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Labor market exhibits ‘continued resilience,’ The Conference Board finds

Multiple factors have made an already complex job market even more volatile this year, per a report.

‘Alienating and cruel’: EEOC files lawsuit against employer for segregating DEI training by race

This administration’s U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has been vocal about cracking down on DEI in the context of Title VII.

Columbia faces discrimination lawsuit from Palestinian employees and students

Plaintiffs allege the Ivy League institution “actively participated in and amplified” racial and political targeting of its campus members.

This week in 5 numbers: Employees say bosses don’t work as hard

Here’s a roundup of numbers from the last week — including how much Apple will pay to settle U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commissions allegations.

Most employers say rising healthcare costs force salary tradeoffs

Employers cited high drug prices, high-cost claims and hospital prices as their biggest threats to affordability.

Brookings researchers slam assumptions in work requirements rule

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services are being accused of fudging the data at the center of a rule that makes it harder for Medicaid enrollees to prove they’re exempt from work requirements.

Mile Hi Foods settles for $1.5M over alleged refusal to hire women, Black and Afghan workers

When the HR manager opposed the practices, Mile Hi unlawfully retaliated, harassing and ultimately discharging her, according to the complaint.

Apple settles EEOC’s claims the company denied Jewish worker his Sabbath days off

Despite agreeing to the consent decree, the company denies the allegations, per court documents.

Empathetic leaders drive whether AI is seen as an opportunity or a risk, survey finds

Empathy lifted every AI metric measured, including employee optimism and sense of control over their work, according to a Businessolver report.

Court approves forensic review of ex-Flex CFO candidate’s personal devices

A ‘forensic vendor’ will look through Alex Anderson’s personal computer and devices to secure confidential information relating to Flex, according to the order.

‘You’re too old to know this’: Zillow faces bias claim from White man

The complaint, which details age-based mockery, from songs in meetings to bald jokes, differs from other lawsuits in the “reverse discrimination” wave.

Updated Aug. 13, 2026

More than half of employees say leaders live ‘in a different world’

Workers surveyed by Howdy said company leadership was held to a lower standard and doesn’t follow its own policies on basic professionalism.

Most 4-year graduates work in same state as their alma mater, report finds

States looking to grow their college-educated workforce should focus on “homegrown talent” over wooing outside workers, according to the analysis.

9 stories on the growing pains of AI at work

As artificial intelligence becomes commonplace at the worksite, nearly every part of the HR department is encountering the unintended consequences of its usage.

Haverford College settles with group accusing college of fostering antisemitism

Under the settlement terms, the private institution will bar discrimination against Zionist, Jewish and Israeli students and employees.

‘Substantial gaps’ in skills are hurting manager readiness, report says

“The role of the manager has fundamentally changed,” Mark Saddic, senior partner at Careerminds, said in a statement.

Saying ‘please’ or ‘ASAP’ may actually slow work down

Additionally, deliverables without due dates were 2.5 times as likely to never be completed at all, a report said. 

Most workers said they’ve stayed home due to unsafe conditions

Almost 40% of workers said they are left to deal with problems like severe weather events and infrastructure failures on their own.

‘Historic’ labor market shrinkage highlights need for AI, economist says

A pullback from employment by workers age 65 and older may partly allay concerns that demand for artificial intelligence will fall short of a coming surge in supply.

NLRB confirmations secure Republican majority

The three-member Republican majority will now allow the board “to overturn prior precedential decisions,” according to an Ogletree Deakins blog post.

5 stories from DMEC26

Artificial intelligence may present opportunities to transform how people with disabilities approach work, according to the assistant secretary of labor.

Could climate change lead to increased FMLA use? Attorneys are afraid so.

The U.S.’s recent spate of wildfire-induced air pollution provided a view of the direct effect extreme weather events may have on leave management.

OpenAI settles DOJ allegation it shut US workers out of lucrative jobs

OpenAI allegedly didn’t advertise certain jobs on its external website or let U.S. workers apply online, according to the settlement.

While layoffs slow overall, job losses in tech soar

Artificial intelligence may be to blame for year-over-year increases in technology sector job losses, according to a report from Challenger, Gray and Christmas.

Week in review: The skills AI can’t replace

We’re rounding up last week’s stories, including the average percentage employers plan to increase pay in 2027.