Many businesses are looking to skirt around hiring full-time employees because of supplemental expenditures like healthcare and unemployment, according to MoneyShow. The news sources notes that while companies will eventually create more payroll jobs, the majority of businesses are gravitating toward independent contractors and temporary workers, because most entities prefer not to pay for benefits. Louis…

According to the Gwinnett Business Journal, the labor market is moderately improving. Consumer spending – which accounts for 70 percent of the U.S. economy – has picked up. The news source adds that with the slight uptick in consumer spending, some sectors - primarily retail, automaking, manufacturing and healthcare - have begun hiring again. This…

The Chicago Tribune reports that hiring trends among companies that are searching for college graduates are showing signs of life compared to a year ago. The news source notes that employers plan to increase hiring by 13.5 percent from 2010, and in February, 53 percent of respondents said that they expected to hire more college…

The Menlo Park, California Firefighters Association (MPFA), a union that has been entrenched in contract negotiations with district officials since 2008, may be forced to settle, according to The Mercury News. Union members were originally offered a 20 percent raise that would be implemented over four years, which they refused. As the economy gradually worsened,…

Members of the News Media Guild, the union for Associated Press (AP) workers, are fighting to receive an updated pension plan. PressTV reports that the company's old pension system - a defined benefit plan - has been phased out and is no longer sustainable if the AP desires to remain competitive. The Guild's counter-proposal, according…

In the wake of Flowers Foods, Inc.'s agreement to buy out South Philadelphia's Tasty Baking Company, 249 of the bakery's workers consented on a four-year union contract, Philly.com reports. Thomasville, Georgia-based Flowers Foods Inc. bought Tasty Baking Company, the maker of Tastykakes, for about $34.4 million in cash last week, according to BusinessWeek. The deal…

According to Lohud.com, the percentage of temporary workers in the U.S. workforce has been climbing slowly but surely. The news source notes that the total number of workers who hold temp positions currently totals 2.2 million, which is up 12 percent from a year ago. It has been one of the few employment sectors that…

Members of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) in Winnebago County, Wisconsin recently received new contracts and contract extensions from the county board, according to The Northwestern. The news source notes that, in total, four extensions were approved by the county's Personnel and Finance Committee. The beneficiaries include contract workers from…

A mutual agreement for services rendered between a contract worker and a business tends to be win-win for both sides. The company avoids the expense of paying for employees' taxes and benefits, while the freelancer has the freedom of working whenever and wherever he or she prefers. This system especially beneficial for small business owners…

The Journal Sentinel reports that more temporary workers will be hired to complete a Navy shipbuilding contract in Wisconsin. Marinette Marine Corporation noticed that the recession left a number of unskilled people looking for work. Since the company needs manufacturing help, it will hire and train these individuals, according to the news source. The temporary…