November 19, 2004

Cap Gemini, Paris-based technology consulting and outsourcing giant, is reportedly considering sale of North American consulting business it acquired from Ernst & Young in February 2000 for $11.1 billion in stock and cash; sale might not be able to reap $1 billion; decision to sell is said to stem from persistent losses at company and particularly acute problems at North American operation (M)

Public art is popping up around New York City in numbers not seen since early 1980's, when city began requiring that one percent of budget for certain city construction projects be spent on artwork; number of temporary public art installations has more than doubled to 49 pieces by 38 different artists in three years since Mayor Michael R Bloomberg took office; artists praise Deputy Mayor Patricia E Harris for trying to make artwork major part of cityscape; map; photos (M)

Workers in hair salons, supermarkets, restaurants, discount stores, call centers, car washes and other businesses are speaking out, and documenting, illegal practice of being made to work off the clock despite state and federal laws prohibiting such unpaid work; New Orleans hairdresser Trudy LeBlue describes having to clock out for many hours, so that her pay often worked out to $2.50 an hour; she and others describe practice that is common around country despite lawsuits against Wal-Mart and other companies; photos; Labor Department official Alfred Robinson says practice is one of most prevalent violations; fines and back-pay settlements in several cases noted; law requires hourly workers be paid for every minute they work, but salaried employees in administrative, executive and professional jobs are often exempt from overtime and law does not require keeping track of hours (M)

Mel Karmazin, former president and chief operating officer of Viacom, owner of country's second-biggest radio broadcaster, is named chief executive of Sirius Satellite Radio, whose pay radio service must find way to compete against broadcasters: appointment, like Howard Stern's impending leap from conventional radio to satellite field, is seen as sign of changing balance between paid and free media; graphs; photos (M)

Clyde Haberman NYC column notes that at preview of Michael Frayn's play Democracy at Brooks Atkinson Theater, number of cellphones rang loudly before curtain went up to remind theater goers to make sure their own phones were shut (M)