Human Resources

Ohio Unemployment Rate Rises to 3.7%

Ohio’s jobless rate increased to 3.7% in December, up slightly from 3.6% in November. See unemployment rates for all 88 counties.

Ohio added roughly 5,000 private-sector jobs over the month, including nearly 700 in manufacturing. The Buckeye State’s labor force participation fell to 61.9%, down from 62% in November 2023. 1/22/2024

HR Roundup: The Hardest Manufacturing Jobs to Fill

• One of the top manufacturing challenges in 2024 is finding skilled labor for technical roles in AI and automation, according to Manufacturing Dive.
• Ohio manufacturing added 1,100 (0.2%) new jobs throughout 2023, according to updated data, for a total of 690,200 jobs as of last December.
• OMA Connections Partner Fisher Phillips will host a Feb. 1 complimentary webinar to help employers navigate HR and regulatory changes in 2024.
• OMA Connections Partner Plante Moran has made available this on-demand webinar titled “Benefit Plan Roundup: SECURE 2.0 and Your 2024 Checklist.”
• The NLRB has brought at least 100 cases against Starbucks, alleging more than 1,000 illegal actions, often tied to union organizing, according to OMA Connections Partner Benesch.

Meanwhile, union membership nationwide — as a percentage of the workforce — reached a record low in 2022, the last year of published data. 1/25/2024

HR Roundup: Job Quits Return to Pre-Pandemic Levels

• Federal data show that as of last November, the number of Americans voluntarily leaving their job had returned to pre-pandemic levels, as illustrated by this infographic.
• According to a new survey, 65% of Dayton-area manufacturers identified rising labor costs as a top concern.
• A new study finds the cost of employer-sponsored health benefits has increased much faster than employee pay since the late 1980s, and likely reduced wages by an average of about $9,000 a year by 2019.
• More than half (51%) of workers say fully paid health insurance premiums top their benefits wish list, a CNBC survey finds. (Gen Z workers value free food just as much as fully paid health care premiums.)
• OMA Connections Partner Calfee has summarized the latest guidance from the IRS on the federal SECURE 2.0 Act and changes to employers’ retirement plans.

Meanwhile, the Manufacturing Institute reports the average hourly earnings of U.S. production and non-supervisory workers in manufacturing has jumped 5.8% over the past 12 months — the most since April 2022, which was a 40-year high. 1/18/2024

Election Season in the Workplace: Employer FAQs

It’s a presidential election year — and politics will likely make their way into your workplace. Brush up on your rights and responsibilities as an employer with this list of frequently asked questions, published by OMA Connections Partner Fisher Phillips. 1/16/2024

Ohio Manufacturing Employment Since COVID-19

It has been nearly four years since the start of COVID-19. With around 690,000 jobs near the end of 2023, Ohio’s manufacturing employment has largely recovered and held steady following the significant job losses of early 2020. Here’s a look at month-to-month job totals for Ohio’s manufacturing sector, courtesy of the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. 1/10/2024

Preparing for the Biden Administration’s Independent Contractor Rule

Businesses will soon find it harder to classify workers as independent contractors due to changes made by the U.S. Department of Labor earlier this week. The rule is set to take effect March 11. See this summary by OMA Connections Partner Calfee.

Also, OMA Connections Partner Fisher Phillips has published this guidance, which provides key takeaways for employers regarding the Biden administration’s new rule. 1/11/2024

Webinar: Reimagining Workforce for Productivity, Profitability

On Jan. 24, OMA Connections Partner CliftonLarsonAllen will host a one-hour complimentary webinar to examine workforce disruption in manufacturing, as well as creative strategies to boost productivity and profitability. Learn more and register. 1/9/2024

Ohio’s Minimum Wage Ticks up Again

The minimum wage in 22 states, including Ohio, increased Jan. 1. Ohio’s minimum wage for non-tipped employees increased to $10.45 an hour, the result of a 2006 voter-approved law that annually adjusts the minimum wage based on inflation.

This map shows Ohio’s minimum wage is becoming less competitive with nearby states. Meanwhile, activists are trying to place a $15-an-hour minimum wage on Ohio’s 2024 ballot. 1/2/2024

Reminder: Updated HR Forms Available

The OMA recently updated its HR guidance and sample forms for 2024. Revised documents include:

• 2024 absentee calendar;
• State and federal posting requirements;
• 2024 vacation schedule; and
• Workplace harassment complaint form.

See the sidebar of this web page for links to all OMA sample forms and guidance documents. 1/3/2024

HR Roundup: Manufacturing Openings Decline

• Ohio’s “Labor Market Review” for November 2023 is available.
• As of Jan. 2, there were 19,252 manufacturing job postings at Ohio Means Jobs.
• Nationwide, manufacturing has seen a decline in job openings from an average of 702,333 in the first six months of 2023 to 573,000 over the past six months, according to Chad Moutray, chief economist for the National Association of Manufacturers.
• As part of its labor law update, OMA Connections Partner Fisher Phillips has published this list titled “10 Essential Items on Your New Year To-Do List.”
• In a nationwide survey, 82% of hiring managers said job candidates are more attracted to companies that offer mentorship programs, and 85% of job seekers agreed.
• OMA Connections Partner CliftonLarsonAllen will host a complimentary webinar on Jan. 24 to explore the latest HR trends and strategies.

In other developments, OMA Connections Partner Dinsmore reports the U.S. State Department recently announced details on its proposed stateside visa renewal pilot program.1/4/2024