• More Americans are choosing not to be employed
  The percentage of Americans with jobs or actively seeking work has dropped to 63.6%, nearly the lowest rate in 30 years, data show. Even before the recession started, more young people were putting off employment as they attended college, while more parents opted to stay home and older workers retired, experts say. The Wall Street Journal (10/28)      

• How to tell when a bad hire can't be salvaged
  If an employee can't work with others or has no enthusiasm for the job, it may be time for the company to part ways with him, experts say. "They may be smart as anything, but if their attitude is just not right for the culture of the workplace, it is simply not going to work," says Terri Simon of Ignited. iMedia Connection (10/29)      

• Why money isn't the secret to employee happiness
  The best way to motivate workers isn't through money but through finding out what makes them feel good while working, Geoffrey James writes. For example, try connecting employees with happy customers, because employees "feel better about themselves, and therefore happier, when they can see that what they do is making a positive difference in the world," he writes. Inc. online (free registration) (10/26)      

• Lawsuit says worker was shorted 23 cents in overtime pay
  A former Office Depot worker in California has filed a lawsuit saying that two $50 prizes he received should have been factored into his regular pay rate, which would have enabled him to earn an extra 23 cents in overtime for the two months that he received the bonuses. A court has declined to dismiss the case and allowed it to proceed as a class action. BusinessManagementDaily.com (10/28)      

• A simple reason benefits programs should be unified
  One way employers waste money on their benefits programs and create confusion for workers is by using multiple benefits suppliers that provide overlapping services, experts say. To address the problem, employers should present suppliers with a plan for unifying services. "Don't underestimate your ability to create improvement. ... Ultimately you are responsible because you are the payer," says Chris McSwain of Wal-Mart Stores. Business Insurance (tiered subscription model) (10/28)      

• NAIC raises concerns about federal health insurance plans
  The National Association of Insurance Commissioners has raised concerns about two national health insurance plans set to launch through state exchanges as part of the Affordable Care Act. The plans will be allowed to compete against private insurers, but it's uncertain whether they will be subject to the same rules and regulations. "It is absolutely essential that multistate plans compete on a level playing field with other qualified health plans, which are subject to state insurance law," the NAIC wrote in a letter to the Office of Personnel Management. The New York Times (tiered subscription model) (10/27)      

• The keys to organizing a productive meeting
  Meetings tend to be unpopular, but, when run properly, they are a key part of business life, writes John Jantsch. Effective meetings should have a limited number of attendees and stick to a clear schedule, according to Al Pittampalli, author of "Read This Before Our Next Meeting." It's also important to remember that meetings are not the same as brainstorming sessions. Duct Tape Marketing (10/24)      

• Car-charging roads and other glimpses from the highway of the future
  A group of Dutch designers has joined forces with a construction company to develop roadway technologies designed to make driving safer and more efficient. Among the advancements that could begin hitting a few European roads next year are dynamic road icons that warn drivers of icy conditions, street lights that only shine when cars are driving by and "Induction Priority Lanes" that charge electric vehicles while they are in motion. Popular Science (10/26)      

Top five news stories selected by SmartBrief on Workforce readers in the past week.

• Hiring the smartest people may be a dumb move (Harvard Business Review online)

• Evernote covers employees' house-cleaning bills (Business Insider)

• What Warren Buffett knows about employee engagement (The Fast Track)

• Many workers struggle to get out of bed in the morning, survey suggests (USA Today)

• Study: Popular high-schoolers earn higher wages as adults (The Wall Street Journal)

• Results based on number of times each story was clicked by readers.

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Being inexhaustible, life and nature are a constant stimulus for a creative mind." --Hans Hofmann, German-American abstract expressionist painter