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ABSTRACT The Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act (WARN) provides that, with certain exceptions, employers of 100 or more workers must give at least 60 days advance notice of a [...]

This paper reports an examination of the relationship between satisfaction with one's supervisor and organizational commitment type based on data collected from nonmanagerial employees. The results show that moral and alienative forms of commitment were related to employees' satisfaction with their supervisors and that calculative commitment was not related. Supervisor behaviors related to moral commitment include consistency of behavior toward subordinates, showing concern for career progress, backing up employees with other managers, and employees' satisfaction with the supervisor's technical competence. Supervisor behaviors related to alienative commitment include the way one's supervisor treats an individual when he or she makes a mistake, the way the supervisor shows concern for one's career progress, and the way one's job responsibilities are defined.

Termination is often referred to as 'capital punishment in the workplace' (Segal, 2000). When the termination or separation process is improperly managed, the traumatic nature of the situation escalates. The purpose of this paper is to provide policy suggestions on what an organization can do to minimize the occurrence of workplace aggression during employee termination procedures. In the first eight months of 2001, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported a net decrease in total national employment of 33,000. In the last four months of 2001, the decrease was 1,098,000. Some of these cuts were in firms that had long maintained policies that promised employees job security such as Hewlett Packard (Fortune, 2001). The reasons given by employers for the dismissals are general business or industry downturns, efforts to improve financial and operational efficiency, and competitive pressures (Gross, 2001; Peter, 1997). Workforce reductions have been accepted as a strategy to cut costs by lowering overhead, eliminating bureaucracy, and reducing surplus employees. Alternatively, downsizing can be used to seek favor with investors and financial analysts, and stock prices tend to rise in response to workforce reduction announcements (McKinley, Sanchez & Schick, 1995). Recent studies have raised serious questions concerning the long-term effects of downsizing as a strategic response to competitive pressures. An American Management Association's study reported that only 43 percent of firms increased operating profits, and only 30 percent increased worker productivity (Peter, 1997). The AMA study also documented a profound decrease in morale with those who survive the downsizing that could result in higher turnover in the future (Peter, 1997). According to Gross (2001), the results of the empirical research suggest that 'downsizing does not appear to be in the best interest of the corporation, its employees, or its shareholders.' The general state of the economy, plant closings, layoffs, and downsizing are listed as high risk factors for workplace violence (Nigro & Waugh, 1996). The 'death of job security' has created feelings of powerlessness and frustration in the workplace that could lead to aggression and thus workplace violence (Filipczak, 1993). Although the declining economy has been blamed for violence, there is evidence that layoffs or terminations do not provoke violence in and of themselves. Violence may be more the result of wounded pride and humiliation that occur when the termination or separation is improperly managed. According to the results of one study, displaced workers did not complain about termination decisions rather 'the manner the termination was handled.' That is, the dehumanizing way the termination action was implemented (Bensimon, 1994; Schweiger, Ivancevich & Power, 1987). Perhaps the Golden Rule can guide who, when, where, why, and how to conduct the termination interviews and thus alleviate the violence (Mantell, 1994; Rothman, 1989)., INTRODUCTION On April 11, 2001, a month after being terminated, a postal employee returned to the job site, stabbed four of his former coworkers, and was killed by the police [...]

The purpose of this paper is to examine current substance abuse issues of which management should be cognizant and to provide the most recent policy and practice suggestions to manage the problems created by workplace substance abuse. The issues to be examined include economic and hidden costs, legal, and employee relations. Practical suggestions for employers to deal with substance abuse are a zero tolerance policy, educational training, and employee assistance programs (EAPs). Other related policy issues are tips on how to deal with employees who report to work unfit, what to do if illegal drugs are found at work, and how to deal with serious drug problems., INTRODUCTION On Mother's Day, May 9, 1999, another substance abuse tragedy occurred in the workplace. On this occasion, the workplace was a bus owned by Custom Bus Charters with 43 [...]

College students' perceptions of the sex typing of 129 occupations were gathered and compared with those reported by Shinar (1975). Questionnaires were completed by 72 males and 70 females. As in Shinar's study, a continuum of the perceptions of occupations from masculine to feminine was replicated. A comparison of the mean ratings for the occupations and of the percentages of women in each occupation in 1975 and 1988 is reported in a comprehensive table. The results indicated that occupational sex typing continues to exist and that women tend to perceive jobs as being more neutral than men do. However, the occupational sex typing may not be based on the actual percentages of women in the occupations.