American Craftsmen was founded in 2015 by Jim Hyde and Kenneth Gerig who developed a diverse construction staffing business in the pacific northwest.

The addition of the American Craftsmen locations will allow the Trillium Construction team to continue their expansion in the pacific northwest region providing skilled commercial construction and industrial skilled trades talent in addition to construction managers for short and long term projects.

The former American Craftsmen locations will be lead by previous owner Jim Hyde and  Area Manager Toby Copeland who’s former company was also acquired by Trillium Construction.

The Trillium brand of companies is privately owned by René Poch and provides nearly 40 years of industry leading recruitment and staffing services through its divisions including: Trillium Staffing, Trillium Construction Services, Trillium Driver Solutions and Trillium Professional. With approximately 100 offices nationwide and more than 400 internal recruitment professionals, the Trillium brand is proud to be recognized by Staffing Industry Analysts among the Largest Industrial Staffing Firms in the U.S., a Top 100 Largest Staffing Firm in the U.S.  and a repeat winner of National Best and Brightest Companies to Work For. For more information please visit www.trilliumstaffing.com.

Marijuana legalization is creating the same kind of problem regarding what to do about professional drivers who test positive for marijuana. For CDL drivers, it’s easy. It is prohibited for CDL drivers to use marijuana under any circumstances, even if the substance is legal in the state in which they reside. Even if a driver consumes a prohibited cannabis product in their off hours in a state where it is legal, if they test positive for it later, they may still be in violation of the Department of Transportation’s zero-tolerance policy at the federal level.

For non-CDL drivers, the employer testing is optional. However, if a driver with a CDL license tests positive for marijuana use, they are also prohibited from driving non-CDL vehicles until they pass the return-to-duty test: another drug test administered under direct supervision. Does that all sound confusing? That’s because it is.

Add to this already tangled web of marijuana laws and efforts to keep the roads safe from drivers under the influence the New Jersey Cannabis Regulatory Enforcement Assistance and Marketplace Modernization Act (NJCREAMMA), passed in February of 2021. Among other things, NJCREAMMA prohibits employers from taking adverse employment action against employees who test positive for cannabinoid metabolites in their blood or other bodily fluids.  In theory, this means that an employer cannot refuse to hire, fire, or discipline an employee who has been shown to have used cannabis. However, NJCREAMMA also upholds the right of employers to maintain a drug and alcohol-free workplace. Therefore, the regulation allows employers to make rules regarding the consumption, use, or influence of marijuana or marijuana products while at work.

At the time of the Act’s original issuance, employers could require employees to submit to a drug test under the following circumstances:

• Upon suspicion of impairment from cannabis/cannabinoid substances while performing work duties
• Upon finding any observable signs of marijuana/cannabinoid use at work
• Following a work-related accident

Under NJCREAMMA, the term “drug test” has been redefined to mean a process using reliable, scientific drug-testing methods administered at work, during work hours (blood, urine, saliva tests) AND an evaluation of person certified as a Workplace Impairment Recognition Expert (WIRE). If both the bodily fluid test and the WIRE evaluation show the employee is under the influence during work hours, the employer may then take adverse employment action. The problem? The state had yet to issue guidance or training protocols for the WIREs.

To that end, the state issued interim guidance in September of 2022 until WIREs can be identified and trained for each workplace. The interim guidance essentially upholds the previous legislation regarding prohibition of adverse employment action unless evidence-based documentation of physical signs of cannabis use or signs of impairment are present. This stop-gap guidance also provides suggestions to help identify signs of impairment due to marijuana use, according to SafetyNews Alert.

California has also recently passed similar legislation preventing adverse employment action against employees who test positive for cannabinoid metabolites. The New Jersey and California laws do not apply to those in certain industries (including CDL holders, as well as federal agency contractors and grantees) and cannot preempt any state or federal laws that require a clean drug test as a condition of employment. However, non-CDL drivers can theoretically use cannabis outside of working hours within these states.

Drug test manufacturers and concerned employers are looking for ways to test for actual impairment on the job, such as employee tests against their own baseline performance and tests for the presence of active THC, the compound that creates the high, in the blood. Until these testing methods have been established, employers must keep a watchful eye out for signs of employee impairment in non-CDL drivers in New Jersey and California.

Disclaimer: This document and any discussions set forth are for informational purposes only, and should not be construed as legal advice.

“Paul White has been with our Trillium Driver division as an Area Manager for 7 years and has had a remarkable track record during that time. Paul owned and operated a successful professional staffing company in California before joining Trillium so he brings a wealth of knowledge with him. He is both excited and passionate about this opportunity.” – René Poch, CEO

Trillium Professional previously specializing in the recruitment of accounting and finance, will also now include the Trillium Technical division who has been providing IT and engineering recruitment since 1984 under the Trillium Technical and formerly Computer and Engineering Services brands. As part of this strategy Paul White Area Manager with Trillium for seven years, was promoted to the position of Vice President of Trillium Professional.

“A CEO at a large firm in Peoria, IL said to me after we started a search for a controller for her ‘ I didn’t realize that I could get this level of service and delivery from a search firm.’ I told her you can’t except from this one.  We’ve been throwing life preservers to executives for years. We placed 2 direct hire candidates and 2 contractors with her in 6 months in three business verticals accounting, engineering and technical. Consolidating the power of our professional services, just makes sense. It allows our clients a seamless process to hire professionals in multiple verticals without starting from scratch in educating a firm on their company culture and priorities in a candidate.” – Paul White, VP of Trillium Professional

For more information on Trillium Professional, please visit www.trilliumprofessional.com.

The Trillium brand of companies is privately owned by René Poch and provides more than 30 years of industry leading recruitment and staffing services through its divisions including: Trillium Staffing, Trillium Construction Services, Trillium Driver Solutions, Trillium Accounting and Finance, and Trillium Professional. With approximately 100 offices nationwide and nearly 400 internal recruitment professionals, the Trillium brand is proud to be recognized by Staffing Industry Analysts as a Top 100 Largest Staffing Firm in the U.S., and a 2022 winner of National Best and Brightest Companies to Work For. For more information please visit www.trilliumstaffing.com.

“We have the same commitments to each and every one of our employees as we do our clients. We have high expectations and our requirements are stringent. Once you become an employee of Trillium, we’ll do everything in our power to help you succeed and meet your career goals. When our employees are successful, we’ve done our job,” stated René Poch, CEO.

The Trillium brand of companies is privately owned by René Poch and provides more than 30 years of industry leading recruitment and staffing services through its divisions including: Trillium Staffing, Trillium Construction Services, Trillium Driver Solutions, Trillium Technical, and Trillium Environmental. With approximately 100 offices nationwide and nearly 400 internal recruitment professionals, the Trillium brand is proud to be recognized by Staffing Industry Analysts as a Top 100 Largest Staffing Firm in the U.S., named on the Forbes America’s Best Temporary Staffing Firms in 2022, and a 2020 winner of National Best and Brightest Companies to Work For. For more information please visit www.trilliumstaffing.com.

Part of our safety-oriented culture at TDS is making sure our high safety standards are met, even when it can be difficult to find & retain the right qualified driver.

Since the trucking industry is still searching for ways to increase the availability of drivers, retention is truly the name of the game with fewer overall candidates. Safety is a major part of keeping the qualified drivers you want since the best drivers want a safe working environment with co-workers and supervisors who are equally safety aware.

Retention starts with recruiting

Good driver retention begins at the initial hiring process. Too often what the client wants and what the driver needs are not communicated effectively, which leads to high turnover. Miscommunication or ineffective vetting processes can also lead to lapses in safety if a driver is sent to a job where the physical or equipment requirements are beyond what they can handle. That’s why, when vetting driver candidates at TDS, we start by making sure we have the right person in the right role. For example, if the job requires heavy lifting or the use of specific equipment, we make sure the candidate has quality experience with those needs. We look at all their past employment history, so we have a record of all of their work experience. We make sure to clearly communicate the expectations of the client to the candidate before they are sent on the job.

Another important step to our process is a deep dive on the safety history of every driver we hire. We check their state DMV Motor Vehicle Record (MVR), along with PSP and DAC reports upon client request. These reports enable us to screen out any candidates that have a history of poor driving or other safety violations.

Retention doesn’t stop with the hire

One complaint we often hear from drivers recruited by companies or individuals other than TDS, is that after they are hired, the recruiters that seemed so interested in helping them find the right role suddenly disappear. At TDS, our relationship with our drivers is important to us, even after they are placed. Our team is in constant communication with our placements to ensure they are happy with the position. We check in with our drivers to make sure all safety standards are met by the customer. Our drivers know they are valuable assets, and our team treats them as such.

We offer referral bonus programs to all of our drivers to send other qualified candidates our way. The referral program is open even to drivers who have left TDS for whatever reason. Not only do we consider our drivers part of the TDS family but maintaining great relationships with former drivers is also a valuable recruitment source. A good referral from a qualified and safe driver means a lot more to us than data sent from a job posting site.

Recruiting and retaining drivers is a tough business these days, but if we maintain a focus based on safety and quality relationships with our drivers, it is a challenge we can certainly meet.

“It remains a humbling experience any time our incredible staff is recognized for their performance. Our teams work exceptionally hard to partner the best possible match of talent and career opportunity so this award being based off of the direct feedback of clients and job seekers is incredibly special to us.” -Jenna Mathieu, Director of Marketing

Trillium was ranked 113 out of more than 22,000 nominations in the country. The award ranking is based on an independent survey of peers and clients. Feedback from external recruiters, hiring managers at client companies and job seekers are considered. The full list of winners is available on Forbes website.

The Trillium brand of companies is privately owned by René Poch and provides more than 30 years of industry leading recruitment and staffing services through its divisions including: Trillium Staffing, Trillium Construction Services, Trillium Driver Solutions, Trillium Accounting and Finance, and Trillium Technical. With approximately 100 offices nationwide and nearly 400 internal recruitment professionals, the Trillium brand is proud to be recognized by Staffing Industry Analysts as a Top 100 Largest Staffing Firm in the U.S., and a 2021 winner of National Best and Brightest Companies to Work For. For more information please visit www.trilliumstaffing.com.

For  those of us that are used to be physically active on a daily basis while on the job, having to transition to a non-active lifestyle while abiding by a stay at home order and social distancing, the transition can be difficult. In fact, it doesn’t take long for for physical activity to be the first thing to go when adapting to such a new routine. However, keeping up with physical activity, even while not working, can make going to back to work that much easier. Check out the tips below for quick and ways to stay physically active, even while at home.

• Schedule a time each day for physical activity. This could include walking up and down stairs, going for a walk around your neighborhood, walking your pets, yoga, body weight training, etc. Anything that can get you up and moving will do!
• Although you may not be as active as you once were, stretching should still be a part of your daily routine. Keeping your joints and muscles loose is just as important as getting in a little exercise in.
• Eating healthy and stay hydrated. While being at home, it’s extremely easy to graze on snacks and food all day. Try incorporating healthy snacks and meals into your routine. Don’t forget to stay hydrated! Water intake will keep your body energized and ready for the day ahead.

“Take advantage of this time to love on your spouse and kids, get projects done around your house, catch up with friends via telephone, watch your favorite TV show, read a book, listen to a podcast, etc.  but, don’t forget to continue to take care of yourself!  Eat well, sleep well, and continue to keep your body moving so that you are ready to come back to work like you never missed a beat!  When you sit, you spoil and when you rest, you rust!” – Carleigh Stone, Trillium Safety Manager

“When out of work, exercise daily and stay off the couch. When you go back to work, you will be productive and less exposed to say ouch!!” – Jamie Ellis, Trillium Senior Safety Manager

This may all seem like common sense activities but when you’re home day in and day out, it can be easy to get into a not so healthy routine. Simply try to incorporate a few of these suggestions into your day to day and when the time comes to return back to work, you’ll be ready to go!

The Trillium brand of companies is privately owned by René Poch and provides more than 30 years of industry leading recruitment and staffing services through its divisions including: Trillium Staffing, Trillium Construction Services, Trillium Driver Solutions, Trillium Technical, and Trillium Environmental. With approximately 100 offices nationwide and nearly 400 internal recruitment professionals, the Trillium brand is proud to be recognized by Staffing Industry Analysts as a Top 25 Largest Industrial Staffing Firm in the U.S., a Top 100 Largest Staffing Firm in the U.S., a Top 100 Fastest Growing Staffing Firm in the U.S., and a 2018 winner of National Best and Brightest Companies to Work For. For more information please visit www.trilliumstaffing.com.

Most employees today are looking for a job that offers them the opportunities to grow their skills and abilities and the flexibility to meet the needs of their personal lives. The current pandemic has had major impacts on school and daycare arrangements, making the need for flexible options even more critical.

Partnering with a reputation staffing agency, should present you with multiple job opportunities to help you make an educated decision on which opportunity is the best fit for you. Please take a few moments to view the video below to see what real Trillium employees have shared about their experience. We’d love to help you too!

The Trillium brand of companies is privately owned by René Poch and provides more than 30 years of industry leading recruitment and staffing services through its divisions including: Trillium Staffing, Trillium Construction Services, Trillium Driver Solutions, Trillium Technical, and Trillium Environmental. With approximately 100 offices nationwide and nearly 400 internal recruitment professionals, the Trillium brand is proud to be recognized by Staffing Industry Analysts as a Top 35th Largest Industrial Staffing Firm in the U.S., a Top 100 Largest Staffing Firm in the U.S., a Top 100 Fastest Growing Staffing Firm in the U.S., and a 2018 winner of National Best and Brightest Companies to Work For. For more information please visit www.trilliumstaffing.com.

Thankfully the most costly injuries aren’t typically the most common. Below are a few of the most expensive injuries per occurrence:

• Amputations
• Dislocations
• Electric Shock
• Crushes
• Traumas

While some of those injuries have an individual cost over $100k, even inflammation can cost an employer nearly $25k. The key to injury and illness prevention is regular risk assessments followed by implementing any necessary changes. For best results in addition to your risk and safety teams, include employees from each role in your assessments and planning. Those individuals who are exposed to the environment and job duties on a daily basis can give great insight into things that may be easily overlooked by others who aren’t performing the essential duties for extended periods of time.

Are you a stand out professional, technical professional, driver, or skilled worker seeking contingent, temporary, or long term career opportunities?  Visit our job board  for more information!  Want to learn more about how you can gain access to Trillium’s national network of professionals and skilled workers? Contact us today!

Trillium, a national leader in staffing and recruitment is a valued staffing partner to over 22,000 companies nationwide. Trillium is privately owned by Oskar René Poch.

There are countless benefits to maintaining a routine, even when times are good. Healthy routines are proven to benefit your mental health, time management, finances, efficiencies and boost your confidence. This is especially crucial when many areas of your life may feel out of control and can make re-entry to the workforce following Stay at Home orders easier. Here are some quick tips!

• Maintain a consistent schedule- It’s hard to feel and perform at your best when you are tired. Sticking to a consistent sleep and waking schedule keeps your mind and body tuned in to being productive and alert.
• Remain active- Does your typical job require a lot of physical activity? Can you imagine how difficult it would be to return to work after not performing those duties for weeks or months? That can quickly result in painful injuries. Even with gyms closed, there are many free online fitness resources and even simple work around your home and regular walks can bring great benefits for those without medical restrictions.
• Self care- It’s easy to fall into a sluggish feeling if you aren’t keeping with your daily care routine. Whether you are working from home or out of work currently, sticking your usual morning routine of getting dressed and around for the day can quickly gear your mindset up.
• Stay connected- Find new ways to communicate with friends and family. Some popular options include Zoom meetings, hand written letters and a simple phone call.

The Trillium brand of companies is privately owned by René Poch and provides more than 30 years of industry leading recruitment and staffing services through its divisions including: Trillium Staffing, Trillium Construction Services, Trillium Driver Solutions, Trillium Technical, and Trillium Environmental. With approximately 100 offices nationwide and nearly 400 internal recruitment professionals, the Trillium brand is proud to be recognized by Staffing Industry Analysts as a Top 35th Largest Industrial Staffing Firm in the U.S., a Top 100 Largest Staffing Firm in the U.S., a Top 100 Fastest Growing Staffing Firm in the U.S., and a 2018 winner of National Best and Brightest Companies to Work For. For more information please visit www.trilliumstaffing.com.