Trends That Matter

We include developments from the Staffing Industry Daily News and The Staffing Stream to help you focus on emerging movements that could shape your business for the better.

Don’t Get Scammed

California company tries to collect for labor department materials.

The California Department of Industrial Relations issued a warning in September about a scam being perpetrated by a Los Angeles-based company. The company, which bills itself as the “Labor Compliance Office,” was sending letters to employers seeking payment of a $275 processing money for any materials that are required to be posted in fee for labor-related postings they had requested. However, the Department of Industrial Relations does not collect money for any materials that are required to be posted in the workplace.

Tech Pays

Engineering majors represented seven out of the 10 highest-paid bachelor’s-level degrees.

Technical majors — especially those in engineering — top the list of most highly paid majors for the class of 2013, according to the National Association of Colleges and Employers’ September 2013 salary survey. Petroleum engineering ranked as the highest-paid college major, with 2013 grads receiving an average starting salary of $96,200.

Football Fever

Fantasy league threatens workplace productivity.

Many companies dread this time of year: football season. Their dread stems from one potential workplace productivity killer — fantasy football. Fans own their very own football teams, which compete in weekly games throughout the period of the NFL season. With prizes often on the line, they become entrenched in perfecting their team. With this much at stake, companies are keeping a close eye on how this may affect workplace productivity.

—Source: “Fantasy Faux Pas: How to brace for a decline in work productivity,” The Staffing Stream, by Bill Peppler, managing partner, Kavaliro.