J. Kent's Blog - Articles for Employers and Job Seekers

10 Top Leadership Skills – How Do You Rate?

Posted by: Karen Booher on July 15th, 2021

Leadership is a universal skill that is more connected to people than it is to the role itself. And, as qualifications may come and go, the ability to lead well is consistently required for success in just about any career. From doctors to engineers to mechanics to office workers, leadership skills matter in just about…

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Post-Pandemic Workforce Challenges for Employers

Posted by: Karen Booher on July 15th, 2021

As if keeping your business afloat through the heart of the pandemic wasn’t difficult enough, employers now find themselves faced with other challenges relating to their workforce. As we all have encountered, finding good talent is not an easy task in this current market. To further add salt to our wounds, companies now are faced…

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Colorado Employers Can No Longer Maintain “Use-It-Or-Lose-It” Vacation Policies

Posted by: Karen Booher on July 13th, 2021

On June 14, 2021, the Colorado Supreme Court issued an impactful decision on vacation pay, ruling that an employer must pay an employee’s earned but unused vacation pay upon separation from employment. With this, any prior agreement or company policy that forfeits an employee’s rights to this vacation pay is void. The decision had been…

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Form I-9 Requirement for Covid Flexibility Extended until August 31, 2021

Posted by: Karen Booher on June 15th, 2021

The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) recently announced a further extension of its interim policy that allows employers to inspect the Form I-9 requirement virtually through August 31, 2021. The most recent flexibility policy was set to expire on May 31, 2021. ICE first issued flexibility due to the pandemic in March 2020, with…

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4 Smart Hiring Strategies in Today’s Tight Candidate Market

Posted by: Karen Booher on June 15th, 2021

Colorado’s June 2021 unemployment rate of 6.4% is more than twice what it was prior to the pandemic – it was 2.6% in December 2019. Even so, companies in almost all industries today are really struggling to find workers. I have always loved statistics, as the numbers really do tell the story. This year, we…

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Should You (or Shouldn’t You) Rehire Former Employees?

Posted by: Karen Booher on June 14th, 2021

I laughed when I read a recent article in Glassdoor for Employers that compared rehiring former employees (“boomerang employees”) to ordering the same thing every time at your favorite restaurant. Why do you do it? In a nutshell – you know what you’re getting, and you know it’s (they’re) good. Especially in tight candidate markets…

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Are Your Job Postings Potential Targets for Age Discrimination Claims?

Posted by: Karen Booher on May 17th, 2021

It’s 1965. You’re middle-aged and looking for a job. Half of the help-wanted ads you see say there’s no need to apply if you’re age 55 or older. Many other postings — 25 percent, in fact — actually ban applications from anyone over age 45.  According to a Labor Department report produced in 1965, age…

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What the CDC’s Latest Guidance Means For Employers and for Fully Vaccinated Employees in their Workplace

Posted by: Karen Booher on May 17th, 2021

Subject to applicable state and local mandates, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently issued revised guidance that essentially allows fully vaccinated individuals to resume their pre-pandemic lifestyle. But, the CDC also stated that individuals “will still need to follow the guidance at your workplace”. This is a dynamic topic and new…

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Incorporating Behavioral Questions For More Effective Interviews

Posted by: Karen Booher on May 14th, 2021

There are many different interviewing styles and techniques. One technique that requires a more thoughtful response from candidates is incorporating the use of behavioral questions. What are Behavioral Interview Questions? Behavioral interview questions seek to predict a candidate’s suitability for a role based on their behavior in past jobs. By finding out more about how…

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15 Fun and Interesting Denver Trivia Facts

Posted by: Karen Booher on April 20th, 2021

Denver has so much to offer, including a deep and colorful history. Here are 15 fun facts that are interesting pieces of Denver trivia for all proud Denverites to know: 1.  The Cheeseburger was trademarked in Denver. Louis Ballast, who operated the Humpty Dumpty Barrel Drive-In in Denver at 2776 North Speer Boulevard (now a…

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