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Employee Recognition Award: Haley Raspanti

Posted on Aug 29, 2022

Employee Background:  The Human Resources division of UNIFORCE Staffing Solutions is pleased to announce Haley Raspanti  as our latest Employee Recognition Program Honorable Mention.  Haley came to UNIFORCE in January of 2022 and she has worked with glowing reviews since that time.  Haley has relevant experience in the areas of recruitment, employee on boarding, organizational psychology, and employee relations.

Success Story:  Haley is currently working on an assignment in Northern New Jersey s a Recruiter for an international consumer electronics company that manufactures and supports business automation machines and visual displays.  In her role, she is responsible for sourcing new candidates, recruitment, and employee offer extension.  Our client clearly values Haley as an essential member as she consistently provides the pipelining of sales and operations candidates in a fast-paced customer centric industry.  Haley has the unique ability to handle and recruit for a wide variety of open positions on a national scale.  The UNIFORCE team appreciates a positive and long standing professional relationship with Haley, and we wish her many more years of success in her career!!

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Why would anyone want to work as a “temp” on a temp job?

Posted on Aug 15, 2022

Temp agencies with a local presence in New Jersey and other states provide temp jobs on all different levels to employees seeking an opportunity that matches their career objectives.  Temp jobs are always in demand.  Businesses and health care organizations are constantly looking for employees, especially in an environment where the unemployment rate is so low.

In July 2022, the unemployment rate ticked down to 3.5 percent, reaching its pre-pandemic level. Therefore, in order to hire more employees, companies are adding temp jobs or long term assignments in order to hire people more quickly than they can with a full time hire.  The truth of the matter is that an employer usually can bring on a temp or consultant much more quickly than a full time employee.  A job seeker should understand that they can wait less time to get hired and start towards a temp or temp-to-hire career.

A temp job in New Jersey allows workers to be hired for a period of time.  Companies request temporary positions when they are in need of assistance immediately, due to a vacancy.  Hiring managers also don’t have to get approval from the central Human Resources process at times. In most cases, the temp job has a specific start date and possible end date.  Some reasons for the term or period could be due a maternity leave, a leave of absence, an employee resignation, or an upcoming project. 

Working through a temp agency allows all kinds of people to gain experience in the workforce. For example, a retiree looking to reenter the workforce may take a temp job to ease their way back into the workplace.  Furthermore, a college student on summer break may perform a temp job in order to build up their resume over those few months.  Temp jobs in New Jersey and elsewhere offer convenience to the needs of people in their current stage of life. Expanding knowledge and learning a new trade or skill on-the-job is only beneficial to a person looking to develop a career.. 

In full transparency, taking on a temp job shows an individual’s dedication because an employee is committing to a position for a specific period of time.  Sometimes starting smaller may lead to bigger positions in the future.  As one works diligently as a temp, employers will notice one’s strong work ethic. Working in a temp job provides immediate visibility and also gets one’s name out to other departments within an organization.  Additionally, more companies will notice one’s resume due to the additional experience and software skills acquired.  These experiences in a temp job will lead to connections with future employers.  Doors can only open for a full time position or internal promotion.

It’s important to understand that not all temp jobs stay temporary.  Some temp jobs in New Jersey and other states transition to a permanent (or direct hire) status. A temp-to-hire can occur when the company finally realizes that the temp is thriving in the role. A good lesson to learn why a job seeker would want to work as a temp is that “you have to be in it to win it.”  Employers really like to “try before they buy.”  

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Compliance is the key to a Staffing Temp Agency

Posted on Aug 03, 2022

Staffing Agencies have become an integral partner in the overall hiring process for most organizations. Talent Acquisition departments at these companies utilize staffing or temp agencies to supplement or augment their full time workforce for a variety of strategic objectives. When partnering with a temp agency, it is highly advantageous to select a staffing temp agency vendor that implements strong workforce compliance in the areas of employee on-boarding, payroll processing procedures, insurance requirements, and pre-employment background checks.

When a staffing agency hires an employee for a temp or contract assignment, that temp agency must adhere to the same policies and procedures as any direct employer. A temp agency should manage worker compliance by following all state and federal employment laws and policies such as the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) or paid sick leave laws such as those in New Jersey and California. Temp agencies must also comply with state employment discrimination laws. For example, an employment application cannot ask questions pertaining to a previous rate of pay or an admission of previous criminal convictions.

Additionally, staffing agencies must comply with all federal I-9 form procedures implemented by the Department of Homeland Security. The purpose of the I-9 form is to verify the identity and employment authorization of individuals hired for employment in the United States.  An employer or temp agency is required to inspect acceptable documents that validate employment authorization furnished by the employee. A temp agency that values full compliance should consider utilizing the E-Verify database, a division of the Department of Homeland Security, to verify work authorization. When using E-Verify, an employer is required to submit an employee record DHS verification within three days of the employee start date.

In order to complete the I-9 form accurately, an employer must, physically in person, verify those acceptable documents presented by the employee. Since the pandemic, the DHS has been somewhat flexible in the employer examination and certification of those documents. At times, they accept I-9 Notary forms where a licensed notary validates those acceptable documents. Some temp agencies, such as UNIFORCE Staffing Solutions, utilize a web-based electronic on boarding system that handle the processing of I-9 acceptable document verification remotely. Candidates can take photos of their acceptable documents (IDs) and upload them directly through the tool with a mobile phone. At the same time, a friend or family member can verify the I-9 documents in person. IP Addresses of both parties get recorded with the I-9 to comply with I-9 verification guidelines.

A temp agency that is licensed and operating as an employer in multiple states needs to manage payroll compliance with regards to state and federal employment laws. Some states like New Jersey, New York, and California require Paid Sick Leave Pay. These same 3 states also require mandatory state disability insurance paid by the employee or employer. Since the pandemic, California also requires COVID Sick Leave Pay. Many states require different minimum hourly wage pay rates. Additionally, some states like Utah require payment of the last paycheck immediately after the temp assignment ends. Also, some states like Arizona require the use of the E-Verify system.

Employer Insurance coverage is also a key element to a staffing agency’s compliance strategy. A temp agency should obtain the necessary commercial insurance policies to manage its own internal risk while protecting its clients by clearly and legally separating the lines of co-employment as well as the employer-employee relationship. Staffing agencies should consider obtaining:

  • General Liability Insurance
  • Professional Liability Insurance
  • Umbrella Liability Insurance
  • Workers Compensation Insurance
  • Crime Insurance
  • Cyber Liability Insurance
  • EPLI Insurance
  • Commercial Automobile Liability Insurance

A temp agency should also be able to provide its clients with an official Certificate of Insurance (COI) as evidence of insurance coverage.

Many temp agency healthcare clients, as part of their own compliance efforts, require pre-employment and occupational medicine testing for licensed medical professionals. In this case, the temp agency is required to run the following background checks in order to hire an employee to work on assignment at a hospital or medical office practice. Such background checks include:

  • 7 year criminal background check
  • 10 panel drug test
  • OIG Sanction Search
  • Education Verification
  • Proof of an annual TB test
  • Proof of Titers / Immunization
  • Proof of MMR Vaccination
  • Proof of COVID Vaccination
  • Proof of an Annual Physical Examination from a Physician
  • Education verification
  • Employee references

Some staffing agencies value compliance so much that they have their own internal compliance department to manage all these back office procedures. It’s also a good idea for a temp agency to obtain an electronic web-based on boarding software to digitally store employment applications and background check test results. A temp agency never knows when an audit can be requested by the DHS, a client, or insurance provider.

In summary, any reputable temp agency should operate its own internal risk management policy and maintain a clear and communicative direct relationship with its employees. The idea behind a strong compliance strategy is to protect the staffing relationship between the temp agency and the client while complying with all state and federal employee and payroll laws.

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