Editorial criticizes H-1B ‘abuse’ (The New York Times)

Visa abuses harm American workers as employers use H-1B visas to replace American workers with cheaper foreign labor instead of the intended specially talented foreign professionals, The editorial board of The New York Times opines. Criticism of the visa process has been muted, and reform has moved slowly,...

Korn Ferry fee revenue up, Hay Group acquisition fuels growth

Executive search and advisory firm Korn Ferry International (NYSE: KFY) reported fee revenue rose 47.2% in its fiscal fourth quarter ended April 30. The company closed on its acquisition of the Hay Group on Dec. 1; excluding legacy Hay Group, fee revenue rose 4.9%, or 7.1% on a constant-currency basis,...

Quarter of ad and marketing execs to freeze hiring

Companies in the creative field plan to increase hiring freezes in the second half of the year, according to a new survey from The Creative Group, a marketing/creative staffing division of Robert Half International Inc. (NYSE: RHI).

The survey found 25% of hiring managers at advertising agencies and marketing...

Jobless claims average flat but initial claims exceed forecast

The US four-week moving average of initial claims for unemployment insurance was almost unchanged last week at 269,250, edging down only 250 from the previous week’s unrevised average, according to seasonally adjusted numbers released today by the US Department of Labor.

The four-week moving average...

Robert Half Legal says 31% of law firms, companies to hire in second half

Hiring is predicted to increase for the legal field in the second half of 2016, according to a study released today from Robert Half Legal. Nearly one-third of lawyers interviewed, 31%, anticipate their law firms or companies will add legal jobs in the second half of the year, up from 24% six months...

Microsoft asks court to throw out NLRB contract worker ruling (Reuters)

Microsoft Corp. (NASD: MSFT) asked a federal court to throw out a ruling by a US labor board extending the responsibility of companies for contract workers, arguing that the case would have big implications for the technology company, Reuters reports. In the NLRB’s 2015 ruling, it said Browning-Ferris...

Envision, AmSurg to merge (Bloomberg)

Envision Healthcare Holdings Inc. and AmSurg Corp. agreed to merge in an all-stock deal that will create a super-sized US provider of physicians and healthcare services with a combined enterprise value of $15 billion, Bloomberg reports. The transaction will create one of the largest US providers of physicians...

US turnover increasing, skill shortage problematic, Randstad report finds

The inadequate supply of qualified and skilled talent is the second-biggest threat to US companies’ ability to meet revenue or business performance targets, second only to “increased competitive pressures,” according to the Randstad US Workplace Trends report. Meanwhile, increasing turnover rates...

Freelancer study finds 86% intentionally opted to be independent

Freelancing is a regular source of income for a majority of freelancers, according to a study released by freelancer management system provider Field Nation. The 2016 Field Nation Freelancer Study found 86% of freelancers intentionally opted to freelance, and 95% of freelancers have a positive view of...

Syntel board noncompliant with Nasdaq rules

IT service provider Syntel Inc. (NASD: SYNT) received notification from Nasdaq that the company is noncompliant with the listing rules, according to a filing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission. The non-compliance cited by Nasdaq is the result of George Mrkonic, Jr. not standing for re-election...