Human Resources

The State’s In-Demand Jobs List Updated

This month, the Governor’s Office of Workforce Transformation released an updated version of Ohio’s In-Demand Jobs List, which contains the top 266 occupations forecasted by Ohio employers, labor market data, job posting trends, and regional forecasts from JobsOhio’s targeted industries.

To qualify as “in-demand”, an occupation will typically meet the following criteria (at the state level, not the individual company level):

• Pay greater than or equal to $13.47 per hour AND
• Have greater than or equal to 230 projected annual openings OR
• Have projected annual growth of 50 or more openings

The In-Demand Survey is used statewide to guide workforce development, training, and education efforts to align with the needs of employers.

The state has an ongoing survey for employers to identify in-demand jobs. To participate in the ongoing survey, please email here with your name and contact information to be sent a unique link to participate. 7/13/2017

Prepare for an Active Aggressor Incident

In the event of an active aggressor situation, the Bureau of Workers’ Compensation (BWC), along with law enforcement personnel and the Department of Homeland Security, recommends the defense techniques: Run, Hide, Fight.

Here is information about these defense tactics from Darrin Blosser, BWC Threat Assessment Coordinator, and more recommendations from BWC Special Investigation and Security. 6/20/2017

Central Ohio Manufacturers: Opportunity to Engage OSU Engineering Interns

The OSU Capstone Project course is an industry-university partnership that integrates business realities into the curriculum of seniors in the Industrial and Systems Engineering Program. Project teams, comprised of 3 to 4 students, are supervised/ coached by faculty mentors while working for a sponsoring manufacturer.

Projects are completed over the course of one semester and the next cycle starts in August.

Potential projects that sponsoring manufacturers can assign to interns include: Process improvement related – Value stream map and De-bottleneck; Facility layout related for new or process improvement; Ergonomic related – Better workstation design; Supply chain analysis – Demand Forecasting, Inventory Management, Logistics Improvement; Financial analysis – Look at different businesses cases and provide a framework to help evaluate opportunities and payback; and more.

For more information, contact OSU’s Aimee Ulstad, P.E., College of Engineering Integrated Systems Engineering at (614) 769-4282. 6/15/2017

Off to Manufacturing Summer Camp!

Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) encourages Ohio students to participate in summer manufacturing camps that are organized by Brown’s office throughout the state to help young Ohioans learn about manufacturing jobs available in Ohio.

Now in their fifth year, Brown’s summer manufacturing camps help introduce kids and their parents to an up-to-date, real-world understanding of American manufacturing, while teaching them the role manufacturing has played — and continues to play — in building and maintaining our economy and our middle class.

This summer, camps are scheduled to take place in: Athens, Coshocton, Cuyahoga, Fulton, Geauga, Guernsey, Jackson, Jefferson, Lake, Licking, Lorain, Mahoning, Muskingum, Ross, Tuscarawas, Stark, Washington and Wood Counties.

Here is a list of the various camps, dates and contacts.

A major shout-out to the many organizations and manufacturers that make this happen, including OMA member Alliance for Working Together! 6/7/2017

Asking Job Applicants for Salary Histories? Use Caution.

OMA Connections Partner Frantz Ward recently posted: “… most employers currently ask job applicants for their salary histories. This is a reasonable question, and one that employers find useful to help attract and retain talented employees. Given recent legislative initiatives and judicial decisions on this topic, however, employers should tread carefully.”

And: “Even for employers who operate in jurisdictions that do not prohibit salary-history inquiries—such as Ohio—other laws may limit the extent to which such information may be used in determining compensation.”

Read more from Frantz Ward about this issue. 6/8/2017

PCORI Fees Due to IRS No Later Than July 31

Here’s a reminder from OMA Connections Partner, One Source Advisors: Fees to fund the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) are due to the IRS no later than July 31, 2017 from employers who sponsor certain self-insured health plans, including health reimbursement arrangements (HRAs) that are not treated as excepted benefits.

Employers that sponsor certain self-insured health plans must report and pay the required PCORI fees via IRS Form 720, Quarterly Federal Excise Tax Return. For plan years ending between January 1, 2016 and September 30, 2016, the fee for an employer sponsoring an applicable self-insured plan is $2.17 multiplied by the average number of lives covered under the plan. For plan years ending between October 1, 2016 and December 31, 2016, the fee is $2.26 multiplied by the average number of lives covered under the plan.

If you have questions about this or any other employee health care plan question, please contact Cheri Gillfillan at One Source Advisors.  6/1/2017

No Charge Drug-free Programming Offered in 17 Counties

In collaboration with the Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (OhioMHAS), OMA Connections Partner, Working Partners® is offering free drug-free Technical Assistance Courses in 17 counties across the state.

The courses are open to 5 businesses per community and will:

• educate participants on drug trends and legal issues surrounding a drug-free program
• guide participants through the process of developing (or refining) a state-of-the-art and legally sound drug-free workplace policy/program

Here is more information about the course, a list of the 17 locations involved, course dates and a link to the application.

If you have questions about operating drug-free or to learn more about this opportunity, contact Working Partners®’ Katie Lemke at (614) 337-8200.  5/15/2017

Obama Care vs. AHCA

Cheri Gillfillan, president of OMA Connections Partner, One Source Advisors, reminds that there are no new employer requirements at this point under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and it remains the law of the land.

Here is a thorough comparison of ACA (“Obama Care”) and the American Health Care Act (AHCA (House version) prepared by the National Academy for State Health Policy.

Cheri will keep us posted regarding any employer impacts as a result of potential new legislation; in the meantime, if you have questions about your employee health care coverage, requirements or options, please contact One Source Advisors.  5/18/2017

With Changes, Employment Bill Moves Out of Committee

After numerous hearings and amendments, House Bill 2, a bill aimed at mirroring Ohio’s civil rights law with the federal law, was voted out of the House Economic Development, Commerce and Labor Committee along party lines.

Opposition to the bill from the Ohio Civil Rights Commission, the Ohio Association of Justice, and others was dropped after a new sub bill was adopted.

The OMA and other business organizations were supportive of the bill and its purpose. Opponents previously argued the bill would weaken workplace protections.

The latest version of the bill made two prominent changes: language requiring an individual to file a charge of discrimination before the Ohio Civil Rights Commission before filing a lawsuit and extending the statute of limitations for such claims to two years.

You can see all the changes of the bill here.  5/11/2017

Can You Improve Your Hiring Decisions?

OMA Connections Partner VisionSpark, posts: “Hiring the right people is one of (if not “the”) most important decisions a business can make. The difference between settling for a 50/50 chance of success and demanding a higher standard can determine your company’s future. Using a strategic hiring system and behavioral interview questions can give you a serious competitive advantage.”

Learn more about the concept of “behavioral interviewing” here.  5/2/2017