Employment Stats 8/13/09

Weekly Jobless Claims (Seasonally Adjusted), Week Ending 8/08 (reported 8/13) 558,000
Weekly Jobless Claims Change from Previous Week (seasonally adjusted) 4,000
Payroll Employment (Nonfarm Jobs Created or Lost), July -247,000
Unemployment Rate, July 9.4 percent

Quitting Morgan Stanley to Salute the Sun
An ex-Morgan Stanley currency saleswoman recently quit the high pressure life of a banker to live the life of a yoga teacher. She now schools bankers, traders, brokers and others (all are welcome, not just the financially inclined) in the ancient art of posturing out of her loft in Lower Manhattan. For more on this career switcher, read Vault's finance blog, In the Black.

Five Things You Should Know, Now
To find out why Ozzy nailed superstar banker Kenny Moelis' mansion with paintballs and why seven of the biggest financial institutions in the world are afraid of a 63-year-old lawyer named Kenny Feinberg, among other financially related must-know pieces of news, go to Vault's finance blog, In the Black.

Barclays Wants Another 1,000 Bankers
Barclays announced a 10 percent rise in profit for the first six months of 2009, while also saying it will hire another 1,000 employees, largely in its equities, advisory and emerging markets units in Asia. For more on the latest Barclays hirings, go to Vault's finance blog, In the Black.

House Passes Exec Pay Bill
Shareholders would have an annual non-binding vote on top executive compensation packages and "golden parachute" payments, under legislation recently approved by the U.S. House of Representatives. HR.BLR.com

Telecommuting grows as alternative option
Better technology and cost-cutting measures have prompted more employers to consider allowing employees to work from home. bizjournals

EEOC Sues Hospital Over Treatment of Male Employee with Long Hair
The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has filed a lawsuit against Puerto Rico's largest medical center, saying the hospital discriminated against a male employee who wore his hair long for religious purposes. HR.BLR.com

Dell Will Pay $9.1 Million to Settle Gender Discrimination Suit
Dell Inc., the second-largest maker of personal computers, will pay $9.1 million to settle a gender bias lawsuit filed by two female former employees in federal court in Austin, Texas. Bloomberg.com