This week, ASA launched a new website intended to help employers make their businesses more inclusive for talent with disabilities. Developed in conjunction with the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy, the site includes resources on best practices for recruiting, hiring, retaining, and advancing talent with disabilities; what employers need to know about managing a diverse workforce that includes people with disabilities; and ways employers can promote disability inclusion in their internal and external communications.

It also provides information on commonsense workplace changes that result in more digitally accessible workplaces. This is the latest joint effort between ASA and ODEP, which signed an alliance in May 2020 to advance the employment of people with disabilities in the staffing, recruiting, and workforce solutions industries.

Visit the Disability Employment Resources for Staffing Firms at americanstaffing.net/odep.

The ASA Staffing Law Conference is the only event dedicated exclusively to the legal and regulatory issues facing staffing, recruiting, and workforce solutions companies. This year’s event takes place May 5–6 at the Grand Hyatt Washington in Washington, DC.

New and veteran staffing professionals alike will benefit from two packed days of learning and networking and the industry’s most reliable legal content for your firm, including sessions on the Great Resignation, remote work, and immigration enforcement. Take a look at the session descriptions, then visit staffinglawconference.net to reserve your spot and receive the lowest rate available.

The ASA Staffing Law Conference is the only event dedicated exclusively to the legal and regulatory issues facing staffing, recruiting, and workforce solutions companies. This year’s event takes place May 5–6 at the Grand Hyatt Washington in Washington, DC.

New and veteran staffing professionals alike will benefit from two packed days of learning and networking and the industry’s most reliable legal content for your firm, including

• “Remote Work and Return to Office: Legal Challenges and Opportunities”
• “Beware the Pitfalls of Well-Intentioned DEI Programs”
• “Trends in Immigration Enforcement: Hiring Preferences, Virtual I-9s, and More”
• “Your Next Headache Is _____”
• “Negotiate MSP Agreements Like a Pro”
• “Managing Fallout From the Great Resignation”
• “2022 Elections: State of Affairs and Predictions for the Business Community”
• “You Be the Judge: Top Staffing Cases of 2021”

See the session descriptions and register at staffinglawconference.net.

Don’t miss tomorrow’s ASA webinar “ASA Legislative Update: Higher Pay Rates Are Driving the Increased Cost of Nurse Staffing,” 3–3:45 p.m. Eastern time. Find out why the cost of nursing services has risen, how politicians have responded to stories accusing nurse staffing agencies of price gouging, and how ASA is responding in this session brought to you by the ASA health care section.

All ASA webinars are free for ASA members, and most qualify for continuing education hours toward ASA certification renewal. To learn more and to register, visit americanstaffing.net.

The ASA Staffing Law Conference is the only event dedicated exclusively to the legal and regulatory issues facing staffing, recruiting, and workforce solutions companies. Registration for staffing professionals is now open for this year’s event, which takes place May 5–6 at the Grand Hyatt Washington in Washington, DC.

New and veteran staffing professionals alike will benefit from sessions that will deliver the answers your staffing company needs to navigate new legal and regulatory challenges. Take a look at the session descriptions, then visit staffinglawconference.net to reserve your spot and receive the lowest rate available.

Can you offer solutions for the challenges that staffing firms face today? ASA is looking for experts in the staffing, recruiting, and workforce solutions industry to share their experience and expertise at Staffing World^®, the ASA annual convention and expo, which this year takes place Oct. 25–27 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

Industry experts, and business professionals in other disciplines pertinent to the staffing industry, should submit proposals for Breakout Sessions (concurrent, interactive sessions between 45 and 75 minutes long), Knowledge Hub Technology Talks (10-minute talks on technology topics important to the industry), or other Knowledge Hub Talks (10-minute talks on general topics important to the industry).

ASA also is accepting proposals for ASA webinars. For more information and to start your submission, visit americanstaffing.net/presenters. The deadline for ASA webinar and Staffing World Breakout Session proposals is March 31, and the deadline for Staffing World Knowledge Hub talks is May 31.

Don’t miss tomorrow’s ASA webinar “Panel Discussion: Women of Color in the Staffing Industry C-Suite,” 2–3 p.m. Eastern time. Find out how to advance diversity and inclusion in corporate leadership during this session presented by the ASA inclusion, diversity, and equity advocacy (IDEA) group. The ASA IDEA group is sponsored by ASA corporate partner Monster and by Anthem, along with supporting sponsors TerraFirma and WorkN.

All ASA webinars are free for ASA members, and most qualify for continuing education hours toward ASA certification renewal. To learn more and to register, visit americanstaffing.net.

Staffing employment continued its post-holiday rebound in the week of Jan. 10–16. The ASA Staffing Index rose 4.2% from the previous week, returning to triple digits with a rounded value of 101. Staffing firms cited Covid-19 as a factor limiting further growth. There were 13.8% more staffing jobs compared with the same week in 2021.

Growth in new starts cooled a bit but remained positive, with an increase of 2.6% over the prior week. Nearly four in 10 staffing companies reported gains in new assignments week-to-week.

“Staffing employment is showing a strong start to 2022, and the ASA Staffing Index has already returned above 100 after the typical year-end lull,” said Tim Hulley, ASA assistant director of research.

This week, containing the 12th day of the month, will be used in the January monthly employment situation report scheduled to be issued by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics on Feb. 4.

While 80% of employed U.S. adults consider an employer’s professional development and training offerings an important consideration when accepting a new job, just 39% say their current employer is helping them improve their current skills or gain new skills to do their job better, according to results from the latest ASE Workforce Monitor^® online survey conducted by The Harris Poll in late October and early November 2021.

“For employers looking for an edge in 2022, investing in training and development could make the difference in competing in the war for talent,” said Richard Wahlquist, president and chief executive officer at the American Staffing Association. “Employees are looking to employers to provide the job training they need to elevate their careers. During the Great Resignation, if an employer is not willing to train and upskill its workforce, those employees may begin to look for an employer that will.”

Job training programs put employers at a competitive advantage when recruiting job candidates from all generations. Among those employed, 84% of Millennials view an employer’s professional development and training offerings as important considerations when accepting a new job, along with 79% of Baby Boomers and 79% of Generation X. Seven in 10 of those in Generation Z (70%) share this view.

Read more about the results at americanstaffing.net/workforcemonitor.

This month, be sure to attend two free events presented by the ASA inclusion, diversity, and equity advocacy (IDEA) group.

Thursday, Jan. 27—Get insights and inspiration from a panel of women of color in the c-suite during the ASA webinar “Panel Discussion: Women of Color in the Staffing Industry C-Suite,” 2 to 3 p.m. Eastern time. Learn strategies to recruit, retain, and develop leaders from diverse backgrounds; get tips on how companies can advance diversity and inclusion; and find out about the effectiveness of allyship, mentorship, and sponsorship.

Tuesday, Feb. 8—Experience a live Coffee With a Black Guy session, 3–4 p.m. Eastern time. The program was so popular at Staffing World^® 2021 that CWABG founder James Joyce III has agreed to return for another discussion so you can learn how to have uncomfortable conversations, how diversity in race and perspectives can add value to the workplace, and how you can build better cross-cultural understanding.

Both events are free for ASA members and qualify for continuing education hours toward ASA certification renewal. To learn more and to register, visit americanstaffing.net. The ASA IDEA group is sponsored by ASA corporate partner Monster and by Anthem, along with supporting sponsors TerraFirma and WorkN.