The nation’s low unemployment rates will contribute to a continued skilled labor shortage for employers, according to panelists at Lehigh Valley Business’ Outlook 2020. Outlook 2020, held Dec. 11 at Blue Grillhouse in Bethlehem Township, brought together leaders from multiple industries to speak on the forecast for business for the upcoming year.

Pennsylvania’s Attorney General Josh Shapiro is opposing a proposal by the U.S. Department of Labor that would change the method employers use to calculate overtime. Shapiro argues that the department’s proposed expansion of the application of the fluctuating workweek method compromises worker safety, reduces workers’ compensation for overtime work, and makes it more difficult for employers to comply with fair labor laws.

Early this fall, Geisinger implemented a policy that grants 80 hours of paid military leave. LVB talked to a military reservist who lobbied for the benefit. He sees positive results for the both the company and its employees.

Bucks County’s newest hospital, St. Luke’s Upper Bucks Campus, will officially open its doors at 7 a.m. Dec. 14. The hospital is located at 3000 St. Luke’s Drive in Milford Township.

What can employers do to protect their employees from the effects of stress at work? Carolyn Lamparella, licensed professional counselor and program director for Preferred EAP with Lehigh Valley Health Network, advises employers to build a culture of well-being in their workplace, where talking about stress is OK, and stress management skills are reinforced.

A groundbreaking for a new LVHN hospital campus in Lower Nazareth Township will take place on Dec. 6, according to information shared at the LVHN 2019 Community Annual Meeting. The hospital will be located along Hecktown Road, off of Route 33 and include a 106,000-square-foot, two-story hospital; 35,000-square-foot Lehigh Valley Cancer Institute and 61,000-square-foot medical office building. 

The Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board approved $1.2 million in grants Dec. 4, aiming to enhance the Pennsylvania beer industry.  According to Gov. Tom Wolf, the grants are meant to increase the production of Pennsylvania-made malt and brewed beverages and aid in their promotion and marketing.

St. Luke’s Nurse-Family Partnership has been awarded state funding to expand services for families throughout Lehigh and Northampton counties. St. Luke’s NFP connects mothers living in poverty to their own personal nurse for the first 1,000 days of a child's life.

The Greater Reading Chamber Alliance is actively searching for a new president. The GRCA, which focuses on promoting and facilitating business and workforce development in Berks County, has retained Diversified Search, an executive search firm based in Philadelphia, to lead the pursuit.

Researchers and health care providers at Reading Hospital have found an important key to improving patient care. Cultural awareness. To address this need, the hospital developed and launched its Cultural Awareness Program this year with Alvernia University. The in-classroom course teaches Reading Hospital employees how to be more culturally sensitive to their patients.