California employers have a lot to think about when it comes to hiring workers: the type of employee, whether to pay them on and hourly basis or salary, the rate of pay, the types of standards they to enforce, and many more issues. Unfortunately, these decisions aren’t always strictly in an employer’s hands. Sometimes, they depend on much larger factors, like the available workforce and the economy.
For instance, trucking companies are struggling with a driver shortage that has taken a considerable toll on hiring prospects. As noted in a recent article on the trucker shortage, companies may be making hiring concessions they might prefer to avoid.
A complicated situation
The transportation industry is facing numerous challenges, from a historically low unemployment rate to rising costs and steadily high demand. This means that trucking companies are as important as ever, yet there are tens of thousands of positions open that they cannot fill.
Finding solutions
To begin with, companies are increasing wages and offering bonuses they had not offered before. Many companies are also relaxing the qualifications they are looking for in drivers. As the article noted, some are willing to hire anyone, as long as he or she can secure a Commercial Driver’s License and meet basic physical requirements.
Solutions that also create problems
Whether these efforts are successful in attracting new drivers remains to be seen. However, it is important to note that changes to hiring strategies like this can have considerable impact on a business in the short- and long-term.
For instance, such shifts could result in wage demands that a company cannot maintain, issues with managing untrained or unfit employees and possibly an increased occurrence of regulatory violations.
In other words, even if hiring solutions accomplish one goal, they can lead to other issues if employers do not consider the legal and long-term impact of their decisions. As such, it is crucial for trucking companies, and all employers, to discuss hiring practices and strategies with an attorney who is familiar with the unique challenges California and Federal law pose.
