‘Inappropriate’ micromanaging: Apple pushes back on anti-DEI proposal

In a proxy filing ahead of the annual 2025 shareholders meeting, a conservative think tank asked Apple to cut back on DEI.

US job seekers report mixed views about 2025 labor market

One of the top barriers to employment includes a lack of hard skills, soft skills and communication skills, job seekers say.

Leading meat processor will pay $4M to counter illegal child labor practices

A DOL official praised the remedial steps JBS proposed as “creative and forward-thinking.”

Fewer than 1 in 5 US companies have a pay transparency strategy

“The data highlights a disconnect between the importance employers say they place on advancing these strategies, and how much progress has been made,” Mercer’s global rewards solution leader said.

Mastercard agrees to pay $26M to settle discrimination lawsuit

The card network entered into the agreement to settle a proposed class action that alleged it discriminated against Black, Hispanic and female employees by underpaying them.

Amazon to focus on inclusion, internal memo indicates

The changes outlined in the memo are vague, but Amazon has taken its previously strong commitments to Black and LGBTQ+ people off of its policy page.

US employee engagement falls to 10-year low

Less than a third of managers and employees alike are engaged at work, Gallup says.

What is getting in the way of AI training? Speed, one survey says.

Notably, the way workers engage with learning may also contribute to continued challenges in delivering L&D.

Meta joins chorus of DEI rollbacks, cutting roles and programs

The tech and social media giant ended a number of diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives last week, including its supplier diversity program.

Court finds seafood company not on the hook for overtime in COVID lockdown case

The case highlights the complexities involved with determining compensability under the Fair Labor Standards Act, particularly when workers are kept on campus.

Attorneys: DOL is increasingly adding wage-and-hour inquiries to FMLA investigations

Items included requests for gross earnings data and information on break time and paid leave policies, among others, according to a list shared by Littler Mendelson’s Jeff Nowak.

Defense Department’s sound interview process saves it from sex bias claim, 7th Circuit says

In its interview process for a new benefits and workers’ compensation team’s supervisor position, the agency “chose the intangibles, and we will not second-guess its decision,” the judges said.

In a historic move, SEIU rejoins AFL-CIO

Both organizations’ presidents gave remarks at a civil rights conference named for Martin Luther King Jr., in the weeks before President Donald Trump’s inauguration.

RTO has mixed results for employee morale, survey shows

Many organizations aren’t sure about the effects that RTO policies have had on recruitment and retention, Pearl Meyer says.

DOL’s independent contractor rule evades trucking company’s injunction bid

A federal judge held that the agency acted within its statutory authority in issuing the rule, delivering a regulatory victory to the Biden administration in its final weeks.

Work permits help prevent child labor violations, think tank finds

Opponents of youth work permit requirements have generally characterized the process as onerous and unnecessary.

Hyatt to pay $2.25M to settle ‘Housekeepers’ Bill of Rights’ lawsuit

The suit, filed by workers at Hyatt Regency Long Beach, was the first of its kind under one of several city-level regulations intended to improve working conditions for hotel housekeepers.

Will 2025 bring a ‘soft landing’ for the job market?

A strong jobs report in December could signal tailwinds — or a seasonal one-off.

Despite AI growth, most HR leaders aren’t focused on reskilling workers

At the same time, HR pros are experimenting with AI pilot programs and use cases for human capital management, The Conference Board says.

Why mentorship matters

Initiatives like the ACE Mentor Program create a two-way street of learning, writes a preconstruction professional who works with high school students.

‘Reverse’ discrimination claims may pose a class-action threat

DEI programs drew a “flood of claims” in 2024, Duane Morris LLP found.

This week in 5 numbers: Workers see minimal annual leave as a red flag

Here’s a roundup of numbers from the last week of HR news — including stats on which artificial intelligence skills are growing in demand and which are not.

5 compensation and benefits trends to buy into in 2025

To attract and retain workers, employers will focus on competitive salaries and flexible benefits, experts say.

Updated Jan. 10, 2025

Transcarent to acquire fellow health benefits navigator Accolade for $621M

When closed, the deal will take Accolade private and create a single firm with more than 1,400 employer and payer clients.

Manager burnout may hit hard in 2025

Managers are the backbone of any company, and their well-being affects productivity, employee satisfaction and business success, Top Workplaces said.