In a typical contract staffing situation, a company utilizes the services of a worker for a specific amount of time and outsources the employment of that worker to a third party. That third party is often referred to as the Employer of Record and serves as the W-2 employer for that worker.  As the Employer of Record, the third party takes on the legal liability and the responsibility for the following employment…

There's a lot of good news about contract staffing as 2011 comes to a close.

Citing data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Staffing Industry Analysts has reported that the number of contract/temporary workers increased by 22,300 in November, bringing the total of…

Having trouble finding candidates willing to relocate? Well, according to a recent article from Human Resource Executive, you need look no further than the youngest crop of workers.

According to the article, where previous generations, particularly Generation X, have been reluctant to relocate, Millennials have been willing, if not eager to pick up and…

Contract staffing is a great way to supplement your direct-hire placements with a steady stream of income. But why should you give away part of that income to a contract staffing back-office? Well, there are a number of reasons, and just for fun, we'll count down the top 10 reasons for you, Letterman-style:

10. No more employee questions or issues

9. Stop worrying about missing payroll

8. Stop worrying about whether a client will pay to cover the payroll…

With unemployment remaining steady around nine percent, the perception is that companies simply aren't hiring. But there are in fact many companies that say they are interested in hiring, but can't find workers with the right skills.

How can that be when, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there are 4.7 unemployed people for every vacant job? In a previous blog post, we talked about how employers are asking recruiters for more candidates…

While the recession has supposedly been over for quite some time, many people are still feeling its effects. And it is quite possible that Baby Boomers are having the hardest time bouncing back.

A recent U.S. News & World Report article examines "The Recession's Impact…

Despite getting off to a slow start, the H-1B visa cap for fiscal year 2012 was reached on Nov. 22, so U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is no longer accepting petitions.

H-1B visas allow employers to hire foreign workers with…

Using a contract staffing back-office is a great way to reap the benefits of placing contractors without the hassle and risk that comes with employing those contractors.  The question is, which contract staffing back-office should you entrust to be Employer of Record for your contractors?

Obviously, you want a back-office that has been in business for a long time and has a good reputation.  But beyond those basics, here are a few…

It's no secret that the days of women being the sole caretakers of the children and men being the sole breadwinners are a thing of the past.  But according to a recent article by Human Resources Executive Online, many employers are failing to recognize that men need workplace flexibility just as much as their female counterparts.

According to the…

Like they often do with unemployed candidates, employers tend to automatically eliminate any candidates deemed to be overqualified. Employers assume that overqualified candidates will not be satisfied and, as a result, will not stick around long.  

But according to a recent Business News…

In the world of staffing, the words "temp" and "contractor" are often used interchangeably. But in our experience, there are some differences between the two.

The word "temp" conjures up the old stereotype of the lower paid worker provided by a staffing agency. Temps often fill in for employees on vacation or to bridge the gap while a company replaces someone who has quit. Companies also turn to temps for…

California has passed a new law prohibiting employers from using credit checks in most cases, according to Workforce.  

Starting January 1, employers will only be able to only use consumer credit reports for:

• Managers
• Positions in the state Justice…

While many states are passing laws requiring E-Verify, California appears to be going the opposite direction.

The Empoyment Acceleration Act of 2011 forbids California, as well as any of its cities, counties, and special districts, from requiring E-Verify,…

As the crackdown on 1099 independent contractor misclassification continues to intensify, Congress has reintroduced legislation to help stop misclassification.

The Employee Misclassification Prevention Act was originally introduced in June 2010.…

Hiring is one of the hardest things companies have to do.  If they have a recruiter like you, they can skip some of the hassles, such as shifting through hundreds of resumes.  But in the end, the hiring decision is still theirs. How can they tell from an interview or two (or more) if someone is going to perform, has the skills they claim to have, and will be a cultural fit for the organization?

The truth is, many times they can't and they end up regretting their hiring…

Many of the questions we receive from recruiters revolve around the proper classification of workers as either 1099 independent contractors or W-2 employees.  One recent inquiry we received was particularly interesting, and we thought other recruiters could learn from it as well.

The recruiter in question works for a large firm. This particular recruiting firm has a standard practice of asking each contract candidate whether they would prefer to be…

The tough economy seems to have hit older workers particularly hard, and age discrimination claims are rising as a result.

According to an msnnbc.com article, age discrimination claims have hit record levels. Citing Equal Employment Opportunity Commission statistics, the article states that claims have risen…

It's no secret that the American workforce is changing.  More households have two working parents now than any other time in history. Both mothers AND fathers need time off to care for sick children or attend their school events.  And many of them are also taking care of their own elderly parents. Meanwhile, Millennials who grew up with cell phones and…

The IRS has decided to continue allowing businesses to use the High-Low Substantiation Method to determine per diem rates and has updated the rates under that method.

Businesses often choose to pay a per diem rate to workers in positions away home rather than reimbursing the actual cost of each expense. This is especially common with contractors because they often relocate temporarily for their contract assignments.  

The High-Low…

Over the past year or so, many people have gotten up in arms over job ads that specifically state that unemployed candidates will not be considered for open positions. Now the practice has caught President Obama's attention.

Included in the jobs bill that Obama has been pushing over the past couple of weeks is the Fair Employment Opportunity Act of 2011.  This act would effectively make "unemployed discrimination" illegal, according to the Society for…