Congratulations Corporate America!

In what can only be described as Corporate America finally "getting it," Bank of America has announced they are expanding their My Work program. Available to 23,000 of the Bank's 283,000 employees- and expected to double next year- the My Work program allows employees to work when and where they work best. They work from home, suburban telecommuting centers and home offices around hours that work for them and their families. Can I get a Hallelujah from the Choir? In an era when there's nothing but bad news out of the financial services sector, I'd like to send props their way.

And the thing is, this isn't a publicity play, nor a "feel good" initiative (there's no room in corporate budgets for feeling good right now!) but rather there's a real business case for these kinds of efforts. Bank of America reports increased productivity and significantly improved retention at 98%. It costs 1.8 times the annual cost of an employee to replace him or her, translating to real dollars saved.

And building out smaller, flexible suburban work centers where employees drastically cut down their commutes and simply plug in a company laptop and use a company cell phone? Wayyyy cheaper than the fancy downtown headquarters with sparkling fountain and marble lobby. Not to mention, the reduction in carbon foot print on drive time and commute time, a huge work-life plus.

Good work, Bank of America. Keep it up!

Salary Levels & Resources

Vickie Elmer, one of our favorite Washington Post business writers, recently detailed the lack of salary information in job descriptions. Vickie reports exactly what we're seeing: compensation levels are volatile and vary widely. You can (and should!) leverage resources like salary.com, but Vickie's team of experts also suggests:

-- If you already work for the organization, simply go to the human resources department and ask. This may work for some outside candidates, too, especially if they are finalists for the job.

-- Check recent job postings specific to the city and industry where you want to work and to your level of experience. Exclude contract jobs (unless that is what you're seeking), because their base pay is much higher. Recruiters also can be great sources.

-- Use Web sites to learn a ballpark estimate of market salaries.

-- Talk to people who already hold the job you want. Connect with them on LinkedIn or through professional associations. Ask for career advice and insights -- including salary ranges.

And keep in mind that salary levels are a function of supply and demand. In the Washington, DC area, there are thousands of unemployed attorneys and bill rates are showing it. But IT professionals with security clearances are still able to command competitive rates. If you've been out of the job force for a few years (for raising children, layoffs, etc) keep in mind that you will likely not make what you made then. It's math. It's the Great Recession. It's the role and the budget for the role but it's not you.