NATION

NATION

Survey measures time spent slacking off at work

NEW YORK — The average employee’s 9-to-5 workday is more like 9-to-3 when you consider the time spent slacking off, a new survey has found.

The average worker wastes 1.7 hours of a typical 8.5-hour workday, according to a nonscientific survey by Salary.com, which provides software that analyzes companies’ compensation structures.

Surfing the Web, socializing with co-workers and conducting personal business were the leading time-wasting activities.

The justifications for burning daylight covered both ends of the spectrum. Nearly 18 percent of respondents said not having enough work to do was the reason for their slacking, while almost 14 percent blamed needing to take a break from long hours.

Employers often ask
illegal interview questions

NEW YORK — In their quest to find the right man or woman for the job, many employers ask inappropriate or illegal questions during the interview process without even knowing it.

Many job applicants struggle with how to react in such situations, according to legal analyst Jeff Isaac.

“There’s a lot of gray area about which most people have no clue,” Isaac said. “Most employers don’t understand the nature of what they can legally ask.”

Generally illegal areas to ask about include race, religion, national origin, age, disability and family status. Many employers don’t know, however, that they can’t ask a woman if she has kids, Isaac said. They can inquire whether she has any commitments that would prevent her from working late.

Associated Press