Today · Friday 6 November
51 briefs · US Eastern time
- Europe·Research
Workplace technology boosts individual rather than team productivity, HR Magazine reports
HR Magazine reports that workplace technology boosts individual rather than team productivity.
- United States·News
Meta reportedly weighs cutting 16,000 jobs, 20% of staff, to fund AI infrastructure spending
Meta is reportedly weighing cuts to 16,000 jobs, 20% of staff, to fund AI infrastructure spending that could reach $135 billion in 2026, Reuters reports. The company has already cut about 8,000 jobs this year, roughly 10% of its workforce, and canceled plans to hire 6,000 people.
- Europe·News
Employers face scrutiny over third-party harassment after Russell Brand conviction
Comedian Russell Brand was found guilty at Southwark Crown Court of one count of rape and three of sexual assault, involving six women between 1999 and 2009. The Metropolitan Police is reportedly investigating two further rape allegations, and employers including the BBC, MTV and Channel 4 are accused of turning a blind eye. Peninsula's Kate Palmer said the case is a reminder of employers' duty to prevent third-party harassment.
- United States·Earnings
AMN Healthcare nine-month revenue up 40% to $2.77 billion, net income $116.7 million
AMN Healthcare's 10-Q shows Q3 revenue of $717.3 million, up 13%, and net income of $33.4 million. For nine months, revenue rose 40% to $2,768.9 million and net income was $116.7 million versus an $88.0 million loss. Labor disruption services brought $806.3 million; settlement of three event reconciliations is expected in Q4.
- Canada & Latin America·Earnings
Docebo Q3 revenue rises 14% to $70.3 million, net income $9.4 million
Docebo reported Q3 2026 revenue of $70.3 million, up 14%, with subscription revenue up 12% to $65.2 million. Net income rose to $9.4 million from $6.1 million and adjusted EBITDA increased 35% to $16.7 million. ARR reached $261.5 million, up 11%.
- United States·Policy & Law
Eleventh Circuit upholds airline win in race discrimination and retaliation case after employee's CEO email
The Eleventh Circuit upheld an airline's win on an employee's race discrimination and retaliation claims. Three witnesses contradicted her account of a workplace dispute, and the company reasonably read her later email to the CEO as supporting its conclusion that she had lied. The short gap between her complaint and firing did not overcome the evidence for the company's stated reason.
- Global·Research
Randstad tech talent report: 86% of surveyed organizations expanding tech teams, AI-skill job postings up more than fivefold
Randstad said 86% of surveyed organizations plan to expand their tech headcount, and job postings requiring AI skills rose more than fivefold year on year. The report covers 11 markets, 1,100 interviews, over 20 million job postings and about 100 million candidate profiles. It found banks pay software engineers a median 13% premium over tech companies.
- Global·Research
Culture Amp: 87% of employees know what high performance looks like, only half say firms act on underperformance
Culture Amp research found 87% of employees know what high performance looks like, but only half say their organisation acts when someone falls short. Only 51% of European and UK staff say resources are directed toward goals, and 54% put organisational success first, below the 61% global average. 87% said line managers hold them accountable.
- Global·Research
Top Employers study: 81% of blue-collar and 74% of white-collar workers have worked in the opposite type of role
A Top Employers Institute study of more than 10,000 workers in 15 countries found 81% of blue-collar and 74% of white-collar workers had worked in the opposite type of role. 61% believed they moved or could move between the two types of work within their current organisation. The report is titled Beyond Collar Colours.
- Europe·Policy & Law
Dutch cabinet plans up to three extra years for working status holders to complete integration
The Dutch cabinet plans to let working status holders request up to three extra years to complete civic integration, provided they have worked at least 28 hours a week for a minimum of three months. The current term is three years. The rules are intended to take effect in the first half of 2027.
- Europe·Policy & Law
Clifford Chance: many EU states missed 7 June 2026 deadline to transpose Pay Transparency Directive
Clifford Chance says many EU member states missed the 7 June 2026 deadline to transpose the 2023 Pay Transparency Directive, though it is already shaping equal pay claims trends. Some countries have implemented it, others are still debating, and some have no draft. The firm advises employers to review job classifications and pay-setting processes now.
- Europe·Research
Principal CEO says European employers are not ready for longer working lives
Principal Financial CEO Deanna Strable says employers must rethink careers, training and retirement as EU life expectancy exceeds 81 years. Per Eurostat, a record two-thirds of EU 55–64-year-olds were employed in 2025. Strable says Principal has trained all 19,000 of its employees in AI over the past 18 months.
- China·Research
China hair salons shrink: 213,000 closed or transferred in Q1 2026, net loss of 86,000
Per China Hairdressing and Cosmetology Association data, salon numbers peaked at 1.144 million; in Q1 2026 alone 213,000 closed or were transferred while 127,000 opened, a net loss of 86,000. The article says low-price 10-yuan cuts are growing in county towns while mid-priced salons struggle, with some staff leaving the trade.
- Asia-Pacific·Policy & Law
Uttar Pradesh approves 30-day Diwali bonus for state government employees
The Uttar Pradesh government has approved a 30-day bonus for eligible state employees for FY 2025-26, covering non-gazetted staff and daily-wage workers, with the bonus capped at Rs 1,184 for the latter. Employees get 25% in cash and 75% in provident fund accounts; retirees receive all in cash. Separately, Tamil Nadu announced bonus and ex-gratia of up to 20% for Group C and D public-sector employees, benefiting around 2.60 lakh workers.
- United States·Policy & Law
California signs SB 947 and SB 951 on AI in employment decisions and tech-driven layoff notices
California signed SB 947, the No Robo Bosses Act, and SB 951 on September 30, 2026. SB 947 sets requirements for automated decision systems used in discipline and termination and becomes operative July 1, 2027. SB 951 adds disclosure requirements to qualifying Cal/WARN notices when AI or other automation substantially contributes to a workforce reduction.
- Europe·Policy & Law
Braunschweig labor court to rule in second VW manager whistleblower dismissal case
The Braunschweig labor court announced a further ruling for Friday, Nov. 6, in a dismissal dispute involving a Volkswagen upper-management employee. Two managers were dismissed after allegedly contacting authorities in summer 2024 under the whistleblower protection act. In the other case, the court ruled in February the summary dismissal was invalid but the ordinary dismissal effective Sept. 30, 2026 was valid.
- China·News
School responds to unpaid job-shadowing teacher recruitment: poorly considered, halted, no one hired
The school said its unpaid job-shadowing teacher recruitment was poorly considered and has been halted, with no one actually recruited.
- Asia-Pacific·Policy & Law
Regional labour codes capacity-building and awareness programme Shram Samvad held in Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh
A regional capacity-building and awareness programme on labour codes, Shram Samvad, was held in Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh.
- China·People
Weilong Delicious Global: co-founder Liu Fuping steps down as CEO, 35-year-old Yu Feng appointed CEO
Hong Kong-listed Weilong Delicious Global announced on Nov. 3 that co-founder Liu Fuping resigned as CEO and became co-vice chairman. The board appointed Yu Feng, 35, as CEO and co-vice chairman, and Chen Yang as CFO, effective Nov. 3, 2026. Yu's base salary is RMB 3.3301 million per year plus discretionary bonus.
- United States·Earnings
Upwork Q3 2026 revenue falls to $185.6 million as net income rises to $31.81 million; CFO transition announced
Upwork reported Q3 2026 revenue of $185.6 million, down from $201.73 million a year earlier, while net income rose to $31.81 million, or $0.25 per share. The company also announced a CFO transition and launched the public beta of its Upwork Now hiring product. Early testing showed hires often completed in under 30 minutes.
- United States·People
Claude Code product lead Cat Wu leaves Anthropic for OpenAI to lead product management
Cat Wu announced her departure from Anthropic on Nov. 4 and joined OpenAI on Nov. 5 to handle product management for its core product team. She was an early lead of Claude Code, which the article says reached a $2.5 billion annualized run rate in Feb. 2026; several team members have left since late October.
- China·Research
Stir-fry robots enter Chinese chain restaurant kitchens, lifting efficiency 30%-50% amid chef shortage of about 3 million
Chain restaurants including Laoxiangji, Xiaocaiyuan and Nanchengxiang are widely using stir-fry robots, and a one-person-multiple-machines model is estimated to raise kitchen efficiency by 30%-50%. Statistics put the chef talent gap at about 3 million. The mainstream model is human-machine collaboration, with a new role of cooking technology application operator.
- Global·Partnership
ILO and European Commission to co-host Just Transition Pavilion at COP31
The ILO and the European Commission will co-host the Just Transition Pavilion at COP31 for the fifth consecutive year. Under the theme 'Advancing a Just Transition from Commitment to Implementation', it focuses on employment security, workforce development and social protection. IOE, ITUC and UNFCCC are collaborating; host Türkiye will hold a dedicated Türkiye Day.
- Global·Product
Remote launches virtual Expense Cards for Employer of Record employees
Remote has launched virtual Expense Cards for eligible Employer of Record employees in supported countries, usable typically within one business day. Companies can preset who can use the cards, what can be bought and spending limits, with transactions logged automatically in Remote Expenses. Remote cited research that 68% of surveyed UK office workers incurred bank fees covering business expenses.
- China·Policy & Law
Yiyang housing bureau responds to claim staffer on probation still works: paid 75% living allowance
Responding on 3 November to a netizen claim that a Ziyang District housing bureau employee in Yiyang was still working after a suspended sentence, the bureau said it has paid him a living allowance of 75% of base salary since March 2024, with allowances and bonuses stopped. It said it has not yet received a court judgment or other formal legal documents and will act accordingly once it does.
- Global·Research
Study: supervisor trust in employees falls from 68% to 24% when AI is used
A six-study paper in The Leadership Quarterly, with five incentivised experiments and one field study of academic supervisors, found supervisors trusted employees' accounts 68% of the time when the task was done independently, versus 24% when AI output was used. Lower trust was linked to poorer perceived performance and promotability. The penalty was not significant when companies explicitly encouraged LLM use but remained when AI was prohibited.
- Asia-Pacific·Policy & Law
Japan's labor ministry to survey working conditions abroad amid string of overseas overwork deaths
Japan's Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare has decided to survey working conditions abroad after a series of overwork deaths and suicides among overseas workers. Vice Minister Yasuhito Urano told a bereaved-family group of the plan on 6 November, the group said. The ministry says expatriates are in principle not covered by the Labor Standards Act.
- Europe·Policy & Law
Prime Minister says job ads to include salary details under government plans; legal expert warns of pay tensions
Firms will be required to include salary information in job adverts under government plans, HR Grapevine reports. A legal expert warns the rules could create tensions over existing staff pay and make businesses more cautious about hiring.
- Europe·News
CIPD chief Neil Carberry urges HR to 'be a bit noisier'
HR Grapevine reports that, after years of debate on how HR must evolve, CIPD chief executive Neil Carberry offered a confident vision of a profession equipped to lead through uncertainty, urging HR to be a bit noisier.
- Asia-Pacific·Research
Over 560,000 Cambodians received NSSF benefits in first nine months
Cambodia's Labor Ministry spokesperson said more than 560,000 citizens, nearly 300,000 of them women, received National Social Security Fund (NSSF) benefits in the first nine months of the year. NSSF is the sole body running occupational risk, health care and pension schemes and is advancing digitalization.
- Europe·Research
Personalmagazin December 2026 issue examines HR spirit and how AI is changing HR roles
Personalmagazin's issue 12/2026 focuses on the HR spirit, drawing on studies and the HR community. It features TKMS CEO Oliver Burkhard on moving from CHRO to CEO, AI risks, and an exploratory study of 26 HR leaders on how AI is changing HR tasks, roles and structures.
- Asia-Pacific·Policy & Law
Japan's labor ministry plans overseas work survey; bereaved families seek guidelines on working-hour tracking
Japan's labor ministry plans to survey overseas working conditions, Vice Minister Yasuhito Urano told a bereaved-family group on 6 November. The group submitted a petition asking for guidelines requiring firms to track working hours. Urano reportedly indicated guidelines would be drawn up based on the survey results. Expatriates are generally outside the Labor Standards Act.
- Europe·Policy & Law
EESC adopts opinion on EU employment guidelines: deregulation must not weaken workers' rights
At its October plenary, the EESC adopted an opinion on the Commission's proposal for revised employment guidelines, stressing that workers' rights must not be jeopardised by deregulation. It cites AI systems, subcontracting and gender imbalances, welcomes reduced administrative burdens and shifting taxation away from labour, and calls for higher collective bargaining coverage.
- Global·News
Canva restructuring reportedly to affect about 1,271 employees, with severance including MacBook and grants up to $10,000
Canva announced a workforce restructuring after projected revenue growth slowed from 30% to 20%, with around 1,271 employees reportedly affected, The Federal reports. The exit package includes healthcare, career support and grants of up to USD 10,000, and staff without a personal laptop can keep their company MacBook.
- Asia-Pacific·Product
EPFO launches WhatsApp balance check service on Nov 1; users report error messages
EPFO launched WhatsApp-based balance check services on November 1, 2026, but users received error messages when trying to access EPF balance details, Outlook Money reports. The report cites nearly 80 million subscribers.
- Europe·Earnings
Brunel International Q3 revenue falls 1% to €301.2 million, reported EBIT up 43%
Brunel International reported Q3 results on November 6, 2026: revenue fell 1% to €301.2 million (2% organically). Reported EBIT rose 43% to €8.9 million, while underlying EBIT fell 5% to €11.4 million. Non-recurring costs declined to €2.4 million from €5.7 million.
- Asia-Pacific·Research
Remote survey: 96% of Singapore respondents built in-house tools, 59% ad hoc; firm warns of legal exposure
A Remote survey found 96% of Singapore respondents said their organisations built internal tools, automations or workflows rather than buying off-the-shelf software in the past 12 months. Only 37% called custom AI development a deliberate strategy, while 59% built ad hoc. Remote warned that building without governance risks legal and operational exposure.
- Europe·Policy & Law
UK EAT dismisses ex-CEO's appeal, upholds Kuwait Investment Authority's state immunity in whistleblowing and dismissal claims
The Employment Appeal Tribunal in Al-Ateeqi v Kuwait Investment Authority [2026] EAT 169, handed down on 5 November 2026, dismissed a former chief executive's appeal and upheld the Authority's state immunity defence. His whistleblowing detriment and unfair dismissal claims cannot proceed before an Employment Tribunal. The KIA's cross-appeal was also dismissed.
- United States·Policy & Law
DHS proposes ending discretionary H-1B grace period after job loss; comments due Nov 10, current rule still applies
The Hans India reports that on September 11, 2026 the US Department of Homeland Security published a proposal to eliminate the discretionary grace period when employment is terminated. Public comments close Nov 10. The proposal does not eliminate the current protection.
- Asia-Pacific·Product
Upwork adds direct withdrawals to JazzCash, Easypaisa and three other wallets for Pakistani freelancers
Upwork has added direct withdrawals to local mobile wallets in PKR for Pakistani freelancers, covering JazzCash, Easypaisa, NayaPay, SadaPay and Finja. The feature began appearing in accounts on November 6, with a flat $1.99 fee per withdrawal. Funds typically arrive within minutes.
- Asia-Pacific·News
IHH Healthcare to cut about 380 jobs, 0.5% of workforce, in Singapore, Hong Kong and Malaysia
IHH Healthcare said in a November 4 media release that about 0.5% of its 76,000 workforce, around 380 employees, will leave as it consolidates business support services in Singapore, Hong Kong and Malaysia. Some staff will move into redesigned roles. Affected employees will receive enhanced severance and career transition support.
- China·Policy & Law
Dongying housing fund center plans 2026 clean-up of dormant accounts, with batch-by-batch publication
Dongying's housing provident fund center said it has cleared dormant accounts in five batches since November 2025 and plans a 2026 round, with the first list published and others to follow in batches. Contributors can close accounts and withdraw funds, or transfer them, online or at branches.
- China·News
Taiyuan school's unpaid teacher recruitment 'non-compliant', local arbitration official says; school halts it
Yuhua Primary School in Taiyuan, Shanxi, posted an unpaid job-shadowing teacher notice on Nov. 4 and has since stopped it, saying it was ill-considered; no one was hired by Nov. 5. A district labor arbitration official said the unpaid arrangement is non-compliant and the school must pay wages by law. School staff said it was meant as a talent pool, with possible labor-dispatch contracts later.
- United States·Policy & Law
Democrats reportedly win Congress, but H-1B workers and F-1 students not guaranteed immediate relief
Tupaki English reports Democrats secured majorities in both chambers after the 2026 midterms, but this does not guarantee immediate relief for H-1B applicants and F-1 students, as major policy changes need presidential approval. A $100,000 payment applies to certain new H-1B petitions for workers outside the US, and a proposed $70,000 OPT fee has raised concerns.
- United States·Research
US job growth expected to pick up in October, with moderation in wage gains
US job growth is expected to pick up in October, with moderation in wage gains, Reuters reports.
- United States·Research
ResumeBuilder.com survey: 45% of US workers document workplace interactions more often than five years ago
ResumeBuilder.com's Workplace Documentation Report found 45% of US workers document workplace interactions more often than five years ago, while 7% do so less and 27% saw no change. 74% had intentionally saved emails, messages or screenshots as potential proof. One-on-ones with managers were most often documented (32%), and 22% had used an AI tool or notetaker to document automatically.
- Asia-Pacific·Policy & Law
Vietnam Decree 374/2025 sets unemployment insurance contribution rules during work stoppages, but implementation faces obstacles
Vietnam's Decree 374/2025/ND-CP specifies how unemployment insurance contributions are calculated when employees temporarily stop work without ending their contracts, clarifying employer obligations. Vietnam Law Newspaper reports that implementation still faces many obstacles.
- United States·News
Block reportedly preparing second round of layoffs in 2026, affecting Cash App and Square
Block is reportedly preparing its second major layoff round of 2026, affecting Cash App and Square staff, per Business Insider, which said employees were told by internal email. Teams likely affected include Customer Operations, Risk Operations, and Learning and Content Operations. Block has not disclosed total job cuts; US staff reportedly get at least $5,000 in transition assistance.
- United States·Policy & Law
EEOC shortens response window: Florida employers may have just 15 days to answer discrimination charges
According to a Lowndes article on JD Supra, Florida employers facing a discrimination charge from the U.S. EEOC have generally had 25 to 30 days to respond, but may now have just 15 days.
- China·Policy & Law
Court orders insurer to reinstate employee fired over AI use at work and pay over RMB 46,000 in pay and bonus differences
Per CCTV Legal Online on Nov 5, an insurer fired employee Ms. Wu for allegedly seriously violating information security rules after she used AI at work. The court found she took steps to avoid leaks and had no intent to leak, ordering the contract to continue and over RMB 46,000 in pay and bonus differences. The appeal court upheld the ruling.
- United States·Policy & Law
DOL issues final rule removing affirmative action requirements for Registered Apprenticeship sponsors
The US Department of Labor has issued a final rule in the Federal Register removing the affirmative action requirements it previously imposed on Registered Apprenticeship program sponsors, which it called onerous and legally questionable. The rule also streamlines and simplifies related provisions.