January saw an improvement in the health of the U.S. manufacturing sector for the first time since April 2023, according to S&P Global. Although only marginal, overall growth was supported by a return to expansion in new orders and a slower contraction in output. Greater transportation costs…
Majority of Employees Expect an Increase in Hiring for AI-Specific Roles in the Next Two Years
Eighty-six percent of those who make or influence hiring decisions say it’s challenging to fill open roles, while 90% of employees say more perks related to upskilling would encourage them to stay with their current employer, according to a survey of more than 2,100 professionals across the U.S.,…
The Latest From Your Colleagues on ASA Central
ASA Central—the dynamic online community just for staffing professionals—is home to more than 27,000 staffing professional profiles and countless ongoing industry conversations. This week, take a look at your colleagues’ discussions and some of the blogs they’ve posted on ASA Central: Indemnification and insurance terms in client contracts Training new recruiters and salespeople What paid…
Fed Keeps Rates Steady While Powell Says March Cut Unlikely
The U.S. Federal Reserve held interest rates steady for a fourth straight meeting and signaled an openness to cut them, though it is in no rush to do so. In a statement Wednesday, the central bank’s policy-making Federal Open Market Committee said it “does not expect it will be appropriate to…
More Than Half of Employees Rate Their Company’s Wellbeing Support as Average or Poor
Almost a quarter of the U.S. workforce (23%) is actively seeking new employment due to employee wellbeing-related factors, according to a survey of 1,000 employees by employee engagement platform Reward Gateway. Forty-one percent feel overworked and underpaid, 33% feel burnt out, 24% do not feel…
Plan for These Free Upcoming ASA Webinars
The next few weeks will be full of free education from ASA. These upcoming ASA webinars can help you consistently fill your sales pipeline, prepare to capitalize on industry trends in the year ahead, and more. Feb. 6—”ASA and the Industry in 2024—Your Industry Forecast for the Year Ahead“ Hear about key issues, trends, and…
USCIS Announces Strengthened Integrity Measures for H-1B Visa Program
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has announced a final rule to strengthen the integrity of and reduce the potential for fraud in the H-1B registration process, including by reducing the potential for gaming the registration system and ensuring each beneficiary would have the same chance…
New York Enacts Sweeping Changes to Independent Contractor Arrangements
New York State’s Freelance Isn’t Free Act imposes contract, payment, recordkeeping, and antidiscrimination requirements on companies that hire freelancers. The act is broad in its scope. Any independent contractor hired for services of $800 or more is a freelance worker under the act. All…
The Law and You—Religious Accommodation Requests Pose New Challenges
The U.S. Supreme Court’s recent reversal of religious accommodation request de minimis standards presents burgeoning challenges for staffing firm employers. The court ruled last year that employers may refuse an employee’s request for religious accommodation only when it would cause “substantial increased costs” to the conduct of its business. In the latest issue of Staffing…
Tech Salaries Plateau in 2023, Most Tech Professionals Open to New Opportunities
The average salary for technology professionals remained flat in 2023, according to the 19th annual Tech Salary Report by tech career marketplace Dice. The average tech salary was $111,193, compared with $111,348 in 2022. Nine in three (93%) employed tech professionals either are looking for a new…