Mr. Barack Obama Considering Major Jobless Aid
US president-elect Mr. Barack Obama and Congressional Democrats are planning major expansions of government-assisted health care insurance and unemployment compensation. The plans are part of their intensive work on a two-year economic recovery package. According to one proposal, unemployment compensation would be extended to part-time workers. Other policy changes would subsidize employers’ expenses for temporarily continuing health insurance coverage to sacked and retired workers and their dependents.
Source: 05 Jan' 09 www.indianexpress.com

Tough Placement Season At Top B-Schools
The top B-schools of India including the IIMs are scrambling for recruiters this year in the wake of the financial crisis and economic slowdown. For instance, the Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore (IIM-B) is asking its students to go all out to land a job. It is also encouraging students to be ready to travel to meet recruiters. Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies in Mumbai and Management Development Institute, or MDI, in Gurgaon, near Delhi, have made it mandatory for students to take pre-placement offers (PPO). Earlier, such students were allowed to appear for interviews during placement season. At the prestigious IIMs, the student committees are trying hard to find Indian recruiters to replace top-notch hirers such as Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. In short, all B-schools are leaving no stone unturned to ensure recruiters’ presence during the placement season, while asking students to keep realistic expectations.
Source: 13 Jan' 09 Hindustan Times Business

Yahoo Gets A New CEO
After a nearly two-month long search, Yahoo! Inc has appointed Ms Carol Bartz as chief executive. Her appointment is effective immediately. Ms Bartz would takeover the charge from the embattled founder Mr. Jerry Yang. Previously, sixty-year-old Ms Bartz, was executive chairman of software maker Autodesk. Meanwhile, Yahoo!'s president Ms Sue Decker would also resign from the company.
Source: 13 Jan' 09 www.dnaindia.com

Hiring Outlook For 2009
Companies across sectors are planning to hire more than 2,50,000 new employees over the next few months. This includes more than one lakh full- time employees and about 1.5 lakh in part-time positions with insurance companies. While most of the hiring would take place in the financial services industry, the overall job market scenario is expected to recover in the second half of the year. Public sector banking giants like State Bank of India and Punjab National Bank as well as insurance firms such as Anil Ambani group's Reliance Life, SBI Life, Metlife, and Max New York Life will hire big. Also, some BPOs and healthcare firms like ACS and Accentia are planning to hire thousands of people in the coming months. According to HR consultancy major Hewitt Associates, sectors like insurance, telecom, infrastructure and Special Economic Zones may hire people in 2009 but the hiring outlook would remain uncertain for sectors like real estate, textile and retail.
Source: 01 Jan' 09 www.sify.com

2009 May See Generation Of 1.5 Lakh Jobs By Telecom Companies
According to recruitment experts, the Indian telecom sector will need up to 150,000 additional employees in 2009. While new players are making a foray in the field, existing ones have expansion plans, which will lead to employment generation. The government has issued 120 new licenses and there would be a talent crunch in the industry that might push up salaries in core operations by up to 30 percent in the next few quarters. New players are looking at training inexperienced or fresh graduates, owing to the talent crunch. Currently, the telecom sector directly employs about 150,000 people, while providing jobs to another 1.5 million indirectly with retail outlets, prepaid card sellers and tower constructors.
Source: 02 Jan' 09 www.siliconindia.com

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