On July 2, the workforce in Washington state became the second in the nation to have legal access to recreational marijuana. Although the access was limited by supply, it didn’t stop us from making employment headlines. And we’ve only just begun! read more »

By Jay Starkman, Puget Sound Business Journal contributor

Since 1996, 20 states and the District of Columbia have enacted some form of legislation that allows for the non-criminal use of marijuana for medical purposes, with more states likely to follow suit. read more »

It’s none of my boss’s business what I do on my free time, right? As they say, what happens outside of work stays outside of work. We have a right to privacy, and this is America, after all! Right?  

The answer is … sometimes yes, and sometimes no.   read more »

If you own your own business, manage a business or supervise people, chances are that at some time in your career you’ve had to terminate someone.  An employee termination is usually performed with a lot of thought and preparation.   When you fire someone, you generally do it with good cause.  However, we’re all human, and ending someone’s job still feels really bad.  How do we take care of ourselves in the process? read more »

More and more business owners and managers find themselves “telling the story” of their company. Not only do the public and our customers want to know what we’re about, but so do our prospective employees. In fact, a recent Nielsen survey found that almost 50 percent said they’d reward companies with their money if those companies are giving back to society. This shifting paradigm encourages corporations to be more vocal and upfront about their support of good causes in the community. Businesses of all size are finding themselves creating Corporate Responsibility policies.  read more »

Small paychecks and long commutes are delivering a one-two punch to American workers, as eight in 10 employed adults in a survey say they are stressed out on the job. That’s according to data released in the 2014 Work Stress Survey conducted by Nielsen (formerly Harris Interactive) on behalf of Everest College. read more »

NEW YORK — Many potential employees don’t follow directions on job postings, are no-shows at interviews and sometimes accept a job only to say at the last minute, they’re going to work for somebody else. read more »

Last week, a job candidate who’d just completed an interview told us, “I’m so excited; they offered me the job!” when, sadly, it turned out she actually hadn’t gotten the job.

What went wrong?

The interviewer didn’t know how to gracefully end the interview, and the unintended result was a total miscue to the candidate. This is an agonizing situation for both job candidates and employers that should be avoided at all costs!

Applicants coming to job interviews are excited and eager. Could this be the next step in their career, the best job they’ve ever had, or the opportunity that finally gets them off unemployment? They badly want to hear the magic words “you’re hired.” read more »

The Kitsap Development Officers Group meeting on March 4 will feature a Major Giving Workshop. Chris Davenport will be showcasing a major giving video from a seasoned professional to lead a discussion about major gifts. Additionally, there will have professionals on hand to answer questions and add real life examples.

Kitsap Community Foundation also will update the group on plans for The Kitsap Great Give, a new philanthropic campaign being organized for this year. The deadline for nonprofits to register for The Kitsap Great Give is March 15.

Any nonprofit located in or serving the greater Kitsap area is eligible to participate in an online day of giving that will be held on May 6. read more »