Online Community

ASA Central

A dynamic online community for ASA members to exchange ideas and best practices, and connect with industry peers in their sector. Visit the site ›
Find Goods & Services

ASA Marketplace

This powerful online resource enables staffing companies to find and access industry supplier information, products and services. Visit the site ›
Daily Publication

Staffing Today Newsletter

Your #1 daily source for news about the workforce industry. With versions available to members and nonmembers. Visit the site ›
Health Care Reform

Affordable Care Act Resources for Staffing

Up-to-date news, resources, interactive tools, and more—all focused on helping ASA members comply with the ACA. Visit the site ›
Advertisers & Exhibitors

Staffing Industry Suppliers

ASA has numerous and diverse marketing opportunities available to help you reach the rapidly growing staffing industry. Visit the site ›
Exclusive Products

ASA Store

From certification packages and study guides to marketing tools and data reports, ASA resources add value to your business. Visit the site ›

Just Released: Special Issue of Staffing Success Featuring 2015 Economic Analysis

The highly anticipated annual economic analysis of the staffing industry was released this morning by ASA. Each year, the special issue of the ASA magazine Staffing Success provides an in-depth look at the state of the industry, offering a comprehensive analysis of various data from government agencies and ASA.

This year’s special issue also delivers two bonus articles: “Sizing Up the Market,” which summarizes findings from landmark ASA research on how many individuals currently have temporary or contract jobs through staffing firms, and “The Faces of Staffing Employment,” which provides a deeper look into employee demographics. Start reading the digital edition of Staffing Success now; it is an exclusive benefit of ASA membership.

Resources Connection Inc. Reports First-Quarter Results for Fiscal 2016

Resources Connection Inc. News Release (10/07/15)

Resources Connection Inc. reported revenue of $148.3 million in the first quarter of fiscal 2016, up 3.4% from $143.4 million in the first quarter of fiscal 2015 (6.3% in constant currency). Net income totaled $7.1 million, up 31.5% from $5.4 million in the year-ago quarter.

Jobless Claims Fall to 263,000, Lowest Since July

MarketWatch (10/08/15) Jeffry Bartash

The number of people applying for unemployment benefits fell by 13,000 to 263,000 in the week ended Oct. 3, marking the lowest level since mid-July, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. The four-week average of new claims declined by 3,000 to a seasonally adjusted 267,500.

What’s Trending on ASA Central Right Now

ASA Central—the dynamic online community just for staffing professionals—is home to more than 20,000 staffing professional profiles and countless ongoing industry conversations.

Here’s what your colleagues are talking about right now on ASA Central:

  • Administering a managed service provider (MSP) program or managing outsourced contractors
  • Costs of complying with the Affordable Care Act
  • Staffing for positions that require security clearance

Join these conversations, start new discussions, engage your colleagues, and make valuable connections. Log in to ASA Central now.

To learn more about ASA Central, including how to update your personal profile,

access the free ASA On-Demand webinar recording of “Connect With Your Community Using ASA Central” and learn how to make the most of this exclusive resource.

Idaho Workers’ Compensation Rates to Increase Slightly for 2016

Insurance Journal (10/07/15)

The National Council on Compensation Insurance has proposed an overall rate increase of 0.2% for Idaho’s workers’ compensation insurance in 2016. The Idaho Department of Insurance will review the proposed rates.

Questions Remain About Social Media Privacy Rights During Workplace Investigations

Lexology (10/01/15) Hillary J. Massey

A recent Mississippi court case highlights the role of social media in workplace investigations. A case was brought against a public school and teachers by parents of a high school student who was suspended from the cheerleading team due to her social media posts. A teacher who had received reports from students that the plaintiff sent threatening Facebook messages to another student required all of the members of the cheerleading squad to give her their Facebook usernames and passwords. The teacher then inspected their accounts, determined that the messages were indeed threatening, and suspended the plaintiff from the team for two weeks. According to the lawsuit, the Facebook search violated the cheerleader’s constitutional privacy and freedom of speech rights. The appellate court concluded that the teacher and the school were entitled to “qualified immunity,” meaning they were not liable for the Facebook search because the law concerning students’ rights to privacy was not clearly established at the time.

While there is no qualified immunity for private employers, some states do explicitly permit social media access during the course of an investigation into employment-related misconduct; others do not address the issue at all. Employers should consider training managers and human resource officials who handle such investigations to be sure they understand the limits of their authority.

New Procedures at Connecticut Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities

Lexology (10/05/15) James F. Shea; Anna Matsuo

The Connecticut Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities implemented major changes to its procedures for processing discrimination complaints on Oct. 1. Employers will now have the opportunity to engage in pre-answer conciliation, which tracks existing practice at the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

In addition, the merit assessment review has been recast as a case assessment review, shortening the timeframe from 90 days to 60 days from the date of the employer’s answer. Furthermore, parties who hold a pre-answer conciliation conference will not be obligated to engage in mediation before a commission investigation, though they can do so if they choose, and the CHRO representative who conducts the mediation can no longer be assigned to investigate the complaint.

Strong Projections for Permanent and Seasonal Hiring in Q4

PR Newswire (10/08/15)

Full-time, permanent hiring in the fourth quarter is projected to be the most robust since 2006, and seasonal hiring is poised to outpace last year’s projections by a healthy margin, according to a survey of 2,326 hiring managers and human resource professionals by ASA corporate partner CareerBuilder. Thirty-four percent of U.S. employers plan to hire full-time, permanent staff in the fourth quarter, up from 29% in 2014. Thirty-three percent expect to add seasonal staff, up from 26% last year. Fifty-three percent of retailers plan to hire seasonal workers, up from 43% last year.

“Our study is reflecting a durability in the U.S. economy and labor market,” says Matt Ferguson, chief executive officer of CareerBuilder. “Employer confidence is widespread and the strongest we’ve seen since 2006. Hiring will continue on an upward trajectory for both permanent and seasonal positions, with pay expected to improve over last year as companies keep pace with minimum wage hikes and compete more aggressively for elusive talent.”

Employment Index Shows Significant Growth Over the Previous Year

Marketwired (10/07/15)

The TriNet SMBeat employment index is up 11% compared with the same time last year. Additionally, this month, the index increased 0.5%, moving from 200 to 201. The hiring rate index is the same as the last three months, with a value of 68.

The construction sector had the strongest month-to-month gain across all industries, increasing by 2.2%. Furthermore, the construction sector replaced the information sector—which had showed the greatest industry gains for six months in a row—at the top of the industry ranking. Other industries that performed well this month were the information and leisure, and hospitality sectors, with increases of 1.8% and 1.3%, respectively.

Job Seeking Goes Mobile, Along With the Workplace

Adecco Group News Release (10/07/15)

Job seeking has become more mobile, according to a study by Adecco Group of more than 31,000 job seekers and more than 4,100 recruiters from 26 countries. Among social networks, LinkedIn remains the most popular platform for professional purposes. Sixty-one percent of recruiters and 34% of job seekers reported this preference. The study found that being active on one social network gives a job seeker a 16% probability of being contacted by a recruiter, while using all five main global platforms increases those odds to 46%.