More STATE TRAINING FUNDS are NOW AVAILABLE!
Employers Group has just been awarded more than $1,000,000 by the State of California to help our members improve their workforce by funding productivity-related training. And, new programs for SMALLER EMPLOYERS have been added!

Over the past 3 years, Employers Group has received $3.5M and has trained almost 5,000 employees in 133 companies throughout the state. Now, even more of our members can take part in this opportunity!


Program Highlights

Small Employer Program (<100 FT ees)
24 or 40 Hours of training per group
4 Hour modules conducted weekly / bi-weekly
Group size 10-15 employees
Refundable deposit of $200 per trainee
Materials fee of $10 per module per trainee

Large Employer Program (>100 FT ees)
24, 32, 40 or 48 hours of training per group
4 Hour modules conducted weekly / bi-weekly
Group size 15-20 employees
Refundable deposit of $200 per trainee
Materials fee of $10 per module per trainee

Training Tailored to Fit Employers’ Needs
Employers select the employees they want trained, the timeframes that fit their company’s needs, and the topics they want delivered to each group of trainees. More than 40 classes in 5 categories are available, including Workplace Skills, Lean Thinking, Manufacturing Skills and Computer Skills. For our extensive list of training topics and modules, go to State-Funded Training under the Training & Development section of our Web site at www.employersgroup.com.

Does your Company Qualify?
Complete an Eligibility Application online at our Web site, Web address above.

Requirements for Trainee Qualifications:

• Must be employed full-time by a qualified CA employer 90 days before and 90 days after training. Must be employed with the participating employer during training.
• Must complete at least 80% of the training program.
• Must earn a minimum wage standard 90 days after training on a per county basis ($12.37 for Bay Area, Orange and L.A. Counties; $12.28 Sacramento; $11.81 San Diego; $11.75 Ventura; $11.34 all other counties). Health benefits can be included to bring wages up to the standard.
  

Attend a Free Tele-briefing
Learn more about state-funded training by participating in one of our frequently conducted 60-minute tele-briefings. The next two dates for tele-briefings are: Thursday, August 25 at 10:30 a.m. or Thursday, September 22 at 10:30 a.m.

To register for either of the above, contact jhull@employersgroup.com. At the tele-briefing you will be walked through a Power Point presentation and be able to interact, hear other's questions and ask any questions you may have.

Recruitment Update: No Longer a “Buyer’s Market” for Hiring Managers

As the economy improves, a power shift in the employment market is taking place:

• Employees are feeling more confident about emerging new job opportunities, and are more likely to quit and be more selective before signing on with a new employer.
• The dynamics of recruitment have changed for hiring managers: fewer qualified applicants will apply for openings, more offers will be declined, and positions will remain open for twice and even three times as long as in the past.

An Increased “Quit Rate”
Not only did the latest survey of consumer confidence indicate that more Americans believe jobs will be more plentiful in the coming months, but also that more workers are voluntarily quitting their previous jobs in search of another.

In fact, the so-called “quit rate” rose to 12.3% of the labor force in May, the highest level in almost four years, and at the same time, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, unemployment continues its downward trend. For employers and hiring managers, these numbers send a strong message: the labor market is tightening and a power shift from employer to employee has already occurred.

We have a Hiring Solution!
Lucky for Employers Group members, we have a solution to this emerging dilemma – Decision Toolbox. As the exclusive recruitment partner to Employers Group, Decision Toolbox helps employers stay competitive in recruitment by combining the power of effective marketing, high-level recruitment expertise, refined recruitment processes and the speed and efficiency of technology.

With almost 100% offer acceptance and an average of 27.5 days to fill a position (from ad development to acceptance of offer), Decision Toolbox has helped our members hire everything from an entire accounting department, to a VP of Engineering, to Administrative Assistants, to Sales Professionals.

What EG members say about the Decision Toolbox recruitment service:

“With Decision Toolbox as our partner, my HR team has been able to
focus on other areas of our growing business that need our attention, without losing critical momentum in recruitment. I couldn’t be more pleased with our relationship, their pricing, and the consultative approach they take in solving our recruitment challenges. They are a key part of our HR Team.”

-VP of HR, Premier Retail Networks

“Decision Toolbox has . . . helped us to build [our new accounting] department. We have been more than pleased. All of the feedback I have received from the hiring managers has been very, very, positive. You are filling them faster than I can get the offer letters typed up! Thank you.”

- Director of Human Resources, Isuzu Motors, USA

To date, Decision Toolbox has partnered with many Employers Group members and filled hundreds of positions across all industries, levels and locations, all for an average Cost Per Hire of less than 7% of first year salary – and some for as low as 2% of first year salary.

To learn more, call Employers Group today at (800) 748-8484, Option 3, and ask for a Professional Services Manager.

Questions to Keep OFF of Job Applications

Q: What dates are you allowed to ask about in an interview or on an application?
A: Any questions that may reveal that an applicant is age 40 and older are not permissible. Therefore, you cannot ask an applicant's birth date. Also, it is not permissible to ask for the dates of completion of elementary or high school because these dates almost always reveal an applicant's approximate age. Questions that tend to identify applicants 40 and over are also unacceptable. So, although not characterized as unacceptable by the DFEH, the date of completion of college degrees may also reveal the age of the applicant and should not be asked. Dates of employment are permissible, but should be restricted to the last four jobs or the jobs in the last 10 years.

It is acceptable to ask whether or not an applicant meets a legal age requirement and can show proof of age. It is also acceptable to ask, "If under eighteen, can you, after employment, submit a work permit?"

You never want to ask any question that identifies an applicant as a member of a protected class, that results in disproportionate screening out of members of a protected group or is not a valid job-related predictor of successful job performance.

Introducing…Sage Payroll Services
A Fully Outsourced Payroll Service that Works Well for Smaller Companies!

Employers Group is pleased to introduce payroll services available for companies with less than 100 employees at astonishing low rates. Have you been thinking about finding a new solution, but don’t know where to turn? Are you tired of feeling like a small fish in the very big pond of other payroll services providers?

Now EG has partnered with Sage Software (formerly Best Software) to bring you a cutting-edge, web-based solution. The low-cost, web technology service provides total payroll and tax compliance in a seamless interface with advanced “native” Internet architecture.

With this easy to use, comprehensive, fully-outsourced service, you benefit from:

• Standard Payroll Available 24x7: standard payroll reports, real-time customer notification and no penalties guarantee
• Employee Payment: printing paychecks from your desktop (optional printing and delivery), check signature imaging and direct deposit service
• Tax Filing: federal/state and local tax table updates and calculations, federal/state and local tax filing, and year end (W-2) processing service
• Reporting: standard payroll reports, real-time electronic payroll reports, payroll pre-register confirmation report, real-time “out of the box” General Ledger posting, benefit accrual tracking, report delivery option and state new hire reporting
• Integration: same look and feel as Abra HRMS interface and syncs all HR data with payroll service including benefits enrollment, employee attendance, payroll transactions

With a total solution from a single source, Sage Software has exactly what you have been looking for. For more information, call Joyce Weldon at 213-765-3999 or e-mail at jweldon@employersgroup.com.

HR FORMS -- The Bane of an HR Manager’s Existence!
An Easy Solution …

Throughout an employee's relationship with a company there will inevitably be certain constants. Beginning with the initial recruitment and continuing on through retirement these constants will resurface and require regular attention, most notably HR attention. One of these constants is the need for forms. Often felt as the bane of an HR manager’s existence, the plethora of required standardized forms establishes the foundation of a well run HR department.

The need for consistent documentation
To act consistently and legally, standardized procedures and practices are essential. As a result, a critical need exists for personnel forms that guide HR, personnel and employee relations representatives through the maze of governing rules and regulations.

With all this uncertainty about forms and documentation compliance facing employers today, HR managers may feel they have no resources to guide them through this maze of potential liability. Happily, Employers Group has an answer to this dilemma.

THE Book of Human Resource Forms
In their publication, Book of Human Resource Forms, authors Richard J. Simmons and Rita M. Bojalian, have developed over 200 personnel and HR forms that will greatly simplify many personnel administration tasks. These include a vast collection of forms that guide those responsible for personnel administration through the entire employment relationship, from its inception to its conclusion, and beyond.

The sample forms and letters include job applications, offer letters, counseling forms, performance improvement plans, disciplinary action plans, layoff notices, leave of absence forms, change of status forms, and many more. This publication is an essential resource for every employer. Any one of the forms will pay for the entire cost of the publication. The chapters of the book include forms in the following general areas:

Unquestionably a must have for any complete HR library, this book and many others are available through the EG Store at discounted member rates. For more information you can visit our web site. Or you may call our Member Service Center at 800-748-8484 and select option #3 to speak to a representative.

The Paid Family Leave Program’s One Year Anniversary

The Paid Family Leave (PFL) insurance program, which covers 13 million California workers, is now a year old. The Employment Development Department (EDD), which administers the program, recently issued a news release providing data on claims filed during the initial year.

Benefits became payable on July 1, 2004
Based on data captured through June 10, 2005, the EDD’s report projected that over 176,000 claims would be received by June 30, 2005. At the end of June the actual number was just over 150,500. Of these, nearly 138,000 were paid. Approximately 13,000 were disqualified, 17,000 were found to be duplicates or incomplete, and the rest were being processed.

Highest number of claims were for new child bonding
More than 88 percent of the claims were for bonding with a new child; slightly less than 12 percent were for providing care for a seriously ill family member. Of the female workers who collected State Disability Insurance (SDI) during their pregnancy disability, nearly half (49%) also collected PFL for baby bonding thereafter.

The average weekly benefit amount was $409, and the average claim duration five (5) weeks.

Stay tuned. Employers Group’s September newsletter will include a more detailed recap of the PFL program’s first year.

California’s Economy is on the Rise, so what Salary Increases Can you Expect Next Year?
Participate in the 2006 Salary Increases Survey and Find Out For FREE!

Participate & Receive a Copy Free of Charge! New Extended Deadline 8/22/05!

The 2006 Salary Budgets and Economic Trends Survey is being conducted right NOW! Get Your Copy For FREE!

According to the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation (LAEDC), California’s economic outlook for 2006 is high.

But how much will salaries increase next year?
Focusing on current and projected labor costs, the 2006 Projected Salary Budgets and Economic Trends Survey is a must to gauge salary budgets against other California companies. Collecting data from hundreds of California firms, this survey forms a comprehensive 20+ page report that will help your company make difficult salary decisions for 2006!

Also, as an extra bonus, you can save 20% off the usual member price on the 2005 National IT and Engineering Compensation Survey. Nonmembers pay $485 for this survey and it is now available to members for only $100!

Survey results will be released to all participants via E-book by August 29, 2005. Book versions of the survey will be mailed to all participants by September 20, 2005.

If you have any comments or questions, please feel free to call Research Services @ (213) 765-3925 or email surveys@employersgroup.com.