Just has why work is important for employees has evolved over time, so too has the very nature of what constitutes employment. Today the nature of employment is changing dramatically. Here is a list of some of the trends that are changing the nature of employment:

• More women are working,
• More men are taking parental leave,
• More employers provide flexible schedules,
• More employers provide daycare for employee’s children,
• More employers allow employees to telecommute or work from home,
• More employers are focusing on ergonomics and workplace safety,
• Employers are cutting back on employee retirement and health care benefits,
• Employers are hiring more ethnically and sexually diverse employees,
• The workforce as a whole is getting older,
• Employment is more dependent upon technology,
• Education and experience standards are increasing,
• Employee privacy rights and expectations are on the decline,
• Layoffs and downsizing are more common,
• Employees are working more hours,
• Employee wages are lagging behind increases in the cost of living,
• Moonlighting or working multiple jobs is becoming more common,
• The wage disparity between the well-to-do and the poor is widening,
• More work is being outsourced to workers in foreign countries, and
• Whistleblower claims by employees against employers are rising.

It appears these employment trends are here to stay. With these trends in mind, we can now turn to the rules relating to hiring employees. Let’s consider the employment hiring process now.