US leading index edges up, suggests modest growth

The Conference Board’s US leading economic index edged up in February, suggesting modest growth through early 2016. The index rose 0.1% in February to a reading of 123.2 (2010 = 100), following decreases of 0.2% in January and 0.3% in December.

“The US [leading economic index] increased slightly in...

Jobless claims average edges down, initial claims less than forecast

The US four-week moving average of initial claims for unemployment insurance was 268,000 last week, up 750 from the previous week’s downwardly revised average, according to seasonally adjusted numbers released today by the US Department of Labor.

The four-week moving average decreases the volatility...

Employers want master’s grads for jobs that formerly required bachelor’s degrees

More than one in four employers, 27%, are hiring employees with master’s degrees for positions that had been primarily held by those with four-year degrees in the past, according to a CareerBuilder survey released today. Additionally 37% are hiring employees with college degrees for positions that...

New overtime regulations proposal moves forward — Web

Law firm Dykema Gossett PLLC reported on Lexology that the US Department of Labor sent its final draft of new regulations governing white-collar exemptions regarding overtime pay to the Office of Management and Budget. The OMB’s review is the final step required for a regulation to be published and...

Cirrus Medical appoints new president and COO

Cirrus Medical Staffing Inc. appointed Andrea Zveibil as president and COO. She most recently was Cirrus Medical’s senior VP, overseeing its sales and staffing operations in Florida and North Carolina.

Zveibil replaces William Ottiger in the president role. Ottiger, CEO since 2010 and a member of Cirrus’...

Feds again expect to reach H-1B cap within one week

US Citizenship and Immigration Services will begin accepting H-1B petitions on April 1 and expects to exceed the H-1B cap during the first five business days of this year’s program. The congressionally mandated cap on H-1B visas for fiscal year 2017 is 65,000. However, the first 20,000 H-1B petitions...

Robert Half CFO survey finds Miami will lead in hiring

Chief financial officers in Miami/Fort Lauderdale plan the most hiring in the next six months, with 26% planning to add new professional-level positions, according to a professional employment forecast released today by Robert Half International Inc. (NYSE: RHI). CFOs in Houston followed with 25% planning...

Business Roundtable Outlook sees lower GDP estimate

CEOs now expect 2016 US gross domestic product growth of 2.2%, down from an estimate of 2.4% at the end of 2015, according to the Business Roundtable’s first-quarter 2016 CEO Economic Outlook Survey. CEOs expect sales and capital expenditures to increase in the next six months, however, the report...

Students optimistic on jobs, stability top priority, Adecco survey finds

Young Americans are overwhelmingly confident in their ability to find a job, despite 74% of respondents feeling as though their colleges and universities are failing to fully prepare them for their post-grad careers, according to the most recent “Way to Work” survey released today by Adecco Staffing...

Life sciences employees disengaged, one-third at risk of leaving within year

One-third of staff working within the life sciences industry are disengaged in their jobs and at risk of leaving in the next 12 months, according to a survey by international staffing agency ProClinical.

Survey participants were asked a series of questions about commitment, caring, trust, recognition...