Coronavirus

Scam Alert: New Study Says Job Scams on the Rise Due to COVID Pandemic

Employco USA

Employment trends expert comments on the Better Business Bureau study

Fraud AlertA new study from the Better Business Bureau has found that employment scams nearly doubled during 2020. Over 14 million victims fell prey to employment scams in 2020, causing losses of nearly $2 billion.

Employment trends expert Rob Wilson speaks on this troubling trend, as well as offers solutions for companies and employers.

“We’ve known these scams have been on the rise for months, and we have been helping our clients with how to best address the issue, but it is still very shocking to see just how quickly these scams mushroomed during the pandemic,” says Wilson, who is the President of Employco USA, an employment solutions firm based in Chicago.

Wilson says that the perpetrators are stealing employees’ identities in order to access government funds under their name.

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No Jab, No Job? Biden Makes Sweeping Vax Mandates, as United Airlines Puts Unvaxxed Employees on Unpaid Leave

Employco USA

Human resources expert offers commentary on this breaking story

Vaccine MandateYesterday President Biden directed the Labor Department to mandate that any companies with more than 100 employees either require the COVID vaccination or COVID test all their employees once a week.

“Those companies that don’t comply could face thousands of dollars in fines per employee,” says Rob Wilson, HR expert and President of Employco USA, an employment solutions firm with locations across the country. “This means that even those employers who may disagree with the mandate or dislike requiring the vaccination are left with very little choice: They will have to require the mandate or face costly fines that could cost them their business.”

Meanwhile, United Airlines just made international headlines after it was revealed that the airline giant is putting all unvaccinated employees on unpaid leave, even if they have a religious exemption.

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Requiring Proof of the Jab: Can Employers Ask If Employees Have Been Vaccinated?

Employco USA

Human resources expert Rob Wilson explains whether employers can inquire about workers’ vax status

VaccineNew data shows that over half of Americans who are 18+ have received at least one vaccination dose. But even as millions line up to get their vaccinations, vaccination hesitancy is still very much an issue. Experts say that we are reaching a ‘tipping point’ in which the demand of Americans desiring the vaccination will greatly diminish in the next 3-4 weeks, leaving a surplus of COVID-19 vaccinations without any willing patients to receive them.

“Vaccine hesitancy is huge right now, and it’s only growing thanks to the temporary recall of Johnson & Johnson’s vaccines. Yet as employers, getting all of our workers vaxxed is on the front of our minds. We want to know that our staff and our clients are as safe as possible, yet how can we encourage vaccinations while still respecting an employees’ right to privacy?” queries Rob Wilson, President of Employco USA and employment trends expert.

But are employers allowed to require the vaccination, and even go so far as to require proof that a worker has indeed been vaccinated?

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What Employers Need to Know About the American Rescue Plan

Employco USA

Employment trends expert Rob Wilson discusses Biden’s Rescue Plan and what it means for companies

American Rescue PlanPresident Biden’s ‘American Rescue Plan’ includes several key changes to employment-related categories. It’s crucial for employers to become educated about how these changes will impact their policies moving forward.

“Now is the time that employers should prepare for these upcoming changes,” says Rob Wilson, President of Employco USA and employment trends expert. “There are many modifications to the FFRCA ‘COVID Pay’ categories which will impact the way that you reimburse employees and approach things like sick leave.”

First, says Wilson, is the fact that employers now have the ability to offer employees paid leave through September 30, 2021.

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Breaking Study: Almost 50% Of American Workers Report Alcohol, Substance Abuse Issues

Employco USA

Employment trends expert Rob Wilson discusses new study and how employers can facilitate a healthier work environment

Substance AbuseA new study has found that nearly 50% of American workers are currently struggling with substance and alcohol abuse. The numbers illustrate the stark ways in which the pandemic has impacted the mental and physical health of Americans.

“The data shows that the number of workers who are reporting lower work productivity or missed workdays due to alcohol or substance abuse issues has more than doubled since 2019,” says Rob Wilson, President of Employco USA and employee trends expert.

Wilson says that employers can help to protect employees from substance and alcohol abuse by enhancing their wellness programs in 2021 and taking advantage of high-tech sober support initiatives.

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New Study: Majority of WFH Employees Don’t Want to Return to the Post-COVID Workplace

Employco USA

Employment trends expert advises employers on how to handle hesitant employees

Work from Home (WFH)With vaccines rolling out across the country and millions of Americans preparing for a post-COVID reality, research suggests that many people would rather continue working from home than returning to the office. A new ‘Return to Workplace Survey’ from Envoy has found that 66% of employees say that they fear for their health and safety, and nearly 48% say they would prefer a hybrid schedule in which they can continue to work from home a few days a week.

But is the desire to continue working virtually rooted in a fear of the virus or is it a preference for flexibility and the ease of working at home?

“Previous Pew research from late 2020 found that 90 percent of people said they didn’t want to return to the workplace even after it was deemed safe to do so. So, I think employers need to prepare themselves for the reality that they are going to get a lot of pushback from employees about starting to go back to work in person,” says Rob Wilson, President of Employco USA and employment trends expert. “Even with the vaccines and other COVID safety measures in place, the reality is that many WFH employees have simply become accustomed to the lifestyle and don’t want to return to long commutes, business attire, and other obligations that come with working in person.”

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How Employers Can Approach Spring Break in a COVID-19 World

Employco USA

Human resources expert discusses how employers can prevent a rise in COVID-19 cases during spring break season

Spring BreakDespite the fact that the pandemic is far from over, statistics show that that many Americans are planning to travel during the upcoming spring break season. After a year of COVID-19 lockdowns, research reveals that many Americans are planning to hit warm locales like Mexico and Hawaii, and even international destinations like London, as they take advantage of low-cost airline flights.

However, these travel plans can pose a significant risk to communities when these travelers return back home, or back to the office.

“We are definitely concerned about the fact that traveling employees may have an increased chance of exposing their coworkers and colleagues to COVID-19,” says Rob Wilson, President of Employco USA and employment trends expert. “Yet it’s important to be very sensitive about the message we send to employees about spring break travel. Many of these workers are parents with kids at home, some of whom have not been able to attend school for almost a year. Understandably, these families really want to travel and take advantage of their vacation days and low-cost travel options. We can’t downplay the negative impact lockdowns have had on mental health, and it’s important we attend to those needs as managers and employers. But there is no denying that traveling can be quite risky.”

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RECORDING: Updated Guidance on the New PPP Loan and Second Draw Requirements

Employco USA

Webinar Recording

Did you miss Employco’s most recent webinar on the new PPP loan or would you like to review a portion? The full webinar recording can be viewed here, along with all of the questions and answers that followed: https://bit.ly/recording-jan21

Watch Webinar Recording

You can view/dowload the slides we used during the presentation as a PDF here: WEBINAR: Presentation Slides

During our presentation we also mentioned including some key recent updates and documents from the SBA:

Please do not hesitate to reach out if there are any questions you still have or topics you were unclear on. We’re here to help!

WEBINAR: Updated Guidance on the New PPP Loan and Second Draw Requirements

Employco USA

Employco Webinar 01/13/2021

Join Employco USA to learn the LATEST UPDATES from the SBA including the new Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) guidance, application documents, and important upcoming dates.

During this FREE webinar, we’ll:

  • Recap the second draw rules and updated eligibility requirements
  • Summarize the recent SBA and Treasury guidance
  • Review the new second draw application document
  • Discuss tips to prepare for a new PPP application

There will be a brief presentation to begin the session, but most of the time will be dedicated to answering your specific questions!

FREE REGISTRATION
You’ll be able to join us at 11:30am CT this Wednesday, January 13th from your computer, tablet, or smartphone (you can also dial-in):

REGISTER HERE

Register for Webinar

You can also use our registration form to submit questions you’d like to see answered/covered during the webinar.

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If You Catch COVID-19 on the Job, Is It Your Boss’s Fault?

Employco USA

Lawsuits surge as employees say employers aren’t doing enough to protect them from COVID-19. HR expert Rob Wilson explains the legal duties employers have when it comes to COVID-19 protections in the workplace.

LawsuitNew data shows that workplace lawsuits are on the rise as thousands of employees are filing COVID-19 related claims against their employer. From claims that allege their employer didn’t put proper COVID-19 precautions into practice in the workplace to claims that ill workers were not permitted appropriate leave, it’s clear that employers need to be better educated about their responsibilities for creating a COVID-19 compliant workplace.

Rob Wilson, employment trends expert and President of Employco USA, says that employees are suing companies for not providing PPE, for not implementing temperature checks, for not requiring customers to wear masks, and for not adhering to proper cleaning and sanitation protocol.

“This is brand-new territory for all of us, and, understandably, some employers are struggling to keep up with the many precautions needed to keep the workplace safe from COVID-19,” says Wilson. “It doesn’t help that precautions are always changing—for example, COVID-19 quarantine protocol has shifted in recent months, and we expect that regulations will only continue to become reconfigured as the vaccine rolls out.”

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