How Multigenerational Diversity Fits in the Workplace
Multigenerational diversity is gaining renewed attention as companies recognize its role in fostering innovation and broader perspectives. Recent research from the Mather Institute and Gallup highlights Generation X’s ability to bridge gaps between younger and older workers, while baby boomers and Gen Xers show more optimism about the job market than their younger peers. Engagement levels remain higher among older cohorts, underscoring the value of retaining experience alongside fresh talent. The article urges leaders to consider all generations, not just Gen Z, when shaping workplace policies.
Interviewee Nets $495K Settlement After Receiving Email Stating He Was ‘Too Old’ for the Role
HCL America, a Santa Clara‑based tech consulting firm, agreed to pay $495,000 to settle an EEOC lawsuit alleging age and national‑origin discrimination. The case stemmed from an email in which a sales director labeled a candidate “too old” and urged...
Employers Paid $528M in Pre-Litigation EEOC Settlements Last Year
Employers paid the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission $528 million in pre‑litigation mediation, conciliation and settlements during fiscal 2025, the highest amount ever recorded. The agency reported total payouts of $660 million to 17,680 workers, including a 24% rise in conciliation awards...
AI May Threaten Critical Thinking in the Workplace
A University of Bath report warns that AI adoption in the workplace threatens critical thinking and creativity, especially for knowledge that relies on hands‑on experience, culture, and analytical judgment. Researchers differentiate AI‑compatible encoded and embedded knowledge from AI‑incompatible embodied, encultured,...
Manufacturers Test AI-Translation Tech to Improve Worker Communications
U.S. manufacturers are increasingly deploying AI‑driven translation tools to bridge language gaps on the shop floor, from translating SOPs and safety signs to providing live captioning for town‑hall meetings. A Pennsylvania foundry with 1,000 employees is piloting real‑time earpieces for...
Waffle House Not Liable for Worker Stabbing Customer in Face, 11th Circuit Says
The 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed that Waffle House is not liable for a Florida employee who stabbed a customer after leaving his shift. The court held the stabbing was not reasonably foreseeable and occurred outside the scope...
Popeyes Dodges Lawsuit over Fingerprint Scans, but Court Leaves Door Open for Redo
A U.S. District Court in Illinois dismissed Popeyes' liability in a biometric privacy lawsuit, finding the fast‑food chain lacked direct control over a franchisee’s fingerprint‑time‑clock system. The plaintiff, an employee of an Illinois Popeyes franchise, alleged violations of the Biometric...
The 4 Biggest HR Compliance Risks for SMBs — and How to Avoid Them
Small and midsize businesses are accelerating global expansion, but doing so exposes them to heightened HR compliance risks. The four most critical threats identified are worker misclassification, lagging behind rapid regulatory changes, inadequate data‑privacy safeguards, and non‑standardized employment documentation. Missteps...
Jury Awards Cemex Driver $5M in ‘Egregious’ Disability and Race Bias Lawsuit
A federal jury in California awarded $5 million to a former Cemex truck driver who proved race and disability harassment, finding the company created a hostile work environment under Title VII and California law. The plaintiff’s claims against individual coworkers were...
Gen Z Interns Want Practical Experiences that Can’t Be Digitized, Survey Finds
A KPMG U.S. survey of 361 interns reveals Generation Z interns prioritize hands‑on, in‑person experiences, mentoring and networking over digital training. They aim to showcase critical thinking, problem‑solving, and creativity—skills AI cannot replace. The cohort would sacrifice about $5,000 in annual...
Florida Poker Business Wrongfully Ousted Pregnant Workers, EEOC Alleges
The EEOC filed a lawsuit against BestBet Jacksonville, alleging the casino‑style poker venue violated the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act by refusing reasonable accommodations for multiple pregnant employees. One worker with low‑blood‑pressure issues and a subchorionic hematoma was denied a doctor‑recommended...
New Graduates Say They Would Sacrifice Pay for Job Stability
Monster’s 2026 State of the Graduate Report shows 67 % of new graduates would accept lower pay for greater job stability, while 68 % still list salary as their top consideration. Confidence in landing a role within three months slipped to 79 %...
H-1B Visa Program Hits Cap for the Next Fiscal Year
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services announced it has filled the 2027 H‑1B visa cap of 85,000, including the 20,000 advanced‑degree slots. The fiscal year’s lottery introduced a weighted selection system that gives preference to higher‑skill, higher‑paid candidates. Recent policy shifts—such...
Kroger Store Violated ADA by Revoking Worker’s Accommodation, EEOC Claims
The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission filed a lawsuit against a Texas Kroger store for revoking a previously granted ADA accommodation for an employee with neuropathy. The employee had been allowed to use a walker and take frequent sitting breaks,...
Does DEI Still Have a Role to Play in Employer Branding?
The diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) landscape has shifted dramatically, with many Fortune 500 firms scaling back programs amid political pressure and legal scrutiny. Companies now face a branding dilemma: public DEI commitments can attract regulatory ire, while abandoning them risks...
Workers Don’t Know How to Use AI — and Companies Are to Blame, Research Finds
Forrester’s latest AI proficiency study reveals an "alarming" gap: only 26% of workers demonstrated adequate AI understanding in 2025, a modest 4‑point rise from the previous year. Despite hefty corporate investments in AI pilots and licenses, most employees lack basic...
More Companies Say Equity Benefits Are Being Used to Attract Talent
A Computershare survey of 600 HR and total‑rewards leaders shows that 82% expect higher employee participation in stock purchase and equity plans in 2026. The data reflects a broader shift toward treating equity as a core benefit rather than a...
Visibility Ends for Certain Free Single-Source XML Feeds on Indeed
Indeed announced that, starting Tuesday, jobs submitted through single‑source XML feeds that can be routed via an applicant tracking system (ATS) will no longer appear for free on its platform; only sponsored listings will be visible. Feeds from non‑integrated ATSs...
HR Can Be ‘Unreasonable’ as Long as It’s Not Discriminatory, 5th Circuit Says
The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that a healthcare IT firm’s termination of a Black female employee, who had reported alleged racial and gender bias, did not constitute unlawful retaliation under Title VII. Although the court noted the close...
What Makes an Exceptional Leader?
New research by The Grossman Group and The Harris Poll finds only 30% of U.S. employees consider senior leaders "exceptional," while 16% label them "outdated" and blame them for burnout. Exceptional leaders outperform "good" leaders by more than two‑fold in...
Week in Review: How the Performance Review Has Changed
Performance reviews have shifted dramatically over the past 15 years, moving from annual check‑ins to frequent, often quarterly, continuous feedback loops. This change reflects heightened expectations for real‑time manager‑employee dialogue and is driven by digital tools that enable ongoing performance...
5 Upgrades Your Employees Will Actually Appreciate
Employees now value practical upgrades that enhance daily productivity over superficial perks. Companies that invest in modern collaboration platforms, ergonomic workstations, continuous learning, flexible schedules, and reliable fiber connectivity see higher engagement and lower turnover. Research links a positive employee...
EEOC Touts $15M Agreement Resolving COVID-19 Vaccine Bias Claims
The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission announced that an unnamed global technology company will pay $15 million to settle class-action claims that it denied religious and disability accommodations for COVID‑19 vaccination. Under a three‑year conciliation agreement, the firm must overhaul its...
Teams Say They Are Being Pushed to Do More with Less as AI Increases Their Workload
Culture Amp’s research shows 77% of employees say AI tools increase their workload, even as 96% of C‑suite leaders expect AI to boost output. Engagement metrics are sliding, with U.S. employee engagement falling to 31% by 2024. Companies that combine...
Clarity Is the Key to Supporting Workers, ADP Research Says
ADP Research finds fewer than one‑in‑four employees feel confident their jobs are safe, highlighting a major communication gap. Workers who perceive security are six times more engaged, 3.3 times more productive, and twice as likely to stay. Front‑line managers and...
DOL Sends New Joint Employer Rule to White House
The U.S. Department of Labor has forwarded a proposed joint‑employer rule to the White House, aiming to replace the 2021 regulation that rescinded the Trump‑era standard. The new rule is expected to be more employer‑friendly, narrowing the definition of joint...
Bimbo Bakeries Can’t Compel Massachusetts Drivers to Arbitrate Misclassification Claim
A federal district court in Massachusetts ruled that two Bimbo Bakeries delivery drivers cannot be forced into arbitration over a state‑law misclassification claim because they qualify as transportation workers exempt from the Federal Arbitration Act. The drivers, one an individual...
Court Doesn’t Buy Employer’s Defense for Not Complying with Race Bias Settlement
The 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the Echols County School District could not invoke qualified immunity after allegedly failing to implement the hiring‑policy changes required by a 2020 race‑discrimination settlement. The district had submitted an outdated 2013...
ZipRecruiter Is the Latest Job Platform to Release ChatGPT App
ZipRecruiter announced a native ChatGPT app that lets job seekers search listings by typing “@ziprecruiter” with a title and location. The app returns results and routes users back to ZipRecruiter’s site, mirroring a similar launch by Indeed earlier this year....
This Week in 5 Numbers: AI Trainer Jobs Are Surging
AI trainer positions exploded by 283% in 2025, making them the fastest‑growing cross‑border roles on Deel’s platform. At the same time, CHROs climbed to 55% of the top‑paid executives in Russell 3000 firms, while 44% of workers say AI does more...
New Minnesota Bill Would Require 90-Day Notice for AI that Could Displace Workers
Minnesota lawmakers introduced the Safeguarding Human Intelligence and Employment in Labor Displacement Act, requiring employers to give a 90‑day notice before deploying AI that could displace workers and to provide a transitional upskilling period. The bill also mandates notification to...
NAMI: 1 in 4 Workers Considered Quitting over Their Job’s Toll on Their Mental Health
A NAMI poll finds a quarter of U.S. workers have thought about quitting because their jobs damage mental health. More than half report burnout and 38% say work demands negatively affect their well‑being. Yet less than one‑third have received any...
A PIP Is Not Always Discriminatory Under SCOTUS’ Relaxed Bias Test, Court Says
The 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that a performance improvement plan (PIP) does not automatically constitute age discrimination under the Supreme Court’s relaxed bias test from Muldrow v. City of St. Louis. In Walsh v. HNTB, the plaintiff, a...
Chinese Engineer Can’t Pursue Age, Racial Bias Lawsuit, 10th Circuit Affirms
The 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a district court’s summary judgment for the City of Tulsa, ending a senior Chinese engineer’s age and race discrimination lawsuit. The engineer claimed the city bypassed him for a superintendent role in...
Disney Executive Alleges HR Combed His Private Coaching Sessions for ‘Dirt’
Disney’s executive vice‑president of games sued the company, alleging that a senior HR leader secretly contacted his confidential executive coach to gather personal details. He claims HR berated him as a poor cultural fit, and after filing an internal complaint...
Same-Race Bias, Unbalanced DEI Training: 4 Lessons From Recent Title VII Cases
Recent Title VII rulings highlight evolving standards for same‑race harassment, DEI training, religious accommodation, and comparator analysis. The Sixth Circuit reversed a dismissal, holding that Black supervisors can still use racial slurs against Black employees, while the Second Circuit found...
Feds Keep Marijuana Tests for Workers Despite Trump Reclassification Order
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services confirmed that federal workplace drug‑testing panels will continue to screen for marijuana metabolites, despite President Trump’s December executive order directing the rescheduling of cannabis to Schedule III. The rule makes no changes to...
Meet the Former Feds Operating a ‘Shadow’ EEOC
Former EEOC officials formed the volunteer group EEO Leaders after the agency dismissed gender‑identity discrimination lawsuits under the Trump administration. The coalition of ex‑commissioners and senior staff provides private counsel, issues public statements, and counters EEOC guidance that threatens DEI...
‘Monitoring’ During Meal Breaks Did Not Need Compensation, 6th Circuit Says
The 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the dismissal of a Fair Labor Standards Act claim by a security guard at East Tennessee Children’s Hospital who argued that monitoring his radio during lunch breaks made the time compensable. The...
Lush Agrees to Settle Gender Identity Bias Lawsuit Dropped by EEOC
Lush Handmade Cosmetics agreed to settle a sex‑discrimination lawsuit after the EEOC, which had filed a complaint in 2024 alleging bias against a pansexual, nonbinary employee, withdrew its support in 2025 following a Trump administration executive order. The settlement required...
‘Why Was My Raise only 3%?’ and Other Pay Questions Managers Must Be Able to Answer
HR leaders are urged to equip managers with concrete training and documentation for merit‑raise conversations, according to Salary.com’s Sean Luitjens. By providing office‑hour style sessions, one‑page compensation philosophies, and FAQ sheets, managers can answer why raises are modest, how budgets...
US Companies Say They Plan to Accelerate Global Hiring Despite Hurdles
Business leaders across North America and Europe intend to speed up global hiring, even as nearly half report severe difficulty attracting and retaining international talent. Employee engagement is a growing pain point, with 69% citing challenges such as turnover, cultural...
Bravo, Warner Bros. Can’t Compel Arbitration in Former Real Housewives Cast Member Lawsuit, Judge Orders
Former Real Housewives of New York star Leah McSweeney won a procedural victory when U.S. District Judge Lewis Liman ruled that Warner Bros. Discovery, NBCUniversal, Bravo Media and related defendants waived their right to compel arbitration in her disability‑discrimination lawsuit....
EEOC: Restaurant Fired Worker Who Had Seizure to Allow Her to ‘Focus on’ Her Health
An EEOC lawsuit alleges that Diamond Jim’s and Mrs. Donna’s Ole Farm Beef LLC, a Mississippi steakhouse, illegally terminated a worker after she suffered a seizure. The employee had informed the employer of her seizure disorder, which the ADA classifies...
EEOC Staffer Agrees to Settle Bias Lawsuit Against Agency
The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission settled the discrimination lawsuit brought by enforcement manager Shweta Kandan after a jury trial ended in a mistrial. Kandan claimed the agency denied her a promotion to field director because of her sex, race...
If the Freedom of Conscience in the Workplace Act Passes, What Does that Mean for Florida Employers?
The Florida House has reintroduced the Freedom of Conscience in the Workplace Act (HB 641), which would prohibit public employers, nonprofits and state‑funded private firms from providing nonbinary gender options, requiring correct pronoun usage, or mandating LGBTQ‑related training. The bill also...
5 Stories on the Skills Evolution
A recent HR Dive roundup highlights five emerging trends in workplace skill evolution. Leaders now view AI competence as fundamental as basic writing, and ManpowerGroup reports AI talent is harder to find than traditional IT or engineering expertise. Meanwhile, training...
Snelling: Decades of Recruiting Show Today’s Labor Market Isn’t ‘Unprecedented’
Snelling’s 75‑year anniversary survey of more than 100 U.S. markets reveals that soft‑skill attributes—adaptability, reliability, work ethic, emotional intelligence—are now the primary predictors of long‑term employee performance, with 50 %‑75 % of recent hires driven by attitude and growth potential rather than...
Unprofessional Conduct, Not FMLA Retaliation, Led to Doctor’s Suspension, 6th Circuit Says
The 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that a resident physician’s suspension at Meharry Medical College was not retaliation for taking Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) leave. The doctor had taken leave after his child’s birth, then missed...
Workday Takes Partial Loss as Judge Refuses to Dismiss Claims in AI Bias Lawsuit
A federal judge denied Workday's request to toss disparate‑impact age discrimination claims, allowing plaintiffs to pursue ADEA relief against the company's AI‑driven recruiting tools. The court dismissed a disability claim and some California state law allegations, but left the core...