AARP SmartBrief

Reading this on a mobile device? Try our optimized mobile version here: http://r.smartbrief.com/resp/rUlMhMrCDliCpVpIuA

September 17, 2009

E-mail news for employers

Top Stories

Incomes decline as number of uninsured increases
Many households are facing a sharp drop in living standards, according to the Census Bureau. Median household income declined 3.6% in 2008 to $50,303 a year, the sharpest year-on-year decrease in 40 years. The poverty rate increased to 13.2%, the highest since 1997. The number of people without health insurance increased 700,000 last year. "There's a lot of pain for the average family," said Bruce Meyer, an economist at the University of Chicago. The Wall Street Journal (tiered subscription model) (9/11), Forbes/The Associated Press (9/10), National Public Radio (9/10), Google/The Associated Press (9/10)

Retirements will create majority of U.S. job openings
Retirements will account for 66% of the jobs that will need to be filled in the U.S. between 2006 and 2016, according to Department of Labor projections. Companies that employee engineers and scientists will face a particularly steep replacement curve -- more than half of U.S. scientists and engineers are over age 50. Meanwhile, about half of all government workers are approaching 50. EBN (free registration) (9/1)

Industry & Workplace Trends

Older workers, new graduates struggle during downturn
Older workers nearing retirement and young people who have recently graduated from college have been hardest hit by the shrinking job market, according to the Associated Press Economic Stress Index. Experts say younger workers are more likely to be laid off from their jobs. However, they also note that older workers are less likely to recover from job loss because of stereotypes that they are more difficult to train and more expensive. Google/The Associated Press (9/6)

Study: Many businesses are unprepared for swine flu
Two out of three businesses are unprepared for a swine flu pandemic, according to Harvard School of Public Health study. Experts are urging businesses to create and update crisis plans that will help them adjust to employee absences. They also note that all businesses should communicate with employees constantly and provide information about what the company must do to sustain itself. CCH (9/11)

Twitter proves valuable in recruitment
Employers are finding Twitter a useful tool in finding qualified employees for job openings. The free service saves money, doesn't generate a flood of applicants and helps employers get to know applicants better, recruiters say. The Wall Street Journal (tiered subscription model) (9/8)

Temp payrolls shed fewer jobs in August, government says
Temporary-help payrolls in the U.S. shed fewer jobs in August than they did in July, according to data released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The payrolls fell to about 1.7 million in August, down 6,500 from the prior month. Meanwhile, the August unemployment rate in the U.S. was 9.7%, up from 9.4% in the previous month. Workforce Management Online (9/2009)

Wellness programs can translate into good investments, experts say
Some businesses are finding that wellness programs boost workers' productivity and help save money in the long run. Experts say that programs that improve employees' health can translate into lower corporate health care costs, for example. One Florida company that covered the cost of a weight-loss program expects to see a return of $3 to $4 for each $1 invested in the program. Workforce Management Online (9/2009)

AARP News

2009 AARP Best Employers for Workers Over 50
AARP is pleased to announce the AARP Best Employers for Workers Over 50 for 2009. This program recognizes employers with exemplary best practices and policies for managing the aging workforce. This year, AARP established a separate category to recognize innovative practices of health care organizations in addressing the shortages of qualified workers. As a result, the final list of winners includes 50 employers in the General category, and 15 in the Hospitals-Health Care category.
- See the list of winners in both categories.
- Read the press release.

Webinar: A New Look at Age and Generations in the Workplace, Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2 p.m. to 3 p.m., EDT
By now it is well-known that four generations of employees co-exist in today's workplace. But what other factors -- besides age and birth date -- are important to employees' view of their jobs and what they want out of work? This webinar casts a new light on age diversity in the workplace, and offers a fresh way of evaluating your workforce in today's economy. Learn more and register.

Learn more about AARP ->

Workforce Assessment Tool | Employer Resource Center | AARP Research

Law and Regulation

Obama proposes more choices for retirement savings
Using administrative authority that does not require congressional action, U.S. President Barack Obama gave workers a series of options to help them save for retirement. Among the actions was the creation of simplified procedures to make it easier for small employers to set up 401(k) savings plans that automatically enroll workers unless they opt out. NYTimes.com/The Associated Press (9/6), The Washington Post (9/5), IFAWebNews.com (9/11)

SmartQuote

The end of wisdom is to dream high enough to lose the dream in the seeking of it."

--William Faulkner,
American novelist

Subscriber Tools

Print friendly format | Web version | Search past news | Archive | Privacy policy

Editorial Team

Lead Editor: Angela Giroux-Scheide


	Recent AARP SmartBrief Issues: Thursday, September 03, 2009 Thursday, August 20, 2009 Thursday, August 06, 2009 Thursday, July 23, 2009 Thursday, July 09, 2009			Mailing Address: SmartBrief, Inc.®, 1100 H ST NW, Suite 1000, Washington, DC 20005

© 1999-2011 SmartBrief, Inc.® Legal Information

The news reported in AARP SmartBrief does not necessarily reflect the official opinion of AARP. Some links in AARP SmartBrief are time-sensitive, and may move or expire over time. Some sources also may require registration or fee-based subscriptions.