Wells Fargo examines possible misuse of expense policy | Amicus brief over Title VII questions protections for transgender people | What employers should know about "ban the box" legislation
Wells Fargo has launched an investigation into possible violations of its expense policy, after employees allegedly doctored receipts to receive reimbursement. The investigation comes as Wells Fargo works to change a culture plagued by scandal since 2016. ThinkAdvisor (free registration)/Bloomberg (8/30)
Recruiting & Retention
Amicus brief over Title VII questions protections for transgender people Nebraska Attorney General Douglas Peterson, along with 12 other state attorneys general and three governors, filed an amicus brief last week with the Supreme Court that accused a federal appeals panel of "rewriting Title VII to its own liking" regarding transgender workers' protections against discrimination linked to employers' religious beliefs. The Supreme Court could decide in the months ahead whether it will accept a case regarding the application of Title VII protections to LGBTQ employees. NBC News (8/29)
Trump stops federal employee pay raises for 2019 President Donald Trump has canceled planned pay raises for civilian federal workers in 2019, calling the increases "inappropriate" and saying the budget cannot support them. Unless Congress passes a spending bill that includes a federal pay raise, the move will affect a 2.1% increase scheduled for January and a yearly adjustment based on workers' locations. CNN (8/30)
The HR Leader
The right way to handle an employee wanting a loan Managers have a few tactics they can use to support an employee requesting a loan or experiencing financial trouble, writes Brett Whysel, co-founder of Decision Fish. Be an active listener, refer the employee to a nonprofit credit counselor and cultivate a workplace culture in which discussing personal finances isn't taboo. Forbes (8/30)
Workplace Chatter
Former refugee goes viral for job-hunting strategy Mohamed Elbarkey, who recently earned a master's degree in aerospace engineering at University College London, has gone viral for his courageous job-hunting efforts in London's Canary Wharf financial district. Elbarkey stood outside a subway station holding a sign that read, in part, "Came as a refugee, just graduated from UCL in ROCKET SCIENCE. Looking for a career in Finance," and he has since been on multiple interviews and received encouragement on Twitter from many, including Richard Branson. CBS News (8/25)
Editor's Note
SmartBrief will not publish Monday In observance of Labor Day in the US, SmartBrief will not publish Monday. Publication will resume Tuesday.
The suppression of liberty is always likely to be irrational.
