A recession’s impact on employers can vary greatly. Employers of all sizes and industries generally experience reduced sales and profits due to changes in consumer behaviors, forcing organizations to embrace cost-cutting measures. These measures include layoffs, reductions in spending, and decreased marketing and research. A recession can also curb an organization’s access to credit and lessen overall cash flow, leading to an increase in bankruptcies. The strategies employers implement to mitigate the effects of a recession can greatly impact whether their organizations withstand such an economic downturn. Therefore, employers can prepare for a recession by taking steps now to limit recession-related ramifications and maintain financial stability.

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Employers are likely familiar with “quiet quitting,” where employees put no more effort into their jobs than necessary, or “quiet firing,” where employers or managers slowly pull back employees’ duties instead of outright firing them. Now, there’s another phrase gaining traction in workplaces: “quiet hiring.”

Overview of Quiet Hiring – Quiet hiring is when companies upskill existing employees and move them to new roles or give them greater job duties to fit business needs. This often happens when an employee leaves an organization, leaving their role or responsibilities open. This strategy can be an efficient, cost-effective way for employers to snag in-demand talent without going through traditional external hiring channels.

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Employee handbooks are important tools for establishing employee expectations, addressing workplace issues, and defending against potential lawsuits. Failing to update employee handbooks regularly can make employers vulnerable to legal risks and liabilities, resulting in costly fines, penalties, and attorneys’ fees. Employment laws are often complicated, and employers need to be aware of any new regulatory developments that may impact their organizations and workforce. The start of the year provides employers with an excellent opportunity to review and update their employment policies. The following list summarizes the five key policies employers should review to ensure their employment practices and policies are current and reflect the most recent regulatory developments.

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California – FAQs Explain New Requirement to Include Pay Scale in Job Postings: The California Labor Commissioner has issued guidance on the new law that requires all employers to provide the pay scale to an employee or applicant upon request and employers with 15 or more employees to include the pay scale in any job posting, effective Jan. 1, 2023. The guidance, as summarized in this Legal Update, is in numbers 27 through 34 of the Labor commissioner’s Equal Pay Law FAQs. Click here to read the California Legal Update.

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According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statics (BLS), the rate of labor union membership decreased from 10.3% in 2021 to 10.1% in 2022. The 2022 unionization rate is the lowest since the BLS started tracking comparable union data in 1983. Despite the decrease in the union membership rate, the number of wage and salary workers belonging to unions, at 14.3 million in 2022, increased by 273,000 from 2021. This is likely due to the increase in the total number of wage and salary workers in the United States, including those who didn’t join unions. The BLS’ release explained that the “disproportionately large increase in the number of total wage and salary employment compared with the increase in the number of union members led to a decrease in the union membership rate.”

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Recently, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced a proposed rule that would prohibit employers from imposing or enforcing non-compete clauses on workers. The proposed rule will have a public comment window of 60 days after publication in the Federal Register.

• The Rationale for the Proposed Rule – The FTC’s proposed rule is based on President Joe Biden’s 2021 Executive Order on Promoting Competition in the American Economy, which encouraged the FTC to exercise its statutory rule-making authority under the Federal Trade Commission Act to “curtail the unfair use of non-compete clauses and other clauses or agreements that may unfairly limit worker mobility.”

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On Jan. 24, Amazon announced a new Prime membership benefit from Amazon Pharmacy. RxPass will only be available as a subscription service for customers with Amazon Prime memberships. For $5 a month, people can fill as many prescriptions as they need from a list of roughly 50 generic medications. The fee would be out of pocket and in addition to an Amazon Prime membership fee. Amazon noted that Prime members could get discounts of up to 80% off generic drugs and 40% off brand-name medications at more than 60,000 pharmacies across the country. Medications that treat more than 80 common conditions—such as high blood pressure, anxiety, and acid reflux—are included in the subscription. Click here for a complete list of RxPass medications.

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There’s growing anxiety that the U.S. economy is heading into a recession. While a recession impacts organizations of all sizes, small businesses often have limited resources and face a unique set of challenges. As a result, small businesses often must make difficult financial decisions to avoid issues such as insolvency or bankruptcy when a recession hits. That’s why it’s critical for small businesses to now consider how best to prepare for a potential recession.

Tips to help prepare for and minimize the impact of a recession:

1. Re-evaluate compensation strategies
2. Prioritize employee retention
3. Assess organizational talent
4. Establish communication channels
5. Automate internal processes

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4 HR Trends for 2023: Just as teams quickly adapted to changes at the height of the pandemic, they must now adapt and respond to today’s evolving expectations of organizations and employees. Savvy leaders and HR professionals will approach this year with human-centric strategies that holistically support and benefit workers. The trends include increased wages and raises, pay transparency, and several hot topics. Check out our infographic on 4 HR Trends in 2023.

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California – California Employment Laws Effective Jan. 1, 2023. In general, once approved by both the state legislature and the state governor, a new bill in California becomes effective on Jan. 1 of the following year (some exceptions are possible for emergency measures and when the bills specifically appoint a different effective date). The Compliance Bulletin provides an overview of California labor and employment laws that become effective on Jan. 1, 2023. Click here to read the California HR Compliance Bulletin.

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