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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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