The holiday season brings us many joys: glittering lights, warm cocoa, and the ever-watchful presence of the Elf on the Shelf. This tiny elf has something in common with another entity that keeps us on our toes all year round – Human Resources. Let's see who does the job better!

Over the weekend I came across an article in the Labor Union News entitled "UAW Involvement and Support in Pro-Palestinian Protests Raises Question.” The gist of the article was that the UAW may be supporting at least some of the pro-Palestinian protests causing problems at many universities right now.

Gen Zers are outnumbering Baby Boomers in the workforce: The number of full-time Gen Z workers in the U.S. is set to surpass baby boomers in the first few months of 2024, according to a new report from Glassdoor Economic Research.

State of Michigan funding apprenticeship programs for underrepresented: The Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity (LEO) has issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) encouraging organizations who can help provide underrepresented individuals with access to life-changing career pathways through Registered Apprenticeship to apply for funding from the Michigan Statewide Targeted Apprenticeship Inclusion and Readiness System (MiSTAIRS). Successful respondents to this RFP will become...

EEO-1 reporting starts October 31, 2023: The 2022 EEO-1 Component 1 data collection will open on Tuesday, October 31, 2023. The EEO-1 online Filer Support Message Center (i.e., filer help desk) will also be available on Tuesday, October 31, 2023, to assist filers with any inquiries they may have regarding the 2022 collection.

The EEO-1 Component 1 (demographic data collection) approved by OMB:  The White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has approved the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s (EEOC) request to extend “Component 1” of the annual Employer Information (EEO-1) Report. Interestingly, the extension is for only one year rather than the normal three-year approval. 

Weight discrimination is subtle and real: Weight stigma is rarely talked about at work, but it pervades workplaces everywhere, employees and hiring managers say. Looking back, Michelle Matthews said she often internalized co-workers’ comments about her weight. At one work lunch, a teammate remarked on how much she was eating. A higher-up told her she needed to “show up physically as a leader” after she failed to win a promotion. 

EEOC Commissioners up to a full complement: Kalpana Kotagal was sworn in as EEOC Commissioner last week.  Kotagal, a democrat, was nominated by President Biden on April 1, 2022, and was confirmed on July 14, 2023, to serve as Commissioner, for a term expiring July 1, 2027. Kotagal joins EEOC Chair Charlotte A. Burrows, Vice Chair Jocelyn Samuels, and Commissioners Keith E. Sonderling and Andrea R. Lucas on the presidentially appointed, bipartisan Commission. Kotagal’s swearing in...

What stresses employees out the most these days?  Are the good times coming to an end?  According to a new survey of 2,500 business professionals from recruitment firm Robert Walters, nearly half (45%) of employee stress is coming from a lack of job security. 

VETS 4212 reporting is now open: The VETS-4212 report filing season is now open, and federal contractors and subcontractors should file if you have a current federal government contract or subcontract worth $150,000 or more, regardless of the number of employees. All covered federal contractors and subcontractors must submit their VETS-4212 report between August 1 and September 30, 2023, either electronically or by U.S. mail.  For more information click here.

WTW salary budget survey shows 4% for 2024: Salary budgets for U.S. employees are expected to remain high in 2024 as employers become accustomed to ongoing labor market challenges. According to the latest Salary Budget Planning Survey by WTW, organizations are budgeting an average increase of 4.0% in 2024.

Senate confirms Kotagal for EEOC Commission:  The U.S. Senate narrowly confirmed Kalpana Kotagal, Cohen Milstein Sellers & Toll PLLC partner, to serve on the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission on July 13th, a long-awaited step that will give Democrats the majority at the five-seat agency for the first time under the Biden administration.

Hiring managers checking social media to create candidate profiles:  Nearly 75% of hiring managers responding to a recent survey said they check applicants’ social media, results from ResumeBuilder.com show.  The majority said they aim to obtain answers to questions they can’t ask job candidates; managers said they most often look for a worker’s age, political activity, gender identity, and marital status. 

EEO-1 reporting delayed again: Looks like it will now be sometime in the Fall.  Due to the Agency completing a “mandatory, three-year renewal of the EEO-1 Component 1 data collection by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB),” the opening has been further delayed.  Last year the reporting period began in April with a deadline of May 17, 2022.  A final opening date as well as the opening of the filing support Message Center will be posted to the EEO-1 Component...

Time to update your EEOC “Know Your Rights” poster: The Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA) went into effect on June 27, 2023. The PWFA requires employers to post a notice describing the various protections under the new law. Employers should remove their old EEOC “Know Your Rights” poster and replace them with the updated version found here. You can also order the poster from ASE’s partner, GovDocs.  Login to ASE website to get the member link.