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Equal Pay Audits: The Potential Costs of Avoidance

blocks spelling out equal pay

Equal Pay Audits: The Potential Costs of Avoidance Posted by Olivia Steelman, Compensation Consultant on August 4, 2025 Tags: Compensation “We pay fairly, we have a scalable and defensible system to set and adjust pay rates, and we’ve never had anyone complain about being paid unfairly before.” These are sentiments each employer hopes to express…

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Leaders Are Learners: Why Growth Matters

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Leaders Are Learners: Why Growth Matters Posted by Trudy Hylemon, ODCP, PHR, Senior HR and Leadership Consultant on July 28, 2025 Tags: Leadership One thing we say in our leadership training courses offered at Cascade is, “Leaders are Learners.” What does this mean in the workplace? In the fast-changing world that we operate in, the best…

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Top I-9 Mistakes and How to Fix Them

form-i9

Top I-9 Mistakes and How to Fix Them Posted by Mackenzie Cowan, HR Generalist on July 21, 2025 Tags: Compliance, Hiring Self-auditing I-9s has become a high priority for 2025, as the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is increasing the number of I-9 audits conducted. A self-audit of Form I-9s is an internal review…

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Utilizing 360 Leadership Reviews

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Utilizing 360 Leadership Reviews Posted by Jenna Reed, Senior Vice President and General Counsel on July 14, 2025 Tags: Leadership In today’s fast-paced work environment, effective leadership is a necessity. But how do organizations truly assess how well their leaders are performing? How can they identify blind spots, build on strengths, and develop targeted improvement…

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Employee Handbook Builders: Why “Easy” Can Lead to Expensive HR Headaches

employee handbook with glasses on table

Employee Handbook Builders: Why “Easy” Can Lead to Expensive HR Headaches Posted by Jenna Reed, Senior Vice President and General Counsel on July 7, 2025 Tags: Compliance, Policies As HR professionals, we’re constantly juggling compliance, employee relations, and strategic initiatives. In a world craving efficiency, the promise of an “easy” HR handbook builder— often embedded…

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Unlock Your Competitive Edge: Participate in the Northwest Benefits Survey!

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Unlock Your Competitive Edge: Participate in the Northwest Benefits Survey! Posted by McKenna Arnold, Survey and Research Manager on June 30, 2025 Tags: Employee Benefits, Surveys Attracting and retaining top talent hinges on a competitive benefits package. As HR professionals, understanding how your offerings compare to others in the Northwest region is crucial. The Northwest Employee Benefits…

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When Virtual Training Makes Sense: A Smart Strategy for Organizations

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When Virtual Training Makes Sense: A Smart Strategy for Organizations Posted by Cascade Employers Association on June 23, 2025 Tags: Training Over the past five years, virtual training has become a go-to method for employee development. But in recent months, many organizations are shifting back to in-person formats, driven by a desire to reconnect face-to-face.…

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Rewarding Work with Meaning: Compensation Essentials for Nonprofits

employee benefits wood blocks

Rewarding Work with Meaning: Compensation Essentials for Nonprofits Posted by Margaret Oglesby, Compensation Consultant on June 12, 2025 Tags: Compensation Nonprofits play a critical role in strengthening communities, but balancing competitive pay with a mission-driven purpose presents unique compensation challenges. Tight budgets, donor expectations, and a focus on social impact can limit flexibility, making it…

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Working to Live vs. Working to Scrape By – Why Living Wages Matter

living wage pulling stack of heavy coins

Working to Live vs. Working to Scrape By – Why Living Wages Matter Posted by Olivia Steelman and Margaret Oglesby, Compensation Consultants on June 9, 2025 Tags: Compensation Who is accountable and responsible for ensuring workers can afford the products or services they make/offer? The employer of the workers? The government? Is anyone responsible at…

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EEO-1 Data Collection Now Open

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EEO-1 Data Collection Now Open Posted by Cascade Compliance Team on May 20, 2025 Tags: Alert On May 20, the 2024 EEO-1 Component 1 data collection opened for reporting. Employers must file their EEO-1 data through the EEO-1 filing platform by June 24, 2025. The EEOC has stated that although the filing period is shorter than usual,…

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Growing Your Organization Like A Garden – A Spring Analogy for Job Descriptions

spring flowers growing

Growing Your Organization Like A Garden – A Spring Analogy for Job Descriptions Posted by Olivia Steelman, Compensation Consultant on May 19, 2025 Tags: Compensation Spring is here, re-energizing our winterized minds and filling our noses with fresh air, pollen, and scents of lilacs and daphne. For gardeners, it’s planting season, and for organizations, it…

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Celebrating YOU: June is Member Appreciation Month!

celebrating member appreciation month

Celebrating YOU: June is Member Appreciation Month! Posted by Cascade Employers Association on May 12, 2025 Tags: Member Appreciation Month For over seven decades, the members of Cascade Employers Association have been the foundation of everything we do. Your trust, your partnership, and your dedication have fueled our growth, allowed us to thrive, and enabled…

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