The Latest

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  Base pay has grown for restaurant workers, report finds

  A steady rise in base wages has shrunk tips as a proportion of compensation, but the median tipped worker still gets $14.48 an hour in tips, per ADP.

  Talent

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  Sponsored by ScottMadden

  Don’t just manage change—develop leaders who enable it

  By empowering employees with the trust, skills, and mindset to thrive in a dynamic environment, leaders enable change by fostering a culture of readiness and resilience.

  Learning

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  Ride-hailing service failed to hire, accommodate hearing-impaired driver candidates, EEOC claims

  Employers “too often” make incorrect assumptions about deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals’ capabilities, an agency official said Dec. 6.

  Compliance

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  Employers still struggle to achieve ‘healthy balance’ with in-office requirements, WTW says

  Despite a “gentler approach” to on-site work, “a lack of clear structure around designated office days will hinder progress towards improved team collaboration,” a WTW senior director said.

  HR Management

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  EEOC: Psychiatric center allegedly prioritized, promoted less qualified male therapist over female co-workers

  The center hired a male therapist for a subordinate position and promoted him multiple times, each time paying him a higher salary than more experienced female therapists, EEOC alleged.

  Compliance

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  Southwest disputes reports its DEI program violated the law

  The advocacy group claimed it was a “victory,” but the DOL letter indicated no wrongdoing. Southwest said it “will continue to recruit, hire, and retain" a diverse workforce while being compliant.

  Compliance

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  RTO mandates lead to ‘brain drain’ attrition, researchers say

  Return-to-office mandates contributed to high turnover and slow hiring at S&P 500 firms, University of Pittsburgh researchers found.

  Talent

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  Ex-Apple employees defrauded company via charity scheme, California prosecutors say

  The group of six allegedly extracted some $152,000 from Apple alone and may face jail time if convicted.

  Compliance

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  Column // Pay transparency

  Back to Basics: What is HR’s role in pay transparency?

  Several states have implemented pay disclosure requirements, but HR should go beyond compliance and create overarching pay philosophies, attorneys at a SHRM event said.

  Compliance

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  University of Michigan will no longer solicit diversity statements from faculty

  Before the policy shift, individual academic units could decide if they required such statements for hiring, promotion or tenure considerations.

  Diversity & Inclusion

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  Health insurers remove executive bios, images from websites after UnitedHealthcare CEO killing

  UnitedHealth, Elevance and some BCBS plans have deleted senior leadership pages from their corporate sites, while Centene and CVS scrubbed images of their executives online.

  HR Management

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  DOL kills apprenticeship rule aimed to raise labor standards, increase DEI

  Lawmakers and business groups objected to the burden the rule might place on small businesses and expressed concerns regarding its diversity proposals.

  Compliance

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  BLS jobs report

  November sees job gains, but hiring may be slowing down

  The “soft landing” is still in sight, Indeed’s economist said — though it will depend in part on the approach of the new administration.

  Talent

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  This week in 5 numbers: Workers are not getting promoted

  Here’s a roundup of numbers from the last week of HR news — including millions of dollars in raises reversed as a result of the U.S. Department of Labor’s new overtime rule being overturned.

  Diversity & Inclusion

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  Court blocks Target’s attempt to move, dismiss DEI-related shareholder suit

  The lawsuit argued that Target’s “DEI/ESG mandates” had a “known risk of adverse customer reactions,” and should have therefore been disclosed in investor statements.

  Compliance

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  Nearing 2025, almost half of workers expect to leave some vacation time unused

  A recent survey contains “mixed messages” about what employees want from their time-off policies, said Eagle Hill Consulting’s Melissa Jezior.

  Comp & Benefits

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  Employee alleges Apple snoops on workers’ personal emails, photos

  The plaintiff also alleged Apple’s intellectual property agreement bars employees from discussing information such as pay and working conditions.

  Compliance

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  Workers are willing to disclose disability — but few ask for accommodation

  Nearly 3 in 4 workers who request an accommodation have their requests denied, Deloitte said.

  Talent

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  SHRM challenges New Jersey’s ‘right to disconnect’ bill

  A “one-size-fits-all” workplace policy “limits the autonomy” of employers and HR pros, SHRM and Garden State Council-SHRM said.

  Compliance

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  What to do if immigration agents come to the jobsite

  The incoming Trump administration has promised to step up workplace raids. Here’s how contractors can prepare.

  Compliance

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  As the new year looms, reflecting on DEI in 2024

  This summer marked an era of diversity and inclusion programming rollbacks. Now in Q4, HR and DEI practitioners are grappling with the fallout.

  Diversity & Inclusion

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  Racial diversity falling among new corporate directors: Conference Board

  The Securities and Exchange Commission is considering recommending a rule requiring companies to disclose more about diversity on their boards.

  Diversity & Inclusion

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  Workers still report more negative emotions compared to before the pandemic

  Employees who are engaged at work said they have fewer daily negative emotions, according to Gallup.

  Talent

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  Ohio State reverses hundreds of workers’ raises after DOL’s overtime rule overturned

  Workers who received increased pay in November and December will revert to their original salary in January, the university said.

  Compliance

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  DOL proposes rule to phase out subminimum wage for workers with disabilities

  In a proposed rule announced Tuesday, the U.S. Department of Labor said it will use a three-year phase-out approach to gradually eliminate Section 14(c) subminimum wage certificates.

  Compliance

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  ‘I-9 audits are coming:’ Conduct a self-review before Trump takes office, attorney says

  Sub-par Form I-9 programs will be exposed under the new administration, counsel at Cozen O’Connor said.

  Compliance

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