Sen. Christopher Dodd, D-Connecticut, who wrote the 1993 Family Leave and Medical Act (as mentioned on workforce.com), wants to change the FMLA guidelines. Sen. Dodd recently announced that he wants to pass a new bill to provide six weeks of paid leave for employees. Currently, FMLA provides 12 weeks of unpaid leave for family or medical needs.

Since the FMLA went into effect back in 1993, an estimated 50 million people have taken time off work for the adoption or birth of a child, or to care for an ill family member or themselves, but the downside for employees is that the 12 weeks of leave do not include wages. Sen. Dodd theorizes that many people do not utilize the FMLA because of the loss of wages, but believes people would if they were paid during family leave.

Going 12 weeks without a paycheck is not easy. See if you are earning what you worth with our salary calculator.

Name: Kirin G. Smith, EIT
Job Title: Civil Engineer
Where: Silver Spring, Maryland 
Employer: Delon Hampton & Associates, Chartered
Years of Experience: 3
Education: Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering, Certifications: EIT (Engineer in Training)
Civil Engineer Salary: See PayScale's Research Center for average civil engineer salaries.

Salary for Civil Engineer

If you're searching for info on the typical salary for civil engineers or a civil engineer job outlook, we have good news for you - the NACE (National Association of Colleges and Employers) recently reported a 4.8 percent increase in the average salary for civil engineer professionals. For those interested in problem-solving and community service careers, civil engineering offers a rewarding profession (and average civil engineer salaries aren't too shabby, either).

In this interview with civil engineer Kirin G. Smith, we learn about what led to her choice of a civil engineering career, requirements to become a civil engineer, job outlook for civil engineers, job description of a civil engineer, and the average civil engineer salary. If you're interested in a civil engineer career, info on the typical salary for civil engineer pros, or just want to learn more about a challenging profession, keep reading!

Name: Wendy C. Brooks
Job Title: Veterinarian
Where: Los Angeles, CA
Employer: self (private practice owner and specialist in canine/feline practice)
Years of Experience: 19
Education: 4 years college, 4 years veterinary school, 1 year internship
Salary: The average salary of a veterinarian varies depending on the branches of veterinary medicine that one might be involved in.

Average Salary of a Veterinarian

For animal lovers, a veterinary career, with the standard veterinarian salary, sounds like a dream job (as mentioned by Dr. Salary). However, the requirements to become a veterinarian include quite a bit of schooling and a serious time commitment, as veterinarian Wendy C. Brooks explains in this Salary Story. While a veterinarian's salary depends on many factors, Wendy explains that a veterinary career almost always invoves working at home or on one's own time. She discusses the requirements to become a veterinarian, and that all important question, “What is the average salary of a veterinarian?"

Wendy also explains the responsibilities involved in managing a successful veterinary career and what factors influence the average salary of a veterinarian. If you want to know how to become a veterinarian, this is one interview you don’t want miss!

My son is a high school senior, so the angst is rising about applying to colleges, wondering about majors, and, generally, life choices. This got me thinking: what does the PayScale salary data tell us about colleges, majors, careers, and income? It turns out that the PayScale data has a lot to say.

Of course, our data are about price, not value: how much people are paid to follow a given path, not whether that life is worth living. Yes, a chemical engineering major will receive a higher starting salary than a philosophy major. Whether the pay is worth ruining one's college years is not something PayScale data can answer :-)

In this post, I'll look at the obvious: what college majors lead to the highest pay straight out of school. Future posts will cover pay for majors 10 and 20 years out, differences between colleges - is the Ivy League worth the money? - and other interesting factoids, like that the chairman of PayScale, and CEO of Drugstrore.com, both were music majors at small liberal arts colleges.

How does your salary rank among engineers and the rest? Find out with our salary calculator.

A recent New York Times article details the story of two former Walmart executives—Julie Roehm and Sean Womack—accused of engaging in an affair while hunting for new ad agencies for the uber-retailer. Walmart made the claims in a court filing and, the Times story says, Julie Roehm and Sean Womack pursued employment with one of the agencies they ended up recommending.

One of the hot topics mentioned these days at blogs.wsj.com/juggle is the salary of childcare services, particularly babysitter services. One of the working moms recently blogged: “Many parents know the frustration of paying a babysitter nearly $15 an hour to watch TV… if parents want a night out, the cost can start at $45 even before setting foot out the door.” Is the average salary of childcare workers, including babysitters, getting out of hand? Granted, most babysitters have not graduated high school, but they are still responsible for your child's life for a few hours.

For babysitters in Columbus, Ohio, babysitter pay averages out at $7.00 per hour, with a high end of $8.50. Let’s compare the pay rate of those who care for your child to those who care for your car. A beginning auto mechanic salary in Columbus, Ohio, is $12.75 an hour, with a high-end of $19.00, assuming the mechanic and the babysitter each have 1-4 years of experience. The average salary of childcare providers does catch up some, if they are full-time nannies or au pairs: hourly pay is $9.00 an hour with a potential of $14.00 per hour in Columbus.

Is your salary reaching its full potential? Get the latest facts with our salary calculator.

Name: Darlene Albury
Job Title: Social Worker
Where: Flushing-Queens, New York
Employer: Self-Employed
Years of Experience: 16
Education: Audrey Cohen College-Bachelors Degree in Human Services, Hunter College School of Social Work-Master of Social Work Degree
Salary: $60K

Social Worker Salary

What is the salary of a social worker? It varies quite a bit these days, as do the roles and tasks of social workers, thanks to the Internet. Darlene Albury is a social worker who works via the web. She recently discussed her social worker career, different salaries of social workers, the requirements for becoming a social worker, and more. As you will hear in the following interview, Darlene truly cares about helping people - something that she says is necessary for a successful social worker career.

If you've been asking yourself, "What is the average social worker salary?" keep in mind that the salaries of social workers are not usually the top motivation for becoming a social worker. According to Darlene, the ability to be altruistic is a more imortant factor in whether or not you will enjoy being a social worker. She has the unique position of being able to use modern technology to reach a wide range of people in her social worker practice. For those interested in the future of social work careers, the salaries of social workers, or who want more info before entering the social service field, this interview is a must-read!

Some college graduates can expect a high annual salary the moment they graduate, while others are looking at food stamps, by choice. These college students are not taking a vow of poverty, but rather one of internship. According to CSMonitor.com’s recent article on summer 2007 internships, more and more college students in competitive fields are willingly foregoing lucrative jobs in order to endure their full-time internships, which they believe will in the end land them the job and annual salary they seek.

While some summer 2007 internships will pay wages, particularly in engineering or computer programming (more than $25 per hour), many internships are unpaid. Industries such as publishing, TV and politics are well known for no pay or low-paying internships. Because there are so many people that want to work in these fields, these industries will have no problem finding students to work for free in summer 2007 internships.

If you took one of these summer 2007 internships, would your salary get you through? Find out with our salary calculator.

Name: Michael Potter
Job Title: Driver, Personal Assistant and Bodyguard
Where: Los Angeles, CA
Employer: Author Stephen J. Cannell
Years of Experience: 24
Education: 3 Years of College
Salary: Typical chauffeur job salaries: $50-$80K and up

Chauffeur Jobs: Pay Rates for Chauffeur Drivers

You see them on Entertainment Tonight and on the E! Channel: limousines galore. Celebrity lifestyles and chauffeur jobs seem very glamorous, but behind the glitz, a limousine chauffeur has to navigate crazy traffic and find parking places, all while looking smooth as air. To find out what chauffeur jobs are really like, we spoke to Michael Potter, a driver, personal assistant, and bodyguard for TV series creator and author Stephen J. Cannell.

In this interview, Michael discussed pay rates for chauffeur drivers, how to become a limo driver, the typical requirements of chauffeur jobs (also mentioned at LATimes.com) and advice on how to get chauffeur jobs. Keep reading for an insider's scoop on how to become a limo driver.

Name: Laura Pizzi
Job Title: Pharmacist, Research Associate Professor of Health Policy
Where: Philadelphia, PA
Employer: Jefferson Medical College
Years of Experience: 10
Education: Pharmacy School: Rutgers College of Pharmacy (PharmD), Masters of Public Health: University of Medicine and Dentistry of NJ (MPH)
Salary: See the PayScale Research Center for pharmacist average salaries.

Pharmacist Salary: The Right Career Prescription

As baby boomers age, pharmacist jobs are becoming more plentiful, creating heightened interest in pharmacist careers. In this Salary Story, Laura Pizzi gave us the inside scoop on the typical pharmacist salary, including detailed info on how pharmacist average salaries vary in different employment settings. She also gave us advice on how to become a pharmacist and pharmacist career information.

Some job seekers may be surprised to learn that there are many pharmacist career options beyond retail pharmacy jobs. In fact, if you want to become a pharmacist, Laura encourages everyone to think outside the box when considering a pharmacy career. She explained that the educational requirements to become a pharmacist are challenging, but rigorous studying can lead to rewarding work and a high pharmacist salary. For readers wondering how to become a pharmacist, this interview is the right medicine.

In November of 2006, voters were given a chance to raise the Arizona minimum wage rate to $6.75 per hour, a more modest version of the living wage movement. This hike in wage and salary laws was sponsored by unions, along with the Arizona chapter of ACORN, a labor activist organization. As reported by tucsoncitizen.com, even 2008 Presidential Candidate John Edwards made a stop in Tucson to push for a change in Arizona's wage and salary laws. Technically speaking, there was no Arizona minimum wage rate. The federal minimum wage ($5.15 per hour) was the state’s default wage, meaning a full-time minimum wage earner brought home only $10,712/year.

When the votes were counted, 66% of the voters passed the Arizona minimum wage proposition (Prop 202) and established the state’s new minimum wage, which went into effect on January 1, 2007. Since the wage and salary laws have changed, maybe it's time to ask, were the doomsayers right and jobs were lost, or were the activists right and the poor benefited?

How is your salary so far in 2007? Find out with our salary survey.

The average college grad income for 2007 graduates is looking bright, according to a recent article by the Wall Street Journal. The financial bible cites a new survey released by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) which says the average college grad income is predicted to increase by 4.6%. In another survey by NACE, college recruiting is intensifying, so much so that businesses will reportedly be hiring 17% more graduates from 2007 than in the previous year.

Leading the pack of recruiters is the accounting and consulting firm Deloitte & Touche. According to Diane Borhani, head of U.S. campus recruiting, the firm is recruiting college grads, lots of them, close to 3,300 seniors, up from less than 3,100 in 2006. As part of its college grad job search, the firm has raised starting salaries and that dangling carrot known as the signing bonus. Borhani says that U.S. starting salaries (base) have increased around 5%, boosting the average college grad income to the 60K range – in certain jobs for recent college grads. 

How does your salary compare to the average college grad income? Do your homework with our salary calculator.

Name: Mike Petry
Job Title: Computer Technician
Where: Southern California
Employer: Pacific Boat Trailers/Self
Years of Experience: 23
Education: Some College / Self Taught (A+ Cert)
Salary: See PayScale's Research Center for the average salary for a computer technician

Computer Technician Career

For those interested in a computer technician career, the job outlook for computer technicians (and other techies) seems bright. A computer technician's starting salary will vary depending on many factors, including location, experience, and certifications earned. However, regardless of starting salary, a computer technician career offers high growth potential. With that in mind, we recently spoke to computer technician Mike Petry about the average salary for a computer technician, the job description of a computer technician, a computer technician starting salary, and computer technician qualifications.

In addition to all his "teching," Mike also writes a blog about his computer technician career called "CRS-Caffeinated and Requiring Sugar" at fine12.blogspot.com. If you're wondering about computer technician starting salaries, the average salary for computer technician professionals, or how to embark on a computer technician career, don't miss this interview with a self-made pro.

“If you find a job you love, then you’ll never work a day in your life." I don't remember where I heard this first, but I think Confucius said the same thing centuries ago. Yet, according a recent survey by CareerBuilder.com and the Walt Disney Corporation, very few Americans are actually living their dream job. In this co-sponsored survey, a whopping 84 percent of those responding said they were not working their dream job description (as reported on msnbc.msn.com).

Which people were living their dream job description? 35 percent of police and firefighters say they are living their dream jobs. Further down the list, 32 percent of teachers, 28 percent of real estate agents and 25 percent of engineers claim to be living their dream job description.

By contrast, only 9 percent of those working in food /hotel services/manufacturing and 10 percent in retail are living their dream job. More surprisingly, a dream job description is rarely based on an annual salary, only 12 percent in the survey ranked high salary as an important requirement of a dream job.

Is salary important to your dream job? Find out how yours compares with our salary survey.

I was excited to wake up today and see an article about PayScale in the New York Times. Together with a recent article in Business 2.0 magazine, PayScale has been getting very good press lately.

As a person born just across the river in New Jersey, The New York Times has always represented the height of newspaper publishing to me. While it is great to be quoted in The Province (Vancouver, BC), seeing such a prominent article in the NYT says PayScale is real to my friends and family back east.

While the New York Times article was fair in describing the strengths and weaknesses of PayScale and our competitors, one small item annoyed me. As regular readers will suspect, the issue of CEO salaries in New York City touched on my obsession with mean vs. median.

Before reading another pedantic post on statistics, why not take a couple minutes to compare your salary using PayScale's salary calculator, as seen in the New York Times!

Name: Russell Bailyn
Job Title: Financial Advisor and Wealth Manager
Where: New York, NY
Employer: Premier Financial Advisors, an independent financial planning & investment advisory firm.
Years of Experience as a Financial Advisor: 5
Education: Bachelor of Science from New York University. I’m also on my way to becoming a Certified Financial Planner (CFP).
Salary: While I prefer not to disclose my specific financial advisor salary, I’d estimate the average salary of a financial advisor (who is established) to be in the ballpark of $100K-$200K.

Career as a Financial Advisor

IRA’s, 401k’s, IPO’s…. Unless you’re a do-it-yourselfer, or planning to become a financial advisor, the world of finance can be intimidating. Enter Russell Bailyn. In addition to his career as a financial advisor and wealth manager, he has written a blog (and a forthcoming book) on the biz. He recently gave us his outlook on the average salary of a financial advisor and what it's like to have a career as a financial advisor.

He also gave us tips on how to become a financial advisor, choosing a financial advisor, and developing a successful career as a financial advisor. In regards to the average salary of a financial advisor, he explained how commissions and fees come into play.

Being a financial advisor involves more than just crunching numbers. If you're interested in helping clients meet their financial goals, a career as a financial advisor may be just right. Keep reading to find out more about how to become a financial advisor and what factors will impact the average salary of a financial advisor.