Briefcase

Employment: Friday best day for firing

Worried you might be fired? Then the best day to avoid your boss is on Friday.

That’s the day of the week human resource pros are most likely to give workers their walking papers, according to HRnext.com

In an online poll conducted by HRnext.com and its affiliated Web site www.BLR.com, human resource professionals picked Friday as the best day to let a worker go. Monday was second, at 24 percent, but the three middle days of the week lagged far behind, with Thursday getting 13 percent of the vote and Tuesday and Wednesday each receiving 12 percent.

A total of 2,350 HR professionals voted at the two polling sites during the week of May 13.

Friday was picked by the majority because it gives fired workers the entire weekend to “cool off” and receive support from friends and family.

But others said breaking bad news on a Monday or in the middle of the week meant fired workers could quickly file for unemployment compensation or take advantage of counseling or other services offered by their employers.

Salaries: Lifetime earnings focus of survey of MBA students

In an online poll of 1,426 people, MBA Jungle magazine found that 31 percent of MBA grads and students seeking a master’s degree in business administration think less than $5 million is the right amount to earn in a lifetime of work.

Twenty percent said $5 million is enough, while $10 million would do nicely. Five percent said $15 million would be the right amount, while 8 percent want $25 million. Five percent want to earn $50 million, and 10 percent hope to earn $100 million.

Regardless of how much money they want to make, nearly half, 48 percent, said it would take longer than 20 years to reach that goal. Seven percent were much more optimistic, saying it would take five years or less.

Motley Fool: Name that company

I’m the largest hog producer and pork processor in the world, generating 6 billion pounds of pork and processed meats yearly. I’m headquartered in Virginia, and I’ve brought home the bacon for my shareholders, as my stock has returned a whopping 28 percent per year, on average, since 1975. My brands include Lean Generation Pork, Dinner Bell, John Morrell Tender N Juicy, Kretschmar, Rath, Gwaltney, Valleydale, Esskay, Reelfoot, Patrick Cudahy, Patrick’s Pride, Pavone, ReaLean, Golden Crisp, La Abuelita, Ember Farms, MOPAC, Greaseland, Gorges and Quik-to-Fix. Vertically integrated, I operate farms with some 700,000 sows in America, Mexico, Brazil and Poland. Who am I?