Archive for » February 24th, 2012«

24 Feb 2012

Historic low employment for young Americans

(MoneyWatch) 

This is a terrible time to be young and looking for a job.

Just 54% of adults between the ages of 18 and 24 are currently employed, according to a new study released by the Pew Research Center. This figure represents the lowest level of employment since the government began collecting records in 1948.

As if that news wasn’t bleak enough, young adults who are employed full time have experienced a larger drop in weekly pay (6%) than any other group over the last four years.

4 mistakes college grads make at their first job

Not surprisingly, other younger Americans have been feeling the job squeeze too. Among all 18- to 34-year-olds, 49% say they have taken a job that they didn’t want, and 24% are working for free to gain work experience. Discouraged by poor job prospects, more than a third have returned to school, which can backfire if the extra schooling generates a large amount of student loans.

Grim job statistics

Here are more sobering figures for 18- to 34-year-olds:

  • 24% have moved back in with their parents after living on their own.
  • 20% have delayed getting married.
  • 22% have postponed having a baby.
  • Only 30% consider their current job a career.

The age of financial independence

Faced with this new economic reality, parents have adjusted their attitudes about when their children should become financially independent. Nearly 20 years ago, a Newsweek poll revealed that 80% of parents with young kids thought that their children should be financially independent by the age of 22. Today just 67% of parents believe that. About a third of parents think that their sons and daughters should be on their own by age 25 or later.

Here’s the good news

Young adults remain optimistic that their financial lives will improve. Almost nine in 10 say they are either earning enough money now or will in the future. This enthusiasm, by the way, hasn’t wavered since 2004.

Age, however, dampens that enthusiasm: Only 28% of Americans, who are 35 or older, say they expect to make enough money in the future.

Read more at The College Solution:
25 college majors with the highest unemployment rates


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24 Feb 2012

Government of Canada Invests to Help Youth in Prince County Get Jobs

EGMONT, PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND–(Marketwire – Feb. 23, 2012) - The Government of Canada today announced new funding to support youth in Prince County to help them gain the skills, knowledge and experience they need to enter and succeed in the job market. The announcement was made by the Honourable Gail Shea, Minister of National Revenue and Minister responsible for Prince Edward Island, on behalf of the Honourable Diane Finley, Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development.

“Our government’s top priority is creating jobs and economic growth,” said Minister Shea. “Our government’s Youth Employment Strategy is helping youth develop the skills and gain the experience they need to get jobs now and prepare for the workforce of tomorrow.”

Rural Community Learning Inc. is receiving support from the Skills Link program to help youth overcome barriers to employment. Skills Link is part of the Government of Canada’s Youth Employment Strategy (YES).

Minister Shea’s announcement is one of a series taking place across the country today. Minister Finley kicked off the nation-wide events with a funding announcement for a youth employment project in Edmonton to highlight the Government of Canada’s investment in giving youth the skills and experience they need to enter the workforce.

With annual funding of more than $300 million, YES helps youth, particularly those facing barriers to employment, obtain career information, develop employment skills, find jobs and stay employed. YES includes the Skills Link and Career Focus programs and the Canada Summer Jobs initiative, which creates thousands of job opportunities for students every summer.

The participants in Rural Community Learning’s project will attend skills workshops that focus on topics such as interview preparation, teamwork and leadership.

Youth employment programs are part of the Government of Canada’s broader strategy to create an educated, skilled and flexible workforce. The Government underscored its commitment to this strategy in Canada’s Economic Action Plan. A key component of the Plan is to create more and better opportunities for Canadian workers through skills development. To learn more about Canada’s Economic Action Plan, visit www.actionplan.gc.ca.

The Government of Canada is helping youth prepare for, find and maintain meaningful employment through enhanced online services available at Youth.gc.ca.

This news release is available in alternative formats upon request.

Follow us on Twitter

This news release is available online at: www.actionplan.gc.ca.

Backgrounder

The Youth Employment Strategy is the Government of Canada’s commitment to help youth make a successful transition to the workplace.

Skills Link helps youth facing barriers to employment, such as single parents, youth with disabilities, and youth in rural and remote areas, to develop the skills and gain the experience needed to find a job or the confidence to return to school.

Career Focus provides funding to employers to hire young post-secondary graduates to give them career-related work experience and help them acquire skills to transition into the job market.

Canada Summer Jobs provides funding to not-for-profit organizations, public-sector employers and small businesses with 50 or fewer employees to create summer job opportunities for young people aged 15 to 30 years who are full-time students intending to return to their studies in the next school year.

To learn more about Canada’s Youth Employment Strategy and other youth employment initiatives, please visit Youth.gc.ca.


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24 Feb 2012

New advert guidelines for job agencies

THE Labour Department is drafting new advertisement guidelines for job agencies as there have been many complaints from job seekers drawn to advertisements promising higher pay and better jobs in Singapore.

  Labour Department (Peninsular  Malaysia) director of foreign workers division Yusoff Harun said 3,500 cases had been  lodged with the Labour Attache at the High Commission of Malaysia in Singapore since 2008.

  He said more than two-thirds of the complaints were lodged by job seekers from Sabah and Sarawak.

  “The complainants claimed that their salary and positions turned out to be  different from what had been advertised  by these unscrupulous agencies.

  “They said they were sent to work in restaurants when the advertisement had stated the place of work as star-rated hotels.

  “The new advertisement guidelines will ensure that only licensed agencies are eligible to  advertise. In the event that genuine agencies are involved in such a form of cheating, we will then be able to trace them  by referring to their licence number in the advertisement,” he said at the Johor Labour Department here yesterday.

  Yusoff said job applicants should ensure that the advertisement they were looking at had the agency’s name, address and licence number, as well as proper information about the job, qualification required and terms of employment.

  He said there were agencies which imposed accommodation charges and kept the passports of the recruited workers.

  “The victims are basically  blue-collar workers, who are looking for jobs in service sectors such as hotels and cleaning companies.

  “Their complaints are basically about workplace, salary and job positions.

  “The problems they are facing are exactly the same as those foreigners  conned by agencies in their homeland into working in our country.”

 

  “Those who want to discontinue with their jobs and do not have  passports to come back should go to the High Commission in Singapore for help instead of swimming home.”


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24 Feb 2012

Job Fair Attracts Nearly 200 Veterans

When it comes to finding a full-time job, some reservists said it’s not that easy, especially when you’re serving your country.

“Since I’ve actually joined the military a lot of companies have turned me down because they know I come out here one weekend a month, two weeks a year. And they don’t want to train somebody in that spot and then turn around and you have to leave and how are they going to fill that spot,” said 910th Air Force reservist Nasher Algahim.

To help with the job search, several organizations teamed up to bring employers and potential employees under one roof. The Youngstown Warren Regional Chamber teamed up with Shale Directories.com and Tip of the Arrow, a non-profit veterans organization, to host a Vets Hiring Event at the Youngstown Air Reserve Station in Vienna.

“I’ve got about 100 reserve Marines and I’d say probably about half of them are struggling with work, trying to find work in the Ohio area,” said Emiliano DeLeon, Chief Warrant Officer 4, U.S. Marine Corps. 

The event attracted nearly 200 veterans and focused on Ohio’s up and coming natural gas and oil industry. Companies like V M Star and Chesapeake Energy were on hand accepting applications.

One of the event’s co-sponsors, Shale Directories.com, hosted a similar event in Williamsport, Pa.

“It’s really the center of all this Marcellus shale drilling. We did one there in October and within 60 days, over 50 percent of the vets had jobs,” said Joseph Barone of Shale Directories.com.

That’s because veterans and current reservists offer essential skills many of the drilling companies require.
  
“A lot of them prefer to hire vets because of their teamwork skills, their leadership skills, used to working long hours, used to working outdoors,” Barone said.

As for Algahim, he hopes to find a position that will keep him close to home.

“Something I can settle down to make sure I have a good paying job in this area and so I can stay in this area,” Algahim said. 


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24 Feb 2012

U.S. Companies in Canada: How to Survive the Employment Law Minefield

Companies Turn to Human Resource Outsourcing to Ease Growing Pains

TORONTO, Feb. 22, 2012 /PRNewswire/ – While opening an office in Canada is an exciting way to expand into new markets, companies unfamiliar with the differences between the Canadian and American employment landscape can face many challenges.  To ensure the transition is successful, it is vital that a company understand the legislative differences between Canada and the U.S., and the consequences of overlooking those differences.  For example, it pays to be aware that in Canada most employees are entitled to up to 52 weeks protected maternity/parental leave, and “at-will employment” does not exist.

Companies who fail to adhere to Canada’s employment laws can find themselves in time consuming and costly litigation.  Canadian employees have access to publicly funded legal resources, more time to file a complaint, and can win large settlements through the Human Rights Tribunal.  Employees can also file complaints against an employer through Employment Standards Tribunals, again at no financial cost to the employee but at a significant burden to the employer.

The good news is that there are many resources available to assist new companies in Canada to navigate the employment law minefield.  Companies can obtain information from government bodies, and can hire an employment lawyer or a Human Resource Manager well versed in Canadian legislation.  However, for companies who lack the time and funding, or prefer more flexibility, another solution is to use a total Human Resource Outsourcing Provider.  This is distinct from a Functional Human Resource Outsourcer that specializes primarily in one area of HR, such as job placement or payroll.

A total Human Resource Outsourcing Provider is the solution for a company needing Canadian expertise in all areas of Human Resources and employment.  Such a company will build and implement a Human Resource infrastructure that is not only in compliance with Canadian legislation, but fits with the needs and culture of a U.S. company in Canada.

Another valuable option for new companies in Canada is a total HR Outsourcing Provider that can offer Third Party Employment services, becoming the employer-of-record for some or all employees if a company lacks the infrastructure to be an employer themselves.  This employment can be short term or long term based on the company’s needs.  As the employer, the Third Party Employer should ensure all employment laws are adhered to and should handle employee payroll, tax remittance, workers’ compensation, registration, separation paperwork, performance management and conflict resolution, while keeping day-to-day management of the employee in the client company’s hands.

Navigating the Canadian employment law landscape is certainly possible with education and aligning yourself with the right partners.

About HR Options

HR Options is a total Human Resource Outsourcing Provider in Canada and the U.S. with a proven track record.  HR Options’ expert consultants offer Human Resource Consulting Services and Third Party Employment Services that are cost effective and flexible in accordance to client needs.

See our website Resources page for a free webinar “Operating in Canada: Do’s and Don’ts”.


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24 Feb 2012

Government of Canada Invests to Help Youth in Minnedosa Get Jobs

MINNEDOSA, MANITOBA–(Marketwire – Feb. 23, 2012) - The Government of Canada today announced new funding to support youth in Minnedosa to help them gain the skills, knowledge and experience they need to enter and succeed in the job market. The announcement was made by Robert Sopuck, Member of Parliament for Dauphin–Swan River–Marquette, on behalf of the Honourable Diane Finley, Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development.

“Our government’s top priority is creating jobs and economic growth,” said MP Sopuck. “Our government’s Youth Employment Strategy is helping youth develop the skills and gain the experience they need to get jobs now and prepare for the workforce of tomorrow.”

Yellowhead Regional Employment Skills and Services Inc. (YRESS) is receiving support from the Skills Link program to help youth overcome barriers to employment. Skills Link is part of the Government of Canada’s Youth Employment Strategy (YES).

MP Sopuck’s announcement is one of a series taking place across the country today. Minister Finley kicked off the nation-wide events with a funding announcement for a youth employment project in Edmonton to highlight the Government of Canada’s investment in giving youth the skills and experience they need to enter the workforce.

With annual funding of more than $300 million, YES helps youth, particularly those facing barriers to employment, obtain career information, develop employment skills, find jobs and stay employed. YES includes the Skills Link and Career Focus programs and the Canada Summer Jobs initiative, which creates thousands of job opportunities for students every summer.

The participants in the YRESS project will attend skills workshops, take part in job shadowing and gain hands-on experience through job placements with local employers. YRESS will receive over $53,000 in federal Skills Link funding and over $5,000 in funding from the Government of Manitoba to support its employment project.

Youth employment programs are part of the Government of Canada’s broader strategy to create an educated, skilled and flexible workforce. The Government underscored its commitment to this strategy in Canada’s Economic Action Plan. A key component of the Plan is to create more and better opportunities for Canadian workers through skills development. To learn more about Canada’s Economic Action Plan, visit www.actionplan.gc.ca.

The Government of Canada is helping youth prepare for, find and maintain meaningful employment through enhanced online services available at Youth.gc.ca.

This news release is available in alternative formats upon request.

Follow us on Twitter

This news release is available online at: www.actionplan.gc.ca.

Backgrounder

The Youth Employment Strategy is the Government of Canada’s commitment to help youth make a successful transition to the workplace.

Skills Link helps youth facing barriers to employment, such as single parents, youth with disabilities, and youth in rural and remote areas, to develop the skills and gain the experience needed to find a job or the confidence to return to school.

Career Focus provides funding to employers to hire young post-secondary graduates to give them career-related work experience and help them acquire skills to transition into the job market.

Canada Summer Jobs provides funding to not-for-profit organizations, public-sector employers and small businesses with 50 or fewer employees to create summer job opportunities for young people aged 15 to 30 years who are full-time students intending to return to their studies in the next school year.

To learn more about Canada’s Youth Employment Strategy and other youth employment initiatives, please visit Youth.gc.ca.


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Category: Government Careers  Tags: ,  Leave a Comment
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