Jonathan M. Brenner, a Member of the Firm in the Employment, Labor & Workforce Management practice, in the firm’s Los Angeles office, was quoted in SHRM.org, in “Hustling to Hire Seasonal Workers in California? Know the Applicable Laws,” by June Bell.
Following is an excerpt:
Seasonal workers are in high demand nationally as businesses prepare for the annual crush of customers. Target announced in September it would add 100,000 seasonal store workers and another 4,500 in distribution centers and warehouses. Macy’s will take on about 80,000 temporary workers, including about 18,000 for order fulfilment. Amazon will onboard nearly 120,000 warehouse workers, almost doubling its staff, USA Today reported.
Low Unemployment, High Demand
Merchants and service providers such as UPS add about 604,000 holiday-related jobs each fall nationwide, according to outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas. A very low unemployment rate—4.1 percent in October—is putting added pressure on employers to secure enough extra hands to staff cash registers and stock rooms.
Competition for staff can heighten risks in hiring temporary workers, cautioned Jonathan M. Brenner, an attorney with Epstein Becker & Green in Los Angeles. He recommends that HR professionals establish a screening process and onboarding plan long before their employers face a hiring squeeze. Otherwise, rushed managers may be tempted to cut corners on essential practices such as background checks.
Businesses can save time and hiring headaches by contracting with staffing agencies to fill seasonal positions. That arrangement, however, comes with other responsibilities for HR professionals. They must make sure front-line managers understand the scope of work that the agency’s contract permits seasonal laborers to perform.
