The Affordable Care Act and immigration issues are North American staffing firms’ top legal/regulatory concerns, according to research released by Staffing Industry Analysts.

SIA asked staffing firms two questions: “What current legislation or regulation is having the most negative effect on your business this year?” and, “What forthcoming legislation or regulation are you most concerned about?”

Combined, the ACA and immigration issues/H-1B visas concerns accounted for nearly half of all North America responses. Respondents also commonly noted mandatory sick leave (time off for illness), paid time off, and family leave.

Respondents also mentioned a mix of local legislation — most frequently Ontario Bill 148, which would expand a variety of worker benefits in Ontario, Canada. However, on Oct. 2, after the survey was completed, Ontario’s Premier stated that the government would be “getting rid” of Bill 148; the issue is discussed in SIA’s North America Legal Update Q3 2018 report.

Other concerns included tax issues, 1099 workers, bans on examining worker salary histories, and changes in overtime rules.

The research is part of SIA’s 2018 Staffing Company Survey, which was conducted in the summer of 2018. In the North American sample, 218 staffing firms expressed opinions on legislation or regulation that is affecting their business. SIA corporate members can download the full Staffing's Top Regulatory Concerns report online.