DEAR READERS: Today's Sound Off is about equal pay for equal work:
"Yesterday I discovered that a male co-worker was getting more pay than I was for doing the very same job. He's been with the company less than two years, while I have been here six years. We both graduated from college with bachelor's degrees. Why and how can companies get away with this practice?
-- M.G. in Florida
If you truly feel you have been the victim of discrimination at work, you can call the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission at (800) 669-4000 or the Equal Rights Advocates Advice and Counseling hotline at (800) 839-4372. You also can go to www.pay-equity.org/info.html for additional information.
DEAR HELOISE: If anyone calls about renewing your Microsoft license or charging you a fee for any service you didn't ask for, hang up. It's a scam. You don't need to renew a Microsoft license, and the fees they talk about are fictitious. The callers are liars and are fishing for your account or credit card numbers. Never hand out this kind of information to anyone over the phone.
-- Lana S., Troy, Mich.
DEAR HELOISE: Times have changed and so have resumes. Human resource departments get hundreds of resumes, but some stand out from the crowd, and here is how:
If you have an advanced degree or certification, make note of it after your name. Drop the "Objective" from your resume. It's outdated and shows us you haven't kept up with the changing times. The attributes mentioned in the job listing should be used on your resume. These are the words most employers are likely to search for. Link your skills to the job, and if possible, show how you used those skills in a past job performance. Do not list every job you had years ago. Employers look at that and wonder how old you are and whether or not you've kept up with technology.
Above all, make it one page and make it easy to read. No ornate or colorful lettering.
-- Jennifer N. in Dallas
DEAR HELOISE: If your baby's bottle has a foul smell, fill it with warm water and 2 teaspoons of baking soda, and shake vigorously. Leave it overnight. Wash as usual.
-- Bonnie T., Beaver Creek, Colo.
Send a money- or time-saving hint to Heloise, P.O. Box 795001, San Antonio, Texas 78279-5000; fax to (210) 435-6473; or email
ActiveStyle on 07/15/2019