News and Analysis
U.S. Manufacturing Nears Pre-Pandemic Job Numbers
June 10, 2022Nationwide, manufacturers have added a robust 213,000 workers year to date, according to Chad Moutray, chief economist for the National Association of Manufacturers. That’s in addition to building on the 365,000 workers added in 2021, which was the highest total since 1994.
In his weekly report, Moutray says the U.S. manufacturing sector has 12,768,000 employees, with 17,000 fewer workers today relative to February 2020.
As of April, Ohio’s manufacturing sector had roughly 683,000 employees. 6/6/2022
Six Steps to Manage Remote Employees
June 10, 2022For employers with remote workers, OMA Connections Partner Fisher Phillips has shared this six-step management plan. Steps include deciding which jobs can be remote; approving remote locations; hiring properly; and providing employee notices and training. 6/7/2022
EEOC Opens Registration for Private Sector Training
June 10, 2022The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has opened its registration system for private sector training courses. The agency’s virtual workshops begin June 28 and include such topics as pay equity, civil rights and the pandemic, and legal updates. 6/9/2022
Webinar: Overview of Changes to Form 5500
June 10, 2022There have been several developments in recent years affecting the federal government’s Form 5500 series, used by employers to satisfy annual reporting requirements for employee benefit plans. On June 22, OMA Connections Partner Vorys will host a complimentary webinar to provide an overview of these changes and the impact on audits of employee benefit plans. Learn more and register. 6/9/2022
Study Examines Manufacturing Compensation Trends
June 3, 2022Most manufacturers have increased wages to attract and retain workers, according to a new study by The Manufacturing Institute. Nearly 90% of respondents said they have increased compensation and incentives. Read the full report.
The average hourly earnings for production and non-supervisory U.S. manufacturing workers have climbed to $24.78. Despite higher wages in all industries, the U.S. labor force participation rate remains below pre-pandemic levels at 62.2%. 6/1/2022
Ohio’s New Gun Law Takes Effect June 13
June 3, 2022Recent high-profile shootings have caused some employers to re-examine their workplace weapons policies. But in this guidance, OMA Connections Partner Frantz Ward advises employers to be careful to ensure their policies comply with applicable laws. Ohio law prohibits employers from banning firearms from their parking lots if an employee has a valid concealed handgun license and stores them in a privately owned vehicle.
Frantz Ward notes that Ohio’s new gun law takes effect June 13, permitting all qualified adults to carry certain concealed firearms, even without a license — and it’s “reasonable to conclude” that it will allow qualified adults to “store them in personal vehicles in their employer’s parking lot.” 6/1/2022
Four Ways to Rethink Employee Compensation
June 3, 2022As inflation and an unprecedented labor shortage continues to put pressure on manufacturers, HR Dive has published this list of four ways employers can adjust or re-examine their compensation plans. The list includes reforecasting health care claims, as well as increasing transparency to explain how employee pay is determined. 6/1/2022
USCIS Seeks to Reduce Immigration Backlog, Processing Delays
June 3, 2022Since the start of the pandemic, processing delays have plagued the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and frustrated many employers and foreign nationals applying for and extending their visas. But according to this insight from OMA Connections Partner Fisher Phillips, federal immigration officials are working to reduce the backlog. 6/1/2022
Webinar: Mitigating Costs of Employee Benefits
May 26, 2022On June 15, OMA Connections Partner GBQ Partners will host a complimentary webinar to address strategies to mitigate costs of employee benefits and manage risks. This online event will include updates on employee benefit trends, legislation and compliance, alternative funding, and pharmacy benefit management. This webinar qualifies for 1.0 hour of CPE based. Register here. 5/24/2022
Which States Have the Highest Quit Rates?
May 20, 2022Nationwide, the “Great Resignation” continues as 4.5 million Americans, or 3% of the labor force, quit their job in March. But the rate at which people quit their jobs varies across the U.S., as illustrated by this comparison by WalletHub.com. According to the study, Ohio is among the 20 states experiencing the least amount of employment turnover from March 2021 to March 2022. 5/18/2022