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A Gartner survey of over 10,000 employees in May reveals that employees increasingly seek financial protection against unexpected expenses, especially medical costs, while placing less importance on paid leave and work-life balance. Despite ongoing employer investment, most health benefits are not recognized by employees.
Kitchenware and home goods retailer Williams-Sonoma announced in its second-quarter earnings report that it will share part of the approximately $200 million in invalidated tariff refunds it received with suppliers and employees. The company plans to use $47.5 million to compensate suppliers for discounts provided during the response to IEEPA tariffs and set aside $10 million for one-time contributions to certain employees' 401(k) accounts. CEO Laura Alber stated that this move recognizes the team's outstanding performance in responding to tariffs.
The latest Korn Ferry survey shows that U.S. companies plan to increase base salary budgets by an average of 3.3% in 2027, with a median increase of 3%. Despite economic uncertainty, most companies still plan to give raises to the majority of their employees. The survey also covers topics such as incentive spending, the impact of artificial intelligence, and talent development.
The California Assembly passed a bill on Sunday that would prohibit employers from using artificial intelligence tools to monitor employees' personal emotional states or collect their 'neural data.' The bill (AB 1883) has been sent to Governor Gavin Newsom for signature, and if approved, it will take effect on January 1, 2026.
In the compliance field, lawsuits sometimes last for years, and sometimes the parties reach an agreement (often with the defendant not admitting liability) to conclude cases more quickly. This month, HR Dive reported on eight lawsuits that ended in settlement compensation, including cases where Kroger was suspected of discriminating against an employee with nerve damage from cancer treatment, and Pearson Education's platform had insufficient accessibility for employees with visual impairments.
Most watched this week: Medical costs may rise nearly 10% by 2027; Number of the week: $103,265 (new proposed H-1B fee); Quote of the week: University of Florida Professor Brian Swider on the limitations of first impressions.
The Washington Post fired Karen Attiah, founding editor of its Global Opinions section, over social media posts; an arbitrator found the dismissal lacked sufficient justification and violated union agreements, ordering reinstatement with back pay. This case has sparked broad discussion on workplace social media policies, involving political speech, legal compliance, and the limits of corporate discretion.
Go1 surveyed 313 U.S. compliance, legal, and risk professionals and 312 HR, human capital, and learning and development (L&D) leaders, and conducted scenario assessments of 320 employees who completed employer compliance training within the past 12 months. Results show that about 90% of compliance leaders and 96% of HR/L&D leaders have confidence in employees' ability to apply their training, but employees scored an average of only 64.5%. Employees performed well when rules were clear, but performance varied in situations requiring judgment. Although most organizations reinforce training, only a few use it as a primary method. About one-third of leaders plan to invest in post-training reinforcement, and 27% plan to invest in scenario-based learning. Experts recommend shifting from completion to readiness, enhancing employees' practical application skills through practice, reinforcement, and manager support.
Enterprises have invested in human capital management (HCM) technology for years, yet most still struggle to achieve expected value. The 3Sixty Insights benchmark report found that only 13% of organizations fully utilize their HCM solutions, 12% consider themselves advanced users, and 86% of users have encountered issues related to HR, payroll, or benefits. Keisha Forbes, Director of Strategic Customer Experience at Insperity, points out that the biggest challenge is adoption rather than technology, and emphasizes how the "fragmentation tax" erodes operational costs and employee trust. The article analyzes the reasons behind the value gap and proposes achieving return on investment through human-centric collaboration and ongoing support.
Former white employees of a Pennsylvania polling firm filed a lawsuit alleging racial discrimination, retaliation, and a hostile work environment, and a federal judge ruled on August 24 that some claims could proceed. The court found that the plaintiffs' allegations showed 'racial hostility was institutionalized, pervasive, and endorsed by leadership.'