PNC mandates 5-day RTO starting May 4

Whispers about a return to full-time office work have been stirring at PNC since CEO Bill Demchak said in a December fireside chat that remote work “hurts” companies.

‘No Other Choice’ reflects the job market right now, data shows

The Park Chan-wook thriller about a man who takes out his job competition may be over-the-top, but it gets to the heart of what job-seekers are going through, data shows.

Butterball piece-rate employee can’t revive wage claim, 4th Circuit says

The turkey loader’s claim of withheld pay was invalid, the North Carolina federal court and 4th Circuit agreed.

State paid family leave benefit changes in 2026

An Epstein Becker & Green attorney noted that navigating the logistics of multiple state leave plans can get tricky.

This week in 5 numbers: Companies see 50 more applicants per role

Here’s a roundup of numbers from the last week of HR news — including how likely candidates are to score an interview from an online application.

Front-line supervisors are often promoted without leadership skills, Gallup says

Employees tend to “rise to a level of respective incompetence,” being promoted “until their performance declines,” a report found.

Nearly 40% of top execs say they weighed quitting in the past year

A third of respondents cited the desire for a better work-life balance as their primary reason for wanting to leave. Other motivations included burnout, stress and the need for promotion.

In 2026, workers want tangible job security and professional agility, Adecco finds

Only a third of organizations invest in data needed to understand how employees can transition into new internal roles, according to the report.

EEOC, Tesla head to private mediation in race-based harassment lawsuit

The parties are in the process of selecting a mediator and expect mediation to start in March or April.

SHRM research finds ‘chasm’ emerging between supportive, unsupportive employers

In response, HR departments told the organization they will prioritize leadership and management development this year.

Gender pay gap in healthcare still exists, analysis shows

Despite being overrepresented in the field, women in healthcare are still paid less than their male peers, according to Premier Law Group data analysis.

Recruiters are doing more ‘legwork’ to find candidates, Glassdoor finds

Even as recruiter sourcing increases, online applications led to 1.5 times as many job offers compared to all other sources combined, Glassdoor said.

Companies are hiring faster from a deeper talent pool

Three-month retention rates have dropped, but full-year retention rates have nearly doubled, according to new data from Employ.

SCOTUS asks White House to opine on shipbuilders’ no-poach dispute

Employees in the case alleged that several companies maintained an “unwritten rule” not to hire each other’s naval engineers and conspired to suppress wages.

Walmart settles EEOC charge it illegally revoked a worker’s disability accommodation

A change in management can be a common time for employers to run afoul of discrimination laws, particularly when an accommodation is suddenly revoked.

Employees say narrative-based performance reviews are the fairest

Workers aren’t always sure how to improve when given numerical feedback, the study found.

If AI kills the entry-level job, employers may not be ready for what comes next

The technology so far hasn’t eliminated such roles, experts told HR Dive, but it may be creating a massive talent gap that will be difficult to overcome.

Front-line workers say pay and flexibility are top 2026 priorities

Nearly half of those surveyed said there were two separate cultures at their workplaces: one for front-line employees and one for everyone else.

How Sprouts gamifies employee training

Swapping out longer learning modules for “bite-sized” games has improved associate performance, the grocer shared at the National Retail Federation’s Big Show.

Staffing agency pays $185K to settle EEOC claims it fired workers for pregnancy

Eastridge Workforce Solutions told HR Dive it denied the charges and said the company had admitted no wrongdoing.

Updated Jan. 15, 2026

In the age of AI, REI is turning to its human employees to win

The retailer’s “green vest” associates serve as a key differentiator both in stores and online, according to CEO Mary Beth Laughton.

Feds caution employers about bonuses, pay structures in overtime compliance

The U.S. Department of Labor also addressed exemptions for “learned professionals” and commission-earning employees under the Fair Labor Standards Act.

Employers plan to hire ‘aggressively’ in 2026 — but only for certain roles

More than half of hiring managers also said that layoffs are on the table, particularly in early 2026 as companies rebalance their talent stacks.

What does a learning leader look like in 2026?

A report from the Association for Talent Development paints a portrait of today's L&D professional — but the role also may be ripe for evolution.

New DOL independent contractor rule arrives at Trump White House

The administration may decide to return to the “economic reality” standard it articulated in a final rule released at the tail end of the president’s first term in office.