Freelancer software firm Lystable lands $11 million (TechCrunch)

TechCrunch reported Lystable, which makes software to enable businesses to manage freelancers, just closed an $11 million Series A round. The funding round was led by Peter Thiel’s Valar Ventures and Goldcrest Capital, according to the report. Thiel is a co-founder of Paypal. The report said Lystable...

IMF lowers US economic forecast (Fox Business)

Fox Business reported the International Monetary Fund downgraded its forecast for the US economy. It now calls for growth of 2.2% this year, down from a forecast in April that called for 2.4% growth. It also said the Federal Reserve should hold off on raising interest rates. In addition, the IMF warned...

IT hiring in US to hold steady in second half of year, Robert Half says

Chief information officers in the US plan to add a similar amount of IT staff in the second half of 2016 as they did in the first half, according to the new Robert Half Technology IT Hiring Forecast and Local Trend Report. However, Canadian CIOs plan to hire slightly fewer workers.

The US survey found...

Construction Labor Contractors acquires Skilled Labor Solutions

Construction Labor Contractors LLC, a provider of temporary staffing of skilled tradesmen for the commercial construction market and a portfolio company of Silver Oak Services Partners LLC, acquired Skilled Labor Solutions Inc.

Skilled Labor Solutions provides electricians and other skilled tradesmen...

ASA staffing index holds steady

The American Staffing Association’s newly benchmarked index measuring employment in the US staffing industry held steady at a reading of 94.10 for the week of June 6 to June 12. Temporary and contract staffing employment rose 1.41% from the prior week and edged up 0.5% from the same week last year....

EEOC sues Alabama staffing firm for alleged sex discrimination

Automation Personnel Services Inc., a Pelham, Ala.-based staffing agency, violated federal law by failing to consider or hire a qualified woman for placement with a fiberglass grating product manufacturer because of her gender, the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission charged in a lawsuit filed...

Construction firms use H-2B as last resort — Staffing quote of the week

There is no economic advantage for an employer to hire foreign workers over American workers because of the incredible expense and regulatory paperwork gauntlet involved in bringing H-2B workers into the country, Angelica Ochoa, a partner at Colorado law firm Fisher & Phillips, told Construction...

Why US men aren’t working (The Washington Post)

The Washington Post reports new analysis from the White House’s Council of Economic Advisers found that the US now has the third-lowest participation rate for “prime-age men” among the world’s developed countries.

Randstad makes offer for consulting/engineering firm Ausy

Global staffing provider Randstad Holding nv announced plans to acquire France-based consulting and engineering firm Ausy, an international consulting and engineering firm.

Randstad France will offer €55 per share to Ausy shareholders, which represents a premium of roughly 28% to Ausy’s closing share...

Independent contractors sue Netflix (The Hollywood Reporter)

Netflix contract workers who were paid to watch shows are now suing and say they were misclassified as independent contractors, according to The Hollywood Reporter. “There is a perfect storm of events, which includes the proliferation of ‘gig economy’ jobs and the advent of legislation with strict...