AI, ‘digital fluency’ top workers’ skills-building wishlist

AI at work continues to be a tricky area of conversation, especially regarding the future-proofing of individual resumes and entire businesses. 

4th Circuit permits Trump anti-DEI orders to move forward — for now

Two members of the court’s three-judge panel expressed support for DEI work even as they sided with the administration in staying a federal judge’s preliminary injunction.

Government contractors: It’s time to get comfortable with change

Federal contractors and subcontractors must be prepared to quickly re-evaluate their compensation, hiring and related structures in the coming months and years, write Cozen O’Connor attorneys. 

Workdays are 36 minutes shorter — and more productive, study says

Productivity remains a sticking point in discussions around return to work, remote work and the proliferation of AI. 

‘Vertical’ no-hire agreements can be legal, 2nd Circuit reminds in Saks lawsuit

The retailer's no-hire agreements with five high-end brands sold in its stores did not violate the Sherman Act, the court held.

How CHROs can assess the impact of emerging technologies

CHROs must consider five key areas of impact when workforce planning, including role redesign, employee engagement and culture alignment, a senior principal at Gartner writes.

Radical agreement on ‘reverse discrimination’ is yet another reason to review DEI, training programs

A forthcoming ruling from the U.S. Supreme Court likely will accelerate certain types of discrimination claims, writes Duane Morris partner Jonathan Segal.

8 stories on the rise of ‘reverse discrimination’ claims

While such claims under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act are not entirely new, a law firm’s review found a “flood” of DEI-provoked lawsuits last year.

Federal judge sides with 3M in White male ex-employee’s bias claim

The plaintiff alleged that Black female employees who similarly violated workplace rules were not fired like he was.

Poor communication is holding the workforce back, survey says

The research, focused on women’s experience at work, “provides a blueprint for leaders to adapt these insights” for the entire workforce, one executive said.

Women unlikely to reach parity with men for 134 years: JPMorgan

In C-suites worldwide, women are far from attaining equal status, holding only about 10% of the most powerful roles such as CEO and CFO.

Employee confidence hit a record low in February, Glassdoor reports

“Cuts to the government workforce initiated by DOGE have thrown the future of the federal workforce into disarray,” the company’s lead economist said.

HR pros are understaffed but still find a way to thrive, per SHRM report

SHRM’s 2025 State of the Workplace report also touched on the possible utility of AI at work.

This week in 5 numbers: Are employers hiring AI talent too quickly?

Here’s a roundup of numbers from the last week of HR news — including the share of hiring managers who are worried about creating a sustainable pipeline for talent with artificial intelligence skills.

2025 could be ‘a year of contention’ over pay, Payscale says

Thanks to a heightened focus on fair pay, organizations ranked compensation as a bigger challenge than recruiting or retention.

Employers are on an unsustainable ‘hiring spree’ for AI talent, report says

Too many companies are rushing to close the AI jobs gap without investment in employee training, the CEO of talent firm General Assembly warned.

Burnout can cost companies up to $21K per employee annually

For 1,000-person companies with a typical employee distribution, that’s an estimated $5.04 million cost to employers annually, researchers found.

Trump declared English the official language. Can employers do the same?

While some employers may be tempted to mandate English in the workplace, blanket policies may violate the law, Norris McLaughlin attorneys warn.

California senator introduces ‘No Robo Bosses Act’ in bid to regulate AI at work

States will likely take the lead on AI regulation “for the foreseeable future,” a law firm said.

‘Male only’ hiring instructions lead to $1.6M settlement

EEOC alleged that an HR directory for Security Engineers, Inc., directed staff not to schedule women for certain roles regardless of their relevant experience.

How the gender wage gap has changed since 1982

Pew Research Center analysis shows that the gap has narrowed, but the details are nuanced.

5 years later: How COVID-19 changed HR

From remote work to religious accommodation, the COVID-19 pandemic fundamentally transformed HR’s landscape.

Deere shareholders vote down anti-DEI proposal

The move comes months after the tractor giant rolled back its support for “social or cultural awareness events” in July.

Empathetic leaders boost productivity of remote and hybrid workers, study finds

As employers push RTO, “it could be the case that it is not home working that has reduced performance, but manager’s poor leadership skills instead,” researchers said.

Lori Chavez-DeRemer confirmed as labor secretary

How DOL will proceed now is not clear, though there are hints the agency may be assuming an unusually pro-worker stance for a Republican administration.