Kelly Johnson

Staff Writer and Social-Media Strategist – Sacramento Business Journal

The recession has touched everything, including the cost of workers’ compensation claims.

The faster growth of workers’ comp costs per claim in California after 2007 may be partly due to the recession, according to a new study.

The Workers Compensation Research Institute    Workers Compensation Research Institute Latest from The Business Journals Workers’ comp claim costs increased in Florida, study showsWorkers comp claims in Texas riseWorkers comp claims in Texas rise Follow this company , a nonprofit in Cambridge, Mass., reported this week that the economic woes contributed to indemnity costs per claim growing faster from 2007 to 2009 than in prior years.

Indemnity claims are payments for lost wages, loss of earning capacity and permanent impairment or disability.

Between 2002 and 2005, California’s indemnity costs per claim dropped nearly 30 percent as a result of systemwide reforms. But costs per claim rose at an annual rate of 7 percent between 2007 and 2009, the organization noted.

“This growth in indemnity costs per claim was faster than the average growth rate from 2005 to 2007, and indicated some impact of the recession in California,” a news release said.

The average weekly wage of California workers injured on the job didn’t change much between 2007 and 2009 as wage growth declined, the study found. In prior years, the growth rate was 4 percent.

Meanwhile, “the average duration of temporary disability benefits increased by nearly one week per year, likely indicating the slower return to work because there were fewer jobs available,” the news release said.

California also experienced a swift rise in medical payments per claim to injured workers after 2005, after previous large decreases. The amount after 2005 was 8 percent a year for claims in which workers lost more than seven days of work, the study found.

“Recent growth in medical payments per claim stemmed from multiple factors, including an increase in prices paid for office visits due to a fee schedule increase; growth in payments per service for facilities associated with surgical procedures; more complex office visits with higher prices billed more frequently; and moderate increases in services per visit for physical medicine,” the release said.

“Medical-related expenses per claim,” the release said, “also grew continuously over the study period, including the average medical cost containment expense per claim and the average medical-legal expense per claim.”

Kelly Johnson covers retail, sports, insurance, education, nonprofits, manufacturing, social media, international trade, distributors/wholesalers and disability access for the Sacramento Business Journal.

Social media, social media, social media! It’s a term that’s getting almost too much play, and you might be getting tired of all the talk with no substance. For example, you’ve probably heard that you should be using social media for job-hunting. But how, exactly, should you do that? Here are 6 smart strategies to network your way into a job using three popular online tools: Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

Let people know you’re looking.

Whether on LinkedIn, Facebook or Twitter, let your connections, friends and followers know that you’re looking for a job—and what type of job you’re looking for. They may not know of any current openings, but put yourself on their radar for future opportunities.

You may think of Facebook as being for fun, but don’t make the mistake of overlooking your network there, especially if you already have hundreds of friends. Facebook can sometimes have an edge for job hunters over LinkedIn, because friends who know you personally have more of a stake in helping you.

You probably don’t want a potential employer browsing your personal updates, so make sure your every move on Facebook isn’t set for public view. Under Account, then Privacy Settings, choose “Friends Only.” That way, an employer who Googles you won’t be able to see the details of your profile, your photos or your personal status updates.

Before you submit your resume for a job, look up the hiring manager on LinkedIn and Twitter. LinkedIn profiles and Twitter feeds are gold mines of information on individuals. Knowing more about the person who’s hiring can help you tailor your cover letter to their needs and desires.

It’s all about who you know. Figure out who you need to know to land a certain job—like the hiring manager—and make that connection, whether by getting them to follow you on Twitter by retweeting their tweets, or growing your LinkedIn network until they become a second- or third-degree connection. Twitter offers great opportunities to connect with professionals who might not otherwise give you the time of day.

Look for chats that revolve around your industry or the industry you want to work in. Joining online conversations helps you keep up-to-date on the industry, meet helpful contacts and showcase your expertise in your field. Or try networking with other job seekers through weekly conversations like #jobhuntchat or #careerchat.

By doing any or all of the above, not only will you reach many more people as part of your job search, but people will also see you as a person with expertise, not someone who is merely using social media to find a job.  Using social media is bound to lead to greater opportunities and attract more people who respect your knowledge.

Below is a link on how to become a more successful networker through linkedin.

5 tricks from a linkedin Jedi

How quickly do you discard a candidate when you decide he or she is overqualified? And what’s your reason? Are you afraid they’ll want too much money, get bored too quickly or be too eager to move on?

Let’s rethink this. There are equally compelling reasons to give “overqualified” applicants a fighting chance.

First, what do you mean when you say someone is ‘overqualified?’ You’re basically saying he or she is too skilled or too experienced. But candidates with well-developed skills, a lot of working world experience and the right attitude are exactly what you should want.

In fact, research shows that overqualified workers tend to stay longer and work harder than less qualified candidates—provided they’re empowered in their jobs.

Instead of immediately discarding someone who looks great on paper but seems to be overqualified, take the time to find out why the candidate applied for your job in the first place. Sure, maybe the person was just sending out resumes, hoping to get a hit, but maybe he or she has some great ideas of how to thrive and grow in the position?

And, even people who were downsized may have reasons for applying beyond getting any job. Maybe they were burned out on what they were doing anyway and want to jump-start a new career. Maybe they were in a higher level position but want to get back to something they enjoyed doing earlier in their career. Listen carefully when they are explaining their reasoning and motivations, to see if they truly have a passion for the job in question or whether they are simply after the first job that is offered.

It’s increasingly common to see a number of overqualified candidates apply for open positions. In previous job markets, such candidates often had a stigma attached to them, but now being laid off is kind of a rite of passage. In the current market, it’s standard practice for overqualified people to apply. It all comes down to attitude: basic skills and knowledge combined with a proper attitude and willingness to get the job done right are what it takes.

When you ignore candidates based on your own assumptions or perceptions about what you see on their resumes, you run the risk of missing out on great employees.

 Below you will find a link to the top 25 interview questions from 2011.  While a good percentage of them are relevant to the job position that they are interviewing for there are some that are very much so out in left field.  I assume that they are either tired of hearing the same question and answer or, they are trying to throw the candidate off.  Whatever the reason, these questions will challenge even the most skilled interviewer. 

Top 25 Old Ball Interview Questions

A new year means a new start and a new perspective. Have you considered revamping your job search tactics? What are the latest and greatest ways to go about getting a job?

U.S. employers are expecting to increase their hiring by 9 percent in the first quarter, according to the December Manpower Employment Outlook Survey-the most promising hiring Outlook survey since 2008. Take advantage of that upswing by following these  “Best-Kept Job Search Tips.”

1. Apply Early. If you’re using job postings, stay on top of them. A recent study revealed that 50% of company hires were applicants who applied within the first week. Approximately 75% of all hired candidates applied within three weeks of the job posting.

2. Keep up on Company News. After you’ve compiled your list of target companies, read up on their current news. The newspaper, their company website or their social media accounts can report their positive announcements – which can lead to more job opportunities posted by them. Plus, it gives you a way to prove to them that you’ve done your research, when you go for an interview.

3. Understand A Company’s Hiring Approach. Each company has a different way of recruiting and hiring candidates – for example, a company may solely hire on employee referrals. For the companies you’re interested in, learn what kinds of processes bring candidates to them so that you can adapt.

4. Join a Professional Organization. Join the local chapter of a professional organization. You can network and also keep up on recent developments in your field at meetings and presentations.

5. Network Through Social Media. Following a company’s Twitter account may not be enough, so engage with other users that work at that company. Research shows that 1 in 10 candidates whose resumes come through a referral are hired, compared to 1 in 100 general applicants.

And if you’re looking for more assistance in finding that perfect job? Contact us today!

The following links are fact sheets just issued by the DOL concerning unlawful Retaliation against individuals who complain verbally or in writing  or make intent to complain of violations of the following laws.  Keep in mind that retaliation does not have to be instigated by a manager… it can be a supervisor or co-worker.    Training all employees about what constitutes retaliation and the consequences is more important than ever!   

FLSA – http://www.dol.gov/whd/regs/compliance/whdfs77a.htm

FMLA – http://www.dol.gov/whd/regs/compliance/whdfs77b.htm

Migrant and Agriculture workers – http://www.dol.gov/whd/regs/compliance/whdfs77c.htm

Many thanks to Stephanie Constantine, Constantine Human Resources, LLC for providing this information!

Well, 2011 didn’t bring us the economic recovery we were hoping for, and it looks like 2012 is shaping up to be a challenging year also. In these inconsistent times, you’ll want the right staff on board. If you’re planning to hire this year, take a look at these ten tips, designed to help you find the best employees for your business.

1. Write an accurate, specific job description for every role you’re trying to fill. Ditch those generic job specs and ensure that what you write is relevant to your business needs. Ensure that the targets and goals that need to be achieved by employing this new person are supported through the description.

2. Be realistic about what is essential and what is desirable. Emphasize the must-haves and be clear about the difference between those and the want-to-haves. You’re unlikely to find a candidate that ticks every single box, so remember which skills are necessary from the start and which can be developed over time.

3. Identify individual specifications for each role. What are the base skills you require for each? How important are the applicant’s written and verbal communications? Do they need to be a team player or more self-motivated?

4. Don’t change your mind about what you’re looking for in a candidate during the interview process based on applicants’ feedback. However, do take time to review your processes to ensure you do not make any rash decisions.

5. Speak to a specialized recruitment organization and build a strong relationship with them. Make sure you understand the current recruitment market and be aware of trends in the human resource departments within businesses in your industry.

6. Keep to a standard interview process on all applicants – telephone screen, psychometric test, first interview, second interview, a related test for that role if necessary. This will help you assess all candidates equally.

7. Ask all applicants to complete a standard application form and provide copies of all qualifications and ID prior to arranging any interviews. This way you’ll know right off the bat if the person is qualified to the standards required to fulfill the role successfully.

8. Perform background and ID checks prior to wasting your time with interviews.

9. During each interview, ask plenty of competency-based questions. What has the applicant achieved in their current role? Ask them to share their career highlights. Establish their weaknesses and find out what they have done to overcome the weaknesses.

10. Before appointment, take a minimum of two written references. One must be the last and most recent employer. Ask for character references if the role involves a lot of trust. Try to gain a full understanding of that person; will they fit in with the team and can they fulfill the role in the long term?

If you’d like more assistance with finding the right employees for your company, don’t hesitate to contact Clark Personnel today!