🎯Today's Human Resources Pulse
Updated 1h agoWhat's happening: Union sues Berkelouw Books and Harry Hartog over outdated enterprise agreement
The Retail and Fast Food Workers Union has filed a lawsuit against the operators of Berkelouw Books and the Harry Hartog chain, alleging that a 13‑year‑old enterprise agreement fails to provide basic wage loading and penalty rates. More than 100 employees across four Berkelouw and fourteen Harry Hartog stores are demanding a fair contract, while the employers have delayed bargaining and cut pay during December bans.
Also developing:
By the numbers: Take2 raises $14M to boost AI‑powered healthcare hiring
Blog•Feb 18, 2026
Folks Unveils 2026 State of HR Report
Folks, a Canadian HR software provider, has released its 2026 State of HR Report, surveying over 400 small and medium‑sized businesses across Canada. The study spotlights recruitment as a top priority while documenting a surge in artificial‑intelligence use and broader HR technology adoption. Findings reveal that digital tools are enhancing employee experience, yet many firms struggle with system integration. The report aims to equip SMBs with actionable insights to navigate the evolving HR landscape.
By HRTech Cube
Blog•Feb 18, 2026
Collage Integrates Payroll, Powered by Nmbr
Collage, a Canadian all‑in‑one HR, benefits and payroll platform, has launched Collage Payroll in partnership with Nmbr, the country’s first embedded payroll provider. The new feature lets businesses manage HR, benefits, time‑off and payroll from a single login, eliminating the...
By HRTech Cube
News•Feb 18, 2026
Last Payment for Production Employees in the Motion Picture Industry
California’s Labor Code section 201.5 creates a tailored final‑pay regime for workers engaged in motion‑picture production and broadcasting. The statute requires that terminated employees receive all earned wages by the next regular payday, with payment permissible by mail or at a...
By National Law Review – Employment Law
News•Feb 18, 2026
Employers Push Critical Illness Plans Amid Health Risks
Employers are increasingly adding critical‑illness insurance to their benefits portfolios to offset gaps left by high‑deductible health plans. A recent Equitable survey shows 31% of American workers filed a critical‑illness claim in the past year, yet only 49% feel confident...
By Employee Benefit News
News•Feb 18, 2026
AI in Healthcare Starts Long Before the Exam Room
AI-driven clinical tools are rapidly improving diagnosis and treatment, but they leave patients exposed to hidden financial risks. A case of an autonomous AI ER physician resulted in a $37,000 out‑of‑network bill, highlighting systemic navigation failures. While clinical AI promises...
By Employee Benefit News
News•Feb 18, 2026
Think RTO Is Harmless? Top Talent Disagrees
Top talent is pushing back against strict return‑to‑office (RTO) mandates, as highlighted by JPMorgan Chase employees fearing career repercussions for opposing the policy. Research from Gartner shows high‑performers, women and millennials are most likely to leave firms with rigid RTO,...
By Human Resource Executive
News•Feb 18, 2026
The Murky Waters of Healthcare Cost Transparency: What Plan Sponsors Can Control
The 2021 Consolidated Appropriations Act introduced mandatory broker compensation disclosures and broader pricing data for health plans, pushing plan sponsors to adopt fiduciary rigor similar to retirement plans. Yet, translating transparency into cost control remains difficult as procedure prices can...
By Human Resource Executive
News•Feb 18, 2026
The $2 Trillion Blind Spot in Modern Rewards
Most organizations still tie rewards to individual output despite vocal support for collaboration. Gallup reports U.S. employee engagement at a 10‑year low of 31% in 2024, translating to roughly $2 trillion in lost productivity. Studies show high‑quality recognition can reduce turnover...
By Human Resource Executive
News•Feb 18, 2026
AI Threatens Staffing Industry as Companies Bring Recruitment In-House
Artificial intelligence is rapidly automating core recruitment tasks, enabling employers to screen resumes, rank candidates, and conduct initial interviews without external recruiters. This technological shift allows companies to bring talent acquisition in‑house, diminishing reliance on traditional staffing firms such as...
By Bloomberg – Technology (sitewide)
News•Feb 18, 2026
When I Selected, 'Rather Not Say', Gemini Said, 'I'll Decide for You'. In Case It's Not Obvious, Here's Why that...
Enterprise AI is being deployed as core infrastructure that routinely infers personal identity attributes such as gender, voice, and facial characteristics. In Google Gemini Meet Notes, a non‑binary user who selected "Rather not say" was mis‑gendered as "she," illustrating how...
By Diginomica
News•Feb 18, 2026
Moving to a Four-Day Week While Scaling
Interlink, a fast‑scaling B2B demand‑generation startup, shifted to a four‑day, 32‑hour workweek after an 18‑month phased trial. The change was treated like a product launch—testing, iterating, and redesigning workflows rather than merely cutting hours. Despite concerns about growth velocity, the...
By Startups Magazine
News•Feb 18, 2026
OSHA Inspector Ranks Fell Sharply Before Projected 2026 Increase, Agency Says
OSHA’s federal safety‑inspection workforce dropped sharply, falling from 812 officers at the end of fiscal 2024 to 629 by September 2025. The agency projects a rebound to roughly 1,720 inspectors in 2026, a figure that includes staff from state‑plan programs....
By Business Insurance
News•Feb 18, 2026
Katie Collin on Why Female Leadership in the Top 100 Is Sliding
In this episode, Nikita Alexander talks with Ramsay Brown Partner Katie Collin about the recent drop in female leadership within the UK’s Top 100 firms, now down to just 12 % at senior levels. Collin attributes the decline to cyclical workload pressures that...
By Accountancy Age
Social•Feb 18, 2026
Algorithmic Bias May Drive Layoffs After Medical Leave
If you got laid off following a performance improvement plan that came relatively shortly after you took protected medical leave, sought a reasonable accommodation, or reported unlawful employer practices-- you may have experienced algorithmic discrimination. Consult an employment lawyer before...
By Nisar Law
Social•Feb 18, 2026
Turnover Costs: Direct + Indirect Impacts Revealed
Cost of Turnover: Direct and Indirect #EmployeeTurnover Costs @perceptyx https://t.co/DN32GkyPrz #HCM #HRM #HumanResources #HRTech #CHRO #CPO #Hiring #Recruitment #PeopleManagement #Culture #Change #FutureofHR #HRCurator
By Dave Millner
News•Feb 18, 2026
K-12 Lens 2026: What New Staffing Data Reveals About District Operations
Frontline Education’s 2026 K‑12 Lens survey, based on over 1,000 district leaders, shows teacher shortages easing in many regions while hard‑to‑fill roles and uneven funding persist. The data fuels a webinar where practitioners discuss managing staffing changes, vacancy tracking, administrative...
By Education Week (Technology section)
Social•Feb 18, 2026
Dayforce AI Simplifies Workforce, Lets You Focus
Shrinking workforce complexity with Dayforce AI so that you can do the work you are meant to do! https://t.co/96YMPZh4O1
By David Ossip
Social•Feb 18, 2026
Rinky Karthik Discusses SAP Talent Management Innovations
#SAP Talent Management Technology: a Chat with Rinky Karthik https://t.co/gMZ29hTtCL >a nice interview with @rinkysmile of #SuccessFactors talking about talent management. #EnSw #HRTech #HR #HCM #AI #Talent
By Luke Marson
News•Feb 17, 2026
Redefine Pay Now or Risk "a Much Broader Retention Issue"
HR leaders are being urged to rethink remuneration as a widening pay perception gap emerges. Robert Walters' 2026 Salary Guide shows 81% of employees feel their wages lag behind rising living costs, with 41% believing they are underpaid, while 85%...
By HR Daily (Australia)
News•Feb 17, 2026
Divided FTC Finalizes Rule to Ban Noncompete Agreements
The Federal Trade Commission finalized a rule banning most non‑compete agreements, approved by a 3‑2 vote and set to take effect 120 days after publication. The regulation spares only senior executives earning over $151,164, preserving existing clauses for that group....
By Law.com (ALM)
Social•Feb 17, 2026
Design Hybrid Work Intentionally; Leadership Shapes Future
Last month I had the pleasure of speaking at the Vienna-based International Organizations HR Network (VBIO) at the United Nations in Vienna on rethinking hybrid work. Three reminders: • There’s no one-size-fits-all hybrid model. Design it intentionally. • Hybrid isn’t an HR issue,...
By Ranya Nehmeh
Social•Feb 17, 2026
600,000 Black Women Displaced—Community Must Build Solutions
Story: I recently shared that over 600,000 Black women have been pushed out of their roles across multiple sectors. This news is devastating, and it is targeted. Now that we see what’s happening, the real question is: what are we going...
By Ajeia (HR Tech/HRIS)
News•Feb 17, 2026
Revamping High Volume Hiring Strategies
High‑volume hiring, often overlooked, is essential for maintaining business continuity. Companies struggle with a pronounced supply‑demand mismatch, especially for frontline positions. The article argues that future talent acquisition must balance operational efficiency with strategic use of technology. Emphasizing technology as...
By HRTechFeed
News•Feb 17, 2026
Upcoming Webinar | Confidently Navigate the EU Pay Transparency Directive
The EU Pay Transparency Directive, one of the most comprehensive pay‑equity laws, will take effect in 2026 across all member states. It requires employers to publish gender‑pay gap data and detailed compensation breakdowns. To help organizations prepare, HRtechBot is hosting...
By HRTechFeed
News•Feb 17, 2026
Hackajob Announces Its AI Recruiting Agent Has Surpassed $1 Million in ARR
Hackajob announced that its AI recruiting agent, Archer, generated $1 million in annual recurring revenue within just 90 days of launch, making it the fastest‑growing AI‑native recruiting product. The platform qualified 35,000 double‑opt‑in introductions, achieved a 20:1 candidate‑to‑hire ratio and blocked...
By HRTechFeed
News•Feb 17, 2026
Alde Medi Impex Names Parag Bhatnagar as VP-HR
Alde Medi Impex appointed Parag Bhatnagar as vice president‑human resources to lead HR for its corporate office and the upcoming Kashipur manufacturing facility. Bhatnagar brings over 20 years of cross‑industry experience, previously serving as corporate HR head at Biodeal Pharmaceuticals...
By HR Katha (India)
News•Feb 17, 2026
UP Sees Sharp Rise in Women’s Workforce Participation
Uttar Pradesh’s female labour force participation surged from 14 percent in 2017‑18 to 36 percent in 2023‑24, according to the Women Economic Empowerment Index. The increase narrows the gap with the national average of 45 percent, reflecting policy‑driven shifts such as Mission Shakti...
By HR Katha (India)
News•Feb 17, 2026
‘Greater Diversity Reshapes Expectations’: Women in Energy Storage Network on Strengthening and Empowering an Inclusive Industry
The Women in Energy Storage Network (WinES), founded in 2024, now serves over 1,600 members across the UK’s fast‑growing energy‑storage sector. It earned the 2025 Diversity and Inclusion Award, highlighting its role in elevating female talent. WinES will host a...
By Energy Storage News
News•Feb 17, 2026
Sanofi to Expand Hyderabad GCC; Plans Workforce Growth Beyond 4,500
French pharmaceutical giant Sanofi announced it will enlarge its Global Capability Centre (GCC) in Hyderabad, raising headcount from over 2,600 to more than 4,500 employees. The expansion will be financed by a multi‑hundred‑million‑dollar investment, building on a 2024 pledge of...
By HR Katha (India)
News•Feb 17, 2026
Employee Mental Health Tops the Concerns and Priorities of Employers for 5th Year Running
New research from benefits firm Everywhen shows mental health remains the top concern for employers, with 59% flagging it as a priority. Nearly half (49%) plan to focus resources on mental‑health support over the next 12 months, outpacing physical, financial...
By Employer News (UK)
News•Feb 17, 2026
UAE Clarifies Annual Leave Rules; Sets Limits on Carrying Forward Unused Days
The UAE Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation issued new guidance clarifying annual leave entitlements and carry‑forward limits. Employees earn a minimum of 30 days paid leave after one year, with accrual at two days per month before that. Unused leave...
By HR Katha (India)
News•Feb 17, 2026
Employee Benefits: What Organizations Could Expect in 2026
Employers face unprecedented health‑plan cost spikes in 2026, driven by specialty drug prices, catastrophic claims and rising provider expenses. The HUB International outlook highlights AI‑powered decision tools that simplify plan selection but raise data‑privacy questions. Wellness initiatives are expanding, with...
By HR Bartender
News•Feb 17, 2026
The Film and TV Charity’s Money Matters Survey Reveals Worrying Trend for the Industry
The Film and TV Charity’s second Money Matters report, based on 2,000 industry workers, reveals that 74 % are contemplating leaving the sector because of financial pressure and 43 % have already taken concrete steps to exit. Sustained worklessness affects 22 % of...
By TVBEurope
News•Feb 17, 2026
Karnataka Plans Tough Law to Protect Govt Staff; Proposes Jail Term for Assault and Threats
Karnataka is drafting a law to make assaults, intimidation, and damage to public property against government employees non‑bailable, with penalties of up to three years imprisonment and fines up to Rs 50,000. The bill defines violence broadly, covering physical attacks, threats,...
By HR Katha (India)
News•Feb 17, 2026
New London Tribunal Centre to Open as Backlog Exceeds 66,000 Cases
The UK’s largest dedicated tribunal centre in London will begin hearing cases in March, adding 30 hearing rooms and capacity for up to 60 judges. The move responds to a growing backlog of more than 66,000 tribunal cases across employment,...
By HRreview (UK)
Social•Feb 17, 2026
When Leaders Feel Obligated, Teams Suffer
A lot of people take on leadership roles, not because they want to, but because someone told them they “should” or they “had to” to achieve success. They approach the role like a transaction, not a responsibility. Now there are teams...
By Julia Rock
News•Feb 17, 2026
Advertising Leader Jane Callister Joins Impala Talent
Jane Callister, a 30‑year advertising veteran, has joined Impala Talent as a senior recruitment partner. Her career spans top agencies such as Publicis UK, JWT, DDB, TBWA, and M&C Saatchi, giving her deep operational insight. Callister will apply this expertise...
By Campaign Brief
News•Feb 17, 2026
Inside the New Era of Mega Pay for U.S. Bank CEOs
U.S. bank CEOs have entered a new compensation tier, with Brian Moynihan, Jane Fraser and David Solomon earning $41‑$47 million for 2025, marking 17‑21% increases driven largely by equity awards. The $40 million baseline reflects strong earnings, trading profits and revived deal...
By CEOWORLD magazine
News•Feb 16, 2026
How Choice Architecture Can Help Boost Engagement
CEOs are wrestling with back‑to‑office mandates as hybrid roles dominate, with 85% of UK hybrid listings requiring at least two office days. Gallup’s 2024 data shows employees who control their work arrangements are 43% more engaged, warning that strict schedules...
By CEOWORLD magazine
Social•Feb 16, 2026
Only AI‑savvy Employees Survive; Let Resistors Go
We started the year committed to bring everyone at @singlegrain to Claude Code proficient levels. For new hires, they need to go through our ‘Beat Claude’ challenge, meaning that they can use AI to answer questions, but if they merely...
By Eric Siu
Blog•Feb 16, 2026
Company Wants References From “Coworkers You Didn’t Get Along With”
A candidate interviewing for a remote, mission‑driven company faced an extreme hiring process, including 10+ video calls, unpaid work tests, and a request for references from coworkers they didn’t get along with. The article condemns the practice as unreasonable and...
By Ask a Manager
News•Feb 16, 2026
Impact of a U.S. Federal Government Shutdown on E-Verify: February 16 2026
A U.S. federal government shutdown can render the E‑Verify system unavailable, disrupting the connection between SAP SuccessFactors Onboarding and the federal verification service. During a shutdown, employers using SuccessFactors may be unable to automatically confirm employee eligibility, potentially delaying hires....
By HRTechFeed
Podcast•Feb 16, 2026•0 min
Corporations Are Full of BS
The episode explores a new research paper that introduces the Organizational Bullshit Perception Scale (OBPS), a tool for quantifying employees' perceptions of corporate dishonesty and empty rhetoric. The authors differentiate corporate "bullshit" from lying, defining it as statements made without...
By The Contrarian HR
Social•Feb 16, 2026
Upcoming Roadmap: E‑Sign, Check‑In/Out, Conflict Flags
What it looks like and what’s on the roadmap: 1) E-Sign integration (right now it just sends a copy to the client via email); 2) Check in/Check out functionality (you edit in platform, but would prefer sometimes to edit outside and...
By Matt (Employment Law)
News•Feb 16, 2026
Iceland Launches First Customer Led Colleague Award
Iceland has introduced its inaugural Customers’ Choice Award, allowing shoppers to nominate staff from any of its 1,000 stores for exceptional service. Nominations close on 8 March 2026 and the program is sponsored by Agristo, the retailer’s frozen potato supplier. The...
By The Retail Bulletin
News•Feb 16, 2026
Quote of the Day by Sanjeev Bikhchandani: ‘Nobody Being Thrown Out… You Should Just Learn 5-15 Useful AI Tools’
Founder of Info Edge, Sanjeev Bikhchandani, says AI isn’t eliminating jobs but requires workers to upskill. He recommends employees master between five and fifteen practical AI tools to stay relevant. The advice emphasizes reskilling rather than fear of displacement. Bikhchandani’s...
By Mint AI
News•Feb 16, 2026
Editorial: Time to Find a Fix for Poaching Suits
The editorial highlights a surge of insurance‑broker poaching lawsuits, ignited by Howden’s aggressive hiring of hundreds of producers from rivals. It exposes a broken industry approach to employee mobility, where firms cling to proprietary data while brokers argue their client...
By Business Insurance
Social•Feb 16, 2026
Give Second Chances: Key to Employee Engagement
One of the best tools for employee engagement: second chances. Part of the reason some employees check out is that they’ve been tossed aside after making a mistake. No one has ever let them live it down, and that mistake...
By Julia Rock
Social•Feb 16, 2026
Content Drives Hiring: 10+ Hires From One Episode
Talked to a @BananaCap_ portfolio company this morning who mentioned they hired 10+ people from their @ThePeelPod episode. Insane how much value you can add for founders when you get really dialed in on content.
By Turner Novak
Social•Feb 15, 2026
East Asia, Africa Match West; MENA, South Asia Lag
East Asia has labour-market gender gaps comparable to those in Europe and North America. Sub-Saharan Africa is also surprisingly similar (in the formal labour market). MENA and South Asia have massive gender segregation and LatAm and Carib are surprisingly in-between....
By Adam Tooze