Workplace Trends for 2015 #3

3.  Honesty becomes a revered leadership trait.  "Companies are going to start embracing transparency more next year as younger generations are demanding it.  Leaders won't just have to be good at inspiring and educating, they will have to be able to instill trust through honesty."

HRi:  We all encounter issues with honesty in the workplace from time to time.  How we handle these situations makes the difference in how our employees and coworkers view and trust us.  And, every organization is different.  In an environment where employees are forced into competition with each other, such focus may be at the expense of honest behavior.   Leaders should hold themselves to a high moral and ethical standard, leading employees by example.  Promote honest and open communication, ensuring the environment is free from rumors and negativity.  To quote Rex Huppke; ". . . a workplace needs to find honesty equilibrium - enough permissible white lies that co-workers aren't beating each other up for saying, "Those jeans DO make you look fat!" combined with a culture that promotes honesty."

Workplace Trends for 2015 #2

Trend #2 as reported in Forbes:

2.  More millennials are taking leadership roles.  "A few years ago, PayScale.com and my company found that nearly 13% of all millennials in America were managers already.  That number is expected to grow in 2015 as millennials become the largest workforce for the very first time."

HRi:  In late November the US Bureau of Labor Statistics predicted that millennials will make up approximately 75% of the workforce by 2030.  Now, in 2015, millennials account for the highest percentage of workers compared to Gen X and Boomers.   Adding to the equation, millennials are the most educated generation in history as well as ambitious and eager for career advancement!

Workplace Trends for 2015 #1

Over the next ten days I'll share the top ten employment predictions for 2015 (as reported on Forbes)!  Let's see how they fare with their predictions.  So let's kick off with prediction number 1:

1.  Companies hiring Generation Z for internships.   "While many companies are still trying to understand and connect with Gen Y (or millennials), some companies are going to be heavily invested in the upcoming generation, Gen Z.  Gen Z's, born between 1994 and 2010, will become a major target for companies looking to recruit interns next year."

HRi:  We all recognize the growing skills gap and many companies are faced with a workforce not properly trained for a job.  Students are not ready to be effective employees until they have experience with employment.   While internships do not guarantee permanent placement, they do provide individuals with an opportunity to work in a specific field and hone their skills.  Organizations may be able to partially close the skills gap and hire knowledgeable individuals. 

New OSHA Reporting Requirements.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration's (OSHA) updated injury and illness recordkeeping and reporting requirements went into effect Jan. 1, 2015. In addition to new requirements on what must be reported, employers in dozens of industries are now required to maintain OSHA 300 logs for the first time, while others previously covered became exempt.

Missouri Employers and Workers Compensation Retaliation

After a somewhat lengthy delay, I've returned to the world of blogging.  As time allows!

For Missouri employers, a note of warning.  The Missouri Supreme Court has lowered the Standard of Proof for Workers Compensation retaliation claims.  On April 15, 2014, in Templemire v W & M Welding, Inc., the Missouri Supreme Court continued its pro employee interpretation of the employment at-law doctrine by significantly reducing the casualty standard for a workers compensation retaliation claims.  Prior to this ruling Missouri law had long required an employee to prove that the alleged retaliatory motive was the "exclusive factor" for the adverse action.   Such as  a termination.

Marketplace Notice

The ACA mandates that employers subject to the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) provide a notice to employees with information regarding their coverage options, including those available in the Marketplace, by October 1, 2013.  The ACA added section 18B to the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) requiring all employers subject to the FLSA to send the Marketplace Notice. 

Employers must send or provide the Notice to all employees, regardless of whether or not they are eligible for or enrolled in coverage under an employer-sponsored health plan.  Therefore, employers must send or provide the Marketplace Notice to part-time, seasonal, or temporary employees in addition to sending or providing the Notice to full-time employees.  While the initial notification is required to be provided to all current employees by October 1, 2013, employers must also send or provide the notice to new employees hired after October 1, 2013 within 14 days of such employee's date of hire.

Pursuant to the Affordable Care Act (ACA), individuals and employees will be able to access health insurance coverage through a private health insurance market - the Health Insurance Marketplace - beginning on January 1, 2014.

Living Wage for Washington Vetoed

Washington, D.C.'s Mayor Vincent Gray on Thursday vetoed the so-called "living wage bill" that would have required big-box retailers such as Wal-Mart to pay workers at least $12.50 an hour.

“While the intentions of its supporters were good, this bill is simply a woefully inadequate and flawed vehicle for achieving the goal we all share,” said Gray in a statement. Formally called the Large Retailer Accountability Act of 013 (LRAA), Gray's statement said the bill would have harmed job growth and economic development.

The bill had set up a clash between the mayor, the bill's supporters and the big retail chains that was being watched closely by labor and other cities across the nation. Workers at retailers and fast food restaurants have been holding increasingly large and vocal protests to boost the federal minimum wage of $7.25 an hour. Businesses have argued that raising the wage would end up harming workers by reducing jobs.

Wal-Mart had said it would not build three of six planned stores if the D.C. bill became law. The D.C. Council approved it in July on an 8-5 vote, which is one short of a veto-proof majority. Major U.S. retailers, also including Target Corp. and Home Depot Inc., had opposed the bill.

The bill would only affect retailers with stores of 75,000 square feet or larger, at least $1 billion in annual sales and non-unionized workforces.

The bill isn't totally dead, however. Washington, D.C.'s council can override the veto with a two-thirds vote within 30 days, according to The Washington Post. That vote could come as early as Tuesday.