Posts by Allie
August 2015: unemployment rate drops to 5.1 percent
a release from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the unemployment rate continued to drop in August, with that month showing an unemployment rate of just 5.1 percent. Non-farm employers saw 173,000 new jobs created, primarily in financial activities and health care services. This is slightly lower than the monthly average so far this year,…
Read MoreThings employers must consider when taking adverse action
adverse action.” Adverse action can also be letting go an existing employee, or refusing promotions based on similar information. For the sake of this blog post, however, we will focus on taking adverse action during the hiring process. Taking adverse action is legal, so long as you do not discriminate against a candidate in your…
Read MoreWhy do employers check credit?
New York City’s decision to ban all employment credit checks this past spring, we thought it would be a good idea to revisit that question: Why DO employers check credit scores for potential employees, and what information do they get when they pull a credit report? First of all, when an employer pulls a credit…
Read MoreMYB honored to receive Blanket Purchase Agreement designation
HENDERSONVILLE, NC, September 9, 2015 — Mind Your Business is thrilled to be a recipient of a Blanket Purchase Agreement (BPA) from the Social Security Administration, under its GSA Schedule. This honor is granted to small businesses that serve as contractors to federal agencies and meet certain qualifications. A BPA is a means for federal agencies…
Read MoreDepartment of Labor implements back wages website
The U.S. Department of Labor has introduced a new website to help employees — who may not have received proper overtime pay or minimum wages — to receive back wages. The site, Workers Owed Wages, is run by the Wage and Hour Division, and is a nationwide database where employees can receive recovered back wages…
Read MoreShould unpaid internships be illegal?
employers are violating minimum wage laws set out by the Department of Labor. The Department of Labor has clear guidelines to assist private employers in determining whether they should offer unpaid internships. Those guidelines include factors such as whether the internship benefits the intern, that the intern does not replace the role of a regular…
Read MoreThree reasons to perform employment reference checks
1) You want to ensure the applicant was honest. Resume fraud is a big problem, and it happens on all levels — from entry level to upper management. By contacting applicants’ references, you can ensure they did not embellish past job duties or fabricate educational experience. 2) You want to ensure they have the right…
Read MoreAgriculture Dept. dispenses funds for energy projects
providing grant funds for 264 renewable energy projects. The projects will be funded through the USDA’s Rural Energy for America Program (REAP), and $63 million has been allocated for them. “This funding will have far-reaching economic and environmental impacts nationwide, particularly in rural communities,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. “Investing in renewable energy and energy-efficient…
Read More$15 minimum wage not a win for all, says Bureau of Labor Statistics
New York state — have managed to raise wages for employees to a $15-per-hour minimum, the Bureau of Labor Statistics warns that many businesses underpaid their workers even when the minimum wage was lower. The Bureau stated that in 2014, employers failed to pay up to 1.7 million workers the federal minimum wage of $7.25…
Read MoreJuly 2015 employment: small uptick in new jobs, unemployment rate steady
a release from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the unemployment rate remained constant in July at 5.3 percent. About 8.3 million people remain unemployed, though 215,000 new jobs were created last month. Gains were primarily in the retail, health care and professional services industries. Over the past year, the previous average monthly gains hovered around…
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