An exciting new chapter for Business Development

Oct 18, 2023

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Inside Retail Services

An exciting new chapter for Business Development

    Terry Hopsecger, Director of Business Development, announced her retirement at the end of August after 12 years—her second retirement from two successful careers. Although Terry will be greatly…
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Oct 17, 2023

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Inside Retail Services

Customized analysis for Kept-on-Salary and Return-to-Work decisions

Is the kept-on-salary program cost-justifiable? Could paying workers who aren’t working while on short-term disability disincentivize them from returning to work? These are frequently asked and reasonable questions. Some third-party…
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Jan 30, 2023

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Inside Retail Services

L&I interprets the new “Pay Transparency” law broadly with nuances

  Effective January 1, 2023, employers with 15 or more employees must include salary range and benefits information in all job postings. L&I’s broad interpretation of this new law makes…
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Oct 28, 2022

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Inside Retail Services

Safety consultations don’t have to be scary

Inviting L&I safety consultants into your store may seem scary, but Rick Means, our Director of Safety and Education, has been on many of our members’ consultation visits and found…
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Oct 28, 2022

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Inside Retail Services

Don’t let claims suck the lifeblood out of your business

After a claim occurs, the most frequently asked question from our Retro group members is, “How is this claim going to impact me in the future?” It’s best to know…
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Oct 28, 2022

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Inside Retail Services

Dead-end jobs are NOT found in retail

The Capital STEM Alliance hosted its 3rd Annual Cross-Sector Summit on October 11 at Centralia College with a line-up of speakers from education, non-profits, and businesses to promote partnerships. Rose…
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Sep 28, 2022

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Inside Retail Services

The Bellevue Collection hosts Merchant Breakfast to boost workforce opportunities

  To support retailers facing worker shortage challenges, WR introduced an audience of retail mall managers to worksite learning, a structured partnership between K12 educators and employers. Alesha Shemwell, Director of…
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Sep 28, 2022

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Inside Retail Services

Neurodiverse hiring advances talent diversity

One of the ways to solve today’s hiring challenge is through hiring from among the neurodiversity population—a largely untapped pool of highly capable workers. Hiring from this untapped pool has…
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Sep 28, 2022

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Inside Retail Services

Worksite learning and RISE Up certifications can help with hiring challenges

  Retail entry-level jobs have the potential to inspire diverse career pathways and provide an abundance of promotion opportunities for all passions and talents. Two of WR’s focused efforts during…
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Sep 28, 2022

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Inside Retail Services

Hiring for intentional diversity is crucial to retailers

  Promoting hiring practices that advance Washington Retail’s Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) principles is integral to September’s Careers in Retail Month. Simple changes in how retailers define “fit”…
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Aug 25, 2022

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Inside Retail Services

Educators seek customer service credentials—Rise Up fits the bill

  WR and the National Retail Federation (NRF) Foundation participated at the Washington Association of Technical Education (ACTE) Summer Conference held in Spokane this week. With retail as the second…
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Aug 25, 2022

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Inside Retail Services

New option for offering light duty that generates triple WINs

Most employers are aware of the importance and benefits of offering temporary light duty positions (or return-to-work) for injured workers. Still, some are unable to provide these positions due to…
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