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HOUMA, La. — B & D Contracting Inc., a labor recruiting and staffing agency that caters to oil field services and maritime fabrication facilities along the Gulf Coast, has agreed to pay $1,660,438 in back wages to 1,543 current and former employees. An investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor found that the company engaged in improper pay and record-keeping practices that resulted in employees being denied overtime compensation in violation of the Fair Labor Standards Act. The employees were assigned to client work sites throughout Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama to work as welders, pipe fitters and shipfitters.

Investigators from the Wage and Hour Division’s New Orleans District Office found the company mischaracterized certain wages as per diem payments and impermissibly excluded these wages when calculating overtime premiums, denying employees earned overtime compensation.

“Temporary staffing agencies serve valuable and legitimate business needs in today’s economy,” said Dr. David Weil, administrator for the Wage and Hour Division, “But employers may not manipulate these arrangements and use evasive pay practices to avoid paying workers their rightful wages.”

“The labor violations we found in this case are not unique to B & D Contracting Inc.,” said Cynthia Watson, regional administrator for the division in the Southwest. “We are increasingly finding the use of per diem schemes as a means of decreasing overtime pay and tax obligations in the staffing and support services industry in this region. The resolution of this case demonstrates our continued focus on combating such labor violations in order to improve compliance in this industry.”

Following the investigation, B & D Contracting agreed to pay back wages owed to employees. The company also signed a settlement agreement with the department, committing itself to implement specific measures to prevent future FLSA violations. These measures include: setting standards to accurately identify and compensate workers who qualify for bona fide per diem payments; paying accurate overtime and ensuring per diem payments are not automatically excluded from overtime calculations; informing employees about their pay and employment conditions; and obtaining written acknowledgment from employees that they understand the criteria for receipt of per diem payments.

Additionally, B & D Contracting agreed to maintain accurate records demonstrating that employees received bona fide per diem payments and that such payments are based either on applicable Internal Revenue Service guidelines or upon a reasonable approximation of the expenses incurred.

Pursuant to the department’s partnerships with the IRS and the Louisiana Workforce Commission, this case has also been referred to those agencies for review under their respective laws.

This investigation was conducted under the Wage and Hour Division’s ongoing initiative focused on strengthening labor compliance among temporary labor providers, such as staffing and support services companies in the Gulf Coast region. The division’s enforcement and compliance assistance efforts are focused on identifying and remedying labor violations involving temporary employment arrangements, and the agency is also working with stakeholders and state agencies to ensure compliance with all applicable laws. Between fiscal years 2011 and 2013, the division’s New Orleans District Office conducted 24 investigations in the temporary help industry securing more than $2.5 million in back wages for more than 3,000 workers.

An employee’s regular pay rate, upon which overtime must be computed, includes all wages for employment, except certain payments excluded by the FLSA, such as reimbursements for work-related expenses. Payments reasonably approximating travel or other expenses incurred on the employer’s behalf may be excluded from the employee’s regular rate of pay when computing overtime. However, where an employee receives such payments but actually incurs no such additional expenses, such payments do not constitute bona fide reimbursements and must be included in the employee’s regular rate of pay for purposes of computing an overtime premium.

The FLSA requires that covered employees be paid at least the national minimum wage of $7.25 for all hours worked, plus time and one-half their regular rates, including commissions, bonuses and incentive pay, for hours worked beyond 40 per week. Employers also must maintain accurate time and payroll records.

London/Rotterdam – Over 200 Unilever marketers from around the world are now offering to share their expertise and experience with innovative technology startups. The Unilever Foundry launched in May with marketers from around the world joining the platform to start mentoring entrepreneurs in their local cities.

Marc Mathieu, SVP Marketing explains: “As the second largest advertiser in the world we’re always looking to pioneer new ways of connecting with the people we serve. The Unilever Foundry(Link opens in a new window) mentorship programme allows us to support and cultivate new businesses that might grow into being Unilever’s long-term strategic partners.”
Over the last 18 months, Unilever has been piloting the mentorship programme through start-up accelerators around the world. In the UK, Unilever has partnered with Collider, a B2Brand accelerator. Through this partnership, Unilever Mentors working with Collider’s marketing and advertising tech startups to help them develop their propositions and secure pilots. Both parties are seeing the benefits: Unilever gets access to the latest marketing technology and exposes its team to new ways of working whilst to date, five Collider startups have signed revenue-generating deals with Unilever brands.

Rose Lewis, founder of Collider, highlights the importance of Unilever’s mentoring to startups: “At Collider we are focused on helping our startups become sustainable businesses, supporting them to develop their propositions, business plans, tech roadmaps and prepare them for future fundraising. Unilever’s input is crucial; ensuring that our startups are solving brands’ real challenges.”
One of the Collider startups is Sumo Insight, an innovative market research company. Tina Newport, Co-Founder of Sumo Insight shared her mentorship experience: “Unilever has been instrumental in helping us to fine-tune our product positioning and prioritise the next stage of development on our roadmap. We are now in a great position to be able to take our business forward to the next stage.”
Sam Oakley from Stashmetrics, also a Collider startup explains: “Through our Unilever Mentors we were able to get a real understanding of how Unilever works, where and when to push and importantly, when to let opportunities pass. They’ve been a huge help in setting us going on what I hope will be a rewarding journey for both parties.”

The Unilever Foundry mentorship programme typically spans a period of three months, and during this time Unilever mentors will work individually with start-ups and entrepreneurs to craft their brand vision, marketing strategy and product roadmap. Mentorship generally involves meeting for one hour every two-to-three weeks over three months. Start-ups can request to be part of a structured marketing mentorship curriculum, or engage in more tailored one-on-one dialogue with their mentor.
Marc Mathieu, SVP Global Marketing concludes: “Through The Unilever Foundry mentorship programme, we are simultaneously contributing to the entrepreneurial ecosystem, whilst also enabling our marketers to engage directly with start-ups and be inspired by new ideas and ways of working.”

About Collider
Collider (www.collider.io(Link opens in a new window)) is an accelerator dedicated to startups which help brands understand, engage with and sell to customers. By mobilising a pot of cash, a crack team of coaches, and an intensive programme, we support our startups in becoming sustainable businesses. Over the course of our year-long programme, our teams transform from startups to businesses, from cash burning to revenue earning, putting them on the road from MVP to IPO. We fuse ambitious founders with progressive brands and specialist investors. We inject smart capital, expert coaching and forge commercial connections. Through productive collaboration, we foster the fastest route to product-market fit, follow-on funding, competitive edge and revenue.
About The Unilever Foundry

The Unilever Foundry(Link opens in a new window) provides a single entry-point for innovative start-ups seeking to partner with Unilever, enabling the company’s global brands to experiment with and pilot new technologies more efficiently, effectively and speedily. It provides start-ups and entrepreneurs the opportunity to develop and work on global projects, access mentoring from marketing professionals, and tap into funding through Unilever Ventures. Start-ups are invited to find a mentor through visiting foundry.unilever.com/mentors/(Link opens in a new window). Simply select a mentor based on their skills and geography, then message that marketer to request their mentorship.

WASHINGTON — U.S Secretary of Labor Thomas E. Perez issued the following statement about the June 2014 Employment Situation report released today:

“Strong economic growth continued in the month of June, with a total of 288,000 new jobs. It is the fifth consecutive month with job growth of at least 200,000, and this is the most total jobs added in the first half of a year since 1999. Businesses created 262,000 more jobs in June, bringing us to a total of 9.7 million new private-sector jobs over the last 52 months (the longest such streak on record). The unemployment rate dropped to 6.1 percent (down significantly from 7.5 percent a year ago).

“Even as the economy continues its steady recovery, there’s plenty of work still to do to empower the middle class and create opportunity for everyone willing to work hard and take responsibility. Too many people, despite their best efforts, are still struggling to make ends meet, finding the American Dream beyond their grasp.

“Now is the moment to further invigorate our economy — by rewarding hard work with fair wages; by pursuing paid leave and other policies that provide security for working families; by upgrading our nation’s aging infrastructure; by investing in apprenticeship and training programs that prepare people for jobs that are available right now.

“But on too many of these issues, Congress continues to sit on its hands instead of working constructively with President Obama to move the nation and the economy forward. Its refusal to extend emergency unemployment benefits has cut off nearly 3 million people who are trying their hardest to find work.

“It’s been one year since the Senate passed a strong bill to fix our broken immigration system, but still the House refuses to act, despite broad public support for a common-sense, bipartisan measure. Failure to enact immigration reform has come at a cost — $8 billion less in economic activity. That’s why the president announced this week that he will look to fill the leadership void and take executive action wherever possible to bring our immigration system into the 21st century.

“As we celebrate the nation’s birthday tomorrow, let’s remind ourselves that for more than two centuries the United States has always been at its strongest when we work together to make progress, expand opportunity and give everyone a fair shot to succeed. In the spirit of Independence Day, let’s renew our commitment to meet shared challenges with unity and resolve.”

This is courtesy of www.dol.gov

U.S. Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker today announced the launch of the U.S. Cluster Mapping and Registry project (http://clustermapping.us), a national economic initiative based at Harvard Business School’s Institute for Strategy and Competitiveness and supported by the U.S. Economic Development Administration. The U.S. Cluster Mapping and Registry project aims to strengthen U.S. competitiveness by understanding the economic performance of clusters and regions across the United States.

Clusters are geographic concentrations of interconnected industries and supportive organizations that make regions uniquely competitive for jobs and private investment. The Cluster Mapping and Registry website provides access to rich, open data about regional economies and clusters, empowering regions, economic developers, and businesses to make key decisions. This new website goes beyond the original cluster mapping data by leveraging broader, more granular, and more up-to-date datasets. It also integrates detailed statistical analyses using county-level business data, including metrics on regional economic performance and business environments.

“Effective regional economic outcomes rely on the policymakers, businesses, and other stakeholders having a solid understanding of the region’s strengths and economic opportunities,” said U.S. Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker. “This tool reinforces the federal government’s commitment to promote America’s clusters and provide businesses and organizations with the data and strategies they need to capitalize on their region’s assets.”

“Regional economies are the building blocks of U.S. competitiveness. The nation’s ability to produce high-value products and services depends on the creation and strengthening of regional clusters of industries that become hubs of innovation,” said Michael Porter, Bishop William Lawrence University Professor at The Institute for Strategy and Competitiveness. “Clusters enhance productivity and spur innovation by bringing together technology, information, specialized talent, competing companies, academic institution, and other organizations. Close proximity, and the accompanying tight linkages, yield better market insights, more refined researches agendas, larger pools of specialized talent, and faster deployment of new knowledge.”

Clusters are a striking feature of all modern economies and play a fundamental role in regional job growth, wages, and patenting, as well as the survival of start-ups and recovery from recessions. At a time when U.S. regions are competing not only with one another, but also with regions and cities around the world, it is critical for the United States to reevaluate its regional economic challenges in order to strengthen its position in the global economy and achieve sustainable growth.

By partnering with Harvard Business School’s Institute for Strategy and Competitiveness, this project addresses key policy implications of clusters as an instrument to reinvigorate U.S. competitiveness and lay the foundation for more sustainable economic growth. This resource will provide a modern web experience, with access to actionable cluster and regional data reflecting the state of today’s economy. With an extensive organization registry, this tool can help connect businesses with the organizations that are promoting their clusters. The project allows users to share and discuss best practices in economic development, policy and innovation by compiling a user-contributed repository of cluster initiatives, studies, and news reports.

EDA is leading a number of multi-agency initiatives focused on helping regions develop their clusters. These coordinated investments help break down silos so that the federal government can be a more effective partner to communities and regions. Since fiscal year 2010, Commerce and EDA have invested in more than 65 collaborative, interagency investments throughout the country including the Jobs and Innovation Accelerator Challenge, the Make it in America Challenge, and the Investing in Manufacturing Communities Partnership.

About the U.S. Economic Development Administration (www.eda.gov)
The mission of the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) is to lead the federal economic development agenda by promoting competitiveness and preparing the nation’s regions for growth and success in the worldwide economy. An agency within the U.S. Department of Commerce, EDA makes investments in economically distressed communities in order to create jobs for U.S. workers, promote American innovation, and accelerate long-term sustainable economic growth.

About the Institute for Strategy and Competitiveness (www.isc.hbs.edu)
The Institute for Strategy and Competitiveness at Harvard Business School, founded and led by Michael E. Porter, Bishop William Lawrence University Professor, studies competition and its implications for company strategy; the competitiveness of nations, regions and cities; and solutions to social problems. The Institute is dedicated to extending the research pioneered by Professor Porter and disseminating it to scholars and practitioners on a global basis. Michael Porter received the first Lifetime Achievement Award in Economic Development from the U.S. Department of Commerce in 2008. The award will be presented only rarely, when a private citizen’s body of work and assistance to the federal government has significantly enhanced the nation’s approach to economic development.

MILWAUKEE, — ManpowerGroup (NYSE: MAN), the world’s workforce expert, today identified three distinct roles human resources (HR) leaders must play to ensure talent sustainability for their organizations in its new insights paper, “The Talent Shortage Continues: How the Ever Changing Role of HR Can Bridge the Gap.” The paper is available for download here.

ManpowerGroup’s ninth annual Talent Shortage Survey, released on May 30, highlighted that the global talent shortage is at a seven-year high as 36 percent of employers globally cannot fill open jobs. The paper explains that, with no end to the problem in sight, HR leaders are the one group with the expertise and influence to reshape their companies’ talent-base. They must now adopt the roles of supply and demand experts, marketers and designers.

“Macroeconomic forces continue to decrease margins, creating a need for organizations to do more with less and to have a workforce that is more agile and productive,” said Jonas Prising, ManpowerGroup CEO. “The answer rests with HR leaders, who must possess the strategic capability to ensure a sustainable workforce and the talent their organizations need to achieve their business objectives.”

HR leaders can bridge the skills gap by evolving their role in three critical ways:

Supply and Demand Experts: HR leaders must provide market intelligence supported by relevant data, understanding their internal and external talent supply and how forces are shaping the availability of required skills.
Marketers: In a world of talent shortages, HR’s role has expanded to include attracting and retaining customers (i.e., talent), in the same way that marketers segment and target consumers of the company’s products and services.
Designers: A different way of thinking is required to cultivate communities of work and balance the employment mix to include contingent, fully outsourced, partially retired and other workers.
For more details on talent shortages around the world, visit our new Talent Shortage Interactive Explorer Tool and global infographic.

ManpowerGroup (NYSE: MAN) surveyed more than 37,000 employers in 42 countries and territories during the first quarter of 2014 to explore the impact of talent shortages on the global labor market and how employers are responding to the challenges raised by the lack of available talent in specific job categories. This is the ninth consecutive year that the survey has been conducted.

About ManpowerGroup

ManpowerGroup™ (NYSE: MAN) has been the world’s workforce expert, creating innovative workforce solutions, for more than 65 years. As workforce experts, we connect more than 600,000 men and women to meaningful work across a wide range of skills and industries every day. Through our ManpowerGroup family of brands — Manpower®, Experis™, Right Management ® and ManpowerGroup™ Solutions— we help more than 400,000 clients in 80 countries and territories address their critical talent needs, providing comprehensive solutions to resource, manage and develop talent. In 2014, ManpowerGroup was named one of the World’s Most Ethical Companies for the fourth consecutive year and one of Fortune’s Most Admired Companies, confirming our position as the most trusted and admired brand in the industry. See how ManpowerGroup makes powering the world of work humanly possible: www.manpowergroup.com.

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) plans to regulate carbon dioxide emissions from power plants will cost America’s economy over $50 billion a year between now and 2030, according to a new report issued by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Institute for 21st Century Energy.

The report, Assessing the Impact of Potential New Carbon Regulations in the United States, estimates the economic impacts associated with an EPA regulatory regime imposed under Section 111 of the Clean Air Act and based on the Obama Administration’s emissions reduction goals.

“Americans deserve to have an accurate picture of the costs and benefits associated with the administration’s plans to reduce carbon dioxide emissions through unprecedented and aggressive EPA regulations,” said Karen Harbert, president and CEO of the Energy Institute. “Our analysis shows that Americans will pay significantly more for electricity, see slower economic growth and fewer jobs, and have less disposable income, while a slight reduction in carbon emissions will be overwhelmed by global increases.”

The analysis found that EPA’s potential new carbon regulations would:

-Lower U.S. Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by $51 billion on average every year through 2030
-Lead to 224,000 fewer U.S. jobs on average every year through 2030
-Force U.S. consumers to pay $289 billion more for electricity through 2030
-Lower total disposable income for U.S. households by $586 billion through 2030

With global carbon emissions expected to rise by 31% between 2011 and 2030, the Energy Institute’s analysis found that EPA regulations would reduce this overall emissions level by just 1.8 percentage points.

The Energy Institute commissioned the respected research and analytics firm IHS to conduct the modeling and analysis. As a basis for the study, the Energy Institute utilized a proposal from the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) that many expect will be similar to EPA’s anticipated proposal. Using the NRDC policy framework, along with the proprietary outlook from IHS Inc. on energy efficiency and power demand, the Energy Institute report then assesses the costs and market impacts of meeting the Obama Administration’s emissions target of 42% reductions below 2005 levels by 2030. The conclusions are those of the Energy Institute.

The Energy Institute’s analysis includes only the costs for the new and existing power plant carbon dioxide regulations. All other EPA regulations, such as the Mercury and Air Toxic Standards and the Cross-State Air Pollution Rule, are built into the reference case.

Different regions of the country will see profoundly different impacts from these rules. Generally, the largest impacts on jobs and the economy will be in the South Atlantic, West South Central, and East North Central census divisions. The South power region will see the biggest increases in electricity costs by far.

To read the entire report, visit www.energyxxi.org/epa-regs

The mission of the U.S. Chamber’s Institute for 21st Century Energy is to unify policymakers, regulators, business leaders, and the American public behind a common sense energy strategy to help keep America secure, prosperous, and clean. Through policy development, education, and advocacy, the Institute is building support for meaningful action at the local, state, national, and international levels.

The U.S. Chamber is the world’s largest business federation representing the interests of more than 3 million businesses and organizations of every size, sector, and region.

This news is courtesy of www.uschamber.com

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) will host an entrepreneurship training course for Veterans in 12 U.S. cities beginning July 11. Each two-day “Boots to Business: Reboot” event will be led by representatives from SBA’s resource partners and industry experts from Syracuse University’s Institute for Veterans and Military Families (IVMF).

The two-day “Introduction to Entrepreneurship Class” will teach veterans the fundamentals of business ownership. Participants will learn how to evaluate business concepts, and effective strategies for developing a business plan.

“We have a special obligation to serve those who served us so well: our veterans,” said SBA Administrator Maria Contreras Sweet. “Our armed forces have a track record of producing outstanding leaders. Veterans own nearly 1 in 10 businesses that generate more than $1 trillion in sales a year.

“SBA’s Boots to Business program has been very popular with our troops and cost-effective, so we’ve decided to adapt the Boots to Business curriculum for veterans. This summer, in 12 cities across America, we will be hosting a series of events for veterans who’ve already made the transition to civilian life.”

“Boots to Business: Reboot” will adapt the curriculum from SBA’s Boots to Business: From Service to Startup program. A training track within the Department of Defense’s “Transition, Goals, Plans, Success” (Transition GPS) program, Boots to Business is a three-step program developed to introduce transitioning service members to small business ownership.

In addition to connecting with local resource networks, participants also have an opportunity to take advantage of the counseling and training offered by SBA’s resource partner network, which include Veteran Business Outreach Centers, Women’s Business Centers, Small Business Development Centers and SCORE.

The Boots to Business program is supported through SBA’s partnership with Syracuse University’s IVMF.

The “Boots to Business: Reboot” events will kick off at the White House on July 11, and will conclude on August 25-26 during the American Legion National Convention in Charlotte, N.C.

Below are the cities and dates for “Boots to Business: Reboot”:

CITIES AND DATES

July 11 – 12: Washington, D.C.

July 24 – 25: Dallas- Fort Worth, Texas

July 29 – 30: Miami, Fla.

July 31 – August 1: Chicago, Ill.

August 1 – 2: Philadelphia, Pa.

August 5 – 6: Boston, Mass.

August 6 – 7: Albuquerque, N.M.

August 8 – 9: Kansas City, Mo.

August 13 – 14: Detroit, Mich.

August 15 – 16: Los Angeles, Calif.

August 20 – 21: Seattle, Wash.

August 25 – 26: Charlotte, N.C.

For more information about “Boots to Business:Reboot”, visit the Boots to Business website at www.boots2businessreboot.org.

Each year SBA helps more than 200,000 veterans, service-disabled veterans and reservists start and grow their small businesses. To learn more about opportunities for veterans available through the SBA, visit www.sba.gov/vets.

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Labor today announced a total of $4,204,401 for two National Emergency Grants to assist approximately 650 workers affected by recent layoffs in Idaho.

“Workers affected by these layoffs will need to be trained in the latest skills in order to be competitive in today’s workforce,” said U.S. Secretary of Labor Thomas E. Perez. “This funding will provide the resources these workers need to become employed in the region’s fastest growing industries and occupations.”

The department is making $2,600,475 in grant funding available for 435 workers affected by the closures that took place from August 2013 to April 2014 of the J.R. Simplot Co.’s facilities, which were located in the Idaho cities of Aberdeen, Caldwell, Heyburn and Nampa. Of the total amount awarded, $1,040,190 will be released initially.

Another grant, worth $1,603,926, is being awarded to assist 219 workers affected by the March 31 closure of the Center Partners call center, located in Idaho Falls, Idaho. Of the $1,603,926 available for these workers, $779,050 will be released initially.

The grants, both awarded to the Idaho Department of Labor, will provide these dislocated workers with re-employment services. For the former Center Partners employees, this will include: career guidance, case management, job search assistance, on-the-job training and other skills training opportunities.

The workers affected by the J.R. Simplot Co.’s closures will receive similar services; however, they are also eligible for Trade Adjustment Assistance benefits, so the TAA program will cover the costs of their training. Because only a portion of the total amount approved for each of the grants is being awarded today, additional funding, up to the total approved amount, will be made available as the state demonstrates a continued need for assistance.

ROSELAND, N.J. – ADP®, a leading global provider of Human Capital Management (HCM) solutions, today announced that Forest City Enterprises, a national real estate property management and development company with hundreds of premier properties across the United States, has implemented an integrated HCM solution based on ADP Vantage HCM®.

Forest City, whose portfolio includes The New York Times® building in Manhattan, NY, and the Metro Tech® Center in Brooklyn, NY, selected ADP to provide a modern, integrated HCM solution for its 3,000 employees. ADP Vantage HCM provides multinational enterprises a scalable and integrated HR system with expertise and comprehensive unified services, innovative and intuitive employee and manager experiences, and valuable insights companies like Forest City use to help them succeed.

“One of our biggest needs was for an integrated HR platform that is scalable and will provide improved functionality, enhanced workflows and reporting,” said Kathleen Mangus, Director of HR Operations and Systems for Forest City. “We wanted a foundational base with integrated benefits administration, and ADP offered that with ADP Vantage HCM.”

“We’re pleased that Forest City Enterprises has chosen to continue and expand their long-term relationship with ADP for HR, payroll, talent management and benefits administration software and service,” said Mark Benjamin, President of Global Enterprise Solutions at ADP. “Our ability to deliver best-in-class HCM solutions and client service will help to enable Forest City to continue its successful growth as one of the leading real-estate companies in the United States.”

Forest City currently operates in 28 states with key offices in Boston, Chicago, Cleveland, Dallas, Denver, Los Angeles, New York, and Washington, D.C. Over the past two decades, the company has completed some of its most well-known projects, including the world-renowned Stapleton community in Denver, CO; University Park® at Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge, MA; Barclays Center® in Brooklyn, NY, and Victoria Gardens in Rancho Cucamonga, CA, among others.

In the past, Mangus said the HR team had heard about challenges associates and managers faced when using different applications. As a result, HR determined that there was a greater need for an integrated system to smooth the processes people use every day.

“We compiled our business requirements and knew what we were looking for,” Mangus said. “We put together an advisory council across our businesses to help provide direction and set requirements to ensure we met associate and business unit needs.”

Specifically, as Forest City continued to grow, it wanted an HR platform that would facilitate that growth – and be scalable for future growth.

“We were looking, quite clearly, at functionality – work-flow capabilities, level of integration, and self-service for our employees to easily and efficiently manage their HR information,” said Mangus. “ADP’s focus on service as well as its cloud-based technology was a strong factor in our decision. In the end, the fact that ADP had successfully managed our data in the past, and knew our business, led us to select ADP to meet a majority of our business requirements.”

Once the team focused on ADP, the decision was presented to the company’s top management “as part of our transformation strategy to move to a new platform that would grow with us.”

Implementation is complete at Forest City, and the company is in its fifth month with the new system.

“We are getting the right kinds of tools in the hands of our managers and employees, and those tools help to enable them to make better decisions to improve our business,” said Mangus. “This enables the HR team at Forest City to perform less transactional work and focus more energy around partnering and advising the business units we support.”

About ADP
With more than $11 billion in revenues and more than 60 years of experience, ADP® (NASDAQ: ADP) serves approximately 620,000 clients in more than 125 countries. As one of the world’s largest providers of business outsourcing and Human Capital Management solutions, ADP offers a wide range of human resource, payroll, talent management, tax and benefits administration solutions from a single source, and helps clients comply with regulatory and legislative changes, such as the Affordable Care Act (ACA). ADP’s easy-to-use solutions for employers provide superior value to companies of all types and sizes. ADP is also a leading provider of integrated computing solutions to auto, truck, motorcycle, marine, recreational vehicle, and heavy equipment dealers throughout the world. For more information about ADP, visit the company’s Web site at www.adp.com.

About Forest City
Forest City Enterprises, Inc. is an NYSE-listed national real estate company with $9.3 billion in total assets. The company is principally engaged in the ownership, development, management and acquisition of commercial and residential real estate and land throughout the United States. For more information, visit www.forestcity.net.

BENTONVILLE, Ark., – During the first year of Walmart’s Veterans Welcome Home Commitment it hired more than 42,000 veterans. The commitment, launched last Memorial Day, guarantees a job offer to any honorably discharged veteran within his or her first 12 months off active duty. Walmart projects it will hire more than 100,000 veterans in five years.

The Walmart Foundation also announced it is doubling down on its commitment to veterans by pledging an additional $20 million through 2019 to support veteran employment and transition programs. In 2011, the Walmart Foundation pledged $20 million through 2015 to help veterans and their families get through those challenges with assistance from programs that provide job training, transition support and education. It met that goal one year early.

“We have a generation of veterans who have built a legacy of incredible service and sacrifice to our nation,” said Bill Simon, Walmart U.S. president and CEO and U.S. Navy veteran. “We have hired veterans at every career stage and in every part of our company, from stores and distribution centers to the home office and Walmart.com. Veterans bring invaluable skills including leadership, commitment and hard work, which make our workforce even stronger.”

“In addition to the good jobs we offer, our Foundation’s commitment is helping even more veterans build the skills they need to succeed in their careers,” Simon added.

“Walmart provides a great opportunity for veterans to transition from military to civilian life,” said Casey Mormen, an Army veteran who was hired in January 2014, in the Warren, Michigan store. “People don’t realize how hard it is for veterans to find employment, and I received a call almost immediately after applying. I started as a fitting room associate and have already been promoted to a department manager. I truly believe that you can go as far as your hard work will take you at Walmart, and the leadership team supports you along the way.”

More than one million service members are due to exit the military in the next five years, and many of them will face significant challenges with unemployment and transition back to civilian life. To help address those challenges, the Walmart Foundation is increasing its support for veterans and military families.

Organizations that will benefit from the Foundation include:

Swords to Plowshares, is receiving a $1.35 million grant. A San Francisco-based veteran service organization, it helps veterans break through the cultural, psychological and economic barriers they encounter upon their return to civilian life. With its first $750,000 Walmart Foundation grant, Swords expanded its innovative model across California. This additional funding will support capacity building and fund a pilot program to expand its service model to Texas.
National Veterans Outreach Program founded by American GI Forum is receiving a $1 million grant this year from the Walmart Foundation. It is a San Antonio-based community services agency that oversees veteran programs including job training, counseling and family services throughout Texas. In 2012, NVOP used a $750,000 Walmart Foundation grant to establish the TX-Vet program, which provides transition assistance, job readiness and placement services to unemployed or underemployed veterans 34 years of age and under in the state of Texas. This year’s grant will allow NVOP to continue the work while expanding the program to a 17-month period.
Institute for Veterans and Military Families (IVMF) – Through a $450,000 grant from Sam’s Club, IVMF will expand entrepreneurial training and support for female veterans through Veteran Women Igniting the Spirit of Entrepreneurship (V-WISE). Joining the U.S. Small Business Administration to expand V-WISE’s reach, the grant will support planning and costs for 300 program graduates to attend the inaugural V-WISE Graduate Conference in San Antonio in November 2014.
“We hope to have a multiplying effect on the programs and resources available to veterans and their families,” said Kathleen McLaughlin, President of the Walmart Foundation. “Through continued, collaborative work with our nonprofit partners, we will support innovative public/private community-based initiatives that address the challenges many of our veterans face when returning to the civilian workforce and their communities. There is no better tribute to our men and women who serve than supporting them when they return home.”

For more information about Walmart’s Veterans Welcome Home Commitment please visit: www.walmartcareerswithamission.com and follow on Twitter @WalmartVeterans.

About Walmart
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (NYSE: WMT) helps people around the world save money and live better – anytime and anywhere – in retail stores, online and through their mobile devices. Each week, more than 250 million customers and members visit our 10,994 stores under 71 banners in 27 countries and ecommerce websites in 10 countries. With fiscal year 2014 sales of approximately $473 billion, Walmart employs more than 2 million associates worldwide. Walmart continues to be a leader in sustainability, corporate philanthropy and employment opportunity. Additional information about Walmart can be found by visiting http://corporate.walmart.com, on Facebook at http://facebook.com/walmart and on Twitter at http://twitter.com/walmart. Online merchandise sales are available at http://www.walmart.com and http://www.samsclub.com.

MILWAUKEE, — ManpowerGroup Solutions, an offering of ManpowerGroup (NYSE: MAN), the world leader in innovative workforce solutions, announced today that it has entered into an exclusive partnership with Jibe, a leading recruitment technology company, to offer Jibe’s Mobile Apply and Recruiting Analytics™ to its clients. Mobile Apply allows candidates to apply for jobs directly from any mobile device, greatly improving the overall candidate experience and enhancing employers’ talent acquisition capabilities. Technology agnostic Recruiting Analytics integrates seamlessly with employers’ existing systems offering employers real-time, strategic insights into their talent acquisition processes.

The exponential growth of mobile technology has led to unprecedented improvements in connectivity and radically transformed all aspects of business. Employers must keep current with the latest technology to attract and retain increasingly tech-savvy, on-the-go talent while candidates expect to find jobs anytime and from anywhere. In fact, in the US alone, the number of people using mobile devices to find employment nearly tripled between August 2012 and August 2013.[1] At the same time, 40 percent of “mobile candidates” abandon application efforts upon encountering non-mobile friendly application processes.

“In a highly competitive talent environment, successful organizations adapt candidate sourcing and communications to begin interacting with candidates the moment they start to seek information about an open position. Mobile Apply enables our clients to reach candidates who use mobile devices as their primary web access and communication tool. Recruiting Analytics provides our clients with invaluable talent insights to inform business decisions,” said Jim McCoy, ManpowerGroup Solutions Vice President and Recruitment Process Outsourcing Practice Lead. “Our partnership with Jibe enables our clients to effectively share information about open positions with a much wider pool of the best and most qualified candidates. When candidates can submit their resumes at any time, from anywhere, it increases their chances of getting hired. It’s a win-win solution for employers and candidates.”

“Because of ManpowerGroup’s leadership position in the staffing industry, our partnership with ManpowerGroup Solutions makes a lot of sense,” said Mike Pauletich, Senior Vice President of Alliances and Business Development at Jibe. “ManpowerGroup Solutions shares a similar vision with Jibe, striving to arm today’s talent acquisition professionals with innovative, user-friendly solutions that make recruiting more efficient and effective, and improve the overall candidate experience.”

By offering Mobile Apply and Recruiting Analytics, ManpowerGroup Solutions takes the lead in mobile technology for talent sourcing and enhances employers’ competitiveness in the Human Age where talent is the key determinant of business success.

ManpowerGroup Solutions: http://www.manpowergroup.com/wps/wcm/connect/manpowergroup-en/home/solutions-services/manpowergroup-solutions/#.U1aQwvldX-s

Bethesda, Md., Everyday is an opportunity to connect, to be inspired by others and to use the power of professional networks to realize a dream. Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott is helping future business travelers with the launch of “Everyday Connect,” a multimedia resource offering college graduates career insights from young entrepreneurs who were featured on this year’s Forbes 30 Under 30 list.

The campaign, housed on Tumblr at http://everyday-connect.com, starts a conversation with young professionals and reinforces the idea that the next generation of business leaders needs to invest in real, meaningful relationships to help propel their careers. It reminds college graduates, entering a challenging job market, to take the time now at the start of their professional journey to build long-lasting relationships that will inspire them to succeed in whatever they choose to do.

“Everyday Connect” features short films, infographics, tips and survey data to help graduates identify opportunities and build their own professional network. Fairfield enlisted four entrepreneurs from various industries to share their thoughts on the power of mentorship and personal connections. “Everyday Connect” program ambassadors include Mark Arnoldy, Executive Director at Possible Health; Eden Full, Founder, SunSaluter; Meg Gill, President/Co-Founder, Golden Road Brewing; and Kane Sarhan, Co-Founder of [E]nstitute.

“At Fairfield, we see ourselves as a partner for business travelers on the road, helping them keep their momentum strong and stay connected with people who matter to them,” said Shruti Buckley, vice president and global brand manager, Fairfield Inn & Suites. “Everyday Connect is an engaging way for us to share some wisdom from our exceptional group of mentors and offer the next generation some tips and advice that will help them achieve their goals.”

A survey conducted by Fairfield Inn & Suites among 1,000 employed adults over the age of 21 nationwide revealed:

Seventy-seven percent of people are willing to help college graduates find work.

Forty-nine percent of respondents claim to have a mentor in their profession.

Recognition is not of significant importance to people who help others in their professional network – only 51 percent of respondents said that this mattered to them.
A phone call is the generally preferred method of acknowledgment, with 91 percent of respondents saying this is an appropriate way to express appreciation, followed by a thank-you card (88 percent), or an e-mail (81 percent). A post on a social media network will sooner suffice (27 percent) than flowers (26 percent).
Sixty-six percent of respondents acknowledged the power of personal relationships in helping them maintain momentum in their careers.
The survey data reveals that there is a strong inclination among working adults to help young people at the start of their careers find work. A large majority of respondents cite personal connections as helping them in their careers, and almost half say they have a mentor in their profession, demonstrating there is a willingness to pay forward the support and guidance they have received. In a digital world, survey respondents revealed a great interest in maintaining the lines of communication open.

Cosumers Get Chance to Reconnect and Reunite Through “Everyday Connect”

Fairfield is not only providing practical advice and information with the “Everyday Connect” campaign, but it is also extending the opportunity to consumers to reconnect and reunite with the people who have helped them succeed in their careers. Starting June 2, a series of questions will be posted via the brand’s Twitter handle – over a four-week period around the power of personal connections. Based on the responses, five winners will be chosen and given a trip to reunite with the mentor of their choice in New York City as well as meet with the campaign’s influencers. Click here for full contest details:

Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott
Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott is designed for today’s traveler who is looking to be productive on the road, whether for business or leisure. In addition to complimentary Wi-Fi and hot breakfast, Fairfield Inn & Suites offers thoughtfully designed rooms and suites that provide separate living, working and sleeping areas. With more than 700 properties throughout the United States, Canada, Mexico, and India, Fairfield Inn & Suites hotels participate in the award-winning Marriott Rewards® frequent travel program that allows members to earn hotel points or airline miles for every dollar spent during each stay. For more information or reservations, visit www.fairfieldinn.com, become a fan at www.facebook.com/fairfieldinnandsuites or follow Fairfield at www.twitter.com/fairfieldhotels.

Visit Marriott International, Inc. (NASDAQ: MAR) for company information. For more information or reservations, please visit our website at www.marriott.com, and for the latest company news, visit www.marriottnewscenter.com.