A Shifting Attitude towards Traditional Attendance Policy
Nearly every organization has well-established attendance policies addressing absences due to illness; especially those absences extended to several consecutive days. Conventional policy generally requires a doctor's note that specifically explains the cause of the absence. However, a new federal district court case in California may spell the end to attendance policies as we've known them...
Read More
Mass Layoffs Summary – January 2012
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics has reported that 1,705 mass layoff events occurred in January 2012. The layoffs affected 141,703 employees nationwide. The number of January events was an increase of 50 over December and equated to an increase of 15,728 initial unemployment claims over December's number. Each mass layoff event affected at least 50 employees at a single employer. Despite...
Read More
WorkSimple Released New Version of Social Performance Platform
A report released by the Economist Intelligence Unit has revealed that 87 percent of senior executives believe that workers lacking job engagement are a top hazard to their business. WorkSimple's new Social Engagement and Performance Analytics (SEPA) data mining tool is designed to help management gain valuable information regarding employee engagement and metrics involving goal creation and...
Read More
Family Firms Optimistic about Hiring Employees as Revealed in New Poll
The Annual Family Business Survey, conducted by the nonprofit Family Enterprise USA (FEUSA), has determined that, despite the slow economy, most family-owned firms are optimistic about the hiring and retaining of employees. The survey, a poll of 300 executives from as many family companies from a variety of industries, showed that 54 percent of survey respondents intend to hire employees over...
Read More
Payroll Tax-Cut Bill Introduces More than just a Tax Cut Extension
The new payroll mandates recently passed by Congress extend a 2 percent payroll cut but also include several other features that fill out the so-called Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012. In addition to the Bush-era tax cut extension, the Act also works to augment the work-sharing program. Employees having had their hours cut will now be allowed to receive unemployment benefits...
Read More
New Study Reveals that Majority of Workers Believe They would be More Productive Working from Home
Online-meetings software provider TeamViewer has released the results of its survey of 2,500 adults and found that 62 percent of Americans believe that more workers want telecommuting as an alternative means to standard office employment. Additionally, 83 percent of those surveyed believe that telecommuting is being used more often. The survey also found that 53 percent of Americans believe that...
Read More
Web-Hosting Provider Fasthosts Argues Why Smaller Businesses Should Work Closely with Tech Suppliers
New research from Fasthosts has revealed that nearly half (48 percent) of smaller firms make technology purchases while lacking understanding of how the technology will be used or if the purchase is necessary. Out of the nearly 800 small firms surveyed, one-third reported that implementing new technology such as software upgrades, tablets, and smartphones failed to noticeably improve efficiency,...
Read More
FMLA-Violation Liability Extends to Managers
A recent ruling by a Pennsylvania appeals court has created a precedent for holding individual supervisors liable for violations of the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA). The case revolved around probation office employee Debra Haybarger who was in and out of work regularly due to complications from diabetes, heart, and kidney disease. Her immediate supervisor, William Mancino, despite recognizing...
Read More
Construction Industry Job Matching System Recognized for Outstanding Results
Construction Connection, a job matching website focused in the construction industry, has been recognized by North Carolina-based Landmark Careers staffing company for outstanding achievement. The proprietary matching system utilizes company-created profiles on ConstructionConnection.com to recruit qualified candidates and create business-to-business connections. The streamlined nature...
Read More
How PepsiCo is Controlling Healthcare Costs through Hospital Deal
PepsiCo, a major distributor of snack foods, beverages, and other branded products, has entered into a partnership with Baltimore-based Johns Hopkins Hospital which sends Pepsi employees and their families to the hospital for certain surgeries; namely cardiac and joint. Pepsi is rolling out a plan to pay its quarter-million domestic employees to travel to Baltimore while also covering the bill...
Read More
CareerBuilder Affiliates Survey Workers to Find Their Preferences for Corporate Social Media Pages
Surveys conducted through specialized job-search websites MiracleWorkers (healthcare industry), WorkinRetail (retail industry), and Sologig (freelance jobs), have determined the information most valued by workers visiting an organization's social media careers page. The surveys additionally uncovered those social media behaviors that job seekers and employees hate. Each of the above industries...
Read More
Social Recruiting: Who's on First?
Social recruiting is coming into its own. In fact, we're even having arguments over which social network is the most effective recruitment marketing platform. Look at the statistics and they'll tell you...well, basically any story the marketing execs want it to tell you. Ask your consultant and they'll tell you that it's whatever social networks you're most comfortable with. Here, we take a look...
Read More
Department of Labor Reports on Average Hourly Earnings – January 2012
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that real average hourly earnings for all employees increased by 0.2 percent between December 2011 and January 2012, offset by a 0.2 percent increase in the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U). Over the same period, real average weekly earnings went unchanged over the month as the length of the average work week also remained unchanged....
Read More
Free HR Apps Help Small Departments Improve Efficiency and Keep Costs Low
For human resource departments working with smaller budgets, free and open source web apps can provide a range of efficient and cost-cutting utilities addressing needs such as systems management, applicant tracking, benefits management, and reference. Several apps, such as the one found on waypointhr.com, exist that help in managing HR systems and perform functions like employee record tracking...
Read More
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Reports Six-Month Job Hunts for Majority of Workers
Data collected by the BLS find that as of February 3, 2012 indicate that long-term job searches still lead the category. The survey found that, in January, over 19 percent of job hunters were hired within five weeks of beginning their search. Of the remaining job seekers, over 22 percent found work within a period of 5 to 14 weeks, over 15 percent took between 15 and 26 weeks, nearly 43 percent...
Read More
Creating Operational Efficiencies with JobApp: A Case Study
Recently, Checkers/Rallys Drive-In restaurants decided to enhance its focus on high standards by implementing talent management technology in the form of the JobApp network. JobApp is a phone and web-based talent management tool for companies with a decentralized workforce. It is an "all-in-one' hiring solution that integrates functions such as applicant tracking, behavioral assessments,...
Read More
Face-to-Face vs. Facebook Personality Ratings
Dr. Don Kluemper, Assistant Professor of Management, Research Team Leader, N.I.U. College of Business (Photo: Courtesy of N.I.U.) A Northern Illinois University's College of Business study has discovered that independent ratings of prospective-employee Facebook profiles more accurately predict subsequent job performance than HR-administered employee self-ratings do. The researchers also...
Read More
Succession Planning is so Boring!
Try this. Close your eyes and think of the words "succession planning". Now try not to fall asleep. Hey! Wake up! Succession planning doesn't have the flashy name that some other hot topics, it's pretty long-range and strategic, it's sort of depressing and it's very hard. So it doesn't get a lot of attention. Add to that the fact that there are numerous variables that affect even the most...
Read More
Final Rules Released Regarding Required Summaries of Coverage
The federal government has just released the finals rules and deadlines that insurance companies and group health care plan sponsors must adhere to in order to remain compliant with the healthcare reform law. The final rules require the dispensing of new compliant plan documents by September 13, 2012; changed from the original date of March 23. Healthcare plan participates are required to receive...
Read More
Unemployment Insurance Claims for Week Ending 2-7-12
As reported by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, initial unemployment insurance claims under all state programs for the week ending February 11 numbered 361,928, nearly 39,328 claims less than the prior week and about 63,000 claims less from the comparable in 2011. During the week ending February 4, the insured unemployment rate was 3.1 percent while the overall number of people claiming...
Read More
Feds Add New Benefits Regulations, Postpone Others
The Department of Health and Human Services has rescinded the Community Living Assistance and Supports Act (CLASS) due to its financial infeasibility. Originally a part of the 2010 healthcare reform laws, the act would have granted functionally impaired persons to remain in their own homes through the purchase of community assistance services supported by voluntary financial support from employee...
Read More
Could Job Boards Replace Recruiters?
I often hear the remark that job boards are the same as recruiters. If that is true, could job boards replace recruiters? Companies post jobs on Monster, CareerBuilder, and various niche boards, and many post jobs on their own sites in a career section. Social media has tackled the job seeker market in the last couple years, with new applications such as BranchOut and TopProspect, just to...
Read More
LinkedIn Tops Twitter, Facebook in Social Jobs Recruiting
In its recent Social Recruiting Activity Report, recruitment and applicant tracking software developer Bullhorn has found that LinkedIn is the most effective frequently used social media website by recruiters, performing above Twitter and Facebook. The new study focused on recruiter activity, not job seekers. Facebook continues to build popularity as a source for both job hunters and as a tool...
Read More
Benefits Administrator SHPS Creates PeopleSolve Advocacy Service
SHPS have just released its pioneering health benefits, HR, and Payroll advocacy service to help employees learn to better interact with their health benefits. For three years, a group of select clients used the tool to markedly improved results in both positive employee perception of their benefits program and overall satisfaction with their benefits. Clients also reported improved HR conditions...
Read More
Tracking Employee Time Leads to Increased Productivity Infographic Reveals
Information compiled by DeskTime's specialized Infographic has revealed that the use of a time tracking system substantially increases employee productivity. After analyzing data from over 1 million work hours the study showed that employees use non-work related programs an average of 12 percent of the work day. Such programs typically include social networking websites such as Facebook and...
Read More
Nice Work, If You Can Lose It: an Axolotl-Style Career Move
Getting canned is supposed to be like getting caned—a clear sign you've rubbed somebody the wrong way, gotten under their skin and are getting whacked for it. Yet, the recent otherwise under-reported story of the Fox Business News cancellation of Judge Napolitano's breathtakingly bold, indeed audacious and top-rated libertarian-oriented "Freedom Watch", suggests a very different,...
Read More
Nation's Largest Veterans Organizations Weighs in on VA Budget
The American Legion, the largest and most influential special interest group for veterans has recently called the recently revealed 2013 VA budget as "better than a Valentine, but well-short of Christmas." While the budget set aside for veterans has avoided the brutal cuts to be endured by the Pentagon next fiscal year, major construction projects will remain unfunded for year. However, the...
Read More
Spark Hire Introduces a New Way to Approach the Online Job Market
In an attempt to reshape the landscape of the online job market, Spark Hire was developed to allow job-seekers a way to find jobs, apply, and interview for jobs online. With the time-consuming nature of the job search process the primary consideration during the development of the service, Spark Hire gives users the capability to present themselves and interface with employers in innovative ways....
Read More
theFIT Debuts as a Career Site Like None Other, Revealing Workplace Culture as Reported by Current and Prospective Workers
New career site theFIT, developed with both job seekers and currently employed people in mind, wants to crack open the heads of current and future workers with provocative questions about culture in the workplace. The website is developed by recruiting and staffing software provider Bullhorn, Inc. While not currently debuting nationwide, theFit is now serving the job markets in Atlanta,...
Read More
U.S. Import and Export Price Indexes – January 2012
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics has reported that January's import prices increased by 0.3 percent; rising for the second time in three months and reversing a 0.1 percent fall in prices in December 2011. Both fuel and nonfuel imports contributed to the higher prices. U.S. exports also rose for the month, increasing 0.2 percent after having fallen 0.5 percent in December. Between June and...
Read More
You're Wearing That?
Personal appearance. It still matters. Even with the advent of video interviewing products like Ovia and InterviewStream or columns like this one from the Atlantic that talk about taking the "human" out of "human resources", there is still a premium on looking your very best. Never has this been more important. With recruiters, HR professionals and hiring managers scouring what they can off...
Read More
What Do You Do When You Finally Get a Job Order? – Part II
Recently, I wrote an article called "What do you do when you finally get a job order?" where I argued that this critical question needs an answer if a third party recruiting firm or staffing agency is going to succeed. I loved receiving feedback on the article, and I thank everyone who took the time to comment or to share their thoughts with me directly. However, the comments I received...
Read More
The Gamification of Work: Let's Have Some Fun
You know, talent management isn't all fun and games. Or is it? Making a game of management and HR tasks was the topic du jour there for some time and many companies --vendors and organizations alike-- are still trying to figure out how to use rewards and gratification to attract and retain employees, improve employee performance, and increase engagement. According to analyst Jason Averbook,...
Read More
Facebook: Bully Pulpit or Confessional?—Thoughts on Hiring an Online Ranter
What is the difference between what is said on Facebook and what is said in a confessional? In a confessional, sins are confessed to one person who will offer forgiveness and atonement. On Facebook, which is more like a pulpit than a confessional, it's different. On Facebook, you can justify, revel in and reveal your sins and secrets, to anyone who will cheer you on, and only them —or so...
Read More
IBI Research Report CFOs are Significant Actors in Health-Benefits Decisions
The Integrated Benefits Institute (IBI), a non-profit research organization that models and measures benefits programs, reports that CFOs are taking on a more significant role in healthcare-related investment decisions as it is better understood how the health of employees affects financial performance. The new research report provides data regarding the participation by America's CFOs and...
Read More
Workplace Issues Trainer Offers Programs to Minimize Legal Risk
The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) reported that nearly 100,000 discrimination complaints were filed equating to over $455 million in collected relief for victims. Charges ranged from harassment, discrimination, and retaliation. Fair Measures, that offers employee and management training via classrooms and webinars, is offering classes to teach managers and executives how...
Read More
HRO Today Forum's Workforce Congress to Focus on Global Job Growth and Workforce Policy
The sixth annual HRO Today Forum, held in Washington, D.C. from April 30 through May 2, is calling on HR leaders to collaborate to create new solutions to address the problems plaguing the global workforce. The Forum will bring together leaders in HR, recruitment, technology, and government to take a hard look at the challenges facing HR today. The Forum's main themes this year include job...
Read More
DOL Requests Budget for FY 2013
The U.S. Department of Labor has released its fiscal year 2013 budget request which focuses on job training and worker protection while remaining fiscally responsible. The request encompasses $12 billion in discretionary funding which is planned to be most heavily invested in programs that address the issues of training and job search assistance for unemployed adults and at-risk youth. The...
Read More
U.S. DOL Issues Final Rule on H-2B Certification Program
The Wage and Hour Division of the Employment and Training Administration, a section of the U.S. Department of Labor, announced a final improvement to the H-2B foreign non-agricultural labor certification program. The rule will alter multiple features of the program with the aims of ensuring that American workers gain better access to jobs and receive stronger employee protections. The H-2B...
Read More
Inova Payroll Introduces SMB-centric 401k Plans
With a focus on helping small and medium-sized businesses attract and retain talent through quality benefits packages, Inova Payroll is collaborating with DCM Financial Partners ltd. to create customizable 401(k) plans that maximize tax savings and retirement wealth while requiring lower employee and administrative costs. The approach is designed to buck the industry trend of offering only...
Read More
Post-Employment Practices Remain Important Despite Economic Improvement
The recent BenchmarkPro 2011 survey by Compdata Surveys has revealed that nearly 61 percent of companies have a severance pay policy. The proportion of companies with severance policies in place varies depending on industry. Companies participating in the survey revealed that the industries with the highest rates of severance policies were insurance and healthcare companies, reporting 71.2...
Read More
Mass Layoffs – Fourth Quarter 2011
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that private sector employers implemented a total of 1,638 mass layoffs during fourth quarter 2011 leading to the separation of 266,971 employees from employment for at least one month. Mass layoff events, which refer to layoffs involving at the separation of at least 50 employees within 31 days, were down over the year from 1,999 events and 338, 643...
Read More
The Big Implications of Big Data
What's trending? That's not a question you might have heard even five years ago. But as data becomes more widespread and access to that data gains access points in our daily lives, seeing a "trend" has become as simple as turning on your iPhone, checking your facebook analytics or scanning a word cloud. In ways that were nearly impossible for the recruiters and HR Pros of yore (yes, YORE)...
Read More
Premium Only Plan (POP) Service Provider, Taxfreepremiums, Offers Money Back Guarantee For Customers
Taxfreepremiums, a premium only plan (POP) service provider, has implemented several additions this past year, such as utilizing social networking, creating a blog, and offering free software with a POP Plan purchase. Recently, Taxfreepremiums has decided to offer a money back guarantee for customers who are not completely satisfied with their POP purchase. 100% refund is promised after...
Read More
4 Ways to Overcome Recruiting Obstacles in 2012
Recruiters have seen huge fluctuations over the past five years. Not only have the changes been economically influenced, but also technologically. Due to this, the face of recruiting has changed in many ways. Some are definitely for the better, while other changes have left difficulty in their wake. Let's look at four key recruitment obstacles and how you can overcome them: 1. Company...
Read More
Employees Want Better Chemistry
Executive job search provider TheLadders has determined in a recent survey that most American employees have little love for their jobs and employers. The study polled thousands of TheLadders clients and confirmed that only 11.7 percent of respondents felt that they had found an acceptable level of corporate chemistry and were "really happy" with their jobs. When asked about feelings for...
Read More
New Social Recruitment and Application Tracking Application Released by Vana Workforce
Social Recruitment, part of the core of Vana's Human Capital Management software suite, works to integrate global recruitment management for small and medium organizations. The solution merges multiple functionalities combining recruitment collaboration, social media job postings, interview scheduling, resume parsing, referrals, offer request management, and one-click hiring into one cohesive...
Read More
Unemployment Drops but Labor Participation Stagnates
With the unemployment rate falling to 8.3 percent in January, a 0.8 percent drop over five months, The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics has revealed that the result is due to newly employed workers as opposed to people dropping from the labor force. Labor force participation sat at 63.7 percent in January, a slight fall from the 64 percent rate in December due to revised population data from the...
Read More
