United States
Federal and state employment law, immigration and visas, jobs data, HR tech and workforce moves by major US employers.
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111 in the last two weeksToday · Monday 26 October
- United States·Policy & Law
DHS rule could leave 20,000-33,000 work permits to expire, leaving Green Card applicants in job gaps
A report says a new Department of Homeland Security (DHS) rule could put between 20,000 and 33,000 work permits (EADs) at risk of expiring, leaving Green Card applicants and H-1B spouses facing potential job gaps. Further details of the rule and its implementation were not provided in the excerpt.
- United States·Policy & Law
California appeals court rules courts cannot second-guess employer's Fair Chance Act assessment
In McInerney v. Regents of University of California, a California appeals court ruled that courts cannot second-guess the outcome of an employer's individualized assessment under the state's Fair Chance Act (CFCA). The CFCA requires employers to assess whether an applicant's conviction history has a direct and adverse relationship to job duties after a conditional offer. The ruling provides relief amid numerous plaintiff lawsuits challenging such assessments.
- United States·Policy & Law
Allegheny County, PA, enacts paid parental leave and expands paid sick leave requirements
Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, Executive Sara Innamorato signed File #14083-26 into law on October 22, 2026, just five months after it was proposed. Employers with 15+ employees must provide 12 weeks of paid parental leave at up to $4,200/week, and paid sick leave expands to 72 hours annually for larger employers and 48 hours for smaller ones. The law takes effect 180 days after passage, with an additional 180-day implementation period, becoming operative around October 2027.
- United States·Policy & Law
Nevada logistics firm ITS Logistics pays over $396,000 to settle EEOC religious harassment charge
The EEOC found reasonable cause that a Jewish employee at Reno, Nevada-based ITS Logistics faced religious harassment, including antisemitic posts from co-workers and managers, leading to his resignation. Under a conciliation agreement, the company will pay $96,135.54 in back pay and $300,000 in damages, update anti-harassment policies, and report to EEOC for three years.
- United States·Research
As 2027 health costs spike, some NJ employers cut worker health coverage
Private employer health plans are projected to rise 8%-9.5% nationwide in 2027, costing up to $19,000 per employee annually, while New Jersey's ACA plan premiums are expected to jump about 20%. Some employers are considering cutting health benefits or shifting more costs to workers. Roughly 300,000 New Jerseyans are also expected to lose Medicaid coverage starting Jan. 1, 2027 due to federal cuts.
- United States·Earnings
American Express to cut 5% of global workforce amid AI restructuring
American Express plans to cut about 5% of its global workforce as it restructures to improve efficiency and prepare for broader AI adoption, according to its third-quarter earnings disclosure. The move will result in thousands of job cuts and a $336 million charge. The company had nearly 77,000 employees at the end of 2025.
- United States·News
Netflix layoffs and exec shake-ups expose Hollywood-Silicon Valley rift
Netflix has laid off about 6% of its workforce and abandoned an $82.7 billion bid for Warner Bros., facing investor scrutiny over its growth strategy. Tensions between its L.A.-based content executives and Silicon Valley engineering teams have deepened since co-founder Reed Hastings handed the co-CEO role to Ted Sarandos and Greg Peters in January 2023.
- United States·Policy & Law
US clocks fall back Nov. 1, payroll teams must credit the extra hour
US daylight saving time ends Nov. 1, giving employees working overnight an extra hour. Under the Fair Labor Standards Act, employers must pay for all hours actually worked including the repeated hour, which counts toward weekly overtime for nonexempt employees and potentially daily overtime in states like California and Alaska. The House passed the Sunshine Protection Act on July 14 to make DST permanent, but the Senate adjourned without acting and won't reconvene until Nov. 9, so the time change proceeds as usual.
- United States·Research
Stefanini's global CHRO highlights four core skills for AI-era hiring
Stefanini Group Global CHRO Bruno Szarf says AI is now a required skill in a third of entry-level jobs and has been adopted by 47% of U.S. employers. He recommends hiring based on four core qualities: change management, critical thinking, practical thinking and AI fluency, rather than traditional technical checklists.
- United States·Policy & Law
US November visa bulletin: EB-3 advances 21 days for India, EB-2 unchanged
The US Department of State's November 2026 Visa Bulletin advanced India's EB-3 Final Action Date by three weeks to January 22, 2014, while EB-1 (February 1, 2023) and EB-2 (November 1, 2013) dates for India remain unchanged. USCIS will accept employment-based adjustment of status applications in November using the Dates for Filing chart.
- United States·Policy & Law
H-1B crackdown sparks debate as Indian tech firms see sharp visa drop
US Vice President JD Vance publicly backed eliminating the H-1B visa program, calling it broken. Infosys and TCS saw their FY2027 H-1B registrations drop over 90% versus FY2026, while PERM permanent labor certification processing has been suspended for eight major tech employers, an opinion piece reports.
- United States·News
Airbnb CEO Chesky says pure people managers won't survive the AI shift
Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky said on the Invest Like The Best podcast that the biggest risk in the AI era is refusing to evolve, not the technology itself. He said pure people managers who only manage people will have no future value, and leaders must become 'hybrid people managers' or manager-ICs.
Yesterday · Sunday 25 October
- United States·Research
US manufacturing jobs rebound but hiring now favors higher skills, education
US manufacturing employment is growing again, but increased factory automation and complexity mean many new jobs now require a college degree or advanced training, according to a Wall Street Journal report. While these higher-skill roles offer better pay and profits, employers risk facing a shortage of adequately trained workers if training programs fail to keep pace.
- United States·News
Audi to invest $4.2 billion in first US plant, creating 4,500 jobs
US President Donald Trump announced that German automaker Audi, a unit of Volkswagen, plans to invest $4.2 billion to build its first US factory in Macon, Georgia, with annual capacity of 200,000 vehicles and creating about 4,500 jobs. Construction is expected to begin next year, with production targeted for the early 2030s.
- United States·Policy & Law
NLRB Rules USPS Illegally Restricted Workers' Safety Grievance Rights
The NLRB in June upheld a ruling that USPS illegally suppressed senior driver David Covarrubias's safety complaints and signature-gathering in 2021, with management and union both involved. USPS must revoke or amend rules restricting signature collection.
- United States·Policy & Law
American Physical Society Explains Proposed Changes to Optional Practical Training (OPT)
American Physical Society explains proposed changes to Optional Practical Training (OPT), which permits international students to work in the U.S. after graduation; specific reform details not yet detailed.
- United States·Policy & Law
Oakland Advances $30 Minimum Wage Proposal as Alameda Fast-Food Workers Protest Alleged Wage Theft
Oakland city council advances a $30 per hour minimum wage proposal as Alameda fast-food workers at a Jack in the Box location strike over wage theft allegations. Legal Aid at Work has filed suit; California's current fast-food minimum wage is $20 hourly.
- United States·News
Arizona IAM Members Ratify Raytheon Contract with 24% Average Wage Growth
IAM Local 933 members in Tucson, Arizona ratified a new five-year Raytheon contract covering 2,200+ missile- and defense-systems production workers. The deal includes 24% average cumulative wage growth, $3,000 signing bonus, $1,500 401(k) match, and $3,500 ammunition production bonus.
- United States·Policy & Law
US Scraps Automatic Work Permit Extensions for H-4 Spouses, Tightens Visa Renewal Scrutiny
USCIS eliminated automatic work permit extensions for multiple immigration categories including H-4 visa holder spouses. A separate proposal would impose stricter visa renewal scrutiny; Indian-American families are identified as significantly affected populations.
- United States·Policy & Law
US Suspends 8 Tech Firms from PERM Labor Certification, Indian IT Workers Face Visa Uncertainty
On October 8, 2026, the US suspended eight firms—Microsoft, Adobe, TCS, Infosys, HCLTech, Wipro, Capgemini, and Cognizant—from PERM permanent labor certification, affecting their H-1B workers' green card pathways. Impacted employees receive eight-month grace periods after H-1B expiration; some roles may transfer to India.
- United States·Policy & Law
US Senator Proposes Nearly $140,000 H-1B Salary Threshold
A US senator proposed raising the H-1B visa minimum salary threshold to nearly $140,000 to increase wage standard requirements for employer applications.
- United States·Policy & Law
India Criticizes Vance's 'Indentured Servants' Remark Amid US Green Card Restrictions
Vice President Vance's remarks characterizing foreign workers as 「契约奴」 drew criticism from India amid U.S. restrictions on green card policies.
- United States·Research
OSHA Addresses Question on National Forklift-Related Fatality and Injury Data
The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration released a Q&A on accessing national annual workplace fatality and injury data related to forklifts, published October 25, 2026.
- United States·People
Shaun Smith Named Executive Vice President and Chief People Officer at Kaiser Permanente
Shaun Smith has been named Executive Vice President and Chief People Officer at Kaiser Permanente.
- United States·News
Dropbox Explores Cognitive Training Tools to Prevent AI-Driven 'Brain Rot' in Workers
Dropbox explores cognitive training tools—memory and focus exercises—to counter AI-driven 「brain rot」 in workers, also hosting 「analog」 offline team activities where executives practice breathing and disconnect devices.
- United States·Research
Goldman Sachs Flags 10,000-Job AI-Related Hiring Gap
Goldman Sachs economist Joseph Briggs reported October 22, 2026, that labor market data shows AI-related hiring slowdown, with AI-sensitive industries running 10,000 fewer jobs below long-term trend in three months. AI transformation could displace up to 9% of workers.
- United States·Policy & Law
Minneapolis Minimum Wage to Rise to $17.02 on January 1
Minneapolis minimum wage rises to $17.02 per hour effective January 1, 2027.
- United States·Policy & Law
US November visa bulletin advances family-sponsored categories by about a year for Indians
The US Department of State's November 2026 Visa Bulletin advanced final action dates for the F1, F2B and F3 family-sponsored categories by about a year, bringing some Indian applicants with older priority dates closer to permanent residency, while employment-based categories saw only limited progress and continue to face lengthy backlogs.
- United States·Research
More Dads Taking Paid Family Leave for Newborns, Sometimes Outnumbering Moms in Some States
The U.S. lacks federal paid family leave, but states with programs (California, Colorado, Washington) see rising paternal leave claims, with fathers outnumbering mothers in some states amid widespread concerns about childcare burdens.
- United States·Policy & Law
USCIS Revises Filing Deadline Rules, Effective October 23, Affecting Green Card and H-1B Applicants
USCIS revised filing deadline rules effective October 23, 2026, distinguishing procedural filing deadlines from dates involving substantive eligibility. The change eliminates automatic weekend/holiday extensions for certain qualification-related deadlines, affecting green card applicants' children nearing age 21 and H-1B workers requiring timely extension filings.