Another federal court backs higher liability standard for third-party harassment

A judge sided with the University of Pennsylvania in a case alleging harassment of an employee by a student because the school did not intend for the conduct to occur.

White, 58-year-old Paramount exec alleges termination was related to DEI goals

The employee alleged he was fired as part of a purported reduction in force, but replaced with a non-White, 25-year-old employee.

Class of 2025 says they see the effects of a tough job market

Young workers have been particularly exposed to the changes brought by artificial intelligence tools, some research has indicated. 

To boost AI adoption, CIOs lean on training, guardrails

Executives are aiming for a careful balance in AI adoption efforts: Expand use of the technology while ensuring no employee is left behind.

EEOC rebuffs fired Amazon driver’s disparate-impact enforcement lawsuit

The agency adopted a defense similar to the one it articulated in response to allegations that it unlawfully dropped transgender discrimination lawsuits.

Researchers warn of flaws that allow manipulation of Microsoft Teams messages

A report by Check Point shows hackers could forge identities and alter messages.

Company owner ‘aggressively’ pressed executive to convert to LDS church, lawsuit says

One of few female executives at Omni Global Technologies, the plaintiff said she was proselytized to, sexually harassed and retaliated against for drawing attention to potential fraud.

More than half of US workers say they paid for training their employer didn’t cover

Nearly three-quarters of workers surveyed by University of Phoenix and Harris Poll said they turned down professional development opportunities, partly because of cost.

Performance management needs more clarity, employers say

Training managers on how to deliver honest feedback and incorporating AI tools could help, according to a report from WTW.

Corporate America is terrible at training new managers. Here’s how to fix it.

The greatest college basketball coach of all time had a winning formula on the court. It works on the shop floor and in the C-suite, too, writes a former CHRO and Rutgers professor.

Former Marriott employee alleges retaliation for taking FMLA leave for gender-affirming surgery

Whether and how FMLA coverage applies to gender-affirming care has been a subject of increasing discussion as such treatments have become more common.

Public employees must suffer adverse action, not just ‘grumblings,’ to show free speech violations, court says

Though the plaintiff alleged the University of Texas at Austin chilled his speech and retaliated against him, he was not fired or demoted, according to the decision.

SHRM: Listening is leadership, not weakness

The organization’s commitment to inclusion and diversity hasn’t changed, but the world has, writes one SHRM leader.

United Airlines vicariously liable for pervasive sexual harassment, flight attendant alleges

The lawsuit is not the first regarding allegations that United Airlines pilots posted sexually explicit images of flight attendants.

AI could save employees a full day of work per week — if they get training

Access to training remains a sticking point in recent AI discourse.

Women may pay a higher price for taking leave, research indicates

When employers meet women’s needs during and after leave, they “build a more loyal, engaged and productive workforce,” said an executive at The Standard.

Target workers in New Jersey accept $4.6M to settle wage claims for off-the-clock walking

The time warehouse workers spend walking to and from their work areas to undergo mandatory pre- and post-shift security screenings should be counted as “hours worked,” a class-action lawsuit alleged.

Warner Bros. escapes White camera operator’s discrimination lawsuit

The case is one of many “reverse discrimination” lawsuits moving through the courts.

Meta sees ‘accelerated’ employee compensation growth, CFO says

The spike in employee compensation costs was primarily driven by “technical” hires, particularly AI talent, CFO Susan Li said.

More job posts mention AI — but some lack clear context, Indeed data shows

Now is a good time for employers to experiment and provide training to workers on AI use, an Indeed economist said.

10 stories that may be scaring talent leaders right now

Long-running trends continue to dog talent leaders, like pressure to hire quickly and how the loss of an important layer of managers affects employee experience.

California greenlights $25M for apprenticeship programs

Through the Employment Training Panel, the cash targets 88 apprenticeship programs and 22,208 workers, many in construction.

IBM fired Black executives to ‘appease’ Trump, lawsuit claims

The company previously faced a series of lawsuits alleging that its DEI programs discriminated against White male employees.

This week in 5 numbers: Hybrid work is upping traffic congestion

Here’s a roundup of numbers from the last week of HR news — including how many businesses plan to increase hiring next year.

HR professionals on the move in October

J. Crew Group and Inspire Brands were among the companies landing new HR leaders this past month.