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.

“Many years ago when we started the company we felt that there were a couple of things that we needed to do particularly well. The first was to give great customer service, that means finding the absolute best candidate for the jobs that we have available. Today, we use a partnership approach between our candidates and our clients to find the best possible career matches,” states René Poch, CEO.

Trillium Staffing was founded in Battle Creek, Michigan in 1984, by founder and CEO René Poch. Since that time, René Poch has steadily expanded the employment service to include multiple companies with over 100 locations across the nation. Today, Trillium is proud to be recognized as a national leader in recruitment and staffing, providing service to thousands of clients and employees in various capacities across the country.

The organization’s commitment to excellence has been the driving force behind its growth and expansion. Trillium is proud to employ a full time risk management team to help clients identify areas of liability and provide an unsurpassed safety program for their employees.

With a recruitment team of approximately 400 individuals nationwide, Trillium excels at attracting, identifying, and recruiting some of the best candidates in each line of work. Trillium uses the latest technology and sourcing tools available to locate and identify talent for some of the industry’s hardest to fill positions. Trillium employees have access to careers with some of the nation’s leading employers along with competitive pay and benefit options.

“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, 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 2023 winner of National Best and Brightest Companies to Work For. For more information please visit www.trilliumstaffing.com.

“Even through the challenges the last few years have brought, we continue to 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 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 named on the Forbes America’s Best Temporary Staffing Firms in 2022. For more information please visit www.trilliumstaffing.com.

“Through unwavering commitment to our candidates and clients alike, we continue to strive to offer only the highest standard of customer service. 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 2022 winner of National Best and Brightest Companies to Work For. For more information please visit www.trilliumstaffing.com.

In 1984, René Poch purchased a franchise from Personnel Pool and has been expanding his business ever since. Now known as Trillium Staffing, the company has 110 locations across the United States, operating in five different verticals. While the recent years meant new challenges for the recruiting industry, Poch as CEO continues to pivot his business to maximize additional opportunities, including the addition of an on-site division in 2022 that provided a scalable model for large volume clients. As for the future, Poch plans to continue to grow Trillium organically as well as by acquiring new companies that fit with Trillium’s vision.

“This distinction is not one that we take lightly. I take great pride in Trillium’s ability to not only provide exceptional customer service to our candidates and clients alike but also in being able to do so across various divisions all over the country. We are constantly on the hunt for anything that can help our teams grow and better service our clients. Complacency is not in our vocabulary and growth will continue to be at the forefront of Trillium’s long-term goals,” stated Rene 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 Professional, 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., SIA 2022 Best Staffing Firm To Work For and a 2022 winner of National Best and Brightest Companies to Work For. For more information please visit www.trilliumstaffing.com.

The tech industry has been hit especially hard, reportedly seeing the highest layoff levels since 2000. As layoffs continue and hiring cools in many industries, returning to work for some is becoming increasingly difficult.

The Department of Labor reports 826k unemployed workers remained out of work from 3.5 to 6 months in December. This was a dramatic 36% increase from April of 2022.

If you find yourself in a position of seeking new employment, here are some things to keep in mind in the current economy:

• Talent supply is increasing while hiring demand is decreasing, as a result US wages are expected to fall back to pre-pandemic levels over the next few months.
• Make sure that your resume is up to date and enriched with keywords relevant to your skillset. Employers in some industries are flooded with applies and are relying on search strings to quickly identify qualified talent.
• Be prepared to broaden your job search outside of your industry. Those in technology and talent acquisition may find far less opportunities available and more talent applying for those positions than other industries.
• Be prepared for a longer than usual return to work and to apply to more positions than usual to land a new role.
• Remain open to contract and contract to hire roles as employers may be cautious to permanent hires over the next few months.

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.

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.

Ensure distraction-free driving

Backpack-laden children will soon be out in force walking to school buildings from homes and parked cars, or riding bikes, scooters, or skateboards. Unfortunately, children aren’t always the most safety conscious. That’s why it is up to drivers to be vigilant, avoiding distractions like phones, eating and drinking, or even attempting to use GPS while in motion. Pay extra attention when backing up as well, as you never know when a child might pop up unexpectedly behind you.

Beware of glare

Although most associate sunnier days with summer, it is actually in fall when the glare is at its worst, due to the sun’s position in the sky being lower during fall and winter months. The lower position of the sun hits the eyes of drivers at a more direct angle, sometimes completely obscuring a driver’s view of the road, other vehicles, and pedestrians. Unfortunately, peak glare time for the A.M. often corresponds to the times when schoolchildren might be walking or driving home from school. In order to increase visibility even when the glare gets severe, keep your windshield clean, remove any obstructions from your dashboard, and be sure to keep polarized sunglasses in your vehicle at all times.

Watch for school zones & bus stops

Although it is typically better to stick to highways and interstates to avoid back-to-school traffic, there will be times when taking backroads is unavoidable. Therefore, it is important to be aware of any school zones and bus stops you may encounter, especially when it may be less clear where schools are located when driving on backroads. When possible, avoid school zones altogether. If you can’t avoid them, give yourself extra time as the speed limit is at least 10 MPH slower.

Just being aware of these safety challenges can go a long way to improve the well-being of schoolchildren and drivers alike.

“Many years ago when we started the company we felt that there were a couple of things that we needed to do particularly well. The first was to give great customer service, that means finding the absolute best candidate for the jobs that we have available. Today, we use a partnership approach between our candidates and our clients to find the best possible career matches,” states René Poch, CEO.

Trillium Staffing was founded in Battle Creek, Michigan in 1984, by founder and CEO René Poch. Since that time, René Poch has steadily expanded the employment service to include seven companies with over 100 locations across the nation. Today, Trillium is proud to be recognized as a national leader in recruitment and staffing, providing service to thousands of clients and employees in various capacities across the country.

The organization’s commitment to excellence has been the driving force behind its growth and expansion. Trillium is proud to employ a full time risk management team to help clients identify areas of liability and provide an unsurpassed safety program for their employees.

With a recruitment team of approximately 400 individuals nationwide, Trillium excels at attracting, identifying, and recruiting some of the best candidates in each line of work. Trillium uses the latest technology and sourcing tools available to locate and identify talent for some of the industry’s hardest to fill positions. Trillium employees have access to careers with some of the nation’s leading employers along with competitive pay and benefit options.

“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 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 2022 winner of National Best and Brightest Companies to Work For. For more information please visit www.trilliumstaffing.com.