Last week, we listed the top articles written this year by our CWS Council and legal advisors, who provide their expert knowledge and guidance each week to CWS 3.0 readers. This week, we feature the top articles written by our editorial staff in 2022.

In a post-Covid world, workers’ rights and regulations are top of mind for readers. But there is also great interest in the evolution of work, from talent management strategies to investments in robotics that call to mind the works of Isaac Asimov.

Read 2022’s top stories below.

Workers’ Rights

Working for workers in Ontario. Canada’s most populous province passed a law that requires licenses for recruiters and temporary staffing firms, and client companies that use unlicensed firms face fines. Editorial Director Craig Johnson explored the impact of this legislation, called the “Working for Workers Act, 2021,” in this January article.

IC misclassification settlement. A US district judge granted final approval to a $15.8 million settlement in an independent contractor misclassification case involving distributors for Matco Tools Corp., Johnson reported in May. In addition to a cash payment and debt relief, the settlement saw the company put in place an amended distributorship agreement with further rights for continuing distributors.

Challenges to vaccine mandates. The US Supreme Court on Jan. 7 heard oral arguments in two cases challenging the Biden administration’s Covid-19 vaccine mandate, reported Katherine Alvarez, a managing editor for SIA. The dramatic increase of cases resulting from the omicron variant and the strong beliefs on both sides of the vaccination debate placed new and complex burdens on employers and their staffing providers.

Visa roundup. US Citizenship and Immigration Services announced Feb. 28 that caps for H-1B visas had been met for fiscal year 2022. Separately, USCIS launched a data hub on employers petitioning for H-2A visas. Alvarez explained the nature of these programs in this March article.

USCIS and work permits. US Citizenship and Immigration Services tripled the automatic extension to 540 days for employment authorization and documentation for certain visa renewal applicants, Alvarez reported. The increased extension period would allow USCIS to address staffing shortages, implement additional efficiencies and meet the goal of achieving a three-month cycle time for EAD applications by the end of fiscal year 2023.

Looking to the Future

Understanding the platform landscape. Online platforms to hire workers have flourished in recent years — but the platform landscape has become confusing with all the changes. Johnson and Executive Director of Global Research John Nurthen explored a March report that put that into perspective for contingent workforce managers.

Achieving a total workforce mindset. In a Q&A with Staffing Industry Analysts, AstraZeneca’s director of talent acquisition discussed the benefits — and challenges — of implementing sourcing technology. To drive strategic workforce planning as a mindset throughout the organization, this technology can provide an integrated solution and benefit HR, engagement managers and the business as a whole.

Total talent management. Are all roads leading to total talent management, and are businesses in fact adopting this strategy? It’s a difficult journey, but the end justifies the winding paths and detours, wrote Associate Editor Danny Romero. By optimizing multiple channels of talent engagement, organizations can create a competitive advantage in their markets.

Call of the robots. Amazon.com’s $1 billion investment fund, announced in April, brought robotics in the workforce back in the limelight. Johnson discussed several companies that would receive a portion of this investment funding and their technological developments that could pave the way for robots to work alongside humans.

Invasion of Ukraine. The ongoing invasion of Ukraine by Russia has put the labor markets of several countries — including both nations involved in the conflict — at risk. Together, Alvarez and Romero explored the possible impacts the invasion could have on Ukraine’s labor market, particularly its IT sector, and Russia’s economy.

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