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ASA Discussion Focuses on ACA Compliance and Costs

The final day of the ASA Staffing Law Conference, May 7–8 in Washington, DC, began with the event’s most highly anticipated session, “Health Care Reform Panel Discussion—What Are Staffing Firms Doing to Prepare?” Staffing professionals intently took notes, asked questions of the expert panelists, and shared potential scenarios with their peers as they considered their “pay or play” options under the Affordable Care Act.

ASA senior counsel Ed Lenz moderated the panel. He stressed that there isn’t any one blanket solution for the staffing industry when it comes to health care reform. “This is not a one-size-fits-all industry. You’re all different, and each individual company will need to closely analyze various factors to craft its best strategy,” Lenz said.

Among the many tools ASA has rolled out to its member companies to help them navigate health care reform is the ASA Affordable Care Act Cost Calculator for Staffing, which is featured on an ASA web page dedicated to ACA resources for staffing companies.

“The beauty of the calculator is that it should give you a fair idea of what your incremental bill rates may need to be” to cover the potential costs of ACA compliance, Lenz said. He described the “three buckets,” or cost centers, from which staffing firms may need to draw to cover costs.

Following the panel discussion, the ASA Staffing Law Conference closed with a lively question-and-answer session, which was dominated by ACA-related questions. ASA members may order recordings of this year’s sessions.

See the photos from the 2013 ASA Staffing Law Conference, and mark your calendar for the 2014 conference, which takes place May 13–14.

Heidrick & Struggles Reports First Quarter 2013 Financial Results

Heidrick & Struggles International Inc. News Release (05/09/13)

Heidrick & Struggles International Inc. reported net revenue of $103 million in the first quarter of 2013, marking a decline of 3.3% from $106.5 million in the year-ago period. The company reported a net loss of $1.2 million, compared with net income of $0.7 million in the first quarter of 2012. Net revenue in the Americas totaled $64.2 million, up 9% from $58.9 million a year ago.

The company attributed $5.6 million in revenue for the quarter to its acquisition of Senn Delaney, $92.8 million to its executive search segment, and $4.6 million to its leadership consulting business. Revenues declined in its consumer markets, industrial, global technology and services search, and leadership consulting practices, offsetting gains in its financial services, life sciences, and education and social enterprise practices.

Jobless Claims in U.S. Unexpectedly Fall to Five-Year Low

Bloomberg (05/09/13) Alex Kowalski

The number of people who applied for regular state unemployment-insurance benefits ticked down 4,000 to 323,000 in the week ending May 4, hitting the lowest level since January 2008, the U.S. Department of Labor reported today. Economists forecast 335,000 claims, according to the median estimate in a Bloomberg survey. The four-week average of new jobless claims fell 6,250 to 336,750, hitting the lowest level since November 2007, near the start of the recession.

Dismissals have dropped in 2013 as employers rely on existing staff to meet demand. Further advances in the labor market hinge on whether hiring will pick up, helping put some of the 11.7 million unemployed Americans back to work and giving consumer spending a lift.

ASA Introduces Certified Search ConsultantSM Program

The association’s new certification package, which has been specifically designed for search and placement professionals, is now available. The ASA Certified Search Consultant program focuses on federal employment laws specific to recruiters and on state licensing and registration laws applicable to direct hire firms.

Study tools, a practice exam, and the online exam for the CSCSM credential were released at the 2013 ASA Staffing Law Conference in Washington, DC, this week. To order your certification package, go to americanstaffing.net. For more information, contact ASA at asacertification@americanstaffing.net or 703-253-2020.