The Japanese automakers’ long-term investments in the United States continue to positively impact the overall U.S. economy and benefit a wide range of workers, both those in the auto industry and many more in related industries. Utilizing recently released data Rutgers University professor Thomas Prusa finds that the Japanese auto industry is responsible for 1.36… Keep reading →
Survey
Manufacturers’ News, Inc. — Industrial employment in New York State declined 1.2% over the past twelve months according to the 2014 New York Manufacturers Register®, an industrial directory and database published by Manufacturers’ News, Inc. (MNI) Evanston, IL. MNI reports New York lost 8,977 manufacturing jobs from September 2012 to September 2013. Manufacturers’ News reports… Keep reading →
The National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) will release its analysis of the latest quality results in its State of Health Care Quality Report 2013. Findings include: Overuse of antibiotics still a problem In findings that echo and corroborate recent CDC warnings about overuse of antibiotics leading to antibiotic resistance, we see no progress on… Keep reading →
IRI MarketPulse Survey Uncovers Impact of Government Shutdown and Debt Ceiling Crisis on Consumers
By businesswireAccording to Information Resources Inc. (IRI)’s Q3 2013 MarketPulse™ survey results released today, 85 percent of American consumers were aware of the looming debt ceiling crisis and of the government shutdown, which is clearly impacting their views of their personal finances, including their approach to grocery shopping. The survey was fielded to consumers between Sept…. Keep reading →
The Healthcare Trends Institute Announces Landmark Healthcare Benefit Trends Survey and Study
By businesswireAn unprecedented national survey regarding healthcare benefits, health insurance exchanges, and related topics will provide benchmarks for employers, and insights into adoption of new healthcare benefits options. The Healthcare Trends Institute, an educational platform for employers, consumers and other healthcare benefits stakeholders, will be surveying thousands of employers of all sizes across North America this… Keep reading →
Servicemembers Doubt Congress Will Act In Time To Avoid Government Shutdown, First Command Reports
By businesswireThe majority of servicemembers and their families doubt that lawmakers will take appropriate actions to avoid a government shutdown in October or a second round of sequestration in the coming year, according to the First Command Financial Behaviors Index®. The latest survey results reveal that 86 percent of middle-class military families (senior NCOs and commissioned… Keep reading →
Health Care Spending Growth Slowed in 2012, But Consumers Continued To Spend More Out-of-Pocket, Says New HCCI Report
By businesswireFor the third consecutive year, the growth rate of health care spending among privately insured people under age 65 remained low at 4.0 percent, says the Health Care Cost Institute (HCCI). Health care spending averaged $4,701 per person with employer-sponsored coverage in 2012, up $181 from the year before. In addition, out-of-pocket spending rose more… Keep reading →
The Digital Government Strategy directs Federal agencies to “seize the digital opportunity and fundamentally change how the Federal Government serves both its internal and external customers.” For most Federal workers, this is less about changing behaviors and more about translating how they use technology at home to how they use it at the office.
A new report, given by MeriTalk sponsored by Google, underscores the increasing consumerization of technology tools – even in the Federal IT environment. 67% of Federal employees wish that the technology at work could keep up with the changes in technology in their personal lives. Keep reading →
The battle between the public and private sectors to attract top talent often boils down to workplace intangibles such as work/life balance. And few efforts to improve that balance have attracted more attention within the federal government than telework.
Permitting more federal employees to skip the commute and work from home isn’t just an act of good will to attract and retain employees. It also boils down to smart economics. The General Services Administration estimates that if federal workers telecommuted at least one day per week, federal agencies could increase productivity by more than $2.3 billion annually. Agencies could also save potentially billions more on office space, electricity and supplies. Keep reading →