Business mileage rate increases to 62.5 cents per mile, up from 58.5 cents      Citing soaring gas prices, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) on June 9 announced an increase in the optional standard mileage rate for the final six months of 2022.    Effective July 1 through Dec. 31, 2022, the standard mileage rate […]

New Rules take Effect June 15th New rules from OR-OSHA on Heat Illness Prevention will take effect, Wednesday, June 15, 2022. These rules will apply to outdoor workplaces and indoor workplaces without ventilation. A summary of these rules can be found at these links: Summary: OR-OSHA Heat Illness Prevention and Wildfire Smoke Rules Fact sheet […]

Burnout is considered one of the key factors in “The Great Resignation” phenomenon.  In this tight labor market, employees at all skill levels have more options to find better employment conditions. Workers are not sticking around businesses where chronic stress is part of the job. This article reveals the five signs of worker burnout and […]

Steps Employers Can Take to Promote Workers’ Mental Health  Employers can promote awareness about the importance of mental health and stress management through a combination of workplace health programs, HR benefits, and employee education. Research has shown that these programs are successful, especially when they combine mental and physical health interventions with actual worksite activities. […]

After the last two years of pandemic living, many people are realizing that stress, isolation, and uncertainty have taken a toll on their well-being. This newfound realization has led to an emphasis in addressing mental and emotional health issues within the workforce.    MENTAL HEALTH IMPACTS US ALL  As mentioned by the Whitehouse Briefing Room: […]

More Jobs – Less Available Hires    The pool of available workers for hire in the U.S. labor market will continue to decline for the next eight years, according to a new analysis from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Below is a quick summary of those statistics. Links to potential hiring solutions can be found […]

SB 1514 |  Oregon Extends Pay Equity Exemption for Certain Pandemic-Related Payments SB 1514 permits employers to continue offering COVID-19 vaccine incentives as well as hiring and retention bonuses through the end of Oregon’s state of emergency, plus 180 days, without running afoul of the state’s pay equity law.    May 11 |   OSHA Invites […]

Effective May 1, 2022, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is ending its temporary COVID-19-related policy of allowing employers to use expired List B identity documents for I-9 purposes.     Employers will no longer be able to accept expired identity documents when verifying an employee’s work eligibility on Form I-9. The temporary policy was […]

E-Verify Records 10 Years or Older Will Be Deleted April 1  Now is the time to check employee I-9 records    U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has announced that it will purge E-Verify records that were created on or before Dec. 31, 2011. Data that is more than 10 years old will be deleted […]