hire and keep the talent they need," explains Ian Cook, Vice President of People Solutions at Visier. In fact, according to a new survey by Adecco USA, 37% of companies have loosened job requirements to hire in a tight labor market.
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How do the presidential candidates propose to make education better?
Patrick Gleeson EducationOne of the hot-button areas for all the Democratic presidential candidates is education. How do they propose to make it more affordable and equitable? How do they propose doing that without lowering standards? Most importantly, how do they propose paying for these costly improvements? Here are the plans of the leading candidates for the nomination — Elizabeth Warren, Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders — on two of the most important education areas.
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The path to leadership includes not being the smartest in the room
Catherine Iste Business Management, Services & Risk ManagementExperts can become successful leaders; so can non-experts. The path to leadership for the former includes understanding the limits of their expertise. Conversely, the path for the latter includes recognizing the value of their non-expert contributions. Both paths, thus, require an understanding of the benefits of specific and general knowledge and how they should be combined and used as the diverse tools they are. In other words, the path to leadership includes not being the smartest in the room.
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Rural police shortages reach a new level of danger
Bambi Majumdar Law Enforcement, Defense & SecurityDid you know that violent crime in rural areas is at an all-time high? For example, Alaska has the highest crime rate per capita of any state in the U.S. One in three communities in Alaska have no local cops. One-third of villages lack local emergency services. While Alaska’s situation is indeed a dire one, things aren’t looking good for other states, either. Most rural areas have fewer officers per capita than in past years, which means existing officers are stretched thin.
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Palantir, BP develop concerning ‘data-drilling’ techniques
Michelle R. Matisons Science & TechnologyOne of the most recent developments in Big Tech involves news of "data drilling," as evidenced by a contract between CIA-adjacent data-mining company Palantir Technologies and BP (formerly British Petroleum). The wedding of an older industry like oil with data technology is big news for many trying to keep abreast of the climate effects of the international extraction economy as they relate to elections, foreign policy, and intelligence communities; operations. And, vice versa: data mining is moving into unchartered waters here, and more environmental accountability for the uber-wealthy tech sector is a pressing issue.
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Do you really need to check an applicant’s references? Absolutely
Terri Williams Business Management, Services & Risk ManagementWe've all been there: a job candidate looked perfect on paper and sounded perfect during the interview. But soon after, you realize that this picture-perfect employee probably won't reach the one-year milestone at your company. You probably shouldn't be surprised. According to research by Monster, 85% of recruiters say that candidates exaggerate skills and competencies on their resume. Whether this is intentional or "accidental," the result is the same: an employee who is ill-equipped to do the job. So, what's the solution? Checking references.
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Payers, providers win latest battle in ongoing hospital pricing war
Scott E. Rupp Healthcare AdministrationIt appears that hospital price transparency proponents have lost a recent battle. Trump administration officials are kicking a political can down the road after push back from hospitals and insurers, who would have had to make previously undisclosed rates public. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) said it has some 1,400 comments for a proposed rule about the revealing of rates, and the coming rule regarding the topic will include responses to these concerns. So, who wins here? Payers and providers, apparently. Consumers? Not so much.
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