Category: Staffing Trends

When a company looks after its people, the people will look after the company!  People are the most important component of every employment agency.   

Really, what is a business without employees?  Computers, copiers, cubicles…

An employment agency saves time and energy that a company would normally spend on the hiring process, with recruiters actively searching for qualified candidates.  With a large pool of candidates, many whom have already successfully completed temporary assignments, a temporary employment agency acts as a screener, interviewing a candidate for the required skills, knowledge and background.  A recruiter may find many candidates whom have not applied for the position via the client’s own job board.  The temporary employment agency will also handle on boarding, background screening, and employee payroll, again saving the client time and energy. They will also send the satisfied candidate – ready, willing and able to get started, after a thorough preparation and transfer of energy from the good recruiter.

A reputable employment agency builds trust and treats each client and employee with respect.  An employee needs to feel like they make a difference, and it is the employment agency’s job to offer this positivity through effective and timely communication.  Appreciation and self-importance, rather than just money, assures productive work and valuable contribution in the office or facility, adding profit to the client’s business.  A relationship needs to be developed between the temporary employment agency and employee, which encourages repeated job opportunities at their clients.  If an agency exhibits belief in an employee, that employee begins to believe in and care about the employer.  Trust and respect are built! It all comes back to the support and treatment of a worker as a human who will be more likely to remain engaged in the client’s position for a longer period, and likely transition into an eventual permanent hiring.

A temporary employment agency should keep an ongoing dialogue with their client and employee,preferably speaking over the phone.  It is imperative that the employment agency picks up the phone, rather than a voicemail, and really listen to that client’s or employee’s question.  Any employee concern and inquiry needs to be investigated and responded to, with a sense of urgency.  This procedure develops trust and a genuine feeling of concern and empathy. 

This follow-through company attitude eliminates ‘festering’ of an issue in the mind of an employee, thus reducing or even alleviating distraction from the person’s project at the client.  The agency also needs to demonstrate skills, such as keeping calm, being patient, and managing a fine balance during the client’s or employee’s crisis.  When an issue arises, time is of the essence.  Fix it! Ignoring it may affect the employee’s long-term on-the-job performance, and ultimately their satisfaction.  A temporary employment agency that understands this major issue gains a lasting partnership with their client and employee.  Take some time to read online reviews about an employment agency.

Payroll is another important entire process. If an employee senses a discrepancy with their paycheck, or one week’s pay is missing, an immediate negative reaction can arise.  The Payroll Administrator in a employment agency must respond with sensitivity to any distress call from an employee, with care and concern, and a warp-speed investigation and turnaround.  The struggle to pay bills is reality!   Again, using soft skills and a human element calms the fear of an employee.  It is vital to remain flexible with urgent employee change requests of tax withholdings, benefits deductions, and direct deposits changes. A staffing firm needs to be accommodating up to the hour before payroll processing.

A superior employment agency also may offer Health Benefits as an added bonus, which many temporary employees wholeheartedly welcome.  The Benefits Administrator needs to keep precise track of assignment’s start date, in order to initially enroll, along with assignment completion date, then must alert the insurance provider for timely transition into a COBRA plan.  As the next assignment begins, close attention is required for the eligible date to re-enroll the employee.  Some temporary employment agencies may have an even more robust insurance plan available for their very long-term contracted employees.  Another benefit of an excellent employment agency is the offering of an Employer-sponsored 401(k) retirement plan to its employees, with future employer safe harbor matching contributions.

A reputable employment agency understands which clients’ to match their employee. For example, those companies who share the same philosophy and respect.  All of these acknowledgements increase employee morale and company culture.

The best temporary employment agency is there when you need them, whenever and wherever!

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed how Healthcare is delivered in the US and affected the operations of healthcare facilities and medical offices.  According to U.S. News, from February to June, states across the nation have seen a marked loss in outpatient healthcare jobs in the wake of the COVID-19 shutdowns, with New Jersey and Rhode Island seeing some of the steepest declines for medical and dental offices, medical labs, home health care and other outpatient services.  The suspension of elective (non-urgent) medical care amid the pandemic and patients’ fear of exposure, had taken a toll on health care businesses.  Many offices sat open but largely idle because patients were too scared to visit the doctor given the risk of running into someone with COVID-19 in the waiting room.  Previously since March, only emergency surgeries were permitted to be performed; now elective surgeries are finally allowed. 

Fortunately, in July, a renewed optimism prompted a sudden surge and rise of elective surgical appointments. Employment agencies are noticing the trend. Consequently, New Jersey employment agencies have strongly stepped in to lend a helping hand to staff medical facilities as they begin to reopen with safety measures in place, in order to resume care and treatment of ongoing health needs that had been postponed.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of Medical Assistants is projected to grow 19% from 2019 to 2029, much faster than the average for all occupations.  The growth of the aging baby-boom population will continue to increase the demand for preventive medical services, which are often provided by Physicians.  As a result, Physicians may need to hire more Medical Assistants to perform routine administrative and clinical support functions, allowing the Physicians to see more patients.  Medical Assistants not only assist and prep patients in exam rooms, but also process patient flow and scheduling up front.  Healthcare employment agencies are answering the call with providing qualified trained and experienced medical staff in highly skilled health care areas, such as Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs) and Certified Medical Assistants.  An employment agency’s responsibility is to verify the license and check that a Certification is from a reputable organization.  In addition to reviewing credentials from states like New Jersey, the employment agency also performs reference checks. 

A healthcare employment agency also covers the need for flexible hours. For example, employment agencies provide employees who can work 2nd or 3rd shifts (evenings and weekends).  Many healthcare facilities operate a 24/7 office environment.

Additionally, as a matter of taking protective measures, medical offices are adhering to and following infection prevention and control recommendations tailored to their setting minimizing risks to both patients and staff.  In this new world, temporary employees from a health care employment agency are thoroughly trained to perform these task and given PPE in order to work next to employees.

With the increase in patient flow comes an increase in testing. In the medical laboratory and diagnostics environment, there is also an urgent need for Specimen Processors to process and test patient blood and specimen samples. In this role, employment agency employees not only read the results of various medical tests, they also receive the vial of patient’s blood, perform the test, and provide the diagnostic test results to patient by phone and email.

A healthcare employment agency is a viable partner to the medical community. They enlist a wide range of health care employees with specialties to satisfy the need for available pre-qualified ready-to-work employees.  The agency responds at rapid speed, as many of their employees have previous success in completing assignments in a health care office, laboratory, or hospital facility, for the employment agency.  This hiring activity can be placed in the hands of a reputable and established employment agency.

While there are difficult and challenging times for many industries across all sectors of the U.S. economy, fortunately there may be some positive news. There are signs of stable growth among companies that manufacture or produce durable goods or products (those we can touch). Those industries have always moved up and down with the economy, but consumers are still consuming products and business are still purchasing inputs in to their finished products.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (a division of the Department of Labor), as of August 7th, 2020, employment rose by 1.8 million in July, Employment in transportation and warehousing increased by 38,000 in July.  Manufacturing added 26,000 jobs in July, with both durable goods (+15,000) and non durable goods (+11,000) adding jobs, following gains totaling 597,000 over the prior 2 months.  In July, motor vehicles and parts added 39,000 jobs, which were partly offset by declines in fabricated metals, machinery, and computer and electronic products.

After two months of declines, average hourly earnings for all employees in manufacturing increased by 17 cents in July.  Average hourly earnings of production workers rose by 22 cents over the month.  Average weekly hours of all employees rose 0.7 hour in July to 39.7 hours.  For production workers, the average work week rose 0.8 hour in July to 40.6 hours.

With the demand for talent and employees who can help meet corporate manufacturing goals and customer demand, companies are continuing to partner with employment agencies to provide qualified employees at a fast pace.

There are many warehouses and manufacturing facilities that require a temporary employee’s skill and experience to fill an immediate need. These companies now focus on increasing their supply of temporary employees to meet increasing product demand.  Labor categories in demand are pick packers, shipping & receiving materials management, machine assembly, machine operators and production work.  Temporary employees will work right along with full time directly employed manufacturing employees.  The employment agency carefully matches employees who fit in with the company culture while finding the right talent for the right job.

Manufacturing clients of temp agencies used to only hire employment agency employees for projects originally viewed as temporary in nature, such as seasonal periods. But more recently, there has been an increase in the utilization of temporary/contract employees for the eventual filling longer-term skilled full time staffing needs.

A temporary employment agency provides qualified and adaptable employees, allowing a company’s production or distribution transition to run smoothly. This staffing augmentation tool works to the manufacturer’s advantage, keeping an ongoing work flow. 

Human beings are still needed in order to manufacture goods. Robots and machines have not taken over the world. After all, it takes people and minds to make and assemble the products we need and love.

While many people are unfortunately out of work due to the coronavirus and stay-at-home orders, employment agencies are constantly engaging their client companies to remind them that there is a huge talent pool of available candidates ready to return to work.

Smart job seekers have discovered that there is work being offered, even at this time. Even with unemployment at record high levels, and some equating this to a hiring freeze, the reality is that the job search is producing results. Partnering with an employment agency opens opportunities.

A recent study reports that one-third of all employees laid off during the pandemic have started new jobs.  Even as 11 million people were laid off during the month of March, 5 million workers were also hired in March. Active job seekers are reaping the reward of so many open jobs, preferring to work, over collecting unemployment (which eventually runs out).

This is a most opportune time as industries prepare to return to normal operation.  There are so many qualified candidates ready to apply for open jobs in companies.  For those people working in non-essential positions, it’s been a long three-month quarantine.  Now, especially for an employee who has had a prior successful relationship with an employment agency, there is a strong chance to be placed into one of the employment agency’s new positions, many of which may be available during this initial reopen phase.

Many companies will not be able to hire back so quickly on their own. A temporary employment agency will, with a sense of urgency, hire a replacement to reduce the strain on remaining staff, along with specialists in all areas of their medical staffing needs. The employment agency industry was established to assist companies with peak workloads and seasonal employment. Partnering with an employment agency gives it’s clients the ability to utilize skilled employees without the commitment of a full time hire and adding headcount. It’s a measured tool for staff augmentation.

Manufacturers of essential products are always in need of help.  This is where the employment agency comes in – helping to find the right talent!  These businesses are hiring, at warp speed!

The role of an employment agency is to create connection – between company and candidate.  Staffing agencies are instituting extreme measures to stay safe and protect their employees by ensuring sanitizing protocols at their clients.   The worker environment is going to change a little bit with the social or physical distancing.  Most recruiters at employment agencies are doing more video interviews than in the past, as ZOOM and other live video systems have become a positive method of connectivity of the hiring team with the candidate face-to-face, without the handshake and any potential exposure to the coronavirus, for businesses large and small, schools, families, and friends, in our new “current reality”.

When time is of the essence, a temporary employment agency is an asset to bring the perfect candidate through the door, or, during this pandemic, to your screen!

These are extremely challenging times and companies are requiring their workforce to move from a traditional office workplace to a remote workplace. Due to the recent COVID-19 pandemic, some employees are afforded the opportunity to maintain their role as a remote worker and work from home. Sounds like a win-win scenario, but there are other factors to consider when it comes to worker compliance.

When an employee works from home, it is important to remember that the worker is technically working from a home office in the state they reside. Consequently, the employer is required to file payroll taxes in that state where the remote worker lives and works. Such payroll taxes include:

• Employer paid State Unemployment Insurance – SUI
• Employer paid State Income Tax – SIT (employee tax deductions such as FUTA, FICA, State/Local Taxes)
• Workers Compensation Insurance Premiums from the labor category the State where working
• State Temporary Disability Benefits (TDB) mandated by the state

If a company is not already registered as an employer in those states where the remote worker lives, it should register with the state’s Department of Labor and Department of Revenue. Another option is to partner with a staffing firm that provides third party payroll solutions. A staffing firm or employment agency with an existing state account or registration can quickly on board the employee and handle the mandatory employer liabilities in the state of the remote worker. Additionally, it can be a creative tool to minimize headcount, if necessary, during these financially challenging times. Many CFOs keep an extensive eye on monthly headcount to monitor:

• Financial and Business Planning
• Censuses for Employee Benefits and eligibility (health benefits, 401(k) discrimination testing)
• New Federal laws requiring employer benefits actions with regards to sick leave, family paid leave, and unemployment benefits eligibility due to COVID- 19 and the new FAMILIES FIRST CORONAVIRUS RESPONSE ACT (FFCRA).

It’s also a good time to review those 1099 Independent Contractors who’ve been sent to work from home. A remote worker that 100% relies upon the business of the client, may technically be an employee and not an Independent Contractor. It may be a good time to question whether that worker can provide billable services as a 1099 or should rather transition to an official W-2 employee. Staffing firms can also provide third-party payroll solutions when it comes to 1099 Independent Contractor worker compliance. The employment agency will become the legal employer of record and convert the 1099 to an employee. Now the States that can get their share of taxes and State Unemployment Insurance contributions.

While companies are doing what they can to retain existing employees as remote workers, employer should factor in worker compliance issues that may resurrect as other issues.

There are several employment agencies located in New Jersey who provide medical or healthcare staffing for hospitals, clinical facilities, healthcare organizations, and medical offices.  But in today’s world, it is imperative for employment agencies to follow the careful healthcare and HIPAA compliance guidelines in order maintain critical patient safety standards.  Such policy examples include personal background checks, employment verifications, educational searches, and validation of all required up-to-date Certifications and Licenses.  After all, the employment agency is the legal employer of record.

In recent years, healthcare facilities such as hospitals, physician practices, and outpatient centers are ever more requiring a long list of pre-employment tests which comply with patient care and safety standards.  It is to a healthcare organization’s advantage to align with a healthcare employment agency that has a solid compliance process and infrastructure consisting of testing providers and recordkeeping.  An agency that consistently verifies its temporary/contract employees in accordance with hospital standards aligns its workforce with the same standards as full time hospital staff and also provides risk management.   When an organization intends to hire the temporary employee as one of its own staff (known as a temp-to-hire), it needs to ensure that the candidate has a diploma, license, certificate, or simply the health record to comply with HIPAA standards and create an environment of safety and security for patients. 

Take a look at these 20 pre-employment tests that a healthcare employment agency will provide for its clients.  

1. Seven-year Criminal Background Check Report.
2. Criminal background checks, including an OIG (Office of Inspector General) search.  This investigation will discover and alleviate fraud and discover if a person whom has worked anywhere outside of the US has any offenses of the laws and regulations, whether criminal, civil, misconduct, or administrative.  This protects any falsifications when attempting to work in the US.
3. SAM (System for Award Management of the Federal Government) which checks the exclusion list of those individuals or organizations.  (e.g. Registered Sex Offender, cancer research and heart testing programs, or maternity research to help women in the future.)
4. OFAC (Office of Foreign Assets Control) is a Social Security trace of individuals’ names associated with a SSA number, even if one has moved to or employed in different cities or states within the US, including reversal of first and last names.  All links to a SSA number is traceable and tracked during one’s whole life.  It reaches beyond 7-year criminal background check and includes fraud pertaining to a stolen SSA.
5. I-9 Verification of Government Approved Documents, utilizing e-Verify to compare Government records, provides confirmation that an individual is authorized to work in the US.  An employment Agency can request inquiry into USCIS Immigration system for remote candidates.
6. MDI (Master Death Index) is the SSA’s database search.  This is to prevent usage of a deceased person’s SSA number.  
7. Employer Verification.  This advises where an employee has worked with dates in order to compare to the resume, along with References verified by a 3^rd party.
8. Educational Verification.  With direct contact to schools, transcripts and the actual diploma are obtained, in order to avoid falsification of diplomas or lack of required coursework or certification.
9. Current BLS (Basic Life Support). 
10. Even for non-clinical positions, since 2015’s law changes, Nurses may validate their knowledge to employers and patients by repeating ALS and BLS annual.
11. For eligibility, a Certified Medical Assistant not only needs to have taken courses and classes, but have passed the rigorous CMA State Board Certification Exam.  The NJ Agency calls the school for verification, as well as a reputable 3^rd party, to provide proof of credentials.
12. In order to become a Registered Nurse, passing the NCLEX Nursing Exam.  RN and BSN is now a requirement.
13. License suspensions, their reasons, probations served, and reactivations are verifiable.
14. Hospital tests include MMR Titer and Varicella Titer 
15. 10-panel Urine Test screens and detects 100% of every type of drug.   
16. Hepatitis requires H #1 and H #2 tests (better known as PPD).  Part #1 is performed in 3 days requiring an arm read, then a wait of 8 days until it is planted, later it is repeated as a false negative or false positive can exist.  If positive, chest X-ray may indicate the person contracted it in the past, but is currently inactive.
17. The FIT test monitors physical respiratory which registers breathing into a mask.
18. Vision test.
19. Skills Testing confirms that the candidate has acquired and will demonstrate the specific skills which the client requires, even for non-clinical candidates.
20. Self-learning tests are required by HIPPA for all temporary or full time staff.

It is the responsibility of a disciplined New Jersey healthcare employment agency to naturally conduct these important tests promptly for each candidate.  It is equally important to explain to the candidate in person all the policies, procedures and on-the-job conduct expected.  These effective trainings help educate and prevent any future violations of the temporary/contract employee once on site, and continually comply with HIPAA.  Why not make the perfect healthcare employee new hire early in the process?

The busy holidays are upon us, and temporary employees will play a vital role helping companies meet the demands of the holiday season.  Temps work on long-term assignments through the temporary staffing agency, lasting longer than the client initially thought would be required.  A temp agency should understand worker compliance issues such as co-employment and advise its clients to refrain from inviting their temps to participate in various company holiday events.

1. The Office Holiday Party

Companies view the holidays as an office get-together time, sometimes inside or outside of the office.  A temp agency recommends that its clients not invite its employees to the holiday parties.  After all, the temp agency is the employee’s employer of record.  A temp agency is retained for it’s professional staffing services. Let the agency provide the work for hire services. We’re not good at providing socialites or party goer “stand ins.”

2. The Company Holiday Luncheon

Many companies reserve department luncheons outside of the office, at a restaurant or catering hall.  Such a task requires transporting the temp ‘to and from’ a venue in a car – either in the company’s employee vehicle or the temp’s own car.  Adding alcohol to the mix serves as an opportunity for a car accident.  Even if a luncheon is held inside the company’s boardroom or cafeteria, injuries from hot spills of foods and beverages by servers can occur.  Accidents not only cost the temp agency, but why share the legal liability. Instead, treat your temp to free holiday lunch in their cubicle!

3. The Office Holiday Grab Bag Gift Exchange

While exchanging gifts is a nice way to show your appreciation to coworkers during the holiday season, it can make a temporary employee feel awkward, especially if they don’t know company employees that well or their finances are already stretched to the limit.  Don’t feel bad excluding temps because they’ll breathe a sigh of relief and not feel pressured to participate.  Instead, the temp agency suggests your company conceive its own discreet Secret Santa, or, better yet, a recipe card of pics and instructions, tossed into a bin to share and try out at home.  Who knew sitting at the next desk could be a covert chef that can concoct a decadent dish for all to share!  Yumm!

4. Public Acknowledgement by the Company

A temp agency can request its client to provide a few achievements of the temporary employee during the holidays for recognition on the staffing agency’s website or Facebook page (the temp’s official employer of record).  Showing appreciation is a nice way for a company to treat a temporary employee during the holidays.  Everyone needs a positive boost now and then!

5. Company Thank You Letter

A temp agency may ask its client to write a simple personalized “Thank You” letter to the temporary employee during the holidays for the work and progress in supporting the company’s bottom line.  The note should offer positive and constructive comments, reiterate the company mission, and give the name of an employee to turn to with any on-the-job questions or concerns.  Gratitude!

There is more than one way to thank a temporary employee during the holiday season. While holiday parties are usually the common outlet for employee appreciation during the holidays, utilizing a personal “thank you” approach can make the difference and keep your company in compliance with the temp agency.