“Pay discrimination is a real and persistent problem in the American workforce and an important policy issue. If our efforts are complemented by robust voluntary compliance by employers doing an in-depth analysis of their practices and how they apply in addressing issues, then that is going to make a real difference in people’s lives,” Pamela Coukos, senior program advisor with the Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) recently said during a March 22 OFCCP-sponsored webinar. Continue reading
Category Archives: Seekers
Unemployment Drops to New Low of 7.6 Percent, While US Employers Only Add 88,000 Jobs in March
There is mixed news, yet again, on the jobs front on the heels of the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) March jobs report. While the unemployment rate edged down from 7.7 percent to 7.6 percent, employers added only 88,000 jobs in March. This is anemic growth, and far below the average employment growth of 169,000 per month over the course of the past 12 months, according to the BLS. Continue reading
U.S Business Adds 236,000 Jobs in February, Edging Unemployment Down to 7.7%
U.S. businesses increased jobs by 236,000 in February, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ (BLS) February jobs report, bringing unemployment down to 7.7 percent (from 7.9% in January)[i]. This is a full percentage point improvement year-over-year, when unemployment in February 2012 held at a high of 8.7 percent. [i] While the unemployment rate edged down, the number of unemployed persons remains at 12.0 million, according to the BLS. [i] Continue reading
America’s Job Exchange Featured as Super Member Site of IAEWS
America’s Job Exchange continues to rank as one of the top OFCCP compliance and diversity recruitment job boards in the industry by it peers. Most recently, the International Association of Employment Web Sites (IAEWS), the trade association for the global online employment services industry which represents more than 40,000 employment sites that serve job seekers, employers and recruiters worldwide, featured AJE as a Super Member Site.
According to IAEWS, a Super Member Site is one of the sites committed to providing the best resources as it relates to providing job seekers access to employment opportunities, information, and career resources and information. A “super site” also provides employers with a comprehensive platform to promote employment opportunities, access to a vast resume pool, and automated systems to recruit qualified candidates, and more.
For more information on the IAEWS and its Members, click here.
Part 5 of our Unemployment Series – Older Workers Show Better Rates of Unemployment, Yet Remain Unemployed Long-Term if Unemployed
On the positive side, on average, older workers (those aged 55 and over) show lower rates of unemployment; however, if unemployed experience longer durations of unemployment compared to their younger counterparts, according to a report on unemployed older workers. [i] In the final of our blog series on unemployment amongst American work groups, we explore the employment situation for older workers. Continue reading
OFCCP Issues Directive 306 – Reinforces Best Practices on Use of Criminal Records When Making Employment Decisions
In its ongoing effort to enact policies that prohibit intentional discrimination on the basis of race, national origin, or other protected groups, the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) issued a new directive on January 29, 2013, Directive 306. Directive 306 cautions Federal Contractors to be mindful when making employment decisions based on criminal history records of job applicants. The Directive adopts the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s Enforcement Guidance on the Consideration of Arrest and Conviction Records “best practices,” which outline how employers can avoid liability for discrimination based on the use of criminal records in employment. The EEOC is the Federal Agency that administers and enforces Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Continue reading
